Last night the Boston Globe published a leaked email from a top volunteer with the Trump campaign, former Massachusetts Republican Party vice chair Tom Mountain, telling volunteers that the Trump campaign “no longer thinks New Hampshire is winnable” and is “pulling back” from that important swing state.
Let me see if I have this right: Louisiana -- which is ranked #50 in crime, #49 in economy, #49 in infrastructure, #47 in education, #44 in opportunity, and #46 in HEALTH CARE -- wants to ignore the basic recommendations of the World Health Organization? If the state were a country, it would have third world status.
"A feral political offensive." Absolutely. He is running to stay out of prison, and the walls are closing in on him. He is a rabid, trapped animal - feral, if you will - and he will lash out in whatever way he can., before, during, and after the election. We have not seen the worst of it, but as he becomes more incoherent, angry, unhinged, and on attack mode, he may well be the architect of his own undoing . . . his own doom.
I predict that Trump has yet to commit the crime that will put him in prison for the rest of his life. But he will do something even more horrible than we have seen so far between now and Kamala's inauguration. Already he seems to be coming totally unglued. May require hospitalization shortly. Nope, sorry, no sympathy from me.
Do you think this can all be an act that after he loses, please God he should lose, that if he does go to trial for any of his wrongdoings, his defense will be insanity? I can see that happening.
Janis, I'm no psychologist, but I have an opinion nevertheless. I think he is a little boy who was never allowed to grow up. Encouraged to see himself as weak, stupid, incompetent and utterly unloved as a child, surrounded by the worst sort of sociopathic role models, convinced of his own worthlessness, he discovered lying as a tonic, a drug to get him through the pain of existing. That and million-dollar start up funding from his NY real estate mafia father and the rest is history.
Of course he could show us what a big boy he really is by taking his own life, but if he doesn't it will be up to our courts, with a lot of popular support, to put him away for the rest of his miserable life.
First, we have to have a blue wave election. I'm doing what I can from Italy, mostly explaining the USA to Italians and donating what I can afford to some down ballot Democrats. I dream of flipping Texas.
Even popular psychology can recognize mental illness through behavior as we are now seeing, probably with dementia added. Yes there is an element of sorrow for such a mess of a man, but think about the fact that his brother was an honorable person coming from the same family, so there is an element of motivational responsibility that could be embraced. In the long run maybe we should be looking at psych tests for people running for office? Because there are so many misfits out there. That's tricky of course. The media could play a much stronger part here by simply calling out the realities in front of them. We have a lot to fix here don't we.
The media has let us down in a million ways. And chump’s brother was an outlier in that family and he paid a price for being an ethical human. Daddy Fred was a skanky bastard by about any measure. I have seen more than a few families with parental dynamics that helped create dysfunctional kids. They are not rare, but just the right mixture (usually with money or power) can create monsters. A generalization but not a surprise. BTW, chump brags that he aced a psych test. hahaha
Joan Didion. Ross Macdonald. Helen Eustis. James M. Cain. Dashiell Hammett. Vera Caspary. Raymond Chandler. Patricia Highsmith. Dorothy B. Hughes. Elmore Leonard. And so many more, JD, who have "seen more than a few families with parental dynamics that helped create dysfunctional kids."
This might interest you and others - - YouTube recent interview with Mary Trump (Family Ties and Lies) on the conditions she grew up with and in the various parts of the Trump family. And how she finally was able to write her new book.
I don't believe his orange ego will allow him to "lie" about his true mental status. I'm done with being upset by him. Who I really get boosted by are the many Repugnicans who follow him, obviously unable to have rational judgement about what he does, or says.....
I think his lawyers would love that as a "go to" defense - but I can't see trump ever going along with it. He'd have to admit to being "weak" and "helpless" - and he'd never be able to do that. And I REALLY can't see his family ever getting up the courage - or interest - to get him certified.
I figured the events of Jan 6th 2021 would have ended his political life almost immediately, but it didn't happen. We may need some better book throwers than Merrick Garland and the GOP Senators unwilling to try Trump after most of them described his behavior as despicable (or worse) in the immediate aftermath.
There are too many cowards and sleaze-balls in high places to be sure of anything these days.
Don't forget Mitch McConnell. He's the one who urged his Republican Senate colleagues to refuse convicting Trump in the first impeachment. (Something I'll never understand, because if convicted, Mike Pence would have become president and would have continued Mitch's policy agenda.) The Republicans could easily, legally, and justifiably been done with him. But they refused.
At what point do the little men in white coats suddenly show up, dress him in a strait jacket and haul him off to the looney bin? Where is Peter Sellers when we need him most?
I worried during the end of his first Presidency that he might self-destruct publicly. I didn’t want to watch—I felt sorry for him in a way—he was such a mess. It seems he may be doing that slowly this time, and I no longer feel sorry for him—I fear him coming to power. If he’s falling apart, I want to watch.
Interestingly, from 1660-1862, the Cleaver's were Quakers, until my great--grandfather enlisted in the Union Army (with his Quaker Abolitionist father's approval) at age 18, before he was married. That put him out of the Church and we have been gone since. My sixth great grandfather joined the Continental Army and was cast out of the Church, but he was already married with children, so the family remained.
Jim Brown, a first cousin, was Quaker. He landed in Guadalcanal in 1942 with the First Marine Devision and island hopped to Iowa Jim’s, the only soldier in his platoon who wasn’t killed or badly wounded.
He went to Yale on the G. I. Bill and, as a journalist, opposed the Vietnam war (as a Foreign Service Officer with boots on the ground experience in Congo I twice declined our Saigon ambassador’s ‘invitation’ to join him. Jim was on the NYT Editorial Board for about a decade.
I was gave a talk at the Media Friends Center on There Can’t be Peace without Force. One attendee suggested that the speaker lacked ‘love’ in his presentation.
What he gives the MAGAs is permission to act on their worst instincts. Racism especially, but also greed, bullying, political corruption, the works. I doubt they will give that up too easily. His greatest talent has always been to bring out the worst in everyone.
I watched "Mississippi Burning" again a few nights ago.
That was a whole lot of people who had been coached for at least two hundred years.
Changing laws doesn't change minds.
The Civil Rights Laws were only introduced 60 years a go - the blink of an eye in societal change. How long did it take to get people to even think about the dangers of smoking? And how many are still doing it?
There HAS been a surprising amount of improvement, bearing in mind the depths of the problem - mostly from the young. But we still have a very long way to go.
Trump and his nasty enablers have grabbed on to the Hatred rope - and pulling on it as hard as they can. . .
Nope. He gave them permission to overtly be the <insert colorful adjective of your choice here; mine is @$$Hats> they have always been. They will (if I may quote the Statler Brothers and amend the intent a bit) "...go to my grave lovin' you."
That's too good for himTC, and too likely to make him a martyr for his worst followers. We all still remember Mussolini, and where I live plenty of folks are still trying to bring him back. Oblivion is never enough for these A-holes.
Good point. An orange jumpsuit to match his lame makeup and a cozy room with bars in a nice federal pen (it could even be named after him). That’s what I’d like to see.
Hard to hero-worship that, even for the MAGA snowflakes.
Not so sure he's "running to stay out of prison," Paul.
The White House -- occupying it, running for it -- simply guarantees the most spotlights, and is there anything for narcissist, con man, and vaudeville hoofer more than that?
Both you and Phil are correct - he is terrified of going to prison - that would brand him as the loser he has always been. But his narcissism demands to continual spotlight. The more attention Harris/Walz get - the more unglued he becomes. It's hard to tell which will destroy him more, losing this election or going to prison - both are inevitable.
Difference, TCinLA, between factual statements all know and, under them, analysis of human motivation, drama queen background, market profit, and personal etiology.
But the specter of prison looms large, no spotlights there. Although he might be amenable if they kept a big spotlight on him all the time. Like Reality from Alcatraz, starring the great Chumpster
True, and he’s floundering because he built his whole campaign about running against President Biden, and can’t effectively change course to run against the Vice President.
This reminds me of one of my favorite recent memes: “now that he’s had his ear clipped, he just needs to be neutered and relocated.” I do feel his approach will have the opposite effect from what he intends.
He is such a vile, such a contemptible excuse for a human being that it’s still a source of astonishment to me that he is allowed to run for president. In what other so-called “developed” country would this even be a plausible scenario? Over the past 7 years or so, I think I’ve used every adjective at my command, and perhaps a few from Roger’s Thesaurus, to try to describe how detestable I find this bloviating psychopath. I’m fresh out of words, but I’m forever grateful to Heather Cox Richardson for always finding the appropriate expressions for describing his psychologically impaired behavior.
tffg is so deeply subhuman that even Roget's Thesaurus cannot provide enough pejoratives to adequately describe his complete lack of character and his inhumanity.
I agree with you 100% but what worries me the most is that millions of Americans support and will vote for this indescribably hollow, contemptible inhumane being. What are we going to do about these voters, who will sacrifice our democracy to attain their own narrow, completely self~interested vision of America.
Linda-I know it’s something many people don’t like to acknowledge but what you plainly state about white supremacy is true. Add taking away rights and opportunities for women to this and we’ve got the formula for “making America great again”.
My understanding was that in 1789 people by and large were only familiar with political candidates who lived nearby. The idea behind the EC was to have people vote for folks they knew and trusted to consider the nationwide story. Obsolete if anything ever was!
I remember learning that in school. Now I understand why my only reaction to voting for electors was I don't know these people. I don't even know the name of the democrat running against my incumbent representative. I'm not actually positive there is one. That 's pretty pathetic given Andy Harris was in the room with trump on 1/5/21. Zero ads, zero flyers. I'm way too poor to support anyone financially. It sucks.
It looks like there is a Democratic candidate named Blane Miller III running against Andy Harris in the 1st Congressional District of Maryland. If you can spread the word to your neighbors, that would probably help more than a pile of cash ever could.
In spite of all of the issues, the indictments, the convictions, embracing extremism, insurrectionists, murderous authoritarians, the steady stream of toxic hatred, this is the individual the GOP selected to lead them. They took inventory of everyone in their party and collectively said "America! We've found our very best! Here's your leader!, the man with the plan: Project 2025!" And you say you want a "Sneak Preview? -You have the overturning of Roe V. Wade and the Chevron decision. You have book bans, the evisceration of voting rights, and extreme fundamentalist Matthew Kacsmaryk on the bench. You have the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters standing back and standing by. You have taxes slashed for the wealthy and for corporations while another cool $7 Trillion is added to the national debt -just like his failed casino only bigly."
Is any other evidence needed that this is not Eisenhower's party of conservatives and has not been since Nixon and Reagan? This is a criminal organization masquerading as a political party.
I agree Beverly. I think when people sit down and have a conversation that is not simply parroting media talking points, people fundamentally agree. They want to have economic security, the opportunity for a better future for their children, a home, accessible healthcare, and to feel safe in their homes, communities, and when traveling. Media portrays we are evenly split between wanting a dystopian “Mad Max” hellscape led by a criminal organization and sociopathic clowns versus Main Street in Disneyland.
"The Harris-Walz campaign today joined the Democratic National Committee in announcinga transfer of nearly $25 million to support Democratic candidates in down-ballot state and federal races" Awesome strategy. Go you Dems.
Thanks again, Professor. Once again you’ve documented (some of) the extreme measures these dangerous politicians are trying to put into place. How dare these MAGA republicans view women only as baby-making machines. That Rump can do nothing more than attack VP Harris and cannot come out with any actual policy speaks volumes towards his mental decline. Where is the mainstream media?? Glad to hear a few are starting to pay attention, but it’s not nearly enough (and not close to what they did to President Biden). It is encouraging to hear about the rise of registered voters, sure hope that’s successful!
It's a disgusting, deceitful, sentimental play. There is no interest in quality of life for babies. We have plenty of children that need care. The last thing needed is more unwanted children.
Yes, Heather sees that orange felon continuously "feral," rambling, spewing vulgarity and insults.
Her peer, Rebecca Solnit, sees the opposite -- the keys for the decency for which a larger, wider America hungers.
Rebecca has recently written on a New Yorker essay by Ted Chiang, and quotes him on universities stressing student essay writing: “The point of writing essays is to strengthen students’ critical-thinking skills; in the same way that lifting weights is useful no matter what sport an athlete plays, writing essays develops skills necessary for whatever job a college student will eventually get.”
A.I. won’t help. Chiang continues his weightlifting analogy, saying “Using ChatGPT to complete assignments is like bringing a forklift into the weight room; you will never improve your cognitive fitness that way."
Solnit loves how Chiang stresses the personal, seeing others. Computers cannot see personally, Chiang says: "It is very easy to get ChatGPT to emit . . . ‘I am happy to see you’ . . . but . . . we can be sure . . . ChatGPT is not happy to see you. A dog can communicate that it is happy to see you, and so can a prelinguistic child . . .. ChatGPT feels nothing and desires nothing.”
I desire to see Tim Walz as vice president, with his wife, Gwen. Both have long been teachers. They understand the personal in students, their needs – all our needs in a democracy – to live well with multiple others. Unlike that orange felon whose only need is immunity from our all of us, our norms, traditions, laws.
I simply do not comprehend why AI has become such a big thing for so many to be thrilled with it. The amount of electricity alone it uses up is disrupting power grids all over & now they're realizing it will disrupt the development of young minds. It's potential to disrupt everything we hold dear is simply too great.
It's the same magical elixir, Sharon, as standardized testing was postured to be.
It's mechanized. Keeps to linear trajectories. Can faithfully track categories, groups, and their behavioral logic. And best, as if it were fun, like baseball (with batting, earned-run, and on-base averages) bids measure all action, all life, by numbers.
I drew a couple of of conclusions from tonight's letter. Firstly, the election is now in full swing, and the campaigning will only intensify as we approach Election Day. Next, though, it's becoming increasingly apparent that Donald is deteriorating;. In fact he's coming un-glued so rapidly that his own campaign staff has had to abandon the pursuit of winning over new votes. They've given up on trying to get their Golden Boy to discuss policy. Instead, Donald is banking entirely on voter suppression, venting his grievances, and trying to discredit Harris. It's a kind of surrender, only more cynical.
Where that leaves VD Vance, RFK, or Tulsi is anybody's guess. It seems like whenever Vance speaks, he gets contradicted immediately by Donny. It's bad enough that he usually angers his audience or embarrasses himself, but now he hasn't got a clear notion as to what he should campaign on.
tfg is incapable of having a discussion at all, never mind on policy. He simply doesn't understand how things actually work the way they're supposed to beyond the purview of his own greed and insecurity. He doesn't have it so he can't do it. I hope people will get on to that part, this country let an idiot be elected. We can't do that again. Should be an idiot test.
"And it's like, and friends of mine that are like English professors, they say....."
First of all, this is probably the worst misuse of a simile in the history of the English language.
Secondly, if Donald Trump has friends that are anywhere close to being "like" English professors, I'm Napoleon Bonaparte.
Thirdly, with respect to the righteous heirs of the late, great Isaac Hayes suing Trump for his blatantly improper exploitation of his song "Hold on, I'm coming", I say----That man Shaft is a baaaad motherf***er.
''For his part, Trump says his wandering speech is deliberate. He calls it “the weave.” I’ll talk about, like, nine different things, and they all come back brilliantly together, and it’s like, and friends of mine that are, like, English professors, they say, ‘It's the most brilliant thing I've ever seen.’”''
This how to say you're stupid without saying that you're stupid.
I remember years ago watching A Face in the Crowd. The premise of the film, (starring a young Andy Griffith), about a national huckster who sucked the entire country into his scam was that, once the huckster was openly exposed as such, the people of the country would have enough self-respect to walk away and throw him on a dumpster heap. Now as it sadly turns out the premise was flawed: once exposed, a full half of the country would sell their fortunes, freedom, and dignity to said huckster . . . for nothing.
As a 75 y/o childness (former) cat lady I am both infuriated and mystified by Vance's apparent beliefs about people like me. Does he not understand that few, if any, of the childless make a clear decision not to have children which is based upon hating kids? Even those who make a clear choice not to have kids often do so because they don't think they'd make good parents or because of environmental or social concerns. Many others, me included, would have liked to have kids. For some there are painful fertility issues; for others other life issues simply get in the way. I would like to have kids - didn't happen for a variety of reasons which I won't share here.
What really ticks me is that he also assumes somehow that the childless both hate kids and have no stake in the future. My first career was nursing - I worked in pediatrics - I love kids. I have 5 nieces and 2 nephews whom I cherish - I worry about their futures and their world. I try to do my part for the environment for the sake of future generations... Many aunts and uncles offer all kinds of support to nieces and nephews; others who don't have kids volunteer with organizations like Big Brothers & Sisters. Many parents are loving and effective, but many others abusive, neglectful, indifferent... Vance's agenda is so very distorted.
Anne-Marie, I never wanted kids. I'm a card-carrying, born that way lesbian. NO INTEREST at all in having kids. When the woman who is my wife debated wanting kids (we were in our 20's), I told her that she would be birthing them, and I'd love to raise them. We decided against that; she knows herself well enough to know she would not be a good mother. We are the Aunties, and have had 3 of our 5 nieces/nephews live with us while going to college/waiting for grad school; we have been a part of their lives from birth onward.
I spent 28 years as a full time cop. I saw so much child abuse, child neglect, spousal abuse, and sexual abuse to know that far, far FAR too many people have children they can't raise, or parent, or even treat like humans.
I do not know from what substance Vance sprouted but his words are not worth absorbing into our beings. A response would only garner the attention he so longs for.....not worth your/our engagement.
Obviously, he, like Trump longs for attention and value.
VOTE FOR KAMALA AND TIM!!! They are worthy of our vote.
During their debate… when Trump talks about how Harris is ruining the country … I hope Harris (using her best Ronald Reagan impersonation) says “There you go again.” … laughs… and then talks about how Americans are ready to move beyond the world of a school yard bully to a world based on teamwork (in a nod to coach Walz) and leaning new ways of making things better. And in my dream scenario, she even mentions that Reagan (and his Secretary of Commerce, Malcolm Baldridge) created the Baldridge Performance Excellence Program in 1980, which she plans on making much better known to the whole country!
Let me see if I have this right: Louisiana -- which is ranked #50 in crime, #49 in economy, #49 in infrastructure, #47 in education, #44 in opportunity, and #46 in HEALTH CARE -- wants to ignore the basic recommendations of the World Health Organization? If the state were a country, it would have third world status.
Great statistical reference. They must be so proud to be the lowest of the States - way to go Mike Johnson - no wonder you're such a loser.
There's a reason why the state is known by people with first hand experience as Looserana.
Louisiana's ranking will improve if Project 2025 is enacted because it will drag the entire country down to their level.
According to the would-be Orange Emperor, that's what Makes America Great again!
OMG
"A feral political offensive." Absolutely. He is running to stay out of prison, and the walls are closing in on him. He is a rabid, trapped animal - feral, if you will - and he will lash out in whatever way he can., before, during, and after the election. We have not seen the worst of it, but as he becomes more incoherent, angry, unhinged, and on attack mode, he may well be the architect of his own undoing . . . his own doom.
Let us hope.
I predict that Trump has yet to commit the crime that will put him in prison for the rest of his life. But he will do something even more horrible than we have seen so far between now and Kamala's inauguration. Already he seems to be coming totally unglued. May require hospitalization shortly. Nope, sorry, no sympathy from me.
Do you think this can all be an act that after he loses, please God he should lose, that if he does go to trial for any of his wrongdoings, his defense will be insanity? I can see that happening.
Janis, I'm no psychologist, but I have an opinion nevertheless. I think he is a little boy who was never allowed to grow up. Encouraged to see himself as weak, stupid, incompetent and utterly unloved as a child, surrounded by the worst sort of sociopathic role models, convinced of his own worthlessness, he discovered lying as a tonic, a drug to get him through the pain of existing. That and million-dollar start up funding from his NY real estate mafia father and the rest is history.
Of course he could show us what a big boy he really is by taking his own life, but if he doesn't it will be up to our courts, with a lot of popular support, to put him away for the rest of his miserable life.
First, we have to have a blue wave election. I'm doing what I can from Italy, mostly explaining the USA to Italians and donating what I can afford to some down ballot Democrats. I dream of flipping Texas.
Even popular psychology can recognize mental illness through behavior as we are now seeing, probably with dementia added. Yes there is an element of sorrow for such a mess of a man, but think about the fact that his brother was an honorable person coming from the same family, so there is an element of motivational responsibility that could be embraced. In the long run maybe we should be looking at psych tests for people running for office? Because there are so many misfits out there. That's tricky of course. The media could play a much stronger part here by simply calling out the realities in front of them. We have a lot to fix here don't we.
The media has let us down in a million ways. And chump’s brother was an outlier in that family and he paid a price for being an ethical human. Daddy Fred was a skanky bastard by about any measure. I have seen more than a few families with parental dynamics that helped create dysfunctional kids. They are not rare, but just the right mixture (usually with money or power) can create monsters. A generalization but not a surprise. BTW, chump brags that he aced a psych test. hahaha
Joan Didion. Ross Macdonald. Helen Eustis. James M. Cain. Dashiell Hammett. Vera Caspary. Raymond Chandler. Patricia Highsmith. Dorothy B. Hughes. Elmore Leonard. And so many more, JD, who have "seen more than a few families with parental dynamics that helped create dysfunctional kids."
This might interest you and others - - YouTube recent interview with Mary Trump (Family Ties and Lies) on the conditions she grew up with and in the various parts of the Trump family. And how she finally was able to write her new book.
We have not been able to count on the media to call out Trump's realities--only President Biden's age.
Yep, and they did that ad nauseam
Yes, Robin, we do.
“…lying as a tonic, a drug to get him through the pain of existing.” Priceless and powerful description. Thanks, David.
Whatever it takes...
Oh he's going to cover all the bases he can; Count on it.
That thought has crossed my mind as well.
Nah . he'd have to show he was insane at the time and it was too long ago
I don't believe his orange ego will allow him to "lie" about his true mental status. I'm done with being upset by him. Who I really get boosted by are the many Repugnicans who follow him, obviously unable to have rational judgement about what he does, or says.....
I think his lawyers would love that as a "go to" defense - but I can't see trump ever going along with it. He'd have to admit to being "weak" and "helpless" - and he'd never be able to do that. And I REALLY can't see his family ever getting up the courage - or interest - to get him certified.
Trump is certainly capable of additional crimes. but I think there is enough to "throw the book at him" as it is.
I figured the events of Jan 6th 2021 would have ended his political life almost immediately, but it didn't happen. We may need some better book throwers than Merrick Garland and the GOP Senators unwilling to try Trump after most of them described his behavior as despicable (or worse) in the immediate aftermath.
There are too many cowards and sleaze-balls in high places to be sure of anything these days.
I blame McCarthy for resurrecting that zombie. He should be tarred and feathered.
Don't forget Mitch McConnell. He's the one who urged his Republican Senate colleagues to refuse convicting Trump in the first impeachment. (Something I'll never understand, because if convicted, Mike Pence would have become president and would have continued Mitch's policy agenda.) The Republicans could easily, legally, and justifiably been done with him. But they refused.
They were as enamored with the shiny object as the MAGAts. May the shiny object be the end of the cretins who gave up on governing.
yes, JD, one among many, unfortunately.
Kevin felt sorry for the loser. How pathetic to resurrect Frankenstein and then his minions turn on you.
At what point do the little men in white coats suddenly show up, dress him in a strait jacket and haul him off to the looney bin? Where is Peter Sellers when we need him most?
Do you know who was dressed in a straight jacket and hauled around on a hand truck?
Hannibal Lecter!
Perhaps that's what wakes Donald up at 2a.m.
Alas, that will not happen. Only voters can pull him from the stage.
That’s a good one 🙏
I worried during the end of his first Presidency that he might self-destruct publicly. I didn’t want to watch—I felt sorry for him in a way—he was such a mess. It seems he may be doing that slowly this time, and I no longer feel sorry for him—I fear him coming to power. If he’s falling apart, I want to watch.
I want to see him dangling from a lamp post upside down like his hero Mussolini.
Tom I surmise that you are not a Quaker.
Interestingly, from 1660-1862, the Cleaver's were Quakers, until my great--grandfather enlisted in the Union Army (with his Quaker Abolitionist father's approval) at age 18, before he was married. That put him out of the Church and we have been gone since. My sixth great grandfather joined the Continental Army and was cast out of the Church, but he was already married with children, so the family remained.
Jim Brown, a first cousin, was Quaker. He landed in Guadalcanal in 1942 with the First Marine Devision and island hopped to Iowa Jim’s, the only soldier in his platoon who wasn’t killed or badly wounded.
He went to Yale on the G. I. Bill and, as a journalist, opposed the Vietnam war (as a Foreign Service Officer with boots on the ground experience in Congo I twice declined our Saigon ambassador’s ‘invitation’ to join him. Jim was on the NYT Editorial Board for about a decade.
I was gave a talk at the Media Friends Center on There Can’t be Peace without Force. One attendee suggested that the speaker lacked ‘love’ in his presentation.
Interesting story! (Check your date typo :-) )
Do you think the MAGA crowd will ever, ever give up their love affair with hate spewing monsters? I’m not convinced but hope springs eternal.
What he gives the MAGAs is permission to act on their worst instincts. Racism especially, but also greed, bullying, political corruption, the works. I doubt they will give that up too easily. His greatest talent has always been to bring out the worst in everyone.
I watched "Mississippi Burning" again a few nights ago.
That was a whole lot of people who had been coached for at least two hundred years.
Changing laws doesn't change minds.
The Civil Rights Laws were only introduced 60 years a go - the blink of an eye in societal change. How long did it take to get people to even think about the dangers of smoking? And how many are still doing it?
There HAS been a surprising amount of improvement, bearing in mind the depths of the problem - mostly from the young. But we still have a very long way to go.
Trump and his nasty enablers have grabbed on to the Hatred rope - and pulling on it as hard as they can. . .
Nope. He gave them permission to overtly be the <insert colorful adjective of your choice here; mine is @$$Hats> they have always been. They will (if I may quote the Statler Brothers and amend the intent a bit) "...go to my grave lovin' you."
No, he is a peek into our dark side
I like you. I like how you think.
That's too good for himTC, and too likely to make him a martyr for his worst followers. We all still remember Mussolini, and where I live plenty of folks are still trying to bring him back. Oblivion is never enough for these A-holes.
Good point. An orange jumpsuit to match his lame makeup and a cozy room with bars in a nice federal pen (it could even be named after him). That’s what I’d like to see.
Hard to hero-worship that, even for the MAGA snowflakes.
Might do the trick, George.
Hitler made good use of his time in prison. Chump would too, selling pieces of his orange suit, most likely.
At high prices, no doubt--perhaps in a gold frame?
He certainly wouldn't write a book. . .
Not so sure he's "running to stay out of prison," Paul.
The White House -- occupying it, running for it -- simply guarantees the most spotlights, and is there anything for narcissist, con man, and vaudeville hoofer more than that?
Both you and Phil are correct - he is terrified of going to prison - that would brand him as the loser he has always been. But his narcissism demands to continual spotlight. The more attention Harris/Walz get - the more unglued he becomes. It's hard to tell which will destroy him more, losing this election or going to prison - both are inevitable.
He's SAID he wants to avoid prison, if you care to read.
Difference, TCinLA, between factual statements all know and, under them, analysis of human motivation, drama queen background, market profit, and personal etiology.
But the specter of prison looms large, no spotlights there. Although he might be amenable if they kept a big spotlight on him all the time. Like Reality from Alcatraz, starring the great Chumpster
Paul, I just hope he doesn’t take us down with him!
he certainly doesn't care -
the arsonist that called the fire department in order to appear to be a "hero"
Exactly what he is, wants the most publicity for his evil deeds
"I could stand in the middle of 5th Ave and SHOOT myself ..."
I'd vote for that!
If he could barely get a drinking glass to his lips years ago, sadly, he’ll never get that gun fired off….plus he’s a cowsrd
True, and he’s floundering because he built his whole campaign about running against President Biden, and can’t effectively change course to run against the Vice President.
This reminds me of one of my favorite recent memes: “now that he’s had his ear clipped, he just needs to be neutered and relocated.” I do feel his approach will have the opposite effect from what he intends.
He is such a vile, such a contemptible excuse for a human being that it’s still a source of astonishment to me that he is allowed to run for president. In what other so-called “developed” country would this even be a plausible scenario? Over the past 7 years or so, I think I’ve used every adjective at my command, and perhaps a few from Roger’s Thesaurus, to try to describe how detestable I find this bloviating psychopath. I’m fresh out of words, but I’m forever grateful to Heather Cox Richardson for always finding the appropriate expressions for describing his psychologically impaired behavior.
tffg is so deeply subhuman that even Roget's Thesaurus cannot provide enough pejoratives to adequately describe his complete lack of character and his inhumanity.
I share those sentiments. I wish they would all go away. Far, far away.
I agree with you 100% but what worries me the most is that millions of Americans support and will vote for this indescribably hollow, contemptible inhumane being. What are we going to do about these voters, who will sacrifice our democracy to attain their own narrow, completely self~interested vision of America.
The millions of people supporting trump do so to maintain white supremacy and white dominance.
Linda-I know it’s something many people don’t like to acknowledge but what you plainly state about white supremacy is true. Add taking away rights and opportunities for women to this and we’ve got the formula for “making America great again”.
Me too, ran out of adjectives long ago. Depend on substacks to keep up with the horror. MSM should be calling him out, instead they cut and paste.
Make that "corporate media", not mainstream.
Is there a difference these days
I thought the Electors were intended to save us from Trump-like cretins through the act of becoming "faithless electors."
Maybe this time.
My understanding was that in 1789 people by and large were only familiar with political candidates who lived nearby. The idea behind the EC was to have people vote for folks they knew and trusted to consider the nationwide story. Obsolete if anything ever was!
I remember learning that in school. Now I understand why my only reaction to voting for electors was I don't know these people. I don't even know the name of the democrat running against my incumbent representative. I'm not actually positive there is one. That 's pretty pathetic given Andy Harris was in the room with trump on 1/5/21. Zero ads, zero flyers. I'm way too poor to support anyone financially. It sucks.
It looks like there is a Democratic candidate named Blane Miller III running against Andy Harris in the 1st Congressional District of Maryland. If you can spread the word to your neighbors, that would probably help more than a pile of cash ever could.
Thank you for much for responding. I have decided to contact my local dem hq to see what's what & go from there.
Thank you Professor Richardson.
In spite of all of the issues, the indictments, the convictions, embracing extremism, insurrectionists, murderous authoritarians, the steady stream of toxic hatred, this is the individual the GOP selected to lead them. They took inventory of everyone in their party and collectively said "America! We've found our very best! Here's your leader!, the man with the plan: Project 2025!" And you say you want a "Sneak Preview? -You have the overturning of Roe V. Wade and the Chevron decision. You have book bans, the evisceration of voting rights, and extreme fundamentalist Matthew Kacsmaryk on the bench. You have the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters standing back and standing by. You have taxes slashed for the wealthy and for corporations while another cool $7 Trillion is added to the national debt -just like his failed casino only bigly."
Is any other evidence needed that this is not Eisenhower's party of conservatives and has not been since Nixon and Reagan? This is a criminal organization masquerading as a political party.
Your last sentence. May every editorial board realize and recognize it soon, and very soon.
Thank you Rhea -it's remarkable it's not front page news daily.
what 45 has done is splinter families - people are estranged and unable to even speak to each other.
Still hoping for the sentiment of Anne Frank to win out.
"In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart."
I agree Beverly. I think when people sit down and have a conversation that is not simply parroting media talking points, people fundamentally agree. They want to have economic security, the opportunity for a better future for their children, a home, accessible healthcare, and to feel safe in their homes, communities, and when traveling. Media portrays we are evenly split between wanting a dystopian “Mad Max” hellscape led by a criminal organization and sociopathic clowns versus Main Street in Disneyland.
You nailed that. Thank you.
Thank you Susan. I've not even reached the requisite level of caffeination yet!
RICO not RINO!
"The Harris-Walz campaign today joined the Democratic National Committee in announcinga transfer of nearly $25 million to support Democratic candidates in down-ballot state and federal races" Awesome strategy. Go you Dems.
I certainly hope that much more effort is expended in GOTV for down-ballot races.
It was the razor-thin lead the GOP acquired in the House that gave us the extremism we saw in the 118th Congress.
David, sadly, you misspelled "are seeing". The fight over the budget that looms over us in 4 weeks is going to be butt ugly.
Thanks again, Professor. Once again you’ve documented (some of) the extreme measures these dangerous politicians are trying to put into place. How dare these MAGA republicans view women only as baby-making machines. That Rump can do nothing more than attack VP Harris and cannot come out with any actual policy speaks volumes towards his mental decline. Where is the mainstream media?? Glad to hear a few are starting to pay attention, but it’s not nearly enough (and not close to what they did to President Biden). It is encouraging to hear about the rise of registered voters, sure hope that’s successful!
The “babies”—always the go-to phrase of the autocrat. There are already way too many of us!!
It's a disgusting, deceitful, sentimental play. There is no interest in quality of life for babies. We have plenty of children that need care. The last thing needed is more unwanted children.
As Trump and Republicans try to suppress the vote, "Make sure you haven’t been purged from the Voter Rolls"
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/09/03/make-sure-you-havent-been-purged-from-the-voter-rolls/
... and remind friends and family overseas to vote. "3 Top Voting Resources For Americans Overseas"
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/09/02/3-top-voting-resources-for-americans-overseas/
Yes, Heather sees that orange felon continuously "feral," rambling, spewing vulgarity and insults.
Her peer, Rebecca Solnit, sees the opposite -- the keys for the decency for which a larger, wider America hungers.
Rebecca has recently written on a New Yorker essay by Ted Chiang, and quotes him on universities stressing student essay writing: “The point of writing essays is to strengthen students’ critical-thinking skills; in the same way that lifting weights is useful no matter what sport an athlete plays, writing essays develops skills necessary for whatever job a college student will eventually get.”
A.I. won’t help. Chiang continues his weightlifting analogy, saying “Using ChatGPT to complete assignments is like bringing a forklift into the weight room; you will never improve your cognitive fitness that way."
Solnit loves how Chiang stresses the personal, seeing others. Computers cannot see personally, Chiang says: "It is very easy to get ChatGPT to emit . . . ‘I am happy to see you’ . . . but . . . we can be sure . . . ChatGPT is not happy to see you. A dog can communicate that it is happy to see you, and so can a prelinguistic child . . .. ChatGPT feels nothing and desires nothing.”
I desire to see Tim Walz as vice president, with his wife, Gwen. Both have long been teachers. They understand the personal in students, their needs – all our needs in a democracy – to live well with multiple others. Unlike that orange felon whose only need is immunity from our all of us, our norms, traditions, laws.
I simply do not comprehend why AI has become such a big thing for so many to be thrilled with it. The amount of electricity alone it uses up is disrupting power grids all over & now they're realizing it will disrupt the development of young minds. It's potential to disrupt everything we hold dear is simply too great.
I, too do not understand the attraction of AI. It is ridiculous the amount of energy it consumes, and for what???
It's the same magical elixir, Sharon, as standardized testing was postured to be.
It's mechanized. Keeps to linear trajectories. Can faithfully track categories, groups, and their behavioral logic. And best, as if it were fun, like baseball (with batting, earned-run, and on-base averages) bids measure all action, all life, by numbers.
Hal takes over, maybe sooner rather than later…
I drew a couple of of conclusions from tonight's letter. Firstly, the election is now in full swing, and the campaigning will only intensify as we approach Election Day. Next, though, it's becoming increasingly apparent that Donald is deteriorating;. In fact he's coming un-glued so rapidly that his own campaign staff has had to abandon the pursuit of winning over new votes. They've given up on trying to get their Golden Boy to discuss policy. Instead, Donald is banking entirely on voter suppression, venting his grievances, and trying to discredit Harris. It's a kind of surrender, only more cynical.
Where that leaves VD Vance, RFK, or Tulsi is anybody's guess. It seems like whenever Vance speaks, he gets contradicted immediately by Donny. It's bad enough that he usually angers his audience or embarrasses himself, but now he hasn't got a clear notion as to what he should campaign on.
BLUE WAVE SHAPING UP! Register to Vote!!
tfg is incapable of having a discussion at all, never mind on policy. He simply doesn't understand how things actually work the way they're supposed to beyond the purview of his own greed and insecurity. He doesn't have it so he can't do it. I hope people will get on to that part, this country let an idiot be elected. We can't do that again. Should be an idiot test.
Evening to All!
A couple of brief comments---
"And it's like, and friends of mine that are like English professors, they say....."
First of all, this is probably the worst misuse of a simile in the history of the English language.
Secondly, if Donald Trump has friends that are anywhere close to being "like" English professors, I'm Napoleon Bonaparte.
Thirdly, with respect to the righteous heirs of the late, great Isaac Hayes suing Trump for his blatantly improper exploitation of his song "Hold on, I'm coming", I say----That man Shaft is a baaaad motherf***er.
CAN YOU DIG IT?!?
And like, don’t forget his uncle was a like professor at MIT which, you know, makes Doncon like a rocket scientist.
Well played...er...sung, Daniel! <shut yo' mouth> I can dig it!!
- Pulled Quote -
''For his part, Trump says his wandering speech is deliberate. He calls it “the weave.” I’ll talk about, like, nine different things, and they all come back brilliantly together, and it’s like, and friends of mine that are, like, English professors, they say, ‘It's the most brilliant thing I've ever seen.’”''
This how to say you're stupid without saying that you're stupid.
I remember years ago watching A Face in the Crowd. The premise of the film, (starring a young Andy Griffith), about a national huckster who sucked the entire country into his scam was that, once the huckster was openly exposed as such, the people of the country would have enough self-respect to walk away and throw him on a dumpster heap. Now as it sadly turns out the premise was flawed: once exposed, a full half of the country would sell their fortunes, freedom, and dignity to said huckster . . . for nothing.
As a 75 y/o childness (former) cat lady I am both infuriated and mystified by Vance's apparent beliefs about people like me. Does he not understand that few, if any, of the childless make a clear decision not to have children which is based upon hating kids? Even those who make a clear choice not to have kids often do so because they don't think they'd make good parents or because of environmental or social concerns. Many others, me included, would have liked to have kids. For some there are painful fertility issues; for others other life issues simply get in the way. I would like to have kids - didn't happen for a variety of reasons which I won't share here.
What really ticks me is that he also assumes somehow that the childless both hate kids and have no stake in the future. My first career was nursing - I worked in pediatrics - I love kids. I have 5 nieces and 2 nephews whom I cherish - I worry about their futures and their world. I try to do my part for the environment for the sake of future generations... Many aunts and uncles offer all kinds of support to nieces and nephews; others who don't have kids volunteer with organizations like Big Brothers & Sisters. Many parents are loving and effective, but many others abusive, neglectful, indifferent... Vance's agenda is so very distorted.
Anne-Marie, I never wanted kids. I'm a card-carrying, born that way lesbian. NO INTEREST at all in having kids. When the woman who is my wife debated wanting kids (we were in our 20's), I told her that she would be birthing them, and I'd love to raise them. We decided against that; she knows herself well enough to know she would not be a good mother. We are the Aunties, and have had 3 of our 5 nieces/nephews live with us while going to college/waiting for grad school; we have been a part of their lives from birth onward.
I spent 28 years as a full time cop. I saw so much child abuse, child neglect, spousal abuse, and sexual abuse to know that far, far FAR too many people have children they can't raise, or parent, or even treat like humans.
Anna-Marie Hislop,
I do not know from what substance Vance sprouted but his words are not worth absorbing into our beings. A response would only garner the attention he so longs for.....not worth your/our engagement.
Obviously, he, like Trump longs for attention and value.
VOTE FOR KAMALA AND TIM!!! They are worthy of our vote.
His assumption makes an ass of him but not me.
The Trump of 2016 is gone, and he is not making a come back.,most of my optimism stems from the amazing Harris campaign response.
During their debate… when Trump talks about how Harris is ruining the country … I hope Harris (using her best Ronald Reagan impersonation) says “There you go again.” … laughs… and then talks about how Americans are ready to move beyond the world of a school yard bully to a world based on teamwork (in a nod to coach Walz) and leaning new ways of making things better. And in my dream scenario, she even mentions that Reagan (and his Secretary of Commerce, Malcolm Baldridge) created the Baldridge Performance Excellence Program in 1980, which she plans on making much better known to the whole country!
https://www.nist.gov/baldrige
You're a better person than me. I want to watch him have a breakdown, either mental or physical is OK, right there on camera.
I think we're seeing it every day but somebody keeps changing his batteries.
That reminds me of a terrible joke that I won’t repeat here, but thanks for the chuckle 🤭
This, only add, "Like Reagan, the FORMER oldest man to run for President used to say ..."
Oh it's a weave all right - of the sort Sir Walter Scott described: "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive."
Nicely done, Steve!