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PR misfire of the week. The massive hype surrounding Blue Origin’s launch of an all-women crew to the edge of outer space wins the prize.
The main purpose of NS-31 (commemorative gear is available on Blue Origin’s website) was to get a cool video clip of Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos’ fiancée; Gayle King, CBS News broadcaster; and Katy Perry, pop singer; floating inside the capsule.
As the 11-minute flight drew to a close, Perry belted out a few bars of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” King called the song “the best part of the trip.”
For an added touch, Perry kissed the ground once she returned to earth.
In a bit of overkill, Blue Origin issued a press release that has senior VP Phil Joyce saying: “What a privilege to witness this crew of trailblazers depart the capsule today.”
But the real highlight of the mission came after New Shepherd was safe and sound on Mother Earth.
It was when billionaire and Blue Origin founder Bezos fell flat on his face in the Texas desert as he anxiously circled the capsule and peered through its windows in search of his honey Lauren.
Dept. of Irony… In closing the State Dept’s office of foreign disinformation on April 16, Secretary Marco Rubio resorted to some misinformation.
He accused the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation unit of working to “actively silence and censor the voices of Americans they were supposed to be serving.” That’s bunk.
James Rubin, who formerly ran the unit, said the focus was on Russia, China, Iran and terrorist organizations. Shutting the office amounts to America unilaterally disarming in the global information war, according to Rubin. That's exactly the goal of Team Trump.
Rubio may have been referring to the right-wing American bloggers, politicos and websites who rely on Russian propaganda for their content.
For instance, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Donald Trump’s envoy to the world and billionaire NYC real estate developer, Steve Witkoff, of spreading Russian propaganda.
“I believe Mr. Witkoff has adopted the strategy of the Russian side,” Zelensky said during an April 17 speech in Kyiv. “Consciously or not, he is spreading Russian narratives.”
Russian leader Vladimir Putin gave Witkoff a portrait of Trump in March and asked him to deliver the painting to the US president.
“It was such a gracious moment,” said Witkoff. How pathetic.
The payoff: Witkoff now backs recognizing Russian control of occupied land in Ukraine in exchange for a ceasefire. Zelenskyy vigorously opposes any such deal.
What’s up with JD Vance, dissing Chinese people as “peasants?”
There’s already enough tension between the US and China concerning trade and the potential of war over Taiwan. We don’t need the VP running his mouth off.
In justifying Trump’s ruinous tariffs on China, Vance told Fox News: "We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture.
“That is not a recipe for economic prosperity, it's not a recipe for low prices and it's not a recipe for good jobs in the United States of America.”
Mr. Hillbilly Elegy’s remarks went viral on Chinese social media and caught the eye of the country’s leadership.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said it was “surprising and sad to hear the vice president say such ignorant and impolite words.”
Lin Jian doesn’t know JD.
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