Since 2016 I have been looking for the Edward R. Murrow of our times. Newscaster Murrow was took down Senator McCarthy in a broadcast on March 9, 1954, mostly in McCarthy own words. and lancing the boil of McCarthyism.
Close to the end Murrow said: “We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men -- not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular. This is no time for men who oppose Senator McCarthy's methods to keep silent, or for those who approve. We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot escape responsibility for the result.”
Seated next to Senator McCarthy in his hearings on communism was Roy Cohn. Roy Cohn was Donald Trump’s lawyer and the person who taught him to double down. One person linking McCarthy and Trump. Both talking about witch hunts.
I think Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNBC may well be the broadcaster who will take down Trump and lance the boil of Trumpism in this time. He was on that path in his broadcast this evening when he talked about Trump and his birtherism. I looked into Trump’s claim that Obama was not born in the United States. I asked the question, where was his mother when he was born? The answer was she was in Hawaii enrolled in the University there. As a piece of personal trivia it also turns out that Obama’s mother was born in the same hospital in Wichita, Kansas, where I was born 7 years later.
By the way, Robert, I wrote my comment above before I read your Edition and your mention of Lawrence. Glad to see we were on the same page and impressed by what Lawrence O'Donnell had the courage to say last night.
Again, if you think Lawrence is our man, have you been in touch with him? Are you working with Jessica Craven to get people to write with this suggestion?
As Lawrence pointed out tonight, Tues-Friday his show is #1 rated on MSNBC and on Mondays (when Rachel shows up) it's #2. He is the only one who consistently goes after Trump.
Hi, TC! Good point. I did listen to Lawrence O'Donnell's broadcast on Tuesday night, and it was remarkable. He did explain how long he has been calling Trump a LIAR, and it was since 2011! FYI, Mike Schmidt is still appearing on Nicolle's show, though so far, it hasn't been as often. They had the baby through a surrogate, since she is 50, I believe!
Oh Cathy...I am so in agreement with you about Lawrence. He did say Fake 45 has been after him since 2011, when Lawrence called him out about the birther claim. I am going to tweet Lawrence and ask him to take this jerk on! In the meantime, Newsom and DeSantis are scheduled to debate, I think tomorrow night, 6pm PST, 9pm East Coast. Should be real interesting. Hope Gavin takes Bobby White Sox down!
Can't wait to hear Lawrence tonight about the Newsom-DeSantis "debate". Rachel should be interesting on Monday, as well, though who knows what might have arisen in the meantime to get first billing. Interesting times!
Yes!! He is going to be so terrific. Can’t wait to hear what he says but he will come down on Trump hard. He publicly trolls him and Trump can’t stand it! Gives me great warm chills. :) AND then...there’s Santos who got expelled today. It’s delicious and makes Elise Stefanik look like the craphole that she is.
Loved loved loved this. I don't have a television, haven't had one for years; it's hard enough for me to limit my onscreen time, period, and I prefer to read off-screen as much as possible. But, I'm glad I watched O'Donnell on MSNBC via the computer; he was awesome. Thanks, Robert, for again giving us encouragement -- and for your really excellent writing. Always a pleasure!
I became aware of news shortly after Murrow had moved on to commentary, but “Murrow’s Boys” still dominated the airwaves: Charles Collingwood, David Schoenbrun, Richard C. Hottelet and many others—total professionals dedicated to bringing us the news and nothing else. Shortly, they were joined by the best of them, Walter Cronkite (who started with UPI). It was a golden age of journalism and broadcasting. Foolishly, we thought it would always be that way.
Yes Cathy, Lawrence is amazing and so well experienced that he could stand up to anyone. He knows more about the Senate and House than anyone elected to work there. And thank you for the links. I will have to do them both over coffe in the morning. As I am writing, I am reading Marlene below. The debate tomorrow should be a hoot.
Thank you, Cathy, especially to the mental and internet links to Murrow
I usually prefer reading texts to listening to audios/viewing videos. However, I strongly urge people to *listen* to (view) Murrow. His voice, cadence, and clear unadorned reasoning were/are something to behold.
Edward R. Murrow was one of the Great Men of my youth.
my friend was born in the same hospital as Obama, eight years later. His mother is most proud of that. She and her husband sailed from California in 1968 with a two year old. Adventurers proud.
Thank you, Cathy, for these recommendations. I’ll look for the book on Murrow. I think you’re right about Lawrence O’Donnell. He seems to have the courage and stature of Murrow. We need him!
Thank you Cathy! I also loved Good Night and Good Luck with George Clooney and David Strathairn. It's to buy or rent but here's the trailer. I'm old enough to remember Mr. Morrow and I think David's portrayal was spot on. And I think you are right about Lawrence O'Donnell. Did you see him as President Bartlett's father in West Wing? It was a powerful episode, And he wrote 16 episodes acc. to IMBD!
I'm late to the game today - thank you so much Robert for this story. I watched the video and shared it on FB and TwitX with this comment:
1)Trump called for "the government" to "come down hard" on MSNBC because of how they covered him...& ONLY ONE mainstream media reported on this travesty - Lawrence O'Donnell. We need to know; wake up media!! facebook.com/nytimes/, Washington Post
It's always a challenge to get it to 280 characters so I added a second:
2) In his tweet Trump accused MSNBC of using "free gov. approved airwaves." He's running for president and doesn't know the difference between broadcast over the airwaves (under FCC jurisdiction) and cable (NOT under jurisdiction).
Something happened yesterday which I believe can change the dynamics of the election. Biden visited CS Wind in Colorado which is the largest manufacturer of wind towers. Thanks to Biden’s IRA program an over $200 million expansion will take place which will create 850 new jobs. They have already hired over 500 new employees. This solar project happens to be in the district currently represented by Lauren Boebert who voted against the project and called it wasteful. Here is my point instead of responding to the Republican rhetoric we need to point directly in individual districts and communities what the Biden administration programs have done for job creation in that community and highlight the fact that a specific Republican voted against it. Just yesterday the Biden administration approved funding to replace and fix 9 million water pipes in the country that could cause water pollution like in Flint Michigan. The message is clear look at what the Biden administration is doing in your community and BTW what has your Republican representatives done for you lately?
You are so right about this. The campaign needs to be very specific about addressing these great things that have been done in red districts and states. I’m not sure that’s happening nearly enough; and we certainly can’t count on the mainstream media to do anything like this, because they’re too busy chasing ridiculous polls and telling us the latest Trump idiocy. The Biden campaign needs to target these accomplishments appropriately in red states and districts because, as we already know, so much of this money has been funneled into red states through the various bills. I live in Boebert‘s district and she is on very shaky ground right now, as her Democratic opponent has overtaken her in recent polls, and he has taken in more than double her campaign contributions. It’s possible that she will have a primary opponent, but that effort hasn’t taken shape yet as far as I know.
Sadly, based on population figures I found on the Web (which may not be entirely up to date) there are about 3,398,897 Coloradans of working age (18-65). Many of those have jobs. To those people, 850 more jobs is not really relevant to their own concerns. That's the problem with Biden's successes economically. Too many people can't see that anything but inflation and mortgage rates have anything to do with their lives.
Susan these are well paying jobs not some minimal jobs and new jobs create revenue that the town , city and state benefit from plus it attracts new people and yes people are reacting to inflation but higher paying jobs helps m
Oh, I agree this is good for the state. My point was the selfishness of voters who aren’t directly affected, leaving them free to harp on culture wars or whatever
Unfortunately, Biden seems to be doing the right things in the (politically) wrong districts. Will the wind project in Boebert’s district elect a Democrat? (I hope so.)
We read and hear that potential Biden supporters complain that Biden has not done anything for *them*. Has Bidenomics palpably benefitted swing districts? Blue districts? Is Bidenomics good overall economics but bad politics – at a time when smart politics is terribly important?
And, not just the wind project will help oust her. Her outrageous behavior has helped to awaken sane Republicans from their slumber and realize she will never do anything for them. Adam Frisch is a moderate Democrat who has a fighting chance to win in this district that has been red for decades. And the demographics are changing here, with many liberal retirees from Denver and Boulder moving out this way. That is helping us.
Sure many urban areas benefit more because of the population density and the programs were designed to benefit everyone but ALL Republicans voted against most of these programs in the House and the House members have to be held accountable and the effort on the D’s must be pinpoint accurate
President Biden has said a number of times that there was a definite point to this money going to red districts and states for these projects. He said he wants to be everyone’s president, even if he didn’t win the electoral votes in those states. He needs to advertise that. His team needs to get that message out to those red states.
But is Biden being “generous to a fault”, politically?
For practical reasons, at least, shouldn’t Biden reward his supporters and potential supporters, and not mainly his adversaries? He’s running for President, not for a slot in Heaven.
(By the way, if anyone has hard data demonstrating that substantial chunks of federal project funds are going to purple and blue states, I and, I bet, others would be interested to see them. Then the questions would be: why don’t people know about it, and why can’t people know about it?)
The press rarely reports on these accomplishments, including where the money is going and what projects are being funded. At least I don’t see a lot of reportage on it. They’re too busy chasing down Trump‘s latest idiotic words or deeds. It’s an absolute shame how little people know about what Biden has achieved in these three years. I can guarantee that if more of this money from the various bills that were passed was going to blue states instead of red states, someone would pop up and write an article about how the red states are getting shafted. If the Biden campaign team were to produce ads in those states where these projects are going, it would help Biden. It won’t persuade diehard MAGA people, who are lost for the most part, but it might change some minds among Republicans who are getting disgusted with Trump.
I watched Lawrence, as he he laid it down. He is priceless. He is much too calm to look like the one to take a baseball bat to quite a few knecaps, but his words might have that effect.
The Orange Jesus was angry at Lawrence because he was so right that it DID sting, standing out from the otherwise silent MSM.
Blasphemy is the new Republican Covenant. The Orange Jesus will save them all.
You are on top of it all Robert. That's another classic breakdown that I will have to forward widely. Thank you for all the work you put in and get a bit of rest. You will need it at the rate you are cranking.
I was very lucky that Moynihan was my senator in New York. He always replied personally and precisely to my letters to him, not like the push-button replies most politicians (and tech support people) offer these days.
I've got to say, I'm partial to local accents. When I lived in DC, I was filled with nostalgia whenever I heard Boston! And I love hearing Brooklyn! And any other distinctive accent from around our country.
Magnificent essay, Robert. I agree with every single word of it and thank you for taking the time to explain it all so eloquently. we owe it to the past, and to the future not to look away.
I am grateful for Robert's analyses, pragmatism, optimism, and wisdom. His focus on the news media's unbalanced reporting has been spot on, and has encouraged a lot of us to push back. Every morning, one of the first things I do is review my Substack emails, and I almost always save Robert's for last, as it's the best, and often puts the others in perspective.
In my own (feeble) attempt to describe the phenomenon in a piece called Managing Expectations, I said, "Unequal expectations are a mainstay of the political landscape. Everyone expects President Biden to be empathetic, decent, and upstanding. Everyone expects his predecessor to be narcissistic, unseemly, and dishonest (even while denying it). It’s clear whose expectation threshold is easiest to meet. Somehow a false equivalency manifests in those distinctly disparate descriptions, and President Biden, when he falls short is castigated, while the Defendant, who can never fall short is reinforced. The news media, whose primary interest is in generating revenues thru its readership, focuses on those unequal shortcomings, and even though President Biden has accomplished a tremendous amount for the American people, his missteps or oversteps are magnified. Conversely, the Defendant’s few accomplishments for the American people are the exception to what is expected, and are thus magnified."
Many of us are saying the same thing, in different ways. I like the fact that a lot of us are now feeling empowered to respond to the media and are apparently starting to have an impact. Press on!
At a time, as Robert notes, when “the media has lost its collective mind,” the latest newsletter of Heather Cox Richardson notes that David Andelman, a former foreign correspondent for the New York Times and CBS News, now writes Andelman Unleashed. He noted today in CNN that “President Biden has brought a very clear-eyed set of principles to foreign affairs, making him ‘one of the rare presidents who has accomplished something quite extraordinary: He has carefully defined and quite successfully defended democracy and democratic values before a host of existential challenges.’” Andelman goes on to write that defending democracy “is something that makes [Biden] tick and remain appealing to others, as I’ve seen in so many parts of the world.”
Each of us needs to yell this accomplishment of the President from the rooftops! Biden’s approach to governing at home, as Cox Richardson explains, “is also designed to protect democracy by demonstrating that democracy can do more for people than an authoritarian government.” If the majority of the media cannot (or are unwilling) to report these accomplishments of the Biden administration, then we, as Americans, have been deputized to take every opportunity to point out these facts in any way that we can.
Let’s not forget, however, that our representative democracy is important because it gives voice (ideally) to everyone. It’s a mistake to “defend” democracy on economic grounds: there can be – have been – economic bad times in even the politically best democracies.
I used to take pride in the efforts of the 5th Estate to protect and inform us, to speak truth to power. The gumshoe reporters like Woodward and Bernstein were my heroes during the Watergate era. Today I am astounded by the abject failure of mass media to do their job. I have cancelled my subscriptions and turned off the TV (preferring to get my news and insights through the efforts of individuals I trust on SubStack). History will not be kind to today’s mainstream media that missed their chance to shine.
It is brilliant. Robert, so sorry you’re not feeling well. I woke up with sneezing and a runny nose but feel its allergies. Anyway, I wanted to mention that Henry Kissinger died at age 100. I shed not one tear as he was as evil as they come. He was an embarrassment to Jews here foremost but also one of the reasons we were involved in the Vietnam War. To quote Clarence Darrow “ I’ve never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.”. :)
Robert Reich's Substack newsletter today makes the case against Kissinger very compellingly. Henry Kissinger 1923-2023 War Criminal is the title of the essay.
Thank you for this essay and thank you for the many helpful links you provide. They really help. I am reminded of something I read in a Steady essay by Dan Rather. “ This is a relay not a sprint.” Sometimes you simply have to rest and recoup a bit. While you’re doing that , someone else will carry the ball until you get back on your feet. That’s what friends are for. The Trumps and Musks of this world make so much noise and have so little to say. Just focus on doing the hard, quiet, often tedious work of winning one election at a time.
Nov 30, 2023·edited Nov 30, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
“I am glad to be in this fight with you,” Robert. And with Jill, as I am with your entire family – for whom you began ‘Today’s Edition Newsletter.’ As I am with this community of readers committed to preserving the freedoms of our democracy. This day-to-day experience helps to sustain me in ways for which I remain deeply grateful.
Your words reminded me of when I was a visiting author at an elementary school in Texas with a wonderful principal who'd coined a school motto of two-letter words that even the youngest kids could read, "If it is to be, it is up to me." A motto for our times!
What if Trump called for “the government” to “come down hard” and “punish” The New York Times??? Or the Washington Post??? Is it only because it is MSNBC that the other newspapers say nothing???
This from Lindsey Graham who miraculously has managed to serve as a US Senator for almost a jillion years.( exaggeration noted)
"I don't know who you're trying to please. I don't know what group is going to feel better because we're doing this on your side but you're pleasing like none of us," Graham fumed. "This is about an ongoing effort to destroy this court, to destroy [conservative Justice] Clarence Thomas's reputation."
No external effort is needed to destroy Clarence Thomas's reputation. He has destroyed that all by himself. Wake up Lindsey! Wake up Anerica!
I agree with you, Robert, that the former president is hellbent on stripping us of our rights and our freedoms, and the media is frequently an accomplice. Working together towards protecting our rights and our freedoms is the mission of Democrats from now until Election Day. I'm looking forward to the forum this afternoon - to be in touch with the many who are doing this work. It might be that this forum becomes a regular support group and a call to action for those who haven't yet become engaged in this vital work.
Thanks, Robert, for gathering up the news each day and keeping our conversation going. It's encouraging to know so many are on the same page. But there's hard work ahead. You can't put democracy on autopilot.
Since 2016 I have been looking for the Edward R. Murrow of our times. Newscaster Murrow was took down Senator McCarthy in a broadcast on March 9, 1954, mostly in McCarthy own words. and lancing the boil of McCarthyism.
Close to the end Murrow said: “We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men -- not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular. This is no time for men who oppose Senator McCarthy's methods to keep silent, or for those who approve. We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot escape responsibility for the result.”
Seated next to Senator McCarthy in his hearings on communism was Roy Cohn. Roy Cohn was Donald Trump’s lawyer and the person who taught him to double down. One person linking McCarthy and Trump. Both talking about witch hunts.
I think Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNBC may well be the broadcaster who will take down Trump and lance the boil of Trumpism in this time. He was on that path in his broadcast this evening when he talked about Trump and his birtherism. I looked into Trump’s claim that Obama was not born in the United States. I asked the question, where was his mother when he was born? The answer was she was in Hawaii enrolled in the University there. As a piece of personal trivia it also turns out that Obama’s mother was born in the same hospital in Wichita, Kansas, where I was born 7 years later.
Here's this evening program: https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/lawrence-media-still-not-ready-to-cover-trump-after-years-of-his-lies-199042117756
Lawrence, are you ready to take on my challenge to you? The time feels right. Are you ready to take down “Orange Jesus”!?
I encourage everyone to read one of my favorite biographies of a man I greatly admire: Murrow His Life and Times by A.M. Sperber. See pages 429-439.
Here’s the half hour broadcast by Mr. Murrow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=dMgoi9pBRwg
Here is the transcript of the broadcast if you’d prefer to read it.
http://www.plosin.com/beatbegins/archive/Murrow540309.htm
Spot on: "I think Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNBC may well be the broadcaster who will take down Trump and lance the boil of Trumpism in this time."
By the way, Robert, I wrote my comment above before I read your Edition and your mention of Lawrence. Glad to see we were on the same page and impressed by what Lawrence O'Donnell had the courage to say last night.
Again, if you think Lawrence is our man, have you been in touch with him? Are you working with Jessica Craven to get people to write with this suggestion?
As Lawrence pointed out tonight, Tues-Friday his show is #1 rated on MSNBC and on Mondays (when Rachel shows up) it's #2. He is the only one who consistently goes after Trump.
Au contraire, TC! Nicolle Wallace (MSNBC) goes after Trump on a daily basis. Unfortunately, she is now on Maternity leave for a couple of months.
However, I will say that when Lawrence O'Donnell aims his arrows at Trump, he is brilliant!
I should have clarified, the one who has done it the longest and the only one in prime time. Nicolle certainly has gone after him hammer and tongs.
That's some pretty amazing news about her family status. Now we know why Michael Schmidt doesn't come on as a commenter anymore.
Hi, TC! Good point. I did listen to Lawrence O'Donnell's broadcast on Tuesday night, and it was remarkable. He did explain how long he has been calling Trump a LIAR, and it was since 2011! FYI, Mike Schmidt is still appearing on Nicolle's show, though so far, it hasn't been as often. They had the baby through a surrogate, since she is 50, I believe!
Yes she did (she's 51, 52 the end of December).
Oh Cathy...I am so in agreement with you about Lawrence. He did say Fake 45 has been after him since 2011, when Lawrence called him out about the birther claim. I am going to tweet Lawrence and ask him to take this jerk on! In the meantime, Newsom and DeSantis are scheduled to debate, I think tomorrow night, 6pm PST, 9pm East Coast. Should be real interesting. Hope Gavin takes Bobby White Sox down!
Can't wait to hear Lawrence tonight about the Newsom-DeSantis "debate". Rachel should be interesting on Monday, as well, though who knows what might have arisen in the meantime to get first billing. Interesting times!
Yes!! He is going to be so terrific. Can’t wait to hear what he says but he will come down on Trump hard. He publicly trolls him and Trump can’t stand it! Gives me great warm chills. :) AND then...there’s Santos who got expelled today. It’s delicious and makes Elise Stefanik look like the craphole that she is.
Loved loved loved this. I don't have a television, haven't had one for years; it's hard enough for me to limit my onscreen time, period, and I prefer to read off-screen as much as possible. But, I'm glad I watched O'Donnell on MSNBC via the computer; he was awesome. Thanks, Robert, for again giving us encouragement -- and for your really excellent writing. Always a pleasure!
I became aware of news shortly after Murrow had moved on to commentary, but “Murrow’s Boys” still dominated the airwaves: Charles Collingwood, David Schoenbrun, Richard C. Hottelet and many others—total professionals dedicated to bringing us the news and nothing else. Shortly, they were joined by the best of them, Walter Cronkite (who started with UPI). It was a golden age of journalism and broadcasting. Foolishly, we thought it would always be that way.
Yes Cathy, Lawrence is amazing and so well experienced that he could stand up to anyone. He knows more about the Senate and House than anyone elected to work there. And thank you for the links. I will have to do them both over coffe in the morning. As I am writing, I am reading Marlene below. The debate tomorrow should be a hoot.
Thank you, Cathy, especially to the mental and internet links to Murrow
I usually prefer reading texts to listening to audios/viewing videos. However, I strongly urge people to *listen* to (view) Murrow. His voice, cadence, and clear unadorned reasoning were/are something to behold.
Edward R. Murrow was one of the Great Men of my youth.
my friend was born in the same hospital as Obama, eight years later. His mother is most proud of that. She and her husband sailed from California in 1968 with a two year old. Adventurers proud.
Thank you, Cathy, for these recommendations. I’ll look for the book on Murrow. I think you’re right about Lawrence O’Donnell. He seems to have the courage and stature of Murrow. We need him!
Thank you Cathy! I also loved Good Night and Good Luck with George Clooney and David Strathairn. It's to buy or rent but here's the trailer. I'm old enough to remember Mr. Morrow and I think David's portrayal was spot on. And I think you are right about Lawrence O'Donnell. Did you see him as President Bartlett's father in West Wing? It was a powerful episode, And he wrote 16 episodes acc. to IMBD!
https://youtu.be/Pv4s0wdDOK0?si=4FWmhkYiUpXBA2J_
Last night, Lawrence actually showed a very brief clip of him in West Wing.
Thank you, Terry. Didn't know of this film. You can watch the whole film at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvajePexkbU
I'm late to the game today - thank you so much Robert for this story. I watched the video and shared it on FB and TwitX with this comment:
1)Trump called for "the government" to "come down hard" on MSNBC because of how they covered him...& ONLY ONE mainstream media reported on this travesty - Lawrence O'Donnell. We need to know; wake up media!! facebook.com/nytimes/, Washington Post
It's always a challenge to get it to 280 characters so I added a second:
2) In his tweet Trump accused MSNBC of using "free gov. approved airwaves." He's running for president and doesn't know the difference between broadcast over the airwaves (under FCC jurisdiction) and cable (NOT under jurisdiction).
Something happened yesterday which I believe can change the dynamics of the election. Biden visited CS Wind in Colorado which is the largest manufacturer of wind towers. Thanks to Biden’s IRA program an over $200 million expansion will take place which will create 850 new jobs. They have already hired over 500 new employees. This solar project happens to be in the district currently represented by Lauren Boebert who voted against the project and called it wasteful. Here is my point instead of responding to the Republican rhetoric we need to point directly in individual districts and communities what the Biden administration programs have done for job creation in that community and highlight the fact that a specific Republican voted against it. Just yesterday the Biden administration approved funding to replace and fix 9 million water pipes in the country that could cause water pollution like in Flint Michigan. The message is clear look at what the Biden administration is doing in your community and BTW what has your Republican representatives done for you lately?
Exactly right!
You are so right about this. The campaign needs to be very specific about addressing these great things that have been done in red districts and states. I’m not sure that’s happening nearly enough; and we certainly can’t count on the mainstream media to do anything like this, because they’re too busy chasing ridiculous polls and telling us the latest Trump idiocy. The Biden campaign needs to target these accomplishments appropriately in red states and districts because, as we already know, so much of this money has been funneled into red states through the various bills. I live in Boebert‘s district and she is on very shaky ground right now, as her Democratic opponent has overtaken her in recent polls, and he has taken in more than double her campaign contributions. It’s possible that she will have a primary opponent, but that effort hasn’t taken shape yet as far as I know.
Sadly, based on population figures I found on the Web (which may not be entirely up to date) there are about 3,398,897 Coloradans of working age (18-65). Many of those have jobs. To those people, 850 more jobs is not really relevant to their own concerns. That's the problem with Biden's successes economically. Too many people can't see that anything but inflation and mortgage rates have anything to do with their lives.
Susan these are well paying jobs not some minimal jobs and new jobs create revenue that the town , city and state benefit from plus it attracts new people and yes people are reacting to inflation but higher paying jobs helps m
Oh, I agree this is good for the state. My point was the selfishness of voters who aren’t directly affected, leaving them free to harp on culture wars or whatever
Hopefully they are in a minority
well, to mimic a trump, only 601 of them need to change their mind based on it to Boot Boebutt.
She will not be re-elected.
Unfortunately, Biden seems to be doing the right things in the (politically) wrong districts. Will the wind project in Boebert’s district elect a Democrat? (I hope so.)
We read and hear that potential Biden supporters complain that Biden has not done anything for *them*. Has Bidenomics palpably benefitted swing districts? Blue districts? Is Bidenomics good overall economics but bad politics – at a time when smart politics is terribly important?
Boebert's opponent in the last election lost by less than 600 votes. Yes, that wind project should easily more than flip that district.
And, not just the wind project will help oust her. Her outrageous behavior has helped to awaken sane Republicans from their slumber and realize she will never do anything for them. Adam Frisch is a moderate Democrat who has a fighting chance to win in this district that has been red for decades. And the demographics are changing here, with many liberal retirees from Denver and Boulder moving out this way. That is helping us.
That's great to hear!
Sure many urban areas benefit more because of the population density and the programs were designed to benefit everyone but ALL Republicans voted against most of these programs in the House and the House members have to be held accountable and the effort on the D’s must be pinpoint accurate
President Biden has said a number of times that there was a definite point to this money going to red districts and states for these projects. He said he wants to be everyone’s president, even if he didn’t win the electoral votes in those states. He needs to advertise that. His team needs to get that message out to those red states.
I’ve known that; and I admire it.
But is Biden being “generous to a fault”, politically?
For practical reasons, at least, shouldn’t Biden reward his supporters and potential supporters, and not mainly his adversaries? He’s running for President, not for a slot in Heaven.
(By the way, if anyone has hard data demonstrating that substantial chunks of federal project funds are going to purple and blue states, I and, I bet, others would be interested to see them. Then the questions would be: why don’t people know about it, and why can’t people know about it?)
The press rarely reports on these accomplishments, including where the money is going and what projects are being funded. At least I don’t see a lot of reportage on it. They’re too busy chasing down Trump‘s latest idiotic words or deeds. It’s an absolute shame how little people know about what Biden has achieved in these three years. I can guarantee that if more of this money from the various bills that were passed was going to blue states instead of red states, someone would pop up and write an article about how the red states are getting shafted. If the Biden campaign team were to produce ads in those states where these projects are going, it would help Biden. It won’t persuade diehard MAGA people, who are lost for the most part, but it might change some minds among Republicans who are getting disgusted with Trump.
I watched Lawrence, as he he laid it down. He is priceless. He is much too calm to look like the one to take a baseball bat to quite a few knecaps, but his words might have that effect.
The Orange Jesus was angry at Lawrence because he was so right that it DID sting, standing out from the otherwise silent MSM.
Blasphemy is the new Republican Covenant. The Orange Jesus will save them all.
You are on top of it all Robert. That's another classic breakdown that I will have to forward widely. Thank you for all the work you put in and get a bit of rest. You will need it at the rate you are cranking.
He is from Southie, so I think he knows all about taking baseball bats to kneecaps.
I am sure he knows. He is just so subtle. I said too calm to look like one who could.
Southie? As in South Boston? I'm not hearing it in his accent.
Yep, he’s from South Boston. Began his career as a protege of Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
I was very lucky that Moynihan was my senator in New York. He always replied personally and precisely to my letters to him, not like the push-button replies most politicians (and tech support people) offer these days.
Tells you a *lot* about Lawrence O'Donnell with a mentor like Daniel Patrick Moynihan!
Yes. Every once in awhile he will drop his "standard English" accent he learned for professional success and go "full Southie" to make a point.
I've got to say, I'm partial to local accents. When I lived in DC, I was filled with nostalgia whenever I heard Boston! And I love hearing Brooklyn! And any other distinctive accent from around our country.
You’ll never get my tiller unless you pry it from my cold, wet hands!
Magnificent essay, Robert. I agree with every single word of it and thank you for taking the time to explain it all so eloquently. we owe it to the past, and to the future not to look away.
I am grateful for Robert's analyses, pragmatism, optimism, and wisdom. His focus on the news media's unbalanced reporting has been spot on, and has encouraged a lot of us to push back. Every morning, one of the first things I do is review my Substack emails, and I almost always save Robert's for last, as it's the best, and often puts the others in perspective.
Today's feed included an excellent piece from Thom Hartmann on Yellow Journalism, that goes into some great detail about the media's bias and its impact. I encourage all to read it: https://hartmannreport.com/p/will-this-eras-yellow-journalism
In my own (feeble) attempt to describe the phenomenon in a piece called Managing Expectations, I said, "Unequal expectations are a mainstay of the political landscape. Everyone expects President Biden to be empathetic, decent, and upstanding. Everyone expects his predecessor to be narcissistic, unseemly, and dishonest (even while denying it). It’s clear whose expectation threshold is easiest to meet. Somehow a false equivalency manifests in those distinctly disparate descriptions, and President Biden, when he falls short is castigated, while the Defendant, who can never fall short is reinforced. The news media, whose primary interest is in generating revenues thru its readership, focuses on those unequal shortcomings, and even though President Biden has accomplished a tremendous amount for the American people, his missteps or oversteps are magnified. Conversely, the Defendant’s few accomplishments for the American people are the exception to what is expected, and are thus magnified."
Many of us are saying the same thing, in different ways. I like the fact that a lot of us are now feeling empowered to respond to the media and are apparently starting to have an impact. Press on!
Thanks for the link to Thom Hartmann!
At a time, as Robert notes, when “the media has lost its collective mind,” the latest newsletter of Heather Cox Richardson notes that David Andelman, a former foreign correspondent for the New York Times and CBS News, now writes Andelman Unleashed. He noted today in CNN that “President Biden has brought a very clear-eyed set of principles to foreign affairs, making him ‘one of the rare presidents who has accomplished something quite extraordinary: He has carefully defined and quite successfully defended democracy and democratic values before a host of existential challenges.’” Andelman goes on to write that defending democracy “is something that makes [Biden] tick and remain appealing to others, as I’ve seen in so many parts of the world.”
Each of us needs to yell this accomplishment of the President from the rooftops! Biden’s approach to governing at home, as Cox Richardson explains, “is also designed to protect democracy by demonstrating that democracy can do more for people than an authoritarian government.” If the majority of the media cannot (or are unwilling) to report these accomplishments of the Biden administration, then we, as Americans, have been deputized to take every opportunity to point out these facts in any way that we can.
Let’s not forget, however, that our representative democracy is important because it gives voice (ideally) to everyone. It’s a mistake to “defend” democracy on economic grounds: there can be – have been – economic bad times in even the politically best democracies.
I used to take pride in the efforts of the 5th Estate to protect and inform us, to speak truth to power. The gumshoe reporters like Woodward and Bernstein were my heroes during the Watergate era. Today I am astounded by the abject failure of mass media to do their job. I have cancelled my subscriptions and turned off the TV (preferring to get my news and insights through the efforts of individuals I trust on SubStack). History will not be kind to today’s mainstream media that missed their chance to shine.
Also, more people take there news seriously from Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update.
Seriously, it use to be straight satire. Now it's in satire it presents the truth.
Ransom is right, I listened to Lawrence tonight also and he was so powerful! He also mentioned, David Andelman who has written about how the media has not given Biden any credit. He discussed it with CNN here: https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/29/opinions/biden-democracy-israel-ukraine-taiwan-andelman/index.html
It is brilliant. Robert, so sorry you’re not feeling well. I woke up with sneezing and a runny nose but feel its allergies. Anyway, I wanted to mention that Henry Kissinger died at age 100. I shed not one tear as he was as evil as they come. He was an embarrassment to Jews here foremost but also one of the reasons we were involved in the Vietnam War. To quote Clarence Darrow “ I’ve never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.”. :)
The literatti commenting in all these Substackers are worth the price of admission
Robert Reich's Substack newsletter today makes the case against Kissinger very compellingly. Henry Kissinger 1923-2023 War Criminal is the title of the essay.
Robert Reich and Robert Hubbell are my “go to“ newsletters.
Thank you for this essay and thank you for the many helpful links you provide. They really help. I am reminded of something I read in a Steady essay by Dan Rather. “ This is a relay not a sprint.” Sometimes you simply have to rest and recoup a bit. While you’re doing that , someone else will carry the ball until you get back on your feet. That’s what friends are for. The Trumps and Musks of this world make so much noise and have so little to say. Just focus on doing the hard, quiet, often tedious work of winning one election at a time.
“I am glad to be in this fight with you,” Robert. And with Jill, as I am with your entire family – for whom you began ‘Today’s Edition Newsletter.’ As I am with this community of readers committed to preserving the freedoms of our democracy. This day-to-day experience helps to sustain me in ways for which I remain deeply grateful.
I initiated a conversation with the NYT concerning their coverage of Biden vs Trump's attacks on our democracy and the general bias against Biden. The response, to give them credit, was almost immediate, but quite bland and pretty much a denial of any bias. I most recently sent this article https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/11/28/2208487/-Media-s-treatment-of-Trump-s-vermin-versus-Clinton-s-deplorables-shows-how-the-decks-are-stacked?pm_source=ICYMI&pm_campaign=ICYMI11292023 that provides an analysis by Media Matters to give him something specific to respond to. I will let you know if I get a response.
thanks for doing your part!!
Thank you! You are my inspiration to up my activism.
Your words reminded me of when I was a visiting author at an elementary school in Texas with a wonderful principal who'd coined a school motto of two-letter words that even the youngest kids could read, "If it is to be, it is up to me." A motto for our times!
What if Trump called for “the government” to “come down hard” and “punish” The New York Times??? Or the Washington Post??? Is it only because it is MSNBC that the other newspapers say nothing???
“the banality of crazy”. Perfectly terrifying.
This from Lindsey Graham who miraculously has managed to serve as a US Senator for almost a jillion years.( exaggeration noted)
"I don't know who you're trying to please. I don't know what group is going to feel better because we're doing this on your side but you're pleasing like none of us," Graham fumed. "This is about an ongoing effort to destroy this court, to destroy [conservative Justice] Clarence Thomas's reputation."
No external effort is needed to destroy Clarence Thomas's reputation. He has destroyed that all by himself. Wake up Lindsey! Wake up Anerica!
I agree with you, Robert, that the former president is hellbent on stripping us of our rights and our freedoms, and the media is frequently an accomplice. Working together towards protecting our rights and our freedoms is the mission of Democrats from now until Election Day. I'm looking forward to the forum this afternoon - to be in touch with the many who are doing this work. It might be that this forum becomes a regular support group and a call to action for those who haven't yet become engaged in this vital work.
Thanks, Robert, for gathering up the news each day and keeping our conversation going. It's encouraging to know so many are on the same page. But there's hard work ahead. You can't put democracy on autopilot.