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Is Being Gay Compatible With Religion? Can I Be Re-Infected With Another Strain of HIV Through Oral Sex? Children Raised By Same-Sex Couples Do Better In School
River City Pride Parade & Festival 2019 As Drag Becomes More Popular Than Ever, Drag Kings Refuse to Be Ignored The Quieter Side of Key West Gay Tech Entrepreneur Giving Back To LGBT+ Community
Top Tier Status For Butttigieg With $20M Even Tucker Carlson Finds Rachel Maddow’s Show Compelling
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Is Being Gay Compatible With Religion?
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By Nathan Heffeman
Every day on my walk to class, I stroll past the stunning Duke Chapel that towers above me. Sometimes I stop to stretch my head up and take in the glorious architecture. I see this iconic structure every day, but I can’t remember the last time I’ve stepped in. The chapel is the epicenter of this school, yet religion is the most distant thing I experience on this campus. The stained-glass windows give me aesthetic delight and a warmth of nostalgia, but the reminder of religious institutions brings back dormant memories that leave a sinking feeling in my stomach. A week ago, the United Methodist Conference voted to tighten bans on same-sex marriage and LGBT ordinations, a decision that caused great pain for LGBT members of the religious community and prompted sympathetic responses from Duke Divinity School officials. LGBT members of congregations felt alienated by this decision and are faced with a painful situation. As a gay man from a Catholic family, I have innate empathy for the people affected by this decision, especially the LGBT students in the Duke Divinity School. This turmoil reminded 06 www.cityxtramagazine.com
me of my own internal conflicts with religion and sexuality, as well as my tendency to avoid such issues while being a Duke student. It leaves me wondering for the people affected by this decision, if it is possible to reconcile the prejudice of an institution with an individual’s own desire to pursue their faith.
I was told by my religious family and friends that being gay was acceptable in the eyes of God, even if the church historically antagonized homosexuals. Although their ideas varied, I generally heard the generic “love the sinner, not the sin” argument when it came to LGBT people. In the Catholic I went to church every single Sunday while growing up. I had church specifically, I was taught that all sex without complaints with the Catholic intention to procreate is a sin. church as an institution, but I Thus, through semantics, the believed in the fundamental truths we learned. I thought my Catholic church was able to not outwardly villainize purpose in life was to find a homosexuals but still label their career that helped other people, marry a beautiful wife, actions as sinful. Many Christian denominations share and then start a family. This a similar doctrine in regards to calling felt so strong and LGBT individuals, one that is immutable that I ignored the writings on the wall whispering tolerant of their identity but intolerant of them acting upon to me that I wasn’t straight. their identity. When I finally accepted that I was gay (after six years of When we are faced with a adamant denial and community or institution that self-hatred), my cookie cutter has a different belief, we have future dissipated. The dream I multiple options. We can speak had been grasping on fell out and try to change the through my fingertips and overall beliefs, we can accept scattered like ashes in the their rules and silently suffer, or wind. My family accepted me we can distance ourselves from with open arms, but the church the community. For me, the blessed me with a cold Catholic church was years from shoulder. accepting me to the same
extent that I have learned to accept myself. I did not enjoy the thought of being expected to stay single my entire life, and I found the patriarchal system to be irreparably biased against women. Thus, I did not see the Catholic religion as being compatible with me being gay. There are Catholic youth who share my opinions on the institution but are committed to reforming it, and see a different, harmonious future. Likewise, there are LGBT ministers and future ministers who are paving the way in their own denominations, especially here at Duke Divinity School. Roadblocks such as the recent UMC decision question if reform is even possible in immobile institutions. How does one continue their existence in a community that denies the fullness of their identity? I was never as attached to the Catholic church as I was to my
feelings of spirituality. I enjoy reflection, acts of love, and contemplation of life and our place in this universe. When I stepped into my refreshed life as a gay man, I stopped seeing beauty in the religion that I knew before my memory. The condemnations of homosexuality by the priest at the altar cut deeper, and my aversion to my previous place of peace arose. I always go to mass with my family, since I love them more than myself, and when I walk through the doors my heart beats with nervousness as I feel the judgment of the congregation and God on my shoulders. It’s the same feeling I get when I stare at our great chapel, an inescapable feeling of shame and isolation. I have met several Divinity School students in my time here, and these lovely individuals give me hope for future generations of LGBT youth who grow up in religious
communities. I’ve had deep conversations with future ministers and preachers who are LGBT identifying or outspoken allies, types of people I never expected to exist. They have the bravery to embrace their full identities and beliefs in the face of institutions that try to shut them out. For them, their identity and religion are not only compatible, but intertwined. I can’t help but to imagine what would have been different if I had a LGBT religious leader or role model when I was younger. Maybe I would’ve been inspired to reform the institutions that shaped my personal life. Maybe I would’ve come out earlier. Maybe I would still feel welcome stepping into my home church. Maybe one sunny day, while strolling past the chapel on my way to class, I would pause to look up at the magnificent tower, and I would smile. Maybe I would go in.
Can I Be Re-Infected With Another Strain of HIV Through Oral Sex? By Damon Jacobs
Question: I met someone who is also HIV positive and on treatment -- I am too. We always use condoms during sex, but I have also been eating his semen. Last night I had night sweats like I used to have before I found out I was positive. Is it possible I've been re-infected with his strain of HIV? Can I get drug resistance because of it? We both have had an undetectable viral load for a long time and have high CD4 cell counts (over 900), so is there anything to worry about? Answer: Thank you for writing in with a common and often confusing subject. Doctors have speculated on the possibility of a "superbug" or a "superinfection" since HIV was discovered in the 1980s. But are these concerns legitimate and valid in real-world situations? The answer to that is surprisingly murky and scientifically unclear. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells us that HIV superinfection is rare, happening less than 4% of the time. Some researchers argue that although superinfection can technically occur, actual incidence has only been seen in about 16 people who were 08 www.cityxtramagazine.com
re-infected -- and that was mostly through IV drug use, not sex. I remember, when I started working in HIV prevention in 1991, we were recommending all HIV-positive people make sure they use condoms with all HIV-positive partners. When combination antiretroviral therapy became widely available in 1996, we were instructed that people living with HIV still had to use condoms with each other, or else a strong, untreatable supervirus would inevitably emerge and make HIV impossible to treat in the years ahead. By 2000, it was pretty clear that (1) people living with HIV were not using condoms with each other and yet (2) no supervirus had emerged. Despite folk myths to the contrary, and a very offensive episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2005, the reality is that HIV strains have remained treatable and medications are continuing to save lives. The most relevant issue here, however, is that no person living with HIV who is virally suppressed for six months or longer can transmit HIV sexually to another person --
that includes to their own sexual partners who are also living with HIV. So even if there were some concern about being in that theoretical less-than-4% of people who are at risk of developing drug resistance from condomless sex, all of that risk would be brought down to zero based on the fact that your partner cannot transmit HIV to you, or anyone, when they are undetectable. The next most relevant issue here is that oral sex is considered to be "little to no risk." Even if your partner had a detectable (i.e., potentially transmittable) HIV viral load, the possibility of acquiring a superinfection from oral sex is pretty much zero (or "negligible"). This is because oral sex, with ejaculation, is not considered to be an activity that would put anyone at risk of encountering HIV as long as they have basic dental hygiene. I don't know the cause of your night sweats; only a medical professional who sees you in person can tell you accurately. But quite often, when we worry about getting HIV symptoms, we manifest those symptoms. I know before I
started using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), I would regularly wake up with night sweats and swollen lymph nodes, and I would scan my body for any purple spots that didn't used to be there. Once I learned the science and efficacy behind PrEP, and began taking it, then the anxiety went away, and so did the sweats. Again, I'd encourage you to talk to a doctor about these symptoms, and perhaps consider if a knowledgeable therapist in your area might be able to help as well. I hope this information allows you to relax, enjoy, and know that by taking your HIV medications and staying undetectable you are doing everything in your power to ensure a long and sexually fulfilling life for yourself and your partners.
Children Raised By Same-Sex Couples Do Better In School By Heather Wilson
Children of same-sex couples perform better in school than kids raised by a mom and a dad, according to new research from several European economists.
paper. "Our results suggest that children from same-sex couples are 6.7 percent more likely to graduate than children from different-sex couples.” What’s unique about this latest research is that it follows all The researchers found that children born in the children raised by same-sex couples had higher test scores Netherlands from 1995 to 2005 through primary school (and in elementary and secondary beyond). The data includes school and were about 7 percent more likely to graduate information about the child’s from high school than children educational performance as raised by different-sex couples. well as data on the child’s parents and family income. The study by economists Deni Prior studies of the children of Mazrekaj, Kristof de Witte and gay and lesbian parents have Sofie Cabus of Belgian often had a small sample size, university KU Leuven used of only a few dozen kids, or government data tracking all have used U.S. Census Bureau children born in the data, which is only a one-time Netherlands since 1995. The snapshot. Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize In total, this latest study tracked 1,200 children raised by samesame-sex marriage in 2001 and has generally been one of sex couples and more than 1 the most supportive nations for million kids raised by differentsex couples. same-sex couples. The researchers found that “The results indicate that same-sex parents are often children from same-sex wealthier, older and more couples outperform children educated than the typical from different-sex couples on standardized test scores at the different-sex couple. Same-sex couples often have to use end of primary education by 0.18 standard deviations," the expensive fertility treatments to have a child, meaning they are researchers wrote in their very motivated to become 10 www.cityxtramagazine.com
parents and tend to have a high level of wealth. This is likely to be a key reason their children perform well in school, the economists found. “It is difficult for same-sex couples to obtain children so they have to have a high socioeconomic status," said Mazrekaj, who presented the research at the American Economic Association conference in Atlanta in January. "Research shows that socio-economic status positively influences the school outcome of children.” When the economists controlled for income and wealth, there were a much smaller gap between the test scores of children of same-sex parents and children different-sex parents, although children of homosexual couples still had slightly higher scores. Most prior studies have found no statistical difference in the educational performance or well-bring of children from gay or lesbian couples (a few have found negative effects), but this latest research was also able to control for the effects of divorce, which often has a negative impact on school
performance and can skew results.
“Many children come into a same-sex family through divorce of a homosexual parent with a heterosexual partner and therefore did not grow up in a same-sex family,” the economists wrote. “Divorce may exert an independent negative effect on school outcomes.” When the researchers looked specifically at children born and raised by same-sex couples, they saw the higher educational performance vs. heterosexual couples. The data from the Netherlands echo a 2014 study from Australia that found children of same-sex couples are generally happier and healthier than their peers, possibly because gay and lesbian couples share parenting and home work more equally.
River City Pride Parade & Festival 2019
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As Drag Becomes More Popular Than Ever, Drag Kings Refuse to Be Ignored By Hazel Anderson
From the front of Bushwick’s tiny Bizarre bar, the first piano notes of Céline Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” begin to play. The Missy Elliott that was just coming from the speakers has died down, as well as the chatter of young people around the bar ordering absinthe cocktails and burgers. The crowd here tonight, eagerly waiting to see the venue’s drag king performance show BEEF, is practically spilling out into the cold, rain-slicked street. Drag king Lee VaLone, in a bulky coat and a long, blonde wig peeking out from a black felt hat, steps onto the spotlit stage, looking like an old-timey chimney sweeper. And to a cheering crowd, he lip-syncs along with Dion, running his fingers through the wig’s platinum strands, slowly tearing off pieces from his ensemble as the song’s momentum builds. But the wig grows longer, and more voluminous, as VaLone twirls on stage. Suddenly, it’s absolutely massive. And as the song hits its last explosive chorus, VaLone tears off the untamed wig to reveal his short, natural mohawk underneath. He runs his fingers 16 www.cityxtramagazine.com
through it while flipping a middle finger to the now crumpled pile of hair on the floor, right as Dion sings of “the flesh and the fantasy” all coming back to her now. Flesh and fantasy—the reimagining and interrogation of it—is BEEF’s bread and butter. Across the night, performers presented wildly different interpretations of male drag. There was Maxxx Pleasure, wearing tight, striped pants and a furry white coat Keith Richards might envy; he rocked out to Foxy Shazam’s “The Only Way To My Heart Is With An Axe,” at one point tearing his teeth into a bouquet of red roses and spitting it into the audience. There was Dorian Gaye as a cowboy type, line-dancing across the stage to a Garth Brooks mash-up. And Vic Sin who, in an oversized power blazer and teetering white platforms, performed a pitch-perfect, quivering rendition of the Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer,” ripping off the blazer to reveal neon-pink painted nipples. “I call it a drag king show, but really it’s just a critique of masculinity and how we can
mess with it,” VaLone, 30, says over drinks at Bizarre a few days after the show. A gregarious presence, VaLone, who works as a nanny by day and has a background in teaching, has been doing drag for three years and running BEEF for two. He is also a member of the House of Velour, RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 winner Sasha Velour’s drag house. “Masculinity can be just as broad and exciting and glamorous as femininity, but we don’t talk about it that much because it’s seen as taboo and othering,” VaLone adds. When it comes to mainstream conceptions of drag, most undoubtedly think of larger-than-life performances of femininity. There are the legacies of drag queens and artists like Divine, Lady Bunny, and RuPaul, to name just a few. Queens perform at large venues and on world tours, if they have the following to do so. And in recent years, largely due to the commercial success of RuPaul’s Logo-turned-Vh1 reality competition show
RuPaul’s Drag Race, drag has become perhaps more mainstream and visible than ever. But while articles on the subject tend to float the idea that performers are living in a golden age for drag, kings still perform on the fringes of mainstream pop culture. Even though the medium has existed, in different forms, for decades, performances of masculinity aren’t privileged the same way performances of femininity are. While it’s common to find all-queen showcases in cities across the
country, all-king showcases are lot more legwork to do in terms still a rarity. of telling people that we exist and what we are, just because “I meet so many people who we don’t have a reality TV don’t understand the draw of being a drag king, but then also show that already tells people that,” says Goldie Peacock, 32, on the other hand I meet people who are like: you’re the a Brooklyn drag performer who also teaches drag king first drag king I’ve ever seen, workshops. But as drag this is crazy, this is so cool,” continues to find a broader Maxxx Pleasure, 25, says. “I audience, representations of don’t think people have really what drag can be, and what been exposed to drag kings.” performances of masculinity Complicating things further, can look like, are also expandkings are still fighting for ing. Hustling in every small recognition not just from space they can get, drag kings audiences beyond the LGBTQ have refused—and continue to community, but audiences refuse—to be ignored. within it. “We certainly have a
The Quieter Side of Key West By Michelle Raines
When traveling to Key West, Fla., don’t over pack. I planned for three outfit changes per day, plus shoes. Huge mistake! I was in shorts and a bathing suit every single day and so was everybody else. The fabulously chill vibe was established immediately at The Perry Hotel Key West on Stock Island, a welcome distance from touristy Duval Street.
the local delight at Matt’s Stock Island, Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe, Blue Heaven, Moondog Cafe & Bakery, Mattheessen’s, and Sarabeth’s. (If you’re keeping track that’s six slices in four days.) All were deliciously tart and sweet, but my personal favorite came from Matt’s Stock Island Kitchen and Bar: it was more custardy, with a coconut macaroon crust, and served in a jar, with graham crackers for dipping!
Town. There are cocks everywhere here. Roosters randomly strut down the sidewalks and streets, interrupting traffic to show off their swagger and sexual prowess. Colloquially, the feral Key West fowls are called gypsy chickens and their presence is very benign, matter Still, a 20-minute shuttle -of-fact, and legally protected service leaves every hour, — albeit a bit noisy. running from the hotel to many of the main island’s hot spots The ambiance was perfect at like Mallory Square and Everyone goes to the Ernest The Perry Hotel, named after Smathers Beach (the hotel also Hemingway Home and Commodore Matthew C. Perry offers bike and moped rentals Museum, and for good reason. who claimed the Florida Keys for those who want more Sure, you can walk through the as U.S. soil in 1822. The freedom to explore). I ventured beautiful Art Deco home and industrial-chic Perry Hotel is down to Duval Street a few gardens on your own, pet the quirky, beautiful, serene, and times to try key lime pie, pay six-toed cats, and pick up airy. My enormous and comfy homage to Ernest Hemingway something at the bookstore— king-sized room with balcony (and his progeny of six-toed but my advice is to take the overlooked the pool and had a cats), catch the sunset at free guided tour (tips are acview of the adjacent Stock Mallory Square, eat more key cepted) for the anecdotes Island marina, which serves as lime pie, take the requisite alone. You’ll get the backstory an anchor to the former selfie by the “southernmost on the contentious swimming shrimp-packing warehouse and point of the continental U.S.” pool and bathtub in the offers an amazing “boat-tomarker, and savor yet more backyard, and you’ll learn the table” experience at the openkey lime pie. cats’ names and the legend air Salty Oyster Dockside Bar behind their extra toes. Fifty and Grill and Matt’s Stock If you’re like me and come to feral felines roamed the Island (where the stone crabs the island (mistakenly) property when I was there, all were meaty and succulent). I believing you aren’t a fan of direct descendants from those had most of my meals there key lime pie, you still must try it owned by Big Papa himself. with the exception of the in Key West. It’s practically must-order lobster tacos at the compulsory. I tried varieties of If cats aren’t your thing, and Fisherman’s Café. Winter is you prefer cocks, head to Old 18 www.cityxtramagazine.com
prime pink shrimp season so the sweet and tender servings were very generous. I’m not quite sure what was in Matt’s Fish Dip, but damn, it was the most near-perfect thing I have ever put in my mouth. The Perry concierges went above and beyond to help me arrange activities and were savvy (and insistent) enough to make sure I built in plenty of time to eat and rest. They also provided bottles of water to stay hydrated “because even if you’re in the water, you’re not absorbing any of it.”
For a bird’s-eye view of Key West and 10 minutes of complete, utter splendor, I recommend parasailing with Sebago Key West, located on the Harborwalk. At heights of 300 feet above the water there’s a remarkable meditative stillness. The bustle from below fades away and all you hear is wind rushing through the sails. Bring a friend if possible, because if you go solo you won’t reach the same altitude. They paired me with a very sweet 16 -year-old from outside of Philadelphia who happened to be celebrating her birthday. I opted to do a backcountry She didn’t mind being whipped kayak tour with Key West Eco around and we talked about Tours. A shuttle from Perry how she wanted to be a writer dropped me and off at the — and I thought, I never did Geiger Marina, where our anything this cool when I was nature guide led a small group 16. Sebago provided on a super easy paddle through instructions, secured our the mangrove trails, pointing harnesses, and then eased us out sea stars, hermit crabs, aloft. We requested a wilder stingrays, baby sharks, and ride, so they dipped us down sponges. I held a sea toward the water a few times. cucumber that began inverting You can purchase video and itself in my hand! It was two photos at the end of the solid hours of splendid hour-long (including boat ride) sunshine, education, and calm adventure. waters. I love Jet-Skiing. Key West
Water Tours, a partner of The Perry, offered a guided Jet Ski tour a short walk from the hotel and I eagerly signed on. But I’m embarrassed to admit I had problems right off the bat. I couldn’t get out of the no-wake zone and found myself sandwiched between a shrimp boat and the dock. The guide who came back for me was patient, kept telling me to relax and to stop overthinking it, and he was right. Once I got out into the open water I got into it and was whipping around at 20 -25 miles an hour. The only problem was I needed to be going 30-35 to keep up. Apparently, what I really love is being a passenger on a Jet Ski. I ended up worrying I was holding up the rest of the group and eventually, I signaled that I needed to stop. The guide was understanding and immediately called someone to escort me back. Driving a watercraft isn’t for me, but if you do want to try it, I recommend Key West Water Tours. Fortunately, even my epic water sports fail couldn’t put a damper on the magic of this uniquely beautiful island getaway.
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Gay Tech Entrepreneur Giving Back To LGBT+ Community By Michael Smith
It may be Spain’s number one app (beating out Netflix, Instagram, and YouTube), but that’s not the only mission of Unfold. The viral app that helps social media users create engaging Stories on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat is also leading the way in tech companies giving to HIV causes. Last December, it raised nearly $70,000 from its exclusive 99 cent (UNFOLD) RED template collection for the U.S. Fund to fight AIDS with (RED). Unfold’s contribution was enough to provide over 350,000 days of life-saving HIV medication in sub-Saharan Africa. The gay cofounder and CEO of Unfold.app, Alfonso Cobo, 27, saw his fast-growing app amass 10 million users in less than a year and used some of that money to give back monthly to organizations such as the Ali Forney Center (which benefits homeless LGBTQ youth). App users aren’t just sharing their favorite selfies. They’re using Unfold to share critical stories too — including the conflict with ISIS in Syria and the devasting wildfires in Los Angeles. Even book publishers have published a few “books” on Stories instead 22 www.cityxtramagazine.com
of printing them. “This is all very inspiring,” Cobo admits, “and motivates me to push further — seeing that Unfold is actually driving change in the world through stories.” Unfold is the only app solely focused on content creation for the Stories format, enabling users to simply and seamlessly craft elevated, engaging Instagram Stories with minimal, design-driven templates. Today there are 13 million Unfold users, and collectively they’ve created over 105 million stories. It’s the number one app in the App Store’s photo/video category in nearly a dozen countries—including Argentina, Senegal, and Slovenia — and it’s ranked the No. 1 app overall (beating YouTube Netflix, Grindr) in Spain, Croatia, Italy, Czech Republic, Indonesia and Malaysia. The out entrepreneur behind the app was born on a tiny island in the Canary Islands and later raised in Madrid, Spain, which Cobo recalls as “a really open-minded city, full of history and creativity. Madrid has its own ‘underground’ culture, rooted back to the late ‘70s and early ‘80s when the
city found a new spirit of freedom on the streets after the dictator’s death.” Cobo, now a New Yorker, was fascinated by both tech and art as a kid. By 10, he was playing with electrical circuits and mechanical systems. He stayed closeted about his tech interests. “I was worried people would call me a nerd in school,” he says. By 15, he was an expert in Photoshop, was coding online discussion forums for his favorite animes, and was modding PCs and game consoles. Since Unfold is rooted in his own passions — photography, design, tech, and social media—Cobo says now, “So many people have that same desire to share their stories.” He credits the success to the fact that “every human is born with an inherent desire to be creative. You know when you have a blank canvas and all the options in the world and don’t know where to start? Our focus has always been how to eliminate this and empower users to spend more time creating through design
constraints, because we believe they open up possibilities and make people more creative.” Cobo argues that because smart phones give everyone the ability to create content on the go, and social media gives everyone the power to instantly share and consume this content, “shorter attention spans reward visual-based stories because they’re easier to consume.” Because Unfold is focused on the intersection of design and storytelling, he wants “people to see Unfold as a powerful tool for sharing the most fundamental unit of human culture: the story.”
The need to drive change is one of the reasons he supports organizations like the Ali Forney Center. “I understand that I was lucky to grow up in a positive and supportive environment,” Cobo shares. “But many people haven’t had the same opportunities or support system as I have had.... It’s my responsibility, as a gay man and as a human, to support people who haven’t had the same experience. My elders fought for my rights and worked hard so that I felt supported, but there is still a lot of work to be done for equal rights.”
Ultimately, Cobo admits he first had to get “lost” to get where he is. “Through getting lost I discovered my passion for design as a powerful medium of storytelling, especially when exposing untold tales. I discovered I enjoyed putting myself into my work to make that story more engaging. We don’t remember those nights we stayed at home watching TV. We remember those relationships we built through sharing our passions.... So, I would recommend that if your story is feeling a little too predictable, just get lost, because getting lost helps you find yourself.”
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Top Tier Status For Butttigieg With $20M By Jeff Franklin
Money keeps flowing to Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign. The Democratic contender raised $19.1 million in the third quarter of 2019, his campaign announced. That’s not quite the fieldcrushing $24.8-million take his campaign pulled in during the second quarter, when he pulled in more than any other Democratic campaign. This time, he trails at least Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose campaign announced a $25.3million haul for the third quarter, according to the USA Today. Buttigieg's third quarter numbers show he significantly outpaced California Sen. Kamala Harris, who announced $11.6 million, according to
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Politico. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker announced a haul Iowa draw closer. of just over $6 million, accord- "We will have the resources to ing to the New York Times. go the full distance, and to win, But other top tier candidates the 2020 nominating contests," have yet to annouce third campaign manager Mike quarter totals, most notably Schmuhl said in a campaign former Vice President Joe announcement. Biden and Massachusetts Sen. RealClearPolitics’ polling index Elizabeth Warren. shows the South Bend, Ind. President Donald Trump, mayor right now fourth in the meanwhile, raised $125 million field, averaging around 5.4 over the same period, CNBC percent in public polls. That’s reports. That’s money the still behind Biden, Warren and Republican incumbent largely Sanders, but ahead of can save as Democrats California Sen. Kamala Harris. continue to battle in a crowded Buttigieg has already made primary field. LGBTQ history as the first out The new funding certainly candidate to ever appear on at helps keep Buttigieg in the mix a nationally televised as the February caucuses in presidential debate.
Even Tucker Carlson Finds Rachel Maddow’s Show Compelling By Elizabeth Jenkins
Rachel Maddow may be a thorn in Tucker Carlson’s side, but even the Fox News pundit can’t deny that her MSNBC show is “totally compelling.”
University. She also broke down her team’s strategy for covering the The Rachel Maddow Show Trump adminhost opened up to The New istration since York Times in a recent profile November 2016: Instead of pegged to the release of covering Blowout, her new book everything the president says, chronicling the corruption of her team democracy under the Trump laser-focuses on the things he administration. It’s incredibly on does. It’s a strategy that’s -brand for MSNBC’s bespoke proved successful. liberal political commentator, Post-Trump’s inauguration in who’s amassed a dedicated January 2017, ratings for The following with her nightly show. Rachel Maddow Show (Recent guests include world skyrocketed, averaging 2.7 champion soccer star-slashmillion viewers per night. That’s activist Megan Rapinoe and, up from a steady average of back in 2018, survivors of the 1.1 million nightly viewers over devastating school shooting in the course of the show’s first Parkland, Florida.) eight years on the air. (One loyal fan even called her a In the interview, Maddow “news doula.”) touched on her life pre-The Rachel Maddow Show, Still, Maddow doesn’t consider including years of volunteering herself an adversary to and working at HIV/AIDS Trump—or even to Tucker clinics in her teens and late Carlson (pictured above), a Fox 20s. She famously came out at News host whom she used to 17 years old in a story in her debate on the regular. college newspaper during her “I’m not trying to get anybody freshman year at Stanford
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elected,” she told The Times. “I’m not trying to get any policy passed. I’m not trying to get people to call their member of Congress. I’m trying to explain what’s going on in the world.” And she’s doing a damn good job of making the current political climate—foreign collusion, impeachment scandal, and ongoing revocations of nondiscrimination protections for marginalized Americans included—into an interesting, digestible narrative. Even Carlson, a staunch Republican who’s hosted Tucker Carlson Tonight since 2016, admitted that he found the first 15 minutes of one episode of her show “totally compelling” even though he “never fully understood the point she was making.”