Looking at stars is looking back in time, and it's awe-inspiring when one thinks about the span of human existence being little more than the blink of an eye or the downbeat of a butterfly wing.
Thankful that you exist in this timeline with us, to encourage us with your steady optimism and realistic/pragmatic perspective during this wild uphill roller coaster segment of politics! and very thankful for the community you have created with your newsletters.
Thank you for you, Robert Hubbell. This is such a a labor of love for you and I’m glad you value the time and effort it takes. Thank you, President Biden, for your gift to democracy, something that Trump and Putin both have no understanding of.
The link to her Substack - I had noticed it before bc of what it translates (one of the rare uses of a year of college-level French) but almost never click through any others' Substack links due to already being somewhat overwhelmed by my handful of Substack subs.
The link leads to her poetry which is sublime. We all need this kind of beauty in our world.
I am reminded of a quote that I hold dear bc of my children:
"Always remember you matter, you're important and you are loved, and you bring to this world things no one else can." – Charles Mackesy
I was so proud of President Biden tonight. He spoke from the heart. He explained his reasons for pulling out of the presidential race and for endorsing Vice President Harris. He put country over party and personal ambition. Only a sincere and great man would do such a thing. I was saddened when he announced that he would no longer be a candidate for president in the 2024 election. I was angry at the weak Democrats who publicly called for him to drop out of the race. Now I am all in for Vice President Harris. We will win this election and we will fight against MAGA extremism.
President Biden acknowledged something in his speech that may explain the urgency of the pressure campaign that moved him to retire: personal ambition. Add to that a healthy dose of well-deserved and justified pride, and it's easier to see how Democratic leadership felt the need to force the issue. His timing was masterful, and his message powerful. The coalescence around VP Harris has been nothing short of remarkable.
We may yet look back on this brief period as a turning point in saving and restoring our democracy. For someone whose mental acuity was in question, it seems he may have made the smartest moves of all. Well played, Mr. President!
Biden demonstrated that the mental acuity “issue” was a lie. A classic piece of age discrimination propagated by Republicans and amplified by supposedly liberal media.
It has left a residue of bitterness with me, a general decrease in my estimation of American liberals, even though I’m heartened by the brilliant start Kamala Harris has made in her campaign.
I look at it a little differently. You're absolutely right that the Republicans (more specifically, Felonious T & the MAGAlomaniacs), propagated the lie as they've propagated so many others. The supposedly liberal media, seeking relevance and fighting for survival, both feeds and feeds on controversy and negativism. Controversy sells, as does the Reality TV persona of Felonious T.
I still have a little bit of bitterness in the way President Biden was treated by both Democratic leadership and the media, but his masterful handling of this over the past few days has salved a lot of wounds. I also believe his masterful handling involved some backroom discussions with his Vice President to make sure she was ready to take the baton at full speed. She certainly did so.
Not much has been said about this, but I'm really pleased that President Biden is going to focus on doing his job for the next six months, rather than spend it campaigning for his own re-election or coasting to retirement. I think he'll be anything but a lame duck, and will keep the home fires under control for a President Harris to take over in January.
In these fraught times, I'm relieved to have a steady hand at the helm, and a presidency operating on all cylinders. In contrast, consider his predecessor's last six months or so: relentless attacks on Joe Biden up to the election; impugning election integrity before and after the election; lawsuits challenging election results; chaos; fake electors; insurrection; interference in Congress's duty to count electoral votes; pardons for his henchmen; refusal to transfer power peacefully; sulking off to Mar-a-Lago the morning of President Biden's inauguration; and so much more.
I hope the bitterness soon passes for you, Michael. I heard no bitterness in the President's speech. I imagine there was some sense of betrayal at first; however, he moved on from that and here we are. We can be and do no less than he has.
Thanks, Michael. I share your assessment and feelings re the acuity “issue”, age discrimination, role of supposedly liberal media and American liberals, and Kamala’s start. The possibility of a woman president makes it all less painful.
The way the President did this was heartbreaking for me. But he was so selfless and positive that it was easier to get on board almost immediately for Kamala Harris. What a man!
In a weird way, I am beginning to think that maybe God did save Trump from being killed by the assassin's bullet. Had he been killed, he would have been martyred before he could be defeated by a Black/Asian woman who knows how to laugh and enjoys helping others. What's happening now is so much better!
I agree, Janet! And, of course, after Harris wins the election, all Trump's court cases can move forward. I'm afraid the anger and vitriol will only increase, fueled by his highly-warranted fear of prosecution in 20525.
He may lose some of his core support during this campaign. People may grow tired of him. I feel that goodness is on our side, and goodness can work miracles. :-)
I agree. The American people have always, in the past, been good. I am 75 years old and never in my lifetime has there been so much anger and division in this country. There has been some in the past, but trump has brought on a whole new level of anger and outright hatred and division.
We cannot hold back out of fear for what the horrific opposition might do. Speak up now loud and clear. Before the President's endorsement of Kamala Harris there were many substacks run by young people. They've been committed and I've made a committment to support them despite my advanced age of 77 and it feels so worthwhile. I asm signed on for tonights zoom.
Vote.org announced a nearly 700% increase in daily voter registrations in the 48 hours following President Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he would step down. That’s more than 38,500 newly registered voters, and younger voters, those between 18 and 34, make up 83% of them.
Yesterday, volunteers used up 200,000 FT 6 texts into Florida in about an hour.
Sparked by Epic Black Women’s Zoom for Harris this past Monday, Victor Shi announced that the Harris HQ Team is hosting an ALL YOUTH call today, Thursday, July 25:
The "perspective," to me, is that despite the vastness of the universe, what happens to and among human and other beings is, perhaps, all that really counts in the universe. How we interact with life on this one planet is what counts for the goodness we create and represent. The galaxies and stars and planets are just our backdrop. :-)
No way can I wrap my head around what's going on up there in space; yet, I am enamored with the images you present to us daily, Robert!
While I have continually beat my head against a wall trying to see where the Republican way makes any sense, I was blocked once again by a commentary of one such R (sorry, can't remember his name) being interviewed by David Muir on ABC just after President Joe Biden's amazing speech to the country. Two to three minutes in, to prove to listeners that his candidate was the right choice, I kid you not, he argued that seeing the ex-president playing a robust round of golf made him worthy of occupying the Oval Office. Realizing that I failed again in my attempt to find any "Republican way makes sense," I robustly turned off my TV.
Stop banging your head against this wall, Lynell. There IS no sense to be found! They are uninformed, bitter people who like TFG because he is an angry, mean man who hates women, just like they are!
Oops; I meant to convey that for a while now I have stopped beating, and that the interview I started listening to (and then stopped) confirmed for me that I was right to stop.
What is important is that the incredible energy of the moment continues and grows. We are 100 days away from saving or losing our democracy. Thanks Robert and Jill for your continued advocacy and the incredible pictures that humble the soul.
Robert, I’d like to add a plug for Democrats Abroad (DA) as well.
“Democrats Abroad has 52 country committees throughout Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. These country committees keep Americans abroad informed of their rights and help them participate in the U.S. political process. Our members live in more than 190 countries around the globe and vote in every state and Congressional district in the U.S.”
DA offers in-person and online guidance and help to anyone who wishes to vote from overseas regardless of political affiliation or preference. This is essential, given that each state has its own requirements for ballot completion. Depending on the state, the process can be quite confusing.
Here at Lake Chapala we have voter ballot application for all comers every Monday 9:30 am - 1 pm. . This will continue until the “drop date” in September when folks receive their ballots. Many request help in completing the ballots and in returning the ballots to the states. This assistance must comply strictly with FEC rules.
Last Monday we helped forty people apply for their ballots. We’re here to help…….. and we are always looking for volunteers.
If any of your readers live in Mexico they can go to
Edward, I like the idea of having a voter application time. Is it a drop in? How do you have it set up and how do you get the word out to people living in your area of Mexico? I am a member of Democrats Abroad Germany (DAG). Here is a link to our country DA group. https://www.democratsabroad.org/de
My regional group is having a book club discussion on Project 2025 on Tuesdays at 18:00 CET. It is not yet posted on the events page for next week, but should be soon. We would like to make one page handouts targeting different demographies and informing them about what is going on by the end of the summer. We will be passing them out at different events that we are going to hold or attend.
It was sad to see Joe Biden say good bye so to speak from the executive office last night because as always he demonstrated the class and unselfishness that is the character of the man and his family. The decision to withdrawal and step down must have been one of the most difficult decisions Joe Biden has ever made in his life and he did it with both class and political deftness. To win in November the Democrats have to make the election not about Biden’s age or cognitive abilities but all about Trump and his sidekick Vance. Kamala Harris with renewed energy and determination and purpose is the perfect messenger to deliver that message. Hopefully the American voters will react positively towards her when the Republicans attack her personally and racially as they have started to do. Joe Biden gave Democrats a gift and it’s up to us to renewed our commitment to the future.
Nicely stated, Stephen. Class and political deftness, to be sure! He also showed character and integrity as always. I believe Vice President Harris possesses those same traits, and perhaps her integrity is even more unimpeachable. As I've said elsewhere, I believe a simple message to allay concerns of Independents and moderate Republicans is:
"Vote Character First, Integrity Second, and Policies Third (Policies can change)."
Bob love your comments. The Democrats and Harris have to go on the offensive and not let Trump or the Republicans define the the messages. By attacking Trump and his age, health and character it forces them to be defensive and they can’t handle that.
We've all lived the times out together here in the Substack Universe. Hubbell, Richardson, Rosenberg, Snyder Galaxies, with many more I recognize as well. We've grown into a body of knowledge, empathy, and gratitude for all we've learned, all we took for granted until the dark times enveloped us. We prepare our Gratitude Gardens for a bountiful harvest this Fall. Keep the pedal to the metal, as we old car folks like to say. As for 'hitting their stride Robert, I can only think of this: Josh Hawley hitting stride when he was being chased on January 6. Hawley hauling' butt! Coward's stride! Also, Nikki Haley is forever finished. Kaput! Imagine her mindless threat to her voters for a moment. She caved to trump, her people who believed in her did not, and will not, ever. Tricky Nikki is forever finished! Forward ho, and good health with a light heart to you President Joe Biden, Man for the Ages.
Robert, another very good edition. I am beginning to believe that President Biden planned and played his decision to withdraw long before 7/21. And with that he played the system to great advantage and should remove any doubt that he is still the master politician and statesman that he has shown himself to be over his half century of service to the United States of America. A big picture look at his timing with the immediate and complete transfer of the electoral apparatus to the Harris camp leads this observer to a "extensive planning" conclusion. But I've been wrong before.
Me too - why would he do an interview with Lester Holt (a week before he drops out), where Holt grills him on whether he's going to drop out, with him vehemently denying it, if he knew he was going to drop out?
What better way to convince the opposition that he, with all his known weaknesses (some of which he might have actually been accentuating), was their main obstacle in their path to victory? He has shown that he loves to lead Republican/Trumpian folks with a bit of trickery every now and then. Since they have never picked upon that he did it again in a master stroke. He opened the path for Kamala and showed he was still "The Master" at the same time. Brilliant!!
To revise my cat lady comment from yesterday: The photo of Taylor Swift with one of her cats was for a Time magazine cover when she was person of the year. Vance's comment was from 2021 when he was running for the Senate seat. Thanks for all the "likes"!
The contrast could not be more profound. Can any of your readers, Robert, imagine a scenario in which Trump would be as presidential? Or in which Trump wouldn't make it all about himself? "President Biden said he was passing the torch to a new generation, charging them with “the sacred task of perfecting our union.”"
I have mostly unplugged from mainstream media political opinion, but did read Susan Glasser of the New Yorker yesterday giving what seemed to me to be a sour, out-of-sync take on Biden’s speech and the quick rise of enthusiasm for Harris. Last week I had written to the magazine to ask them to review their archives from other times of serious peril in history, and whether they had previously taken such an armchair intellectual approach. It was a serious question—I haven’t done the research. But we have been asking what the role of media should be in our democracy. I don’t believe most of these outlets are hoping for Trump to get elected or are solely motivated by the need for clicks. But I do think some soul-searching is needed by writers in the media---about how best to participate productively in fighting for the principles of democracy.
If you have ever sent a critical but polite email to Maggie Haberman, you will know about her arrogance, how she thinks, and why you won’t miss her after cancelling the NYT.
Life has gone on after cancelling my NYT subscription. I manage to stay informed, and I'm better able to process the views of others when I skip being mislead or triggered by the NYT reporting.
I doubt I’d like to have Maggie Haberman as a friend . However, she’s a deeply sourcer reporter, and especially so with regard to understanding Trump (know your enemy).
That is fascinating. The archival research I would like to see is how FDR's effort to fight fascism on the eve of US entry into WWII was handled--were newspapers perseverating on his illness and paralysis or were they trying to grapple honestly with the risks we were facing. If the NYT's lukewarm response to the Gettysburg address is an example, maybe the media has always felt it is their sacred duty to sit back and nitpick. I don't have a good answer but I would be interested to see people inside the media world reflect on what kinds of coverage befits the profession.
Just read an article in my local paper about Florida as the testing ground for Project 2025… sigh.Thanks to Ellie Kona for providing this link.Ordered my STOP 2025 t-shirt. Join us 👕🛒
Looking at stars is looking back in time, and it's awe-inspiring when one thinks about the span of human existence being little more than the blink of an eye or the downbeat of a butterfly wing.
Thankful that you exist in this timeline with us, to encourage us with your steady optimism and realistic/pragmatic perspective during this wild uphill roller coaster segment of politics! and very thankful for the community you have created with your newsletters.
Wow! Beautifully said, Raven. I rely on Robert's optimism on a daily basis myself!
Thank you for you, Robert Hubbell. This is such a a labor of love for you and I’m glad you value the time and effort it takes. Thank you, President Biden, for your gift to democracy, something that Trump and Putin both have no understanding of.
Love and agree with your post, Rebecca. Also love your byline - if that's what it's called!
The link to her Substack - I had noticed it before bc of what it translates (one of the rare uses of a year of college-level French) but almost never click through any others' Substack links due to already being somewhat overwhelmed by my handful of Substack subs.
The link leads to her poetry which is sublime. We all need this kind of beauty in our world.
I am reminded of a quote that I hold dear bc of my children:
"Always remember you matter, you're important and you are loved, and you bring to this world things no one else can." – Charles Mackesy
Thank you Kamala Harris for running to give us leadership in a progressive direction instead of a nostalgic regression.
I was so proud of President Biden tonight. He spoke from the heart. He explained his reasons for pulling out of the presidential race and for endorsing Vice President Harris. He put country over party and personal ambition. Only a sincere and great man would do such a thing. I was saddened when he announced that he would no longer be a candidate for president in the 2024 election. I was angry at the weak Democrats who publicly called for him to drop out of the race. Now I am all in for Vice President Harris. We will win this election and we will fight against MAGA extremism.
President Biden acknowledged something in his speech that may explain the urgency of the pressure campaign that moved him to retire: personal ambition. Add to that a healthy dose of well-deserved and justified pride, and it's easier to see how Democratic leadership felt the need to force the issue. His timing was masterful, and his message powerful. The coalescence around VP Harris has been nothing short of remarkable.
We may yet look back on this brief period as a turning point in saving and restoring our democracy. For someone whose mental acuity was in question, it seems he may have made the smartest moves of all. Well played, Mr. President!
For someone whose mental acuity was in question …
Biden demonstrated that the mental acuity “issue” was a lie. A classic piece of age discrimination propagated by Republicans and amplified by supposedly liberal media.
It has left a residue of bitterness with me, a general decrease in my estimation of American liberals, even though I’m heartened by the brilliant start Kamala Harris has made in her campaign.
I look at it a little differently. You're absolutely right that the Republicans (more specifically, Felonious T & the MAGAlomaniacs), propagated the lie as they've propagated so many others. The supposedly liberal media, seeking relevance and fighting for survival, both feeds and feeds on controversy and negativism. Controversy sells, as does the Reality TV persona of Felonious T.
I still have a little bit of bitterness in the way President Biden was treated by both Democratic leadership and the media, but his masterful handling of this over the past few days has salved a lot of wounds. I also believe his masterful handling involved some backroom discussions with his Vice President to make sure she was ready to take the baton at full speed. She certainly did so.
Not much has been said about this, but I'm really pleased that President Biden is going to focus on doing his job for the next six months, rather than spend it campaigning for his own re-election or coasting to retirement. I think he'll be anything but a lame duck, and will keep the home fires under control for a President Harris to take over in January.
In these fraught times, I'm relieved to have a steady hand at the helm, and a presidency operating on all cylinders. In contrast, consider his predecessor's last six months or so: relentless attacks on Joe Biden up to the election; impugning election integrity before and after the election; lawsuits challenging election results; chaos; fake electors; insurrection; interference in Congress's duty to count electoral votes; pardons for his henchmen; refusal to transfer power peacefully; sulking off to Mar-a-Lago the morning of President Biden's inauguration; and so much more.
I hope the bitterness soon passes for you, Michael. I heard no bitterness in the President's speech. I imagine there was some sense of betrayal at first; however, he moved on from that and here we are. We can be and do no less than he has.
Thanks, Michael. I share your assessment and feelings re the acuity “issue”, age discrimination, role of supposedly liberal media and American liberals, and Kamala’s start. The possibility of a woman president makes it all less painful.
My feelings exactly Virginia . Well stated!
The way the President did this was heartbreaking for me. But he was so selfless and positive that it was easier to get on board almost immediately for Kamala Harris. What a man!
Well said Virginia✌️
Join the call tonight! 😊
https://www.answerthecall2024.com/
In a weird way, I am beginning to think that maybe God did save Trump from being killed by the assassin's bullet. Had he been killed, he would have been martyred before he could be defeated by a Black/Asian woman who knows how to laugh and enjoys helping others. What's happening now is so much better!
I agree, Janet! And, of course, after Harris wins the election, all Trump's court cases can move forward. I'm afraid the anger and vitriol will only increase, fueled by his highly-warranted fear of prosecution in 20525.
He may lose some of his core support during this campaign. People may grow tired of him. I feel that goodness is on our side, and goodness can work miracles. :-)
I’m so tired of his mean-spirited vitriol. He never speaks to the issues. He just makes grade school level personal attacks. Ugly, ugly, ugly.
Isn't it nice to think of having a leader who's joyful?
Doesn't speak to the issues? What about sharks, showerheads, toilets, and the late great Hannibal Lecter? These are vital issues for every American!
I agree. The American people have always, in the past, been good. I am 75 years old and never in my lifetime has there been so much anger and division in this country. There has been some in the past, but trump has brought on a whole new level of anger and outright hatred and division.
We cannot hold back out of fear for what the horrific opposition might do. Speak up now loud and clear. Before the President's endorsement of Kamala Harris there were many substacks run by young people. They've been committed and I've made a committment to support them despite my advanced age of 77 and it feels so worthwhile. I asm signed on for tonights zoom.
Good people will not listen to them. They will rally and vote!
Vote.org announced a nearly 700% increase in daily voter registrations in the 48 hours following President Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he would step down. That’s more than 38,500 newly registered voters, and younger voters, those between 18 and 34, make up 83% of them.
Yesterday, volunteers used up 200,000 FT 6 texts into Florida in about an hour.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
https://www.fieldteam6.org/fund-the-mission
Sparked by Epic Black Women’s Zoom for Harris this past Monday, Victor Shi announced that the Harris HQ Team is hosting an ALL YOUTH call today, Thursday, July 25:
The link anyone can use to sign up:
https://joebiden.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5sZdd8wDTrWOpiy4qJWBcw#/registration Share it with all the young people you know.
https://x.com/victorshi2020/status/1816177645945593900?s=46&t=G1vnalQqxYifVbjonWfCIA
And it’s not just for the youth but for anyone who knows a young person. So that means all of us, even the childless cat ladies.
😹😹😹
Program is at 8 pm/edt. Victor had/has a podcast with Jill Wine - Banks, an ABA alum.
Also Florida FT 6 phonebank today. https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/?q=phone%20banks&tag_ids=20038
I am in DNC Coffeetalk, 9:30. I’ve signed up to attend a training with NDTC 1 pm edt: https://mobilize.us/s/5WCTMO
White women for Kamala call tonight!
https://www.answerthecall2024.com/
Answer the Call for Kamala tonight at 8:30 pm ET/
5:30 pm PT
Those astronomical photos are great for putting things in perspective. Thanks for posting them Robert.
The "perspective," to me, is that despite the vastness of the universe, what happens to and among human and other beings is, perhaps, all that really counts in the universe. How we interact with life on this one planet is what counts for the goodness we create and represent. The galaxies and stars and planets are just our backdrop. :-)
No way can I wrap my head around what's going on up there in space; yet, I am enamored with the images you present to us daily, Robert!
While I have continually beat my head against a wall trying to see where the Republican way makes any sense, I was blocked once again by a commentary of one such R (sorry, can't remember his name) being interviewed by David Muir on ABC just after President Joe Biden's amazing speech to the country. Two to three minutes in, to prove to listeners that his candidate was the right choice, I kid you not, he argued that seeing the ex-president playing a robust round of golf made him worthy of occupying the Oval Office. Realizing that I failed again in my attempt to find any "Republican way makes sense," I robustly turned off my TV.
Stop banging your head against this wall, Lynell. There IS no sense to be found! They are uninformed, bitter people who like TFG because he is an angry, mean man who hates women, just like they are!
Oops; I meant to convey that for a while now I have stopped beating, and that the interview I started listening to (and then stopped) confirmed for me that I was right to stop.
I'm so glad to hear that, Lynell. We NEED your head to be functional!
Thank you, Kathleen; roger, that!😉
What is important is that the incredible energy of the moment continues and grows. We are 100 days away from saving or losing our democracy. Thanks Robert and Jill for your continued advocacy and the incredible pictures that humble the soul.
Could the timing be more perfect? It's all about momentum.
Robert, I’d like to add a plug for Democrats Abroad (DA) as well.
“Democrats Abroad has 52 country committees throughout Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. These country committees keep Americans abroad informed of their rights and help them participate in the U.S. political process. Our members live in more than 190 countries around the globe and vote in every state and Congressional district in the U.S.”
DA offers in-person and online guidance and help to anyone who wishes to vote from overseas regardless of political affiliation or preference. This is essential, given that each state has its own requirements for ballot completion. Depending on the state, the process can be quite confusing.
Here at Lake Chapala we have voter ballot application for all comers every Monday 9:30 am - 1 pm. . This will continue until the “drop date” in September when folks receive their ballots. Many request help in completing the ballots and in returning the ballots to the states. This assistance must comply strictly with FEC rules.
Last Monday we helped forty people apply for their ballots. We’re here to help…….. and we are always looking for volunteers.
If any of your readers live in Mexico they can go to
www.democratsabroad.org/mx to find a chapter.
Thank you!
Edward, can you turn this into a two paragraph "pitch" for me so I can include in the newsletter? Thanks!!
Edward, I like the idea of having a voter application time. Is it a drop in? How do you have it set up and how do you get the word out to people living in your area of Mexico? I am a member of Democrats Abroad Germany (DAG). Here is a link to our country DA group. https://www.democratsabroad.org/de
My regional group is having a book club discussion on Project 2025 on Tuesdays at 18:00 CET. It is not yet posted on the events page for next week, but should be soon. We would like to make one page handouts targeting different demographies and informing them about what is going on by the end of the summer. We will be passing them out at different events that we are going to hold or attend.
Linda - send me an email at efahymd@gmail.com and I’ll explain the details. Ted
It was sad to see Joe Biden say good bye so to speak from the executive office last night because as always he demonstrated the class and unselfishness that is the character of the man and his family. The decision to withdrawal and step down must have been one of the most difficult decisions Joe Biden has ever made in his life and he did it with both class and political deftness. To win in November the Democrats have to make the election not about Biden’s age or cognitive abilities but all about Trump and his sidekick Vance. Kamala Harris with renewed energy and determination and purpose is the perfect messenger to deliver that message. Hopefully the American voters will react positively towards her when the Republicans attack her personally and racially as they have started to do. Joe Biden gave Democrats a gift and it’s up to us to renewed our commitment to the future.
Nicely stated, Stephen. Class and political deftness, to be sure! He also showed character and integrity as always. I believe Vice President Harris possesses those same traits, and perhaps her integrity is even more unimpeachable. As I've said elsewhere, I believe a simple message to allay concerns of Independents and moderate Republicans is:
"Vote Character First, Integrity Second, and Policies Third (Policies can change)."
Bob love your comments. The Democrats and Harris have to go on the offensive and not let Trump or the Republicans define the the messages. By attacking Trump and his age, health and character it forces them to be defensive and they can’t handle that.
Excellent point. Democrats tend to play defense too much, and lose control of the message. Time to put the shoe up the other butt!
We've all lived the times out together here in the Substack Universe. Hubbell, Richardson, Rosenberg, Snyder Galaxies, with many more I recognize as well. We've grown into a body of knowledge, empathy, and gratitude for all we've learned, all we took for granted until the dark times enveloped us. We prepare our Gratitude Gardens for a bountiful harvest this Fall. Keep the pedal to the metal, as we old car folks like to say. As for 'hitting their stride Robert, I can only think of this: Josh Hawley hitting stride when he was being chased on January 6. Hawley hauling' butt! Coward's stride! Also, Nikki Haley is forever finished. Kaput! Imagine her mindless threat to her voters for a moment. She caved to trump, her people who believed in her did not, and will not, ever. Tricky Nikki is forever finished! Forward ho, and good health with a light heart to you President Joe Biden, Man for the Ages.
Robert, another very good edition. I am beginning to believe that President Biden planned and played his decision to withdraw long before 7/21. And with that he played the system to great advantage and should remove any doubt that he is still the master politician and statesman that he has shown himself to be over his half century of service to the United States of America. A big picture look at his timing with the immediate and complete transfer of the electoral apparatus to the Harris camp leads this observer to a "extensive planning" conclusion. But I've been wrong before.
Me too - why would he do an interview with Lester Holt (a week before he drops out), where Holt grills him on whether he's going to drop out, with him vehemently denying it, if he knew he was going to drop out?
What better way to convince the opposition that he, with all his known weaknesses (some of which he might have actually been accentuating), was their main obstacle in their path to victory? He has shown that he loves to lead Republican/Trumpian folks with a bit of trickery every now and then. Since they have never picked upon that he did it again in a master stroke. He opened the path for Kamala and showed he was still "The Master" at the same time. Brilliant!!
To revise my cat lady comment from yesterday: The photo of Taylor Swift with one of her cats was for a Time magazine cover when she was person of the year. Vance's comment was from 2021 when he was running for the Senate seat. Thanks for all the "likes"!
The contrast could not be more profound. Can any of your readers, Robert, imagine a scenario in which Trump would be as presidential? Or in which Trump wouldn't make it all about himself? "President Biden said he was passing the torch to a new generation, charging them with “the sacred task of perfecting our union.”"
I have mostly unplugged from mainstream media political opinion, but did read Susan Glasser of the New Yorker yesterday giving what seemed to me to be a sour, out-of-sync take on Biden’s speech and the quick rise of enthusiasm for Harris. Last week I had written to the magazine to ask them to review their archives from other times of serious peril in history, and whether they had previously taken such an armchair intellectual approach. It was a serious question—I haven’t done the research. But we have been asking what the role of media should be in our democracy. I don’t believe most of these outlets are hoping for Trump to get elected or are solely motivated by the need for clicks. But I do think some soul-searching is needed by writers in the media---about how best to participate productively in fighting for the principles of democracy.
Interesting reaction to the New Yorker. I read the NYTimes running commentary on the speech by Maggie Haberman, et al. It was like the "Mean Girls" clique in the cafeteria mocking the clothes of the kids in the Math Club. Absolutely cruel, shallow, clueless. And all about "horserace politics." One of the commentators said, "This is why Biden had to drop out." But, remember, it was the New York Times that criticized Lincoln for delivering the Gettysburg address in a "businesslike manner." I guess the Times has always been this bad. See https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2013/11/in-1863-new-york-times-did-not-care-for-business-like-gettysburg-address#:~:text=Back%20in%201863%2C%20The%20New,assemblage%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20paper%20reported.
If you have ever sent a critical but polite email to Maggie Haberman, you will know about her arrogance, how she thinks, and why you won’t miss her after cancelling the NYT.
Life has gone on after cancelling my NYT subscription. I manage to stay informed, and I'm better able to process the views of others when I skip being mislead or triggered by the NYT reporting.
I doubt I’d like to have Maggie Haberman as a friend . However, she’s a deeply sourcer reporter, and especially so with regard to understanding Trump (know your enemy).
That is fascinating. The archival research I would like to see is how FDR's effort to fight fascism on the eve of US entry into WWII was handled--were newspapers perseverating on his illness and paralysis or were they trying to grapple honestly with the risks we were facing. If the NYT's lukewarm response to the Gettysburg address is an example, maybe the media has always felt it is their sacred duty to sit back and nitpick. I don't have a good answer but I would be interested to see people inside the media world reflect on what kinds of coverage befits the profession.
Just read an article in my local paper about Florida as the testing ground for Project 2025… sigh.Thanks to Ellie Kona for providing this link.Ordered my STOP 2025 t-shirt. Join us 👕🛒
https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirts/project-2025
So to prove that good things do come out of Florida ! 😎
On July 23, 1999, the space shuttle Columbia launched into orbit carrying Chandra.
25 Images to Celebrate NASA’s Chandra 25th Anniversary
https://chandra.harvard.edu/press/24_releases/press_072224.html
NC has been a testing ground for Project 2025 since 2011 when tea party idgits came in. The R legislature just doesn't call it Project 2025.
WI too...