In this morning’s Talking Points Memo, David Kurtz observed that “much of political journalism is divorced from policy and the substance of politics.” It’s all about a horse race, he wrote, while complex questions, competing public interests, and the history of an issue get distilled to “whether it’s good or bad politically.”
The yellow press should be ashamed. The Parkinson story is very close to flat out lying about the president (and candiate's) health during a high stakes election. Borderline criminal.
They should be telling the world that Trump the felon is not particularly concerned about winning an election he intends to steal. We live in "interesting" times.
Justin Rosario points out that a comparison of the public White House visitors logs with the public schedule of President Biden shows he wasn’t even in the country for some of those visits by the neurologist, something the NYT and WaPo should and could have fact checked before writing about this.
But then, if the despicable droids at the NYT and WaPo actually fact-checked ANYTHING, they might be accused of committing journalism which seems to terrify these cowardly scumwads.
Deplorable Linda, you do just what they do. The name calling no better. This is a harmful indulgence of us versus them and dumb. But you apparently enjoy it. It is not helpful nor smart. Sorry i have to say that. I thought you were worth responding to but i see not.
Here is journalist Philip Bump's critical analysis of how the Parkinson story got ahead of the facts. Published in the Washington Post.
"Cannard’s visits were not exceptional given the number of known visits he made during the Obama administration. Visitor records maintained by the National Archives show 64 visits from 2012 through 2016, including a White House tour and Cannard’s attendance at a holiday party. There are no public records from the Trump administration." [The
Before Project 2025, Ginni Thomas was going to the Trump White House with lists of who should be hired and fired by the executive branch.
"A central focus for Ms. Hair and Ms. Thomas was administration appointments that they wanted made and that they accused the president’s aides of blocking."
"A group led by Ginni Thomas has targeted officials in the administration, and lobbied for its own preferred choices. As the president’s distrust in those serving him has grown, so has its sway."
"A well-connected network of conservative activists with close ties to Trump and top administration officials is quietly helping develop these "Never Trump"/pro-Trump lists, and some sent memos to Trump to shape his views, per sources with direct knowledge.
Members of this network include Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and Republican Senate staffer Barbara Ledeen."
The Parkinson's story is not relevant. The disastrous debate is the issue. It is time for Letters to state the obvious. Time for Biden to retire from the campaign.
No, Beth. Looking at the Parkinson's story exposes the way Biden is being unfairly characterized by those who want to downplay policy issues, his record, and his values. The madness of Trump ought to be the story being told. Except it's not a "story"; it is horrifying potential reality.
The hitch is that there *is* something up with Biden. It's apparent. He still gets my vote. Where the public can see changes that seem to be happening quickly, and the official response is simply 'he's old and there's nothing to see here', it leaves room for all this wild speculation. We don't even know how much our foreign adversaries are pumping in here, but the gap has been left and they continue to fill it with expanding foam. Meanwhile, everything alarming about Trump, as HCR notes here, is getting covered up.
The debate. Seeing is believing. The middle who is necessary to win will not support Joe Biden. I'm sorry. I love Joe. I'll vote for whoever the Democrats put up. George Clooney And Nancy Pelosi have now publicly come out for Joe to step aside. The dam is starting to break. Check out Clooney's excellent opinion piece.
Given the symptoms, very similar to Parkinson's, there was concern, actually alarm. Biden's campaign and viability for the next 4 years has him as the ONLY ONE standing between us and Trump.
I credit you with being pro-democracy, but your desire for Biden to retire from the campaign misconstrues our chances for success. Biden is fine, and is our strongest possible candidate to win this election.
I watched his speech at the 75th Anniversary of NATO. He knows the heads of countries that are members personally, and they know they can trust him.
Do not be fooled by a poor debate performance! Debating is not a part of Presidential duties.
President Biden's debate performance overall was not horrible, the first 20 mins were awful I agree, Trump however continued to lie for another 70 mins.
Why, oh why is the Lincoln Project and Progress Radio the only ones on the offensive? Nothing gets to Trump more than challenging his lies or anything personal about him.
The Biden campaign needs to ask Trump to step down for lying 602 times during the CNN so called debate. And they need to call out CNN for being AWFUL at their jobs.
Plus they need to call out the RNC platform that is Project 2025 lite,
Tell Trump we don't want anymore HARRM done--
NO HATE
NO ANGER
NO REVENGE
NO RESENTMENT
NO MISINFORMATION
And start showing Trump's fat ass as he shuffles off stage. He is a dotard as Kim Jon Un called it.
and media has not made relevant all the lies told that evening and at his rally or speaking in public and forgotten names and countries and........................................................................
Asking Biden to step aside is asking him to step aside so that Trump can be the only candidate because there is no one else. No other dem can win this late in the game because they never have. One, they will not have any money because Biden's immense war chest which is growing does not legally transfer, and two, because his delegates pledged to him don't either. So, why? Because of the debate or over his performance on the job. He is gifted at politics and is the best president of my lifetime. Are you bigoted against stutterers or an agist? Neither is appealing and I cannot support you or people who think like you in that. You are being manipulated by media who is supporting a fascist to get clicks.
You look at one 90-minute debate and are ready to throw the president under the bus? You've not been reading Professor Richardson's letters explaining how changing the candidate for president 100 days before the election would throw the Democratic party into complete chaos. You've fallen for the right leaning media who can only address that and not every word out of tfg's mouth which was a lie. He didn't answer one question. Pathetic that the news refuses to cover that. Biden's age is the ONLY issue retrumplicans have to claim to make Joe look bad. He is the best president our country has had since FDR in my view and I've been around for quiet a few of them.
Look, I have the greatest respect for Heather Richardson. But like anyone else in life, I believe she is wrong on this point (that the democratic party will devolve into chaos if we choose someone other than Biden). One of the things I love about this stack is that we are open to disagree.
The simple facts are that there are only 6-7 states in play for this election and Biden is clearly going to lose almost all of them if he stays in the race. And that means Trump will win.
Almost any Democrat who has some stature could run instead of Biden and do better. Could they beat Trump? I don't know for sure, but I suspect several of them could. My personal favorite ticket is Harris/Whitmer but others could be considered. There is plenty of time, we aren't even to the GOP convention let alone the Democratic convention yet.
Biden's age IS the only issue. You can try to explain it away all you want, but it is what it is. He has lost several steps both physically and mentally in the past 3-1/2 years and age is not an "illness" which you can get better from. It is inevitable. He isn't going to "get better".
And you can say that isn't fair, and I AGREE with you, its horribly UNFAIR, but when you choose to get into politics, you have to take the game as it is played. Shouting "unfair" isn't going to get those people in the purple states who are undecided to vote for Biden.
Is this far more organized than what I imagine a Quizling list looked like?
Trump appointees were frightening enough, more frightening is the list of people who prefer to operate in the shadows instead of as elected or appointed officials more exposed to public view.
The hidden level of effort they are putting into it may stun the public into reconsidering some careless choices.
I also notice Sabastian Gorka seemed to want Republicans to not mention too much about Project 2025 (I assume because of the backlash that would be generated as the public learns more details), while I believe Steve Bannon suggests that Project 2025 is just a shadow of what’s coming after the power grab, and considers Trump a moderate (I believe hinting that even Trump will be removed when the hidden backers take over).
"...Project 2025 is the Trump movement’s vehicle for enacting Bannon’s vision of retaliation, which goes far beyond what’s in the Mandate for Leadership.
“On the spectrum of MAGA,” he recently told NBC News, “I would say President Trump is a moderate in our movement. And I think the MAGA movement is shifting day by day to the right.”
Under a second Trump presidency, not only would the administration likely draw on the Project 2025 framework, but it would also be under pressure from Bannon and his supporters to go significantly further..."
But why isn’t everyone more concerned about the dishwashers! we should focus on the substance of this congressional legislation! they are hard at work.....
I’m intending to hard copy a letter to the Times castigating them for journalistic incompetence and submitting my termination of subscription. On the other hand, I only pay $4 per month special rate. It would have no effect on them.
Busy as things move along during this hot miserable summer of ‘24,’ I’m reminded that you plan a beautiful garden of vegetable and flower plants. Watering and enriching the soil and the plants are growing nicety. But leave it to a democrat to muck things up. We’ve been mucking things up in our metaphorical garden for a quarter century or more. And the question begs to be asked, “When will we stop mucking things up?” Answer: Probably never because after all, we are democrats. And democrats just have a nack of mucking things up.
I would rather be a member of a party that debates and dedicates itself to free speech than to one where you must be loyal to a king/czar/dictator or pay the consequences.
The vast majority of Democrats will vote for whoever the nominee for president is. Biden or someone else. In the meantime we will squabble like a big family. But in the end the food is great and we hug each other before heading home.
I see freedom of expression and vigorous debate within a party as a strength and something to be proud of. The other guys? A bunch of cowering cowards who started out trashing Trump and now bend over to kiss his ring.
There is nothing to be admired in the mindless, lockstep unity of the MAGANAZIS. But what we should be emulating is their long term planning for governing dominance. We have been asleep at the switch while Leonard Leo and Co. have stolen the judiciary. That is the big "muckup".
Good analogy, Bill. It is almost as if we have organic gardeners, flower gardeners, native plant gardeners, grow the biggest tomato gardeners, orchid gardeners, competitive lawn grower gardeners, all trying to coalesce into one garden party...
Bill -- There's power in numbers. Many of us have dropped The NY Times over the past couple of years. And it's the advertising dollars that speak volumes to the Publisher.
As I comment elsewhere here, subscriptions to cable TV are dropping like a rock. The first quarter of 2024 saw the largest loss of subscribers in a single quarter -- EVER. Only about 53 million households now have cable compared to over 100 million at the peak.
I tried to quit Spectrum several months ago and they actually pay me, $10/month not to cancel by not charging for cable and reducing my Internet charge by $10/month.
My point is -- Who is pay attention to what is going on out there at this point in the election cycle? I know we all are and we get our information from HCR.
And you expect that from the businesses that are major donors to the tRump campaign?
They are BUSINESSES. Their news divisions were transferred to their entertainment divisions in the later 1980s after Ronnie Raygun's cabal unplugged the Fairness Doctrine.
Excellent point about the Fairness Doctrine. That, combined with Citizens United and gutting of the Voting Rights Act, are the Holy Trinity of the decades long attempt to cement the influence and power of wealth and supplant representative government as serving the greater good. Immunity for a dictator is the coup de grace.
One would expect the Murdoch owned media to give the public the Mushroom Treatment (feed us shit and keep us in the dark) but we are seeing the NYT and Washington Post constantly print news and analysis that is form over substance.
The people need to see through the disinformation and let both common sense and determination to save our country from authoritarianism get out the vote and defeat corrupt power at the ballot box.
I cancelled my subscriptions to both the NYT and WP recently because I noticed just how biased they have become. Lots of negative reporting about Biden but little about Trump. Shameful.
A headline alleging that Republicans have "softened their abortion stance" is flat out BS! The venerable NYT has turned into the New York Post, a ridiculous tabloid.
The WP doggedly outed Nixon's crimes. The plutocrats learned their lesson from that; and unlike in the Vietnam War, we were largely restricted to "in-bedded journalism" in W's Folly. Plutocrats don't want talk of elephants in the room.
What tRump is has no effect on his support. Biden's questionable age-related decline has a great impact on his supporters. The Dems will vote for anyone, it is the uninformed fence sitting head in the sand, struggling Americans who decide elections. And they are constantly overwhelmed by RW propaganda.
What most white Americans see and desparately want to preserve are the enormous economic, legal, and social advantages that they hold over the rest of the population. Most white Ameicans vote for Republicans (and have done so in nearly every election since 1968) primarily to preserve their systemic advantages. They are not victims of disinformation. They know what they are doing. They do it with purpose. In Trump, they have found a leader who openly advocates their top political priority, namely the preservation of their systemic advantages.
All too true in many ways. I find it ironic that ignorant/racist individuals attacking DEI, for example, never want to talk about how people of color dominate so many fields that are based on a true meritocracy and not legacy.
That said, we elected Obama twice. I believe we outnumber the racists but they certainly feel free to wear their racism as a badge.
Rex-Thanks so much for making it plain. Why else would someone vote for a failed businessman, cheater, liar, convicted fraudster, convicted rapist, cruel and disgusting person who tried to steal an election?
Think about it. If Trump and the Rs didn’t have racism as a tool do you think all of these people would be wearing red hats and giving him so much money?
For those who don’t see the racism involved just imagine if Obama did any of the things Trump has done.
So sad that the Dems are sabotaging themselves. They’re panicking because they know that White Americans are more inclined to support Trump who will build on white supremacy.
Meanwhile, the lives of “others” will be seriously jeopardized. For anyone who knows our history of violence it’s terrifying that the majority of White voters are supporting an outright dictator wannabe.
Racism of course, add to that economic challenge. My own community and many others I have traveled through in the past several years are just out of business . The transition to the big box stores and the shut down during the pandemic just enhanced the decline in the faith and hope in rural communities. There is also another very important issue at play. The Iraq War. Many people believe that the standard operating procedure of either of our political parties cannot be trusted and are willing to to just chuck it all and elect any dumb charismatic charlatan that comes along. The new Maga knows this and is willing to shill these lies all the way to power.
Stop lumping white people with the deplorable who support trump! Most of my friends, family & acquaintances support President Biden and the fight to save our Democracy, and we are all White !!!
Rex, you are referring to white Republican voters, who though money driven propaganda get those white blue-collar voters to support the preserving of their systemic advantage. How? Fear and hatred sells.
An addict is not a victim of disinformation. Addicts know what they are doing. They do it with purpose. But they are also harming anyone who is influenced by their actions. And they know on some level they are harming themselves in the long term. It's just that they're careful to keep that level below the level of conscious awareness.
Addiction is the compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. The rewarding stimulus doesn't have to be a substance. Recovering addicts have made the "I am not in charge" acknowledgement, which is necessarily Step 1 of the 12-step program.
Translation: The Republican Party, the SCOTUS majority, and most (not all) of the MSM have yet to arrive at Step 1. They'll be a lot closer when they wake up to their November 6 intervention (aka Democrats winning all three branches of government).
In 2020, 58% of white Americans voted for Trump. But white voters made up only two-thirds of the voters. The other third voted overwhelmingly for Biden.
Paul, if common sense rules we would not be anywhere near where we are today. The vast voting public is driven by fear and hate. Issues and policies are obviously irrelevant.
I have. I came away impressed with the seriousness the jury appeared to bring to their civic obligation. Despite the judge putting his hand on the scale, they weighed the evidence and unanimously came to a verdict that was rational. I was impressed.
There’s always bias and disinformation to overcome.
In this election, one candidate has concentrated on utilizing fear and hate. The other is promoting the common good. Maybe I am naive in my old age but I think the latter wins.
Business is what we call our formal arrangements of exchange. It is how we create civilizations. Cheating is optional, and in a civilized society, discouraged. Teddy Roosevelt talked about the Square Deal, which I take to be one that is win-win on both ends of the exchange. I grow apples and you make baskets, so we try to work out a deal that is satisfactory to both. Contrary to "Reaganomics" a genuine free market or free society is kept free of bullies; those who create monopolies of ownership or political power. Monopoly sucked in the Gilded Age and it sucks now, but in between we sought more sanity. "We the People" are losing purchase on our own society. It does not have to be that way.
I glad she at least raises the issue. The legitimacy of Trump-selected judges bending law to support Trump is an epic scandal in and of itself. If democracy survives all this, future students will wonder what the hell were we thinking?
“…The Lost Pirate Kingdom is a 2021 docuseries created for Netflix. This historical drama portrays the rise and fall of the eponymous early-18th century pirate republic based in Nassau, Bahamas. The series begins in 1715, shortly after the close of the War of the Spanish Succession, which pitted England against Spain. England had waged the war on the cheap, resorting to the use of privateers rather than incurring the expense of fully funding the Royal Navy. It was released on March 15, 2021…”
Long story short, my view has been that the Spanish stole the gold from the indigenous people (making them seem the greater enemy of them). The English were originally more accepted by the indigenous people as a protective ally against the Spanish. Then the English unleashed the Privateers to steal what the Spanish stole, at least until there was no more need for them as allies, which left them unsanctioned (without franchise), so many modified their “tradecraft” into piracy, stealing as much treasure for themselves as they could. Hmmm, a society with no stable rules, just some rather vague ideas of how to not cannibalize fellow pirate gangs that would provide a bit more protection from the more “civilized” and orderly powers.
Makes me wonder who really hates us for our Freedoms as some told us during the GWOT, or the Heritage Foundation, “Con”-Federalist types who’s affinity and seeming support for Project 2025. Are they the modern Pirates actually stealing our treasured Freedoms?
Freedoms and treasure. The shift in total national wealth upward is documentation. Brush away the muddled sales pitch and "Reaganomics" was a prescription for neo-feudalism.
I'm not disagreeing with J L Graham, I'm just going to be a little more specific.
Practicing wisdom is what we call the way we resolve the inevitable dilemmas that emerge in a large and complex social system. Business is one of those practices until it isn't. More specifically, business is one of those practices when it adheres to what Adam Smith referred to as The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), aka treat others as you would want them to treat you. If a business is wise, then it is not cheating because it is only hurting itself in the long term by damaging trust, which is the glue, and the only glue, holding civilization together.
As it is for business, so it is for journalism. If there are actual journalists in the Whitehouse press corps, and I'm sure there are, they must be a very small minority within that group.
From a strictly sociopathic perspective, cheat all you like, because you are all that matters; but such thinking in inimical to a just and satisfying society. From a social perspective. we cannot successfully live together without accepting certain responsibilities, and there both an individual and a social aspect to human personalities. Mutualistic integration of both needs seems to me to be the wisest choice, in pursuit of "enlightened self-interest" happiness.
Ideologically this started with the '1971 Powell Memorandum'... It was furthered with the ruminations of Milton Friedman which places Corporate Profits over any Social Responsibility... The foundation of the Heritage Foundation, and other Right-Wing Organizations, date from the 'Greed Is Good' Reagan Reign... The Far-Right never really goes away, it just retreats temporarily... As I said before, there is Deep-Anger in the Land, and the Oligarchy uses Social Issues, and Wealth Disparity to further their Maximalist Agenda...
Thanks for that. I'd never heard of the Powell Memo. Don't forget William F. Buckley's God and Man at Yale (1951). It's theme is the idea that a few people are important and everyone else is an opportunity to be exploited, or a threat to be neutralized, and otherwise irrelevant, aka neoconservatism.
"They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds." —Mexican Proverb
The urge to prey on other humans, or to eliminate them, runs even deeper, and has been salient in extreme right, left, racial supremacist, and theocratic hellscapes.
Trusting Trump is like Putin "trusting" Prigozhin. The shelf life of such trust is very short when push comes to shove, and his usefulness declines too far.
It does when the Supreme court has set things up for our business world to get away with being totally unethical as the Republican members of SCOTUS are themselves.
They are Putin mouthpieces, tanking our democracy for their current bottom line. Trump will of course throw a lot of journalists in jail and worse just like Strongmen rulers before him.
I don't know that fascists leaders can always differentiate. They tend to be moody too. Journalists should look at what has happened to Jamal Khashoggi, and Evan Gershkovich and ask how they can avoid that. They can flee if they make a plan now. People have walked across the Americans to get to the United States with nothing but some some cash, water and food. Most journalists have more resources than that. What I do know is that just being an oligarch does not protect one under fascism. As Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat points out in her book Strongmen, Putin and Trump place wealthy elites in power, so that means that their methods of controlling them are not going to be financial, but with Kompromat. On the other hand, greedy oligarchs never tire of making more money, and ensuring everyone else has less. It is an ego thing. Almost a fear of being obscure if they cannot. Also, I am sure those Top Secret files include plenty of Kompromat on the members of the Republican party, which is why they are kept in line.
Unfortunately, Linda, your analysis is very astute.
With the sudden flood tide of Virtual Reality in the early 1990s, America (and later, the world) dug a deep, deep hole in a pre-existing pit of psychotic delusions... and half the population fell into it.
Worse, the sane survivors have struggled to get the measure of what was happening to them and to the whole world. We remain completely ignorant of some of the techniques, new and old, being used against us.
I'm afraid that current victories against would-be far-right dictators, even a Democratic triumph gaining the presidency and both houses of Congress, will amount only to buying time in which to adjust to new worldwide realities.
But that tenuous foothold is essential.
The aim of our struggle: to save our children and theirs from the worst of what we are bequeathing them, arming future generations to help themselves in a world devastated not so much by the power of money as by the gravely diseased abuse of that great power.
I cross checked dates (only 2 out of the claimed 8 visits were given fully with date, month, year, kind of suspicious itself) that were cited in that article against factba.se, which is Roll Call's tracking of the official White House Calendar--oh, and btw, Trump refused to publish his real schedule, or track visitors to the White House rigorously, he wanted to grift without people checking. Biden is old school that way.
Biden was in Chicago one day and New York the other day, not at the White House. Without having Biden there when Cannard is there, means NY Times has nothing but insinuations. I'm reading in comments a lot of people who care for Parkinsons patients at home saying there is no way Biden has Parkinsons.
Rosario rightly says this is outright disinformation. It isn't just sloppy journalism, it is outright propaganda on the part of one candidate against another. It is all public information. They are just counting on people not checking. I am really wondering why this isn't getting picked up by mainstream media. Shameful.
And another development--a NY Times journalist who got fired after ten years with the paper claims it was his story. Not sure what that is about. But revealingly, I'm so suspicious of NY Times now, I wonder if that guy was given some money to pretend it was a 'great story' that got stolen, to give something that is so easily proven wrong some false legs?
All I know is the frenzy in the media is overwrought.
I was hoping the mental decline story would have declined by now. Now I'm hoping it will be one of the big stories of this election cycle.
I've experienced mental decline firsthand. An elderly person you've known and respected for years asks you a question and you give them what would previously have been a perfectly sufficient answer, and then they keep asking the same question repetitively, each time as if for the first time.
I'm particularly concerned with an industry-specific and early-onset manifestation of that condition within the Whitehouse press corps. I know the Whitehouse neurologist is only responsible for the thousands of people who serve at the Whitehouse, but maybe Karine Jean-Pierre can sneak them in for a checkup.
Because a free press is one of the cornerstones of egalitarian democracy, mental decline within the WH press corps should and must be a national interest story.
Today, the Times has a front page story about how populism can defeat people who have power and expertise, the coup de gras for chump. Rupert’s slimey effort to redefine our media has succeeded beyond all expectations. They have decided for us. Or think that they have.
The influencers on one side are out for blood and money . The others are genuinely concerned for the health, progress, and integrity of Democracy. The first is excitement, drama, wealth. The second is Ho Hum , boring, principle. It’s sadly just another lesson many miss -forest through the trees.
Sadly, Biden was at the debate. Or his body was there. That is the issue. The debate was beyond a disaster and showed every symptom of Parkinson's. From his gait, and not being able to communicate, not being able to listen, or not able to write notes are symptoms. Unless it is a prepared speech he could read from paper or a teleprompter, there is something seriously wrong with him and those in the middle are not going to vote for an ill candidate.
Ms. Dery. Are you a physician or other medically trained person qualified to make a diagnosis? Are you a neurologist? Have you personally conducted a medical examination and testing of President Biden (or anyone else)? Unless you are so qualified, I am disinclined to heed or respect your comment.
I saw the debate. I've known people with Parkinson's. I suggest you read George Clooney's opinion piece published today. Nancy Pelosi has also suggested Joe retire from the campaign. The undecided will elect the next President. Most of those that saw the debate won't vote for Biden. Although no one should vote for Trump.
The debate did NOT show symptoms of Parkinsons! Have you watched anything besides the debate? Do not believe something is seriously wrong with him just because some people are freaking out.Energy would be far better spent campaigning against Trump!
Are you aware that every time a Party has switched out a candidate, it has lost that election?
I've watched Biden's gait. And the debate is all that counts. No candidate has ever had such a disappointing and shocking performance. Regarding switching candidates, 1968 does not compare. After LBJ said he would not run the end of March, Robert Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey ran in spirited primary's. Kennedy won California and with that the nomination. He was assassinated that night. Vietnam was raging. A riot filled convention in August in Chicago turned off many voters. Yet by election day, Humphrey barely loss. Read George Clooney's column that came out today. Nancy Pelosi also said Biden should consider giving up his candidacy. The dam is breaking. Maybe Biden should consider resigning from the Presidency and Harris would be sworn in. We are in a difficult situation with a Trump presidency as a real possibility.
I agree that the debate was more debacle than debate…..however, I am not a specialist on Parkinson’s, but I do have a great deal of knowledge of feeling intimidated and bullied…..the anxiety and fear it instills in me causes me to behave in much the same way Biden did. Perhaps that ought to be considered …..just sayin
Exactly! It is absolutely terrifying to see these democrats doing the same thing as the republicans have been doing: denying reality and blaming the truth tellers of lying
What you think you saw and what was actually said by Biden are very different. President Biden answered the questions and talked about policy and his record as President.
Convicted felon trump ignored the questions and told lies in between gibberish.
When a member of Joe Biden’s inner circle claims that he “functions capably” between the daytime hours of 10 and 4, it becomes hard to claim that the President is being ringingly endorsed by those who see him most often and closely.
There has been a mountain of commentary from medical authorities and political veterans in the last two weeks. At best Biden is damned with faint praise. More often there is a shuddering fear of his chances to be in a second term that engaged, brilliant and compassionate President we have been so proud of in the first term.
Whether people like it or not, the torrent of criticism that has exploded in the last two weeks did not come from the ether. President Biden imploded on the debate stage against an opponent whose performance was a master class in mendacity. There was no discussion afterwards of who won the debate. The alarm bells were sounding too loudly.
One way or another Biden is finished. He will pull out at the last possible moment when he throws a fresh log on a burning pyre with another unscripted moment of verbal wandering the fog. Or he will be decimated by Trump in November and America’s long era of flawed but energetic democracy will come to an end.
Biden may feel it’s hugely unfair. He is undoubtedly sensing that leaving the Presidency will be akin to falling off the edge of the world. He no doubt feels that he is the best suited to do the job and all the rest is noise.
All of this leaves me infuriated. Millions of people live through the humiliation of forced retirement when they still feel capable but others see otherwise. This is a hard part of life and I have empathy for Biden. It happened to me.
But the fate of the free world did not rest on my enforced retirement. Biden’s is virtually that significant. He is not going to win the Presidency a second time and the Republicans are going to freely dismantle the country thereafter.
I turn away from this car wreck now. The tsunami of accusations and counter accusations no longer interests me. This White House, which did such great work for four years, has gone rogue in its attempts to circle the wagons around a frail octogenarian. I have no interest in further spectacle, and like the condemned prisoner, merely await execution.
No, Beth is probably not a physician or she would be waving that status around like a flag but she is talking about her own eyes. As on January 6, 2021, when I sat in front of my TV for hours and, even then, did not know even 1/2 of what was going going on I saw the debate in it’s entirety. That was not the President I expected. Who cares what a probable exact diagnosis was or is ? The poor man appeared greatly diminished and we have 4 long, hard years ahead of us. I am a native NYC person and I would never vote for Trump , never, never but I don’t go around making excuses for a bare fact.
Not their point however. The point is to push the clamor, prey upon convenient assimilation and convince the unsuspecting sheep , it’s been done over and over.
Please understand and help others to see that this argument about whether Biden should or shouldn’t run is fabricated solely to divide us! This must stop NOW!
Biden is fully capable and if he becomes incapacitated, we have VO Harris and a fully functional White House staff and cabinet to carry on!
Yesterday, on Progress Radio there was a MAGA that called in to Michelangelo's claiming to talk about the Biden Press Secretary being mistreated by the press. But when he went on the air he started the typical MAGA BS about Biden ruining the country blah blah blah. Michelangelo cut him off immediately and called him a MF for deceitfully getting on the show. He told him his number was in their "do not take the call" list so don't bother calling back and that he would have gladly discussed Biden's acuity if he had just been honest.
But yeah, he called him an MF on the radio and I'm perfectly fine with calling a spade a spade.
It isn't fabricated if you watch Biden's appearances such as the debate and the interview with ABC (and I'm worried about that), but I will vote for Biden over Trump 100% of the time in any alternative universe.
What is fabricated is the press not going all out against Trump, being a criminal and now allowed to take even more power via the Supreme Court if elected. And then there may not be another fair election after that.
I would think that ABC, being owned by Disney and persecuted by Ron DeSantis down in Florida, would understand that, even as a large corporation.
Yes, Biden is 81 and Trump barely behind him. That alone, with the demands of the jobs, is important but the press is ignoring reality for a story. The project 2025 link is clear even if Trump denies today but where is there ever consistency with him?
And did you watch the opening of NATOs 75th anniversary yesterday!!! If you’re going to watch a debate and an interview keep watching. Did you watch any of the State of the Union addresses?
Matt, I read the book “Rather Speaking” by Dan Rather. It tells the true story of why he left CBS and is because of his integrity and faithfulness to journalism that he left. CBS did not want him reporting the truth about the war in Vietnam.
Now we have more of the same. News reporters who cannot tell the truth.
I listen to ABC News usually and I remember back in the beginning of Trump’s first campaigning I felt ABC was in favor of Trump and that just shocked me. There appeared to be a shift close to the election but I really lost faith in ABC as well. Now here we are again with the same kind of reporting it has destroyed the confidence the people have for news, at least the Democrats!
Not that there aren’t foxes in that henhouse too…the infiltration is long established , covert, and out n out espionage . I’m not sure how long the ruse was happening in Germany/Turkey/Italy before the facts were clear…and how long it took to roust the culprits…perhaps they are never really gone but just move to another unsuspecting arena….hmmmm🤔🤦♀️
Unfortunately there are plenty of prominent Democrats that joined in the “fabrication”. Americans think of
Presidents as super-humans that solve all county’s problems by themselves. Presidency is a collective endeavour with the President assembling a cabinet that implements the policies of the Party. Well, that is not the case with the.previous Presidency or with the, God forbid, the next one. 😳
I’m a lifelong Democrat and will support our nominee of course. The argument that Biden should remove himself from the running is not fabricated, in fact, it is a talking point of Biden and his supporters that somehow elites or the media or talking heads have made up this argument. I watched the debate as did 50 million people, and Biden‘s cognitive impairment is obvious. It is not that he was tired or sick though he may have been as well . I think he is a weak candidate who cannot beat Trump, when beating Trump is of the essence. It’s risky to change now, but it’s riskier not to. Please don’t demean the many of us in the party and on the left who want Biden to graciously drop out of the running. It is all about preserving our democracy and beating Trump. I respect you, Dr. Richardson, and the millions of people who disagree with me.
Annabel, this is very disgusting. It was the lead story on the NBC national news tonight with the result that we shut off the TV. All of them should be discussing that death star is a felon. All of them should be discussing his increasing dementia. All of them should be discussing in depth Project 25.
Linda, I think I oppose it and I'm fully behind all of the Democrats running for their respective offices.
Over 75,000 women have been impregnated in the red states that totally or almost totally ban abortions. I don't know that statistics but I am aware that under Abbott only 1/3 as many rape cases are prosecuted in TX as they were before he took office. That is legalized rape which should be prosecuted but isn't. So most of these 75000 rapists would be able to run for office as they are not convicted felons. Meanwhile people like Kavanaugh. Goetz and CFDT are rapists, but they will never be convicted.
So what will happen is that Republicans will set up a candidate and have them convicted whether they go through with the crime or not.
Gary, I went looking at Texas rape arrests/convictions when the stats on Texas pregnancies due to rape were published with the number at (rounded) 26,000. In 2023 there were (rounded) 14,000 reported rapes and 1400+ convictions for rape (many of these rapes would have occurred in earlier years, because a fair number of felony trials take longer to be held).
Thanks Ally. Hmmm. That's even worse than what I read although it was a while ago so the stats may have been a few years old.
26,000 pregnancies but how many were carried to delivery I wonder? And how many of the mothers of the live births are collecting child support from the rapist or incestuous relative?
I like the Death Star analogy. To calm myself I’ve been binge-watching the Star Wars movies and I’ve started thinking of him as Darth Rumpus myself. Which raises the question, where is the exhaust port we need to target to take him down and where is the X Wing fighter pilot to do it? Maybe Seal Team 6…
There's only one of those movies worth watching more than once (the one released back in 1977). They've become what Scorsese has termed "international audio-visual corporate entertainment content." As a screenwriter, the stories past the first two are an embarrassment that someone went to an expensive school to learn to write such drivel. (I say that as an actual S-F writer who wrote an S-F "cult classic" movie, and former member of SFWA - before the field became recycled comic books) Anything on TCM is better, like the restored director's cut of "New York, New York" now being shown with the 30 minutes that gave the movie its heart restored. If this version had been what got released in 1977, Liza Minelli would have won Best Actress in a role where she topped her mother.
I agree they have many flaws but there will always be a soft spot in my heart for Return of the Jedi. It’s not great cinema but it’s fun. Right now I need the movie equivalent of cotton candy and that’s what these provide. I could spend all day agreeing with you about the flaws in the prequels and the lack of focus or cohesion in the last three, with a story line that twists more than a rope. But as escapism, well, it fills a niche for me. I’m more a reader than a movie watcher but I’m having trouble focusing on serious stuff right now and between the heat wave where I am and the news, the visual equivalent of cotton candy is what gets me through the night, literally, as we have no AC so I’m sleeping all day under fans and watching movies all night. When I’m feeling less grim I’ll watch something more meaty, such as The Green Mile or Shawshank Redemption, which I started last night but realized wasn’t going to suit the mood.
sounds like a plan. Do check out New York New York. It has this terrible critical history from the first release, then there was a restoration of 20 minutes of the original cut done in the 80s with a one-time release and critics said Oh, it's not as bad as I remember. Then this final restoration and you find a Scorsese masterpiece.
Manhattan born baby here. 1977/8 were desperate, tragic years for me. I love Liza Minnelli and even enjoyed New York, New York in its first release. The promise of a re-cut with ‘its heart restored’ is a promise of redemption for both me and Scorsese. Thanks for this information.
That is one of my absolute favorite movies, and Stephen King's novel is incredible, and the movie adaptation is so well done. The movie, in particular, gives the best snippet I have ever seen of what a coward with a badge looks like. It is also a cracking good story.
Wow, I am feeling and acting in the same way Sioux! For me it’s been mystery series on Acorn TV, especially those with lovely English villages and landscapes!
Sounds like you know what you’re talking about TC. I respectfully request your top 10 list of must watch movies. I’ll settle for your top five if you don’t have the time. Many thanks in advance.
Well, I did spend 40 years in Hollywood learning something. :-)
In no particular order - all available on streaming at MGM+ or TCM - I'll catch these any time they're available:
"1900" (only the director's 5 hour cut - which doesn't seem like that long when you're watching) - the rise and fall of fascism in Italy.
"The Bridges at Toko-ri" (Everybody told me if I did this movie I wouldn't have a career - but I already didn't have a career" - Mickey Rooney. Best aviation movie ever)
"Singing in the Rain" - best "Hollywood movie" ever
"Casablanca" - best movie ever
"Full Metal Jacket" - best Vietnam movie.
"Lonely Are The Brave" - Kirk Douglas' favorite Kirk Douglas movie - mine too,.
"Chinatown" - because it's great
"Godfather" - I and II together.
"Aliens" - best sequel ever
"Band of Brothers" - the 10 best war movies ever made
Thank you. I see him as barreling through the universe causing death with everything he touches, a giant festering cancerous blob on the body politic. We watch a lot of various series on streaming services. And we read. It has been over a 100 here the last couple days, so we can't be outside and relegated to the AC, and very thankful we have it. I have been getting out early to pick berries when the temps are lower, but the humidity is higher.
HCR's extensive and well-balanced listing of symptoms -- exemplary, public-spirited information work -- remains incomplete as a diagnosis of America's ills.
Mammoth in the room, the fact that -- despite the reality of a remarkable recovery in physical health -- the country itself remains desperately sick: mass dementia, mass psychosis...
The delusions of a raving psychopath should be his problem and his alone but he -- like Hitler and other dictators -- has given voice to the raging fears, resentments and hatreds fermenting in the sump of the nation's collective unconscious.
Driving, corraling, stampeding our demons.
I shall be returning to this enormous issue and its consequences.
Regular people who don’t pay much attention politics still can’t believe these two old guys are the beat choices the country could come up with.
Readers here are well aware of the dangers of Teump and so will vote for anybody else. But he polls well. After all that we went through - all the chaos and Jan 6!!
In Sarah Longwell’s Focus Groups a number of people were turned off by J6 but yet …
I do keep remembering that candidate Trump beat Hilary only in the Electoral College. She was far more qualified but he was Change. (Also what Obama ran on!)
After 4 years of Trump, Biden was the steady and experienced hand that we knew we needed, and we were right.
I guess people have forgotten how bad it was under Trump. But how?!?
Said elsewhere, but all the "smart people" have a wide range of opinions. A couple of them might even turn out to be correct. Feeble still trumps insane
The BIDEN clarity that is spoken of is every head of country/state’s leaders indication , in vast array. The experience stands solid, the ‘ 21-24accomplishment is amazing from a political mess and worldwide pandemic is the two best stats. Except from the authoritarians ..who are here in office as well as abroad .
Well said Patricia. Repost as a general comment to HCR’ summation so more readers will see it. I fully agree. “The team on hand is exemplary. Vote BLUE. And may I add VOTE BLUE UP AND DOWN THE TICKET. It is DEMOCRACY on the ticket, not just one man. Wake Up America!
You are so welcome. This is not the time to change course. For those candidates down stream worried about their election need to go back to their constituents and speak loudly the truth about democracy so they get over their fear which is being influenced by the Repubs lead by the biggest liar con man of our time who have effectively taken away their rights giving power to big corporations who dictate our sense of daily economy , not the current President and his extremely effective administration.
I agree Michele that it is disgusting that a non-fact checked lead story shouldn't be aired. That's for Fox and the Murdoch RNC networks to report.
We need to ask them to do no HARRM. (Hate Anger Resentment Revenge and Misinformation).
Most of us have one or more friends or family members that are MAGA or Evangelicals. My sister's best friend is a 64 year old school teacher who only cares about one issue and that is abortion. Her and her husband fostered several kids and adopted most of them. They spent everything they had on the kids who were often not model citizens.
She has alienated all of the other teachers with her incessant speeches about what a great guy CFDT is. But she has had cancer for 10 years and my sister feels terrible about arguing with her.
I suggested that she ask her friend to list four things that CFDT did to make America great. My sister is meeting with her today so hopefully she will have a chance to ask her.
HCR lays out the accomplishments of the Biden administration which go way beyond the long list she mentions. I came name dozens of things the CFDT administration did and will do to that are awful as we all can, but the cognitive dissonance is too loud for most of the MAGAs and Evangelicals to hear. But, they aren't the ones we will ever win over in November anyway.
So ask the fence sitters to name 4 things. That bar is incredibly low, but millions of people aren't paying attention at this point. We need them to engage.
And that's what Kamala has been doing at college campuses and ladies groups all across the country. Getting people to engage.
Gary, fortunately, for us, our relatives who are close at hand are in our camp. The rest of them are in the midwest and all I see from them are the squabbles and bad luck that they seem to have a lot of. They are very good at having children and at this point, I have at least a dozen great greats. And we are also lucky that our friends are also in our camp. I hear from some of them who are not so lucky.
Ah yes, abortion and now we have all sorts of horror stories about what happens to women who need medical attention and doctors who are scared to do anything. It will only get worse if death star prevails.
The fence sitters who get to me are the progressives who do not understand that they can't have their ideals asap and so often do things that undermine hard earned progress. Our garden helper, whose heart is in the right place, is one of those. She thinks Biden sucks and she wondered what Kamala was doing. We explained that Kamala is out there, but it is ver seldom reported. She supported Bernie which I understand. What I couldn't stand was some of his supporters and I told her a story about a couple local jerks who thought nothing, at a meeting of the county Ds, of insulting a long time D who has worked all of her life to make things better.
Here's an open question that popped into my head to anyone who knows people who work for these MSM organizations, because I don't. How do they rationalize their organization's behavior to people with whom they have a personal relationship when they're asked why they protect authoritarian autocracy from egalitarian democracy? Let me guess. They say, "I'm right, you're wrong, and this conversation is over." In that case, tell them they are responding to a legitimate question in the same as a MAGA cult member.
I have waded through about 10% of it. So much blaming of Biden administration for, well, everything. And it's usually at the beginning of each chapter.
But once you get into the deets, it gets worse far worse. Even CFDT is trying to distance himself by rewriting the official RNC platform. But he can't help himself by inserting lie after lie and praising himself for his brilliance. The thing is, there are so many uneducated low IQ people that will never read it.
Agreed. I’ve known quite a few people who have/had Parkinson’s. President Biden exhibits none of these symptoms. I doubt that any of the reporters even know what the disease is.
Thom Hartmann explains today's yellow journalism, which basically comes down to Follow the Money: Billionaire media owners' self interest in maximum profits, minimal taxes, and deregulation, which is fueled by publishing spectacle and "inversion of expectation." Click bait: "If it bleeds, it leads" and sensationalize the extraordinary rather than the boring ordinary.
All this started when Reagan ended enforcement of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, which opened the floodgates for far right wing media: Rush Limbaugh’s national talk radio in1988 and Rupert Murdoch’s Fox “News” in 1996.
Yes-of course they would seize the media and support Trump to maintain power and wealth. Divide and conquer has worked so well for them. Dividing the Dems is a winner at this point. So sad for America and the world.
Our children and grandchildren will be the losers as the future will be chaotic, hateful and violent when Trump and the Rs take power again.
I listened for a little bit to Lawrence O’Donnell last PM. Not only did he reinterate what HCR said above, he pointed out that it is publicly accessible knowledge that President Biden was not even at the White House for the visits of the neurologist, except for the dates corresponding to his annual exam. O’Donnell made the comment that this is basic journalism steps that the NYTs completely overlooked. The TImes isn’t just going overboard with their coverage of Biden, they are doing direct hit jobs on him. Someone needs to be fired and they can go get a job at the National Enquirer!
Wow, what an opportunity since he knows more perps than anyone. But anybody who can bankrupt a casino, can screw up anything. Look what he did to the Presidency.
A couple of notes from my diary in November 2016. These, I shall keep on repeating:
GREAT AGAIN?
Democracy? Democracy? Where's that? I see only oligarchy.
Chances are DT will bankrupt oligarchy, as he’s bankrupted all he touches, and try for the only thing he (thinks he) understands: dictatorship.
But will the Republic survive the attempt?
*
SYRIA—DRESS REHEARSAL?
It all began, not with an armed uprising, but with protest demonstrations. As in Russia in 1905, it was the regime’s violent response that set fire to the powder keg.
Now here’s the question: is this war the dress rehearsal for what will befall whoever dares resist oligarchy?
Unfortunately, Jeri, we shall not have to wait until the next generation. Whatever the outcome of this year's November elections, there will be mayhem.
Here’s a very rapid and sketchy summary of what is already under way:
The Conspiracy has been preparing the ground for this moment for well over a decade.
They, their teetotal Delirium Tremens, the MAGA movement and their operatives, in Congress, in state houses up and down the country, in the judiciary, all the way down from the Supreme Court, all left off hiding their plans and came out into the open on January 6th 2021—the putsch that failed—since which date we have had something surely new to the world, a permaputsch, day in, day out, smoldering under our feet like a peat fire.
Now the chessmen (and woman) on the Supreme Court have prepared the ground for the form of presidency in place for the past 234 years to be replaced by a form of monarchy not seen since the 17th century, show every sign of planning the establishment of a State religion, contrary to the 1st Amendment, are ensuring that ordinary citizens may use bump stocks to make their semi-automatic firearms fully automatic, while a lesser colleague is doing her damnedest to ensure that a proven security risk of the vastest proportions stays Scot free to sell the country to his mentor in the Kremlin or the highest bidder.
And all that’s only for starters, nor do we know much about who’s been planted in the higher echelons of the Services and all the organizations responsible for citizens’ wellbeing and safety. We know only that there are to be no more citizens, only “subjects” and inequality-before-the-Lawyers, and that the population is to be divided into four castes:
- Ultra-oligarchs
- Those males who do their bidding
- Females (Handmaids)
- (On sufferance) those needed to do dirty work that no one else is willing to take on.
- All others to be rounded up, placed in concentration camps and expelled from the US… or otherwise disposed of.
This and innumerable other goodies for the higher echelons of the pecking order and punishments for those whose skin is the wrong color, whose sexual preferences are forbidden or whose features are deemed substandard.
To everyone: cancel your subscription to most of the MSM, and tell them why, which is because you don't want to be lied to anymore, and because you can get the truth by watching Lawrence O'Donnell.
A bit off topic, Jeri, but your comment reminded me of a long ago SF Chronicle (the pink Datebook section) headline—during Nixon Watergate kerfuffle that read: “Cox Picked As Prober”—some editor had a wicked sense of humor! A laugh out loud 🤣 headline that I cut out and saved, now buried somewhere in my house…really should find it & get it framed & hang it on the wall.
I couldn't agree more Annie. They've given Maggie Haberman and Paul Krugman long leashes to bash CFDT and their bizarro economic policies and Michelle Goldberg is left leaning otherwise they love them some CFDT and bash Biden every chance they get.
We're all doing the same thing. We're all make assumptions and then we draw a conclusion. And then we take one of two paths. The wise path is to recognize that our assumptions are potentially erroneous but testable, which is why they must be stated. The other path is to jump to the conclusion that "my conclusion is right, and anyone who disagrees with me is wrong." The former are sane, and the latter deserved to be mocked.
Anyone knowing nothing about what is going on other than what is documented in this thread, which includes a lot of very specific information, would find Annie's comment to be in harmony with that information. I don't know what your assumptions are. Maybe they're legitimate. If so, add them to the record. But your conclusion -- that it was Annie making a mock-worthy comment -- conflicts with that information.
Translation: With respect, unintended disrespect is still disrespectful, and if you're looking for someone to mock, consider looking in the mirror.
Thank you for the thoughtful observation, with which I can mostly agree. What is very mockable is the opine that the NYSlimes has never supported Biden. If the mockee finds that disrespectful, perhaps that should prompt a re-examination of the opinion.
It is flat out lying! Biden should do to the US press what Megan and Harry did to the British press which is sue them for slander. As for the courts, people should be backing AOC in her attempt to impeach Supreme Court justices. I am not funding Dick Durbin because he is not listening to my pleas to do the same, but I have sent AOC money, along with Biden to show my support of him even though I give monthly donations to the party.
The billionaires want Rump. They want him to destroy democracy so they can do as they please. And that’s why they pour an endless flood of money in this media campaign against Biden. It’s as simple as that…
Exactly this (see comment by J L Graham). Billionaires like Musk, Thiel and Murdoch wager that they can simply buy the power they want in a fascist regime because these are practically always corrupt - so their bet isn't far off, I'd say. It would be an easy system: they would simply pay dictator alias god-emperor Trump to make the laws that they want. A democracy is too cumbersome for them: the ordinary people (their slaves) have a say in government, and, heaven forbid, may impose rules on the billionaires that prevent them from doing what they want - mostly, getting even more rich. That is why they want to get rid of democracy; see: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/03/billionaires-for-trump-presidential-election
"You cannot become rich by working hard. You can earn a good living by working hard. But you can only become rich by exploiting people." - quote not by me, but I cannot remember who said it...
I like this. “Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.” Nelson Mandela. But of course, when it is profitable to some, it becomes a righteous cause.
Yeah, DM, an oligarch class just like in other dictator-led authoritarian countries. I hear it’s good for the yacht & mansion building businesses tho’.
I think that they think that will all the power their money can buy, they will stay in control. There always seems to be attraction between oligarchs and despots.
The 1000+ billionaires enjoy paying 8.5% income taxes plus their SS income is capped at $168,600 this year. Many of the corporate CEOs earn that in a week or less.
CFDT has made promises to extend the ridiculous tax cuts that have handcuffed the Federal budget process since 2018.
Of course the Republicans didn't mind adding $7.9 trillion to the national debt under CFDT. But now we have to cut spending because of the runaway debt.
Of course they didn't mind; as long as the money keeps flowing into their pockets and their donors' pockets, they don't care where it comes from. If it comes form the pockets of ordinary people, even better: it keeps them poor, angry and easy to oppress.
The rich used to care about their country, well, mostly. Rupert made it respectable to “ask not what you can do for you country; ask what your country can do for you.” And we weren’t even his country. But he won’t discriminate, he would destroy any country. Now he will have a direct line to Putin.
Yes, Bruce, I’d read it in the wee hours of the night—it’s a long read, very thorough & righteously kicks some ass!!! Like all the links to source material as well.
Jeri-Remember “swift boat” against John Kerry and Dukakis with the tank and hypothetical about his wife being raped? The R playbook is in full force and too many Dems are falling for it.
Miselle, BTC & Beau “bring it” in these vids, thanks for the links! That TFFFG is basically declaring that he is the A#1 Best Criminal President EVER & grifting off it is enough to bring strong men with tears in their eyes to their knees in adoration. This puts the movie “Idiocracy” to shame—either that, or TFFFG saw it and stole the idea on how to be a president.
Every journalists appear forced to write something attention getting as they are rated by the number of reader's comments. This is similar to corruption of academic standards as they emphasize the number of publications.
The real story that someone should be highlighting here at some point, is how common neurological issues are among veterans. My late husband, a Navy Vet, died of ALS. Having been a frequent visitor to the VA clinic in Minneapolis, I can tell you that the numbers of veterans being treated for various neurological conditions like Parkinson’s are big, and growing at a rapid rate, and most of the conditions seen are fatal - not to mention how devastating caring for a loved with these conditions is to family and friends. This has been a giant, hidden story about how military service leads to deadly neurological conditions for years. Yet these damn useless “journalists” look at the click bait story trying to find dirt on the President and salivate. And abuse the Press secretary unmercifully - with apparently complete ignorance of HIPPA laws.
And why, for the love of god, are these same journalists not screaming at the Trump campaign about releasing Trumps medical records. The guy can’t string three coherent sentences together. The media? Crickets. Thank heavens for Substack.
Sheila, 💔❤️🩹 I’m so sorry that your husband and you had to deal with this dread malady. Our country OWES a debt to our current and former military members (and their families who also “serve”) & we must see to it that all are provided decent and timely medical services….good grief, that is the very LEAST that should be done. I am glad that Biden has unwavering support of our troops. That press conference with Karine being badgered was painful to watch, but she handled it adroitly and assertively, while I wanted to lunge thru my TV screen & tell the guy to STFU!!!—-but she’s too classy for that!
I take counsel in how truly, seriously infirm was FDR during his great, great, great presidency.
Joe has age issues today? Yes, worry. But compared to FDR's crippling polio?
It isn't Joe's age that keeps Dems from celebrating their great agenda for the 2024 elections. It's the Dems themselves. They should be naming each other by name, by the colorful character of each region they represent -- cuisine highly included -- and by the issues as local constituents name them.
Dems across the map should be getting into gear for an enthusiastic campaign of naming each other and their issues. Not just waiting, playing tiddlywinks on the Joe-is-aging issue.
Yes, I agree with you. Democrats have a tendency of not being united and not aggressive enough. They must move forward and stop this nonsense of criticism of Biden. The clock is ticking, enough of the rhetoric.
That's a good comparison, Phil. But I have my own worries that many won't vote for Biden due to his age and having difficulty in communicating, an infirmity FDR didn't seem to have.
That said, if Biden is going to try to go for another 4 years, then they had better well come up with a good offense rather than only being on the defensive. Maybe even cancel the second debate, I don't know, or shorten it?
The NATO meeting is a good start on coming up with a good offense, and it is being covered on CNN. The Biden Administration needs to continue getting its message out.
Sorry Matt I have to disagree. FDR was great no doubt about that however, he had limited exposure to the public in real time for Americans to grasp the infirmity of his Polio. He also did not have what we have today to deal with, sound bites that can be manipulated, or a speech impediment, stuttering, for which President Biden has worked for years to overcome, but today’s sound bites don’t allow him to speak slowly so that his speech is clear with time to control his diction. But his brain is clear, his experience on the world stage invaluable and the results of his administration stellar considering what he inherited and the state of the entire world. My point, we need to get over the one man show and concentrate on the man and his administration and policies or accept project 2025 as our life. I for one am not ready to do that. Somehow I don’t think you are either. I am doing my best to get the word out to stop giving I even to a loosing strategy of replacing Biden because when we do, I don’t who care is on the ticket, we just gave it to Trump.
It is fine to disagree. We Dems and independents who are really Dems will have differences on this matter. I will happily vote for Joe in November if he is the candidate. All of my arguments are based on wondering if enough others will do so. Getting 90% of Dems and Dem-leaning independents won't be good enough.
Plus: Henry A. Wallace, V.P.; Roy Stryker, Farm Security Administration, attorneys general Frank Murphy, Robert H. Jackson; Secretary of State, Cordell Hull; treasury, Henry Morgenthau Jr.; war dept. Henry L. Stimson; commerce Harry Hopkins; labor, Frances Perkins; navy, James Forrestal; Henry A. Wallace also at commerce and agriculture.
Terry, I have wondered—once all this sh*t hit the fan & the media keeps slinging more at it—that it was too slick and convenient by half. I am not one to dabble in conspiracy theories, but I sure wondered who/what was behind what seems to be an orchestrated pile-on. Dunno…but if there are any dedicated investigative journalists out there, I’d sure like them to peel back the lid and take a look to see if this constitutes anything like intentional election interference.
I've kinda been following the NYT and WP in regard to what they cover about Biden and Trump. By far they both cover Biden more negatively and more often.
Dan Froomkin has been covering the press for a number of years pretty much with the same conclusion. https://presswatchers.org/author/froomkin/ The same can be said about CNN. Although not as bad as Fox they are more like Fox-lite.
Bottom line its hard to deny that like Fox the NYT and WP are in the bag for Trump.
FDR had polio, but his physical affliction was irrelevant to his performance as President.
FDR had one of the sharpest minds of any President. That's what matters, and that's the question at issue with President Biden.
Unfortunately, those who have seen his performance in settings where he cannot use a teleprompter and must depend on his wits are less than confident in his abilities.
Most recently, actor and fundraiser George Clooney, one of President Biden's strongest backers, weighed in, noting that:
"I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, he's won many of the battles he's faced. But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It's devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe 'big F-ing deal' Biden of 2010. He wasn't even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate."
As usual, partisans make assumptions about my political views that are false. I get the same in reverse every time I comment on a Wall Street Journal article. Please keep your insults to yourself.
Of course you've seen the first tape. It was the one you mentioned in your first comment. Also, please clean up your language and I ask you to refrain from insults.
As for Biden's performance yesterday, he clearly demonstrated superior knowledge on several foreign policy questions, but he also introduced President Zelenskyy as "Vladimir Putin" and in the press conference referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as "Vice President Trump." He did not move the needle yesterday for those who think he should withdraw from the campaign, and more Democratic officials are calling on him to withdraw today.
Joe Biden is a good man, and far preferable to a convicted felon like Trump, but it's also clear that he's not the same person he was in 2020, when he was running for his first term. If he's like this now, what's he going to be like in a couple of years?
Living in a left behind county for the past 50+ years, I have marveled at the way people reliably vote against their own economic self interests in favor of perceived cultural issues. It defies logic but it’s all about how politicians make them feel rather than assessing what politicians actually do.
“The Trump proposal would cut SSI by more than $8 billion over the next decade, shrinking benefits for roughly a quarter of a million children with disabilities by between 38 and 66 percent. It would also increase SSI’s administrative costs and improper payments”.
That's why we should be telling MAGATs "don't slit your own throat" by supporting any Republican.
As long as they crush the libs, they are all for it. At least that is what I see in my retired cop cohort. Christian Nationalism is what they long for, but they sure don't see what they're going to get along with it...
Ally, it’s like they see a vampire at the door, unable to cross the threshold, who tells them “I will suck the blood from all them libtards”…..”oh wonderful” is the reply “come on in!”.
Christian nationalism is a large part of that. Clearly having Satan promise paintings of white Jesus on classroom walls, a Bible on every student's desk, prayers before every school and government meeting, and no abortions ever, and that candidate will win in rural counties.
I left rural middle GA six years ago. I still have family and friends there, but I don't miss living there. I served my time.
FT 6 texted into GA. We didn't get as many negative replies as expected. Virtually non from Hotlanta.
Text Arcade is a super-fast text bank that costs $25 a ticket. 100% of the ticket price goes to funding your 1,400 texts. (To put this in perspective, it costs a volunteer $1,300 to send 1,400 postcards!) FT6 pays for about half of those texts in order to keep the ticket price reasonable.
Our human emotions are key to how we choose to live our lives given our personal experiences and circumstances. Understanding why and how different individuals feel differently should be be a basic tenet in early years education. Empathy training. Present day politicians, for the most part, still monitor their success or failure on simple economic statistics. They then election campaign with these GDP figures without ever testing them against the actual emotional well being or not these figures are delivering in individual every day lives. It is a structural blind spot in capitalist democracies. One that is exploited and manipulated by unscrupulous psychologically informed corporate media moguls working in the shadows for anonymous donors.
A measurement for the political delivering of individual and environmental well being is long overdue.
Katie Porter has long been my favorite House member. I'll miss her, but I've got another contender, Jasmine Crockett. This is what I posted today on a Boston Globe piece about Biden:
Over the past two days, I've heard two of our Representatives take opposite positions about whether or not Biden should run. Jasmine Crockett (https://crockett.house.gov/about) of TX and Adam Smith (https://adamsmith.house.gov/) of CA. Congressman Smith blamed Biden for not communicating his message well enough. Representative Crockett took up the challenge and communicated forcefully why she is supporting the President, talking specifically about all the help he has provided for the community that she represents. My thanks to Rep. Crockett. My question to Congressman Smith: why don't you spread the good word about what an excellent President Biden has been and will continue to be? Biden is busy right now being President, welcoming the NATO ministers to the White House and preparing support for Ukraine, so it makes sense to me for the House members in his party to do some excellent communicating to their constituents on behalf of our President.
Jeri, probably more in common than not, it’s just that there was only one seat to compete for. I was on many hiring committee’s in my time & was so frustrating to have to choose only one candidate when there more than one excellent choice, often wishing we could hire both! Many a time making the call (I always called rather than sending a letter) to let someone know they weren’t selected & if they were one of the excellent choices, I would tell them how impressed we were and to encourage them to continue to pursue positions on campus.
I'm guessing that there are more like her. We just have to listen when they speak and to support them as they express a desire to be our public servants.
Interesting to know that Biden has a touch of neuropathy in his feet, which explains why he walks so gingerly — And it has NOTHING to do with his mental competence! Or even his stamina. If he were rolling around in a wheelchair, would we think he could not be president? {FDR, anybody?}
I know! And it's tough to try to ignore -- Hard to judge where your feet are placed, the lay of the land beneath them ... Has ZERO to do with cognition. As, it seems, you are aware. Hmmmph.
As I’ve told many people wringing their hands over Biden…Harris would be the backup candidate regardless. Now, or deep into a second Administration. Either way, vote Blue.
I also follow up with “An empty chair would be a better President than CFDT”.
This country won't elect a woman president. Elect Joe, and if he wishes or must he can then pass the torch into capable hands. Problem solved, no hysterics required (other than to sell papers and fill cable content).
And while we're here, ask why TFG needs to choose a new VP.
Yes, but the terrifying truth is that Biden will NOT win! The swing voters he relied on in 2020 will not come out for him. I agree with you that he has been a great president and yet his approval ratings are in the low 30th. They are because of his age!!! That has not gotten any better since the debate debacle where it became so clear for everybody to see that Biden is in cognitive decline. That is the reality!
The sky is not falling. Young voters have discovered Project 2025 despite the corporate media, and they are ready to mobilize. It is our job to make sure no one forgets in the next four months. Chin up. There is indeed reason to worry, but best to turn your fears into fighting. All is not lost until we say it is.
If you READ the debate it becomes crystal clear that Biden is NOT in cognitive decline, that he actually won. It’s up to us to explain the contents of Project 2025 to the younger voters and swing voters. One of the authors called it Trumpism institutionalized. People need to put quotes from it on all social media clearly defining them as Trumpism institutionalized, with source.
Thanks, Pilgrim, that’s what I’ve been telling folks to do—read the transcripts of both of them & it becomes crystal clear who’s “got it” and who “lacks it”. Ridin’ with Biden/Harris!
I share your concerns, Tanja. The majority here are trying to just hold out for a few more months and hope that Biden finishes strong. With some good press on what the Biden Administration has done and continues to do, maybe he will. (I would cancel the second debate, however.)
I would like to know how you envision any other candidate than Biden beating trump. Changing candidates now — no matter who it is — will piss a lot of people off. I don’t see how unity around another candidate will. At least with Biden we have a great track record to run with. If Biden can’t finish another four years we Harris backing him up.
We are caught in storm of bullets, right into the heart of what America... bullet points of Project 2025.
I don't know what to say, except to post this protest/elegy to us and our struggle again. I tried to think of what I love that will be gone if President Biden does not win this election. I would love to hear what everyone will miss if our country flames into the sea.
I was sad after reading this Letter. Usually there is hopeful news after the not so hopeful news/events.
Thankfully 99% of the comments are from honest rational intelligent and true Americans. We have to practice self-care and believe goodness will prevail.
Thank you for your very eloquent poem/elegy. Its beautiful and heartbreaking, but hopefully we won't have to see this dark vision of our country realized.
Thanks Sunni, But as Heather pointed out with, "prohibiting the Secretary of Energy from prescribing or enforcing energy efficiency standards for residential refrigerators, freezers, and dishwashers." our country is half dunked into the sea, choking on a salty coup. The supreme court's immunity manifesto, canceling agencies from doing their work, is holding her upside down dunking her, she can't breath. The repub platform released today 20 knives that will slash her into fish food.
Thank you Lynn for the vulnerability to envision the loss and make that possible future pain present to motivate us to actions that will help avoid it.
That’s the power of poetry. It is not a prediction but a clear and intense imaginary dip into what it would feel like to live in that possible outcome of current trends.
Feel it! Not just a political defeat but a drear domination into a vise grip of sameness and subjugation. The end of free agency as you are regimented into handmaidens and children’s creativity is slammed into the straight jacket of dogma while we are marched like lemmings toward the cliffs of global warming extinction. Let it sink in.
Then, meet each day with the resolve to erase that possibility.
Here's a poem of mine that is a call to wake up and take action...
Oh, Larry, that was a wonderful read. Loved, "we who hear the cracking whip and/
feel the wrenching thumbscrew of history." and the "seeking a way back home. " message. You are right about poetry. I would like us to stop describing the source of our pain. CFDT is going to do his thing. I want to start thinking about what will be lost that we need to build a life around... actually grieve what we are already loosing.
The failure of our media to report factual news is as shocking and incomprehensible as the failure of our SCOTUS to protect the Rule of Law and the principle that no one ia above the law. As you said last week, Heather, the courts will not save our democracy. The media won’t save us. We are the majority and it is up to We the People to save our democracy. I hope every one of us is actively engaging with nonvoters and wavering voters in swing states to urge them to defend our country at the ballot box.
The Press is hemorrhaging badly; the President, not so much. I have a feeling that many Substack subscribers have given up serious reading of major newspapers for a curated list of trusted authors on this platform. I know I have.
While I love the Professor, her pots, and her point of view, I think it’s a mistake for us to give up reading the press that we don’t always agree with. We need to hear alternative points of view (not alternative facts, though!) to keep our minds sharp, our debating skills working, understand that there are legitimate points of that are different—and if nothing else, understand the enemy’s positions!
I am giving Biden my unwavering support. Thank you, Heather, for just giving me additional reasons to do so. We wouldn't be in this mess at all if the Republican party had done a better job of vetting Donald J. Trump before they ever allowed him to get to the GOP primary in 2015. He should have been disqualified because he wouldn't come clean about his business dealings (taxes, questionable ties to Russia, etc). This is ALL on the Republican party. The Republican party is a party of traitors, seditionists and a party that promotes and supports traitors and seditionists. They do not intend to "make America great again". They intend to destroy America.
That other party wasn’t going to vet the felon to be. He was their perfect useful idiot. He was the perfect one who could “hold a signing pen”. That’s all they needed. And if it weren’t late, I’d remember who said that all they(the right)needed was someone who could hold the signing pen. Of course, in the felon’s case, it was the Sharpie.
It is shocking how ill-informed MAGA is. Worse somehow they are voting against their own financial security, safety and health. That truly seems to define insane.
MAGA folks do not use information to decide on their values. They rely on Fox to tell them what to believe. They cannot go one level deeper and explain or justify their beliefs.
I don't know about you but I've had it with the Biden bashing. Yeah, he had a spectacularly bad debate performance. That's fine, we all saw or heard about it. Then I saw a president being asked many times over by George Stephanopolous if he was still physically & mentally able to the to job, if he was the best man for the job, to beat trump.
OK fine, now where are the headlines screaming that trump refuses to participate in a one on one interview with a real reporter that should just keep asking why did you lie about this, why did you lie about that? Oh & how come you had so many failed businesses? Why is there are civil sexual abuse case followed by 2 liable judgments against you from the same woman? Why have grand juries around the country found that you should be indicted? Why did you take secret documents when you left the white House, & hey, did you sell them to the highest bidder, is that part of your executive power?
Should Biden stay in the race? Oh, I don't know he did a pretty damn fine job at the NATO summit with his speech, oh & pardon me that he read from either notes or the teleprompter. At least he can read! And his awarding Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO, the Medal of Freedom Award was a wonderful gesture to a man who has done so much to keep that alliance functioning in these terrible times. Our president knows how to show appreciation rather than threaten retaliation. He can share the stage. How come we aren't hearing about that over & over & over from the major news outlets. I read on one of the Substacks that I subscribe to that there is a possibility that these 'news' papers are doing this for a couple of reasons. One is that the owners are those rich folks that will benefit from tax cuts & the 2nd is if trump wins they don't want to be considered too disloyal. Dumbasses, they only need one story to be considered disloyal, maybe they may even be thrown in jail & their assets seized, that's what happens in dictatorships or have they forgotten to review the history of tyrants.
Yeah, I'm angry. Do I wish that Biden was a younger candidate, probably but he is the one we have & unless he has another lapse or a severe fall we probably oughta stick with the guy the beat trump the first time.
It scares me that Project 25, along with the Supreme Court’s immunity decision and overruling of the Chevron doctrine, are not front page news all day, every day. I’ve lost a lot of confidence in the NYT to report fairly, and won’t even bother to turn on the TV. I’ve read many books lately about the period in Germany between WWI and WWII and feel that the GOP is following their playbook, with success. Frankly, I’m scared for our country. I’m still sticking with Biden, and am terrified about what will happen if we switch candidates at this late stage. It seems as though we’re playing into their hands.
NYT is a goner. Even my 23 y/o daughter and her world knows how biased the NYT is. Most of the journalists or hosts of the financial news shows on cnbc are pro trump. Amazing.
E, I have for some time now been watching Scripps news as my televised 'go to'. I find them the least reactive and fact based. As for online stuff, ProPublica and Axios have been my go to's along with selected substack authors / journalists. Hope that helps.
Today in Tulsa World newspaper (largest newspaper in Oklahoma) comes a report that the spirit of Project 2025 will come to Oklahoma's schools if State school head Ryan Walters has his way. Walters has hired a group of MAGA conservatives - including the head of the Heritage Foundation, which helped write Project 2025 - to create new Social Studies educational standards meant to teach the Bible and "American exceptionalism" and other still-to-be-publicized curriculum topics to students in Oklahoma's grade schools. I mention this to highlight the scope of the MAGA threat we face and to urge people to both work to defeat Trump in November and to defeat MAGA in every state in the nation! This is a fight we must win wherever the battles are taking place!
The mandate that Joe Biden claims he has from the Democratic Presidential primary races was based upon the voters' beliefs, undiminished by the truth, that Biden was in good mental and physical health even though he was already at an advanced age.
Now that Biden himself has revealed to the world how diminished his mental faculties are and how progressively worse they could be over the next 4 years, the Democrats need to revisit the validity of the primary results, especially given the ammunition that Trump now has and will flood the media with until Election Day to drive home Biden's depleting mental faculties.
Joe isn't running to remain in office until he is 86 because he think it's best for the Democratic Party. He's running because he thinks it's best for him.
There is no dislike button, but L.D. Michaels, I am writing this out in words: I dislike what you wrote. You made assumptions based on little evidence, and you are projecting your unfounded opinions into the future. Biden does not talk about having to choose between electric boats and sharks. While it is occasionally difficult to follow what he has said, unless you are a physician who has examined him, your diagnosis of his "mental faculties" is entirely inappropriate. In your conclusion, you malign a man who has dedicated his life to his country. What, I wonder, have you done for your country.
Agreed. There are trolls all over Substack now. I’ve reported a couple of truly egregious ones but it’s like pissing into a hurricane(pardon my English here).
SPW, my instinct regarding trolls and troublemakers, or people who express opinions contrary to my own, is to try to offer something to think about, even if it doesn't refute the author's allegations. A popular observer, Brian Tyler Cohen, often reminds us that every accusation is a revelation of the accuser's mindset. Sometimes I will offer a comment aimed at the "commentariat" here to ponder, instead of addressing the rogue poster's screed.
I don’t disagree and I can scroll right on by as long as they don’t start with really egregious and abusive name calling; spewing unsubstantiated comments and persisting in their abuse throughout a thread. Those get reported.
Betsy, I surely hope Biden defeats Trump, but anyone who watched the debate or the ABC interview has a right to their opinion as to the reality that faces Joe Biden and Democratic chances to keep the Presidency.
Do I need to be a lawyer to have an opinion that the Supreme Court decision on Presidential immunity is very dangerous to democracy in the US? No, of course not.
And I will vote for Biden over Trump even if his health declines further. But the question is will the rest of USians do the same?!?! It only takes a couple percent of independents to vote the other way.
In my opinion, many (most?) commentors here have their heads in the sand, hoping that staying the course will do no damage and result in victory.
A man who has dedicated his life to his country should have the conscience to step aside when it becomes obvious he no longer has the capacity to be effective.
Well, I did take a peek at his "profile" in which he says, "I do not want anyone to have to pay for a subscription or to pay me anything for my humble thoughts, which could be worthless." So there's that, Betsy!
I guess you're not aware that even George Stephanopoulus stated after his interview of Joe Biden " I don't think he can serve four more years". Nor do I.
Re silly Trump comments about EV boats and sharks, etc: You take him too literally, as do most. Think about it. Would YOU consider a fully battery powered vehicle of any sort to be used in an environment that is 100% guaranteed to get wet at some time?
"Now that Biden himself has revealed to the world how diminished his mental faculties are"
I respectfully request you look at Joe Biden again. Watch the speech he gave tonight celebrating NATO's 75th Anniversary. His mental faculties are NOT diminished. He has a life-long issue with stuttering. That has nothing to do with his "mental faculties".
Yes, the President can read a speech off a teleprompter. But 41 million people cannot unsee his stumbling, confused, inarticulate performance in the debate. And his gaslighting since it happened. And his completely unimpressive interview with George Stephanopoulos, in which he asserted he “can’t recall” if he watched the video of his debate performance. If he didn’t watch the video of the debate that is torpedoing his candidacy, he is an idiot. And if he can’t recall, he is seriously impaired. So was he lying or is he that confused?
Yes, this administration has actually done a very good job. But for whatever reason, the public does not know it and does not give him credit for it. The president was already behind in the polls, and now after the debate he is only farther behind. His recalcitrance will put Trump in the White House, which will be an unmitigated disaster for the United States and quite possibly the end of our democracy.
Sorry to see you in panic mode. FYI, ordinary people did NOT react to the debate the way the "pundit class" (which is driving the panic) did. Here's a video that proves this point. I hope it helps you understand the dynamic being created by these talking heads to make money for themselves and for the networks...
I disagree Steve. I and many of my friends, all loyal Democrats and Biden supporters, were and remain very troubled. If he remains in the race, we will vote for him because we believe in democracy. Biden has been an extraordinary president under challenging circumstances. But unfair or not, his debate performance raised serious questions that he and his team have not excelled at answering. I say this while condemning the media feeding frenzy.
Well said. I don't think his team can answer these questions, though. That isn't fair to them to say, "Gee, obviously the debate prep team failed!" No, I think they were loyal and did their damned best!
In the ABC interview with George Steph., Biden said himself that he took responsibility for the failed debate. But then he went on to say that:
* Only the Lord Almighty could come down and convince him not to continue to run. (!)
* All is well as far as Joe Biden is concerned. If I lose, I've done my very best and that is all that matters. (!)
(!) added by me and not part of the paraphrase :-).
Actually, no, the ordinary people did react to the debate in a negative way. 74% of the American public now believe President Biden is too old to be effective as president. In the current polls, the President fell another 6-9 points. At this time in 2020, Mr. Biden was ahead of Trump by 10 points. Now he’s behind 10 points. I see little chance he can be elected. I am not in panic mode. I am in realist mode. And I do not appreciate your condescending remarks.
The Biden horse has been forced against the rails, but is running strongly. He'll break away from the pack and take the lead. Class and training tell the tale.
So you’re saying that the day before the “debate”, which it was anything but, by the way, President Biden was perfectly capable of doing his so far, excellent job of running this crazy country but the day after that debate, he was a blithering idiot? What planet are you living on? And now that the dust has settled, so have the polls, for whatever they’re worth today anyway.
Good points. What I keep thinking about is that if I were in Joe's place, and if I were feeling ill, or wretched, or exhausted, and the scheduled event were going out to dinner in the evening, I would have canceled the gig. But if Joe had cancelled the debate gig because he hadn't slept the night before, or whatever, imagine the fallout for begging off! He was on the horns of a dilemma -- two options, neither one obviously better than the other, and he had to pick one. I wish he had postponed the confrontation with cfdt.
No, actually, I didn’t say that at all. There has been concern about President Biden’s advanced age throughout his presidency. He will be 82 when inaugurated and 86 when his term ends. It is legitimate for people to question how capable he still is of performing the job. The Biden campaign set up this entire debate scenario as a way to show the president is vigorous, engaged and on top of his game. Very sadly, that did not happen and the debate had the opposite effect and strengthened the president’s detractors. That’s the planet called reality that I am living on.
Respectfully, who do they think better positions us to win? I hope we can all realign behind Joe Biden and encourage everyone we know to vote for him. That is how we win. He’s been on fire ever since the debate, he’s the best president in our lifetimes.
Paul I would wager that were you debating Trump that night, and you were the target of the Gist Gallop that he was spewing you would not have done much better.
After he laid down at least 10 or more un-fact-checked lies, assaulted your motives, capabilities and your stellar performance as president and claimed that he was the greatest president ever and you’ve got just 2 minutes to rebut that stinking pile of disinformation, where would you begin?
But you know what, Joe with a life long stutter should never have put himself in that position or have given Trump the opportunity to have that bully-pulpit to bully him. Trump did nothing but lie and parade his egomaniacal self through his distorted world view.
Joe Biden doesn’t need to be able to dominate a bully like Trump in order to govern well. He has gathered a team of talented and capable professionals around him and he brings the wisdom of a lifetime of legislative leadership and knowledge to get things done.
That’s what I want for my vote for president. I want team Biden to shellack team Project 2025. I think they can do it and Kamala is solid as a backup for Joe.
I watched it. Stephanapolous did not attack him. He asked pointed, probing questions which is what a journalist is supposed to do. And the president, sadly, was not able to answer straightforward questions. And during the debate, Trump did not use a teleprompter. So that doesn’t matter.
No, he did not. He asked the President 16 ways to Sunday if he had, is, or will take a mental competency test. It’s insulting that he would ask that once, but numerous times?
And why is no one asking TFG the same question? The man is clearly in the grip of dementia. Have you heard his speeches? Seen him give one of his speeches? They make zero sense and have no context or connection to reality.
Snakes, sharks, electric boats with batteries—the mind boggles.
But it’s Joe Biden’s mental acuity everyone is focused on. Yeah, right.
Trump is capable of communicating his BS just fine. We all need to demand that Trump gets a psychiatric evaluation. A cognitive test would be fine, too, but the psych eval is by far the higher priority.
The president has a large slice of the public—a majority—who are concerned about his mental competency. Taking a mental competency or health evaluation would be a big help if it went well. It is a legitimate question that the president did not answer. After the debate, 74% of people polled said that they believe the president is too old to do the job. We and the president ignore that at our peril.
L.D., please read the transcripts of the debate. Ask yourself who tried to answer the asked question with facts and who lied or twisted or exaggerated the truth. I was frustrated by the performance but thought Biden won on substance. Alas, weak willed Democrats seem to expect TikTok entertainment when substance is needed. You're really handing the election to Trump.
No, no one expects a Tik Tok performance, but they do expect clear, intelligible responses. Yes, on the substance Joe wins but on his performance he lost. Let’s not kid ourselves about that. 74% of the American public now believes he is too old to be president. We cannot just pretend that is not true.
Last thought for tonight: If you read this essay about what the mainstream press did NOT report about Joe Biden, it will help you understand you are being stampeded into a belief about Biden that's not true...
I do not need you to tell me about the mainstream press and how I am being stampeded. I am not being stampeded. I watched it myself. I look up polls and other data myself. Stop already with this condescending nonsense.
Is a President a”performer” now? How do you think you would fare standing 8 feet away from a lying bully, who only repeated the same mantras he always does instead of answering questions.
Yes, the president is a performer. All politicians are. That’s kind of their job. They do their job by performing speech acts. It is what democracy is founded on. I would also have trouble dealing with Trump’s bullying and lies, but I am not running for president. But I do know how to handle it. You don’t respond to the mantras, but present your own vision. Which the president failed to do.
When it comes down to reaching the disengaged undecided voters who'll elect our next president, a TikTok video is exactly what they'll be looking at. 15 seconds of Biden looking incapable of running a washing machine, much less a country.
Seth Abrahamson’s Proof substack has a very thorough discussion of Biden’s competency. And counts 602 lies by Trump in only 40 minutes in the “debate.” He names each one. A long read, but he writes for serious readers.
Trump will do what he always does. He hinted that Hillary was at death’s door. The question is, if Biden performs well around the country in campaign stops, will the media televise it?
I wish he would challenge Trump to a thorough neurological and cognitive work-up by an independent panel of doctors. Trump would refuse. Joe could make his public and end the rumors.
People who see the debate performance as defining Joe, but not defining Trump, are missing this: Trump always lies, but since he can do it fast and loud, it is not seen as weakness. In reality it is a technique called the Gish gallop, not a sign of mental competence. Biden lost his train of thought, but got eventually got back on track and answered the questions. Trump’s train of thought was on a circular track. Evil immigrants , evil Biden, everything was great when Trump was in charge, round and round and ground. He did not see why he should answer any questions because he is Trump, after all.
As an 86-year-old…… I am confident that at the point where Joe needs to stand down, his very capable Vice President will take over. I think it’s time that we stand behind the man and do everything we can to see that he is elected, unless you are a MAGA who wants to live under trump’s project 2025.
Yes, the Biden Administration is comprised of an extremely competent group of people and if need be, Kamala Harris is more than capable to continue to lead the team. This message needs to be shouted daily (along with all their accomplishments) on every media outlet! The disaster that our country would become with trump in the WH also needs to be blasted from the airwaves . . . Project 2025 is one of the scariest documents written and we are fools if we don't think it could become a reality.
Kamala Harris has spent more than 25 years in public service and as you and everyone else knows the VP position is a supporting role (and in this case also the tie breaking Senate vote - as of Dec. 2023 a record 32 times) while also garnering valuable experience from seasoned and capable Cabinet members. She has "walked the gauntlet" to message the president's policies without overshadowing. HCR (and others) has sung her praises (I trust her as a source!) and has noted on a number of her politics videos and Letters that Kamala has traveled the nation on abortion and voting rights and is very popular with women and Black Americans - two groups personally close to my heart.
She has received almost zero coverage by the MSM except for being blamed for not solving the Mexican border issues and which the republicans nixed every proposed solution (including their own) to alleviate the problems!!!
The Biden administration works as a strong team and I have complete confidence VP Harris could effectively step into the presidential role if need be and she would certainly change the landscape of two, old, white guys! On a macro level, I agree with the democratic platform and there appears to be no evil, criminally insane people trying to destroy democracy on that side of the equation!
While I disagree with almost all you have said, I appreciate your thoughtful comments.
I was specifically asking about her actual accomplishments considering her soft on crime years as a DA / Cal Aty Gen and zero legislation passed as a senator. (see https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/H001075/bills-sponsored/116 for her last two Senate years. 80 bills sponsored, ZERO bills passed. Similar results for the first two)
As Border Czar she visited the border or consulted with on-scene Border Patrol zero times. YOU could have sat in her chair acting as a tie breaker. She is VP for one reason: she is a minority female. Just ask Joe about his selection criteria.
Ruth As an 90-year-old, I am not confident that people only somewhat younger than me should be running our government. The position of president of the United States is a stressful 24/7 responsibility.
I have considerable wisdom that comes from boots-on-the-ground experience. What I lack is the sustained energy to keep pace with what I could easily have handled a few decades earlier.
These ‘age factor’ comments certainly apply to Trump and could well apply to President Biden.
And should apply equally to both candidates. I was dismayed in 2020 that all we got were two old white guys. Biden did far, far more than I thought he could, and I came to believe that it was his age and experience that allowed him to make so much progress.
I share your concerns, despite everyone below labeling you a troll. As if every HCR subscriber has to think that Biden is the only (and best!) hope for Democrats. If you are supporting Trump, maybe you are a troll, though.
I wonder how many people would be willing to sign up for the debate team if that was the primary requirement for a successful run for president? Who thought TFG did an excellent job at the debate? Yes, Biden failed miserably but did TFG win the day?
The Democratic Party is putting this country at great risk with their divisiveness. The “supreme” court has already begun to destroy the democracy, the GOP fully supports that destruction and all the mainstream media can talk about is biden’s age! We walk away from Biden, we walk away from democracy. The media sow’s distrust in the way they report, the way they create a headline…remember the media has a lot to lose because TFG will seek retribution for all who said “not nice” things about him. Journalists work for corporations and corporations have different priorities than the average citizen on the street. The regular person of the middle class doesn’t figure into their profit making bottom line. G-d forbid you are not the right color, right gender or right religion if the GOP takes over the country. You will have no rights, no protections and no say in your own life. The “supreme “ court is now in charge…and they have proven themselves to be white Christian nationalists who expect “we the people” to go along, or be gone.
Completely agree. He's been outed as no better than Trumps craven need to be President. Trump wants to save his own skin from prison. Biden has no problem he solves by winning and no forward looking message. A pox on both their houses
Anybody watch Joe give his speech for the 75th Anniversary of NATO today? If not, you can get it on YouTube and I recommend that you do because he was brilliant and on point. We cannot be wringing our hands and/or clutching our pearls regarding Biden’s acuity. He’s smart as a whip and has the admiration of the leaders of many nations so why is it that some of you are on the fence? Ever have a bad day, especially when you haven’t slept or have a cold? I certainly have. There is not one person in the Dem party who can affectedly challenge the many magical things that he has accomplished in just 3 years with his equally efficient administrative staff. No one has those bragging rights. NO ONE! So, you want chaos again? Vote for the liar. You want fairness, a steady paycheck, continued Social Security and Medicare, childcare and caregiver benefits, Veterans deserved benefits, a chance to challenge the most corrupt Supreme Court ever, codify Roe v Wade, VRA and ERA? Then VOTE 4 JOE!
The yellow press should be ashamed. The Parkinson story is very close to flat out lying about the president (and candiate's) health during a high stakes election. Borderline criminal.
They should be telling the world that Trump the felon is not particularly concerned about winning an election he intends to steal. We live in "interesting" times.
In today’s Opinionated Ogre Substack:
https://justinrosario.substack.com/p/the-new-york-fucking-times-hits-a
Justin Rosario points out that a comparison of the public White House visitors logs with the public schedule of President Biden shows he wasn’t even in the country for some of those visits by the neurologist, something the NYT and WaPo should and could have fact checked before writing about this.
But then, if the despicable droids at the NYT and WaPo actually fact-checked ANYTHING, they might be accused of committing journalism which seems to terrify these cowardly scumwads.
The NYT is like a Russian bot account at this point.
LInda, this is not helpful.
Potter you are not helpful. There are better forums for MAGAs.
Deplorable Linda, you do just what they do. The name calling no better. This is a harmful indulgence of us versus them and dumb. But you apparently enjoy it. It is not helpful nor smart. Sorry i have to say that. I thought you were worth responding to but i see not.
Here is journalist Philip Bump's critical analysis of how the Parkinson story got ahead of the facts. Published in the Washington Post.
"Cannard’s visits were not exceptional given the number of known visits he made during the Obama administration. Visitor records maintained by the National Archives show 64 visits from 2012 through 2016, including a White House tour and Cannard’s attendance at a holiday party. There are no public records from the Trump administration." [The
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/09/biden-debate-physical-issues/
"Breaking with the practice of President Donald Trump’s predecessor, the White House is keeping secret the lists of visitors to the building."
https://apnews.com/united-states-government-9ed190feb84c4d6081b27f0775260f43
Before Project 2025, Ginni Thomas was going to the Trump White House with lists of who should be hired and fired by the executive branch.
"A central focus for Ms. Hair and Ms. Thomas was administration appointments that they wanted made and that they accused the president’s aides of blocking."
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/26/us/politics/trump-ginni-thomas-meeting.html
"A group led by Ginni Thomas has targeted officials in the administration, and lobbied for its own preferred choices. As the president’s distrust in those serving him has grown, so has its sway."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/us/politics/trump-purge-ginni-thomas.html
"A well-connected network of conservative activists with close ties to Trump and top administration officials is quietly helping develop these "Never Trump"/pro-Trump lists, and some sent memos to Trump to shape his views, per sources with direct knowledge.
Members of this network include Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and Republican Senate staffer Barbara Ledeen."
https://www.axios.com/2020/02/23/trump-memos-deep-state-white-house
The Parkinson's story is not relevant. The disastrous debate is the issue. It is time for Letters to state the obvious. Time for Biden to retire from the campaign.
No, Beth. Looking at the Parkinson's story exposes the way Biden is being unfairly characterized by those who want to downplay policy issues, his record, and his values. The madness of Trump ought to be the story being told. Except it's not a "story"; it is horrifying potential reality.
The hitch is that there *is* something up with Biden. It's apparent. He still gets my vote. Where the public can see changes that seem to be happening quickly, and the official response is simply 'he's old and there's nothing to see here', it leaves room for all this wild speculation. We don't even know how much our foreign adversaries are pumping in here, but the gap has been left and they continue to fill it with expanding foam. Meanwhile, everything alarming about Trump, as HCR notes here, is getting covered up.
What in the hell are you talking about? Biden shouldn't be president, he should be in the Delaware Senior Citizens Home.
The media covered up and lied about it for years. This isn't about Trump. Its about whether an 81 year with Dementia should be the Commander in Chief.
The debate. Seeing is believing. The middle who is necessary to win will not support Joe Biden. I'm sorry. I love Joe. I'll vote for whoever the Democrats put up. George Clooney And Nancy Pelosi have now publicly come out for Joe to step aside. The dam is starting to break. Check out Clooney's excellent opinion piece.
Given the symptoms, very similar to Parkinson's, there was concern, actually alarm. Biden's campaign and viability for the next 4 years has him as the ONLY ONE standing between us and Trump.
I credit you with being pro-democracy, but your desire for Biden to retire from the campaign misconstrues our chances for success. Biden is fine, and is our strongest possible candidate to win this election.
I watched his speech at the 75th Anniversary of NATO. He knows the heads of countries that are members personally, and they know they can trust him.
Do not be fooled by a poor debate performance! Debating is not a part of Presidential duties.
President Biden's debate performance overall was not horrible, the first 20 mins were awful I agree, Trump however continued to lie for another 70 mins.
Why, oh why is the Lincoln Project and Progress Radio the only ones on the offensive? Nothing gets to Trump more than challenging his lies or anything personal about him.
The Biden campaign needs to ask Trump to step down for lying 602 times during the CNN so called debate. And they need to call out CNN for being AWFUL at their jobs.
Plus they need to call out the RNC platform that is Project 2025 lite,
Tell Trump we don't want anymore HARRM done--
NO HATE
NO ANGER
NO REVENGE
NO RESENTMENT
NO MISINFORMATION
And start showing Trump's fat ass as he shuffles off stage. He is a dotard as Kim Jon Un called it.
and media has not made relevant all the lies told that evening and at his rally or speaking in public and forgotten names and countries and........................................................................
Asking Biden to step aside is asking him to step aside so that Trump can be the only candidate because there is no one else. No other dem can win this late in the game because they never have. One, they will not have any money because Biden's immense war chest which is growing does not legally transfer, and two, because his delegates pledged to him don't either. So, why? Because of the debate or over his performance on the job. He is gifted at politics and is the best president of my lifetime. Are you bigoted against stutterers or an agist? Neither is appealing and I cannot support you or people who think like you in that. You are being manipulated by media who is supporting a fascist to get clicks.
You look at one 90-minute debate and are ready to throw the president under the bus? You've not been reading Professor Richardson's letters explaining how changing the candidate for president 100 days before the election would throw the Democratic party into complete chaos. You've fallen for the right leaning media who can only address that and not every word out of tfg's mouth which was a lie. He didn't answer one question. Pathetic that the news refuses to cover that. Biden's age is the ONLY issue retrumplicans have to claim to make Joe look bad. He is the best president our country has had since FDR in my view and I've been around for quiet a few of them.
Look, I have the greatest respect for Heather Richardson. But like anyone else in life, I believe she is wrong on this point (that the democratic party will devolve into chaos if we choose someone other than Biden). One of the things I love about this stack is that we are open to disagree.
The simple facts are that there are only 6-7 states in play for this election and Biden is clearly going to lose almost all of them if he stays in the race. And that means Trump will win.
Almost any Democrat who has some stature could run instead of Biden and do better. Could they beat Trump? I don't know for sure, but I suspect several of them could. My personal favorite ticket is Harris/Whitmer but others could be considered. There is plenty of time, we aren't even to the GOP convention let alone the Democratic convention yet.
Biden's age IS the only issue. You can try to explain it away all you want, but it is what it is. He has lost several steps both physically and mentally in the past 3-1/2 years and age is not an "illness" which you can get better from. It is inevitable. He isn't going to "get better".
And you can say that isn't fair, and I AGREE with you, its horribly UNFAIR, but when you choose to get into politics, you have to take the game as it is played. Shouting "unfair" isn't going to get those people in the purple states who are undecided to vote for Biden.
I wish it weren't so, but it is.
No, it’s Time for subscribers to cancel Nyt
Cancellation is the LEFTIST way. Anyone who puts out news you don't like
has suffered the same fate for the last four years
No!
NO
Is this far more organized than what I imagine a Quizling list looked like?
Trump appointees were frightening enough, more frightening is the list of people who prefer to operate in the shadows instead of as elected or appointed officials more exposed to public view.
The hidden level of effort they are putting into it may stun the public into reconsidering some careless choices.
I also notice Sabastian Gorka seemed to want Republicans to not mention too much about Project 2025 (I assume because of the backlash that would be generated as the public learns more details), while I believe Steve Bannon suggests that Project 2025 is just a shadow of what’s coming after the power grab, and considers Trump a moderate (I believe hinting that even Trump will be removed when the hidden backers take over).
I couldn't find Bannon's exact words, but see the following at https://www.mediamatters.org/steve-bannon/where-steve-bannon-leaves-us
"...Project 2025 is the Trump movement’s vehicle for enacting Bannon’s vision of retaliation, which goes far beyond what’s in the Mandate for Leadership.
“On the spectrum of MAGA,” he recently told NBC News, “I would say President Trump is a moderate in our movement. And I think the MAGA movement is shifting day by day to the right.”
Under a second Trump presidency, not only would the administration likely draw on the Project 2025 framework, but it would also be under pressure from Bannon and his supporters to go significantly further..."
But why isn’t everyone more concerned about the dishwashers! we should focus on the substance of this congressional legislation! they are hard at work.....
I liked it better when they called it the HOOHA bill . .
I’m intending to hard copy a letter to the Times castigating them for journalistic incompetence and submitting my termination of subscription. On the other hand, I only pay $4 per month special rate. It would have no effect on them.
Busy as things move along during this hot miserable summer of ‘24,’ I’m reminded that you plan a beautiful garden of vegetable and flower plants. Watering and enriching the soil and the plants are growing nicety. But leave it to a democrat to muck things up. We’ve been mucking things up in our metaphorical garden for a quarter century or more. And the question begs to be asked, “When will we stop mucking things up?” Answer: Probably never because after all, we are democrats. And democrats just have a nack of mucking things up.
No really.
I would rather be a member of a party that debates and dedicates itself to free speech than to one where you must be loyal to a king/czar/dictator or pay the consequences.
The vast majority of Democrats will vote for whoever the nominee for president is. Biden or someone else. In the meantime we will squabble like a big family. But in the end the food is great and we hug each other before heading home.
I see freedom of expression and vigorous debate within a party as a strength and something to be proud of. The other guys? A bunch of cowering cowards who started out trashing Trump and now bend over to kiss his ring.
There is nothing to be admired in the mindless, lockstep unity of the MAGANAZIS. But what we should be emulating is their long term planning for governing dominance. We have been asleep at the switch while Leonard Leo and Co. have stolen the judiciary. That is the big "muckup".
Good analogy, Bill. It is almost as if we have organic gardeners, flower gardeners, native plant gardeners, grow the biggest tomato gardeners, orchid gardeners, competitive lawn grower gardeners, all trying to coalesce into one garden party...
Ohhhhh…. I thought you were never going to interact.
Well I went to a garden party
To reminisce with my almost 100 year old friends
A chance to share old memories
And play our songs again
But it’s all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see, you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself
Oh great, now I have that Ricky Nelson song stuck in my head. :)
https://youtu.be/8BdG28kWf30
Now I do to because of you. I didn’t much like it when it came out but you know time passes. I like it.
Agree Bill. As the famous Will Rogers said, "I don't belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat."
Unfortunately true-we don't have the maturity to stay focused on the prize. We all need to support Biden and win this damn election or we're toast!
Bill -- There's power in numbers. Many of us have dropped The NY Times over the past couple of years. And it's the advertising dollars that speak volumes to the Publisher.
As I comment elsewhere here, subscriptions to cable TV are dropping like a rock. The first quarter of 2024 saw the largest loss of subscribers in a single quarter -- EVER. Only about 53 million households now have cable compared to over 100 million at the peak.
I tried to quit Spectrum several months ago and they actually pay me, $10/month not to cancel by not charging for cable and reducing my Internet charge by $10/month.
My point is -- Who is pay attention to what is going on out there at this point in the election cycle? I know we all are and we get our information from HCR.
George, THANK YOU... you nailed it! :)
This is not helpful or correct... just bad mouthing.
And you expect that from the businesses that are major donors to the tRump campaign?
They are BUSINESSES. Their news divisions were transferred to their entertainment divisions in the later 1980s after Ronnie Raygun's cabal unplugged the Fairness Doctrine.
Excellent point about the Fairness Doctrine. That, combined with Citizens United and gutting of the Voting Rights Act, are the Holy Trinity of the decades long attempt to cement the influence and power of wealth and supplant representative government as serving the greater good. Immunity for a dictator is the coup de grace.
One would expect the Murdoch owned media to give the public the Mushroom Treatment (feed us shit and keep us in the dark) but we are seeing the NYT and Washington Post constantly print news and analysis that is form over substance.
The people need to see through the disinformation and let both common sense and determination to save our country from authoritarianism get out the vote and defeat corrupt power at the ballot box.
I cancelled my subscriptions to both the NYT and WP recently because I noticed just how biased they have become. Lots of negative reporting about Biden but little about Trump. Shameful.
A headline alleging that Republicans have "softened their abortion stance" is flat out BS! The venerable NYT has turned into the New York Post, a ridiculous tabloid.
Rupert always wanted to buy the Times, now he can just relax and save his money because they have turned into the Post
The WP doggedly outed Nixon's crimes. The plutocrats learned their lesson from that; and unlike in the Vietnam War, we were largely restricted to "in-bedded journalism" in W's Folly. Plutocrats don't want talk of elephants in the room.
What tRump is has no effect on his support. Biden's questionable age-related decline has a great impact on his supporters. The Dems will vote for anyone, it is the uninformed fence sitting head in the sand, struggling Americans who decide elections. And they are constantly overwhelmed by RW propaganda.
me too.
What most white Americans see and desparately want to preserve are the enormous economic, legal, and social advantages that they hold over the rest of the population. Most white Ameicans vote for Republicans (and have done so in nearly every election since 1968) primarily to preserve their systemic advantages. They are not victims of disinformation. They know what they are doing. They do it with purpose. In Trump, they have found a leader who openly advocates their top political priority, namely the preservation of their systemic advantages.
Valid point.
All too true in many ways. I find it ironic that ignorant/racist individuals attacking DEI, for example, never want to talk about how people of color dominate so many fields that are based on a true meritocracy and not legacy.
That said, we elected Obama twice. I believe we outnumber the racists but they certainly feel free to wear their racism as a badge.
Paul-I’m hoping and praying that you’re right about outnumbering the racists. I think for many it’s unconscious.
Kamala is being called the “DEI” VP and the fact that she’s next in line for the presidency motivates many to oppose Biden-even some Dems.
Certainly some are cynical manipulators, and some seem dupes. The most impoverished states tend to be the deepest MAGA.
We elected Obama but most white voters voted against him.
Rex-Thanks so much for making it plain. Why else would someone vote for a failed businessman, cheater, liar, convicted fraudster, convicted rapist, cruel and disgusting person who tried to steal an election?
Think about it. If Trump and the Rs didn’t have racism as a tool do you think all of these people would be wearing red hats and giving him so much money?
For those who don’t see the racism involved just imagine if Obama did any of the things Trump has done.
So sad that the Dems are sabotaging themselves. They’re panicking because they know that White Americans are more inclined to support Trump who will build on white supremacy.
Meanwhile, the lives of “others” will be seriously jeopardized. For anyone who knows our history of violence it’s terrifying that the majority of White voters are supporting an outright dictator wannabe.
Racism of course, add to that economic challenge. My own community and many others I have traveled through in the past several years are just out of business . The transition to the big box stores and the shut down during the pandemic just enhanced the decline in the faith and hope in rural communities. There is also another very important issue at play. The Iraq War. Many people believe that the standard operating procedure of either of our political parties cannot be trusted and are willing to to just chuck it all and elect any dumb charismatic charlatan that comes along. The new Maga knows this and is willing to shill these lies all the way to power.
Stop lumping white people with the deplorable who support trump! Most of my friends, family & acquaintances support President Biden and the fight to save our Democracy, and we are all White !!!
Rex, you are referring to white Republican voters, who though money driven propaganda get those white blue-collar voters to support the preserving of their systemic advantage. How? Fear and hatred sells.
An addict is not a victim of disinformation. Addicts know what they are doing. They do it with purpose. But they are also harming anyone who is influenced by their actions. And they know on some level they are harming themselves in the long term. It's just that they're careful to keep that level below the level of conscious awareness.
Addiction is the compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. The rewarding stimulus doesn't have to be a substance. Recovering addicts have made the "I am not in charge" acknowledgement, which is necessarily Step 1 of the 12-step program.
Translation: The Republican Party, the SCOTUS majority, and most (not all) of the MSM have yet to arrive at Step 1. They'll be a lot closer when they wake up to their November 6 intervention (aka Democrats winning all three branches of government).
Most white americans? That is just not true or Biden would not of won in 2020
In 2020, 58% of white Americans voted for Trump. But white voters made up only two-thirds of the voters. The other third voted overwhelmingly for Biden.
You failed to mention President Clinton gutting "Glass Segal" bill launching a take over by the big banks. Why hasn't anything been done about that.
Pretty bad when the few largest media sources are owned by Repubs.
Paul, if common sense rules we would not be anywhere near where we are today. The vast voting public is driven by fear and hate. Issues and policies are obviously irrelevant.
Have you ever sat through a long jury trial?
I have. I came away impressed with the seriousness the jury appeared to bring to their civic obligation. Despite the judge putting his hand on the scale, they weighed the evidence and unanimously came to a verdict that was rational. I was impressed.
There’s always bias and disinformation to overcome.
In this election, one candidate has concentrated on utilizing fear and hate. The other is promoting the common good. Maybe I am naive in my old age but I think the latter wins.
Paul:
I'm willing to be accused of naivité, as well.
I say that your experience as a juryman teaches that it is also possible to overcome bias and disinformation.
\Vince S
I’m not disagreeing with you but being a business doesn’t preclude ethics, or it shouldn’t.
Business is what we call our formal arrangements of exchange. It is how we create civilizations. Cheating is optional, and in a civilized society, discouraged. Teddy Roosevelt talked about the Square Deal, which I take to be one that is win-win on both ends of the exchange. I grow apples and you make baskets, so we try to work out a deal that is satisfactory to both. Contrary to "Reaganomics" a genuine free market or free society is kept free of bullies; those who create monopolies of ownership or political power. Monopoly sucked in the Gilded Age and it sucks now, but in between we sought more sanity. "We the People" are losing purchase on our own society. It does not have to be that way.
Back AOC in taking on Supreme Court for Impeachment.
I glad she at least raises the issue. The legitimacy of Trump-selected judges bending law to support Trump is an epic scandal in and of itself. If democracy survives all this, future students will wonder what the hell were we thinking?
105%!
Perhaps a bit oddly, the mention of TPM reminded me of their take on Netflick's "Lost Pirate Kingdom" at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/what-netflixs-lost-pirate-kingdom-got-right-and-wrong-about-the-golden-age-pirate-gang
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
“…The Lost Pirate Kingdom is a 2021 docuseries created for Netflix. This historical drama portrays the rise and fall of the eponymous early-18th century pirate republic based in Nassau, Bahamas. The series begins in 1715, shortly after the close of the War of the Spanish Succession, which pitted England against Spain. England had waged the war on the cheap, resorting to the use of privateers rather than incurring the expense of fully funding the Royal Navy. It was released on March 15, 2021…”
Long story short, my view has been that the Spanish stole the gold from the indigenous people (making them seem the greater enemy of them). The English were originally more accepted by the indigenous people as a protective ally against the Spanish. Then the English unleashed the Privateers to steal what the Spanish stole, at least until there was no more need for them as allies, which left them unsanctioned (without franchise), so many modified their “tradecraft” into piracy, stealing as much treasure for themselves as they could. Hmmm, a society with no stable rules, just some rather vague ideas of how to not cannibalize fellow pirate gangs that would provide a bit more protection from the more “civilized” and orderly powers.
Makes me wonder who really hates us for our Freedoms as some told us during the GWOT, or the Heritage Foundation, “Con”-Federalist types who’s affinity and seeming support for Project 2025. Are they the modern Pirates actually stealing our treasured Freedoms?
Freedoms and treasure. The shift in total national wealth upward is documentation. Brush away the muddled sales pitch and "Reaganomics" was a prescription for neo-feudalism.
I'm not disagreeing with J L Graham, I'm just going to be a little more specific.
Practicing wisdom is what we call the way we resolve the inevitable dilemmas that emerge in a large and complex social system. Business is one of those practices until it isn't. More specifically, business is one of those practices when it adheres to what Adam Smith referred to as The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), aka treat others as you would want them to treat you. If a business is wise, then it is not cheating because it is only hurting itself in the long term by damaging trust, which is the glue, and the only glue, holding civilization together.
As it is for business, so it is for journalism. If there are actual journalists in the Whitehouse press corps, and I'm sure there are, they must be a very small minority within that group.
From a strictly sociopathic perspective, cheat all you like, because you are all that matters; but such thinking in inimical to a just and satisfying society. From a social perspective. we cannot successfully live together without accepting certain responsibilities, and there both an individual and a social aspect to human personalities. Mutualistic integration of both needs seems to me to be the wisest choice, in pursuit of "enlightened self-interest" happiness.
Ideologically this started with the '1971 Powell Memorandum'... It was furthered with the ruminations of Milton Friedman which places Corporate Profits over any Social Responsibility... The foundation of the Heritage Foundation, and other Right-Wing Organizations, date from the 'Greed Is Good' Reagan Reign... The Far-Right never really goes away, it just retreats temporarily... As I said before, there is Deep-Anger in the Land, and the Oligarchy uses Social Issues, and Wealth Disparity to further their Maximalist Agenda...
Thanks for that. I'd never heard of the Powell Memo. Don't forget William F. Buckley's God and Man at Yale (1951). It's theme is the idea that a few people are important and everyone else is an opportunity to be exploited, or a threat to be neutralized, and otherwise irrelevant, aka neoconservatism.
"They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds." —Mexican Proverb
The urge to prey on other humans, or to eliminate them, runs even deeper, and has been salient in extreme right, left, racial supremacist, and theocratic hellscapes.
Trusting Trump is like Putin "trusting" Prigozhin. The shelf life of such trust is very short when push comes to shove, and his usefulness declines too far.
It does when the Supreme court has set things up for our business world to get away with being totally unethical as the Republican members of SCOTUS are themselves.
Apparently it does preclude ethics if they support Trump.
Trump is ethics anti-matter.
It shouldn’t but when the fox guards the henhouse….
They are Putin mouthpieces, tanking our democracy for their current bottom line. Trump will of course throw a lot of journalists in jail and worse just like Strongmen rulers before him.
Therè will be the MAGA version of the Voelkischer Beobachter, and Fox News, perhaps, for a while...
Real journalists will flee the country. If they can.
I don't know that fascists leaders can always differentiate. They tend to be moody too. Journalists should look at what has happened to Jamal Khashoggi, and Evan Gershkovich and ask how they can avoid that. They can flee if they make a plan now. People have walked across the Americans to get to the United States with nothing but some some cash, water and food. Most journalists have more resources than that. What I do know is that just being an oligarch does not protect one under fascism. As Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat points out in her book Strongmen, Putin and Trump place wealthy elites in power, so that means that their methods of controlling them are not going to be financial, but with Kompromat. On the other hand, greedy oligarchs never tire of making more money, and ensuring everyone else has less. It is an ego thing. Almost a fear of being obscure if they cannot. Also, I am sure those Top Secret files include plenty of Kompromat on the members of the Republican party, which is why they are kept in line.
Unfortunately, Linda, your analysis is very astute.
With the sudden flood tide of Virtual Reality in the early 1990s, America (and later, the world) dug a deep, deep hole in a pre-existing pit of psychotic delusions... and half the population fell into it.
Worse, the sane survivors have struggled to get the measure of what was happening to them and to the whole world. We remain completely ignorant of some of the techniques, new and old, being used against us.
I'm afraid that current victories against would-be far-right dictators, even a Democratic triumph gaining the presidency and both houses of Congress, will amount only to buying time in which to adjust to new worldwide realities.
But that tenuous foothold is essential.
The aim of our struggle: to save our children and theirs from the worst of what we are bequeathing them, arming future generations to help themselves in a world devastated not so much by the power of money as by the gravely diseased abuse of that great power.
And that, the crux of our problem
I cross checked dates (only 2 out of the claimed 8 visits were given fully with date, month, year, kind of suspicious itself) that were cited in that article against factba.se, which is Roll Call's tracking of the official White House Calendar--oh, and btw, Trump refused to publish his real schedule, or track visitors to the White House rigorously, he wanted to grift without people checking. Biden is old school that way.
Biden was in Chicago one day and New York the other day, not at the White House. Without having Biden there when Cannard is there, means NY Times has nothing but insinuations. I'm reading in comments a lot of people who care for Parkinsons patients at home saying there is no way Biden has Parkinsons.
Rosario rightly says this is outright disinformation. It isn't just sloppy journalism, it is outright propaganda on the part of one candidate against another. It is all public information. They are just counting on people not checking. I am really wondering why this isn't getting picked up by mainstream media. Shameful.
And another development--a NY Times journalist who got fired after ten years with the paper claims it was his story. Not sure what that is about. But revealingly, I'm so suspicious of NY Times now, I wonder if that guy was given some money to pretend it was a 'great story' that got stolen, to give something that is so easily proven wrong some false legs?
All I know is the frenzy in the media is overwrought.
I was hoping the mental decline story would have declined by now. Now I'm hoping it will be one of the big stories of this election cycle.
I've experienced mental decline firsthand. An elderly person you've known and respected for years asks you a question and you give them what would previously have been a perfectly sufficient answer, and then they keep asking the same question repetitively, each time as if for the first time.
I'm particularly concerned with an industry-specific and early-onset manifestation of that condition within the Whitehouse press corps. I know the Whitehouse neurologist is only responsible for the thousands of people who serve at the Whitehouse, but maybe Karine Jean-Pierre can sneak them in for a checkup.
Because a free press is one of the cornerstones of egalitarian democracy, mental decline within the WH press corps should and must be a national interest story.
Today, the Times has a front page story about how populism can defeat people who have power and expertise, the coup de gras for chump. Rupert’s slimey effort to redefine our media has succeeded beyond all expectations. They have decided for us. Or think that they have.
It’s up to us , the Heathers,Joyces…
The influencers on one side are out for blood and money . The others are genuinely concerned for the health, progress, and integrity of Democracy. The first is excitement, drama, wealth. The second is Ho Hum , boring, principle. It’s sadly just another lesson many miss -forest through the trees.
Thanks Systematic …good post.
Sadly, Biden was at the debate. Or his body was there. That is the issue. The debate was beyond a disaster and showed every symptom of Parkinson's. From his gait, and not being able to communicate, not being able to listen, or not able to write notes are symptoms. Unless it is a prepared speech he could read from paper or a teleprompter, there is something seriously wrong with him and those in the middle are not going to vote for an ill candidate.
Ms. Dery. Are you a physician or other medically trained person qualified to make a diagnosis? Are you a neurologist? Have you personally conducted a medical examination and testing of President Biden (or anyone else)? Unless you are so qualified, I am disinclined to heed or respect your comment.
I saw the debate. I've known people with Parkinson's. I suggest you read George Clooney's opinion piece published today. Nancy Pelosi has also suggested Joe retire from the campaign. The undecided will elect the next President. Most of those that saw the debate won't vote for Biden. Although no one should vote for Trump.
Knowing people with Parkinson's does not grant you a license to diagnose it.
His actual doctor says he does not have it. That should end any further discussion.
The debate did NOT show symptoms of Parkinsons! Have you watched anything besides the debate? Do not believe something is seriously wrong with him just because some people are freaking out.Energy would be far better spent campaigning against Trump!
Are you aware that every time a Party has switched out a candidate, it has lost that election?
I've watched Biden's gait. And the debate is all that counts. No candidate has ever had such a disappointing and shocking performance. Regarding switching candidates, 1968 does not compare. After LBJ said he would not run the end of March, Robert Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey ran in spirited primary's. Kennedy won California and with that the nomination. He was assassinated that night. Vietnam was raging. A riot filled convention in August in Chicago turned off many voters. Yet by election day, Humphrey barely loss. Read George Clooney's column that came out today. Nancy Pelosi also said Biden should consider giving up his candidacy. The dam is breaking. Maybe Biden should consider resigning from the Presidency and Harris would be sworn in. We are in a difficult situation with a Trump presidency as a real possibility.
I agree that the debate was more debacle than debate…..however, I am not a specialist on Parkinson’s, but I do have a great deal of knowledge of feeling intimidated and bullied…..the anxiety and fear it instills in me causes me to behave in much the same way Biden did. Perhaps that ought to be considered …..just sayin
Exactly! It is absolutely terrifying to see these democrats doing the same thing as the republicans have been doing: denying reality and blaming the truth tellers of lying
Troller 👿
Read the transcript.
What you think you saw and what was actually said by Biden are very different. President Biden answered the questions and talked about policy and his record as President.
Convicted felon trump ignored the questions and told lies in between gibberish.
Are you a nurse or a doctor with experience working with Parkinson’s patients? Because you are wrong!!!
When a member of Joe Biden’s inner circle claims that he “functions capably” between the daytime hours of 10 and 4, it becomes hard to claim that the President is being ringingly endorsed by those who see him most often and closely.
There has been a mountain of commentary from medical authorities and political veterans in the last two weeks. At best Biden is damned with faint praise. More often there is a shuddering fear of his chances to be in a second term that engaged, brilliant and compassionate President we have been so proud of in the first term.
Whether people like it or not, the torrent of criticism that has exploded in the last two weeks did not come from the ether. President Biden imploded on the debate stage against an opponent whose performance was a master class in mendacity. There was no discussion afterwards of who won the debate. The alarm bells were sounding too loudly.
One way or another Biden is finished. He will pull out at the last possible moment when he throws a fresh log on a burning pyre with another unscripted moment of verbal wandering the fog. Or he will be decimated by Trump in November and America’s long era of flawed but energetic democracy will come to an end.
Biden may feel it’s hugely unfair. He is undoubtedly sensing that leaving the Presidency will be akin to falling off the edge of the world. He no doubt feels that he is the best suited to do the job and all the rest is noise.
All of this leaves me infuriated. Millions of people live through the humiliation of forced retirement when they still feel capable but others see otherwise. This is a hard part of life and I have empathy for Biden. It happened to me.
But the fate of the free world did not rest on my enforced retirement. Biden’s is virtually that significant. He is not going to win the Presidency a second time and the Republicans are going to freely dismantle the country thereafter.
I turn away from this car wreck now. The tsunami of accusations and counter accusations no longer interests me. This White House, which did such great work for four years, has gone rogue in its attempts to circle the wagons around a frail octogenarian. I have no interest in further spectacle, and like the condemned prisoner, merely await execution.
Beautifully written. I completely agree.
So women, Black, Hispanic, LBGTQ people and me are going to vote for 45 because President Joe Biden is old???
You mean, Trump?
No, Beth is probably not a physician or she would be waving that status around like a flag but she is talking about her own eyes. As on January 6, 2021, when I sat in front of my TV for hours and, even then, did not know even 1/2 of what was going going on I saw the debate in it’s entirety. That was not the President I expected. Who cares what a probable exact diagnosis was or is ? The poor man appeared greatly diminished and we have 4 long, hard years ahead of us. I am a native NYC person and I would never vote for Trump , never, never but I don’t go around making excuses for a bare fact.
Fact check? NYT and WaPo in the same sentence as "fact check"? Perish the thought!!
<sarcasm font>
Not their point however. The point is to push the clamor, prey upon convenient assimilation and convince the unsuspecting sheep , it’s been done over and over.
And…..is happening again!
Thanks for this information! I haven't seen that post.
"Fact check"? What is this 'fact check' you speak of? That would be responsible journalism, a practice that no longer applies to the legacy media.
Thank you, interesting link. Reading
Please understand and help others to see that this argument about whether Biden should or shouldn’t run is fabricated solely to divide us! This must stop NOW!
Biden is fully capable and if he becomes incapacitated, we have VO Harris and a fully functional White House staff and cabinet to carry on!
Pardon my French again, but ABSOFU>>INLUTELY!!
That’s used quite often under my roof these days. No apologies necessary.
Yesterday, on Progress Radio there was a MAGA that called in to Michelangelo's claiming to talk about the Biden Press Secretary being mistreated by the press. But when he went on the air he started the typical MAGA BS about Biden ruining the country blah blah blah. Michelangelo cut him off immediately and called him a MF for deceitfully getting on the show. He told him his number was in their "do not take the call" list so don't bother calling back and that he would have gladly discussed Biden's acuity if he had just been honest.
But yeah, he called him an MF on the radio and I'm perfectly fine with calling a spade a spade.
It isn't fabricated if you watch Biden's appearances such as the debate and the interview with ABC (and I'm worried about that), but I will vote for Biden over Trump 100% of the time in any alternative universe.
What is fabricated is the press not going all out against Trump, being a criminal and now allowed to take even more power via the Supreme Court if elected. And then there may not be another fair election after that.
I would think that ABC, being owned by Disney and persecuted by Ron DeSantis down in Florida, would understand that, even as a large corporation.
Yes, Biden is 81 and Trump barely behind him. That alone, with the demands of the jobs, is important but the press is ignoring reality for a story. The project 2025 link is clear even if Trump denies today but where is there ever consistency with him?
And did you watch the opening of NATOs 75th anniversary yesterday!!! If you’re going to watch a debate and an interview keep watching. Did you watch any of the State of the Union addresses?
Matt, I read the book “Rather Speaking” by Dan Rather. It tells the true story of why he left CBS and is because of his integrity and faithfulness to journalism that he left. CBS did not want him reporting the truth about the war in Vietnam.
Now we have more of the same. News reporters who cannot tell the truth.
I listen to ABC News usually and I remember back in the beginning of Trump’s first campaigning I felt ABC was in favor of Trump and that just shocked me. There appeared to be a shift close to the election but I really lost faith in ABC as well. Now here we are again with the same kind of reporting it has destroyed the confidence the people have for news, at least the Democrats!
Not that there aren’t foxes in that henhouse too…the infiltration is long established , covert, and out n out espionage . I’m not sure how long the ruse was happening in Germany/Turkey/Italy before the facts were clear…and how long it took to roust the culprits…perhaps they are never really gone but just move to another unsuspecting arena….hmmmm🤔🤦♀️
Thank you Deidra 👏🫶
Unfortunately there are plenty of prominent Democrats that joined in the “fabrication”. Americans think of
Presidents as super-humans that solve all county’s problems by themselves. Presidency is a collective endeavour with the President assembling a cabinet that implements the policies of the Party. Well, that is not the case with the.previous Presidency or with the, God forbid, the next one. 😳
Yes yes yes and yes.
I’m a lifelong Democrat and will support our nominee of course. The argument that Biden should remove himself from the running is not fabricated, in fact, it is a talking point of Biden and his supporters that somehow elites or the media or talking heads have made up this argument. I watched the debate as did 50 million people, and Biden‘s cognitive impairment is obvious. It is not that he was tired or sick though he may have been as well . I think he is a weak candidate who cannot beat Trump, when beating Trump is of the essence. It’s risky to change now, but it’s riskier not to. Please don’t demean the many of us in the party and on the left who want Biden to graciously drop out of the running. It is all about preserving our democracy and beating Trump. I respect you, Dr. Richardson, and the millions of people who disagree with me.
Precisely!!!
Annabel, this is very disgusting. It was the lead story on the NBC national news tonight with the result that we shut off the TV. All of them should be discussing that death star is a felon. All of them should be discussing his increasing dementia. All of them should be discussing in depth Project 25.
In fact, Congress should be passing a law that clearly states that Convicted felons cannot run for or be a US president.
Linda:
Surely, it is possible for Democrats to propose such a bill, and then challenge their Republican colleagues to explain why they oppose it.
I look forward to the debate. How do you think Rep Jamie Raskin (Maryland) might sweep the floor with certain well-known re-Confederates in the House?
\Vince S
Linda, I think I oppose it and I'm fully behind all of the Democrats running for their respective offices.
Over 75,000 women have been impregnated in the red states that totally or almost totally ban abortions. I don't know that statistics but I am aware that under Abbott only 1/3 as many rape cases are prosecuted in TX as they were before he took office. That is legalized rape which should be prosecuted but isn't. So most of these 75000 rapists would be able to run for office as they are not convicted felons. Meanwhile people like Kavanaugh. Goetz and CFDT are rapists, but they will never be convicted.
So what will happen is that Republicans will set up a candidate and have them convicted whether they go through with the crime or not.
Gary, I went looking at Texas rape arrests/convictions when the stats on Texas pregnancies due to rape were published with the number at (rounded) 26,000. In 2023 there were (rounded) 14,000 reported rapes and 1400+ convictions for rape (many of these rapes would have occurred in earlier years, because a fair number of felony trials take longer to be held).
Thanks Ally. Hmmm. That's even worse than what I read although it was a while ago so the stats may have been a few years old.
26,000 pregnancies but how many were carried to delivery I wonder? And how many of the mothers of the live births are collecting child support from the rapist or incestuous relative?
Not many, I wager. Not from what I know of professionally.
I like the Death Star analogy. To calm myself I’ve been binge-watching the Star Wars movies and I’ve started thinking of him as Darth Rumpus myself. Which raises the question, where is the exhaust port we need to target to take him down and where is the X Wing fighter pilot to do it? Maybe Seal Team 6…
There's only one of those movies worth watching more than once (the one released back in 1977). They've become what Scorsese has termed "international audio-visual corporate entertainment content." As a screenwriter, the stories past the first two are an embarrassment that someone went to an expensive school to learn to write such drivel. (I say that as an actual S-F writer who wrote an S-F "cult classic" movie, and former member of SFWA - before the field became recycled comic books) Anything on TCM is better, like the restored director's cut of "New York, New York" now being shown with the 30 minutes that gave the movie its heart restored. If this version had been what got released in 1977, Liza Minelli would have won Best Actress in a role where she topped her mother.
I agree they have many flaws but there will always be a soft spot in my heart for Return of the Jedi. It’s not great cinema but it’s fun. Right now I need the movie equivalent of cotton candy and that’s what these provide. I could spend all day agreeing with you about the flaws in the prequels and the lack of focus or cohesion in the last three, with a story line that twists more than a rope. But as escapism, well, it fills a niche for me. I’m more a reader than a movie watcher but I’m having trouble focusing on serious stuff right now and between the heat wave where I am and the news, the visual equivalent of cotton candy is what gets me through the night, literally, as we have no AC so I’m sleeping all day under fans and watching movies all night. When I’m feeling less grim I’ll watch something more meaty, such as The Green Mile or Shawshank Redemption, which I started last night but realized wasn’t going to suit the mood.
sounds like a plan. Do check out New York New York. It has this terrible critical history from the first release, then there was a restoration of 20 minutes of the original cut done in the 80s with a one-time release and critics said Oh, it's not as bad as I remember. Then this final restoration and you find a Scorsese masterpiece.
Manhattan born baby here. 1977/8 were desperate, tragic years for me. I love Liza Minnelli and even enjoyed New York, New York in its first release. The promise of a re-cut with ‘its heart restored’ is a promise of redemption for both me and Scorsese. Thanks for this information.
Had no idea, thanks
The Green Mile helped me through a long flight back to the US. I actually stayed awake.
That is one of my absolute favorite movies, and Stephen King's novel is incredible, and the movie adaptation is so well done. The movie, in particular, gives the best snippet I have ever seen of what a coward with a badge looks like. It is also a cracking good story.
Wow, I am feeling and acting in the same way Sioux! For me it’s been mystery series on Acorn TV, especially those with lovely English villages and landscapes!
Sounds like you know what you’re talking about TC. I respectfully request your top 10 list of must watch movies. I’ll settle for your top five if you don’t have the time. Many thanks in advance.
Well, I did spend 40 years in Hollywood learning something. :-)
In no particular order - all available on streaming at MGM+ or TCM - I'll catch these any time they're available:
"1900" (only the director's 5 hour cut - which doesn't seem like that long when you're watching) - the rise and fall of fascism in Italy.
"The Bridges at Toko-ri" (Everybody told me if I did this movie I wouldn't have a career - but I already didn't have a career" - Mickey Rooney. Best aviation movie ever)
"Singing in the Rain" - best "Hollywood movie" ever
"Casablanca" - best movie ever
"Full Metal Jacket" - best Vietnam movie.
"Lonely Are The Brave" - Kirk Douglas' favorite Kirk Douglas movie - mine too,.
"Chinatown" - because it's great
"Godfather" - I and II together.
"Aliens" - best sequel ever
"Band of Brothers" - the 10 best war movies ever made
others may differ
TC...have to agree about Casablanca which I can watch again and again.
Missed Full Metal Jacket and Lonely are the Brave… otherwise, that’s my favorite list also!
Chinatown - happens to be my all time favorite. Thank you TC
Maybe Field Team 6: https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Thank you. I see him as barreling through the universe causing death with everything he touches, a giant festering cancerous blob on the body politic. We watch a lot of various series on streaming services. And we read. It has been over a 100 here the last couple days, so we can't be outside and relegated to the AC, and very thankful we have it. I have been getting out early to pick berries when the temps are lower, but the humidity is higher.
To Michele, Annabel and all of you out there:
HCR's extensive and well-balanced listing of symptoms -- exemplary, public-spirited information work -- remains incomplete as a diagnosis of America's ills.
Mammoth in the room, the fact that -- despite the reality of a remarkable recovery in physical health -- the country itself remains desperately sick: mass dementia, mass psychosis...
The delusions of a raving psychopath should be his problem and his alone but he -- like Hitler and other dictators -- has given voice to the raging fears, resentments and hatreds fermenting in the sump of the nation's collective unconscious.
Driving, corraling, stampeding our demons.
I shall be returning to this enormous issue and its consequences.
Yes, THIS! 👏
So written about. So many fell for it.
It has me stumped. How did we get here?!
Regular people who don’t pay much attention politics still can’t believe these two old guys are the beat choices the country could come up with.
Readers here are well aware of the dangers of Teump and so will vote for anybody else. But he polls well. After all that we went through - all the chaos and Jan 6!!
In Sarah Longwell’s Focus Groups a number of people were turned off by J6 but yet …
I do keep remembering that candidate Trump beat Hilary only in the Electoral College. She was far more qualified but he was Change. (Also what Obama ran on!)
After 4 years of Trump, Biden was the steady and experienced hand that we knew we needed, and we were right.
I guess people have forgotten how bad it was under Trump. But how?!?
Said elsewhere, but all the "smart people" have a wide range of opinions. A couple of them might even turn out to be correct. Feeble still trumps insane
The BIDEN clarity that is spoken of is every head of country/state’s leaders indication , in vast array. The experience stands solid, the ‘ 21-24accomplishment is amazing from a political mess and worldwide pandemic is the two best stats. Except from the authoritarians ..who are here in office as well as abroad .
Seals the deal ….Wake up America !
The team on hand is exemplary . Vote 💙
Well said Patricia. Repost as a general comment to HCR’ summation so more readers will see it. I fully agree. “The team on hand is exemplary. Vote BLUE. And may I add VOTE BLUE UP AND DOWN THE TICKET. It is DEMOCRACY on the ticket, not just one man. Wake Up America!
TY, Chris.
You are so welcome. This is not the time to change course. For those candidates down stream worried about their election need to go back to their constituents and speak loudly the truth about democracy so they get over their fear which is being influenced by the Repubs lead by the biggest liar con man of our time who have effectively taken away their rights giving power to big corporations who dictate our sense of daily economy , not the current President and his extremely effective administration.
I agree Michele that it is disgusting that a non-fact checked lead story shouldn't be aired. That's for Fox and the Murdoch RNC networks to report.
We need to ask them to do no HARRM. (Hate Anger Resentment Revenge and Misinformation).
Most of us have one or more friends or family members that are MAGA or Evangelicals. My sister's best friend is a 64 year old school teacher who only cares about one issue and that is abortion. Her and her husband fostered several kids and adopted most of them. They spent everything they had on the kids who were often not model citizens.
She has alienated all of the other teachers with her incessant speeches about what a great guy CFDT is. But she has had cancer for 10 years and my sister feels terrible about arguing with her.
I suggested that she ask her friend to list four things that CFDT did to make America great. My sister is meeting with her today so hopefully she will have a chance to ask her.
HCR lays out the accomplishments of the Biden administration which go way beyond the long list she mentions. I came name dozens of things the CFDT administration did and will do to that are awful as we all can, but the cognitive dissonance is too loud for most of the MAGAs and Evangelicals to hear. But, they aren't the ones we will ever win over in November anyway.
So ask the fence sitters to name 4 things. That bar is incredibly low, but millions of people aren't paying attention at this point. We need them to engage.
And that's what Kamala has been doing at college campuses and ladies groups all across the country. Getting people to engage.
Gary, fortunately, for us, our relatives who are close at hand are in our camp. The rest of them are in the midwest and all I see from them are the squabbles and bad luck that they seem to have a lot of. They are very good at having children and at this point, I have at least a dozen great greats. And we are also lucky that our friends are also in our camp. I hear from some of them who are not so lucky.
Ah yes, abortion and now we have all sorts of horror stories about what happens to women who need medical attention and doctors who are scared to do anything. It will only get worse if death star prevails.
The fence sitters who get to me are the progressives who do not understand that they can't have their ideals asap and so often do things that undermine hard earned progress. Our garden helper, whose heart is in the right place, is one of those. She thinks Biden sucks and she wondered what Kamala was doing. We explained that Kamala is out there, but it is ver seldom reported. She supported Bernie which I understand. What I couldn't stand was some of his supporters and I told her a story about a couple local jerks who thought nothing, at a meeting of the county Ds, of insulting a long time D who has worked all of her life to make things better.
Here's an open question that popped into my head to anyone who knows people who work for these MSM organizations, because I don't. How do they rationalize their organization's behavior to people with whom they have a personal relationship when they're asked why they protect authoritarian autocracy from egalitarian democracy? Let me guess. They say, "I'm right, you're wrong, and this conversation is over." In that case, tell them they are responding to a legitimate question in the same as a MAGA cult member.
Michele. I looked up Project 2025, it is 887 pages with a lengthy forward. Who could read all this propaganda?
I have waded through about 10% of it. So much blaming of Biden administration for, well, everything. And it's usually at the beginning of each chapter.
But once you get into the deets, it gets worse far worse. Even CFDT is trying to distance himself by rewriting the official RNC platform. But he can't help himself by inserting lie after lie and praising himself for his brilliance. The thing is, there are so many uneducated low IQ people that will never read it.
Agreed. I’ve known quite a few people who have/had Parkinson’s. President Biden exhibits none of these symptoms. I doubt that any of the reporters even know what the disease is.
Thom Hartmann explains today's yellow journalism, which basically comes down to Follow the Money: Billionaire media owners' self interest in maximum profits, minimal taxes, and deregulation, which is fueled by publishing spectacle and "inversion of expectation." Click bait: "If it bleeds, it leads" and sensationalize the extraordinary rather than the boring ordinary.
All this started when Reagan ended enforcement of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, which opened the floodgates for far right wing media: Rush Limbaugh’s national talk radio in1988 and Rupert Murdoch’s Fox “News” in 1996.
https://hartmannreport.com/p/yellow-journalism-exposed-the-unfair-3d9?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thanks for the link. In that substack post it notes that
“The media’s Anti-Biden noise isn’t an accident:
— CNN: CEO Trump donor
— ABC: CEO Trump donor
— CBS: CEO Trump donor
— NBC: CEO Trump donor
— MSNBC: CEO Trump donor
— Washington Post: owner anti-union billionaire Jeff Bezos
— Wall Street Journal: Owner: Rupert Murdoch
— New York Times: CEO Trump donor.”
Sorry Joan. I posted the same thing. It jumped out at me as well.
So donate to the Lincoln Project. They target CFDT and his followers better than anyone I know of.
Yes-of course they would seize the media and support Trump to maintain power and wealth. Divide and conquer has worked so well for them. Dividing the Dems is a winner at this point. So sad for America and the world.
Our children and grandchildren will be the losers as the future will be chaotic, hateful and violent when Trump and the Rs take power again.
This list from the article jumped out at me. Fortunately only 57 million homes now have cable and that number is likely exaggerated.
A popular meme this past weekend that went viral on social media, for example, says:
“The media’s Anti-Biden noise isn’t an accident:
— CNN: CEO Trump donor
— ABC: CEO Trump donor
— CBS: CEO Trump donor
— NBC: CEO Trump donor
— MSNBC: CEO Trump donor
— Washington Post: owner anti-union billionaire Jeff Bezos
— Wall Street Journal: Owner: Rupert Murdoch
— New York Times: CEO Trump donor.”
Thanks, Ellie. I appreciate the link.
I listened for a little bit to Lawrence O’Donnell last PM. Not only did he reinterate what HCR said above, he pointed out that it is publicly accessible knowledge that President Biden was not even at the White House for the visits of the neurologist, except for the dates corresponding to his annual exam. O’Donnell made the comment that this is basic journalism steps that the NYTs completely overlooked. The TImes isn’t just going overboard with their coverage of Biden, they are doing direct hit jobs on him. Someone needs to be fired and they can go get a job at the National Enquirer!
The other CFDT fiasco that has received very little press are the 143 convicts that he pardoned through executive clemency.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_granted_executive_clemency_by_Donald_Trump
These include 4 people that stole a combine $1.4 billion from Medicare/Medicaid not to mention MAGAs like Dinesh D'Souza and Roger Stone.
And we know that CFDT will pardon ALL of the 9/11 insurrectionists.
Here is a story from Newsweek that says CFDT will now be able to sell pardons when he is President thanks to the SCOTUS immunity ruling last week.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/donald-trump-could-sell-pardons-under-new-immunity-ruling-legal-analyst/ar-BB1ppNDw
Wow, what an opportunity since he knows more perps than anyone. But anybody who can bankrupt a casino, can screw up anything. Look what he did to the Presidency.
😆(for your comment, Jeri) + 🤮&🤬 (for TFFFG)
It’s those carnival barker genes
A couple of notes from my diary in November 2016. These, I shall keep on repeating:
GREAT AGAIN?
Democracy? Democracy? Where's that? I see only oligarchy.
Chances are DT will bankrupt oligarchy, as he’s bankrupted all he touches, and try for the only thing he (thinks he) understands: dictatorship.
But will the Republic survive the attempt?
*
SYRIA—DRESS REHEARSAL?
It all began, not with an armed uprising, but with protest demonstrations. As in Russia in 1905, it was the regime’s violent response that set fire to the powder keg.
Now here’s the question: is this war the dress rehearsal for what will befall whoever dares resist oligarchy?
Maybe, the next generation will know
Unfortunately, Jeri, we shall not have to wait until the next generation. Whatever the outcome of this year's November elections, there will be mayhem.
Here’s a very rapid and sketchy summary of what is already under way:
The Conspiracy has been preparing the ground for this moment for well over a decade.
They, their teetotal Delirium Tremens, the MAGA movement and their operatives, in Congress, in state houses up and down the country, in the judiciary, all the way down from the Supreme Court, all left off hiding their plans and came out into the open on January 6th 2021—the putsch that failed—since which date we have had something surely new to the world, a permaputsch, day in, day out, smoldering under our feet like a peat fire.
Now the chessmen (and woman) on the Supreme Court have prepared the ground for the form of presidency in place for the past 234 years to be replaced by a form of monarchy not seen since the 17th century, show every sign of planning the establishment of a State religion, contrary to the 1st Amendment, are ensuring that ordinary citizens may use bump stocks to make their semi-automatic firearms fully automatic, while a lesser colleague is doing her damnedest to ensure that a proven security risk of the vastest proportions stays Scot free to sell the country to his mentor in the Kremlin or the highest bidder.
And all that’s only for starters, nor do we know much about who’s been planted in the higher echelons of the Services and all the organizations responsible for citizens’ wellbeing and safety. We know only that there are to be no more citizens, only “subjects” and inequality-before-the-Lawyers, and that the population is to be divided into four castes:
- Ultra-oligarchs
- Those males who do their bidding
- Females (Handmaids)
- (On sufferance) those needed to do dirty work that no one else is willing to take on.
- All others to be rounded up, placed in concentration camps and expelled from the US… or otherwise disposed of.
This and innumerable other goodies for the higher echelons of the pecking order and punishments for those whose skin is the wrong color, whose sexual preferences are forbidden or whose features are deemed substandard.
To everyone: cancel your subscription to most of the MSM, and tell them why, which is because you don't want to be lied to anymore, and because you can get the truth by watching Lawrence O'Donnell.
Maybe David Pecker is available
A bit off topic, Jeri, but your comment reminded me of a long ago SF Chronicle (the pink Datebook section) headline—during Nixon Watergate kerfuffle that read: “Cox Picked As Prober”—some editor had a wicked sense of humor! A laugh out loud 🤣 headline that I cut out and saved, now buried somewhere in my house…really should find it & get it framed & hang it on the wall.
Haha: Lordy, laugh out loud moment. Yep, frame-able. Wordsmith heaven.
The NYT has never supported President Biden.
I couldn't agree more Annie. They've given Maggie Haberman and Paul Krugman long leashes to bash CFDT and their bizarro economic policies and Michelle Goldberg is left leaning otherwise they love them some CFDT and bash Biden every chance they get.
?? CFDT is a new acronym for me. Please define. Thanks
Convicted Felon Donald Trump
Thanks for that. This prompts another acronym: CFHB - Convicted Felon Hunter Biden.
???? What stone have you been living under these past few years?
Please don’t be disrespectful.
Insane comments deserve to be mocked. Any disrespect unintended.
We're all doing the same thing. We're all make assumptions and then we draw a conclusion. And then we take one of two paths. The wise path is to recognize that our assumptions are potentially erroneous but testable, which is why they must be stated. The other path is to jump to the conclusion that "my conclusion is right, and anyone who disagrees with me is wrong." The former are sane, and the latter deserved to be mocked.
Anyone knowing nothing about what is going on other than what is documented in this thread, which includes a lot of very specific information, would find Annie's comment to be in harmony with that information. I don't know what your assumptions are. Maybe they're legitimate. If so, add them to the record. But your conclusion -- that it was Annie making a mock-worthy comment -- conflicts with that information.
Translation: With respect, unintended disrespect is still disrespectful, and if you're looking for someone to mock, consider looking in the mirror.
Thank you for the thoughtful observation, with which I can mostly agree. What is very mockable is the opine that the NYSlimes has never supported Biden. If the mockee finds that disrespectful, perhaps that should prompt a re-examination of the opinion.
It is flat out lying! Biden should do to the US press what Megan and Harry did to the British press which is sue them for slander. As for the courts, people should be backing AOC in her attempt to impeach Supreme Court justices. I am not funding Dick Durbin because he is not listening to my pleas to do the same, but I have sent AOC money, along with Biden to show my support of him even though I give monthly donations to the party.
The billionaires want Rump. They want him to destroy democracy so they can do as they please. And that’s why they pour an endless flood of money in this media campaign against Biden. It’s as simple as that…
I believe you, but what is their end-game? Do they really think they’ll be “fine” in a fascist regime? Do they feel that insulated? Pray tell!
Exactly this (see comment by J L Graham). Billionaires like Musk, Thiel and Murdoch wager that they can simply buy the power they want in a fascist regime because these are practically always corrupt - so their bet isn't far off, I'd say. It would be an easy system: they would simply pay dictator alias god-emperor Trump to make the laws that they want. A democracy is too cumbersome for them: the ordinary people (their slaves) have a say in government, and, heaven forbid, may impose rules on the billionaires that prevent them from doing what they want - mostly, getting even more rich. That is why they want to get rid of democracy; see: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/03/billionaires-for-trump-presidential-election
"You cannot become rich by working hard. You can earn a good living by working hard. But you can only become rich by exploiting people." - quote not by me, but I cannot remember who said it...
I like this. “Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.” Nelson Mandela. But of course, when it is profitable to some, it becomes a righteous cause.
Wow, that's a powerful thing Mandela said there...
Yep, Engels called it social murder, I agree with that.
Yeah, DM, an oligarch class just like in other dictator-led authoritarian countries. I hear it’s good for the yacht & mansion building businesses tho’.
...and fortress building business, too.
I think that they think that will all the power their money can buy, they will stay in control. There always seems to be attraction between oligarchs and despots.
Putin and Murdoch?
They see how the oligarchs are doing in Russia and want the same here. Screw the rest of us.
Exactly that.
The 1000+ billionaires enjoy paying 8.5% income taxes plus their SS income is capped at $168,600 this year. Many of the corporate CEOs earn that in a week or less.
CFDT has made promises to extend the ridiculous tax cuts that have handcuffed the Federal budget process since 2018.
Of course the Republicans didn't mind adding $7.9 trillion to the national debt under CFDT. But now we have to cut spending because of the runaway debt.
Of course they didn't mind; as long as the money keeps flowing into their pockets and their donors' pockets, they don't care where it comes from. If it comes form the pockets of ordinary people, even better: it keeps them poor, angry and easy to oppress.
The rich used to care about their country, well, mostly. Rupert made it respectable to “ask not what you can do for you country; ask what your country can do for you.” And we weren’t even his country. But he won’t discriminate, he would destroy any country. Now he will have a direct line to Putin.
Well, they have the same goal: eradication of democracy, and putting a few old white men (=themselves) in charge of everybody, permanently...
Funny how power and money have the same goal, we need Teddy back. The robber barons are metastasizing
…and becoming increasingly hard to treat. The patient is not doing well…
Sad but true, as I watch the ascendant of fools in Texas becoming the norm elsewhere
I've got your yellow press right here. Seth is on it! https://sethabramson.substack.com/p/we-now-know-what-really-happened
Thank you for the link. A comprehensive analysis and summary.
Yes, Bruce, I’d read it in the wee hours of the night—it’s a long read, very thorough & righteously kicks some ass!!! Like all the links to source material as well.
It was strictly provoking, without any real substance. It sounds more like British press.
But her emails…version 2024
Jeri-Remember “swift boat” against John Kerry and Dukakis with the tank and hypothetical about his wife being raped? The R playbook is in full force and too many Dems are falling for it.
Oh, I remember. The dirty tricks have metastasized. There is no honest MSM any more…
https://youtu.be/Sa6cgksvXu8?si=cvbWZA7ybw2fE2Q2
Trump has NO SHAME whatsoever! And regarding the "softening" Trump abortion stance, DON'T be fooled!!
https://youtu.be/V1IPYQGPD0Q?si=C_wv6onNyl5acb1g
AND AGAIN UGH - the press chomped on it like he actually changed his mind! Like the R party changed its collective mind! 😫
Miselle, BTC & Beau “bring it” in these vids, thanks for the links! That TFFFG is basically declaring that he is the A#1 Best Criminal President EVER & grifting off it is enough to bring strong men with tears in their eyes to their knees in adoration. This puts the movie “Idiocracy” to shame—either that, or TFFFG saw it and stole the idea on how to be a president.
Every journalists appear forced to write something attention getting as they are rated by the number of reader's comments. This is similar to corruption of academic standards as they emphasize the number of publications.
There’s nothing borderline about crime. The only thing borderline is the conviction of the Democratic Party to recognize it.
The real story that someone should be highlighting here at some point, is how common neurological issues are among veterans. My late husband, a Navy Vet, died of ALS. Having been a frequent visitor to the VA clinic in Minneapolis, I can tell you that the numbers of veterans being treated for various neurological conditions like Parkinson’s are big, and growing at a rapid rate, and most of the conditions seen are fatal - not to mention how devastating caring for a loved with these conditions is to family and friends. This has been a giant, hidden story about how military service leads to deadly neurological conditions for years. Yet these damn useless “journalists” look at the click bait story trying to find dirt on the President and salivate. And abuse the Press secretary unmercifully - with apparently complete ignorance of HIPPA laws.
And why, for the love of god, are these same journalists not screaming at the Trump campaign about releasing Trumps medical records. The guy can’t string three coherent sentences together. The media? Crickets. Thank heavens for Substack.
Back to working to get out the vote.
Sheila, 💔❤️🩹 I’m so sorry that your husband and you had to deal with this dread malady. Our country OWES a debt to our current and former military members (and their families who also “serve”) & we must see to it that all are provided decent and timely medical services….good grief, that is the very LEAST that should be done. I am glad that Biden has unwavering support of our troops. That press conference with Karine being badgered was painful to watch, but she handled it adroitly and assertively, while I wanted to lunge thru my TV screen & tell the guy to STFU!!!—-but she’s too classy for that!
I take counsel in how truly, seriously infirm was FDR during his great, great, great presidency.
Joe has age issues today? Yes, worry. But compared to FDR's crippling polio?
It isn't Joe's age that keeps Dems from celebrating their great agenda for the 2024 elections. It's the Dems themselves. They should be naming each other by name, by the colorful character of each region they represent -- cuisine highly included -- and by the issues as local constituents name them.
Dems across the map should be getting into gear for an enthusiastic campaign of naming each other and their issues. Not just waiting, playing tiddlywinks on the Joe-is-aging issue.
Yes, I agree with you. Democrats have a tendency of not being united and not aggressive enough. They must move forward and stop this nonsense of criticism of Biden. The clock is ticking, enough of the rhetoric.
Shoot your self in both feet. The Democrat pre-race exercise…
In the today's headlines, Biden found to be somewhat older that Trump.
Later in the program; whole country of China falls into the ocean; Trump apologizes for 78 years of lies.
That's a good comparison, Phil. But I have my own worries that many won't vote for Biden due to his age and having difficulty in communicating, an infirmity FDR didn't seem to have.
That said, if Biden is going to try to go for another 4 years, then they had better well come up with a good offense rather than only being on the defensive. Maybe even cancel the second debate, I don't know, or shorten it?
The NATO meeting is a good start on coming up with a good offense, and it is being covered on CNN. The Biden Administration needs to continue getting its message out.
they should refuse to debate until tRump has appeared in ALL his court cases and cleared himself. Just ask :If you are innocent, what are you hiding?
Sorry Matt I have to disagree. FDR was great no doubt about that however, he had limited exposure to the public in real time for Americans to grasp the infirmity of his Polio. He also did not have what we have today to deal with, sound bites that can be manipulated, or a speech impediment, stuttering, for which President Biden has worked for years to overcome, but today’s sound bites don’t allow him to speak slowly so that his speech is clear with time to control his diction. But his brain is clear, his experience on the world stage invaluable and the results of his administration stellar considering what he inherited and the state of the entire world. My point, we need to get over the one man show and concentrate on the man and his administration and policies or accept project 2025 as our life. I for one am not ready to do that. Somehow I don’t think you are either. I am doing my best to get the word out to stop giving I even to a loosing strategy of replacing Biden because when we do, I don’t who care is on the ticket, we just gave it to Trump.
It is fine to disagree. We Dems and independents who are really Dems will have differences on this matter. I will happily vote for Joe in November if he is the candidate. All of my arguments are based on wondering if enough others will do so. Getting 90% of Dems and Dem-leaning independents won't be good enough.
And his team and his wife were part of the reason, and he had a good VP.
Eleanor, great woman.
Plus: Henry A. Wallace, V.P.; Roy Stryker, Farm Security Administration, attorneys general Frank Murphy, Robert H. Jackson; Secretary of State, Cordell Hull; treasury, Henry Morgenthau Jr.; war dept. Henry L. Stimson; commerce Harry Hopkins; labor, Frances Perkins; navy, James Forrestal; Henry A. Wallace also at commerce and agriculture.
and never forget who he surrounded himself with compared to the crime syndicate of 45
Has the DNC been infiltrated by Putin as well?
Terry, I have wondered—once all this sh*t hit the fan & the media keeps slinging more at it—that it was too slick and convenient by half. I am not one to dabble in conspiracy theories, but I sure wondered who/what was behind what seems to be an orchestrated pile-on. Dunno…but if there are any dedicated investigative journalists out there, I’d sure like them to peel back the lid and take a look to see if this constitutes anything like intentional election interference.
I've kinda been following the NYT and WP in regard to what they cover about Biden and Trump. By far they both cover Biden more negatively and more often.
Dan Rather had a piece here on Substack to that effect this past week https://steady.substack.com/p/a-dangerous-double-standard
Dan Froomkin has been covering the press for a number of years pretty much with the same conclusion. https://presswatchers.org/author/froomkin/ The same can be said about CNN. Although not as bad as Fox they are more like Fox-lite.
Bottom line its hard to deny that like Fox the NYT and WP are in the bag for Trump.
Seems like it
FDR had polio, but his physical affliction was irrelevant to his performance as President.
FDR had one of the sharpest minds of any President. That's what matters, and that's the question at issue with President Biden.
Unfortunately, those who have seen his performance in settings where he cannot use a teleprompter and must depend on his wits are less than confident in his abilities.
Most recently, actor and fundraiser George Clooney, one of President Biden's strongest backers, weighed in, noting that:
"I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, he's won many of the battles he's faced. But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It's devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe 'big F-ing deal' Biden of 2010. He wasn't even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate."
As usual, partisans make assumptions about my political views that are false. I get the same in reverse every time I comment on a Wall Street Journal article. Please keep your insults to yourself.
On his "speech," it was five minutes of impromptu remarks in a friendly setting in the middle of the day, so ideal conditions for Biden. That said, if you didn't see that he was in difficulty at a few points in his remarks, you need to review the tape. https://www.c-span.org/video/?536915-1/president-biden-attends-meeting-union-leaders-afl-cio
Of course you've seen the first tape. It was the one you mentioned in your first comment. Also, please clean up your language and I ask you to refrain from insults.
As for Biden's performance yesterday, he clearly demonstrated superior knowledge on several foreign policy questions, but he also introduced President Zelenskyy as "Vladimir Putin" and in the press conference referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as "Vice President Trump." He did not move the needle yesterday for those who think he should withdraw from the campaign, and more Democratic officials are calling on him to withdraw today.
Joe Biden is a good man, and far preferable to a convicted felon like Trump, but it's also clear that he's not the same person he was in 2020, when he was running for his first term. If he's like this now, what's he going to be like in a couple of years?
I have another article for you. It's a piece in the Atlantic entitled "Trump is Planning for a Landslide Win." It's a story about the pros in charge of Trump's campaign -- and they are praying that Biden stays in the race. Doesn't that tell you something? https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/07/trump-campain-election-2024-susie-wiles-chris-lacivita/678806/
Living in a left behind county for the past 50+ years, I have marveled at the way people reliably vote against their own economic self interests in favor of perceived cultural issues. It defies logic but it’s all about how politicians make them feel rather than assessing what politicians actually do.
Feelings. Stoking those feelings seems to be the media’s money-maker.
As president, Trump tried and failed to cut benefits drastically. Some Republicans wanted to replace the entire SSI and disability system. See. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Trump, House Republican Cuts to SSI Would Harm Children With Disabilities, Sept. 18, 2017, Kathleen Romig and Guillermo Herrera. https://www.cbpp.org/research/social-security/trump-house-republican-cuts-to-ssi-would-harm-children-with-disabilities
“The Trump proposal would cut SSI by more than $8 billion over the next decade, shrinking benefits for roughly a quarter of a million children with disabilities by between 38 and 66 percent. It would also increase SSI’s administrative costs and improper payments”.
That's why we should be telling MAGATs "don't slit your own throat" by supporting any Republican.
As long as they crush the libs, they are all for it. At least that is what I see in my retired cop cohort. Christian Nationalism is what they long for, but they sure don't see what they're going to get along with it...
Yes but anecdotally, a lot are flipping. The mantra, "Trump hates dogs" eventually works. Check out pet sites on Facebook.
https://rvat.org/
Ally, it’s like they see a vampire at the door, unable to cross the threshold, who tells them “I will suck the blood from all them libtards”…..”oh wonderful” is the reply “come on in!”.
Christian nationalism is a large part of that. Clearly having Satan promise paintings of white Jesus on classroom walls, a Bible on every student's desk, prayers before every school and government meeting, and no abortions ever, and that candidate will win in rural counties.
I left rural middle GA six years ago. I still have family and friends there, but I don't miss living there. I served my time.
FT 6 texted into GA. We didn't get as many negative replies as expected. Virtually non from Hotlanta.
Text Arcade is a super-fast text bank that costs $25 a ticket. 100% of the ticket price goes to funding your 1,400 texts. (To put this in perspective, it costs a volunteer $1,300 to send 1,400 postcards!) FT6 pays for about half of those texts in order to keep the ticket price reasonable.
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ft6arcade24
Our human emotions are key to how we choose to live our lives given our personal experiences and circumstances. Understanding why and how different individuals feel differently should be be a basic tenet in early years education. Empathy training. Present day politicians, for the most part, still monitor their success or failure on simple economic statistics. They then election campaign with these GDP figures without ever testing them against the actual emotional well being or not these figures are delivering in individual every day lives. It is a structural blind spot in capitalist democracies. One that is exploited and manipulated by unscrupulous psychologically informed corporate media moguls working in the shadows for anonymous donors.
A measurement for the political delivering of individual and environmental well being is long overdue.
Katie Porter has long been my favorite House member. I'll miss her, but I've got another contender, Jasmine Crockett. This is what I posted today on a Boston Globe piece about Biden:
Over the past two days, I've heard two of our Representatives take opposite positions about whether or not Biden should run. Jasmine Crockett (https://crockett.house.gov/about) of TX and Adam Smith (https://adamsmith.house.gov/) of CA. Congressman Smith blamed Biden for not communicating his message well enough. Representative Crockett took up the challenge and communicated forcefully why she is supporting the President, talking specifically about all the help he has provided for the community that she represents. My thanks to Rep. Crockett. My question to Congressman Smith: why don't you spread the good word about what an excellent President Biden has been and will continue to be? Biden is busy right now being President, welcoming the NATO ministers to the White House and preparing support for Ukraine, so it makes sense to me for the House members in his party to do some excellent communicating to their constituents on behalf of our President.
I love Jasmine Crockett. She is fabulous!
Indeed she is. We need more like her.
I like Katie Porter as well Betsy - a lot.
Love Katie, pissed that two “greats” oppose each other
Jeri, probably more in common than not, it’s just that there was only one seat to compete for. I was on many hiring committee’s in my time & was so frustrating to have to choose only one candidate when there more than one excellent choice, often wishing we could hire both! Many a time making the call (I always called rather than sending a letter) to let someone know they weren’t selected & if they were one of the excellent choices, I would tell them how impressed we were and to encourage them to continue to pursue positions on campus.
Have we lost both of those House seats.
Wish we had more like Jasmine, she is the future of the Democratic Party!
I'm guessing that there are more like her. We just have to listen when they speak and to support them as they express a desire to be our public servants.
Interesting to know that Biden has a touch of neuropathy in his feet, which explains why he walks so gingerly — And it has NOTHING to do with his mental competence! Or even his stamina. If he were rolling around in a wheelchair, would we think he could not be president? {FDR, anybody?}
And Texas governor Greg Abbot.
Well, HE is an incompetent slob, but it has nothing to do with walking or rolling.
Texas Dictator Greg Abbot and Florida Dictator DeSatan. Both of them are incompetent asshats!
He is evil beyond words. Don’t follow Texas anywhere
I too have this annoying issue! Make me feel for him! I love you Joe!
It hurts like the dickens Pat.
I know! And it's tough to try to ignore -- Hard to judge where your feet are placed, the lay of the land beneath them ... Has ZERO to do with cognition. As, it seems, you are aware. Hmmmph.
I also have the neuropathy problem. Uneven ground surfaces are a challenge for me.
Sorry to hear it. Wishing you well.
As I’ve told many people wringing their hands over Biden…Harris would be the backup candidate regardless. Now, or deep into a second Administration. Either way, vote Blue.
I also follow up with “An empty chair would be a better President than CFDT”.
This country won't elect a woman president. Elect Joe, and if he wishes or must he can then pass the torch into capable hands. Problem solved, no hysterics required (other than to sell papers and fill cable content).
And while we're here, ask why TFG needs to choose a new VP.
RIGHT — because his loyal followers threatened to hang the last one, and DJT egged them on!!
They definitely won’t elect Biden as he is now either. The young voters will not come out for him. Biden will loose this November
Yes, but the terrifying truth is that Biden will NOT win! The swing voters he relied on in 2020 will not come out for him. I agree with you that he has been a great president and yet his approval ratings are in the low 30th. They are because of his age!!! That has not gotten any better since the debate debacle where it became so clear for everybody to see that Biden is in cognitive decline. That is the reality!
The sky is not falling. Young voters have discovered Project 2025 despite the corporate media, and they are ready to mobilize. It is our job to make sure no one forgets in the next four months. Chin up. There is indeed reason to worry, but best to turn your fears into fighting. All is not lost until we say it is.
Can the Biden campaign get on TikTok and share about Project 2025?
I imagine so, but we shouldn't wait around for them to act. I'm not on TikTok, but I bet this guy is.
https://youtube.com/shorts/4n-6us0NK9I?si=k1NyvzZjKbIQjj_U
Agree, I “follow” him on YT as well—very spot on in his commentary.
Yes, and I like his energy.
If you READ the debate it becomes crystal clear that Biden is NOT in cognitive decline, that he actually won. It’s up to us to explain the contents of Project 2025 to the younger voters and swing voters. One of the authors called it Trumpism institutionalized. People need to put quotes from it on all social media clearly defining them as Trumpism institutionalized, with source.
Thanks, Pilgrim, that’s what I’ve been telling folks to do—read the transcripts of both of them & it becomes crystal clear who’s “got it” and who “lacks it”. Ridin’ with Biden/Harris!
I share your concerns, Tanja. The majority here are trying to just hold out for a few more months and hope that Biden finishes strong. With some good press on what the Biden Administration has done and continues to do, maybe he will. (I would cancel the second debate, however.)
I would like to know how you envision any other candidate than Biden beating trump. Changing candidates now — no matter who it is — will piss a lot of people off. I don’t see how unity around another candidate will. At least with Biden we have a great track record to run with. If Biden can’t finish another four years we Harris backing him up.
I don’t see how unity around any other candidate will happen
We are caught in storm of bullets, right into the heart of what America... bullet points of Project 2025.
I don't know what to say, except to post this protest/elegy to us and our struggle again. I tried to think of what I love that will be gone if President Biden does not win this election. I would love to hear what everyone will miss if our country flames into the sea.
I Stand by Her Grave and Weep July 2, 2024
Standing on a large rock at Cape Flattery
Backed by a million Douglas Fir trees
She sinks into the ocean supreme, grief sobs me.
A blazing setting sun screaming a red orange
Sunset of dreams she once allowed everyone.
She was the morning sun’s rise and shine…
She was the prairie wind the bison knew…
She was the wish on a silver Roosevelt dime…
She was the mountain trickle to a river grew…
She was the eagle’s majestic circling flight…
She was the mother of jazz in New Orleans…
She was the baby rocked to sleep at night…
She was the immigrant and pilgrim’s dreams…
She was the breadbasket of ripened grain…
She was the wild free wind in Kansas…
She was a gentle spring and autumn rain…
She was messy as Vermont’s fall maple forest…
She was a hamburger and chocolate malt…
She was our mother destroyed by default…
I kneel, my back rounded, my heart riven.
With a forest fire in front of me
This eighty-year-old body wizened…
We are dying at the same time. I cry
For America the Beautiful and I.
What you wrote Lynn is beautiful.
I was sad after reading this Letter. Usually there is hopeful news after the not so hopeful news/events.
Thankfully 99% of the comments are from honest rational intelligent and true Americans. We have to practice self-care and believe goodness will prevail.
Thank you for your very eloquent poem/elegy. Its beautiful and heartbreaking, but hopefully we won't have to see this dark vision of our country realized.
Thanks Sunni, But as Heather pointed out with, "prohibiting the Secretary of Energy from prescribing or enforcing energy efficiency standards for residential refrigerators, freezers, and dishwashers." our country is half dunked into the sea, choking on a salty coup. The supreme court's immunity manifesto, canceling agencies from doing their work, is holding her upside down dunking her, she can't breath. The repub platform released today 20 knives that will slash her into fish food.
How beautiful, for the sorrow of its warning. It makes one feel. A good poem does that.
@Lynn Geri
Thank you Lynn for the vulnerability to envision the loss and make that possible future pain present to motivate us to actions that will help avoid it.
That’s the power of poetry. It is not a prediction but a clear and intense imaginary dip into what it would feel like to live in that possible outcome of current trends.
Feel it! Not just a political defeat but a drear domination into a vise grip of sameness and subjugation. The end of free agency as you are regimented into handmaidens and children’s creativity is slammed into the straight jacket of dogma while we are marched like lemmings toward the cliffs of global warming extinction. Let it sink in.
Then, meet each day with the resolve to erase that possibility.
Here's a poem of mine that is a call to wake up and take action...
We Are Odysseus
By Larry LaVerdure
A veil of the familiar trivializes our lives
making us small and ordinary.
There’s escape in that for some
but not for us, involuntary visionaries.
We fear that we have been born to greatness
or that great service may be thrust upon us.
But then there’s that vague veil mess
of averting our eyes, failing to trust
the urgings our own beating hearts.
The veil of the ordinary hides our purpose
like fog that hides a distant, deadly shore.
Though we feel ordinary, there’s so much more
than our petty quips and rancid wanderlust.
We have heroes work to do,
we who hear the cracking whip and
feel the wrenching thumbscrew of history.
There is vindication on our lips
and our purpose is born of misery.
We who have felt the blame heaped on the bereft,
who know the mean streets of violence
the abuse of the racial, overwrought arrest
and felt the shame of hapless witness in silence.
We have seen those who would welcome
the luxury to turn away to a day of privilege
to a sense of safety even if t ’were
a day of errands, a grocery shopping dredge
with enough wherewithal
to pay for it all.
We who drown in inaction.
We who escape to fantasy,
Fill our ears with fantasy-notions.
We tied to the mast of our aversions
Unlike Odysseus long ago on a
Wine dark sea bound to adventure
Seeking a way back home,
A way back to community.
A way back to family.
Oh, Larry, that was a wonderful read. Loved, "we who hear the cracking whip and/
feel the wrenching thumbscrew of history." and the "seeking a way back home. " message. You are right about poetry. I would like us to stop describing the source of our pain. CFDT is going to do his thing. I want to start thinking about what will be lost that we need to build a life around... actually grieve what we are already loosing.
! Wow Lynn; how incredibly well done !
The failure of our media to report factual news is as shocking and incomprehensible as the failure of our SCOTUS to protect the Rule of Law and the principle that no one ia above the law. As you said last week, Heather, the courts will not save our democracy. The media won’t save us. We are the majority and it is up to We the People to save our democracy. I hope every one of us is actively engaging with nonvoters and wavering voters in swing states to urge them to defend our country at the ballot box.
The Press is hemorrhaging badly; the President, not so much. I have a feeling that many Substack subscribers have given up serious reading of major newspapers for a curated list of trusted authors on this platform. I know I have.
While I love the Professor, her pots, and her point of view, I think it’s a mistake for us to give up reading the press that we don’t always agree with. We need to hear alternative points of view (not alternative facts, though!) to keep our minds sharp, our debating skills working, understand that there are legitimate points of that are different—and if nothing else, understand the enemy’s positions!
We read it. That’s why we’re pissed.
But not absorbing their despair, as have many of my acquaintances.
I am giving Biden my unwavering support. Thank you, Heather, for just giving me additional reasons to do so. We wouldn't be in this mess at all if the Republican party had done a better job of vetting Donald J. Trump before they ever allowed him to get to the GOP primary in 2015. He should have been disqualified because he wouldn't come clean about his business dealings (taxes, questionable ties to Russia, etc). This is ALL on the Republican party. The Republican party is a party of traitors, seditionists and a party that promotes and supports traitors and seditionists. They do not intend to "make America great again". They intend to destroy America.
That other party wasn’t going to vet the felon to be. He was their perfect useful idiot. He was the perfect one who could “hold a signing pen”. That’s all they needed. And if it weren’t late, I’d remember who said that all they(the right)needed was someone who could hold the signing pen. Of course, in the felon’s case, it was the Sharpie.
It is shocking how ill-informed MAGA is. Worse somehow they are voting against their own financial security, safety and health. That truly seems to define insane.
Nothing new there. Working class Republicans have been doing this for decades
It goes beyond ill-informed, not paying attention, or whatever . . . . it is evil.
MAGA folks do not use information to decide on their values. They rely on Fox to tell them what to believe. They cannot go one level deeper and explain or justify their beliefs.
what they miss on Fox they get in church.
Or directly from their Liar God.
MAD MAGA Maggots!
I don't know about you but I've had it with the Biden bashing. Yeah, he had a spectacularly bad debate performance. That's fine, we all saw or heard about it. Then I saw a president being asked many times over by George Stephanopolous if he was still physically & mentally able to the to job, if he was the best man for the job, to beat trump.
OK fine, now where are the headlines screaming that trump refuses to participate in a one on one interview with a real reporter that should just keep asking why did you lie about this, why did you lie about that? Oh & how come you had so many failed businesses? Why is there are civil sexual abuse case followed by 2 liable judgments against you from the same woman? Why have grand juries around the country found that you should be indicted? Why did you take secret documents when you left the white House, & hey, did you sell them to the highest bidder, is that part of your executive power?
Should Biden stay in the race? Oh, I don't know he did a pretty damn fine job at the NATO summit with his speech, oh & pardon me that he read from either notes or the teleprompter. At least he can read! And his awarding Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO, the Medal of Freedom Award was a wonderful gesture to a man who has done so much to keep that alliance functioning in these terrible times. Our president knows how to show appreciation rather than threaten retaliation. He can share the stage. How come we aren't hearing about that over & over & over from the major news outlets. I read on one of the Substacks that I subscribe to that there is a possibility that these 'news' papers are doing this for a couple of reasons. One is that the owners are those rich folks that will benefit from tax cuts & the 2nd is if trump wins they don't want to be considered too disloyal. Dumbasses, they only need one story to be considered disloyal, maybe they may even be thrown in jail & their assets seized, that's what happens in dictatorships or have they forgotten to review the history of tyrants.
Yeah, I'm angry. Do I wish that Biden was a younger candidate, probably but he is the one we have & unless he has another lapse or a severe fall we probably oughta stick with the guy the beat trump the first time.
Well said!!!
Thank you, Return.
It scares me that Project 25, along with the Supreme Court’s immunity decision and overruling of the Chevron doctrine, are not front page news all day, every day. I’ve lost a lot of confidence in the NYT to report fairly, and won’t even bother to turn on the TV. I’ve read many books lately about the period in Germany between WWI and WWII and feel that the GOP is following their playbook, with success. Frankly, I’m scared for our country. I’m still sticking with Biden, and am terrified about what will happen if we switch candidates at this late stage. It seems as though we’re playing into their hands.
NYT is a goner. Even my 23 y/o daughter and her world knows how biased the NYT is. Most of the journalists or hosts of the financial news shows on cnbc are pro trump. Amazing.
E, I have for some time now been watching Scripps news as my televised 'go to'. I find them the least reactive and fact based. As for online stuff, ProPublica and Axios have been my go to's along with selected substack authors / journalists. Hope that helps.
AP and Reuters have been pretty even also.
MSNBC is very anti Trump. But, they don’t stop talking about him!
Ever
Not during the day. I have to turn it off when driving. Andrea Mitchel and Katie Tur are bothsidesing and bashing Biden’s health non stop.
Today in Tulsa World newspaper (largest newspaper in Oklahoma) comes a report that the spirit of Project 2025 will come to Oklahoma's schools if State school head Ryan Walters has his way. Walters has hired a group of MAGA conservatives - including the head of the Heritage Foundation, which helped write Project 2025 - to create new Social Studies educational standards meant to teach the Bible and "American exceptionalism" and other still-to-be-publicized curriculum topics to students in Oklahoma's grade schools. I mention this to highlight the scope of the MAGA threat we face and to urge people to both work to defeat Trump in November and to defeat MAGA in every state in the nation! This is a fight we must win wherever the battles are taking place!
Here is the Tulsa World news report...
https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/walters-taps-prageru-heritage-foundation-leaders-for-social-studies-committee/article_3933fc8c-3e26-11ef-b6b9-f795b731f63d.html
Disturbing.
Absolutely!
Seems like they should focus on academic achievement in Oklahoma and stop forcing religious education and superficial history lessons on students.
I agree. But the agenda of Ryan Walters is not “education”. It’s “indoctrination”. SMH
Exactly!!!
The mandate that Joe Biden claims he has from the Democratic Presidential primary races was based upon the voters' beliefs, undiminished by the truth, that Biden was in good mental and physical health even though he was already at an advanced age.
Now that Biden himself has revealed to the world how diminished his mental faculties are and how progressively worse they could be over the next 4 years, the Democrats need to revisit the validity of the primary results, especially given the ammunition that Trump now has and will flood the media with until Election Day to drive home Biden's depleting mental faculties.
Joe isn't running to remain in office until he is 86 because he think it's best for the Democratic Party. He's running because he thinks it's best for him.
There is no dislike button, but L.D. Michaels, I am writing this out in words: I dislike what you wrote. You made assumptions based on little evidence, and you are projecting your unfounded opinions into the future. Biden does not talk about having to choose between electric boats and sharks. While it is occasionally difficult to follow what he has said, unless you are a physician who has examined him, your diagnosis of his "mental faculties" is entirely inappropriate. In your conclusion, you malign a man who has dedicated his life to his country. What, I wonder, have you done for your country.
Trolling is worse now, with AI. Better not to reply.
Agreed. There are trolls all over Substack now. I’ve reported a couple of truly egregious ones but it’s like pissing into a hurricane(pardon my English here).
SPW, my instinct regarding trolls and troublemakers, or people who express opinions contrary to my own, is to try to offer something to think about, even if it doesn't refute the author's allegations. A popular observer, Brian Tyler Cohen, often reminds us that every accusation is a revelation of the accuser's mindset. Sometimes I will offer a comment aimed at the "commentariat" here to ponder, instead of addressing the rogue poster's screed.
I don’t disagree and I can scroll right on by as long as they don’t start with really egregious and abusive name calling; spewing unsubstantiated comments and persisting in their abuse throughout a thread. Those get reported.
I've seen a few noxious posters. Some are intractable. They spoil the vibe, plus waste time.
No, really, SPW - your English is quite good!
It's 'so' hard to resist though Anne. I immediately and reflexively launched out at one today myself ... caught myself quick then went on.
It's just a waste of valuable energy. We need all our energy at the moment.
Perhaps more of us should start reporting these comments. Not only the message, but the actual wording needs review by the administrator.
Good point. The actual wording.
Betsy, I surely hope Biden defeats Trump, but anyone who watched the debate or the ABC interview has a right to their opinion as to the reality that faces Joe Biden and Democratic chances to keep the Presidency.
Do I need to be a lawyer to have an opinion that the Supreme Court decision on Presidential immunity is very dangerous to democracy in the US? No, of course not.
And I will vote for Biden over Trump even if his health declines further. But the question is will the rest of USians do the same?!?! It only takes a couple percent of independents to vote the other way.
In my opinion, many (most?) commentors here have their heads in the sand, hoping that staying the course will do no damage and result in victory.
A man who has dedicated his life to his country should have the conscience to step aside when it becomes obvious he no longer has the capacity to be effective.
Well, I did take a peek at his "profile" in which he says, "I do not want anyone to have to pay for a subscription or to pay me anything for my humble thoughts, which could be worthless." So there's that, Betsy!
I guess you're not aware that even George Stephanopoulus stated after his interview of Joe Biden " I don't think he can serve four more years". Nor do I.
💙
Re silly Trump comments about EV boats and sharks, etc: You take him too literally, as do most. Think about it. Would YOU consider a fully battery powered vehicle of any sort to be used in an environment that is 100% guaranteed to get wet at some time?
"Now that Biden himself has revealed to the world how diminished his mental faculties are"
I respectfully request you look at Joe Biden again. Watch the speech he gave tonight celebrating NATO's 75th Anniversary. His mental faculties are NOT diminished. He has a life-long issue with stuttering. That has nothing to do with his "mental faculties".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeP7z1GCsDM
Yes, the President can read a speech off a teleprompter. But 41 million people cannot unsee his stumbling, confused, inarticulate performance in the debate. And his gaslighting since it happened. And his completely unimpressive interview with George Stephanopoulos, in which he asserted he “can’t recall” if he watched the video of his debate performance. If he didn’t watch the video of the debate that is torpedoing his candidacy, he is an idiot. And if he can’t recall, he is seriously impaired. So was he lying or is he that confused?
Yes, this administration has actually done a very good job. But for whatever reason, the public does not know it and does not give him credit for it. The president was already behind in the polls, and now after the debate he is only farther behind. His recalcitrance will put Trump in the White House, which will be an unmitigated disaster for the United States and quite possibly the end of our democracy.
Sorry to see you in panic mode. FYI, ordinary people did NOT react to the debate the way the "pundit class" (which is driving the panic) did. Here's a video that proves this point. I hope it helps you understand the dynamic being created by these talking heads to make money for themselves and for the networks...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiyQeBO5SqM
I disagree Steve. I and many of my friends, all loyal Democrats and Biden supporters, were and remain very troubled. If he remains in the race, we will vote for him because we believe in democracy. Biden has been an extraordinary president under challenging circumstances. But unfair or not, his debate performance raised serious questions that he and his team have not excelled at answering. I say this while condemning the media feeding frenzy.
Well said. I don't think his team can answer these questions, though. That isn't fair to them to say, "Gee, obviously the debate prep team failed!" No, I think they were loyal and did their damned best!
In the ABC interview with George Steph., Biden said himself that he took responsibility for the failed debate. But then he went on to say that:
* Only the Lord Almighty could come down and convince him not to continue to run. (!)
* All is well as far as Joe Biden is concerned. If I lose, I've done my very best and that is all that matters. (!)
(!) added by me and not part of the paraphrase :-).
Just get him in. Naturally, he's not going to get any younger... but his brilliant team is there. And eventually, what's a Vice-President for?
Perhaps the You Tubers aren't being guided by the media? their loyalty to a good president is encouraging and heartwarming.
Actually, no, the ordinary people did react to the debate in a negative way. 74% of the American public now believe President Biden is too old to be effective as president. In the current polls, the President fell another 6-9 points. At this time in 2020, Mr. Biden was ahead of Trump by 10 points. Now he’s behind 10 points. I see little chance he can be elected. I am not in panic mode. I am in realist mode. And I do not appreciate your condescending remarks.
The only poll that matters hasn't happened yet!
The Biden horse has been forced against the rails, but is running strongly. He'll break away from the pack and take the lead. Class and training tell the tale.
So you’re saying that the day before the “debate”, which it was anything but, by the way, President Biden was perfectly capable of doing his so far, excellent job of running this crazy country but the day after that debate, he was a blithering idiot? What planet are you living on? And now that the dust has settled, so have the polls, for whatever they’re worth today anyway.
Good points. What I keep thinking about is that if I were in Joe's place, and if I were feeling ill, or wretched, or exhausted, and the scheduled event were going out to dinner in the evening, I would have canceled the gig. But if Joe had cancelled the debate gig because he hadn't slept the night before, or whatever, imagine the fallout for begging off! He was on the horns of a dilemma -- two options, neither one obviously better than the other, and he had to pick one. I wish he had postponed the confrontation with cfdt.
No, actually, I didn’t say that at all. There has been concern about President Biden’s advanced age throughout his presidency. He will be 82 when inaugurated and 86 when his term ends. It is legitimate for people to question how capable he still is of performing the job. The Biden campaign set up this entire debate scenario as a way to show the president is vigorous, engaged and on top of his game. Very sadly, that did not happen and the debate had the opposite effect and strengthened the president’s detractors. That’s the planet called reality that I am living on.
My entire family and all my close friends are all democrats and Biden supporters… who also believe it’s time for him to step down
Respectfully, who do they think better positions us to win? I hope we can all realign behind Joe Biden and encourage everyone we know to vote for him. That is how we win. He’s been on fire ever since the debate, he’s the best president in our lifetimes.
There are probably 1000 Democrats who could take up the mantle and be very effective in communicating the message!
@Paul S Bowman
Paul I would wager that were you debating Trump that night, and you were the target of the Gist Gallop that he was spewing you would not have done much better.
After he laid down at least 10 or more un-fact-checked lies, assaulted your motives, capabilities and your stellar performance as president and claimed that he was the greatest president ever and you’ve got just 2 minutes to rebut that stinking pile of disinformation, where would you begin?
But you know what, Joe with a life long stutter should never have put himself in that position or have given Trump the opportunity to have that bully-pulpit to bully him. Trump did nothing but lie and parade his egomaniacal self through his distorted world view.
Joe Biden doesn’t need to be able to dominate a bully like Trump in order to govern well. He has gathered a team of talented and capable professionals around him and he brings the wisdom of a lifetime of legislative leadership and knowledge to get things done.
That’s what I want for my vote for president. I want team Biden to shellack team Project 2025. I think they can do it and Kamala is solid as a backup for Joe.
He was being attacked by Stephanopoulus. Trump uses a teleprompter all the time.
I watched it. Stephanapolous did not attack him. He asked pointed, probing questions which is what a journalist is supposed to do. And the president, sadly, was not able to answer straightforward questions. And during the debate, Trump did not use a teleprompter. So that doesn’t matter.
No, he did not. He asked the President 16 ways to Sunday if he had, is, or will take a mental competency test. It’s insulting that he would ask that once, but numerous times?
And why is no one asking TFG the same question? The man is clearly in the grip of dementia. Have you heard his speeches? Seen him give one of his speeches? They make zero sense and have no context or connection to reality.
Snakes, sharks, electric boats with batteries—the mind boggles.
But it’s Joe Biden’s mental acuity everyone is focused on. Yeah, right.
Trump is capable of communicating his BS just fine. We all need to demand that Trump gets a psychiatric evaluation. A cognitive test would be fine, too, but the psych eval is by far the higher priority.
Or just put him in jail already.
The president has a large slice of the public—a majority—who are concerned about his mental competency. Taking a mental competency or health evaluation would be a big help if it went well. It is a legitimate question that the president did not answer. After the debate, 74% of people polled said that they believe the president is too old to do the job. We and the president ignore that at our peril.
Trump wouldn't know how to use a teleprompter.
Thank you Steve. It was an excellent speech and well delivered.
Two sets of headlines in Australia: "Biden gives forceful speech" and "Biden struggles to give speech at NATO".
Thank you for that link! I watched and it was good, as I expected it would be!
L.D., please read the transcripts of the debate. Ask yourself who tried to answer the asked question with facts and who lied or twisted or exaggerated the truth. I was frustrated by the performance but thought Biden won on substance. Alas, weak willed Democrats seem to expect TikTok entertainment when substance is needed. You're really handing the election to Trump.
No, no one expects a Tik Tok performance, but they do expect clear, intelligible responses. Yes, on the substance Joe wins but on his performance he lost. Let’s not kid ourselves about that. 74% of the American public now believes he is too old to be president. We cannot just pretend that is not true.
Last thought for tonight: If you read this essay about what the mainstream press did NOT report about Joe Biden, it will help you understand you are being stampeded into a belief about Biden that's not true...
https://open.substack.com/pub/sethabramson/p/we-now-know-what-really-happened
I do not need you to tell me about the mainstream press and how I am being stampeded. I am not being stampeded. I watched it myself. I look up polls and other data myself. Stop already with this condescending nonsense.
The probability of that being true seems rather low, after reading.
Is a President a”performer” now? How do you think you would fare standing 8 feet away from a lying bully, who only repeated the same mantras he always does instead of answering questions.
Yes, the president is a performer. All politicians are. That’s kind of their job. They do their job by performing speech acts. It is what democracy is founded on. I would also have trouble dealing with Trump’s bullying and lies, but I am not running for president. But I do know how to handle it. You don’t respond to the mantras, but present your own vision. Which the president failed to do.
In the debate, as set up, one had to answer the questions, which he dud. In a speech, you present your vision, which he has done.
Is he too old? Yes. Can he do the job? Find me someone better enough that Joe can say, "OK, you've got this."
Great response! Also... this video from Beau of the Fifth Column might help you respond to people like Mr. Bowman. Just trying to help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiyQeBO5SqM
Love Beau and use his videos often.
Thanks for that link. He's right!
When it comes down to reaching the disengaged undecided voters who'll elect our next president, a TikTok video is exactly what they'll be looking at. 15 seconds of Biden looking incapable of running a washing machine, much less a country.
Ridiculous garbage!
Seth Abrahamson’s Proof substack has a very thorough discussion of Biden’s competency. And counts 602 lies by Trump in only 40 minutes in the “debate.” He names each one. A long read, but he writes for serious readers.
Yes, it's a very long read, but it's carefully covered.
Trump will do what he always does. He hinted that Hillary was at death’s door. The question is, if Biden performs well around the country in campaign stops, will the media televise it?
I wish he would challenge Trump to a thorough neurological and cognitive work-up by an independent panel of doctors. Trump would refuse. Joe could make his public and end the rumors.
People who see the debate performance as defining Joe, but not defining Trump, are missing this: Trump always lies, but since he can do it fast and loud, it is not seen as weakness. In reality it is a technique called the Gish gallop, not a sign of mental competence. Biden lost his train of thought, but got eventually got back on track and answered the questions. Trump’s train of thought was on a circular track. Evil immigrants , evil Biden, everything was great when Trump was in charge, round and round and ground. He did not see why he should answer any questions because he is Trump, after all.
I think you are behind the times re the cognitive test. Trump has already taken one, albeit a few years ago. Joe says not only "no", but "Hell no".
I’m afraid it’s going to take a lot more than 14 million votes to get elected in November. Joe may be able to run the country now…but 86?
As an 86-year-old…… I am confident that at the point where Joe needs to stand down, his very capable Vice President will take over. I think it’s time that we stand behind the man and do everything we can to see that he is elected, unless you are a MAGA who wants to live under trump’s project 2025.
Yes, the Biden Administration is comprised of an extremely competent group of people and if need be, Kamala Harris is more than capable to continue to lead the team. This message needs to be shouted daily (along with all their accomplishments) on every media outlet! The disaster that our country would become with trump in the WH also needs to be blasted from the airwaves . . . Project 2025 is one of the scariest documents written and we are fools if we don't think it could become a reality.
I wonder if you could explain to us just what it is that Harris has done to arouse such confidence?
Kamala Harris has spent more than 25 years in public service and as you and everyone else knows the VP position is a supporting role (and in this case also the tie breaking Senate vote - as of Dec. 2023 a record 32 times) while also garnering valuable experience from seasoned and capable Cabinet members. She has "walked the gauntlet" to message the president's policies without overshadowing. HCR (and others) has sung her praises (I trust her as a source!) and has noted on a number of her politics videos and Letters that Kamala has traveled the nation on abortion and voting rights and is very popular with women and Black Americans - two groups personally close to my heart.
She has received almost zero coverage by the MSM except for being blamed for not solving the Mexican border issues and which the republicans nixed every proposed solution (including their own) to alleviate the problems!!!
The Biden administration works as a strong team and I have complete confidence VP Harris could effectively step into the presidential role if need be and she would certainly change the landscape of two, old, white guys! On a macro level, I agree with the democratic platform and there appears to be no evil, criminally insane people trying to destroy democracy on that side of the equation!
While I disagree with almost all you have said, I appreciate your thoughtful comments.
I was specifically asking about her actual accomplishments considering her soft on crime years as a DA / Cal Aty Gen and zero legislation passed as a senator. (see https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/H001075/bills-sponsored/116 for her last two Senate years. 80 bills sponsored, ZERO bills passed. Similar results for the first two)
As Border Czar she visited the border or consulted with on-scene Border Patrol zero times. YOU could have sat in her chair acting as a tie breaker. She is VP for one reason: she is a minority female. Just ask Joe about his selection criteria.
Ruth As an 90-year-old, I am not confident that people only somewhat younger than me should be running our government. The position of president of the United States is a stressful 24/7 responsibility.
I have considerable wisdom that comes from boots-on-the-ground experience. What I lack is the sustained energy to keep pace with what I could easily have handled a few decades earlier.
These ‘age factor’ comments certainly apply to Trump and could well apply to President Biden.
And should apply equally to both candidates. I was dismayed in 2020 that all we got were two old white guys. Biden did far, far more than I thought he could, and I came to believe that it was his age and experience that allowed him to make so much progress.
And Trump's team? Do they inspire confidence and admiration?
Let's do "now", for a start.
And you said the same thing on Joyce Vance’s Substack.
I share your concerns, despite everyone below labeling you a troll. As if every HCR subscriber has to think that Biden is the only (and best!) hope for Democrats. If you are supporting Trump, maybe you are a troll, though.
You became a qualified neurologist through what university?
Crapola.
I wonder how many people would be willing to sign up for the debate team if that was the primary requirement for a successful run for president? Who thought TFG did an excellent job at the debate? Yes, Biden failed miserably but did TFG win the day?
The Democratic Party is putting this country at great risk with their divisiveness. The “supreme” court has already begun to destroy the democracy, the GOP fully supports that destruction and all the mainstream media can talk about is biden’s age! We walk away from Biden, we walk away from democracy. The media sow’s distrust in the way they report, the way they create a headline…remember the media has a lot to lose because TFG will seek retribution for all who said “not nice” things about him. Journalists work for corporations and corporations have different priorities than the average citizen on the street. The regular person of the middle class doesn’t figure into their profit making bottom line. G-d forbid you are not the right color, right gender or right religion if the GOP takes over the country. You will have no rights, no protections and no say in your own life. The “supreme “ court is now in charge…and they have proven themselves to be white Christian nationalists who expect “we the people” to go along, or be gone.
Completely agree. He's been outed as no better than Trumps craven need to be President. Trump wants to save his own skin from prison. Biden has no problem he solves by winning and no forward looking message. A pox on both their houses
Where did this information come from?
Anybody watch Joe give his speech for the 75th Anniversary of NATO today? If not, you can get it on YouTube and I recommend that you do because he was brilliant and on point. We cannot be wringing our hands and/or clutching our pearls regarding Biden’s acuity. He’s smart as a whip and has the admiration of the leaders of many nations so why is it that some of you are on the fence? Ever have a bad day, especially when you haven’t slept or have a cold? I certainly have. There is not one person in the Dem party who can affectedly challenge the many magical things that he has accomplished in just 3 years with his equally efficient administrative staff. No one has those bragging rights. NO ONE! So, you want chaos again? Vote for the liar. You want fairness, a steady paycheck, continued Social Security and Medicare, childcare and caregiver benefits, Veterans deserved benefits, a chance to challenge the most corrupt Supreme Court ever, codify Roe v Wade, VRA and ERA? Then VOTE 4 JOE!