The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 8.27 LeBron James Ends NBA STRIKE?! What's Happening in Kenosha, CDC Testing Update, & Tik Tok

Episode Date: August 27, 2020

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Sup you beautiful bastards. I hope you're having a fantastic Thursday. Welcome back to the Philip DeFranco Show. Buckle up, hit that like button and let's just jump into it. And the first thing we're gonna talk about today are the multiple reasons we had TikTok in the news. The first being that we saw a wave of backlash

against a number of creators who were, it's been described by some as a disturbing cosplay challenge. These kids putting on makeup, acting like they're a victim of the Holocaust, some going to heaven. Though we've seen a lot of different content in this trend, some making jokes using the audio. Hold up, hold up, hold up!

That shit is gas! And with this trend, you had a lot of people furious. People saying things like, stop trivializing the history of the Holocaust, romanticizing it, and using our pain as props for your entertainment and clout. Some calling it disturbing, saying not only does it trivialize history,

but totally dishonors the memory of the Holocaust and lived experiences of real people. Trends like this serve to reduce knowledge of why and how Jews were persecuted. Saying it's not creative, it's plain offensive and antisemitic. And in fact, this got to such a point that the Auschwitz Memorial released a statement,

saying the quote, victims trend on TikTok can be hurtful and offensive. Some videos are dangerously close or already beyond the border of trivialization of history. But also adding, we should discuss this, not shame and attack young people whose motivations seem very diverse. It's an educational challenge.

And while noting in their longer statement that some of these videos were not created to commemorate anyone, but to become part of an online trend, saying this is very painful. Also pointing out that the motivation of some people posting the video seems to come from the need to find some way

of expressing personal memory. And so arguing with all of this, we cannot allow vilifying, shaming and attacking the young people who may have done something in the wrong way as the aftermath, right? So the organization actually using this as a way to try and promote understanding, communication and education, which I will say is something

that I love to see, but that wasn't the only bit of TikTok news because on the business end, one, we got the news that TikTok CEO, Kevin Mayer is resigning, citing that the political climate has drastically changed in the last few weeks and that his role as CEO would change after a sale to a US-based company. I mean, this is a massive exit. Mayer only joined TikTok about three months ago

after leaving Disney Plus for the job. Also, another standout from Mayer is that it sounds like there may be something big happening soon. This because Mayer said he expected a resolution to be reached very soon. Right in that, likely in reference to TikTok being sold to a US company. In the past, we've seen a number of names

possibly interested, Twitter, Oracle, Microsoft. Also this morning, we saw what could be a game changing report regarding the sale. Because reports are now saying Microsoft working with Walmart on TikTok deal. It was first reported by CNBC. You had Axios saying they had multiple sources saying this, Walmart then confirmed.

But also something to keep in mind as Axios points out, Walmart does add financial firepower and e-commerce know-how to Microsoft's efforts, but Walmart also has a significant presence in China, which could complicate the deal. But ultimately that is where we are with this story now. We're gonna keep our eyes on it. And as far as my opinion,

I hope that some solution can be reached. Based off the comments I see on YouTube, I know a lot of people aren't a fan of TikTok, but personally it's the only social media that doesn't make me sad these days. But hey, we'll see what happens. And then let's talk about Dr. Anthony Fauci and the CDC. This story actually begins on Monday

when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly made a major change to their coronavirus testing recommendations. With those new guidelines now reading, "'If you have been in close contact within six feet "'of a person with a COVID-19 infection "'for at least 15 minutes but do not have symptoms, you do not necessarily need a test

unless you are a vulnerable individual or your healthcare provider or state or local public health officials recommend you take one. The CDC also noting, it is important to realize that you can be infected and spread the virus, but feel well and have no symptoms. Right, but the main point to get across, you have the CDC now saying that most asymptomatic people,

even if they know they've been in close contact with someone who has had the virus, they do not need to get tested. Which is a massive change because for months, the CDC has recommended that anyone who's had close contact with someone who's tested positive, they should get tested. With them also making this change despite the fact that the CDC has also emphasized that asymptomatic cases

play a major role in COVID-19 infections. Saying just last month that up to 40% of infected individuals do not even show symptoms. In fact, according to reports, some models suggest that nearly half of transmission events can be traced back to when individuals were still pre-symptomatic. And when asked about why this change was made,

Brett Giroir, who is the Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement, the guidance has been updated to reflect current evidence and best public health practices, and to further emphasize using CDC-approved prevention strategies to protect yourself, your family, and the most vulnerable of all ages.

Also saying that the updated guidance places an emphasis on testing individuals with symptomatic illness, as well as those in vulnerable populations, and adding, through continuously evaluating the data, we know we have strong, proven preventative measures for reducing the spread of COVID-19, wearing a face mask, watching your distance, washing your hands, and avoid large gatherings

and crowded indoor spaces. Right, and if for you, when you hear this, it seems contradictory or confusing, or even like a non-answer, you are not alone. We've seen a lot of doctors speaking up, including one New York-based doctor, Fred Davis, telling Fox News, "'Testing those who have possibly been exposed

"'to someone with COVID is an important part "'of contact tracing to help identify and reduce spread. "'When we have the resources to test, "'we should be testing those with known exposure "'to help identify and reduce spread. When we have the resources to test, we should be testing those with known exposure to help identify and recommend proper quarantine." Infectious disease expert, Dr. Ravina Kular also saying, "'I am not sure if these recommendations were based on the labs being overwhelmed or a desire

to make the case numbers look better. Regardless, I am stunned by these recommendations.'" Though regarding that, on Wednesday, you had Girard telling reporters that he doesn't actually expect the volume of tests to decrease even with these new guidelines. Also saying that this guidance was specifically approved by the White House last week,

though here he denied allegations that the White House had ordered the CDC to narrow its guidelines. Also a standout moment here is when Girard's asked if Dr. Anthony Fauci had approved this change and he responds, "'Yes, all the docs signed off on this "'before it even got to the task force level.

"'We worked on this all together "'to make sure that there was absolute consensus "'that reflected the best possible evidence and the best public health for the American people. I worked on them, Dr. Fauci worked on them, Dr. Deborah Birx worked on them, Dr. Stephen Hahn worked on them. However, according to Dr. Fauci,

that might not be true at all. With Fauci saying in a statement yesterday, "'I was under general anesthesia in the operating room "'and was not part of any discussion or deliberation "'regarding the new testing recommendations. "'I am concerned about the interpretation of these recommendations and worried it will give people the incorrect assumption that asymptomatic spread

is not of great concern. In fact, it is. Alongside that, we've also seen several governors speaking out against the changes, including California Governor Gavin Newsom. I don't agree with the new CDC guidance, period, full stop, and it's not the policy in the state of California. We will not be influenced by that change.

We're influenced by those that are experts in the field that feel very differently. You also had New York governor Andrew Cuomo slamming this change saying New York wasn't going to follow it and condemning it as political propaganda. So adding shame on the people at the CDC. Cuomo also accusing the Trump administration

of changing the testing recommendations because they don't want publicity that there is a COVID problem. Saying that it's part of his reelection strategy that he's using the CDC as a campaign rhetorical device. Though we saw HHS denying the claim that the White House was involved, with a spokesperson then shifting blame back to Cuomo

for thousands of deaths in the state and saying, Cuomo must not understand this guidance has been updated to place an emphasis on testing individuals for clinical and public health reasons, including the testing of asymptomatic people when directed by public health leaders or healthcare providers. However, there we had Dr. Howard Zucker,

New York State's health commissioner, hitting back saying, "'I have spoken with the scientists at the CDC "'and they say it's political.'" And the thing is, even looking from the outside in, it doesn't seem crazy to assume that this is for a political purpose. We're talking about a president who has said and says, "'When you do testing to that extent,

"'you're gonna find more people, "'you're gonna find more cases. So I said to my people, slow the testing down, please. So if we look at the situation critically, there could be multiple reasons. Right, this could also be the result of an idea raised by CDC director Robert Redfield last month. That coming after a surge of coronavirus cases

strained testing resources, prompting some members to look at new messaging on how to stem excess testing. Right, and that also goes along with some other reports we've seen, including one from Politico, which spoke to a person close to the CDC who defended the changes as necessary, saying those changes prioritize testing

for those at a higher risk of infection and that demand is being spread thin by people seeking tests when it's unlikely that they've been exposed to the virus. Though, very notably there, according to reports, that idea has been met with resistance from the beginning by several task force members. Still, we've seen reports from several places

saying that the pressure came from the top down. So I guess with all of that said and explained, for you, what does this seem like? Does this seem like a political move, yes or no? Does this change concern you, yes or no? And of course, why or why not? I'd love to hear from you in those comments down below. And then the final thing we're gonna talk about today

are some major updates and continued fallout from the Jacob Blake story that we covered earlier this week. We talked in depth on Tuesday about what we knew then. I highly recommend you check that out. But if you missed it, kind of an oversimplification here, Blake is a 29-year-old black man who was shot in the back seven times by police.

There's very little known at that time about what happened leading up to the shooting other than accounts from witnesses. There were differing narratives. But yesterday we finally saw law enforcement officials giving us their version of events and also identifying the officer who shot Blake. In a statement, the Wisconsin Department of Justice

said the police were dispatched to the scene after a female caller reported that her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be on the premises. Though, one thing we should note here is that officials have not said whether that man was Blake or someone else. The statement then goes on to say that the officers attempted to arrest and that they used a taser, but it wasn't successful.

After that, saying that Blake walked around his vehicle, opened the driver's side door and leaned forward. Then saying an officer identified as Rustin Sheskey fired his gun into Blake's back seven times while holding onto his shirt. With it also noting that there were no other officers who fired their weapon and confirming that there were no body cameras

because the Kenosha Police Department does not have them. The agency also said that during their investigation, Blake admitted that he had a knife in his possession. Saying the agents who searched his vehicle found a knife in the driver's side floorboard but did not locate any other weapons. Also of note, when asked multiple times by reporters at a press conference yesterday,

if the officers knew Blake had a knife, Wisconsin's attorney general declined to provide more specifics. As far as official statements, that's what we know and have seen thus far. As we've mentioned before, the Wisconsin DOJ's investigation is ongoing and will be turned into prosecutors within 30 days.

Though of note here, last night, the federal DOJ also confirmed that the FBI has now opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting. So there's that, but also with this story, we need to talk about what's been happening on the ground in Kenosha. Like we mentioned Tuesday,

officials imposed another curfew at 8 p.m., but that didn't stop people from taking to the streets. And there, we saw more protests as well as riots breaking out. But notably, one of the biggest differences is now there were also groups of armed civilians taking to the streets. Some of those people have been described by reporters

as armed counter-protesters. Others were self-declared militia members who police also described as vigilante militia groups. Many of those armed people claiming they were there to protect the city then as the night progressed, those groups could also be seen facing off with protesters. And then according to police at 11 45 PM, three people were shot.

Two of those people died and one was injured. And what followed yesterday is that authorities arrested a 17 year old and charged him with first degree intentional homicide in connection with the shooting. And we'll get to the charges and the suspect in a little bit but to note, as we have in the past with situations like this, we're not going to say or show his name and face. But regarding the shooting itself, right now,

little has been confirmed by authorities as far as what happened both leading up to the incident and after it. But because this person appears in a number of videos taken throughout the night, some outlets have been able to piece together a timeline. The New York Times, for example, has a very thorough tracker of the chain of events. And according to that tracker,

a few hours before the shooting, the suspect appeared in several interviews with people on the ground. One of the most circulated ones online was this clip from a Daily Caller videographer who said he would release more of the interview later where the suspect says, So people are getting injured

and our job is to protect this business and part of my job is to also help people. If there's somebody hurt, I'm running into harm's way. That's why I have my rifle because I need to protect myself obviously. But I also have my med kit. According to the Times, the suspect later told another videographer that he had been pepper sprayed by someone while protecting property. There are also videos that show him offering medical assistance to protesters. And about 15 minutes before the first shooting, we see this video of police officers offering water to a group of armed civilians that includes the alleged shooter.

Do you need water? Seriously, that's where I'm right, do you need water? We need water. He then walks up to the police vehicles, talks to the officers, and there we hear the police say. We appreciate you guys, we really do. Then, according to the Times, six minutes after that, another video shows a suspect being chased

by a group of people into the parking lot of another car dealership. As he's running, an unknown gunman fires into the air, with the Times sharing a still shot from that footage capturing the gun's muzzle flash. With it appearing that the suspect turns towards the sound of the gunfire and someone lunges toward him from that direction.

He fires four times and seems to hit that person in the head. Footage shortly after that shows him running away from that person he just shot in the head, talking on the phone and saying, "'I just killed somebody.'" Several people then chase him as he flees the scene and can be heard shouting, that's the shooter.

We then see him appear to trip and fall and as three people come toward him, he fires four shots. One person appears to be hit in the chest, falls to the ground, another who's carrying a handgun is hit in the arm. The Times here also pointing out that the suspect's gunfire is mixed in with the sound of at least 16 other gunshots and adding,

"'As this happens, police vehicles just one block away "'remain stationary during the gunfire.'" Footage then shows the suspect walking towards the police vehicles with his hands up, seemingly surrendering. Bystanders can also be heard yelling at the officers, saying that he had just shot people. But what we end up seeing is the police driving by him

without stopping, reportedly to go help the victims. And as far as how police here failed to take him into custody, even though it appeared that he was willingly offering himself up, Kenosha Sheriff David Beth seemed to chalk that up to the fact that it was a chaotic scene with lots of radio traffic and a lot going on. But after that, we don't really know what happens to him except that he eventually leaves the scene and returns home.

This because he was arrested yesterday in his hometown of Antioch, Illinois, which is around 20 minutes away from Kenosha. Like I said before, he was charged with first degree intentional homicide, though authorities have not yet said if he's being charged for both of the fatal shootings or just one. But notably, a police complaint filed in Illinois

also said that after he had committed homicide in Wisconsin, he then fled, quote, "'with the intent to avoid prosecution for that offense.'" Currently, he's being held in Illinois, awaiting a trial that would extradite him to Wisconsin. And that is very significant because according to reports, Wisconsin state law treats anyone 17 or older as an adult in its criminal justice system.

Also on that note, you had a lot of people asking how a 17 year old minor was legally allowed to open carry a gun and there we looked into it. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin does have open carry laws, but you have to be 18. If not, it's a class A misdemeanor. However, you also have a legal expert

who specializes in gun rights cases saying that a limited exception could apply here. So regarding that, we're gonna have to wait and see. But as of right now, we have not seen any charges, at least publicly, relating to this. And from there, we start seeing reports about who he is, what people know about him so far. You have places like Buzzfeed News, for example,

looking into his social media profiles and saying that he appeared obsessed with law enforcement and was a big supporter of Trump and Blue Lives Matter. Also saying he used to be a part of a public cadet safety program. Also, they obtained a photo that appears to show him at a Trump rally at the start of this year. While those pieces of information give us some background on his political views, we should also note

that as of right now, authorities have not said if he was a part of any of the militia groups that were in Kenosha Tuesday night. And the Anti-Defamation League also told reporters that there is no indication from his social media accounts that he is connected to any extremist movements. You know, with all of this, there have been a ton of comments and responses, some comparing the shooter's arrest

to what happened to Jacob Blake. People saying things like, the shooter shot and killed two people and was safely escorted and arrested. Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times for trying to break up a fight. If you dare tell me systemic racism doesn't exist, you're a fucking liar.

And an opinion piece from the Chicago Tribune also saying that if it was this shooter, right, a white teenager with a knife in the car, not Jacob Blake, police would not have shot him seven times. Also, as far as the protests are concerned, some called the ongoing situation the backdrop of the RNC. You had Mike Pence making a call for law and order, which seemed to be directly in light of protests.

Also, back in Kenosha, one specific comment that made a ton of headlines was from the Kenosha police chief who said, Everybody involved was out after the curfew. I'm not going to make a great deal of that, but the point is the curfew's in place to protect. Had persons not been out involved in violation of that, perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened."

Those comments receiving backlash, you had people saying things like, "'This is insane, callous, and inhumane.'" Kenosha police chief basically blaming protesters for their own deaths. We all saw a lot of criticism around the way that media outlets were reporting on the arrest of the shooter and who he was.

The AP calling him a police admirer, Vice calling him an aspiring cop, the New York Post putting out a piece about how he cleaned graffiti hours before the shooting. You also had others saying that outlets should call him a terrorist because what he did was a clear act of terror. We also saw people up in arms over Tucker Carlson.

This because last night on his show when talking about the shooting and the protest, he said, "'People in charge from the governor of Wisconsin on down refused to enforce the law. They stood back and they watched Kenosha burn. So we're really surprised that looting and arson accelerated to murder. How shocked are we that 17 year olds with rifles

decided they had to maintain order when no one else would? And so here you have people saying Carlson was being unspeakably dangerous, inciting violence and murder, advocating and endorsing. You have people like Donald Trump Jr. defending Carlson, saying he never endorsed, quote, vigilante justice. He just pointed out that when leaders cede control of our streets to the mob, it leads to heartbreaking

consequences, tragedies like looting, anarchy, and death. But then you had people firing back there saying, no, this is a result of your fear mongering. And that in several areas in reference to fear mongering in general that we've been seeing, but also some specific examples from the RNC. But then, in addition a result of your fear-mongering. And that in several areas in reference to fear-mongering in general that we've been seeing, but also some specific examples from the RNC. Then in addition to all of that, we saw major reactions from sports teams,

players and organizations. Starting with the NBA, we saw players for the Milwaukee Bucks sparking this big movement, opting not to take the court for their game against the Orlando Magic in protest. Other teams in the NBA then followed their lead, with the NBA later releasing a statement saying

that in light of their decision, all of yesterday's three games were postponed. The National Basketball Players Association then putting out a statement saying, "'Throughout the season, "'Restart our players have been unwavering "'in their demands for systemic justice. "'This week we witnessed another horrific, shocking,

"'and all too familiar act of brutality "'in the shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake "'in Kenosha, Wisconsin. "'The players have, once again, made it clear "'they will not be silent on this issue.'" There was also a meeting held last night involving players in the NBA bubble, and there the Lakers and Clippers reportedly voted

to not move forward with the rest of the season. Though you had a Sports Illustrated reporter explaining at that time it's unclear if that means they intend to leave the bubble or if that's just where they stand on the matter right now. LeBron James also reportedly wants more involvement and action from team owners on this, with a reporter for The Athletic saying

that James walked out of the meeting, with the rest of his team as well as the Clippers following him out as well, with different reporters describing it as a tense meeting, heated, saying it was ugly. Though it appears they held another meeting this morning and while tonight's games will be postponed, it looks like players have decided to move forward

with the rest of the season. With NBA reporters saying that LeBron James was among the players who had a change of mind when it came to this. Right, deciding playing was ultimately best for everyone. Y'all saw other leagues getting involved as well. The WNBA for example, which actually dedicated their entire season to Breonna Taylor

and fighting for racial justice postponed their games. Players kneeled together, locked arms, some were wearing shirts spelling out Jacob Blake's name. We saw support from people like Barack Obama, saying that he commends the players standing up for what they believe in. And for coaches like Doc Rivers and the NBA and WNBA for setting an example,

adding, it's going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values. Last night, three MLB games were also postponed, with the league releasing a statement saying, Major League Baseball remains united for change in our society and we will be allies in the fight to end racism and injustice. You also had Major League Soccer making the choice

to postpone their games yesterday. You had the NHL playing last night, but you also had some players saying they wish the league would do more. With Matt Dumba, a player for the Minnesota Wild telling Sportsnet, the NHL were always late to the party, especially on these topics. So it's sort of sad and disheartening for me

and other members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance and I'm sure other guys across the league. Though this afternoon we actually saw the NHL saying that tonight's games will be postponed. But this has led to a massive discussion about protests in sports, athletes using their platforms. And the timing here is significant because yesterday was the four year anniversary

of Colin Kaepernick starting his peaceful protest in the NFL by taking a knee. And that is where I'm going to end today's show. As always, thank you for being a part of these daily dives into the news. Also, if you're looking for more to watch right now, I've got more news for you right here that you might've already missed, or maybe you want to watch a brand new

podcast I did with Mia Khalifa. You can click or tap right there to watch either right now. But with that said, of course, as always, my name's Philip DeFranco. You've just been filled in. I love yo faces and I'll see you next time.