TOP TIER. Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis now seen as 2024 contender: “Ron DeSantis once drew national scorn for his stewardship of Florida's Covid-19 response — critics took to referring to the governor as ‘DeathSantis‘ for his resistance to restrictive measures. But that very blowback — marked by predictions of doom and widespread criticism for being divorced from science — has made DeSantis ascendant in the GOP.”
MICHELANGELO SIGNORILE. The Equality Act can now become law. An LGBTQ senator is blocking it. “To end the filibuster it would take all Democrats and Vice President Kamala Harris to break a tie. But among the most vocal opponents of ending the filibuster is Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the Arizona Democrat who thrives on being quirky and is positioned by the media as one of the Democratic ‘moderates.'”
“WOKE POLICE” Bachelor host Chris Harrison takes leave from series after remarks about contestant's racist past.
WHATEVER I WANT. Jane Fonda on not having a husband or a lover.
RYAN PHILLIPPE. “Gonna grow a full grey beard and hold a funeral for my abs.“
BLEACHED BEARD OF THE DAY. Ricky Martin.
GOP SENATOR BILL CASSIDY. Why I voted to convict: “I voted to convict former President Trump because he is guilty. That's what the facts demand. I have no illusions that this is a popular decision. I made this decision because Americans should not be fed lies about ‘massive election fraud.' Police should not be left to the mercy of a mob. Mobs should not be inflamed to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.”
JEFF FLAKE. We should have convicted Trump: “My fellow Republicans, to make our way back from this four-year detour will require a dose of honest self-reflection. We were once the conservative party. Our party chose to vacate any claim to that mantle when we gave ourselves over to a reality TV figure whose commitment to anything other than his own self-interest has always been hard to discern. He cared so little about anyone or anything other than himself that we now know that he couldn't even be stirred to defend his own Vice President when his life was in danger. We didn't convict him. We should have, but we didn't. Let's not compound the grievous injury to the country and our party by continuing to embrace him.”
SEATTLE. 90-year-old woman walks 6 miles in snow to get COVID vaccine.
YARDI GRAS. COVID pandemic transforms New Orleans' annual tradition. The COVID-19 pandemic closed bars and canceled Mardi Gras parties and masquerade balls. But the “Big Easy” loves a big celebration, so part of New Orleans was transformed into a socially-distanced drive-thru event called “Floats In The Oaks.”
EXPLAINER OF THE DAY. Dogecoin.
TEASER OF THE DAY. Abla Fahita: Drama Queen.
TUESDAY TEMPTATIONS. Jleroy.
