Or to a guy who plans to join forces with the other largest nuclear weapons holdings leader to fight off NATO, and in the process destroy the planet. Each of them won't go out without a BANG!
I was at the Monday meeting in Minneapolis. Excellent questions, good discussion, and I came away with new information (!) and a new friend who wants company when she is writing postcards. Who says we can’t have a little fun while working to protect our democracy?!
I’m grateful to Robert and Jill for their dedication, their time, and to Robert for parsing out the real problems and offering insights and considerable wisdom. He and Jill have brought together a wonderful, dedicated community willing to work hard at protecting this precious American experiment in democracy.
Also grateful to my fellow Minnesotans and all who are working hard to keep our blue trifecta government going here. Let’s all pitch in and turn the US House blue too, while increasing our margin in the Senate, and retaining the Presidency!
Postcarding (yes, we have a new word!) is not only effective and fun, it’s a great way to build community. I highly recommend that you and your new friend find a comfortable, supportive public space to get together. Invite friends. We started doing this several years ago, with a weekly time/day that we could publicize. We added signs. We posted pictures. We grew and spawned groups across the city (Seattle) and elsewhere. And, we created a community. Wins all around!
Yeah - lifelong environmental activist here in MN. I have opinions and I am not shy about sharing them. :-) If you want to connect, email me at sbl519@yahoo.com.
Always looking for ways to connect with likeminded folks.
Glueck was engaged in journalistic malpractice. She wrote about people she did not even bother talking to. If that had been my high school journalism assignment, I would have failed. She and her editors should be demoted, as her article easily not factual.
I am too!!! Did you send the photo to K-K-K-Katie? (Sorry, I allow a touch of snark when reacting to a public figure as opposed to an ordinary Trump supporter!) Robert, I'm sending her this newsletter. Maybe if enough of us do, she might respond and correct...one can hope!!
Ok, before I send the letter, I was looking for your quote of all the groups she could reach out to, which included Indivisible. I read the article and turns out she did quote the co-executive director of Indivisible, Leah Greenberg. Here's the story:
"Leah Greenberg, the co-executive director of the Indivisible Project, a progressive grass-roots group, said her organization was supporting ballot measure efforts that would protect abortion rights in key states. She also argued that full Democratic control of Washington could lead to meaningful abortion protections nationally.
“Burnout tends to be a function of a sense of powerlessness,” she said. “People are activated around getting our rights back.” So Katie Gluek totally missed the point! Burnout come from a sense of powerlessness. But Indivisible volunteers are activated! I wonder if she will respond. I'm going to try.
Well Chaplain Nicholetti, please be sure to circulate that following Times article (Sunday 2/18/24 front page) with all women who are ready to fight hard. (Article available to all)
Hey Alabama - this could get interesting. If I were going through IVF in Alabama, and just found out my unused viable embryos were now considered “children” by my state, I’d have a lot more dependents as tax deductions this year. I’d also consider “adopting” out the remaining embryos (still in cryogenic storage that were not needed for my IVF) to other individuals looking to seize the opportunity to pick up a dependent or two. They won’t need diapers, daycare, a car, or a college education - just switch the names on a test tube. Then I’d take out a million dollar life insurance policy on my new embryo “children” so when SCOTUS finally puts an end to the chaos….
This is going to get interesting and the lawyers are going to get rich. We’re certainly living in crazy times.
As horrifying as this is for Alabamans, it will become a huge issue at election time. Democrats need to accentuate this kind of hateful and misogynistic behavior on the part of Republican legislatures. Add this to Trump's national abortion ban, and some of these red states will likely bury themselves in November. That doesn't mean we don't have to work hard to make sure they are voted out up and down the ballot.
any efforts to target men with messages on this issue. It’s time they (men) step up and fight alongside of the women to preserve their healthcare and rights.
Yes, crazy times. Maybe more Floridians will move next door to Alabama as they can’t claim state income tax deduction(s) here. Or maybe they’ve already moved to Georgia ?
Can someone please explain to me, a mere Brit who is obsessed with US politics, why U.S. media like the NYT continues to downplay the strength of the Biden campaign and candidacy whilst ignoring Trump’s (to me) manifest failings?
Do they think that by doing so they will be immune from his ire if he is by some terrible chance elected? Surely if that is a factor in its thinking it should by itself indicate his unfitness for office. And given his track record of holding grudges why would they think such a thing?
Why else would they be protecting and promoting him?
Sometimes we forget that a significant MAGA component is comprised of billionaires and others of the corporate management/owner class and they are supporting Trump, I think, partly because they're really not all that smart and don't see that they'd be cannon fodder just like everybody else -- and because they also believe that their ability to do business unfettered by regulations and restrictions has been promised by the Orange One.
Thanks. It’s certainly a possible explanation but it seems to be a strange position for a media outlet to adopt especially one like the NYT which prides itself on fearless journalism. They must surely know that they are doing their readership and indeed their country a disservice.
I don't believe that they any longer pride themselves on fearless journalism. That might be on the masthead or in a mission statement; but I go with whoever it was that said to pay attention to what someone does rather than what they say ... and the NYT as well as most of the large mainstream media outlets is making it clear that they're going to support Trump even if they think they're indicating so in a subtle way (NOT!)
Not subtle. Like Tucker the MSM are just asking questions. Will this be another hurdle for Joe Biden? Is Joe Biden in trouble? Have you noticed he made a mistake when he speaks? Mexico when he meant Egypt. Now, Trump will interrupt his political views to mention that magnets no longer work if you pour water on them. (Not true, anyway.) The press does not harp on that for days. Nor "We are an institute in a powerful death penalty.”
Lately they bring up polls showing Biden looks and acts “frail.” He looks slender (and really good in his suits). He shows arthritic stiffness of the spine when he walks. How unpresidential! Joe Biden does not have the “look.”
Now, Trump has plenty of weight to throw around. He lumbers. My theory is that his MAGA fans identify with his excess weight. His meanness, too, of course. (My relative with a weight problem used to joke that you couldn’t trust skinny people. Shakespeare’s villain’s “lean and hungry look.”)
Excellent description of how skewed the presentation of the 2 men in the media -- and it's escalated in the past month or so, I think, to where it's almost ridiculous. Not to the MAGA faithful, of course. I've even got some very well-educated, progressive acquaintances/friends who are 'worried' because Biden seems too pale. They are close to my age (75) and I find it bizarre that they're indulging in an ageism that's not only incorrectly applied to its subject but shouldn't be applied, period... What to do? I have no idea. I think so many people are looking for someone FUN!!! EXCITING!!! and if they get that person, what do we really get? No one with the credentials, wily cleverness, and age-honed wisdom that we already have ... IMO.
They do not care! They are losing readership, and some people, like my brother and sister, still consider the NY Times to be the best source of news in this country. I try to interject accurate information occasionally, but they are so brainwashed that they doubt that what I'm saying is true. The NY Times gets clicks by writing such articles. That is their game plan.
Ann - Agreed, and it's an issue I think about every single day. Has printed medium succumbed to a fear of lawsuits? Extreme both sides ism? Outside influence?
MAGA doesn't read the NYT or WP unless it's regurgitated/edited by a far right sycophant. So I'm left to believe their sloppy journalism aims to appease everyone. As for the televised outlets, they're obviously driven by massive greed.
God forbid if trump wins, all media will be reduced to a nationalist outlet - that has to be obvious to them, right?
Listened to a good version of Amicus podcast / Slate: Dahlia Lithwick recently. One of the guests was Alex Aronson who's starting a new organization around courts accountability. He worked for Shelton Whitehouse for a time. It's all the dark money, isn't it?
I struggle with that question. The fact is (and look at 2016) they are lazy and irresponsible. As a Brit - you can be proud of the journalism in the GUARDIAN - which eschews the breathless and dangerous drivel put out by the NYT and the WaPo
Same here though our media is generally neither so extreme as yours nor our situation quite so dire. Murdoch bears a huge amount of blame I think in the way he has perverted journalism in 3 continents.
The presence of the failed insurrectionist in the picture makes them money and provides grist for silly articles like Ms. Glueck's. Reporting good news isn't as exciting and requires actual work.
It's all about the eventual demise of print news--which has left most news corporations losing market share, being bought out, stripped of assets and once they are laden with debt, dropped from the corporate fold. So, newpapers have been trained to bark and lunge for the ferocious chase after the "benjamins" (money). Trump's chaos and drama-if you will- brings in the clicks and thus, the advertising money.
Thanks. I can see that as an explanation but it’s a terribly short sighted policy. I wonder if there is anything that he could do to make them find their journalistic backbone.
I agree 100%. It's a huge disappointment, though that seems like a weak word for what is happening. I can no longer read it. I rely on Robert, and the links he posts in his newsletters that contain accurate news.
The NYT motto is “ all the news that’s fit to print “ but they don’t define what is “ fit “ and they have a platform of alternative and different points of view which is just someone’s else opinion. Most voters don’t read the NYT
But otherwise good people who are DEMOCRATS do read it. I read it until Robert's consistent coverage of their version of events showed me that the NY Times is not in the business of giving its readership the truth. Money is what they are interested in.
I don't know about "quite liberal" anymore. I think they did lean over backwards to avoid being accused of liberal bias, but those days seem to be gone. The choice of stories and headlines seems to indicate a focus on click-bait, both-siderism (is that a word), laziness, and shifting priorities. Their oligarchic owners also seem to be influencing editorial choices.
“ And that information formed the core of the sham impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden in the House!
This is a big deal. It deserves a LOT of attention from the major media outlets that devoted hundreds of major articles and broadcasts to repeating false information about Joe Biden that Russian intelligence agents planted!”
ABC national news made a big deal of it this evening so that’s a good thing.
Sending warm greetings to all the people you have shown in photos the last 2 days. It's so nice to see a face attached to some of the people in this wonderful community. I just wish I could be there with you all.
Regarding Glueck's piece in the NYT- my instincts are that I am happy she is providing cover for the immense grassroots efforts that has been weaved throughout our country. I have to feel that part of the use of the descriptor "grassroots", means "not visible", "underground" and not easily visible without digging. I think this is where much of our strength lies. I'm not worried that Glueck's piece will do any harm to our efforts to protect American freedoms. May we continue to not only have roots, but rhizomes as well, spreading deep within the soil, and indeed becoming invasive throughout this country. This is our power. We are exerting our freedoms to do this through our connections. Robert and Jill are a big part of that, and I am grateful.
I would be delighted to see a documentary on the massive grassroots effort that propelled Joe Biden into his second term- but only after the 2024 election, where we will celebrate!
I’ve had similar thoughts, thinking that the power of the multitudes working grassroots might best be kept quiet and underreported. From local Indivisible groups in my red state to a nationwide call led by Focus for Democracy I’ve seen first hand the commitment and energy that is focused on preserving Democracy. There really is such a thing as “we, the people”.
I have news for the New York Times, this 90 year old post card writer (350 for Suozzi) is HIGHLY motivated to every day write letters to voters or postcards till November. I'll be attending a meeting of Upper West Side group on the 27th and will be writing with their guidance. We'll defeat Trump and other Republicans up and down the ballot, these losers will see the wrath of motivated Dems.
Thank you for keeping us informed of issues in reality.
The GOP has been taken over by violence-prone individuals not interested in democracy,
but determined to impose their religious edicts, white supremacy bigotry, cult of personality and Putin orders upon the USA and then the rest of the globe, if possible.
I, for one, have no intention of allowing that to happen.
Katie Glueck is invited to join the movement and pen an apology.
I think not. Your recent article “Anti-Trump Burnout: The Resistance Says It’s Exhausted” was not only a disservice to democracy, it was a sloppy piece of journalism. And I say that not only as a member of that Resistance, but as (among my careers) a retired journalist with an MA from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
As just one of those grass“roots”, one among hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, I can tell you that we are sometimes tired but utterly unwilling to give up.
Still passionate, even as we know saving that democracy is on our shoulders, that we will be unsupported by even the media bastions we once trusted to tell the truth. Namely, The NY Times.
Who we are is mostly women—mothers, who in a single block of time can throw a wash in, breastfeed the baby, get the other kids to school, hold a part-time job, and still manage to write 10 postcards to flip a state legislative district, or defeat an abortion ban, or get Janet Protasciewicz (spelled correctly) onto the Supreme Court in Wisconsin.
Tired? Yes sometimes—but in solidarity. Motivated, committed, and proud to take on yet another “burden” to protect our country from an existential threat. That would be Donald Trump, who—in a few ill- (or not even) chosen words—would foment an insurrection, sic Russia on a NATO ally and jubilantly destroy an alliance that has protected the free world for decades.
Thanks for your expert appraisal. Please send this to the NYT, if you have not already done so. Knowledgeable journalists and journalism educators need to let the NYTs know that, politics aside, this is lazy and stupid and BAD JOURNALISM. Paper of record, my eye. The editors of the Westmar College student biweekly The Gleam would not have let this get by them in the 'seventies, and I as advisor would have applauded their decision to kill it, and there wasn't a single person in our "newsroom," including their advisor, who had more than one course in journalism. It's not that hard to be smart, skeptical, and professional.
I suggested that you click on the Glueck’s hyperlink and send her an email, but unfortunately there is no email address. I think she is on Twitter and Linked In if anyone has access.
I figured out the general format for writing to New York Times writers, which is, first name.last name@nytimes.com. So in this case, if anybody wants to write to her besides me, the address is katie.glueck@nytimes.com
"The only way to stop the inevitable subjugation of women to the state is to take control of state legislatures, governorships, the House, the Senate, and the presidency—at which point we can enlarge and reform the US Supreme Court."
We solve this, we solve a lot. We need MASSIVE turnout of the SANE to increase D's in the Senate, take back the House, keep the Presidency, and expand the mother-f*cking Supreme Court. (And investigate + impeach those justices who have been bought and paid for by Billionaires who want to make economic slaves of everyone else and not pay taxes.)
Thank you for today's newsletter, Robert. Although I am amused by your opening sentence, "The newsletter will be short and sweet tonight [. . . ]" as it was very informative with the various topics you managed to cover, and not so short after all. Thanks everlasting to you and your managing editor! Be well, and stay safe.
A lot to wrap my head around in your newsletter this morning, but this is the standout for me.
"As Todd Zwillich put it on X: “Just so everyone's clear: This would mean that Russia successfully used [Chuck] Grassley, [James] Comer, Fox News and others to damage the President of the United States and make fake info about him an article of faith on the right.”
There is a very insidious effort by Putin, his allies in our government, and media to take over our country and instill Christian Nationalism in our government. The republican party has become, in my opinion, our homegrown Taliban.
A key point, Mr. Corbett. I hate to say it but Trump is right about one thing: Putin is smart, at least smart enough to hoodwink senators, government officials, news media, and business leaders, folks who always have a tendency to follow the alpha male dog because it is hard work to think for yourself and to read, study, and learn. As Hannah Arendt, Anne Applebaum, Masha Gessen, Tim Snyder, Rachel Maddow, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Volker Ullrich, and, may his name be a blessing, Alexei Navalny, as well as many others have taught us, the fight against totalitarianism is long.
We will get tired. But we must not give up and we must be ready to continue long after Trump is defeated in November. In 1923, Hitler was in prison in Bavaria following his failed Beer Hall Putsch. In 1933, he was Chancellor of Germany. Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Brett Kavanaugh, Charlie Kirk, Mike Johnson, Tommy Tuberville, for goodness sakes, and even Donald Trump, were unknown or jokes ten years ago. Now they have their hands around the throat of American democracy.
The arc of the moral universe is out there and we're bending it, but the arc of totalitarian inhumanity is not far behind. Hard work and courage. Navalny in prison was studying, writing and working. He fought for Russia. He fought for all of us. We have to do this.
Robert, as you and Jill travel through the prairie, think about the grassroots! Most people don't realize that something from half to 80% of a prairie plant is invisible to us, underground. It's those deep (6 ft or more) roots that allow prairie plants to survive and thrive in adversity--A haircut from a grazing animal, fire, drought--the prairie plants can survive them all, maybe looking ragged on top, but the deep, strong roots keep them going and in fact adversity can create a flush of new life at the surface.
I think what pundits don't realize is that the crisis of Trumpism is causing those of us who love this country, value democracy, aspire to a fairer, more compassionate society--causing us to develop ever deeper, stronger, interlocking roots like a prairie. And yes, there's adversity. January 6 was a shock to our systems that caused more of us to dig deeper and settle in for the long haul. The Dobbs decision was like a prairie fire, and what happened? We came back stronger!
While I think that Katie Glueck was factually incorrect (for example, she talked about concerns about fundraising when Biden and the Democrats are objectively doing very well and the GOP is a disaster), I think it is also the case that we are being ignored and underestimated at the peril of those who think the pro-Democracy grassroots is just another turf lawn, easily set back by a little challenge.
I agree with you. In fact, I think "journalists" who don't bother to do their homework and who dash off what amounts to be fiction may inadvertently be doing us a favor. If we continue to fly under their radar and spread our roots as we are doing now, we keep the Russian trolls and bots (whether in Russia or Congress) at bay and in the dark. That's how a real Resistance thrives, with those deep roots you described!
To all. Let’s do US democracy a favor and make a concerted effort to increase readership of Robert’s newsletter. Let’s all gently send it to, say, 10 people and perhaps a few will become regular readers/listeners and in turn invite others. If we do this together, we can increase participation substantially over the course of the crucial next 8 months. I know many of us already circulated regularly to others and encourage them to listen. If we do it together and generate some data on effectiveness, then together, we can continue to expand the crucial impact. If others have strategic thoughts, I encourage them to be shared with the group.
I did that just last week. My wife and I were on vacation for the annual gathering of an Athens, Georgia, Rock band called Drive-By Truckers, sometimes called the most liberal band in America, and as you can imagine, our circle leans left. The problem was that there was very little optimism that President Biden could win re-election except among those who read this newsletter. I think I sent out the link to more than fifteen people and mentioned it more than that. In the community that Robert has built, I sense a ton of optimism, but elsewhere among my liberal friends, I feel a deep sadness that this country will be lost to us come November. I hope I can do a small part in bridging that gap.
I've been having success by offering independent news sources for those interested, on my social media. This is another non-threatening way to get word out, & many I was unaware are open to conversations are responding favorably.
I am late to the discussion of your voice recording: please keep it up! My husband and I value it tremendously. And by this I mean your voice, not AI or anything else. Not too slow, not too fast, Goldilocks !!
And this business in Alabama with fertilized eggs being human beings… republicans are feeling extremely enabled, and that may be their ultimate downfall (hopefully)
The GOP has chomped at the bit to attack women's and minority groups rights for decades, all the while pushing Christian nationalism; I have hope it'll be their undoing, now that they've shown their true colors.
Prior to 2016, I think like many others, I took our constitution and freedom for granted. My 2015 self would not recognize the activist I've become (to the best of my ability). I'm pretty sure many see themselves in similar light. As a nation, if we get through these times with a positive outcome, we can't allow ourselves to become complacent again.
A meme I saw today:
Pro tip: Don't entrust the nuclear codes to a guy who is not allowed to operate a hot dog cart on 53rd and 3rd
Or to a guy who plans to join forces with the other largest nuclear weapons holdings leader to fight off NATO, and in the process destroy the planet. Each of them won't go out without a BANG!
I am heartened by the beauty in the photograph of the dedicated people working on behalf of the future.
I was at the Monday meeting in Minneapolis. Excellent questions, good discussion, and I came away with new information (!) and a new friend who wants company when she is writing postcards. Who says we can’t have a little fun while working to protect our democracy?!
I’m grateful to Robert and Jill for their dedication, their time, and to Robert for parsing out the real problems and offering insights and considerable wisdom. He and Jill have brought together a wonderful, dedicated community willing to work hard at protecting this precious American experiment in democracy.
Also grateful to my fellow Minnesotans and all who are working hard to keep our blue trifecta government going here. Let’s all pitch in and turn the US House blue too, while increasing our margin in the Senate, and retaining the Presidency!
Postcarding (yes, we have a new word!) is not only effective and fun, it’s a great way to build community. I highly recommend that you and your new friend find a comfortable, supportive public space to get together. Invite friends. We started doing this several years ago, with a weekly time/day that we could publicize. We added signs. We posted pictures. We grew and spawned groups across the city (Seattle) and elsewhere. And, we created a community. Wins all around!
Sheila! I wish we had met! I feel like I know you from various comment fora!
Yeah - lifelong environmental activist here in MN. I have opinions and I am not shy about sharing them. :-) If you want to connect, email me at sbl519@yahoo.com.
Always looking for ways to connect with likeminded folks.
I looked for you in the photo, but didn't see you. Glad that you were able to attend. Please share insights at our next HH meeting.
I’m in the Monday photo, sort of hidden among the tall guys in the back.
Each of them is a hero. I hope to see more beautiful photos, and hope to see diversity too.
They DO look like a jovial lot, don't they?
Heartened and strengthened, YES! Your photo of all these joyful and determined fellow volunteers is powerful, Robert.
No beady-eyed or slack-jawed people here! Keep on keeping on!
Glueck was engaged in journalistic malpractice. She wrote about people she did not even bother talking to. If that had been my high school journalism assignment, I would have failed. She and her editors should be demoted, as her article easily not factual.
Shameful!
Really ticked me off. I wrote the times with a link to Robert’s blog and stated that it seemed that Katie owed all of us an apology.
What to heck! Why not. Only took about a minute to dash it off.
I am too!!! Did you send the photo to K-K-K-Katie? (Sorry, I allow a touch of snark when reacting to a public figure as opposed to an ordinary Trump supporter!) Robert, I'm sending her this newsletter. Maybe if enough of us do, she might respond and correct...one can hope!!
Ok, before I send the letter, I was looking for your quote of all the groups she could reach out to, which included Indivisible. I read the article and turns out she did quote the co-executive director of Indivisible, Leah Greenberg. Here's the story:
"Leah Greenberg, the co-executive director of the Indivisible Project, a progressive grass-roots group, said her organization was supporting ballot measure efforts that would protect abortion rights in key states. She also argued that full Democratic control of Washington could lead to meaningful abortion protections nationally.
“Burnout tends to be a function of a sense of powerlessness,” she said. “People are activated around getting our rights back.” So Katie Gluek totally missed the point! Burnout come from a sense of powerlessness. But Indivisible volunteers are activated! I wonder if she will respond. I'm going to try.
Well Chaplain Nicholetti, please be sure to circulate that following Times article (Sunday 2/18/24 front page) with all women who are ready to fight hard. (Article available to all)
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/17/us/politics/trump-allies-abortion-restrictions.html?unlocked_article_code=1.XU0.lssN.aNE2hZHNvjfC&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb
Thank you John; I didn't know about the Comstock Act. Yet another reason to make sure President Biden and all Democrats up and down ballot WIN!!!
Just one more among many reasons. I cannot think that Trump will win. It would be an act of insanity for the country on so many issues.
Hey Alabama - this could get interesting. If I were going through IVF in Alabama, and just found out my unused viable embryos were now considered “children” by my state, I’d have a lot more dependents as tax deductions this year. I’d also consider “adopting” out the remaining embryos (still in cryogenic storage that were not needed for my IVF) to other individuals looking to seize the opportunity to pick up a dependent or two. They won’t need diapers, daycare, a car, or a college education - just switch the names on a test tube. Then I’d take out a million dollar life insurance policy on my new embryo “children” so when SCOTUS finally puts an end to the chaos….
This is going to get interesting and the lawyers are going to get rich. We’re certainly living in crazy times.
It’s also a warning sign of how much worse the anti abortion campaigns could get.
See comment above re: Trump’s allies and their anti-abortion plans if he wins. (Which he is not with our good efforts.)
As horrifying as this is for Alabamans, it will become a huge issue at election time. Democrats need to accentuate this kind of hateful and misogynistic behavior on the part of Republican legislatures. Add this to Trump's national abortion ban, and some of these red states will likely bury themselves in November. That doesn't mean we don't have to work hard to make sure they are voted out up and down the ballot.
Absolutely!! It makes me wonder if there are
any efforts to target men with messages on this issue. It’s time they (men) step up and fight alongside of the women to preserve their healthcare and rights.
Yes, crazy times. Maybe more Floridians will move next door to Alabama as they can’t claim state income tax deduction(s) here. Or maybe they’ve already moved to Georgia ?
https://prismreports.org/2023/05/09/georgia-fetal-personhood-tax-code/
My daughter is moving to Georgia next year. Unfortunately, (ha) she is past child-bearing age.
The AL IVF clinics should sue for being put out of business.
Can someone please explain to me, a mere Brit who is obsessed with US politics, why U.S. media like the NYT continues to downplay the strength of the Biden campaign and candidacy whilst ignoring Trump’s (to me) manifest failings?
Do they think that by doing so they will be immune from his ire if he is by some terrible chance elected? Surely if that is a factor in its thinking it should by itself indicate his unfitness for office. And given his track record of holding grudges why would they think such a thing?
Why else would they be protecting and promoting him?
Sometimes we forget that a significant MAGA component is comprised of billionaires and others of the corporate management/owner class and they are supporting Trump, I think, partly because they're really not all that smart and don't see that they'd be cannon fodder just like everybody else -- and because they also believe that their ability to do business unfettered by regulations and restrictions has been promised by the Orange One.
Thanks. It’s certainly a possible explanation but it seems to be a strange position for a media outlet to adopt especially one like the NYT which prides itself on fearless journalism. They must surely know that they are doing their readership and indeed their country a disservice.
I don't believe that they any longer pride themselves on fearless journalism. That might be on the masthead or in a mission statement; but I go with whoever it was that said to pay attention to what someone does rather than what they say ... and the NYT as well as most of the large mainstream media outlets is making it clear that they're going to support Trump even if they think they're indicating so in a subtle way (NOT!)
Not subtle. Like Tucker the MSM are just asking questions. Will this be another hurdle for Joe Biden? Is Joe Biden in trouble? Have you noticed he made a mistake when he speaks? Mexico when he meant Egypt. Now, Trump will interrupt his political views to mention that magnets no longer work if you pour water on them. (Not true, anyway.) The press does not harp on that for days. Nor "We are an institute in a powerful death penalty.”
Lately they bring up polls showing Biden looks and acts “frail.” He looks slender (and really good in his suits). He shows arthritic stiffness of the spine when he walks. How unpresidential! Joe Biden does not have the “look.”
Now, Trump has plenty of weight to throw around. He lumbers. My theory is that his MAGA fans identify with his excess weight. His meanness, too, of course. (My relative with a weight problem used to joke that you couldn’t trust skinny people. Shakespeare’s villain’s “lean and hungry look.”)
Excellent description of how skewed the presentation of the 2 men in the media -- and it's escalated in the past month or so, I think, to where it's almost ridiculous. Not to the MAGA faithful, of course. I've even got some very well-educated, progressive acquaintances/friends who are 'worried' because Biden seems too pale. They are close to my age (75) and I find it bizarre that they're indulging in an ageism that's not only incorrectly applied to its subject but shouldn't be applied, period... What to do? I have no idea. I think so many people are looking for someone FUN!!! EXCITING!!! and if they get that person, what do we really get? No one with the credentials, wily cleverness, and age-honed wisdom that we already have ... IMO.
Trump is pale, too, under his manly makeup.
It's about clicks, as they are losing readership! Sorry to be repetitive!
Tragic.
They do not care! They are losing readership, and some people, like my brother and sister, still consider the NY Times to be the best source of news in this country. I try to interject accurate information occasionally, but they are so brainwashed that they doubt that what I'm saying is true. The NY Times gets clicks by writing such articles. That is their game plan.
Ann - Agreed, and it's an issue I think about every single day. Has printed medium succumbed to a fear of lawsuits? Extreme both sides ism? Outside influence?
MAGA doesn't read the NYT or WP unless it's regurgitated/edited by a far right sycophant. So I'm left to believe their sloppy journalism aims to appease everyone. As for the televised outlets, they're obviously driven by massive greed.
God forbid if trump wins, all media will be reduced to a nationalist outlet - that has to be obvious to them, right?
Well if it’s obvious to me from across the pond I find it hard to believe that it’s not obvious to them. They are playing with fire really.
I wonder if these latest revelations about the FBI source will wake them up.
DL, not obvious, obviously!
Makes me wonder at what point the frog's going to realize the water's getting really hot in there.
Anyways, maybe being government sanctioned/supported appeals to our failing media.
We should be reminded that Lenard Leo was given $1.6 billion by a donor to use as he chooses to fight abortion rights.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/02/leonard-leo-federalist-society-00094761
Listened to a good version of Amicus podcast / Slate: Dahlia Lithwick recently. One of the guests was Alex Aronson who's starting a new organization around courts accountability. He worked for Shelton Whitehouse for a time. It's all the dark money, isn't it?
I struggle with that question. The fact is (and look at 2016) they are lazy and irresponsible. As a Brit - you can be proud of the journalism in the GUARDIAN - which eschews the breathless and dangerous drivel put out by the NYT and the WaPo
Indeed I am - you don’t be surprised that it is my daily reading of choice. But I had hoped for better from US MSM in the US’s time of trial.
Ah Ann — I have given up hope about the media. Even our NPR - their softball questions are spineless
Have you ever heard of Judy Swallow of BBC? She interrupts and refuses to let the politicians get away with BS
Nice to hear good things about the BBC (which comes in for terrible flack here BTW, most of it unfair) but not heard of Judy. Good for her!
The Guardian has become my go-to source for established news; concise and to the point.
It has become very disheartening, Ann. I do not think it's laziness. I think it's deliberate, due to greed.
Same here though our media is generally neither so extreme as yours nor our situation quite so dire. Murdoch bears a huge amount of blame I think in the way he has perverted journalism in 3 continents.
Yep. Have canceled NYT and WaPo, and continue with the Guardian (also have a husband from Lancashire)
Same here.
The presence of the failed insurrectionist in the picture makes them money and provides grist for silly articles like Ms. Glueck's. Reporting good news isn't as exciting and requires actual work.
It's all about the eventual demise of print news--which has left most news corporations losing market share, being bought out, stripped of assets and once they are laden with debt, dropped from the corporate fold. So, newpapers have been trained to bark and lunge for the ferocious chase after the "benjamins" (money). Trump's chaos and drama-if you will- brings in the clicks and thus, the advertising money.
Thanks. I can see that as an explanation but it’s a terribly short sighted policy. I wonder if there is anything that he could do to make them find their journalistic backbone.
Ann, who is "he?"
The orange one. Sorry that wasn’t clear.
No worries! I love your interest in US politics.
Thanks. I think I am a little too obsessed tbh. But it distracts me from our own travails.
Afraid to think of what trump would do to make that happen.
I agree 100%. It's a huge disappointment, though that seems like a weak word for what is happening. I can no longer read it. I rely on Robert, and the links he posts in his newsletters that contain accurate news.
Because their corporate owners support Trump.
Unfortunately, I'm leaning more towards that conclusion.
Very sad if true.
I have wondered the same thing. I hope someone provides the explanation you seek.
The NYT motto is “ all the news that’s fit to print “ but they don’t define what is “ fit “ and they have a platform of alternative and different points of view which is just someone’s else opinion. Most voters don’t read the NYT
But otherwise good people who are DEMOCRATS do read it. I read it until Robert's consistent coverage of their version of events showed me that the NY Times is not in the business of giving its readership the truth. Money is what they are interested in.
Good question Ann. Write the Times directly with this line of inquiry. Thanks
Ann. I think the NYT, which is fundamentally quite liberal, wants to maintain a sense that it is independent and unbiased. For better or for worse.
I don't know about "quite liberal" anymore. I think they did lean over backwards to avoid being accused of liberal bias, but those days seem to be gone. The choice of stories and headlines seems to indicate a focus on click-bait, both-siderism (is that a word), laziness, and shifting priorities. Their oligarchic owners also seem to be influencing editorial choices.
“ And that information formed the core of the sham impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden in the House!
This is a big deal. It deserves a LOT of attention from the major media outlets that devoted hundreds of major articles and broadcasts to repeating false information about Joe Biden that Russian intelligence agents planted!”
ABC national news made a big deal of it this evening so that’s a good thing.
Sending warm greetings to all the people you have shown in photos the last 2 days. It's so nice to see a face attached to some of the people in this wonderful community. I just wish I could be there with you all.
Regarding Glueck's piece in the NYT- my instincts are that I am happy she is providing cover for the immense grassroots efforts that has been weaved throughout our country. I have to feel that part of the use of the descriptor "grassroots", means "not visible", "underground" and not easily visible without digging. I think this is where much of our strength lies. I'm not worried that Glueck's piece will do any harm to our efforts to protect American freedoms. May we continue to not only have roots, but rhizomes as well, spreading deep within the soil, and indeed becoming invasive throughout this country. This is our power. We are exerting our freedoms to do this through our connections. Robert and Jill are a big part of that, and I am grateful.
I would be delighted to see a documentary on the massive grassroots effort that propelled Joe Biden into his second term- but only after the 2024 election, where we will celebrate!
I’ve had similar thoughts, thinking that the power of the multitudes working grassroots might best be kept quiet and underreported. From local Indivisible groups in my red state to a nationwide call led by Focus for Democracy I’ve seen first hand the commitment and energy that is focused on preserving Democracy. There really is such a thing as “we, the people”.
Absolutely!
I came here to say this. As long as the media continues to ignore the grassroots movement, we can stay, in Robert’s words “the secret weapon.”
What a great idea! I agree that it should be after the election. No point in giving Republicans any ideas!
That's exactly what I am thinking Kathleen!
I have news for the New York Times, this 90 year old post card writer (350 for Suozzi) is HIGHLY motivated to every day write letters to voters or postcards till November. I'll be attending a meeting of Upper West Side group on the 27th and will be writing with their guidance. We'll defeat Trump and other Republicans up and down the ballot, these losers will see the wrath of motivated Dems.
Good for you, Charles. I share the same commitment and belief!
Be well!!!
Thank you for keeping us informed of issues in reality.
The GOP has been taken over by violence-prone individuals not interested in democracy,
but determined to impose their religious edicts, white supremacy bigotry, cult of personality and Putin orders upon the USA and then the rest of the globe, if possible.
I, for one, have no intention of allowing that to happen.
Katie Glueck is invited to join the movement and pen an apology.
Grassroots Burnout??? HA!
I think not. Your recent article “Anti-Trump Burnout: The Resistance Says It’s Exhausted” was not only a disservice to democracy, it was a sloppy piece of journalism. And I say that not only as a member of that Resistance, but as (among my careers) a retired journalist with an MA from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
As just one of those grass“roots”, one among hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, I can tell you that we are sometimes tired but utterly unwilling to give up.
Still passionate, even as we know saving that democracy is on our shoulders, that we will be unsupported by even the media bastions we once trusted to tell the truth. Namely, The NY Times.
Who we are is mostly women—mothers, who in a single block of time can throw a wash in, breastfeed the baby, get the other kids to school, hold a part-time job, and still manage to write 10 postcards to flip a state legislative district, or defeat an abortion ban, or get Janet Protasciewicz (spelled correctly) onto the Supreme Court in Wisconsin.
Tired? Yes sometimes—but in solidarity. Motivated, committed, and proud to take on yet another “burden” to protect our country from an existential threat. That would be Donald Trump, who—in a few ill- (or not even) chosen words—would foment an insurrection, sic Russia on a NATO ally and jubilantly destroy an alliance that has protected the free world for decades.
Louise Wollman
New York, NY
Thanks for your expert appraisal. Please send this to the NYT, if you have not already done so. Knowledgeable journalists and journalism educators need to let the NYTs know that, politics aside, this is lazy and stupid and BAD JOURNALISM. Paper of record, my eye. The editors of the Westmar College student biweekly The Gleam would not have let this get by them in the 'seventies, and I as advisor would have applauded their decision to kill it, and there wasn't a single person in our "newsroom," including their advisor, who had more than one course in journalism. It's not that hard to be smart, skeptical, and professional.
Thanks… Sent to the author and the NY TImes, editorial and letters
I suggested that you click on the Glueck’s hyperlink and send her an email, but unfortunately there is no email address. I think she is on Twitter and Linked In if anyone has access.
I figured out the general format for writing to New York Times writers, which is, first name.last name@nytimes.com. So in this case, if anybody wants to write to her besides me, the address is katie.glueck@nytimes.com
Thank you! I just wrote to her.
Super!
Most important excerpt of the day:
"The only way to stop the inevitable subjugation of women to the state is to take control of state legislatures, governorships, the House, the Senate, and the presidency—at which point we can enlarge and reform the US Supreme Court."
We solve this, we solve a lot. We need MASSIVE turnout of the SANE to increase D's in the Senate, take back the House, keep the Presidency, and expand the mother-f*cking Supreme Court. (And investigate + impeach those justices who have been bought and paid for by Billionaires who want to make economic slaves of everyone else and not pay taxes.)
Thank you for today's newsletter, Robert. Although I am amused by your opening sentence, "The newsletter will be short and sweet tonight [. . . ]" as it was very informative with the various topics you managed to cover, and not so short after all. Thanks everlasting to you and your managing editor! Be well, and stay safe.
A lot to wrap my head around in your newsletter this morning, but this is the standout for me.
"As Todd Zwillich put it on X: “Just so everyone's clear: This would mean that Russia successfully used [Chuck] Grassley, [James] Comer, Fox News and others to damage the President of the United States and make fake info about him an article of faith on the right.”
There is a very insidious effort by Putin, his allies in our government, and media to take over our country and instill Christian Nationalism in our government. The republican party has become, in my opinion, our homegrown Taliban.
A key point, Mr. Corbett. I hate to say it but Trump is right about one thing: Putin is smart, at least smart enough to hoodwink senators, government officials, news media, and business leaders, folks who always have a tendency to follow the alpha male dog because it is hard work to think for yourself and to read, study, and learn. As Hannah Arendt, Anne Applebaum, Masha Gessen, Tim Snyder, Rachel Maddow, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Volker Ullrich, and, may his name be a blessing, Alexei Navalny, as well as many others have taught us, the fight against totalitarianism is long.
We will get tired. But we must not give up and we must be ready to continue long after Trump is defeated in November. In 1923, Hitler was in prison in Bavaria following his failed Beer Hall Putsch. In 1933, he was Chancellor of Germany. Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Brett Kavanaugh, Charlie Kirk, Mike Johnson, Tommy Tuberville, for goodness sakes, and even Donald Trump, were unknown or jokes ten years ago. Now they have their hands around the throat of American democracy.
The arc of the moral universe is out there and we're bending it, but the arc of totalitarian inhumanity is not far behind. Hard work and courage. Navalny in prison was studying, writing and working. He fought for Russia. He fought for all of us. We have to do this.
Thanks for your reply and I am in total agreement.
Robert, as you and Jill travel through the prairie, think about the grassroots! Most people don't realize that something from half to 80% of a prairie plant is invisible to us, underground. It's those deep (6 ft or more) roots that allow prairie plants to survive and thrive in adversity--A haircut from a grazing animal, fire, drought--the prairie plants can survive them all, maybe looking ragged on top, but the deep, strong roots keep them going and in fact adversity can create a flush of new life at the surface.
I think what pundits don't realize is that the crisis of Trumpism is causing those of us who love this country, value democracy, aspire to a fairer, more compassionate society--causing us to develop ever deeper, stronger, interlocking roots like a prairie. And yes, there's adversity. January 6 was a shock to our systems that caused more of us to dig deeper and settle in for the long haul. The Dobbs decision was like a prairie fire, and what happened? We came back stronger!
While I think that Katie Glueck was factually incorrect (for example, she talked about concerns about fundraising when Biden and the Democrats are objectively doing very well and the GOP is a disaster), I think it is also the case that we are being ignored and underestimated at the peril of those who think the pro-Democracy grassroots is just another turf lawn, easily set back by a little challenge.
I agree with you. In fact, I think "journalists" who don't bother to do their homework and who dash off what amounts to be fiction may inadvertently be doing us a favor. If we continue to fly under their radar and spread our roots as we are doing now, we keep the Russian trolls and bots (whether in Russia or Congress) at bay and in the dark. That's how a real Resistance thrives, with those deep roots you described!
To all. Let’s do US democracy a favor and make a concerted effort to increase readership of Robert’s newsletter. Let’s all gently send it to, say, 10 people and perhaps a few will become regular readers/listeners and in turn invite others. If we do this together, we can increase participation substantially over the course of the crucial next 8 months. I know many of us already circulated regularly to others and encourage them to listen. If we do it together and generate some data on effectiveness, then together, we can continue to expand the crucial impact. If others have strategic thoughts, I encourage them to be shared with the group.
I did that just last week. My wife and I were on vacation for the annual gathering of an Athens, Georgia, Rock band called Drive-By Truckers, sometimes called the most liberal band in America, and as you can imagine, our circle leans left. The problem was that there was very little optimism that President Biden could win re-election except among those who read this newsletter. I think I sent out the link to more than fifteen people and mentioned it more than that. In the community that Robert has built, I sense a ton of optimism, but elsewhere among my liberal friends, I feel a deep sadness that this country will be lost to us come November. I hope I can do a small part in bridging that gap.
Great job! Don't forget Simon Rosenberg's Hopium Chronicles as well, if you need a dose of optimism.
Indeed Charles! This is a key community in promoting the spread of our grassroots effort to protect American freedoms.
I've been having success by offering independent news sources for those interested, on my social media. This is another non-threatening way to get word out, & many I was unaware are open to conversations are responding favorably.
Dear Robert
I am late to the discussion of your voice recording: please keep it up! My husband and I value it tremendously. And by this I mean your voice, not AI or anything else. Not too slow, not too fast, Goldilocks !!
Women power...Trump and the Repubs have messed with the wrong group of people. I can't imagine the conversations at home.
And this business in Alabama with fertilized eggs being human beings… republicans are feeling extremely enabled, and that may be their ultimate downfall (hopefully)
The GOP has chomped at the bit to attack women's and minority groups rights for decades, all the while pushing Christian nationalism; I have hope it'll be their undoing, now that they've shown their true colors.
Prior to 2016, I think like many others, I took our constitution and freedom for granted. My 2015 self would not recognize the activist I've become (to the best of my ability). I'm pretty sure many see themselves in similar light. As a nation, if we get through these times with a positive outcome, we can't allow ourselves to become complacent again.