Dear readers, for context, I have removed a few comments today about the political solutions for Israel dealing with Hamas. Although the original comment was intended to be a good faith discussion of that issue, it included a phrase that has angered other readers, who responded in an uncivil manner. So, I have removed the original comment and replies. Please keep comments focused on ideas and views, not on each other.
Amen. I watched and read much discussion and decided not to weigh in. We are wading through sensitive times. It seems like one has to be a master wordsmith to recognize a diversity of perspectives or step back to listen and learn.
Robert, I write because I was dismayed by your decision to remove my “good faith” comment, which I had viewed as offering a meaningful perspective. As for the phrase that had angered some readers, by removing my original comment, you precluded any opportunity for clarification. While I found a spot in the thread to provide clarification, it’s not nearly as meaningful seeing my original comment was removed.
Erica, I’m aware of who hosts the Substack. Still, if I hold a position over how a situation has been managed, and I believe said perspective is worthy of comment, I will state it.
Robert, did you remove my comment on the Israel/Hamas/Palestine situation? If so, can you tell me why. I did not follow reactions to it after posting. You can do that offline if you wish.
I don’t think they’re being intentionally malicious. Biden’s so-called “weaknesses” are the hot headline topic, and they’re stuck in the “horse race” paradigm. Although I might want them to become more of an advocacy journal - given what the country faces - they’re bound by practice and habit to avoid that. Time will tell though, as editorially they are NOT pro-Trump. Push may yet come to shove sometime next year.
Hi, Peter. Thanks for your measured and thoughtful reply. I think you make good points, but when I woke up this morning, my immediate thought was that I failed to include the criticism about covering the election as if it is between two legitimate political candidates. It obviously is not.
It is difficult to come up with analogies, but if Hitler survived WWII and then ran to secure a post-war term as Germany's president, any outlet that simply reported on his run for office as political contest between Hitler and his opponent without mentioning--in every single story--that Hitler sought to conquer Europe and exterminate the Jewish people would be engaged in a grave violation of journalistic ethics.
And yet, Trump has called for the extermination and jailing of his political foes, the forced round-up of millions of immigrants who are allegedly "poisoning" the blood of Americans, incited an insurrection, plotted a coup, has been found liable for sexual assault described as a "rape" by a federal judge, and yet the only relevant question for WaPo is, "Who is ahead in the polls?"
Treating Trump as if he does not have an insurrectionist, homophobic, antisemitic, Islamophobic, misogynistic past is unforgivable lapse by every major media outlet. That was the point I should have made, but I was "writing under the influence of too much turkey."
Agreed! And you DO make this point often, so nothing to apologize for. I’m sure with you on wishing the MSM would drop its “both sides” guard - NOW, not next year when I have some faith they will.
When both candidates show respect for the Constitution and the rule of law in the land they can be treated as equals. Until then, one is a Constitutional advocate working for the benefit of our country and the other is endeavoring to ignore the rules of the Constitution and rule the country with his own ego. The media is absolutely wrong in equating the two and is participating in an hoax that may lead to its own destruction.
Well Peter, I have said a few times on other's posts of this subject that the disconnect between the editorial opinion editors and the news editors is a stark chasm. Biden's accomplishments are truly news, they omit it because it is non-partisan to do so. They publish the blatherings of the deranged one regularly as news, front page even. This disconnect makes their real position clear.
Me too. Everyone should be jamming their local papers and the biggies they subsribe to with very angry (but polite) letters to the editors (reality definers). The "LIberal Media" is just as guilty as Faux ooze, just not as overt. Sure, shareholder ROI with viewership, but , excuse me. Fuck this shit! Our nation is at stake and their Constitutionally protected "Freedom of the Press" will vanish in 2025 if they help usher in the Fascists with their plan. They will soon be publishing what they are TOLD TO. ROI goes POOOFF!!
The Times (in particular) is at a crossroads now that Twitter has devolved--they can no longer get their take on "what people are thinking" from there and need to actually get out and talk to people at which point they revert to their "in this Ohio diner" Cletus Safari techniques that the Pitchbot so eloquently mocks.
I am Jewish and live in an area with a sizeable Jewish community and kids are home from college for the weekend. The general consensus seems to be that the pro-Hamas protests are only happening at certain colleges, far from most of them, and they are largely attended by/fueled by grad students and professors as opposed to undergrads. Which is not to say that kids are schools like Columbia and Stanford don't feel scared and saddened and under attack, just that it is far from the widespread pheonomenon the media is making it out to be.
A long-winded way of saying I am very glad that Robert called out the Times for this article and for their general inability to give Biden credit for anything, which is an even bigger problem given that right wing media has branded him a "communist" who is "the worst president in history" presiding over "the worst economy since the Great Depression"
Ah those pollsters ( rather jokesters)! just as alleged a good prosecutor could get a ham sandwich indicted by a grand jury, the pollster frames the question so it yields the desired outcome!
Nov 24, 2023·edited Nov 24, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
As Dutch expats we are so mad at all the people who have chosen to stay home in the Netherlands (about 50%). It resulted in a huge win for the far right party of Wilders.
Why is it so devastating for democracy that so little people got out the vote? Because now a minority of about 11.5% of all eligible voters will have a huge impact on the lives of 17.8 million people.
There is some good news. He has to form a coalition to govern. And the best news is that I sent the Thanksgiving message of Jill and Robert as comfort and inspiration to family and friends. They loved it. We are fired up and will never give up for democracy. Thank you, both!!
Hi, Elisabeth. It is disappointing to hear about the results in the Netherlands. Thanks for the link to the AP story. I may paraphrase / quote you in this evening's newsletter.
Trump was always on vacation in the White House, what the lying press secretaries would label executive time.. You can be sure even when at Thanksgiving Biden was fully accessible and responsive.
Nov 24, 2023·edited Nov 24, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Yes! Biden should “stop going on vacation in the Middle East & get down to work and improving his golf handicap” (Snark!) Thank you Robert from keeping me sane amid these perilous times. Thank you Joe Biden for your hard work & expertise!
May ALL Americans understand he’s doing great despite the terrible cards he’s been dealt. The orange odious one was beyond terrible before & is ANNOUNCING he’ll be worse next time.
I give thanks to all the voters who have awoken to the dangers among us. Please may goodness prevail.
"Readers must continue to write letters to the editor, email journalists, and post comments on social media criticizing biased reporting. We should ignore the polls, but we must help shape the narrative."
It's all well and good to gripe to each other here in the comment section, but as Robert suggests, making a difference means helping to shape the narrative outside our bubble. I would also add broadcast media personalities to his list.
If you can write it here, you can write it anywhere!
A couple of days ago the NYT carried an article (labeled analysis) about how “political pressure” drove the creation of a “secret cell” (the story’s words) that handled negotiations for the pause in Gaza. I wrote a comment—which was published—that started, “Give us a break, please. Being president is a hard job,” and going on from there to criticize the poor editorial choices in that and other pieces. It got 93 likes, a good number. But what was really interesting was that when I looked at the most popular comments, most of them were calling out the editors. So if we keep the editors’ feet to the fire, eventually they will listen. Indeed, I think the NYT is getting a bit more responsible.
The comments in the WaPo story Robert references here reflect the same reaction you cite in the NYT article. The “most liked” comments were criticizing WaPo’s editorial slant and the flimsy “analysis”.
Hey, they actually allowed the word "fascist" to appear multiple times in an article analyzing Trump's recent word salads, so there's that. Progress, ever progress.
Maybe Jon. I am not sure how often the editors look at the comments which vary depending on who is writing them and can often seem as if a troll army showed up to, say, magically give a you-Jews-bring-this-on-yourselves response to a Bret Stephens column 800 "likes" the first hour the column is up.
That said, I do call them out too-- the recent Daily podcast where Patrick Kingsley went into Gaza with Israeli troops to see the evidence at al-Shifra and was not even trying to conceal his disdain for them or his determination not to believe them. It was gratifying to see that dozens of other posters had reached the same conclusion too.
The Times' devotion to both-sides-ism is always on display on the home page, where they make sure to run one seemingly pro-Israel story next to one seemingly pro-Hamas story.
The being more responsible must continue and be consistent if they want to continue printing the paper with “All the News That’s Fit to Print.” The clock is ticking and they as well as a lot of other media outlets need to step up the our country’s challenge.
See my comment above. I wrote to this young journalist inviting her not only to do a followup that notes Biden’s critical role in the cease fire but also to invite her to correspond with me since for many years I taught critical thinking and writing to freshmen at UC Berkeley.
Much as I dislike the headline of the young WaPo journalist’s story, I remind myself, and all of us, that the headlines are not penned by the authors of the stories. More likely they are written by click-bait specialists. Who knows, maybe the headline writers are compensated by the click?!
As someone who often writes for other publications I can attest to this--I will sometimes look at the headline an article I've done has been given and think "this is not what the article actually says" - but those are business stories and thus not overly consequential.
There was a meme going around last week or the week prior urging NYT and others to think about what the headlines and blurbs they post say because most people don't bother to read beyond them.
I am concerned too about the publication of biased reporting as Robert has written. I want to do my part in pushing back. I would appreciate some names and addresses of the editors/journalists who are writing the articles and opinion pieces plus some talking points.
I comment frequently on articles from NYT and have done so for more than a decade, and almost 100% of the time they are accepted for electronic publication. However, in the last two weeks I have chosen to write two comments critical of the NYT—polite, but critical. Neither were published. Gotta wonder.
You have to know that they are really excellent desserts. I was saved from Thanksgiving alone, now that Jurate is gone, by Robert and his family yesterday, along with a couple other "waifs." The rest of the meal was excellent too.
During the War of 1812, the British burned the Library of Congress. This was long ago, when our young nation had to outsource the destruction of its books. We have many book-banning devils today that seek to put a torch to books and learning.
But remember, every time someone goes to a book festival, gets a library card, or takes a child to visit their public library to check out a book, a book-banning devil loses its wings.
Let’s all take on the assignment this holiday season of plucking wings from those book-banning devils. Take a child to your local public library or a neighborhood book store and help them select a book to enjoy.
Love this concept! And every time I go into my branch library (fairly often), I see lots of people reading, getting books from shelves/checking out, using the computers for catalog searching or going online... Also lots of children's programming notices, and a weekly film presentation that a friend of my coordinates and introduces. He has been doing this for at least 30 years.
Nov 24, 2023·edited Nov 24, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Robert, I hope that you and Jill and your extended family, and our shared extended family of readers, all had a wonderful holiday.
A couple of days ago, while reading Tom Friedman’s estimable column in NYT (“The Rescuers”), i suddenly realized that the huge complexity of the Middle East, and of American politics, are really very simple. It all comes down to a division between those who hate and those who do not, or who can rise above hate. So, in the Middle East there are Hamas and “Jewish” extremists on the West Bank, who are on one side, and decent Palestinians and Israelis on the other. Here, there are the malignant MAGA extremists and “leftists” who see Israel as the font of evil, and the vast number between them who represent what is great and good about this country. I’m not sure how much use the simple distinction will be in what passes for the real world, but I find it comforting.
It IS a prediction of November 5, 2024 if we don't have a huge turnout to vote.
The forces of evil are a minority. But their allies in achieving a Trump dictatorship are those who won't vote for Biden because of age, or because they aren't educated in what he has accomplished, or they are just tired of politics, or they beat that old dead horse of "both parties are the same, all politicians are corrupt, my vote won't change anything" - or they are just fracking lazy.
Here's my message. Anyone who doesn't vote for Biden is voting for Donald Trump to be a vicious vengeful dictator. Anyone who doesn't vote is doing the same. Anyone who votes for a third party candidate is also voting for Donald Trump to strip the US of democracy, its constitution and the rule of law. If you don't vote for Joe Biden, you will be complicit in turning the nation over to a mafia run by a snake oil selling, hate peddling con man.
Oh, and all those oligarchs who have sucked your money out of this economy will have a party. That $34 trillion national debt was trickled up to their bank accounts. They are looking forward to doubling that. Leonard Leo will be hosting the gala.
The big difference b/w the US and the Netherlands is that Wilders actually espouses a fairly progressive social policy (apart from hating on Muslims, that is)-- he is for more government benefits, especially for health care and things that benefit working class people the most.
That combination of playing to prejudices and pocketbooks is something the right wing in the US has not yet picked up on, though people like Josh Hawley (in particular) often talk about it.
Agree about WaPo article based on a few interviews. And I agree that it’s important to protest by writing letters, which I have done. I’m close to ending subscription.
I wouldn’t be categorical about reporting on interviews of only a few people. Interviews are not polls. In the right hands, they can reveal attitudes that don’t show up in poll numbers.
During the 1970s, during the Vietnam War, the Washington Post sent two or three top political reporters (Haynes Johnson was one of them) into selected precincts to interview likely voters. My wife and I turned out to be two of those voters. Steven Isaacs, who interviewed us, said the precincts had been chosen because their voters were believed to have a variety of viewpoints. I was interviewed in depth, and was even quoted, briefly. The WaPo published a series of articles, based on such interviews, that I thought were very enlightening.
It all depends on the quality, depth, and intentions of the reporters, and whether they approach their materials without agendas.
MA. As a sociologist, I agree w you about the utility and power of a well designed interview. However, it’s inappropriate to generalize to all university students or American youth based on a few interviews — even if they are well done.
Robert, I wrote a comment following the WAPO article on student discontent with Biden as did many others.
But I also took your earlier advice and wrote directly to her suggesting she write a followup that would reveal the complexities of the situation, complexities always present international conflicts. More importantly how her factual followup could help alleviate their despair of the moment and could show these despairing young people how Biden firmly insisted on the broader parameters of the cease fire. I invited her to correspond with me, after noting my long-term experience in teaching freshmen critical thinking and writing.
We all strive to make a difference in our lives. Robert and Jill (his managing editor) make a difference beyond my wildest dreams for my own life. I don’t always agree with them but am thankful to have their daily letters. I think the Thanksgiving weekend is a good time to acknowledge their gift.
I just want to say I had a wonderful multigenerational thanksgiving dinner where we did not discuss politics or foreign policies or wars and focused on each other and what is happening in everyone’s lives. It was refreshing and exhilarating and informational. While some of us who are retired may be focused on the political politics and the clown show a large majority of people are focusing on living their lives, work and raising their children and are not caught up in the rancor. I walked a way from the dinner thinking that many voters come next November are going to be voting more on how they feel rather than the specifics of any issue or performance or threats to our democracy
Absence of context is a very effective way of confusing a narrative. In theory, I'd consider an alternative candidate if 1) they were more qualified than the other two, and 2) there was a chance that they would win the election, and 3) result in structural changes to both parties to reduce the chances of this happening again. Theoretical musings end in 11 months when balloting begins and then, all things equal, I'm voting for Biden because the alternative is unacceptable and un-American. WaPo and the rest of the media are still more interested in clicks than honest reporting so don't find it advantageous to look that deeply or with any breadth at what they're writing about.
I'd like to return to "just the news" with Walter Cronkite. Unfortunately, the chance that we'll be fed "just the news" is vanishingly small, and likely to remain beyond the realm of the possible for at least my lifetime and for ever more. So what can we do? - - Do as you suggest - - write letters to editors in which one cites grievously stupid articles and headlines and ask them to be walked back. And avoid paying money to chronic truth/integrity abusers like Fox Corporation and Twitter. I cancelled my WSJ subscription back in 2021. Everyone should do the same. Don't buy a Tesla. etc.
Dear readers, for context, I have removed a few comments today about the political solutions for Israel dealing with Hamas. Although the original comment was intended to be a good faith discussion of that issue, it included a phrase that has angered other readers, who responded in an uncivil manner. So, I have removed the original comment and replies. Please keep comments focused on ideas and views, not on each other.
Amen. I watched and read much discussion and decided not to weigh in. We are wading through sensitive times. It seems like one has to be a master wordsmith to recognize a diversity of perspectives or step back to listen and learn.
Robert, I write because I was dismayed by your decision to remove my “good faith” comment, which I had viewed as offering a meaningful perspective. As for the phrase that had angered some readers, by removing my original comment, you precluded any opportunity for clarification. While I found a spot in the thread to provide clarification, it’s not nearly as meaningful seeing my original comment was removed.
It’s his substack. Anyone is free to start their own.
Erica, I’m aware of who hosts the Substack. Still, if I hold a position over how a situation has been managed, and I believe said perspective is worthy of comment, I will state it.
Robert, did you remove my comment on the Israel/Hamas/Palestine situation? If so, can you tell me why. I did not follow reactions to it after posting. You can do that offline if you wish.
Seymour J. Mansfield
seymourmansfield2837@gmail.com
(612) 701-4295
Robert,
My apologies. You did not remove my comment.
Whenever someone says, "a number of people are saying...," I remind myself that zero is a number.
The media's feeding of the false narratives thru its bogus polls is dangerous and destructive, rivaling the words and actions of the Defendant.
Ominously mirrors Trump: "Lots of people are saying . . . " or "Everybody knows . . . "
Exactly. And I always thought the Post was better than this, but apparently not.
I don’t think they’re being intentionally malicious. Biden’s so-called “weaknesses” are the hot headline topic, and they’re stuck in the “horse race” paradigm. Although I might want them to become more of an advocacy journal - given what the country faces - they’re bound by practice and habit to avoid that. Time will tell though, as editorially they are NOT pro-Trump. Push may yet come to shove sometime next year.
Hi, Peter. Thanks for your measured and thoughtful reply. I think you make good points, but when I woke up this morning, my immediate thought was that I failed to include the criticism about covering the election as if it is between two legitimate political candidates. It obviously is not.
It is difficult to come up with analogies, but if Hitler survived WWII and then ran to secure a post-war term as Germany's president, any outlet that simply reported on his run for office as political contest between Hitler and his opponent without mentioning--in every single story--that Hitler sought to conquer Europe and exterminate the Jewish people would be engaged in a grave violation of journalistic ethics.
And yet, Trump has called for the extermination and jailing of his political foes, the forced round-up of millions of immigrants who are allegedly "poisoning" the blood of Americans, incited an insurrection, plotted a coup, has been found liable for sexual assault described as a "rape" by a federal judge, and yet the only relevant question for WaPo is, "Who is ahead in the polls?"
Treating Trump as if he does not have an insurrectionist, homophobic, antisemitic, Islamophobic, misogynistic past is unforgivable lapse by every major media outlet. That was the point I should have made, but I was "writing under the influence of too much turkey."
Agreed! And you DO make this point often, so nothing to apologize for. I’m sure with you on wishing the MSM would drop its “both sides” guard - NOW, not next year when I have some faith they will.
When both candidates show respect for the Constitution and the rule of law in the land they can be treated as equals. Until then, one is a Constitutional advocate working for the benefit of our country and the other is endeavoring to ignore the rules of the Constitution and rule the country with his own ego. The media is absolutely wrong in equating the two and is participating in an hoax that may lead to its own destruction.
"When both candidates show respect for the Constitution and the rule of law...they can be treated as equals." I agree wholeheartedly, Michael.
Well, youumade your point,Bravo!
I'm right there with you Robert. I just got back from taking the LA Timest o my 96 year old mother-in-law at the rehab. I missed a bit of this thread.
Robert, forget your last paragraph here and broadcast the rest widely. You have no need to offer up “too much turkey.”
Whether holiday or while fires threatened your cabin you have been a beacon to all readers.
Well Peter, I have said a few times on other's posts of this subject that the disconnect between the editorial opinion editors and the news editors is a stark chasm. Biden's accomplishments are truly news, they omit it because it is non-partisan to do so. They publish the blatherings of the deranged one regularly as news, front page even. This disconnect makes their real position clear.
And it infuriates me.
Me too. Everyone should be jamming their local papers and the biggies they subsribe to with very angry (but polite) letters to the editors (reality definers). The "LIberal Media" is just as guilty as Faux ooze, just not as overt. Sure, shareholder ROI with viewership, but , excuse me. Fuck this shit! Our nation is at stake and their Constitutionally protected "Freedom of the Press" will vanish in 2025 if they help usher in the Fascists with their plan. They will soon be publishing what they are TOLD TO. ROI goes POOOFF!!
Time will tell! Exactly, we live in a culture with a short memory! HCR wins in 2016 if Comey did not make his 11th hour wimpy statement about emails!
Late October 2024 gas prices and inflation rate are the key indicators, not todays!
HRC, though I’m sure HCR (if you read her superb Substack) would be quite flattered. ;-)
I follow her daily. A funny mistake.
That is why the OILagharkys will raise gas prices, just before the election.
I wish I could disagree with you, but I can’t. This is all only too true.
Excellent point!
The Times (in particular) is at a crossroads now that Twitter has devolved--they can no longer get their take on "what people are thinking" from there and need to actually get out and talk to people at which point they revert to their "in this Ohio diner" Cletus Safari techniques that the Pitchbot so eloquently mocks.
I am Jewish and live in an area with a sizeable Jewish community and kids are home from college for the weekend. The general consensus seems to be that the pro-Hamas protests are only happening at certain colleges, far from most of them, and they are largely attended by/fueled by grad students and professors as opposed to undergrads. Which is not to say that kids are schools like Columbia and Stanford don't feel scared and saddened and under attack, just that it is far from the widespread pheonomenon the media is making it out to be.
A long-winded way of saying I am very glad that Robert called out the Times for this article and for their general inability to give Biden credit for anything, which is an even bigger problem given that right wing media has branded him a "communist" who is "the worst president in history" presiding over "the worst economy since the Great Depression"
The only polls that count are taken at the ballot box. Everything else is just a guess.
Let’s make it happen.
Ah those pollsters ( rather jokesters)! just as alleged a good prosecutor could get a ham sandwich indicted by a grand jury, the pollster frames the question so it yields the desired outcome!
I couldn’t agree more. I’m beginning to think this is all part of a plan that MacLean spelled out for us in “Democracy in Chains.”
As Dutch expats we are so mad at all the people who have chosen to stay home in the Netherlands (about 50%). It resulted in a huge win for the far right party of Wilders.
https://apnews.com/article/netherlands-election-candidates-prime-minister-wilders-9ed5752f49315517876f1646d4c2d4f2
Why is it so devastating for democracy that so little people got out the vote? Because now a minority of about 11.5% of all eligible voters will have a huge impact on the lives of 17.8 million people.
There is some good news. He has to form a coalition to govern. And the best news is that I sent the Thanksgiving message of Jill and Robert as comfort and inspiration to family and friends. They loved it. We are fired up and will never give up for democracy. Thank you, both!!
Hi, Elisabeth. It is disappointing to hear about the results in the Netherlands. Thanks for the link to the AP story. I may paraphrase / quote you in this evening's newsletter.
Trump was always on vacation in the White House, what the lying press secretaries would label executive time.. You can be sure even when at Thanksgiving Biden was fully accessible and responsive.
Yes! Biden should “stop going on vacation in the Middle East & get down to work and improving his golf handicap” (Snark!) Thank you Robert from keeping me sane amid these perilous times. Thank you Joe Biden for your hard work & expertise!
May ALL Americans understand he’s doing great despite the terrible cards he’s been dealt. The orange odious one was beyond terrible before & is ANNOUNCING he’ll be worse next time.
I give thanks to all the voters who have awoken to the dangers among us. Please may goodness prevail.
Thank you especially for this, Robert:
"Readers must continue to write letters to the editor, email journalists, and post comments on social media criticizing biased reporting. We should ignore the polls, but we must help shape the narrative."
It's all well and good to gripe to each other here in the comment section, but as Robert suggests, making a difference means helping to shape the narrative outside our bubble. I would also add broadcast media personalities to his list.
If you can write it here, you can write it anywhere!
.
A couple of days ago the NYT carried an article (labeled analysis) about how “political pressure” drove the creation of a “secret cell” (the story’s words) that handled negotiations for the pause in Gaza. I wrote a comment—which was published—that started, “Give us a break, please. Being president is a hard job,” and going on from there to criticize the poor editorial choices in that and other pieces. It got 93 likes, a good number. But what was really interesting was that when I looked at the most popular comments, most of them were calling out the editors. So if we keep the editors’ feet to the fire, eventually they will listen. Indeed, I think the NYT is getting a bit more responsible.
The comments in the WaPo story Robert references here reflect the same reaction you cite in the NYT article. The “most liked” comments were criticizing WaPo’s editorial slant and the flimsy “analysis”.
Hey, they actually allowed the word "fascist" to appear multiple times in an article analyzing Trump's recent word salads, so there's that. Progress, ever progress.
Maybe Jon. I am not sure how often the editors look at the comments which vary depending on who is writing them and can often seem as if a troll army showed up to, say, magically give a you-Jews-bring-this-on-yourselves response to a Bret Stephens column 800 "likes" the first hour the column is up.
That said, I do call them out too-- the recent Daily podcast where Patrick Kingsley went into Gaza with Israeli troops to see the evidence at al-Shifra and was not even trying to conceal his disdain for them or his determination not to believe them. It was gratifying to see that dozens of other posters had reached the same conclusion too.
The Times' devotion to both-sides-ism is always on display on the home page, where they make sure to run one seemingly pro-Israel story next to one seemingly pro-Hamas story.
Keep it up Jon. Good work.
Awww...shucks
The being more responsible must continue and be consistent if they want to continue printing the paper with “All the News That’s Fit to Print.” The clock is ticking and they as well as a lot of other media outlets need to step up the our country’s challenge.
See my comment above. I wrote to this young journalist inviting her not only to do a followup that notes Biden’s critical role in the cease fire but also to invite her to correspond with me since for many years I taught critical thinking and writing to freshmen at UC Berkeley.
Much as I dislike the headline of the young WaPo journalist’s story, I remind myself, and all of us, that the headlines are not penned by the authors of the stories. More likely they are written by click-bait specialists. Who knows, maybe the headline writers are compensated by the click?!
Fair point.
Indeed, but nonetheless headlines carry outsized influence - for good or ill.
As someone who often writes for other publications I can attest to this--I will sometimes look at the headline an article I've done has been given and think "this is not what the article actually says" - but those are business stories and thus not overly consequential.
There was a meme going around last week or the week prior urging NYT and others to think about what the headlines and blurbs they post say because most people don't bother to read beyond them.
Bingo, unless the headline draws them in.
I am concerned too about the publication of biased reporting as Robert has written. I want to do my part in pushing back. I would appreciate some names and addresses of the editors/journalists who are writing the articles and opinion pieces plus some talking points.
I comment frequently on articles from NYT and have done so for more than a decade, and almost 100% of the time they are accepted for electronic publication. However, in the last two weeks I have chosen to write two comments critical of the NYT—polite, but critical. Neither were published. Gotta wonder.
OMG!!! That line. About the desserts not going to eat themselves!!! I’m howling!!!
The real danger isn't self-consumption by the desserts, but the rest of the family taking advantage of Robert's distraction.
You have to know that they are really excellent desserts. I was saved from Thanksgiving alone, now that Jurate is gone, by Robert and his family yesterday, along with a couple other "waifs." The rest of the meal was excellent too.
My word, can’t imagine a nicer crowd of people.
Yeah, they are hard to imagine. :-)
Is this your first Thanksgiving without Jurate?
Yes
Agree -- it's always somebody's job in the family❣️ I laughed,
too, and fondly remembered my brother who always used the same line as a kid 🧁
A thought for the day ...
During the War of 1812, the British burned the Library of Congress. This was long ago, when our young nation had to outsource the destruction of its books. We have many book-banning devils today that seek to put a torch to books and learning.
But remember, every time someone goes to a book festival, gets a library card, or takes a child to visit their public library to check out a book, a book-banning devil loses its wings.
Let’s all take on the assignment this holiday season of plucking wings from those book-banning devils. Take a child to your local public library or a neighborhood book store and help them select a book to enjoy.
Love this concept! And every time I go into my branch library (fairly often), I see lots of people reading, getting books from shelves/checking out, using the computers for catalog searching or going online... Also lots of children's programming notices, and a weekly film presentation that a friend of my coordinates and introduces. He has been doing this for at least 30 years.
Thank you for your analysis of media errors. Thank you for wisdom. 😊😊😊
Robert, I hope that you and Jill and your extended family, and our shared extended family of readers, all had a wonderful holiday.
A couple of days ago, while reading Tom Friedman’s estimable column in NYT (“The Rescuers”), i suddenly realized that the huge complexity of the Middle East, and of American politics, are really very simple. It all comes down to a division between those who hate and those who do not, or who can rise above hate. So, in the Middle East there are Hamas and “Jewish” extremists on the West Bank, who are on one side, and decent Palestinians and Israelis on the other. Here, there are the malignant MAGA extremists and “leftists” who see Israel as the font of evil, and the vast number between them who represent what is great and good about this country. I’m not sure how much use the simple distinction will be in what passes for the real world, but I find it comforting.
The Dutch election results are shocking. Let’s hope it’s not a prediction of things to come in America.
It IS a prediction of November 5, 2024 if we don't have a huge turnout to vote.
The forces of evil are a minority. But their allies in achieving a Trump dictatorship are those who won't vote for Biden because of age, or because they aren't educated in what he has accomplished, or they are just tired of politics, or they beat that old dead horse of "both parties are the same, all politicians are corrupt, my vote won't change anything" - or they are just fracking lazy.
Here's my message. Anyone who doesn't vote for Biden is voting for Donald Trump to be a vicious vengeful dictator. Anyone who doesn't vote is doing the same. Anyone who votes for a third party candidate is also voting for Donald Trump to strip the US of democracy, its constitution and the rule of law. If you don't vote for Joe Biden, you will be complicit in turning the nation over to a mafia run by a snake oil selling, hate peddling con man.
Oh, and all those oligarchs who have sucked your money out of this economy will have a party. That $34 trillion national debt was trickled up to their bank accounts. They are looking forward to doubling that. Leonard Leo will be hosting the gala.
So clear and entirely correct. Thank you
And in Argentina?!
The big difference b/w the US and the Netherlands is that Wilders actually espouses a fairly progressive social policy (apart from hating on Muslims, that is)-- he is for more government benefits, especially for health care and things that benefit working class people the most.
That combination of playing to prejudices and pocketbooks is something the right wing in the US has not yet picked up on, though people like Josh Hawley (in particular) often talk about it.
Let’s learn from the Dutch and work hard to ensure it doesn’t happen hear. Complacency won’t cut it.
Agree about WaPo article based on a few interviews. And I agree that it’s important to protest by writing letters, which I have done. I’m close to ending subscription.
I wouldn’t be categorical about reporting on interviews of only a few people. Interviews are not polls. In the right hands, they can reveal attitudes that don’t show up in poll numbers.
During the 1970s, during the Vietnam War, the Washington Post sent two or three top political reporters (Haynes Johnson was one of them) into selected precincts to interview likely voters. My wife and I turned out to be two of those voters. Steven Isaacs, who interviewed us, said the precincts had been chosen because their voters were believed to have a variety of viewpoints. I was interviewed in depth, and was even quoted, briefly. The WaPo published a series of articles, based on such interviews, that I thought were very enlightening.
It all depends on the quality, depth, and intentions of the reporters, and whether they approach their materials without agendas.
MA. As a sociologist, I agree w you about the utility and power of a well designed interview. However, it’s inappropriate to generalize to all university students or American youth based on a few interviews — even if they are well done.
Robert, I wrote a comment following the WAPO article on student discontent with Biden as did many others.
But I also took your earlier advice and wrote directly to her suggesting she write a followup that would reveal the complexities of the situation, complexities always present international conflicts. More importantly how her factual followup could help alleviate their despair of the moment and could show these despairing young people how Biden firmly insisted on the broader parameters of the cease fire. I invited her to correspond with me, after noting my long-term experience in teaching freshmen critical thinking and writing.
Please keep us updated, hopeful this will bear fruit!
We all strive to make a difference in our lives. Robert and Jill (his managing editor) make a difference beyond my wildest dreams for my own life. I don’t always agree with them but am thankful to have their daily letters. I think the Thanksgiving weekend is a good time to acknowledge their gift.
Thanks, Doug. I am humbled by your kind words.
I just want to say I had a wonderful multigenerational thanksgiving dinner where we did not discuss politics or foreign policies or wars and focused on each other and what is happening in everyone’s lives. It was refreshing and exhilarating and informational. While some of us who are retired may be focused on the political politics and the clown show a large majority of people are focusing on living their lives, work and raising their children and are not caught up in the rancor. I walked a way from the dinner thinking that many voters come next November are going to be voting more on how they feel rather than the specifics of any issue or performance or threats to our democracy
Interesting. Thanks.
Absence of context is a very effective way of confusing a narrative. In theory, I'd consider an alternative candidate if 1) they were more qualified than the other two, and 2) there was a chance that they would win the election, and 3) result in structural changes to both parties to reduce the chances of this happening again. Theoretical musings end in 11 months when balloting begins and then, all things equal, I'm voting for Biden because the alternative is unacceptable and un-American. WaPo and the rest of the media are still more interested in clicks than honest reporting so don't find it advantageous to look that deeply or with any breadth at what they're writing about.
I'd like to return to "just the news" with Walter Cronkite. Unfortunately, the chance that we'll be fed "just the news" is vanishingly small, and likely to remain beyond the realm of the possible for at least my lifetime and for ever more. So what can we do? - - Do as you suggest - - write letters to editors in which one cites grievously stupid articles and headlines and ask them to be walked back. And avoid paying money to chronic truth/integrity abusers like Fox Corporation and Twitter. I cancelled my WSJ subscription back in 2021. Everyone should do the same. Don't buy a Tesla. etc.