NEW YORK (NewsNation Now) —  It’s been a thoroughly depressing past few days for political moderation. It started with a troubling speech on the Senate floor, and then culminated with an absurd rally in Iowa. One was worse than the other but both serve as perilous signs for those of us hoping for a world with bipartisanship where Washington can actually get things done. Former U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock joins “Dan Abrams Live” to discuss why this is a tough time for moderates.

Pharmaceutical giant Merck formally applied Monday for FDA approval for its groundbreaking COVID-19 antiviral pill, but it turns out we could have had it as early as six months ago. How does a drug that can save thousands of lives slip through the cracks during a global health nightmare? Well, it turns out our hyperpartisan media may be to blame. Journalist Matt Taibbi weighs in. He has a terrific in-depth story about this in his substack, “TK News.”

It’s no secret that for years, the Oscars has been trying to avoid being accused of being too white and too male, but now it seems they are going to almost absurd lengths. Last year, the Academy announced new diversity standards for best picture nominees. They will be mandatory starting in 2024 for filmmakers who want their films to be considered for best picture. Now, we are getting our first look at the inclusion form. The document was released by founding partner of Puck News Matthew Belloni. He joins the show to help us break down the diversity standards.

Plus, we see police frantically searching a neighborhood to find the man who’s shooting at them. The chaos, happening near a school, was caught on body cam video. Sean “Sticks” Larkin joins the show live to discuss the insane hourslong standoff.

Watch “Dan Abrams Live” weeknights at 8/7c.

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