I’ve commented before and I’ll say it again- ditch the NYTimes! Unsubscribe! Important to make a statement by not giving the Times our business.
I appreciate how often and forcefully you remind us of the failures of not just the Times but much of “mainstream” media. They are definitely not fulfilling their important role as guardians of our democracy. The good news is that there are so many other great sources of news, commentary that we can turn to and support - writers on Substack, The Guardian, Midas Touch etc
"All the news that's fit to print," is not 'ditchable' IMO - but preferring print to audio/video I watch no commercial TV and that's the same thing - one can't know too much about the opposition. Substack writers are among my reading, too; and counterpunch.org and Consortium News; as well as specific sociology, psychology and political and philosophical journals. While I read a lot IMO I don't know nearly enough. I do have strong but flexible opinions!!. Not knowing and not caring are the two things unacceptable in an adult US citizen. And confusing entertainment with information isn't acceptable in an adult US citizen either.
But sources without the readership and clout of NYT. Sad because they have failed us in too many ways to count. I pay, too many can’t. But Rupert “entertains” for free
Amidst lots of splendid Hubbell analysis, the supposed "moral collapse of the New York Times" that's allegedly "slanting its coverage in favor of Trump" seems startlingly ignorant. And providing as evidence a single, subsequently improved, poorly devised headline is silly.
If you'd like to understand the quality of Times (or WaPo) reporting on Trump, the best measure is the degree of understanding of its readers. And there's perhaps no better readily accessible measure of that than the substance of the comments section, sorted by the most "Recommended" of "Reader Picks". Clearly, the readers of the Times and WaPo are deeply aware of Trump's defects and expected to vote against him in massive numbers. Correct?
You would be right if this wasn't the latest in a continuing stream of similar offenses--and you know it. But arguing by example is a perfectly valid form of logic. Trying to excuse the journalistic malpractice of the Times by saying that intelligent people read the Times is a non sequitor. The fact that SOME readers can see past the misinformation in the headlines says nothing about the destructive influence of the Times on the social media echosphere. Sadly, what tens of millions of people who don't read the Times but see its headlines in social media believe is the false statement first printed by the Times. That's the damage of the lazy journalism and the clickbait model that the Times is gravitating towards.
" arguing by example is a perfectly valid form of logic."
Fine, but in instances like this, it is an exceedingly deficient form of proof.
We agree that intelligent people read the Times. Can we agree also that an extraordinary high percentage of them are well-informed. If so, how? By reading the Washington Post? Sure, in some cases. In some cases by reading wise Substack writers like yourself. But also, in many more cases, by reading Times news articles and op-eds, not just glancing at the headlines. Do you look at the most favored reader comments? Do you see how utterly overwhelming is the highly well-informed disdain for Trump?
Recently, as I recall, some folks were complaining bitterly at the widespread view among Times editorialists that Biden was not the best potential candidate to defeat Trump. Do you now agree that those Times perspectives were correct? Or not?
If your argument is that NY Times headlines commonly distort the content of Times articles, in ways biased towards Trump, I would encourage you or others to hold off declaiming that until you have gathered or reviewed a systematic, persuasive body of evidence that you can share. If that is possible to assemble, I think it could be communicated to Times personnel with useful effect.
i write a newsletter that is space constrained. I gave an example. I am not writing a thesis about the NYTimes I used one example among many glaring recent examples. As I said, you know that this is the latest in a stream of recent examples. You did not address the point about the effect that Times headlines have on social media and people who don't read the Times. It is the leading news organzation in the world, and it chooses to spin misleading headlines. That is harmful to people who do not read it.
I didn't raise the Times' editorial policy or substance. You are trying to change the subject. Writing misleading headlines is bad and wrong. The Times does it frequently. It should stop.
"I used one example among many glaring recent examples." I would encourage you to be a little more carefully systematic. I just put the term "Trump" in the search bar and these below were the first 50 headlines that showed up:
Kindly specify which you think favor or disfavors Trump. And the relative percentage.
As for impact on Social Media, it is not a matter I feel well qualified to address. Perhaps you could cite headline 6 below, which would attract viewers who would then read this sub-head: "It was the latest in a series of vicious personal attacks Republicans have lobbed at the vice president since Democrats coalesced around her as their presidential nominee." I'm not persuaded that that process benefits Trump.
1) Trump Escalates Race Attacks on Harris, Worrying Some Republicans
2) Former President Donald J. Trump arriving at a rally in Harrisburg, Pa., on Wednesday.
3) What’s Rattling Trump: The Size of Harris’s Crowds
4) Trump’s First Major Ad Attacking Harris Hits Her on Immigration
5) Donald J. Trump’s campaign began making a two-week ad reservation on Monday, buying time in the six top battlegrounds.
6) Lara Trump Compares Harris to a Fashion Designer’s Faux ‘Trash Bag’
7) Lara Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee earlier this month. Ms. Trump’s harsh metaphor for Vice President Kamala Harris intensified the personal nature of Republican attacks against her.
8) Harris Campaign Looks Poised to Beat Trump’s July Cash Haul
9) July is set to be the second straight month that Democrats out-raised the Trump team.
10) When It Comes to Trump, Harris Tries a Sunnier Tone
11) Vice President Kamala Harris is presenting herself as a happy warrior willing to cut former President Donald Trump down to size.
12) As Trump Attacks Her Identity, Harris Responds on Her Own Terms
13) “It was the same old show,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in Houston on Wednesday, referring to former President Donald J. Trump’s comments on her identity. “The divisiveness and the disrespect. And let me just say, the American people deserve better.”
14) Trump Cancels a Debate With Harris on ABC News and Pitches One With Fox News Instead
Mr. Trump said in a social media post that the previously scheduled presidential debate to be hosted by ABC News was “terminated” once President Biden dropped out of the race.
15) NTrump Backs Out of ABC Debate and Proposes One With Harris on Fox|August 4, 2024, Page A17
Former President Donald J. Trump at the presidential debate in Atlanta in June.
16) With Dueling Ads, Harris and Trump Both Try to Define Her as a Candidate
The vice president released an ad called “Fearless” that focuses on her time as a prosecutor, while a spot from the former president attacked her as soft on immigration.
17) Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has brought in large amounts of cash since she became the likely Democratic nominee.
18) Trump Questions Harris’s Racial Identity, Saying She Only ‘Became a Black Person’ Recently
The newsletter format has been set for seven years. I am not going to change it to satisfy your concern about the NYTimes. If you find my opinions to be "startlingly ignorant," there is a great big beautiful world of choices out there.
Correct !!! And they will vote against him in droves ! Everytime I get my fingers dirty reading the NY Times which is not easy summering in upstate NY - no one sell it except the Grand Union and the Kinney Drugstore in town - I just love it. Where else can you get great articles about Sudan and Nigeria, what Republican voters are thinking in the Midwest, great Arts coverage, business and sports like fencing ? And the Sunday section takes up more than one lazy summer afternoon. They came down hard on Biden’s age but not as hard as we Biden Supporters after the debate. And they have not signed on to the Harris juggernaut yet but they will !
Agree. It’s advertising. But … advertisers pay for eyeballs. When we leave, that severely reduces their ad $$$ basis. Also, it gives us a measure of moral satisfaction and integrity. Worthy results, I say (left the NYT after 40 years of subscribing in 2022).
Regardless of the money they earn from subscriptions, if enough people unsubscribe it will certainly have a very negative effect on the NYT's business. Can't happen soon enough. The NYT is no longer a news organization.
You forgot to mention that the terrified old man's Atlanta rally - held in the same arena Kamala Harris filled with 10,000 people the previous Wednesday - only attracted less than 3,000 people and that many of them left during the event.
I was very much disappointed when the media failed to show the outside of the arena when 45 claimed there were so many people outside that weren't allowed entry. It sounded like typical 45 to me when he said there were 500, paused then said 1,000 people outside who weren't allowed in by the school and then after a moment in which the possibility of cameras must have occurred to him, expanded the number but said they hadn't even been allowed to be close to the building - they had been pushed way back. It struck me as an obvious and possibly deliberately missed opportunity to have called for a few shots outside or sent a camera out there to pan around. He needs to be called on everything. Every time.
Much like the picture comparing his half-sized inauguration crowd to Obama's crowd, the one Trump called the largest crowd in the history of crowds. Listening to Trump is like wading through it wearing waist-high boots.
TC, I noticed the pics and was looking for more info, as pics I saw were not clear. Trump of course claims a full house, and reporting is all over the place (with a lot of it nothing but speculation based on size of the venue plus trolls confusing the picture with their own "I was there" claims. Can you direct me to a site with more specific (and accurate) info? Basically just curious, but I'd like to fill in that little gap.
TC, thanks for taking the time to respond. I've seen the comparison shots (several times), but they don't really answer the question because the Trump one doesn't show the whole venue (and is really fuzzy). The photos of Kamala's event show the whole place packed, and the overflow outside. I see empty seats in Trump's fuzzy photo but it'd not clear when during the event that was taken. Before or during the event? I'm not questioning your take, but I'd like more definitive info relating to actual attendance and overflow (if any) for Trump.
Some of the attendees (or people who claim to be) say there was a long line waiting but they were shut out. Trump is whining that "they" (whoever he meant by "they", apparently people outside) blocked the way in so his people couldn't get in. That makes no sense, but of course that's Trump speaking. This is not a big deal in the larger scheme of things, but we need to be very clear about the claims we make where this man is concerned. That means something more solid than two photos that aren't taken from the same angle.
Another great newsletter, full of important items, but I think the most important is this: We need to get behind whomever Harris picks for Veep and deny the press a talking point about a schism among Dems and Harris supporters.
I’m a Walz fan, but I understand that my perspective is influenced by being a Midwesterner and having liberal policy preferences. I trust the team to make the choice that will do the most to keep the White House safely out of Donald Trump’s hands, and I’m going to be for the ticket no matter what. I hope everyone else on our side will do the same.
So far, Vice President Harris's moves have been flawless. I think her choice of VP will be great, and I hope she has plans for the other contenders. I like Kelly, and think he checks a lot of boxes. I'm thinking Shapiro would make a great AG, and I'd like to see Buttigieg in a higher profile Cabinet position (Homeland Security, maybe?). In any case, I'm confident that VP Harris will make the right choice and communicate it well. I'm on board with whomever she chooses.
Oh, just decided I'd stop by and note that Buttigieg is already in a high profile Cabinet position. He's our Secretary of Transportation. I think the others already occupy seats of importance in the House or Senate or state govs.
I don't necessarily disagree with that, given the pecking order hierarchy in WaDC, but since transportation is the key to movement of supplies and people, without which our economy could not function, perhaps the position should be more highly regarded. However, I was simply pointing out that Buttegieg IS already part of the Cabinet.
I knew that, but perhaps could have been more clear: "higher profile." I edited it accordingly. You're right that the position has been responsible for supply chain improvements, which have been underplayed IMHO.
I too hope that if the selection is down to Josh and Mark that she will choose Mark but also like you I am totally good either way, Pete for a very high cabinet position for sure. Hope to live to see him President!!
Our fabulous group, Swing Left West Valley, has been canvassing and writing and calling for George Whitesides for months! He has spoken at our meetings. We love him and will continue to fight for him! It's not shocking that Bill Barr did that. And lately he has been trying to rehabilitate himself! Which he will never be able to do!
I like the concept of Swing Left, but have been disappointed that they follow the party favorites. There are races that the Democratic Party leadership (state and national levels) have "targeted". The rest of the candidates -- and their constituents -- are simply left out. It would be lovely if Swing Left and other PACs would help out these orphaned candidates, but they won't. We need a "Left Behind" PAC.
Perhaps it is a fuzzy logic, but spotting trends in data seems to be a blessing. I lived in Orlando, Florida from 2006 to 2018. Another newsletter deleted this post.
• At the moment of transition to Harris (7/21/2024), Florida was 10.8 points up for Trump (46.1) over Harris (35.3).
• Immediately after transition, 7,000 people in Florida volunteered to support Harris.
• Within days, the Harris campaign activated 2,600 of those Florida volunteers.
• The new Harris volunteer pool has now swelled to 11,000, reflecting an unprecedented momentum. (I do not know the number activated, but I assume a week of onboarding process.)
• As of Friday (8/2/2024), Trump had gone from 46.1 at the transition point to 45.5. He has dropped 0.6 points in 12 days,… or 0.15 points every 3 days.
• As of Friday (8/2/2024), Harris numbers have gone up 4 points to 39.3. That is 1 point every 3 days.
• The differential (Nate Silver data) has gone from 10.8 down to 6.2 points. It will be interesting to measure next Saturday. The race is on.
• Some 26% of the 13.4 million-voter Florida electorate is nondenominational (3.5 million labeled independent). They swung for Obama 65% in 2008. I submit Harris is a bigger draw.
• From a pool of 7.5 million Florida women registered, 4.05 million women voted in the 2022 midterms. For 2024 abortion is on the Florida ballot. I submit women play BIG, and Harris will cause the first female feline feeding frenzy (Category F-5).
• Florida Democrats marked Medicare's 59th anniversary Tuesday (7/29/2024) by bashing Republican Senator Rick Scott. His plan is to sunset all federal programs unless reauthorized every 5 years. He is reviled.
• I believe Debbie Mucarsel-Powell can win the Senate seat from the jerk Senator Scott. Only 4 points separate them, better than Harris’s differential. No doubt, she will help Harris and Harris will help her. I believe for good reason that Florida is in play and we should lean in. Debbie is a good bet. Florida in play is not reflected in polling yet. I just feel ground tremors and the cattle appear restless. Something is UP.
• Obama was down in Florida polls 60 days before the 2008 election, but won the state by 236,000 votes, roughly 2.8%. Obama won by 74,000 votes in 2012.
• Obama’s successful campaign staff—David Plouffe, Stephanie Cutter, and Mitch Stewart, et al.—was just added to the Harris campaign staff. They pulled Democrats into the victories in Florida, the only Democratic wins there since 1996. They outspent Republicans by $19 million. Harris has the brains and funds to do this. She can spend much more than Trump, like $50 million more, easy.
Carl, this is an exciting and inspirational post. Thanks. I share your optimism and hopes for a flipped Florida. I know the state pretty well.
Some additional thoughts:
Desantis has alienated a lot of people in FL. His war on Disney, book banning, firing of professionals, denial of climate change (in the face of its reality!) - all are stupid.
Isn't there a marijuana referendum as well that will bring folks to the polling booths?
And, I see Harris as a stronger candidate than Obama. We could start with her experience. And her competitor is awful compared to Obama's.
But no doubt, the "F-5" feline feeding frenzy is my favorite. There are a lot of women in Florida who don't pay attention to politics. They work hard and some play hard.
Taking away their ability to control their bodies flies in the face of their independent spirits. Abortion is THE big idea that will lead us to a Blue Tsunami - across the nation. It is a bridge too far - regardless of political registration or history of voting.
like I said yesterday, early voting in the Florida primary starts today. Once we have our slate, we expect that abortion and marijuana on the ballot will increase voting 20%. We have several Republican house districts we can flip with a big Democratic turnout.
Approximately a million Democrats were dropped from the voting roils between 2022 and this year, but we have been trying to identify and reregister them. In my county, Miami Dade, we lost 84,000 voters. FT 6 has a Florida phonebank every Thursday 2-4. calling primarily folks not on the rolls. https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/?q=phone%20banks&tag_ids=20038
The FT 6 Textarcade will resume texting to Florida August 22
We think that a number of our "downballot" candidates will increase support for Harris. E.G. Every voter in our schoolboard races must ask whether a candidate supports someone who stole from kids with cancer.
You are very close to this heartbeat, Daniel. It strikes me that there are emotional forces in play that are hard to measure. The confluence of the fuel from storms converging on top of each other defies modeling. Kamala-fuel, abortion-rights-fuel, DeSantis disgust-fuel, etc. Kamala brings the energy on so many fronts: sewing up minorities; her clear, straightforward vision; her stellar legal prosecutor record; etc. Her infectious exuberance and joy contaminate all that see her and people are happy again! Never seen anything like it. Email me at ckselfe@aol.com to compare our notes.
Thank you, Carl, Bill, David, Daniel, et al. for the focus on Florida. I add one more point to the "confluence": Governor De Santis's assault on the once very proud state university system, from stacking university governor boards with political hacks or ultraconservative academics to forbidding any mention of climate change in Florida statutes, and more. I particularly am outraged by the attempt to turn one of the great innovative institutions of the last 60 years New College of Florida into the Hillsdale of the South -- not my words but the words of De Santis's office and appointing Christopher Rufo and others to that NCF board to get that done, knowing full well Hillsdale is a private Christian college.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/01/11/desantis-seeks-overhaul-small-liberal-arts-college. (Christopher Rufo is the architect of the overblown attacks on critical race theory and its influence.). I hope the university towns that dot the huge state of Florida will see even more students and faculty registered and voting Democrat. De Santis is not on the ballot but Rick Scott is and is vulnerable. The Republicans leading an anti-intellectual, anti-freedom crusade and we academics including all those who are retired in Florida need to come out in full voice.
You sound like you have DeSantis disgust to me. Thank you for explaining what that is and why. There is more to his causing disgust, of course. I just wanted to point out that there are many that oppose his points of view.
Carl, I feel fear and loathing for Governor De Santis, and I appreciate your survey of the good news that shows that others are responding with action and success to defeat the man-who-is-not-on-the-ballot but has already done much damage. Happy warriors working to make Florida Blue constitute good news.
Hi, Robert! really great review tonight along with the amazing photos of the nebula. It does look like an elephant’s trunk! Anyway, I could be wrong but didn’t trump also say that when they would hold the debate on Fox, that there were not going to be fact-checkers? He really is very delusional but then again, so are the MAGA R’s. Kamala will eat him alive and he knows that also. Nothing he will say would prepare him for her onslaught. He comes with whines; she comes with facts. Speaking of whining, Byron Donalds’ interview with George Stephanopoulos was disastrous. His lies weren’t even scripted correctly and George caught him each time. He should be ashamed for selling himself out.
I think Judge Chutkin is biting at the bit to get this case on the road. I think she wrote that 16 page decision the minute the case was handed by to her. She has his attorneys and Jack Smith on task to get their briefs together. YAY for Judge Chutkin! Would like to say that about Cannon but that will never happen.
Quick note that I happened to have sent a donation to Whitesides yesterday. He just has to defeat Garcia. I am still steaming about Adam Schiff for trying to shelve Biden. That was downright dirty pool! Totally lost respect for him but will have to vote for him as Senator, begrudgingly. Lastly, I do not think a lot of Dems will be disappointed in Kamala’s pick for VP. This has really been like a game of Clue, trying to figure out who she will pick. The important thing is that we stay together, as a strong unit.
As a Biden supporter I have to say to you that it turns out Schiff and the others were right. Biden's decision to drop the race is why things have changed as they have. Joe was the right guy for 2020, thank god, but Kamala is the right woman for 2024.
George Whitesides is up over Garcia in the only district poll taken so far. He came to our Swing Left meeting 2 weeks ago and was very impressive as both a candidate and a person.
TC, as a Biden supporter, I can only say that I was have been shocked by the overwhelming support for Harris. I did not see that coming. I don’t suspect Shiff saw it either. Before Biden put his full support behind Harris, she was but one of many potential candidates in a new primary process that threatened to break the Party into destructive camps. Shiff had no way of predicting the Rise of Harris
You weren’t wrong and Shiff wasn’t right at the time. Name me one political pundant that predicted Biden’s chess move
We all got lucky, or rather we all got gifted by Joe Biden, again
We were both lucky and gifted. My reason for "staying the course" was my belief - based on 56 years of experience, having lived through 1968 - that it would be impossible for the Democrats to do what they in fact did. I love love love that I was wrong about that.
Hoping that the three or four VP candidates meet together and decide to fully support the one chosen. I don’t care who it is. Please tell Mr Bothsider Smerconish that his schtick is up. You can also tell him where
When you say “Nothing … would prepare him for her onslaught”. I’da said her ‘Sassy onslaught’. Not only does she come with facts, but her brain shifts from left to right side quicker than the twinkle in her eye, and then she delivers and she is not shy about it.
Dave Dalton mentioned that we got "gifted by Joe Biden" and I have to say that I have been wondering about that ever since he dropped out. I mean, look at the timing. He waited until after the GOP convention and Vance had already been selected for VP on the ticket. Biden's announcement tanked the energy that followed the convention, and it was too late to change the VP pick in an effort to try to find someone who could better match Harris in contest.
It just seemed too good a move at the right time, especially coming from such a smart and experienced politician as Biden. I loved the whole Dark Brandon persona and have wondered if he had this planned, so I'm gonna give him the credit. And who knows; maybe Schiff knew; maybe they all did. In any case, Biden is truly a great public servant who, whether you like everything he did or not (I did not), he loves this country and gave us 100% for which I am forever grateful.
Marlene, this is a little off-topic but I hope Katie Porter ends up doing something important. I voted for her in the primary but of course now she's lost her seat. Same with Barbara Lee. Two great women.
I have a feeling that we are only now seeing the tip of the iceberg in relation to the vast scope of Trump's corruption. This potential bribe from Egypt and Bill Barr shutting down the investigation of it are just the latest examples of Trump's crimes and yes, Merrick Garland was remiss or even negligent in his failure to seize on this and act. Garland's inaction is another part of the reason that Trump is allowed to run for POTUS in 2024. We need a strong DOJ with a real fighter at it's head. I hope Dems can make this possible after we win in November.
Social order is built on a delicate, but deeply rooted consensus that rules and laws of deportment adhere to moral, legal, and ethical foundations reaching back to Talmudic axioms.
Trump has infected our culture with a sociopathic contempt of civil order and disables conscience as a core compass of right and wrong.
"Eating one's soul in small bites" (Comey), the first casualty of Trump's influence is the collapse of conscience. Thereafter, puppet mastery is simple.
It was Bill Barr, not Merrick Garland who "weaponized" the DOJ. Barr removed the blinders from the scales of justice for political gain. Mitch McConnell shattered the long-established rules of "advise and consent" to appoint his preferred Supreme Court Justices.
Kamala Harris offers up decency, conscience, and compassion, the basic nutrients for a healthy democracy. Our collective memories recall happier days, feeling safety and pride in our system of government.
This election will determine the future soul of America and our priorities as a culture. The jolt of enthusiasm and continued energy fueling the Harris campaign taps into this collective urgency. We will demand that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth".
The alleged illegal Egyptian campaign contribution has been simmering under the surface for quite some time. As it finally has been brought to the national attention, thank you WaPo, it should not be allowed to slip back into oblivion. The deadline for bringing charges under the federal statute of limitations for illegal campaign contributions obviously has expired. But what about obstruction of justice at the highest level? Barr and Sherwin would have a lot of questions to answer to. DOJ (I don't hold my breath) and Congress should look into it.
Fortunately subtlety is not the felon's forte, so the astonishing and blatant about-face of the administration in dealing with the Egyptian dictator should have left lots of interesting traces in communications between the White House, the State Department and the embassy in Cairo.
Once the dubiousness of the policy shift is established the next step should be to look into the reasons for it and the former administration's obvious effort to block the investigation.
Ever since Barr cut Mueller’s efforts to investigate the Russian interference after Trump’s dismissing Comey I declared Barr the most devious Attorney General. Then he in played cutesy by repeatedly telling the House January 6 Committee that Trump’s election denial was “bullshit.” He is nothing more than a snake in the weeds.
Thank you for your reminder to stay on message. Fox News and Trump share a dubious honor: they have both been found liable in court for hundreds of millions of dollars. Fox reached a $787.5 settlement agreement with Dominion Voting Systems just before the defamation case was set to go to trial. It was an historic sum; the previous record high in a defamation case had been $177 million. But here is my point: Fox is known to engage in nefarious practices. That alone is reason to simply not consider the "offer" by Trump to debate on a Fox-sponsored platform.
--Paula Collins, Democratic Candidate for Congress, running against Elise Stefanik in NY-21
HCRichardson's strong letter today connects the history dots from the slavery oligarchs of the 1860s to the anti-democracy oligarchs today. Must reading to understand how the Republican and Democratic positions switched.
We welcomed our first grandson on Friday into a very hopeful US of America! In our eyes he is the cutest in the world of course. All our children and, grandchildren deserve a bright future. Thank you two, Robert and Jill, for all your work for democracy.
Elisabeth, Congratulations, you and your spouse, have entered the BEST job in the whole world, grandparents. We began that adventure in 2003, that almost 21 year old will vote for the first time in a presidential election along with his 18 brother. Fighting to keep our democracy is as important as breathing....Robert and Jill are truly a blessing for us all.
Bill Barr resigned his AG post early. He subsequently condemned Trump. And yet...and yet he came out of the woodwork and announced he was supporting him in this election. Why? After all the things he said about Trump and the events surrounding January 6th...why?
The answer may be PROTECTION. Just as Trump wants to do a "Bibi" to stay out of jail, Barr may be very worried about his own freedom.
A scary thought occurred to me reading several above comments. If the SCOTUS doesn't think a President should have her/his hands tied by fear of being later charged with committing a crime, why wouldn't the Court use the same logic in the future for the VP, the AG, the Sec. of State, etc. Don't they all have very important positions that involve making tough and controversial judgement calls? The insanity of that immunity decision may even worse than I had thought. :-(
I have been repeatedly getting messages from the Harris campaign to sign up for getting the first scoop on who her VP pick is. I have not signed up for this because I am solidly behind her and I will support whichever candidate she chooses, even the guns supporter Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky. If my own Blue governor of Illinois Pritzker is picked, I will support it even though I think it will throw Illinois in turmoil to have to find another Democratic candidate who is as strong and well financed. Pritzker can offer Harris, strong democratic support as well as financing that might save her from the evil Democratic Tech Bros who are demanding that she fire Lena Khan in order to get their funds. Even if she fires Lena Khan, who I love and think is one of the most effective people in the Biden Administration besides Biden himself, I will be 100% behind her. As a woman from the Seneca Project, who was formerly a Black Republican, but has never voted for Trump and is now an independent said in the wee hours of the morning, "This is an existential election." She was a guest on Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat's weekly zoom meeting of her Substack paying subscribers. There were almost 400 on this call. The guest speaker says Suburban Republican women have consistently voted in higher percentages for Trump, but this is the election to work on them to vote differently. If you know one, share some of these testimonials from Republicans Voting Against Trump (RVAT).
Here are 5 people speaking after Harris was chosen as the candidate.
I have repeatedly refused to play the parlor game “who will Kamala choose?” It is a waste of time with no merit whatsoever. As you wrote, Linda, whoever she chooses will not impact my 100% support for this great opportunity we have to elect a competent, energizing candidate - Vice President Kamala Harris.
(Tragically, this cannot be said too often: "Sadly, a leading development is the continuing moral collapse of the New York Times, which seems incapable of breaking itself of the habit of slanting its coverage in favor of Trump. When the obituary of the Times is written, its utter failure to rise to this moment will be cited as a proximate cause.")
I’ve commented before and I’ll say it again- ditch the NYTimes! Unsubscribe! Important to make a statement by not giving the Times our business.
I appreciate how often and forcefully you remind us of the failures of not just the Times but much of “mainstream” media. They are definitely not fulfilling their important role as guardians of our democracy. The good news is that there are so many other great sources of news, commentary that we can turn to and support - writers on Substack, The Guardian, Midas Touch etc
✅ Dumped NYT
✅Writing Letters to Ed
✅Supporting Media and Democracy Project: https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/about
✅Supporting Check My Ads
https://checkmyads.org/
Thanks, Kathy! Just donated to MDP and Check My Ads. I'm not a subscriber to the Times, but I just emailed them and forcefully told them why I'm not.
thanks for the web site address :o)
Have done, Alexandra! And the Wash PO!
Me too. And the New Castle News.
"Wash PO!" Better than WaPo...Love it, Kathleen!
Yes! Dumped the New York Times in 2016 because of their biased coverage of HRC. Disgusting!
"All the news that's fit to print," is not 'ditchable' IMO - but preferring print to audio/video I watch no commercial TV and that's the same thing - one can't know too much about the opposition. Substack writers are among my reading, too; and counterpunch.org and Consortium News; as well as specific sociology, psychology and political and philosophical journals. While I read a lot IMO I don't know nearly enough. I do have strong but flexible opinions!!. Not knowing and not caring are the two things unacceptable in an adult US citizen. And confusing entertainment with information isn't acceptable in an adult US citizen either.
L&B&L
Re Meidas Touch, this 9-minute video is pretty good, I'd say:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL6bSt8kq7Q
Did it a year ago and dumped WaPo 6 months ago.
But sources without the readership and clout of NYT. Sad because they have failed us in too many ways to count. I pay, too many can’t. But Rupert “entertains” for free
Amidst lots of splendid Hubbell analysis, the supposed "moral collapse of the New York Times" that's allegedly "slanting its coverage in favor of Trump" seems startlingly ignorant. And providing as evidence a single, subsequently improved, poorly devised headline is silly.
If you'd like to understand the quality of Times (or WaPo) reporting on Trump, the best measure is the degree of understanding of its readers. And there's perhaps no better readily accessible measure of that than the substance of the comments section, sorted by the most "Recommended" of "Reader Picks". Clearly, the readers of the Times and WaPo are deeply aware of Trump's defects and expected to vote against him in massive numbers. Correct?
You would be right if this wasn't the latest in a continuing stream of similar offenses--and you know it. But arguing by example is a perfectly valid form of logic. Trying to excuse the journalistic malpractice of the Times by saying that intelligent people read the Times is a non sequitor. The fact that SOME readers can see past the misinformation in the headlines says nothing about the destructive influence of the Times on the social media echosphere. Sadly, what tens of millions of people who don't read the Times but see its headlines in social media believe is the false statement first printed by the Times. That's the damage of the lazy journalism and the clickbait model that the Times is gravitating towards.
Another sign of the Times's decline is their op-ed page, which is now full of right-wing bloviators.
" arguing by example is a perfectly valid form of logic."
Fine, but in instances like this, it is an exceedingly deficient form of proof.
We agree that intelligent people read the Times. Can we agree also that an extraordinary high percentage of them are well-informed. If so, how? By reading the Washington Post? Sure, in some cases. In some cases by reading wise Substack writers like yourself. But also, in many more cases, by reading Times news articles and op-eds, not just glancing at the headlines. Do you look at the most favored reader comments? Do you see how utterly overwhelming is the highly well-informed disdain for Trump?
Recently, as I recall, some folks were complaining bitterly at the widespread view among Times editorialists that Biden was not the best potential candidate to defeat Trump. Do you now agree that those Times perspectives were correct? Or not?
If your argument is that NY Times headlines commonly distort the content of Times articles, in ways biased towards Trump, I would encourage you or others to hold off declaiming that until you have gathered or reviewed a systematic, persuasive body of evidence that you can share. If that is possible to assemble, I think it could be communicated to Times personnel with useful effect.
i write a newsletter that is space constrained. I gave an example. I am not writing a thesis about the NYTimes I used one example among many glaring recent examples. As I said, you know that this is the latest in a stream of recent examples. You did not address the point about the effect that Times headlines have on social media and people who don't read the Times. It is the leading news organzation in the world, and it chooses to spin misleading headlines. That is harmful to people who do not read it.
I didn't raise the Times' editorial policy or substance. You are trying to change the subject. Writing misleading headlines is bad and wrong. The Times does it frequently. It should stop.
"I used one example among many glaring recent examples." I would encourage you to be a little more carefully systematic. I just put the term "Trump" in the search bar and these below were the first 50 headlines that showed up:
Kindly specify which you think favor or disfavors Trump. And the relative percentage.
As for impact on Social Media, it is not a matter I feel well qualified to address. Perhaps you could cite headline 6 below, which would attract viewers who would then read this sub-head: "It was the latest in a series of vicious personal attacks Republicans have lobbed at the vice president since Democrats coalesced around her as their presidential nominee." I'm not persuaded that that process benefits Trump.
1) Trump Escalates Race Attacks on Harris, Worrying Some Republicans
2) Former President Donald J. Trump arriving at a rally in Harrisburg, Pa., on Wednesday.
3) What’s Rattling Trump: The Size of Harris’s Crowds
4) Trump’s First Major Ad Attacking Harris Hits Her on Immigration
5) Donald J. Trump’s campaign began making a two-week ad reservation on Monday, buying time in the six top battlegrounds.
6) Lara Trump Compares Harris to a Fashion Designer’s Faux ‘Trash Bag’
7) Lara Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee earlier this month. Ms. Trump’s harsh metaphor for Vice President Kamala Harris intensified the personal nature of Republican attacks against her.
8) Harris Campaign Looks Poised to Beat Trump’s July Cash Haul
9) July is set to be the second straight month that Democrats out-raised the Trump team.
10) When It Comes to Trump, Harris Tries a Sunnier Tone
11) Vice President Kamala Harris is presenting herself as a happy warrior willing to cut former President Donald Trump down to size.
12) As Trump Attacks Her Identity, Harris Responds on Her Own Terms
13) “It was the same old show,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in Houston on Wednesday, referring to former President Donald J. Trump’s comments on her identity. “The divisiveness and the disrespect. And let me just say, the American people deserve better.”
14) Trump Cancels a Debate With Harris on ABC News and Pitches One With Fox News Instead
Mr. Trump said in a social media post that the previously scheduled presidential debate to be hosted by ABC News was “terminated” once President Biden dropped out of the race.
15) NTrump Backs Out of ABC Debate and Proposes One With Harris on Fox|August 4, 2024, Page A17
Former President Donald J. Trump at the presidential debate in Atlanta in June.
16) With Dueling Ads, Harris and Trump Both Try to Define Her as a Candidate
The vice president released an ad called “Fearless” that focuses on her time as a prosecutor, while a spot from the former president attacked her as soft on immigration.
17) Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has brought in large amounts of cash since she became the likely Democratic nominee.
18) Trump Questions Harris’s Racial Identity, Saying She Only ‘Became a Black Person’ Recently
19) Journalists’ Meeting, Trump Questions Harris’s Race Identity|August 1, 2024, Page A1
20) Trump Ad Attacks Harris, and Protests Erupt in Venezuela
Plus, the skyrocketing toll of cybercrime.
21) Donald J. Trump’s campaign began making a two-week ad reservation on Monday, buying time in the six top battlegrounds.
22) The Willful Amnesia Behind Trump’s Attacks on Harris’s Identity
23) Vice President Kamala Harris speaking in Houston last week.
24) Golf Cart Politics: Florida Retirees Flaunt Loyalties to Trump and Harris
In The Villages, Florida’s retirement mecca, pro-Trump residents have been galvanized by a surprising showing of support for Kamala Harris.
25) What the Polls Tell Us About Harris vs. Trump
There are two things giving the vice president a lift in the short term: unity and energy
26) Trump Claims Judge Has Ties to Harris and Seeks to Toss Him Off Case
27) Trump Tries Again to Oust Judge in Hush-Money Case|August 3, 2024, Page A17
28) Harris Campaign Says It Raised $310 Million in July, More Than Double Trump’s Haul
29) The Harris campaign said it now had $377 million in its war chest, in contrast to the $327 million that the Trump campaign has said it has.
30) Harris, Rallying Thousands in Georgia, Challenges Trump to ‘Say It to My Face’
31) Vice President Kamala Harris contrasted her policy goals with Republicans’ agenda in her speech on Tuesday at a rally in Atlanta.
32) Harris Responds to Trump’s Comments About Her Identity: ‘Divisiveness and Disrespect’
The vice president’s calibrated rebuttal was perhaps an early indication of how she will respond to racist and crude attacks from Donald Trump.
33) Trump Falsely Questions Harris’s Race, and 9/11 Guilty Pleas
34) Former President Donald J. Trump in a conversation with reporters at the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago.
35) Trump Elevates False, Fringe Attacks on Harris to Center of His Campaign
Trump Elevates Racial Attacks To Center Stage|August 2, 2024, Page A1
36) Not One of Us: Trump Uses Old Tactic to Sow Suspicion About Harris
37) Trump Paints His Opponent As an ‘Other’|August 4, 2024, Page A1
38) The Two Weeks That Changed Kamala Harris’s Vice Presidency
39) Vice President Kamala Harris at the Cape Coast Castle, a former slave port in Ghana, in March 2023
40) Trump Remarks on Harris Evoke a Haunting and Unsettling History
41) ‘An End to the Trump Story’: Three Columnists Size Up Harris and Her V.P. Options
42) Trump Rallied in Battleground Georgia, as Harris Mulled Her V.P. Choice
43) Trump vs. ‘America’s Border Czar’
Republicans’ first anti-Harris advertisement is about as subtle as Trump.
44) Vance Attacks Harris as a ‘Phony’ Who ‘Grew Up in Canada’
Hours after Donald Trump questioned Kamala Harris’s racial identity, his running mate, Senator JD Vance, mocked her for having once lived in Canada.
45) Senator JD Vance accused Vice President Kamala Harris of changing her accent while campaigning last week.
46) Harris vs. Trump Is Taking Shape. And Then There’s Vance.
47) Can Kamala Harris Rebuild the Democratic Coalition?
48) Kamala Harris will try to win over young nonwhite progressives as well as older white moderates.
49) Election Updates: Harris Says Americans ‘Deserve Better’ After Trump’s Comments on Her Identity
50) Kamala Harris’s $200 Million Vibe Shift
The newsletter format has been set for seven years. I am not going to change it to satisfy your concern about the NYTimes. If you find my opinions to be "startlingly ignorant," there is a great big beautiful world of choices out there.
Correct !!! And they will vote against him in droves ! Everytime I get my fingers dirty reading the NY Times which is not easy summering in upstate NY - no one sell it except the Grand Union and the Kinney Drugstore in town - I just love it. Where else can you get great articles about Sudan and Nigeria, what Republican voters are thinking in the Midwest, great Arts coverage, business and sports like fencing ? And the Sunday section takes up more than one lazy summer afternoon. They came down hard on Biden’s age but not as hard as we Biden Supporters after the debate. And they have not signed on to the Harris juggernaut yet but they will !
If it makes you feel better but subscriptions is not where they make their money.
Agree. It’s advertising. But … advertisers pay for eyeballs. When we leave, that severely reduces their ad $$$ basis. Also, it gives us a measure of moral satisfaction and integrity. Worthy results, I say (left the NYT after 40 years of subscribing in 2022).
Regardless of the money they earn from subscriptions, if enough people unsubscribe it will certainly have a very negative effect on the NYT's business. Can't happen soon enough. The NYT is no longer a news organization.
You forgot to mention that the terrified old man's Atlanta rally - held in the same arena Kamala Harris filled with 10,000 people the previous Wednesday - only attracted less than 3,000 people and that many of them left during the event.
I was very much disappointed when the media failed to show the outside of the arena when 45 claimed there were so many people outside that weren't allowed entry. It sounded like typical 45 to me when he said there were 500, paused then said 1,000 people outside who weren't allowed in by the school and then after a moment in which the possibility of cameras must have occurred to him, expanded the number but said they hadn't even been allowed to be close to the building - they had been pushed way back. It struck me as an obvious and possibly deliberately missed opportunity to have called for a few shots outside or sent a camera out there to pan around. He needs to be called on everything. Every time.
Much like the picture comparing his half-sized inauguration crowd to Obama's crowd, the one Trump called the largest crowd in the history of crowds. Listening to Trump is like wading through it wearing waist-high boots.
lol.
TC, I noticed the pics and was looking for more info, as pics I saw were not clear. Trump of course claims a full house, and reporting is all over the place (with a lot of it nothing but speculation based on size of the venue plus trolls confusing the picture with their own "I was there" claims. Can you direct me to a site with more specific (and accurate) info? Basically just curious, but I'd like to fill in that little gap.
I can. Go here. I put up the comparison shot.
https://tcinla757.substack.com/p/don-old-enters-his-final-phase
TC, thanks for taking the time to respond. I've seen the comparison shots (several times), but they don't really answer the question because the Trump one doesn't show the whole venue (and is really fuzzy). The photos of Kamala's event show the whole place packed, and the overflow outside. I see empty seats in Trump's fuzzy photo but it'd not clear when during the event that was taken. Before or during the event? I'm not questioning your take, but I'd like more definitive info relating to actual attendance and overflow (if any) for Trump.
Some of the attendees (or people who claim to be) say there was a long line waiting but they were shut out. Trump is whining that "they" (whoever he meant by "they", apparently people outside) blocked the way in so his people couldn't get in. That makes no sense, but of course that's Trump speaking. This is not a big deal in the larger scheme of things, but we need to be very clear about the claims we make where this man is concerned. That means something more solid than two photos that aren't taken from the same angle.
Besides, I have a cappacino riding on this....
I haven't seen any other photos of Trump's hatealong. Like you, I went looking.
Another great newsletter, full of important items, but I think the most important is this: We need to get behind whomever Harris picks for Veep and deny the press a talking point about a schism among Dems and Harris supporters.
I’m a Walz fan, but I understand that my perspective is influenced by being a Midwesterner and having liberal policy preferences. I trust the team to make the choice that will do the most to keep the White House safely out of Donald Trump’s hands, and I’m going to be for the ticket no matter what. I hope everyone else on our side will do the same.
So far, Vice President Harris's moves have been flawless. I think her choice of VP will be great, and I hope she has plans for the other contenders. I like Kelly, and think he checks a lot of boxes. I'm thinking Shapiro would make a great AG, and I'd like to see Buttigieg in a higher profile Cabinet position (Homeland Security, maybe?). In any case, I'm confident that VP Harris will make the right choice and communicate it well. I'm on board with whomever she chooses.
Oh, just decided I'd stop by and note that Buttigieg is already in a high profile Cabinet position. He's our Secretary of Transportation. I think the others already occupy seats of importance in the House or Senate or state govs.
With all due respect for Cabinet positions, I don't consider Transportation to be "top shelf."
I don't necessarily disagree with that, given the pecking order hierarchy in WaDC, but since transportation is the key to movement of supplies and people, without which our economy could not function, perhaps the position should be more highly regarded. However, I was simply pointing out that Buttegieg IS already part of the Cabinet.
I knew that, but perhaps could have been more clear: "higher profile." I edited it accordingly. You're right that the position has been responsible for supply chain improvements, which have been underplayed IMHO.
I would take Pete Buttigieg over that other “Top Shelf” Merrick Garland any day of the week !
Well said; her choice will be a best-informed one, so I won't question it for a minute.
I too hope that if the selection is down to Josh and Mark that she will choose Mark but also like you I am totally good either way, Pete for a very high cabinet position for sure. Hope to live to see him President!!
I agree. Pete's time will come! Maybe 2032?
I am with you ,Ellen. I, too,have my own VP preferences but am vowing to stand in solidarity with whoever Kamala picks.Full stop.
Solidarity!
Me too. What you said. (Also a Walz fan.)
Looks like you won! I'm anxious to hear more about him.
Probably the first time in history I've ever gotten my choice. 😀
Maybe time to buy a lottery ticket!
Or not. 😀
Our fabulous group, Swing Left West Valley, has been canvassing and writing and calling for George Whitesides for months! He has spoken at our meetings. We love him and will continue to fight for him! It's not shocking that Bill Barr did that. And lately he has been trying to rehabilitate himself! Which he will never be able to do!
I like the concept of Swing Left, but have been disappointed that they follow the party favorites. There are races that the Democratic Party leadership (state and national levels) have "targeted". The rest of the candidates -- and their constituents -- are simply left out. It would be lovely if Swing Left and other PACs would help out these orphaned candidates, but they won't. We need a "Left Behind" PAC.
That's an interesting idea. Hm ...
Perhaps it is a fuzzy logic, but spotting trends in data seems to be a blessing. I lived in Orlando, Florida from 2006 to 2018. Another newsletter deleted this post.
• At the moment of transition to Harris (7/21/2024), Florida was 10.8 points up for Trump (46.1) over Harris (35.3).
• Immediately after transition, 7,000 people in Florida volunteered to support Harris.
• Within days, the Harris campaign activated 2,600 of those Florida volunteers.
• The new Harris volunteer pool has now swelled to 11,000, reflecting an unprecedented momentum. (I do not know the number activated, but I assume a week of onboarding process.)
• As of Friday (8/2/2024), Trump had gone from 46.1 at the transition point to 45.5. He has dropped 0.6 points in 12 days,… or 0.15 points every 3 days.
• As of Friday (8/2/2024), Harris numbers have gone up 4 points to 39.3. That is 1 point every 3 days.
• The differential (Nate Silver data) has gone from 10.8 down to 6.2 points. It will be interesting to measure next Saturday. The race is on.
• Some 26% of the 13.4 million-voter Florida electorate is nondenominational (3.5 million labeled independent). They swung for Obama 65% in 2008. I submit Harris is a bigger draw.
• From a pool of 7.5 million Florida women registered, 4.05 million women voted in the 2022 midterms. For 2024 abortion is on the Florida ballot. I submit women play BIG, and Harris will cause the first female feline feeding frenzy (Category F-5).
• Florida Democrats marked Medicare's 59th anniversary Tuesday (7/29/2024) by bashing Republican Senator Rick Scott. His plan is to sunset all federal programs unless reauthorized every 5 years. He is reviled.
• I believe Debbie Mucarsel-Powell can win the Senate seat from the jerk Senator Scott. Only 4 points separate them, better than Harris’s differential. No doubt, she will help Harris and Harris will help her. I believe for good reason that Florida is in play and we should lean in. Debbie is a good bet. Florida in play is not reflected in polling yet. I just feel ground tremors and the cattle appear restless. Something is UP.
• Obama was down in Florida polls 60 days before the 2008 election, but won the state by 236,000 votes, roughly 2.8%. Obama won by 74,000 votes in 2012.
• Obama’s successful campaign staff—David Plouffe, Stephanie Cutter, and Mitch Stewart, et al.—was just added to the Harris campaign staff. They pulled Democrats into the victories in Florida, the only Democratic wins there since 1996. They outspent Republicans by $19 million. Harris has the brains and funds to do this. She can spend much more than Trump, like $50 million more, easy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/02/kamala-harris-hires-new-senior-strategists-campaign-expands-portfolio-others/
Carl, this is an exciting and inspirational post. Thanks. I share your optimism and hopes for a flipped Florida. I know the state pretty well.
Some additional thoughts:
Desantis has alienated a lot of people in FL. His war on Disney, book banning, firing of professionals, denial of climate change (in the face of its reality!) - all are stupid.
Isn't there a marijuana referendum as well that will bring folks to the polling booths?
And, I see Harris as a stronger candidate than Obama. We could start with her experience. And her competitor is awful compared to Obama's.
But no doubt, the "F-5" feline feeding frenzy is my favorite. There are a lot of women in Florida who don't pay attention to politics. They work hard and some play hard.
Taking away their ability to control their bodies flies in the face of their independent spirits. Abortion is THE big idea that will lead us to a Blue Tsunami - across the nation. It is a bridge too far - regardless of political registration or history of voting.
like I said yesterday, early voting in the Florida primary starts today. Once we have our slate, we expect that abortion and marijuana on the ballot will increase voting 20%. We have several Republican house districts we can flip with a big Democratic turnout.
Approximately a million Democrats were dropped from the voting roils between 2022 and this year, but we have been trying to identify and reregister them. In my county, Miami Dade, we lost 84,000 voters. FT 6 has a Florida phonebank every Thursday 2-4. calling primarily folks not on the rolls. https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/?q=phone%20banks&tag_ids=20038
The FT 6 Textarcade will resume texting to Florida August 22
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ft6arcade24
We think that a number of our "downballot" candidates will increase support for Harris. E.G. Every voter in our schoolboard races must ask whether a candidate supports someone who stole from kids with cancer.
You are very close to this heartbeat, Daniel. It strikes me that there are emotional forces in play that are hard to measure. The confluence of the fuel from storms converging on top of each other defies modeling. Kamala-fuel, abortion-rights-fuel, DeSantis disgust-fuel, etc. Kamala brings the energy on so many fronts: sewing up minorities; her clear, straightforward vision; her stellar legal prosecutor record; etc. Her infectious exuberance and joy contaminate all that see her and people are happy again! Never seen anything like it. Email me at ckselfe@aol.com to compare our notes.
Thank you, Carl, Bill, David, Daniel, et al. for the focus on Florida. I add one more point to the "confluence": Governor De Santis's assault on the once very proud state university system, from stacking university governor boards with political hacks or ultraconservative academics to forbidding any mention of climate change in Florida statutes, and more. I particularly am outraged by the attempt to turn one of the great innovative institutions of the last 60 years New College of Florida into the Hillsdale of the South -- not my words but the words of De Santis's office and appointing Christopher Rufo and others to that NCF board to get that done, knowing full well Hillsdale is a private Christian college.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/01/11/desantis-seeks-overhaul-small-liberal-arts-college. (Christopher Rufo is the architect of the overblown attacks on critical race theory and its influence.). I hope the university towns that dot the huge state of Florida will see even more students and faculty registered and voting Democrat. De Santis is not on the ballot but Rick Scott is and is vulnerable. The Republicans leading an anti-intellectual, anti-freedom crusade and we academics including all those who are retired in Florida need to come out in full voice.
You sound like you have DeSantis disgust to me. Thank you for explaining what that is and why. There is more to his causing disgust, of course. I just wanted to point out that there are many that oppose his points of view.
Carl, I feel fear and loathing for Governor De Santis, and I appreciate your survey of the good news that shows that others are responding with action and success to defeat the man-who-is-not-on-the-ballot but has already done much damage. Happy warriors working to make Florida Blue constitute good news.
DeSantis has been busy implementing Project 1825 ... er ... 2025 here in Florida.
Hi, Robert! really great review tonight along with the amazing photos of the nebula. It does look like an elephant’s trunk! Anyway, I could be wrong but didn’t trump also say that when they would hold the debate on Fox, that there were not going to be fact-checkers? He really is very delusional but then again, so are the MAGA R’s. Kamala will eat him alive and he knows that also. Nothing he will say would prepare him for her onslaught. He comes with whines; she comes with facts. Speaking of whining, Byron Donalds’ interview with George Stephanopoulos was disastrous. His lies weren’t even scripted correctly and George caught him each time. He should be ashamed for selling himself out.
I think Judge Chutkin is biting at the bit to get this case on the road. I think she wrote that 16 page decision the minute the case was handed by to her. She has his attorneys and Jack Smith on task to get their briefs together. YAY for Judge Chutkin! Would like to say that about Cannon but that will never happen.
Quick note that I happened to have sent a donation to Whitesides yesterday. He just has to defeat Garcia. I am still steaming about Adam Schiff for trying to shelve Biden. That was downright dirty pool! Totally lost respect for him but will have to vote for him as Senator, begrudgingly. Lastly, I do not think a lot of Dems will be disappointed in Kamala’s pick for VP. This has really been like a game of Clue, trying to figure out who she will pick. The important thing is that we stay together, as a strong unit.
As a Biden supporter I have to say to you that it turns out Schiff and the others were right. Biden's decision to drop the race is why things have changed as they have. Joe was the right guy for 2020, thank god, but Kamala is the right woman for 2024.
George Whitesides is up over Garcia in the only district poll taken so far. He came to our Swing Left meeting 2 weeks ago and was very impressive as both a candidate and a person.
TC, as a Biden supporter, I can only say that I was have been shocked by the overwhelming support for Harris. I did not see that coming. I don’t suspect Shiff saw it either. Before Biden put his full support behind Harris, she was but one of many potential candidates in a new primary process that threatened to break the Party into destructive camps. Shiff had no way of predicting the Rise of Harris
You weren’t wrong and Shiff wasn’t right at the time. Name me one political pundant that predicted Biden’s chess move
We all got lucky, or rather we all got gifted by Joe Biden, again
We were both lucky and gifted. My reason for "staying the course" was my belief - based on 56 years of experience, having lived through 1968 - that it would be impossible for the Democrats to do what they in fact did. I love love love that I was wrong about that.
I love the result that Biden provided. Democrats fell in line. The cats got herded. Who knew?
Certainly not any prognosticator
Your 56 years of experience could not have anticipated The Great Cat Rodeo. No one did, especially not the opposition
The Great Cat Rodeo! 😹 Perfect
Purrfect?
It's great to be wrong when it's like this!
I’m completely on board with that
Seeing politics go right sometimes is encouraging
Staying on message
Hoping that the three or four VP candidates meet together and decide to fully support the one chosen. I don’t care who it is. Please tell Mr Bothsider Smerconish that his schtick is up. You can also tell him where
I was so completely where you were including the disastrous nightmare of 1968. I too love it that you and I and so many others were wrong!
Biden is truly a remarkable person for rising above like this. History will be kind to him.
Thanks for admitting you were mistaken and thank you for your loyality.
Well said, Tom!
When you say “Nothing … would prepare him for her onslaught”. I’da said her ‘Sassy onslaught’. Not only does she come with facts, but her brain shifts from left to right side quicker than the twinkle in her eye, and then she delivers and she is not shy about it.
Sassy and smart! Lethal combination.
Dave Dalton mentioned that we got "gifted by Joe Biden" and I have to say that I have been wondering about that ever since he dropped out. I mean, look at the timing. He waited until after the GOP convention and Vance had already been selected for VP on the ticket. Biden's announcement tanked the energy that followed the convention, and it was too late to change the VP pick in an effort to try to find someone who could better match Harris in contest.
It just seemed too good a move at the right time, especially coming from such a smart and experienced politician as Biden. I loved the whole Dark Brandon persona and have wondered if he had this planned, so I'm gonna give him the credit. And who knows; maybe Schiff knew; maybe they all did. In any case, Biden is truly a great public servant who, whether you like everything he did or not (I did not), he loves this country and gave us 100% for which I am forever grateful.
Marlene, this is a little off-topic but I hope Katie Porter ends up doing something important. I voted for her in the primary but of course now she's lost her seat. Same with Barbara Lee. Two great women.
I have a feeling that we are only now seeing the tip of the iceberg in relation to the vast scope of Trump's corruption. This potential bribe from Egypt and Bill Barr shutting down the investigation of it are just the latest examples of Trump's crimes and yes, Merrick Garland was remiss or even negligent in his failure to seize on this and act. Garland's inaction is another part of the reason that Trump is allowed to run for POTUS in 2024. We need a strong DOJ with a real fighter at it's head. I hope Dems can make this possible after we win in November.
Did you see the interview on MSNBC of Sally Yates? She would be a terrific choice for AG.
Yes; thank you!! I have been thinking that for quite a while.
Social order is built on a delicate, but deeply rooted consensus that rules and laws of deportment adhere to moral, legal, and ethical foundations reaching back to Talmudic axioms.
Trump has infected our culture with a sociopathic contempt of civil order and disables conscience as a core compass of right and wrong.
"Eating one's soul in small bites" (Comey), the first casualty of Trump's influence is the collapse of conscience. Thereafter, puppet mastery is simple.
It was Bill Barr, not Merrick Garland who "weaponized" the DOJ. Barr removed the blinders from the scales of justice for political gain. Mitch McConnell shattered the long-established rules of "advise and consent" to appoint his preferred Supreme Court Justices.
Kamala Harris offers up decency, conscience, and compassion, the basic nutrients for a healthy democracy. Our collective memories recall happier days, feeling safety and pride in our system of government.
This election will determine the future soul of America and our priorities as a culture. The jolt of enthusiasm and continued energy fueling the Harris campaign taps into this collective urgency. We will demand that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth".
You are a wonderful writer!
Thank you
The alleged illegal Egyptian campaign contribution has been simmering under the surface for quite some time. As it finally has been brought to the national attention, thank you WaPo, it should not be allowed to slip back into oblivion. The deadline for bringing charges under the federal statute of limitations for illegal campaign contributions obviously has expired. But what about obstruction of justice at the highest level? Barr and Sherwin would have a lot of questions to answer to. DOJ (I don't hold my breath) and Congress should look into it.
Fortunately subtlety is not the felon's forte, so the astonishing and blatant about-face of the administration in dealing with the Egyptian dictator should have left lots of interesting traces in communications between the White House, the State Department and the embassy in Cairo.
Once the dubiousness of the policy shift is established the next step should be to look into the reasons for it and the former administration's obvious effort to block the investigation.
Ever since Barr cut Mueller’s efforts to investigate the Russian interference after Trump’s dismissing Comey I declared Barr the most devious Attorney General. Then he in played cutesy by repeatedly telling the House January 6 Committee that Trump’s election denial was “bullshit.” He is nothing more than a snake in the weeds.
Those "fair and balanced" reporters need to be asked about it. When did they learn about it? Was it discussed in the Dominion discovery?
I have some words for Herr Barr but not for polite company. Off with his fat head!
Thank you for your reminder to stay on message. Fox News and Trump share a dubious honor: they have both been found liable in court for hundreds of millions of dollars. Fox reached a $787.5 settlement agreement with Dominion Voting Systems just before the defamation case was set to go to trial. It was an historic sum; the previous record high in a defamation case had been $177 million. But here is my point: Fox is known to engage in nefarious practices. That alone is reason to simply not consider the "offer" by Trump to debate on a Fox-sponsored platform.
--Paula Collins, Democratic Candidate for Congress, running against Elise Stefanik in NY-21
Go Paula Go!
HCRichardson's strong letter today connects the history dots from the slavery oligarchs of the 1860s to the anti-democracy oligarchs today. Must reading to understand how the Republican and Democratic positions switched.
So true, Marsha - one of her best arc-of-history pieces of late.
We welcomed our first grandson on Friday into a very hopeful US of America! In our eyes he is the cutest in the world of course. All our children and, grandchildren deserve a bright future. Thank you two, Robert and Jill, for all your work for democracy.
Congrats!!
Thank you! It is a small miracle.
Elisabeth, Congratulations, you and your spouse, have entered the BEST job in the whole world, grandparents. We began that adventure in 2003, that almost 21 year old will vote for the first time in a presidential election along with his 18 brother. Fighting to keep our democracy is as important as breathing....Robert and Jill are truly a blessing for us all.
So true, thank you very much!
Bill Barr resigned his AG post early. He subsequently condemned Trump. And yet...and yet he came out of the woodwork and announced he was supporting him in this election. Why? After all the things he said about Trump and the events surrounding January 6th...why?
The answer may be PROTECTION. Just as Trump wants to do a "Bibi" to stay out of jail, Barr may be very worried about his own freedom.
Yes. The idiotic immunity decision doesn't cover underlings.
A scary thought occurred to me reading several above comments. If the SCOTUS doesn't think a President should have her/his hands tied by fear of being later charged with committing a crime, why wouldn't the Court use the same logic in the future for the VP, the AG, the Sec. of State, etc. Don't they all have very important positions that involve making tough and controversial judgement calls? The insanity of that immunity decision may even worse than I had thought. :-(
I hope you're wrong but considering the immunity decision and the bribery decision it doesn't look like it. Which is why we have to fix the Court.
In defense of unity, let's remember that a vote is a strategic chess move, not necessarily a valentine.
Well said!
I have been repeatedly getting messages from the Harris campaign to sign up for getting the first scoop on who her VP pick is. I have not signed up for this because I am solidly behind her and I will support whichever candidate she chooses, even the guns supporter Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky. If my own Blue governor of Illinois Pritzker is picked, I will support it even though I think it will throw Illinois in turmoil to have to find another Democratic candidate who is as strong and well financed. Pritzker can offer Harris, strong democratic support as well as financing that might save her from the evil Democratic Tech Bros who are demanding that she fire Lena Khan in order to get their funds. Even if she fires Lena Khan, who I love and think is one of the most effective people in the Biden Administration besides Biden himself, I will be 100% behind her. As a woman from the Seneca Project, who was formerly a Black Republican, but has never voted for Trump and is now an independent said in the wee hours of the morning, "This is an existential election." She was a guest on Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat's weekly zoom meeting of her Substack paying subscribers. There were almost 400 on this call. The guest speaker says Suburban Republican women have consistently voted in higher percentages for Trump, but this is the election to work on them to vote differently. If you know one, share some of these testimonials from Republicans Voting Against Trump (RVAT).
Here are 5 people speaking after Harris was chosen as the candidate.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?app=desktop&list=PLPbECI-Q45WdmDcEglQaPrsKqqZibDZTi
Here are 18 people speaking about 2 months ago when Biden was still the candidate.
https://youtu.be/0-Rr8UhaZ9Y?si=L4RXWCYmVDi-C5k8
They sound just like everyone else who is voting for the Democratic ticket.
I have repeatedly refused to play the parlor game “who will Kamala choose?” It is a waste of time with no merit whatsoever. As you wrote, Linda, whoever she chooses will not impact my 100% support for this great opportunity we have to elect a competent, energizing candidate - Vice President Kamala Harris.
Solidarity!
OUTSTANDING COLUMN!! Thank you!
(Tragically, this cannot be said too often: "Sadly, a leading development is the continuing moral collapse of the New York Times, which seems incapable of breaking itself of the habit of slanting its coverage in favor of Trump. When the obituary of the Times is written, its utter failure to rise to this moment will be cited as a proximate cause.")