NEWS AND OPINION:
Both President Biden and former President Donald Trump endorsed candidates in the recent primaries on March 5. One president has reached out a great deal — the other, not so much.
Mr. Biden made only one primary endorsement, giving the nod to incumbent Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee for reelection in Texas’ 18th Congressional District. Ms. Jackson Lee defeated challenger Amanda Edwards 61% to 37%.
“This is the only 2024 endorsement we have identified from Biden so far,” reports Ballotpedia.com, a political news and research site that is following the trend.
“Mr. Trump made endorsements in 48 races. Thirty-nine (81%) of the candidates he endorsed won. Four (8%) advanced to primary runoffs. Three (6%) lost and two are in races that remained uncalled as of March 11,” the report said.
And the details?
Thirty-eight of his endorsements were in Texas, five in North Carolina, three in Alabama, and one each in Arkansas and California. The report also found that Mr. Trump endorsed 26 U.S. House candidates, 24 of whom won their primaries. He appears to have a good eye for winners.
“Trump has made 72 primary endorsements so far. His primary success rate now stands at 81%. In 2022, he made 241 primary endorsements, with a 93% success rate. Trump made 121 primary endorsements in 2020, with a 97% success rate,” the report said.
“Biden made three primary endorsements in 2022, with a 67% success rate. He did not make any primary endorsements in 2020,” it said.
THE GRASS GROWS GREENER
Students at Roanoke College will soon be able to major in “cannabis studies,” according to College Fix, a student-written news organization. The private Virginia college will begin offering a major and minor in the upcoming semester.
Program director DorothyBelle Poli told The College Fix via email that those majoring in the new field can “go directly into the industry as growing/analysis scientists” or “as business owners with more knowledge (most likely double majoring in business at this time).”
Other potential fields include “law, social work, education, secondary support businesses (like accounting, taxes), or going into things like politics,” Ms. Poli said.
There are fewer than 30 similar programs in the country, aimed at filling cannabis job openings.
“Conversations with cannabis industry leaders, including several who are Roanoke College alumni, revealed a dearth of qualified, educated candidates for the many jobs springing up in the field,” the college said in its news release.
The college says there were nearly half a million “full-time equivalent jobs” in the legal-cannabis field as of January 2022. A similar program at Northern Michigan University projected students could be making $70,000 a year “right out of school.”
Not everyone shares this enthusiasm, however.
“The implications of an institution of higher education offering a degree in cannabis are concerning and serious,” Scott Chipman, vice president of Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana, told The College Fix via email.
“There is an enormous amount of misinformation and a large gap of knowledge related to this drug. It is critically important to the health and safety of society to close that gap,” he said.
FOXIFIED
In the week of March 4-10, Fox News enjoyed its highest-rated week of 2024 across daytime viewing hours and prime time, leading ratings among basic cable channels for the eighth consecutive week.
In prime time, the average daily Fox News audience was 2.6 million viewers while 1.5 million tuned in during the daytime hours, according to Nielsen Media Research. Fox News also aired 74 of the top 100 cable news telecasts during the week.
Fox News’ coverage of President Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address and the Republican response drew 5.8 million viewers — more than coverage on its cable news rivals, as well as ABC, CBS and NBC. Fox News’ coverage of the Super Tuesday primaries attracted 3.6 million viewers, once again besting its network and cable competitors.
Meanwhile, “The Five” averaged 3.2 million daily viewers, making it the most-watched show in cable news.
Late-night host Greg Gutfeld continues to trounce his competition with an average nightly audience of 2.2 million viewers, outpacing CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.”
A LITTLE OFFICE ADVICE
Working from home continues to be an option for many people. Pew Research Center estimates that about 14% — or about 22 million people — are currently working from home all the time, according to a study released by the pollster in 2023.
That said, Business Insider has consulted an interior decorator to determine the most effective ways to up the appeal of personal office and workspace. Here are the 10 things “worth splurging on” for the home office, according to the news organization:
High-quality task lighting, a mini-refrigerator or water cooler, live plants, a high-quality office chair, an adjustable desk that can accommodate both sitting and standing users, artwork, a love seat or armchair, Wi-Fi signal boosters, rolling storage carts, and easily accessible power outlets.
POLL DU JOUR
• 21% of U.S. adults think the U.S. rates very unfavorably in “the eyes of the world.”
• 33% of Republicans, 22% of independents and 7% of Democrats agree.
• 36% overall think the U.S. rates somewhat unfavorably in the eyes of the world.
• 46% of Republicans, 36% of independents and 28% of Democrats agree.
• 36% overall think the U.S. rates somewhat favorably in the eyes of the world.
• 16% of Republicans, 35% of independents and 54% of Democrats agree.
• 6% overall think the U.S. rates very favorably in the eyes of the world.
• 1% of Republicans, 6% of independents and 11% of Democrats agree.
• 1% don’t know where the U.S. stands in the eyes of the world.
• 3% of Republicans, 1% of independents and 0% of Democrats agree.
SOURCE: A Gallup Poll of 1,016 U.S. adults conducted by telephone Feb. 1-20 and released Monday.
• Follow Jennifer Harper on X @HarperBulletin, on Facebook @HarperUniverse.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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