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Dinner, Interrupted: Over Brunch, Journalists Reflect on a Chaotic Night
Moving to a new venue, or the East Wing? Plans for the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner are fluid following Saturday’s shocking events.
Security at Correspondents’ Dinner Worked as Intended, Experts Say
Officials pointed to the fact that the suspect never made it into the hotel ballroom, where President Trump and hundreds of journalists were gathered for the White House correspondents’ dinner.
Gunman at White House Correspondents’ Dinner raises questions about event’s security protocol
The suspected gunman who charged past a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday has renewed questions about Secret Service protocols and whether there should be changes to the already tight cordon at the annual star-studded event.
Correspondents’ dinner lacked highest security level despite presence of top officials
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which was attended by the President and many Cabinet members, was not given top security status that would have unlocked the full weight of federal security resources.
The President’s Unprotected Junior Advisers
The shooting at the correspondents’ dinner made clear who gets saved first.
Most Guests Ducked for Cover. This Man Munched on His Burrata Salad.
Michael Glantz, a top agent at Creative Artists Agency, calmly ate his appetizer during the commotion at the White House correspondents’ dinner. He had his reasons.
What we know about the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Violence keeps stalking American politics.
House Democrat proposes bipartisan national commission for political violence after WHCA dinner shooting
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Sunday urged lawmakers to create a bipartisan national commission for political violence following the shooting at the annual White House Correspondents’ Associat…
A chaotic White House Correspondents' Dinner, as told by NPR reporters in the room
Top government officials were rushed out of the Washington Hilton after gunshots were heard at the dinner. NPR journalists describe hiding under tables and scrambling for information as the night unfolded.
The Blogs: When Politics Becomes Existential, Violence Follows
From the blog of Stephen M. Flatow at Jewish Standard
Cars at Modesto auto dismantling business catch fire, fire department says
The Modesto Fire Department responded to the blaze just after 9 p.m. Saturday night.
Political violence is 'unacceptable,' should 'never be tolerated' in US, Rep. Jason Smith says
Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., sounds off against political violence following the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting and highlights the need for DHS funding on 'Sunday Morning Futures.'
Visualizing the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting incident in maps
A suspected gunman was apprehended Saturday after blowing past a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton just as events were getting underway for the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
For Oz Pearlman, a Correspondents’ Dinner Not Even He Could Have Predicted
The mentalist was the featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents’ dinner. He was in the middle of a trick when gunshots rang out.
Trump Praises WHCA President Weijia Jiang After Shooting at Dinner
Weijia Jiang, a CBS correspondent, had been sitting next to the president at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner when shots rang out. Soon afterward, she was reporting on the attack.
Details emerge of alleged shooter at White House correspondents' dinner
The alleged gunman has been identified as Cole Allen, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
White House Correspondents' Dinner attack suspect is tutor and computer programmer from California
Social media posts that appear to match the California man arrested Saturday in the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
Trump speaks on political violence following Correspondents' Dinner shooting
Senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy reports live from the White House on the Correspondents' Dinner shooting, detailing his conversation with President Donald Trump about the incident and past threats against political figures.
What We Know About the Shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
A gunman carrying multiple weapons attempted to break into the dinner that President Trump was attending. Police have taken a suspect into custody.
DW correspondent describes scenes at Trump dinner shooting
DW Washington Bureau Chief Ines Pohl was at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. She reports the scenes inside the Hilton Hotel ballroom.
Shots fired as gunman charges toward ballroom at White House correspondents\' dinner. Trump unharmed
A man armed with guns and knives stormed the lobby outside the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner attended by President Donald Trump on Saturday night. The man charged toward the
Trump Describes His Mind-Set After Shooting at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Very little was clear about what had happened at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night. But the president wanted to talk about it.
Gunpowder in the air: A fancy press dinner with Trump, then shots fired
The intrigue before the White House Correspondents' Dinner had been about Trump-press tensions. Gunshots cut the evening short.
Business leaders react to DC press dinner shooting
Here's what big names in the business world are saying about the shooting at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, DC.
Again, a Gunman Got Perilously Close to Trump
After two previous assassination attempts, the effort by an armed man to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is sure to raise questions about security and political violence.
Attendee describes low level of security at White House Correspondents' Dinner
Attendee describes low security at White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Video shows Secret Service’s response to the suspected gunman at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Correspondents’ dinner chaos hits high-profile guests already marked by political violence
Trump spoke about repeated assassination attempts after chaos broke out Saturday, with RFK Jr. and Steve Scalise among those escorted from the room.
In pictures: Shots fired at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
President Donald Trump was swiftly escorted off the stage by Secret Service after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.
Trump asked about political violence in the U.S. after being evacuated from event
NBC News' Garrett Haake asked President Trump about the trend of political violence in the United States after the president had to be evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
Gunman Was Tackled by Law Enforcement Near Correspondents’ Dinner Security Checkpoint
The gunman did not make it inside the hotel ballroom where President Trump, top officials and hundreds of journalists had gathered for dinner.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer witnesses ‘terrifying’ ordeal as gunman opens fire a few feet away at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer was just a few feet away from a gunman when shots were fired outside the main ballroom at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner.
Trump Unharmed After Shots Fired at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
'Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely.'
Watch: President Trump speaks about shooting incident at correspondents' dinner
President Trump and several cabinet members were safely rushed from the event in Washington, D.C. after several loud sounds were heard. The Secret Service said one person was in custody.
A Shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner
A dispatch from the chaotic scene at the Washington Hilton
President Trump evacuated after security incident at White House correspondents dinner
President Trump evacuated after security incident at White House correspondents dinner.
Live updates: Trump evacuated from White House Correspondents Dinner
President Donald Trump was attending the dinner, which was being held at the Washington Hilton Hotel, for the first time as commander-in-chief.
Trump evacuated after security incident at White House correspondents dinner; no sign of injuries
President Donald Trump and other top leaders of the United States were evacuated from an annual dinner of White House correspondents on Saturday night after an unspecified threat. There did not immediately appear to be any injuries.
Trump rushed off stage at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
President Donald Trump was swiftly escorted off the stage by Secret Service at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC, on Saturday.
Trump evacuated from White House Correspondents' Dinner
President Donald Trump was evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Shooter opened fire inside hotel where Trump was attending dinner, law enforcement official says
President Trump evacuated after security incident at White House correspondents dinner.
Trump to attend dinner celebrating White House press
President Donald Trump is attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner for the first time in more than a decade – and his first time ever as president – on Saturday, April 25.
White House Correspondents' Dinner protesters decry media, Trump, Iran War
Protesters stood outside the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, DC, chanting “shame” and holding anti-war signs.
Trump to attend dinner celebrating White House press. Live updates
Donald Trump is attending the White House Correspondents’ dinner for the first time in more than a decade, and his first time ever as president.
Trump to Dine With Reporters He’s Been Roasting All Week
President Trump has boycotted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in previous years.
Close watch on how Trump and journalists will get along at White House correspondents' dinner
Donald Trump is expected to make his first appearance as president at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington. The annual event is designed to celebrate press freedoms. But...
Close watch on how Trump and journalists will get along at White House correspondents' dinner
Donald Trump is expected to make his first appearance as president at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington.
Federal Way responds to massage businesses selling sex
The city is considering an ordinance to curb prostitution at dozens of establishments.
White House Correspondents' Dinner is here. How to livestream
USA TODAY will livestream the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Saturday evening, April 25. Here's how to watch.
Trump Seeks to Abolish Iran’s Atomic Stockpile, a Problem He Helped Create
President Trump withdrew from the Obama-era nuclear accord in 2018, saying it was the worst deal ever. But Iran responded with an enrichment spree that haunts the negotiations to this day.
WATCH LIVE: Trump attends White House Correspondents' Dinner for 1st time as president
4 things to watch at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Donald Trump is attending the annual event for the first time as president.
6 times the White House Correspondents' Dinner served up memorable moments
Here’s a look at some of that history as Donald Trump prepares for the first time to attend as president.
Colorado lawmakers propose sweeping security overhaul after rise in political attacks nationwide
Colorado legislators unveiled a 60‑page bill that would dramatically expand protections for elected officials, staff, and judicial employees, responding to a string of high‑profile attacks nationwide and growing safety concerns inside the state’s courthouses and Capitol. Introduced earlier this week, House Bill 1422 contains nearly 30 sections. Among those provisions is the establishment of an […]
Correspondents' Dinner's biggest moments involve laughs, cringing and high-stakes politics
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has had multiple iterations since it began a few years after World War I. Washington’s premier soiree...
Correspondents' Dinner's biggest moments involve laughs, cringing and high-stakes politics
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner began a few years after World War I.
Nobody is laughing at Donald Trump anymore
The media-obsessed president’s first White House Correspondents’ Dinner is going to flop. It’s not because of the crowd.
Your letters: Trump and Leo, church decline and bishops in politics
Letters to the editor: NCR readers respond to stories about President Donald Trump's attack on Pope Leo XIV, the unlikeliness of a Catholic revival and the role of bishops in politics.
Students criticize Yale police intervention in mental health crises
A student organization has spent the semester organizing a campaign called “YPD Out,” which calls for Yale police to stop responding to students’ mental health calls.
Measles exposure alert for Ellensburg school as Kittitas County hits outbreak status
Health officials in central Washington are responding to potential measles exposures at Valley View Elementary School in Ellensburg as the county enters outbrea
Trump\'s planned appearance bringing renewed scrutiny to annual correspondents\' dinner
For the first time as president, Donald Trump is planning to attend the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington this weekend. Some critics can't believe that the reporters
Live Nation's legal woes are masking the opportunity in this entertainment stock
Justin Zacks, senior equity analyst and correspondent at CNBC, explains why Live Nation is in a position to pop as legal overhangs could be overshadowing a large growth opportunity for the live entertainment company.
The intersection of music in sports: behind the curtain
Music and sports are great separately, but when placed together, they create an atmosphere like no other. Correspondent Molly McCleary examines how music in sports, like gymnastics and softball, is essential for both the players and fans.
Republicans pressure Ron DeSantis to redistrict in Florida after Virginia Democrats’ win
Senior Republicans in Washington are ramping up the pressure on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to lead a redrawing of his state’s US House map after Virginia Democrats triumphed in potentially flipping four seats in their favor. A special session to consider redistricting in Florida is slated to start Tuesday, but no map has been publicly released. A DeSantis spokesperson did not respond to a CNN inquiry about its status. Key Republicans involved in redistricting say they’ve been kept largely in the dark on DeSantis’ plans. There’s no coordination on the state level because of strict state rules around partisan gerrymandering, and no maps have been officially circulated within Florida’s congressional delegation either.
Police respond to report of fight outside popular sports complex in Mason
Multiple officers were called to a report of a fight outside a large and popular sports complex in Mason on Wednesday night.
David Jackson, longtime White House correspondent for USA TODAY, dies
Jackson covered every president from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump, and was a fixture on the campaign trail.
Gov. Evers responds to calls for action by Ridglan Farms protesters
Animal rights activists called for Gov. Tony Evers to shut down a Dane County beagle breeding and research facility.
Nuggets respond after Jaden McDaniels calls out team's 'bad defenders' after Game 2 upset: 'Let them talk'
Journalists urge protest of Trump at correspondents' dinner
A coalition of 200-plus journalists and press freedom groups urged the White House Correspondents' dinner organizers to call out Trump at the event.
With vaccine skepticism rising, Utah health officials face uphill battle on measles education
How the lessons Utah health officials learned from the COVID-19 pandemic are shaping how they respond to the state's measles outbreak.
Responding to Today's Gaps for Tomorrow's Health Emergencies: 2026 Ready or Not Report
Join Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) for a Congressional Briefing and National Webinar on the latest information on public health emergency readiness and findings from TFAH’s upcoming report, Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism – releasing May 7th. The past year alone saw the U.S. facing the most […]
The social sciences need tools for the 21st century
Letters: Readers respond to an editorial on difficulties with replicability of results in social science research
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
When the CEO Becomes the Brand
Research suggests that Elon Musk’s political stance appears to have reshaped how different groups perceive Tesla. Overall sales trends hint at trouble. The company’s growth stalled in 2024, and deliveries fell 8.5% in 2025. But those headline numbers hide what is happening beneath the surface. When the data is broken down by political orientation and by changes in views of Musk, a more complicated pattern emerges. Among right-leaning respondents and those whose opinion of Musk has improved, Tesla’s brand appeal is significantly higher and willingness to pay exceeds that for many competing brands, including Ford, Chevrolet, and Rivian. Among left-leaning consumers and those whose view of Musk has worsened, the opposite is true: Preference and willingness to pay for Tesla drop sharply. The outcome is not a uniform decline but a polarization of demand. Some consumers appear to feel alienated, while others feel more aligned with the brand. This raises an important strategic question of whether companies can influence purchasing decisions across these divided segments by strengthening the underlying value proposition.
‘Bring it on’: Rep. Nancy Mace responds to Rep. Cory Mills’ intent to expel her from Congress amid her motion to expel him
Taking it on the Chin: Cubs 5 Phillies 1
The runs weren’t unlucky this time and the offense didn’t respond.
N.Y. GOP bill responds to board denying Bruce Blakeman public campaign funds
Lawmakers say the board added a joint filing requirement but never notified the candidates of the change.
Stars turn out for Science Gala in Los Angeles
Fox News correspondent Max Gorden has the latest on the gala that attracted major stars on 'Fox Report.'
Trump tells PBS News that ‘lots of bombs start going off’ if Iran ceasefire expires
The statement came during a phone call with White House correspondent Liz Landers focused on the Iran war, as a U.S. delegation is preparing for more peace talks.
Advancing epidemic and pandemic preparedness through research readiness: SEAR Unity Studies Network Sites chart the way forward in 2026
On 25 March 2026, WHO Regional Office for the South‑East Asia Region (SEARO) convened the first meeting of the SEAR Chapter of the Unity Studies Network Meeting in 2026 to take stock of progress and plan next steps for strengthening epidemic and pandemic preparedness across the Region. The meeting focused on reviewing the ongoing adaptation of selected, standard Unity Study methodologies, sharing field implementation experiences from 2025, and identifying key priorities to guide collaborative work in 2026.Held virtually, the meeting brought together representatives from six Unity Studies network sites across five countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) as well as participants from all three levels of WHO.The meeting took place against the backdrop of ongoing regional efforts in South‑East Asia to strengthen early investigations and studies for epidemic and pandemic preparedness, with a focus on pandemic influenza and other emerging respiratory pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential. In this context, and as part of preparedness for the rapid generation of evidence, the WHO Health Emergencies Programme in SEAR (WHE/SEAR) encourages Unity Studies sites to adapt prioritized, standardized Unity Study protocols to their national contexts. This approach supports the generation of timely and reliable evidence to inform public health decision‑making during epidemics and pandemics.These efforts are supported through a combination of experience sharing, participation in the global Unity Studies network webinars, capacity‑building of the national public health workforce, and regional collaboration that promotes inter‑country, inter‑agency, and inter‑ministerial action. In parallel, sites are encouraged to explore diversified funding sources to help sustain research preparedness over the long term.Discussions highlighted the importance of WHO’s catalytic financial support through the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Partnership Contributions (PIP‑PC). When combined with national and institutional resources, this support enables countries and sites to maintain continuity of activities at a core level and remain prepared to respond rapidly and effectively to future epidemics and pandemics.Regional and Global Updates: Opening the session, Dr Pushpa Ranjan Wijesinghe, Programme Area Manager, Pandemic and Epidemic Management (PEM) Unit, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, highlighted the progress made in operationalizing the Unity Studies Network across the Region and acknowledged the collaborative efforts of WHO at all three levels, together with country unity studies sites. He emphasized the availability of limited but catalytic funding through the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Partnership Contribution (PIP‑PC) workplan at SEARO to sustain network activities in 2026, while encouraging sites to leverage additional funding sources to expand implementation.Representing SEARO, Dr Ashok Basnet, consultant, Pandemic Influenza Preparedness reported that, at the regional level, the Unity Studies Network currently includes six sites across five countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. He noted that in 2025, catalytic funding supported protocol adaptation, training, and pilot implementation. In addition, a regional Unity Studies symposium held during the Global Public Health Summit in Sri Lanka strengthened and advocated collaboration between the Unity Studies site, national decision‑making forum, relevant technical units of the ministry of health, WHO and other partners.The symposium also highlighted the role of early investigations and studies as a key component of a multi‑source surveillance system needed at country level to generate a broad range of evidence. It underscored the critical role of country Unity Studies sites and similar research entities in generating evidence to support public health decision‑making during epidemics and pandemics.Participants of the WHO GISRS Unity Studies Sites Network- SEAR Chapter Meeting 2026 (Photo credit- PEM/WHE/SEARO). SEARO also updated participants on ongoing efforts to develop a regional Unity Studies webpage and to promote participation in global knowledge‑sharing platforms, including webinars and the WHO Community of Practice. Priorities for 2026 include supporting the implementation of Unity protocols, strengthening collaboration and experience sharing across sites, documenting and publishing findings, integrating Unity Studies activities as a component of multi-source national surveillance systems, and building workforce capacity.Dr Nickle Boddington of the Global Influenza Programme (GIP) at WHO Headquarters, which coordinates the Unity Studies Network globally, provided updates on global Unity Studies activities, noting that the network has expanded to 16 sites worldwide. New and updated protocols, including rapid clinical severity assessment tools and standardized data platforms, are being developed to support implementation. The global Community of Practice has also been launched to facilitate technical exchange, and continued support will be provided to sites for protocol adaptation, ethical approvals, and readiness for early investigation during outbreaks. Updates from Unity Studies sites in SEAR in 2025Unity Studies sites shared progress and experiences in implementing protocols across diverse country contexts. Sites initiated activities in 2025 using catalytic funding from SEARO, complemented by the mobilization of internal national resources. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh, reported the adoption and piloting of investigation protocols on non‑seasonal influenza and emerging respiratory diseases during recent avian influenza outbreaks, demonstrating a multi‑source funding approach involving government, WHO and One Health partners.The Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (HIMSR), New Delhi, India, highlighted the piloting of household transmission investigation studies, the expansion of the national Unity Studies network, and the contribution of study findings to global evidence through published outputs. The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India, shared experiences from large‑scale seroprevalence studies conducted during the COVID‑19 pandemic, recent efforts to strengthen national Unity network sites through training activities, and plans to initiate multi‑centre studies on respiratory viruses.Similarly, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand, highlighted its experience in developing integrated surveillance and diagnostic protocols for multiple respiratory pathogens, enhancing readiness for targeted investigations of emerging threats. The University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, reported ongoing engagement with the Ministry of Health and exploration of additional funding sources to initiate studies. Meanwhile, the National Public Health Laboratory, Nepal, provided updates on continued coordination with national stakeholders to initiate implementation, despite delays related to the country context.Across sites, shared experiences underscored the importance of protocol adaptation, multisectoral collaboration, and sustainable funding to operationalize Unity Studies and generate evidence for public health action.Discussions and Way ForwardThe meeting reinforced key priorities for 2026, including strengthening unity studies protocol implementation, enhancing collaboration, knowledge sharing, integrating research as a component of national multi-source surveillance systems, and ensuring that generated evidence informs public health decision‑making. Participants also emphasized the importance of documentation, visibility, and leveraging multiple funding sources, and agreed on the following action points.Unity Studies Sites and WHO Country Offices:Advance adoption and implementation of at least one Unity protocol, continuing activities initiated in 2025 with catalytic funding, supplemented with other sources of funding where feasible.Document site-specific experiences, outcomes, and lessons learned; participate in regional and global knowledge-sharing platforms including WHO webinars and the Community of Practice.Work closely with ministries of health to establish unified national platforms for translating generated evidence into national public health decision-making. WHO Country Offices may facilitate technical support and complementary, synergistic funding opportunities where feasible. WHO Regional OfficeCoordinate with WHO Country Offices to support implementation of core unity studies activities by network sites through catalytic funding and provide technical guidance and virtual engagement opportunities throughout 2026.Facilitate the participation of all Unity Studies sites in the regional meeting on Unity Studies implementation in October 2026, to be held back‑to‑back with the Annual SEAR Regional PIP‑PC Meeting; develop and host a SEAR Unity Studies website; and mobilize support from academic institutions within the SEAR Unity Studies Network to support the development of regional manuscripts that showcase Unity Studies activities to scientific audiences and promote knowledge‑sharing.Explore complementary funding opportunities and partnerships to sustain and expand network activities across the Region.WHO HeadquartersProvide global technical guidance, updated protocols, and toolkits to support the implementation of Unity Studies in SEAR.Facilitate engagement of SEAR sites in global webinars, the Community of Practice, and opportunities to showcase their work.Support joint publications, inclusion of SEAR experiences in global outputs, and identification of additional funding and collaborative opportunities to strengthen Unity Studies activities.
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