Twinkie The Kid isn’t the only advertising icon at risk of being eliminated due to business decisions beyond his control.
Now, it looks like Bazooka Joe, the eyepatch-wearing bubblegum mascot, is being chewed up and spit out by Topps, Inc., after a 59-year career appearing in tiny three-or-four panel cartoons that doubled as wrapping paper.
As part of a rebranding effort, Bazooka Candy Brands, a division of Topps, Inc., has decided to get rid of the comics and replace them with puzzles and brain teasers, the New York Times reported.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) offered an apology to fired CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez on Wednesday during the Senate Health Committee hearing, surprising CNN anchor Brianna Keilar.
"That apology from Sen. Kaine was really something," Keilar said, adding that officials who heard her testimony over her resignation called her and other CDC officials who resigned "heroes."
Monarez was fired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy disputes. In the hearing, Monarez testified that Kennedy asked her not to talk to senators and pressured her to give him full pre-approval over any changes to vaccine policies at the agency. She, along with other ousted colleagues, warned the senators that Kennedy is risking Americans' public health.
“Dr. Monarez, I owe you an apology," Kaine said. "When you were here for your confirmation hearing, I questioned you very significantly, not on your qualifications – you got over the qualifications bar easily – but my worries about the direction of HHS made me question you very significantly on your backbone, a trait that is not in long supply in this town. And then when I voted against your confirmation. I cited that as the reason. Again, no concern about your qualifications. I had concern about your backbone. And I was wrong and I apologize to you for being wrong. I think it’s important when you’re wrong to admit you’re wrong.”
Democrats had voted unanimously against her confirmation.
Kennedy, who is known for his anti-vaccine advocacy, later fired 17 CDC employees and replaced them with his own selected staff who follow his views.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a panel that issues vaccine recommendations, is scheduled to meet Thursday, according to reports.
Tucker Carlson not-so-subtly ripped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his tribute to Charlie Kirk, saying it was "disgusting" to use Kirk's murder
In his post to his Truth Social app, Trump said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) were working on a "clean" extension of government funding and demanded Republicans remain united and vote in favor of the continuing resolution to keep the government open.
Trump also painted Democrats as wanting a shutdown and Republicans as wanting the government to stay open.
"Congressional Republicans, including Leader John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson, are working on a short term “CLEAN” extension of Government Funding to stop Cryin’ Chuck Schumer from shutting down the Government," the president wrote. In times like these, Republicans have to stick TOGETHER to fight back against the Radical Left Democrat demands, and vote 'YES!' on both Votes needed to pass a Clean CR this week out of the House of Representatives."
Trump concluded: "FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION."
A government shutdown is possible if Congress fails to pass a new funding bill or a continuing resolution by midnight on Sept. 30.
The last government shutdown lasted from Dec. 22, 2018, to Jan. 25, 2019, and was due to fierce disagreements over negotiations for the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
