The Ledes

Saturday, March 1, 2025

New York Times: “After days of a cautious optimism and two weeks in a hospital with pneumonia in both lungs, Pope Francis on Friday suffered another respiratory crisis, renewing concerns about the prognosis for the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican said on Friday night that Francis, who is 88 and has a history of respiratory ailments, suffered a bronchial spasm that caused him to inhale his vomit after a coughing fit. That, in turn, caused a 'worsening of the respiratory picture,' and required aspiration.”

New York Times: “The actor Gene Hackman most likely died nine days before his and his wife’s bodies were found in their secluded home near Santa Fe, N.M., the authorities said on Friday, as the central question of how they died remained unanswered. By examining Mr. Hackman’s pacemaker, a pathologist determined that the device’s last recorded 'event' was on Feb. 17, indicating that Mr. Hackman died then, Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County said in a news conference. Mr. Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead on Wednesday, in separate rooms of their home in a gated community.”

The Wires
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The Ledes

Friday, February 28, 2025

New York Times: “Boris Spassky, the world chess champion whose career was overshadowed by his loss to Bobby Fischer in the 'Match of the Century' in 1972, died on Thursday in Moscow. He was 88.”

New York Times: “The actor Gene Hackman was found dead in a mud room in his New Mexico home and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, was found dead on the floor of a bathroom on Wednesday, according to a search warrant affidavit. An open prescription bottle and scattered pills were discovered near her body on a counter in the bathroom. A dead German shepherd was found between 10 and 15 feet away from Ms. Arakawa in a closet of the bathroom, the affidavit said. There were no obvious signs of a gas leak in the home, it said, and the Fire Department did not find signs of a carbon monoxide leak. The maintenance workers who found them said they had not been in contact with the couple for two weeks. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Thursday afternoon that 'there were no apparent signs of foul play.'... The causes of their deaths had not been determined.”

Help!

To keep the Conversation going, please help me by linking news articles, opinion pieces and other political content in today's Comments section.

Link Code:   <a href="URL">text</a>

OR here's a link generator. The one I had posted died, then Akhilleus found one, but it too bit the dust. He found yet another, which I've linked here, and as of September 23, 2024, it's working.

OR you can always just block, copy and paste to your comment the URL (Web address) of the page you want to link.

Note for Readers. It is not possible for commenters to "throw" their highlighted links to another window. But you can do that yourself. Right-click on the link and a drop-down box will give you choices as to where you want to open the link: in a new tab, new window or new private window.

Thank you to everyone who has been contributing links to articles & other content in the Comments section of each day's "Conversation." If you're missing the comments, you're missing some vital links.

Marie: Sorry, my countdown clock was unreliable; then it became completely unreliable. I can't keep up with it. Maybe I'll try another one later.

 

Public Service Announcement

Zoë Schlanger in the Atlantic: "Throw out your black plastic spatula. In a world of plastic consumer goods, avoiding the material entirely requires the fervor of a religious conversion. But getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and worth it. Cooking with any plastic is a dubious enterprise, because heat encourages potentially harmful plastic compounds to migrate out of the polymers and potentially into the food. But, as Andrew Turner, a biochemist at the University of Plymouth recently told me, black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid." This is a gift link from laura h.

Mashable: "Following the 2024 presidential election results and [Elon] Musk's support for ... Donald Trump, users have been deactivating en masse. And this time, it appears most everyone has settled on one particular X alternative: Bluesky.... Bluesky has gained more than 100,000 new sign ups per day since the U.S. election on Nov. 5. It now has over 15 million users. It's enjoyed a prolonged stay on the very top of Apple's App Store charts as well. Ready to join? Here's how to get started on Bluesky[.]"

Washington Post: "Americans can again order free rapid coronavirus tests by mail, the Biden administration announced Thursday. People can request four free at-home tests per household through covidtests.gov. They will begin shipping Monday. The move comes ahead of an expected winter wave of coronavirus cases. The September revival of the free testing program is in line with the Biden administration’s strategy to respond to the coronavirus as part of a broader public health campaign to protect Americans from respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), that surge every fall and winter. But free tests were not mailed during the summer wave, which wastewater surveillance data shows is now receding."

Democrats' Weekly Address

Marie (Feb 23): As far as I can tell, there isn't any. I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like Democrats are so screwed up, they can't even put together a couple of minutes of video to tell us how screwed we are.

Out with the Black. In with the White. New York Times: “Lester Holt, the veteran NBC newscaster and anchor of the 'NBC Nightly News' over the last decade, announced on Monday that he will step down from the flagship evening newscast in the coming months. Mr. Holt told colleagues that he would remain at NBC, expanding his duties at 'Dateline,' where he serves as the show’s anchor.... He said that he would continue anchoring the evening news until 'the start of summer.' The network did not immediately name a successor.” ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “MSNBC said on Monday that Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary who has become one of the most prominent hosts at the network, would anchor a nightly weekday show in prime time. Ms. Psaki, 46, will host a show at 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, replacing Alex Wagner, a longtime political journalist who has anchored that hour since 2022, according to a memo to staff from Rebecca Kutler, MSNBC’s president. Ms. Wagner will remain at MSNBC as an on-air correspondent. Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s biggest star, has been anchoring the 9 p.m. hour on weeknights for the early days of ... [Donald] Trump’s administration but will return to hosting one night a week at the end of April.”

New York Times: “Joy Reid’s evening news show on MSNBC is being canceled, part of a far-reaching programming overhaul orchestrated by Rebecca Kutler, the network’s new president, two people familiar with the changes said. The final episode of Ms. Reid’s 7 p.m. show, 'The ReidOut,' is planned for sometime this week, according to the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The show, which features in-depth interviews with politicians and other newsmakers, has been a fixture of MSNBC’s lineup for the past five years. MSNBC is planning to replace Ms. Reid’s program with a show led by a trio of anchors: Symone Sanders Townsend, a political commentator and former Democratic strategist; Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Alicia Menendez, the TV journalist, the people said. They currently co-host 'The Weekend,' which airs Saturday and Sunday mornings.” MB: In case you've never seen “The Weekend,” let me assure you it's pretty awful. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: "Joy Reid is leaving MSNBC, the network’s new president announced in a memo to staff on Monday, marking an end to the political analyst and anchor’s prime time news show."

Y! Entertainment: "Meanwhile, [Alex] Wagner will also be removed from her 9 pm weeknight slot. Wagner has already been working as a correspondent after Rachel Maddow took over hosting duties during ... Trump’s first 100 days in office. It’s now expected that Wagner will not return as host, but is expected to stay on as a contributor. Jen Psaki, President Biden’s former White House press secretary, is a likely replacement for Wagner, though a decision has not been finalized." MB: In fairness to Psaki, she is really too boring to watch. On the other hand, she is White. ~~~

     ~~~ RAS: "So MSNBC is getting rid of both of their minority evening hosts. Both women of color who are not afraid to call out the truth. Outspoken minorities don't have a long shelf life in the world of our corporate news media."

As we watch in horror the rapid destruction of our democratic form of government, it is comforting to remember there is life outside politics. I took a break a while ago to enjoy a brief lesson in the history of the moonwalk: ~~~

But it may go back even further:

And this chronological account is helpful:

New York Times: “Chuck Todd, the former 'Meet the Press' moderator and a longtime fixture of NBC’s political coverage, told colleagues on Friday that he was leaving the network. A nearly two-decade veteran of NBC, Mr. Todd said that Friday would be his last day at NBC.... Mr. Todd, 52, is the latest TV news star to step aside at a moment when salaries are being scrutinized — and slashed — by major media companies. Hoda Kotb exited NBC’s 'Today' show this month, and Neil Cavuto of Fox News and CNN’s Chris Wallace departed their cable news homes late last year.”

CNBC: “ CNN plans to lay off hundreds of employees Thursday [Jan. 23] as it refocuses the business around a global digital audience.... The layoffs come as CNN is rearranging its linear TV lineup and building out digital subscription products. The cuts will help CNN lower production costs and consolidate teams, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. Certain shows that are produced in New York or Washington may move to Atlanta, where production can be done more cheaply, said the people. For the most part, the job cuts won’t affect CNN’s most recognizable names, who are under contract, said the people. CNN has about 3,500 employees worldwide.... NBC News is also planning cuts later this week, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. While the exact number couldn’t be determined, the job losses will be well under 50....”

 

Contact Marie

Email Marie at constantweader@gmail.com

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Monday
Jul082024

The Conversation -- July 9, 2024

Mariana Alfaro, et al., of the Washington Post: "No additional House Democrats publicly called on President Biden to abandon his reelection campaign after an all-member meeting Tuesday morning, suggesting the ground may be subtly shifting toward acceptance that Biden will remain in the race. As they trickled out of the Democratic National Committee's headquarters, some House Democrats expressed brief support for Biden's bid and at times gave stilted comments to reporters. And while many described the meeting as positive for Biden, others privately scoffed at their colleagues' comments. Rep. Jerry Nadler (N.Y.) -- who just two days ago privately called for Biden to leave the ticket -- said that, while he still has concerns over the president's candidacy, those are now 'beside the point.'... He's going to be our nominee, and we all have to support him,' Nadler said." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie's Translation: "Donald Trump will be the next president*." We can now quit pointing at Republicans for capitulating to Donald Trump. Democrats are doing so as well. Shame on the lot of them.

Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "An attorney for the Oath Keepers charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack will plead guilty after being charged with conspiring with the right-wing group's founder to obstruct Congress's certification of the results of the 2020 election, her attorney and federal prosecutors said. In separate court filings Monday, Kellye SoRelle's federal defender and a prosecutor wrote that SoRelle is set to enter a guilty plea on July 17 after entering into a deal with the government."

Robert McFadden of the New York Times: "James M. Inhofe, a five-term Republican senator from Oklahoma and, until ... Donald J. Trump's arrival in 2017, arguably Washington's most prominent denier of the established science of human-generated climate change, died on Tuesday in Tulsa, Okla. He was 89."

~~~~~~~~~~

Presidential Race

Marianna Sotomayor & Leigh Ann Caldwell of the Washington Post: "With President Biden once again on the political ropes, some Black members of the House appear ready to rally behind the embattled chief executive, in an embrace that will significantly influence whether he can stay in his reelection race, according to five people.... The importance of the roughly 60-member Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) -- which includes [Rep. Jim] Clyburn [D-S.C.] and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) -- was on display Monday night as Biden met with the bloc in a Zoom call, the first with a group of elected lawmakers.... Biden took questions and asked CBC members for their continued support.... The desire to defend Biden appears to be so widespread among CBC members, three people aligned with the group said, that it is possible the group will formalize its support for him in a statement...."

Brian Schwartz of CNBC: "President Joe Biden's fundraising operation started showing cracks in its once formidable armor, almost 10 days after his disastrous presidential debate performance. Some of Biden's campaign bundlers have stopped making calls to potential donors since the June 27 debate, according to people familiar with the matter. 'No one is picking up the phone,' said a well-connected Democratic fundraiser, who raises money for Biden and the Democratic Party."

** New York Times Editors: President "Biden, instead of campaigning vigorously to disprove doubts and demonstrate that he can beat Mr. Trump, has maintained a scripted and controlled schedule of public appearances.... And when he has cast aside his teleprompter..., he has continued to appear as a man in decline. The president, elected in 2020 as an antidote to Mr. Trump's malfeasance and mendacity, is now trying to defy reality.... Democrats who want to defeat Mr. Trump in November ... need to tell [Mr. Biden] that his defiance threatens to hand victory to Mr. Trump.... By departing the race, Mr. Biden can focus public attention on Mr. Trump's capacity to perform the job of president. Mr. Trump, of course, should also withdraw from this race, not least because of his own cognitive deficiencies and incessant lying." If you have a NYT subscription, read the whole editorial.

James Carville, in a New York Times op-ed, proposes a way for Democrats to select a new presidential ticket.

Emily Baumgaertner & Peter Baker of the New York Times: "An expert on Parkinson's disease from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center visited the White House eight times in eight months from last summer through this spring, including at least once for a meeting with President Biden's physician, according to official visitor logs. The expert, Dr. Kevin Cannard, is a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders and recently published a paper on Parkinson's. The logs, released by the White House, document visits from July 2023 through March of this year.... It was unclear whether Dr. Cannard was at the White House to consult specifically about the president or there for unrelated meetings.... Without discussing Dr. Cannard specifically, [White House spokesman Andrew] Bates said that the president 'has been seen by a neurologist once a year' as part of his overall annual physical checkup and 'that examination has found no sign of Parkinson's and he is not being treated for it.' He declined to provide dates of any meetings between Mr. Biden and any of his specialists.... In a six-page letter released after [a February 28] checkup, Dr. [Kevin] O'Connor [-- the White House physician --] said the president's medical team had conducted 'an extremely detailed neurologic exam' that had yielded 'no findings which would be consistent with' Parkinson's, stroke or other central neurological disorders." MB: This clarifies a Guardian story, based on New York Post reporting, that I linked with some skepticism yesterday. So now we know what we know. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Michael Shear of the New York Times: "The White House briefing room devolved into shouting on Monday as the press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, repeatedly dodged and refused to answer questions about the president's health, and whether visits to the White House by a Parkinson's doctor were about the president.... At Monday's daily briefing, Ms. Jean-Pierre refused to talk about Dr. [Kevin] Cannard [-- a Walter Reed neurologist --] or to acknowledge his visits to the White House, even after The New York Times and other news organizations reported on the logs." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ So Then. Mary Bruce of ABC News: "In a letter released late Monday night by the president's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, he confirmed that Dr. Kevin Cannard, the Parkinson's expert who visited the White House eight times in an eight-month span, 'was the neurological specialist that examined President Biden for each of his annual physicals.' Canard's visits to the White House don't represent examinations of the president, according to O'Connor's letter. Cannard is involved in a range of care for others beyond the president at the White House, O'Connor said in his note. 'Prior to the pandemic, and following its end, [Cannard] has held regular Neurology clinics at the White House Medical Clinic in support of the thousands of active-duty members assigned in support of White House operations,' his letter reads. 'Many military personnel experience neurological issues related to their service, and Dr. Canard regularly visits the WHMU as part of this General Neurology Practice.' On the subject of Biden's physical, O'Connor noted that 'President Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical.'"

Michael Shear & Maggie Astor of the New York Times: "President Biden said in a letter to congressional Democrats on Monday that he was 'firmly committed to staying in the race,' a defiant answer to allies on Capitol Hill who have said in recent days that he should drop out. He then called into 'Morning Joe' on MSNBC to underscore that message. 'The bottom line here is that we're not going anywhere -- I am not going anywhere,' he said. His pledge to remain in the race kicks off what could be the most crucial week of his presidency, as he faces crumbling support from Democratic lawmakers and mounting fears that his defiance could lead to a historic rout by ... Donald J. Trump and his followers in November's races for the White House and Congress." At 11:00 am ET Monday, this is the pinned item in a liveblog of presidential election updates. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Politico's story is here. President Biden's letter to Congressional Democrats is here, via Politico. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Isabella Ramirez & Maya Ward of Politico: "President Joe Biden slammed his critics as 'elites' in a live interview on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' on Monday, daring any challengers to run against him as he doubled down on his vow to stay in the race. 'I'm getting so frustrated by the elites -- now I'm not talking about you guys -- the elites in the party, "Oh, they know so much more." Any of these guys that don't think I should run, run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention,' Biden told hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. During the audio-only interview, Biden shot down Brzezinski's description of him as the presumptive Democratic nominee. 'I'm more than the presumptive, I'm going to be the Democratic nominee,' Biden said, laughing." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ See yesterday's Conversation for complete audio, via YouTube.

The Best-laid Plans ... Gang Aft Agley. Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "From the outset of President Biden's re-election campaign, the plan for winning was to make ... Donald J. Trump so unpalatable that voters uneasy with the incumbent would vote for him anyway. But now Mr. Biden is stuck in a political tailspin, with an abysmal debate performance highlighting his inability to make a case against Mr. Trump and prompting a collective national hand-wringing about his ability to do his job while an increasing number of House Democrats say he should leave the race. To get voters to focus on the threats posed by a second Trump administration, Mr. Biden's own allies say he first must escape his current doom loop and convince voters -- even and especially fellow Democrats -- that he is up to the job himself." (Also linked yesterday.)

Crazy People Are Writing the GOP "Platform," A Pledge of Allegiance to Trump. Robert Draper of the New York Times: "Steve Nagel, a chiropractor and talk radio host based in North Dakota, has frequently claimed that vaccines of all types lead to worse health outcomes for children. Demi Kouzounas oversaw a party platform as the chairwoman of the Maine state Republican committee that defined the teaching of nonbinary genders in public schools as 'child sexual abuse.' David Barton, an amateur Texas historian, has long called the separation between church and state a 'myth.' All three are among the 112 delegates serving on the Republican Party's national platform committee.... The primary goal is a 'short form' 2024 document that is a pledge of allegiance to ... Donald J. Trump rather than the statement of party values the platform has traditionally been...."

Robert Rubin & Kenneth Chenault in a New York Times op-ed: "We've spoken to many leaders in business and finance who, when it comes to economic policy, are open to the premise that Mr. Trump is a normal presidential candidate. We strongly disagree.... When it comes to economic policy, Mr. Trump is not a remotely normal candidate. A second Trump term would pose enormous risks to our economy.... A Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget report said that extending the 2017 tax cuts alone would add another $3.9 trillion to the federal debt and increase our debt-to-G.D.P. ratio by approximately 10 percent. This would probably lead to higher interest rates and greater inflation while undermining business confidence.... Mr. Trump would also reduce legal immigration at a time when our economy needs additional workers at all skill levels.... On trade, raising tariffs across the board -- as Mr. Trump has repeatedly promised to do -- would increase prices for American producers and consumers, reduce our global competitiveness and most likely lead other countries to retaliate against our exporters.... On regulation, [Trump] has said he would use regulation to reward loyalists and punish perceived enemies.... Trump would also take unprecedented action to diminish the independence of the Federal Reserve.... Nearly every element of Mr. Trump's second-term agenda would create great risk of economic harm."

Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: The prosecutor in Sen. Bob Menendez's (D.-N.J.) bribry trial delivered closing arguments Monday.

Jesus Jimenez of the New York Times: "A $1 billion gift from Michael Bloomberg to Johns Hopkins University, announced on Monday, will allow most students at the university's medical school to attend free of cost and will also increase financial aid for other students in the university's schools of nursing and public health and other graduate programs. Bloomberg Philanthropies, which oversees Mr. Bloomberg's charitable efforts, said in a statement that the gift would ensure that 'the most talented aspiring doctors representing the broadest range of socio-economic backgrounds will have the opportunity to graduate debt-free' from the university." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is really great. Now, no one -- even a self-made billionaire like Bloomberg -- should be able to accumulate so much money that a billion-dollar gift is only one of his charitable contributions.

~~~~~~~~~~

Alaska. Mattathias Schwartz of the New York Times: "A federal judge in Alaska resigned after investigators found that he had been abusive to his law clerks, had an 'inappropriately sexualized relationship' with one of them and then lied about his misconduct, according to a judicial report released on Monday. The judge, Joshua M. Kindred of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, submitted his letter of resignation on July 3 without explanation, saying only that it would take effect on Monday. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit revealed in the report that Mr. Kindred had been asked to leave his post after a committee of judges investigating the claims against him found his chambers to be a hostile and sexualized work environment.... He was nominated to the bench by ... Donald J. Trump in 2019 and confirmed by a 54-to-41 Senate vote the next year." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: What is it that convinces a federal judge that sexual assault is appropriate on-the-job behavior? Maybe the known history of sexual abuse committed by the guy who appointed him, I don't know.

New York. Katherine Rosman of the New York Times: "Three Columbia University administrators have been removed from their posts after sending text messages that 'disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes' during a forum about Jewish issues in May, according to a letter sent by Columbia officials to the university community on Monday. The administrators are still employed by the university but have been placed on indefinite leave and will not return to their previous jobs. Nemat Shafik, the Columbia president, described the sentiments in the text messages as 'unacceptable and deeply upsetting, conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns and the experiences of members of our Jewish community.' She said the messages were 'antithetical to our university's values and the standards.' The announcement came about a month after a conservative website published photos that showed some of the text messages sent by the administrators." (Also linked yesterday.)

Texas. Shades of Cancun Ted. Hafiz Rachid of the New Republic, republished by Yahoo! News: "While Tropical Storm Beryl made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday on the Texas coast, knocking out power to at least two million homes and killing at least two people, Governor Greg Abbott was enjoying a trip to East Asia. Abbott left for South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan on Friday as the storm was forecast to hit Texas on Monday. He went ahead with his nine-day trip anyway...." ~~~

     ~~~ Speaking of Cancun Ted, let's just check and see how he's helping with hurricane relief: ~~~

     ~~~ Daniel Hampton of the Raw Story: "Republican Sen. Ted Cruz caught flak Monday as critics noted he recorded five podcasts in the last week as millions lost power in Texas due to flooding from Hurricane Beryl." In fairness to Ted, in one of those podcasts, he did offer thoughts & prayers for potential hurricane victims.

~~~~~~~~~~

Marie: Looks as if Monday was another International Crimes Against Humanity Day.

Israel/Palestine, et al.

Leo Sands, et al., of the Washington Post: "Israel launched a new military offensive in Gaza City on Monday, with evacuation orders sowing confusion as tens of thousands of Palestinians fled the war-ravaged northern city amid what residents described as some of the worst bombardment since the start of the war. Israeli negotiators were set to travel to Egypt for a round of cease-fire talks aimed at bringing some respite in the nine-month-long war with Hamas, a conflict that has devastated the Gaza Strip."

The New York Times' live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Hamas war are here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Ukraine, et al. Mikhail Klimentov of the Washington Post: "A Russian missile attack hit cities across Ukraine on Monday, killing at least 37 people and injuring 170 people. Among those killed were three children, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who decried 'Russian terrorists' after the 'brutal' attack.... The volley struck a number of cities, including Kyiv, Dnipro and Zelensky's native city of Kryvyi Rih, among others. Rescue operations across Ukraine were still underway late Monday.... In Kyiv, the strike on Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital killed a doctor and destroyed a dialysis facility, Ukrainian officials said. Patients and staff members were forced to evacuate into the street."

News Lede

AP: "After Hurricane Beryl slammed into Texas early Monday, knocking out power to nearly 3 million homes and businesses, unleashing heavy rain and killing at least three people it moved east and later weakened to a tropical depression, the National Hurricane Center said Monday evening. The fast-moving tempest threatened to carve a harsh path over several more states in coming days. Texas state and local officials warned it could take several days to restore power after Beryl came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane and toppled 10 transmission lines and knocked down trees that took down power lines. Beryl later weakened into a tropical storm and then a tropical depression...."

Comments Off

Reader Comments (9)

I think the nominee for pres. should be Mayor Pete.

Wouldn't it be great to see so many homophobic heads exploding?

Or how about Michele Obama? A woman and black. More heads
exploding.

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterForrestMorris

That Republican platform will be replete with proposals that ignore both reality and the popular will.

Fetal personhood. Nationwide abortion ban. Anti-vaxxing. Christian nation b. s.. The fringe is now the center.

And more ignorance: The Pretender will say that like Project 2025 and E. Jean Carroll, he never heard of the Republican platform and knows nothing about it.

Summary: Ignorance in and of in the I know nothing party.

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterKen Winkes

Black outreach

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

Lisa Needham

"The destruction of the regulatory state is already happening
The post-Chevron world is here."

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

"beyond parody". They know they are suckers and are fine with it.

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

Marie, you may find it freeing to come to believe that DiJiT will be the next president. Seriously. Front line soldiers who are continuously in contact come to realize that the odds are completely against their survival. For most, that belief relieves them of worry, and their fatalism allows them to keep on, with a vengeance. (For a while. Then they break.)

I think that less than half of voters will vote for DiJiT, but that most voters who will vote against him have just had the crap scared out of them, and the press is actually starting to write about what a nazi idiot DiJiT is, and he has to be kept out. If the Biden campaign and others can get those thoughts and prayers into non-traditional media, persistently, credibly, repetitively, the justifiable fear could turn into outrage and votes.

However, besides media, the reality of Biden's geriatric handicap, and the bovine stupidity of still-uncommitted voters, the Democrats need to ensure that they are out in every state blocking the legal impediments, all offices all ballots, that the Rs are imposing now and until the next inauguration. I think the Rs know that if they lose
this year they join the Whigs in history books written outside of Florida and Texas.

As for you, Marie, you've done more than your share. Now get up and move forward. Like the Marines at Belleau Wood the better quote is "Retreat hell, we just got here!"

Suckers.

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterPatrick

I just realized that if you don't know the two famous Marine quotes from Belleau Wood, you don't know which is the "better."

The other is " “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”

Hear that fatalism there?

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterPatrick

Marie, do you honestly have a clue how it would come to pass that Biden drops out and another (who??) gets on every ballot and wins the election?

Just to be clear, I just sent another contribution to Joe Biden. He is the best hope we have. I just hope the NYT starts to talk about Project 2025 and the mental decline of the orange monster. 192 articles about Biden, how about the same number about trump.

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered Commenterpat

Thank you, Pat. So did I. I chafe at the idea that after a primary, some folks can decide that they want someone else, whatever the reason.

July 9, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterA Rosskopf
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