Atlantic Monthly Contributors's Blog, page 830

Let's All Choose to Ignore This New Televised Awards Show

Associated Press

CBS is going to broadcast the Hollywood Film Awards starting next year. We don't need this. 

According to Variety's Cynthia Littleton the network has made a deal that will allow the awards—which are not billed as a "competition" but rather a chance for stars to be honored—to show up on your TV every fall. The awards are self described as the "first stop of the awards season."

The Hollywood Film Awards have changed in recent years. When the awards happened this year, Pete Hammond wrote that the ceremony has been growing in clout. "The studios seem to love it because they essentially get to dictate the winners and plant a flag for one film or another early in the season," he wrote. "No one takes the actual award too seriously, but getting the opportunity to be seen holding that award is another thing altogether."

Still, there's really no reason this should be televised. The Hollywood Film Awards are essentially just a grand exercise in back-patting. All awards shows are, of course, so why don't we just keep the ones we already have, given that they have the advantages of history (the Oscars) and drunkenness (the Golden Globes). In fact, if they are televised, you might not get that many celebs to show up. At this year's ceremony, Hammond reported that Julia Roberts said the only reason her husband got her to show up was because "it’s not televised and I knew I won." In fact, some of the benefits of reading about this show is how casual it is. When televised, we may not even hear tales of bizarre Sean Penn speeches about his "neighbor" Roberts. 

So honestly, we really should boycott watching the Hollywood Film Awards. Awards season is too long already. 

       

How the Media Is Covering the Alleged Atomic Wedgie Murder

Atomic Wedgie suspect Brad Davis, as depicted by KRMG.com (RUSSELL MILLS / KRMG.COM)

In what should go down in history as one of the least dignified ways to die, an Oklahoma man has been killed by a wedgie.

For those of you who have never been in a locker room, a wedgie is described by Oxford Dictionaries as "an uncomfortable tightening of the underpants between the buttocks, typically produced when someone pulls the underpants up from the back as a prank."

There are three popular variants on the wedgie:

Hanging Wedgie: the victim is hung by the back of his underwear on a doorknob or a coat hook Reverse Wedgie, or "Melvin": the victim's underwear is pulled up from the front instead of the back Atomic Wedgie: the underwear is pulled all the way over the victim's head

The atomic wedgie method is what appears to have killed 58-year-old Denver St. Clair on December 21. Police say St. Clair and his stepson, Brad Davis, 33, got in an argument that ended with St. Clair dead from blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. He suffocated on his own underwear. Davis has been arrested and it is expected that he will be charged with murder. Davis is claiming that he acted in self-defense. Good luck to him on that.

Meanwhile, the media has to decide how to write this whole thing up. Death by wedgie is an exceptionally rare and thus newsworthy event, but putting "wedgie" (not to mention "atomic wedgie") in a headline might undermine the classiness of the publication.

Here's how things have played out so far:

Avoid the issue

Man Arrested In Murder Of Stepfather In McLoud -- News9

Murder arrest: Stepson jailed in death of stepfather in McLoud -- The Shawnee News-Star

Say what happened, but be classy

Authorities: Okla. Man Suffocated With Underwear -- Associated Press

Passive voice

Oklahoma man dies from atomic wedgie  -- NY Daily News

Put 'atomic wedgie' in 'quotes' for 'distance'

Police: 'Atomic wedgie' led to man's death -- KOCO

Police: Man Killed Stepfather With ‘Atomic Wedgie’ Days Before Christmas -- CBS Houston

Oklahoman given 'atomic wedgie' died from suffocation, trauma to head -- NewsOK

Oklahoma man charged with 'atomic wedgie' murder of stepfather -- Reuters

Why is this headline longer than three words Atomic Wedgie Murder: Denver St. Clair Choked From Underwear Around His Head; Stepson Brad Lee Davis Charged In Killing [PHOTO] - International Business Times GO FOR IT

'This was more than just a fight': Ex-Marine, 33, 'kills stepfather by ATOMIC WEDGIE' -- Daily Mail

En français

Oklahoma : un homme meurt asphyxié par son propre sous-vêtement -- Le Journal de Québec

 

       

Inside the Paranoid World of Fox News's Roger Ailes

Fox News

Picking the most bonkers part of New York magazine's excerpt from Gabriel Sherman's The Loudest Voice in the Room, a book about Fox News chief Roger Ailes, is like picking between slices of pizza. There are too many great options. 

New York's excerpt is the first long look we've received of Sherman's expertly reported new book about Ailes, despite initial details leaking Tuesday night and an extensive counter-offensive from Fox's friends already under way. The story documents for the first time what exactly happened when Ailes moved to Philipstown, a small town in Putnam County, New York, and purchased the local newspaper, the Putnam County News & Recorder, and instilled his particular brand of balanced journalism on the small town. 

It did not go well, of course, but the story gives us an amazing glimpse into just how paranoid Ailes is. Like, perhaps, how he thinks liberals are constantly out to get him. He is the president of Fox News, the hated conservative news channel. So far as we know, his life hasn't been in jeopardy because of his job. But reading Sherman's excerpt, you get the idea Ailes expects a pack of commandos led by Chris Matthews to raid his home at any moment. For instance, Ailes' had security cameras installed all across their property in Philipstown so they could watch what's happening on the grounds at all times. When Ailes and family were out of town, his wife, Beth, phoned a team of landscapers and told them to move a tree they had just finished planting. She was not satisfied with its current location, which she could see because of the cameras:

“[Ailes] was said to have ordered the removal of all trees around his house so that he … had a 360-degree view of any leftist assault teams preparing to rush the house,” Leonora Burton recalled. Roger and Beth also bought up as many surrounding houses as they could. Security cameras were installed throughout the property. “A team of landscapers was, in the absence of the Ailes family, working on the grounds of the compound,” Burton later recounted. “They were planting a tree when the boss’s cell phone rang. It was the absent Beth. ‘No, no,’ she said. ‘That’s not where I want the tree. I insist that you move it.’ She directed them to the correct site. The landscapers were puzzled until they realized that the many security cameras on the grounds had captured them at work. Beth had been watching them from wherever she was and called to correct the tree planting.”

That doesn't even cover the bunker Ailes had installed underneath his house stocked with six-months' worth of supplies in case of a terrorist attack. But for immediate threats, Ailes has a security team, led by his dog, to protect his family: 

“He worried about his kid and his wife and said he wouldn’t want anything to happen to them because of what he was,” Foley recalled. Roger told him his German shepherd, Champ, helped protect them. “He said, ‘I let the dog out of the car when we come here. The dog gets out first. He’s trained to patrol the whole grounds and report back before we get out.’ ”

But Ailes had smaller problems within his small town to deal with. Problems that, despite his status, Ailes decided were not beneath him. 

Richard Shea was elected Philipstown supervisor, the town's highest position, on a platform dedicated to rezoning the town. Ailes had openly campaigned against Shea's election, objecting to the reform Shea promised. Ailes thought he would need city approval if he wanted to, say, change the color of his house. He brought this point up multiple times in town hall meetings despite it being completely false. After Ailes tried to strong-arm Shea at a city council meeting, Shea spoke to The New York Times about the issue. Ailes was furious: 

On Sunday morning, January 10, he received a string of frantic phone calls from friends in town. Ailes had been calling around ranting about a front-page New York Times profile of him that appeared in that morning’s paper. “My takeaway was that this guy is pretty much threatening me,” Shea was quoted saying about the town forum.

Later that day, his phone rang. “You have no fucking idea what you’ve done!” Shea immediately recognized the voice. “You have no idea what you’re up against. If you want a war, you’ll have a battle, but it won’t be a long battle.”

“It was an accurate portrayal of the exchange,” Shea said calmly. “If you’re offended, I’m sorry about that, but it was accurate.”

“Listen,” Ailes seethed, “don’t be naive about these things. I will destroy your life.”

Turns out Ailes' property had been mistakenly labeled on one city report. Shea promised to correct the error immediately. 

Of course, you don't become the chief of Fox News by letting the Chinese move in next door, something the residents of Philipstown soon discovered: 

As the conversation wound down, Ailes told the men that he would spend millions if necessary to keep dangerous elements out of the town. To that end, he was thinking about buying Mystery Point, a 129-acre plot of land with a nineteenth-century brick mansion that overlooks the Hudson, to turn into a corporate retreat for Fox. “That’s up for sale,” Ailes said. “I could buy it in a heartbeat. You know why I’m interested?”

The men stared back at him. “I hear a group of Chinese investors are looking. I’m not going to have some Chinese investors set up a missile silo right across from West Point.”

Liberalism is the America's Greatest Threat, according to Ailes. Liberalism is why Ailes would not permit his son, Zachary, attend the local public school:

“There’s no Christ child on the lawn at Christmastime!” Ailes said. “They have all this fucking Kwanzaa stuff, they have this Hanukkah shit, and you can’t even get Jesus! They think it’s illegal. You can’t show any flags. So I’m not sending our kid there.” 

Of course, we haven't even addressed the tactics Ailes used against reporters who quit working for his newspaper after he had turned against them. The reporters had started working for a new news organization opened in town to combat Ailes' takeover. Laptops were monitored remotely. Ailes dispatched security detail in large black SUVs to follow the reporters around town. These are the kinds of tactics Ailes uses in a small town news war. Imagine, for a second, what he must do for Fox News. 

Earlier Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter released an interview with Ailes that allowed him a chance to discredit the book in advance. "Attacking me and Fox News is nothing new – it’s a cottage industry," Ailes told THR. "What’s new is that Random House refused to fact check the content with me or Fox News — that tells you everything you need to know about this book and its agenda." Ailes refused to cooperate with Sherman's book.

Ailes also defended Megyn Kelly, one of the most popular anchors on Fox News, but also one of the most criticized by those on the other side of the aisle. Probably because they're jealous. Ailes said the uproar over her white Santa controversy is "pathetic."

Just before Christmas, Kelly created a huge controversy on her primetime program by responding to this Slate piece and arguing that Santa Claus "just is white," of course. Her claims became everyone's favorite holiday controversy and prompted hilarious responses from Jon Stewart and also from professional wrestling, because the holidays are about unity and equality. Ailes spoke with THR's Michael O'Connell about Kelly's Claus controversy, Alec Baldwin, and winning the cable news wars.

Ailes honestly thinks the Santa Claus issue was completely overblown. "I don't like," the controversy, Ailes tells O'Connell. Kelly was "joking," according to Ailes, because she was talking about something silly like Santa Claus, a fictional person who delivers presents to kids on Christmas, and the response came from people with an axe to grind. "But the people who are jealous of her, who want to bring down or hurt Fox News, see an opportunity. If they have to beat up somebody as talented as Megyn Kelly on Santa Claus, they're pathetic." Maybe Ailes forgets the article that inspired Kelly's statements was about more nuanced issues like race and social acceptance, and not some global war on Santa Claus, but who are we to digress. 

Ailes also told THR that MSNBC "dodged a bullet" when Alec Baldwin "gave them a reason" to fire him over his homophobic remarks. But Baldwin would also be welcome to come on Fox News any time he wants. "If somebody wants to book Alec Baldwin on one of our shows, and he wants to come on and talk to our people and say what he wants, I don't care," Ailes says. Baldwin is the kind of talking head Ailes enjoys. "He's sort of a ready-fire-aim kind of guy as opposed to ready-aim-fire," he says.

But Baldwin isn't the only MSNBC personality Ailes has eyes on. You'll be surprised to learn he's actually rather fond of Rachel Maddow: 

I think Rachel Maddow has been a surprise to a lot of people. She wouldn't really work at this network because she wouldn't even come in the door, but on a personal level, I like her. I don't want to hurt her career, so I won't say we get along, but I've had dialogue with her, and she's very smart. She has adapted well to the television medium.

Of course Ailes still hates MSNBC because the network only does one show: "Republicans are no good." But he reserves a special blend of contempt for CNN, Jeff Zucker's attitude-filled pet project, which recently announced it's moving away from newscasts. "That means Fox has won the cable news wars," Ailes told THR, before making cracks about CNN's recent smash success, Blackfish:

[Zucker] had a big hit with a whale one night [the documentary Blackfish]. I guess he's going to do whales a lot. If I were Discovery, I'd be worried.

       

Obama Administration Asks Schools to Drop Zero-Tolerance Approach

REUTERS/Jeff Haynes

Rights activists have long-criticized the pervasive zero-tolerance approach to discipline, which mandates strict and inflexible punishment to public school students for committing major and minor offenses alike. The critics say the program contributes to the disproportionate - and unfair - punishments of black and Hispanic students, and creates a "school-to-prison" pipeline which ushers minority students from the public education system straight to to correctional facilities.

Today, the Obama administration joined the ranks of the outraged, urging teachers to end long-held no-tolerance discipline programs. According to the Associated Press, Attorney General Eric Holder said that the practice doles out punishments that hardly fit the crime: 

Ordinary troublemaking can sometimes provoke responses that are overly severe, including out of school suspensions, expulsions and even referral to law enforcement and then you end up with kids that end up in police precincts instead of the principal's office.

Zero-tolerance policies were popularized in the 1990s and have been criticized many times since then. The practice encourages suspensions for small infractions and calling police to intervene in situations that could possibly be handled at school. These actions can build a student's criminal record, placing them within the criminal justice system for even minor infractions. According to a review published by the American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force in 2008, there is very little evidence suggesting that the harsh method works: 

Despite a 20-year-history of implementation, there are surprisingly few data that could directly test the assumptions of a zero tolerance approach to school discipline, and the data that are available tend to contradict those assumptions. Moreover, zero tolerance policies may negatively affect the relationship of education with juvenile justice and appear to conflict to some degree with current best knowledge concerning adolescent development. 

If anything, the zero-tolerance approach to education has served to highlight ugly prejudices. According to the AP, black and disabled students are unfairly targeted under the practice: 

In American schools, black students without disabilities were more than three times as likely as whites to be expelled or suspended, according to government civil rights data collection from 2011-2012. Although black students made up 15 percent of students in the data collection, they made up more than a third of students suspended once, 44 percent of those suspended more than once and more than a third of students expelled. More than half of students involved in school-related arrests or referred to law enforcement were Hispanic or black, according to the data.

The administration emphasized in these recommendations that black students are given harsher punishments than white students for comparable infractions. And a spotty disciplinary record can lead to serious setbacks in adult life. NPR reports that 32 percent of students who are suspended drop out — double the rate of those who are never suspended. Nearly half of students who are suspended twice or more drop out, and students who drop out are more likely to end up entangled in the criminal justice system later in life. 

In the lengthy Department of Education recommendation, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan tells teachers to seek softer solutions for disciplinary problems:

I encourage America’s educators to proactively redesign discipline policies and practices to more effectively foster supportive and safe school climates. That is why today I am calling on state, district, and school leaders to reexamine school discipline in light of three guiding principles that are grounded in our work with wide variety of high-achieving and safe schools, emerging research, and consultation with experts in the field. 

The first principle includes taking "deliberate steps to create the positive school climates that can help prevent and change inappropriate behaviors," like training staff, engaging families, drawing on resources and working with students on underlying problems. The second is ensuring "that clear, appropriate, and consistent expectations and consequences are in place to prevent and address misbehavior." The third is that "schools must understand their civil rights obligations and strive to ensure fairness and equity for all students by continuously evaluating the impact of their discipline policies and practices on all students using data and analysis." 

The ACLU tepidly welcomed the announcement, citing some shortcomings but lauding the move overall:

Though the guidance does not call for the elimination of law enforcement or school resource officers (SROs) in schools, it does provide important guiding principles for their proper role with respect to discipline. This includes improved training and a clear delineation of roles so that officers are not responsible for handling minor discipline. 

The administration's recommendations are non-binding, but will hopefully help eliminate some of the inequalities that keep our at-risk students at a disadvantage, by getting people to reconsider the idea of school discipline. 

       

Does the Christie Bridge Controversy Now Have a Body Count?

Associated Press

The massive traffic jam allegedly created as an act of political retribution by staffers for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie delayed vehicles responding to a medical emergency in Fort Lee. In one instance, a 91-year-old woman later died.

That detail comes from The Bergen County Record, the newspaper that on Wednesday morning broke news that a senior Christie aide had been involved in some way in causing traffic in the town to be jammed. By closing several on-ramp lanes to the busy George Washington Bridge, traffic backed up into Fort Lee, delaying commuters for hours and snarling schoolchildren on their first days of a new school year.

But worse things happened:

Emergency responders were delayed in attending to four medical situations – including one in which a 91-year-old woman lay unconscious – due to traffic gridlock caused by unannounced closures of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge, according to the head of the borough’s EMS department.

The woman later died, borough records show.

Whether or not a more timely response would have saved the unnamed woman's life isn't clear, but the paper indicates that she later died of cardiac arrest at the hospital. Overall, response times doubled. When it would normally take under four minutes to reach an emergency situation, during the traffic jams last September, times were closer to seven to nine minutes — including seven minutes to reach that woman.

On Wednesday, Mother Jones reported that the traffic problems also prevented searchers from looking for a four-year-old who had gone missing. "The police had trouble conducting that search because they were tied up directing traffic," a Fort Lee councilman said. The child was later found.

       

Anthony Weiner Is Resurfacing in Amazon's 'Alpha House'

Associated Press

Just when you thought you might miss Anthony Weiner (you didn't), everyone's favorite dick-pic-taking former congressman/wannabe mayor is re-emerging for a guest spot as himself on Amazon's series Alpha House. 

Weiner, according to Variety's Todd Spangler, will have one of the many cameos in the Alpha House finale, which debuts Friday on Prime Instant Video. The likes of Michael Steele, Tom Brokaw, Jeffrey Toobin, and Bill Murray—who appeared in the pilot—are joining him. 

Still, it's hard to say Weiner's going to make much of a big splash. Buzz-wise, Alpha House—which comes from Doonesbury's Garry Trudeau and stars John Goodman—hasn't made much of a splash. It's also not doing that well even among other shows available on Amazon Prime. Spangler has it in fifth place behind two seasons of Downton Abbey, a season of Justified, and a season of Duck Dynasty. (Looking at the most popular page, another season of Justified may have inched in front of it too.)

Ultimately, this looks like an attempt at a mutually beneficial situation. Weiner gets to have his name back in the news—something he seems to be addicted to—and Amazon perhaps gets more users. Gird yourself for dick pic jokes!

       

Insane Clown Posse Sues the FBI for Thinking They Are a Gang

Associated Press/Carlos Osorio

The "horrorcore" rap group Insane Clown Posse filed a federal lawsuit against the FBI and the Justice Department today for the “unwarranted and unlawful decision” to label the Juggalos a "loosely-affiliated hybrid gang" back in 2011. That moniker has meant unfair police treatment and “significant harm” to the Posse's many fans, according to the complaint, filed with help from the ACLU.

Conflating Juggalos with gangs is absurd, preposterous, and any other synonym for insane, the Posse explains. "Organized crime is by no means part of the Juggalo culture," the complaint reads. Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope (legally, Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler) say they are neither engaged in organized violence nor mass scale dope dealing, even though their fans — as evidenced by their massive annual festival known as "The Gathering of the Juggalos" — are quite organized. But mostly harmless.

(AP)

The Insane Clown Posse has been mulling a suit against the FBI for some time, and gathered evidence of what the group alleges is unfair treatment directed at their fans. Four Juggalos joined in the suit to tell personal stories of mistreatment. One of those suing said he has been consistently stopped by police for wearing a necklace of a man with a hatchet (right), a symbol of the Insane Clown Posse. Another fan claims that the Army told him he had to get rid of his Juggalo tattoos before he could join because they were gang-related.

The FBI's evidence against the Juggalos as a violent gang is indeed thin, as the FBI's report on the group cites only a few sporadic, unlinked criminal cases among the vast throng of ICP fans. “[I]t is wrong to designate the entire group of supporters as a criminal gang based on the acts of a few," the complaint reads. "Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened here.”

       

In Honor of Tonight's Episode: An 'American Horror Story' Drinking Game

FX

We've been waiting way too long for American Horror Story: Coven's return from its winter break, and especially for tonight's episode, "The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks." 

It's been close to a month since we last checked in on Madame Delphine LaLaurie (Kathy Bates)'s decapitated body swatting flies and Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) shooting herself in the mouth to save Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), and Laveau eating the scenery and forging a truce with Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) and the Salem-descended witches.

Whew. That said, there's no better time than to freshen up on all that's happened this season than with an aggressive drinking game. (Feel free, as ever, to participate with your preferred non-alcoholic beverage. Just try to drink it out of a chalice of some sort anyway.)

Drink every time ... FX

... a Fleetwood Mac Song plays. This season could double as Ryan Murphy's love song to Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac's music. Beginning with Misty (Lily Rabe), a huge Stevie fan, and ending with small delights like "Sara" taking center stage during one of the scenes, this season could have been called American Horror Story: Stevie Nicks. 

Rule: If more than two bars of a Fleetwood Mac song plays, drink. Double that if, as reported, the song is "Rhiannon." 

... we're treated to a flashback. The best part of having seemingly immortal characters like Delphine and Marie, not to mention a character who is afraid of getting old, is that we can flash back to seemingly any period in history. 

Rule: Drink whenever we're treated to scene not in the present day. Drink twice if we get a flashback featuring Delphine's daughter Borquita. Two big gulps if we get a ferocious Marie flashback from the civil rights era. 

FX

... Myrtle throws shade. Frances Conroy has been channeling Grace Coddington and Diana Vreeland with her Myrtle Snow. Snow doles out some of the show's most scathing insults (we almost felt bad for Pembroke and Quentin last episode) and delivers them in a feathery, barely audible tone, as if Snow's adversaries aren't even worth a full-throated dressing down. This, of course, makes Myrtle Snow one of the best characters on the show. 

Rule: Drink every time Myrtle insults the interior design choices in the house. Drink two swigs if she passive aggressively slams Fiona. 

... someone wears a hat.  Witches wear hats. Amazing hats. 

Rule: If there's a hat, you drink. 

... every time Fiona gets soft-focus lighting. 

Rule: If Fiona looks flawless, drink.

FX

... Marie serves 3/4 Profile. Every drag queen knows there are two tricks to make something more dramatic. The first method is to put a fan in front of you (see: Beyonce). The second is to serve 3/4 profile, the thought being that talking to someone (the camera in this instance) head-on doesn't lend itself to drama as much as a three-quarter profile, which enhances side-eye, evil gazes, and props like fans. Marie understands this. 

Rule: Drink if Marie makes you think of a majestic, evil drag queen. 

... Marie says "Cracker." It sounds so much better when it comes from her. 

Rule: Drink if Marie says cracker. 

... Patti LuPone Appears with Bad Hair. This season, Patti LuPone (does anyone actually know her character's full name) only does two things: she kills people and she slut-shames the witchy girls next door. When she does the former, she sports some unkempt "murder hair." So it's kinda like The Ring: first you see LuPone's bad hair day, then you die. 

Rule: Drink if Patti LuPone looks like she needs a hairbrush.

FX

... a dead person doesn't die. There are a lot of people who died this season. There are also a lot of people who didn't stay dead. Some people died in the last episode. Which means ...

Rule: Drink if the people who died in the last episode either come back to life or didn't die at all. 

 

 

Parting Shots The goal of this game to be drunk by minute 15. If you are not, then here are a few more things you should raise a glass to:

A Madison Montgomery Eye Roll  A close-up of Misty's Boots Misty's Shawls Zoe biting her lip Kyle grunting A hint that Nan might be the next Supreme Any time the word Supreme is mentioned— double if it's about Diana Ross and not the show's mythology Anjelica Huston's ex-husband from Smash showing up as a venerable witch-hunter [If Anjelica Huston shows up herself, drink three full drinks. If Anjelica Huston shows up in character as Eileen Rand, just go directly to an AA meeting and cut out the middle man.]  Cordelia gets excited Cordelia gets excited in front of a plant Delphine's body swats a fly Delphine's head screams Delphine's head does anything Fiona recommends a new rug Fiona pops a pill Marie says "witch hunter" Marie fans herself Marie plays Solitaire
       

Chris Christie: Wait, My Staffer Did What? Update: The Mayor of Fort Lee Weighs In

Associated Press

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie offered a statement on Wednesday afternoon responding to revelations that a staffer may have been involved in a plan to exact political retribution on an opponent. In short, the statement reads: "She did what?"

Christie was responding to reports that emerged on Wednesday morning that Bridget Anne Kelly, his deputy chief of staff, declared that it was "time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," shortly before the town was hit with unexplained and unannounced traffic back-ups. The mayor of the town had declined to endorse Christie's reelection.

Update, 5:40 p.m.: The Bergen County Record, which broke Wednesday's story, adds a new detail to the long-reported revelation that the traffic delays slowed emergency vehicles: one elderly woman later died.

His statement checks all of the boxes that a potential presidential candidate would need to check in order to try and stave off a sense of scandal.

What I've seen today for the first time is unacceptable. I am outraged and deeply saddened to learn that not only was I misled by a member of my staff, but this completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge. One thing is clear: this type of behavior is unacceptable and I will not tolerate it because the people of New Jersey deserve better. This behavior is not representative of me or my Administration in any way, and people will be held responsible for their actions.

Got that?

He just learned about it. ("seen today for the first time", "without my knowledge") He is mad about it. ("I am outraged and deeply saddened") It was hidden from him. ("misled by a member of my staff") It shouldn't have happened. ("completely inappropriate") Someone will be fired. ("unacceptable", "I will not tolerate it", "people will be held responsible")

The only thing missing is an actual notarized document stating that Kelly has tendered her resignation. Bookmakers in Atlantic City probably have even odds on that happening before the weekend rolls around.

Part of Christie's strong response almost certainly stems from his prior dismissals of the issue. He's repeatedly joked that he himself moved the cones that closed several lanes leading onto the busy George Washington Bridge leading into Manhattan. Those sarcastic denials fit with his well-crafted image, but certainly aren't making these revelations easier.

There's still space for Christies opponents — both Democrats and conservative Republicans worried about his possible, more moderate candidacy — to question Christie's involvement. The precision of the denial and the fact that a staffer twice-removed from the governor felt empowered to make such a declaration offer a sense that this is far from over. And there are still two years for the issue to be explored before 2016 rolls around.

Update, 5:30 p.m.: Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich appeared on CNN to discuss the issue and Christie's statement. Punctuating his comments with a lot of "Lemme tell ya, Wolf"s, in true Jersey fashion.

As this story continues and as things begin to unravel … [this] has become more and more difficult to understand, more and more difficult to comprehend, and, frankly, more and more difficult to believe.

I'm actually rooting that the highest elected official in the state of New Jersey isn't involved in this. But I will tell you, I'm beginning to question my judgment.

"I always dismissed it as not being important enough," Sokolich said. "Who would possibly reduce themselves to closing lanes to the busiest bridge in the world?" Later, he offered harsher critique: "Absolutely the lowest level of political venom that you can even make up. I gotta tell you, I can't believe it."

Sokolich, who first declared his suspicion that the closures were politically motivated on the Thursday of the week of the closures, offered some insight into the rumor that the traffic changes were related to his failure to endorse Christie. "I don't recall a specific request to endorse," he said, "but the events that led up to all of this you can interpret to be somehow attracting me to endorse." He didn't endorse in part because he's a Democrat. But, he added, "I'm grateful to my instincts because they certainly have proven me to be correct."

The mayor suggested that the negative fall-out was two-fold. First, it continues the perception that New Jersey is home to dirty politics. And, second, he worried that once media attention moves away from the issue that Fort Lee would be subject to new retribution. "The folks that are responsible for this can no longer be in positions that they can cause this type of damage to other communities," he said.
"But I have a prediction. There will be resignations, and you'll hear that this was part of our career path and they were resigning anyway."

       

'It Happens,' Says Kentucky Lawmaker Who Accidentally Fired Her Gun in the State Capital

AP

Democratic Kentucky State Rep. Leslie Combs doesn't think her accidental discharge of a firearm in the state's capitol building Tuesday afternoon was a big deal. "I am a gun owner, it happens," Combs told reporters after the incident. 

Combs was apparently in the process of unloading her Ruger 380 semi-automatic handgun when it fired into the floor of the Capitol annex. No one was harmed by the gunshot, so she reported the incident to state police about two hours later. the lawmaker told the Courier-Journal that she has a concealed carry permit, and often brings the gun to work in her purse.  Here's more from Combs: 

“I was purposely disarming it to put it up because I didn’t like it and I didn’t want to use it any more... I had had it in my purse I carry usually, and I thought I’m going to put that sucker away.”

And she's not the only armed state lawmaker. According to state Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo, state House members, himself included, have carried guns to the capital. But normally lawmakers check their guns, instead of carrying them around through the day. 

As for whether Combs will now reconsider her gun carrying habit, the legislator said, “I am a gun owner. I support the right to bear arms. As a female —particularly for protection rights — I feel the need to carry a firearm." but, from now on, she'll apparently carry a revolver instead.