The idea that Kevin Mccarthy is running rings around biden is downright silly and part of the breathless pundit tendency to evaluate results well before they've resulted. We're either going to end up with a deal that avoids default- at which point there is no blame game - or the freedom caucus blows a deal up, at which point Biden makes a big speech and blame is clearly assigned.
I was hoping for a return of the Deplorables of the Week list today, so that Fox News host Greg Gutfeld could enjoy his well-earned place in the spotlight. For those not in the know, Gutfeld dismissed on-air the actions of a California math teacher who allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old student with the comment, “Come on! 16 years old – I would have died for that,” and urging his show co-hosts to “live in the real world.”
I get it that Gutfeld fancies himself a talented comedian and that this is his sort of schtick, provoking and shocking people with what supposedly other people are thinking and he’s just the one saying it out loud. But evidently there are no out-of-bounds markers at Fox anymore – shocking and stunning, ain’t it? – to the point that desire for pedophilia and statutory rape have become legitimate discourse. Ask yourself how long you still would have your job if you said something like that openly in your workplace and your bosses became aware of it. Ask yourself how many of your friends and family members would defend and accept you for it, especially if they have children. And ask yourself how Fox can send the mixed message that Hannity is out supposedly because of his misogynist views and degrading comments but Gutfeld can stay on the air while openly talking and thinking like an ambitious teenager singing Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher” on open-mic karaoke night.
Gross and creepy all around. Lacking any show of contrition or outrage on their part, excuse me while I go take a hot shower and try to wash away the ooze of what passes for entertainment value specifically at Fox and generally within its audience of people who say they stand for high morals and values.
As a lifelong progressive Democrat, I bow in gratitude to those anti-Trump Republicans--and now former Republicans--who have had the courage to oppose their former comrades. It is easy for someone like me to voice full-throated opposition to Trump and his camp followers. But I admire someone like Liz Cheney who has burned her political bridges by her unstinting opposition to Trump and all he stands for--with no apparent new home for her to fully embrace. I believe that, in the not too distant future, no Republican with any ties to Trump--or even silent acquiescence--will be nationally electable. It will be similar to French politicians after the War who had been pro-Vichy or Germans who had been actively involved with Naziism, who were totally persona non grata in their country’s domestic politics.
I think Nick Catoggio's story, while one take, misses a mark that many people have missed about Biden. He doesn't seem to care about "beating" the other side or making them pay for their weakness. He doesn't seem to care about his polling numbers (which I'm sure he does, but he doesn't act based on them). My guess is that he doesn't even care that much about re-election, especially at his age and accomplishments.
He appears to be focused on getting things done. He knows he can't get things done if McCarthy looks weak because the McCarthy can't get the votes. Instead of putting him in an impossible situation, he lets him look like he is winning and gets the result he knows we need - no default.
Isn't that what we are supposed to want from politicians - getting things done, not looking the best? By no means do I endorse Biden on everything. But in many cases, he gets criticism for doing what we should want our leaders to do.
I agree with Officer Dunn. TFG is the rotten root of the tree of sedition (no tree of liberty here), and it bears bad fruit. As awful as the other seditionists are, TFG is the ONLY reason they did what they did. And we all know it.
. I’ve been around a while, I honestly, I can’t think of an occasion where the bully pulpit moved the needle very much or for very long. Yes, Kevin McCarthy has been all over the media. And yet, having several media outlets all to himself hasn’t moved that needle much either. Perhaps, unlike KC, the President is actually trying to resolve a crisis manufactured by those who, as a result of the 2022 election represent a majority of one chamber. While press conferences and pronouncements provide something to ‘report’, they are not going to help resolve this or any other issue.
Polling results, frankly, get way too much attention. I see these as basically an example of journalistic laziness. Recent polling suggests that Americans are equally divided between two sides on issues they do not begin to understand. Over the past 30 years, every new president has watched uncomfortably as their polling numbers eroded. Every poll of 1104 randomly selected people who were willing to answer an unknown caller, are asked questions that really should be translated to “what’s your mood today”, “can you explain what the debt ceiling is” and “when was the last time you read a newspaper?
Of course, it would be ideal if a meaningful % of the population read long-form articles on matters of public concern and debate. It would be wonderful if a significant % actually watched a presidential address. It would be really fantastic if Americans spent as much time on seeking an understanding the issues of the day. And if they don’t, its the president’s fault.
How many of the same pundits complaining about how Biden isn't fighting back would also be complaining that he's making negotiation impossible by attacking Republicans if he were? If the wrangling that went on over voting rights legislation is any indication, the answer is "at least half of them." As my grandfather would have said, "these people are like ducks; they wake up in a new world every morning."
Re: Biden's handling of debt ceiling negotiations...my view. First, do you play chess? Bear with me.
Almost 50 years ago I drove city bus for the Minneapolis/St. Paul transit authority, usually working what was called the "extra board," where drivers didn't have a regularly scheduled route they drove every day but were told at the end of their workday what would be their schedule for the next morning. Sometimes that included being "on call" which meant spending the scheduled call time in the drivers' room to be available to cover for unexpected staffing problems, mechanical breakdowns, etc. This was typically a 2-hour span of time. There were usually a half-dozen or more drivers in the room at any given time. Card games and chess were popular ways to while away call. I have never been anything but a rank amateur at chess, but the more I played, the better I became. One day, I was in a game with a driver who was considerably more experienced than I and who had actually accumulated some ranking points playing in amateur tournaments. For the first time in my chess playing I began to see several moves ahead, 6 or more at times, knowing what move I would make and how my opponent would have to respond, and the same for the next move, and the next and the next. The game had attracted the attention of other drivers and we had a gallery watching us. Finally I saw a plan where every move I made forced the other player to respond with one and only one move to keep his king protected. My penultimate move was to put his king in check with my queen, knowing she would be sacrificed as it was the only way to get the king out of check. My next move, with a knight, again put his king in check, but this time it was mate. He could not move his king, nor did he have a piece in position that could take out my knight. I actually got a round of applause from our audience.
I think Joe Biden is playing chess. I don't know what McCarthy is playing; my guess is the old, simple card game of war.
Democrats in general, and especially the White House are definitely neglecting the bully pulpit on many topics of achievement and/or legitimate finger pointing at Republicans.. On national news I just heard a casual mention that gas prices for this Memorial Day weekend are $1 lower on average than last Memorial Day. Not a peep from any Dems that I’ve encountered. Republicans would be crowing loud and often at such a triumph.
We have the beginnings of a serious problem here. We now have two Republican candidates for president promising on their campaigns to consider pardoning, or to just outright pardon, people who will be in jail for many years for Seditious Conspiracy against the United States. So, these criminals are leaders of nationwide far-right militia groups, and it's now in the air among the group members who are still running around free that if either DeSantis or Trump becomes president, their leaders will be released from prison. Which kind of makes the ascendancy to the presidency of one of these two critical for these groups.
This is very dangerous. You have groups who tried to overturn a democratic election galvanized and highly incentivized to overturn another one if the votes don't go their way. If the right guy wins, Rhodes, Meggs, and others get ten plus years knocked off of their prison sentences and they go right back to working for their fascist utopia. It's a recipe for nationwide violence on election day and violence after election day if the Democrat wins. I don't know that it breaks any laws, but rhetoric like this coming from these candidates should be illegal.
As for Biden ignoring the bully pulpit, it just looks like he's incapable. He's not a good communicator. And he should have declined to run for another term and refused to endorse any Democratic candidates. I don't even know why he wants to do the campaign all over again. He lucked out the first time with the pandemic providing a convenient excuse for not actually campaigning. Why does he want to go through a campaign? Why does he want to go through three debates? This all seems ominous. I will happily vote for Biden in 2024, but it seems to me like his candidacy carries with it a huge amount of risk.
Rhodes finds out there is indeed a causal relationship between "F around" and "find out". Maybe he can use his leadership experience to be the J6 Choir conductor?
I take no issue with the assertion that high school debates should be about debate. But the “gobsmacking story” in the Free Press is not a “story”. It is an op-ed by a writer who now judges for a competitor organization about how the predominant sponsor of high school debates does not actually favor debate. It is well written and well argued. But is it “true”. I have no idea. There are 3 or 4 examples of disturbing statements by judges on their profiles (one of which was removed) that appear to be in violation of the organization’s publicly posted standards. But there is no follow up. How extensive are these kind of profiles. What has been the practical
Impact. What is the organization’s comment. That’s fine. But it’s not a story, it’s commentary. It may well be a real problem. Immediately after reading it I did a search and could find nothing other than articles linking to or paraphrasing the story and some tweets from the usual suspects (eg Ted Cruz) about terrible this is. I also tried to look
Up the profiles he mentioned and could not find them. This may well be terrible. I would be very interested in a follow up story about what conservative debate coaches and students who participate in debate tournaments actually think and what the organization’s reaction is and whether the profiles appear any different in full context. Maybe The Bulwark can do that follow up. But I am not holding my breath to see it in the Free Press.
I was sympathetic to the complaint about Biden not using the bully pulpit. Two pundits this week convinced me otherwise:
* Lawrence O'Donnell suggested that the Biden team is negotiating two landmine issues: the debt ceiling and soon to be upcoming budget. Let McCarthy have his moment now in exchange for agreement not to shut down the government in September.
* Morning Joe today suggested something similar today. Let the GOP crow now, but get the deal done. Biden can crow more later (and for longer).
The Biden-McCarthy negotiations seem like a waste of time, meaningless theater. House Democrats will not vote for deep spending cuts, so any bill will have to pass with Republican votes only. And there is NO DEAL that MAGA members will be satisfied with; I would argue they don't want one. They like the chaos and they'll enjoy toying with McCarthy before they inevitably oust him.
The idea that Kevin Mccarthy is running rings around biden is downright silly and part of the breathless pundit tendency to evaluate results well before they've resulted. We're either going to end up with a deal that avoids default- at which point there is no blame game - or the freedom caucus blows a deal up, at which point Biden makes a big speech and blame is clearly assigned.
NeverTrump = NeverSedition. AMEN.
I was hoping for a return of the Deplorables of the Week list today, so that Fox News host Greg Gutfeld could enjoy his well-earned place in the spotlight. For those not in the know, Gutfeld dismissed on-air the actions of a California math teacher who allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old student with the comment, “Come on! 16 years old – I would have died for that,” and urging his show co-hosts to “live in the real world.”
I get it that Gutfeld fancies himself a talented comedian and that this is his sort of schtick, provoking and shocking people with what supposedly other people are thinking and he’s just the one saying it out loud. But evidently there are no out-of-bounds markers at Fox anymore – shocking and stunning, ain’t it? – to the point that desire for pedophilia and statutory rape have become legitimate discourse. Ask yourself how long you still would have your job if you said something like that openly in your workplace and your bosses became aware of it. Ask yourself how many of your friends and family members would defend and accept you for it, especially if they have children. And ask yourself how Fox can send the mixed message that Hannity is out supposedly because of his misogynist views and degrading comments but Gutfeld can stay on the air while openly talking and thinking like an ambitious teenager singing Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher” on open-mic karaoke night.
Gross and creepy all around. Lacking any show of contrition or outrage on their part, excuse me while I go take a hot shower and try to wash away the ooze of what passes for entertainment value specifically at Fox and generally within its audience of people who say they stand for high morals and values.
In Florida a mother who admitted she's unable to read has successfully banned books in her children's school district?
Including poems recited at the President's inauguration?
Do I have this right?
As a lifelong progressive Democrat, I bow in gratitude to those anti-Trump Republicans--and now former Republicans--who have had the courage to oppose their former comrades. It is easy for someone like me to voice full-throated opposition to Trump and his camp followers. But I admire someone like Liz Cheney who has burned her political bridges by her unstinting opposition to Trump and all he stands for--with no apparent new home for her to fully embrace. I believe that, in the not too distant future, no Republican with any ties to Trump--or even silent acquiescence--will be nationally electable. It will be similar to French politicians after the War who had been pro-Vichy or Germans who had been actively involved with Naziism, who were totally persona non grata in their country’s domestic politics.
I think Nick Catoggio's story, while one take, misses a mark that many people have missed about Biden. He doesn't seem to care about "beating" the other side or making them pay for their weakness. He doesn't seem to care about his polling numbers (which I'm sure he does, but he doesn't act based on them). My guess is that he doesn't even care that much about re-election, especially at his age and accomplishments.
He appears to be focused on getting things done. He knows he can't get things done if McCarthy looks weak because the McCarthy can't get the votes. Instead of putting him in an impossible situation, he lets him look like he is winning and gets the result he knows we need - no default.
Isn't that what we are supposed to want from politicians - getting things done, not looking the best? By no means do I endorse Biden on everything. But in many cases, he gets criticism for doing what we should want our leaders to do.
I agree with Officer Dunn. TFG is the rotten root of the tree of sedition (no tree of liberty here), and it bears bad fruit. As awful as the other seditionists are, TFG is the ONLY reason they did what they did. And we all know it.
. I’ve been around a while, I honestly, I can’t think of an occasion where the bully pulpit moved the needle very much or for very long. Yes, Kevin McCarthy has been all over the media. And yet, having several media outlets all to himself hasn’t moved that needle much either. Perhaps, unlike KC, the President is actually trying to resolve a crisis manufactured by those who, as a result of the 2022 election represent a majority of one chamber. While press conferences and pronouncements provide something to ‘report’, they are not going to help resolve this or any other issue.
Polling results, frankly, get way too much attention. I see these as basically an example of journalistic laziness. Recent polling suggests that Americans are equally divided between two sides on issues they do not begin to understand. Over the past 30 years, every new president has watched uncomfortably as their polling numbers eroded. Every poll of 1104 randomly selected people who were willing to answer an unknown caller, are asked questions that really should be translated to “what’s your mood today”, “can you explain what the debt ceiling is” and “when was the last time you read a newspaper?
Of course, it would be ideal if a meaningful % of the population read long-form articles on matters of public concern and debate. It would be wonderful if a significant % actually watched a presidential address. It would be really fantastic if Americans spent as much time on seeking an understanding the issues of the day. And if they don’t, its the president’s fault.
How many of the same pundits complaining about how Biden isn't fighting back would also be complaining that he's making negotiation impossible by attacking Republicans if he were? If the wrangling that went on over voting rights legislation is any indication, the answer is "at least half of them." As my grandfather would have said, "these people are like ducks; they wake up in a new world every morning."
Re: Biden's handling of debt ceiling negotiations...my view. First, do you play chess? Bear with me.
Almost 50 years ago I drove city bus for the Minneapolis/St. Paul transit authority, usually working what was called the "extra board," where drivers didn't have a regularly scheduled route they drove every day but were told at the end of their workday what would be their schedule for the next morning. Sometimes that included being "on call" which meant spending the scheduled call time in the drivers' room to be available to cover for unexpected staffing problems, mechanical breakdowns, etc. This was typically a 2-hour span of time. There were usually a half-dozen or more drivers in the room at any given time. Card games and chess were popular ways to while away call. I have never been anything but a rank amateur at chess, but the more I played, the better I became. One day, I was in a game with a driver who was considerably more experienced than I and who had actually accumulated some ranking points playing in amateur tournaments. For the first time in my chess playing I began to see several moves ahead, 6 or more at times, knowing what move I would make and how my opponent would have to respond, and the same for the next move, and the next and the next. The game had attracted the attention of other drivers and we had a gallery watching us. Finally I saw a plan where every move I made forced the other player to respond with one and only one move to keep his king protected. My penultimate move was to put his king in check with my queen, knowing she would be sacrificed as it was the only way to get the king out of check. My next move, with a knight, again put his king in check, but this time it was mate. He could not move his king, nor did he have a piece in position that could take out my knight. I actually got a round of applause from our audience.
I think Joe Biden is playing chess. I don't know what McCarthy is playing; my guess is the old, simple card game of war.
Democrats in general, and especially the White House are definitely neglecting the bully pulpit on many topics of achievement and/or legitimate finger pointing at Republicans.. On national news I just heard a casual mention that gas prices for this Memorial Day weekend are $1 lower on average than last Memorial Day. Not a peep from any Dems that I’ve encountered. Republicans would be crowing loud and often at such a triumph.
We have the beginnings of a serious problem here. We now have two Republican candidates for president promising on their campaigns to consider pardoning, or to just outright pardon, people who will be in jail for many years for Seditious Conspiracy against the United States. So, these criminals are leaders of nationwide far-right militia groups, and it's now in the air among the group members who are still running around free that if either DeSantis or Trump becomes president, their leaders will be released from prison. Which kind of makes the ascendancy to the presidency of one of these two critical for these groups.
This is very dangerous. You have groups who tried to overturn a democratic election galvanized and highly incentivized to overturn another one if the votes don't go their way. If the right guy wins, Rhodes, Meggs, and others get ten plus years knocked off of their prison sentences and they go right back to working for their fascist utopia. It's a recipe for nationwide violence on election day and violence after election day if the Democrat wins. I don't know that it breaks any laws, but rhetoric like this coming from these candidates should be illegal.
As for Biden ignoring the bully pulpit, it just looks like he's incapable. He's not a good communicator. And he should have declined to run for another term and refused to endorse any Democratic candidates. I don't even know why he wants to do the campaign all over again. He lucked out the first time with the pandemic providing a convenient excuse for not actually campaigning. Why does he want to go through a campaign? Why does he want to go through three debates? This all seems ominous. I will happily vote for Biden in 2024, but it seems to me like his candidacy carries with it a huge amount of risk.
Rhodes finds out there is indeed a causal relationship between "F around" and "find out". Maybe he can use his leadership experience to be the J6 Choir conductor?
I take no issue with the assertion that high school debates should be about debate. But the “gobsmacking story” in the Free Press is not a “story”. It is an op-ed by a writer who now judges for a competitor organization about how the predominant sponsor of high school debates does not actually favor debate. It is well written and well argued. But is it “true”. I have no idea. There are 3 or 4 examples of disturbing statements by judges on their profiles (one of which was removed) that appear to be in violation of the organization’s publicly posted standards. But there is no follow up. How extensive are these kind of profiles. What has been the practical
Impact. What is the organization’s comment. That’s fine. But it’s not a story, it’s commentary. It may well be a real problem. Immediately after reading it I did a search and could find nothing other than articles linking to or paraphrasing the story and some tweets from the usual suspects (eg Ted Cruz) about terrible this is. I also tried to look
Up the profiles he mentioned and could not find them. This may well be terrible. I would be very interested in a follow up story about what conservative debate coaches and students who participate in debate tournaments actually think and what the organization’s reaction is and whether the profiles appear any different in full context. Maybe The Bulwark can do that follow up. But I am not holding my breath to see it in the Free Press.
I was sympathetic to the complaint about Biden not using the bully pulpit. Two pundits this week convinced me otherwise:
* Lawrence O'Donnell suggested that the Biden team is negotiating two landmine issues: the debt ceiling and soon to be upcoming budget. Let McCarthy have his moment now in exchange for agreement not to shut down the government in September.
* Morning Joe today suggested something similar today. Let the GOP crow now, but get the deal done. Biden can crow more later (and for longer).
Brilliant way to govern.
The Biden-McCarthy negotiations seem like a waste of time, meaningless theater. House Democrats will not vote for deep spending cuts, so any bill will have to pass with Republican votes only. And there is NO DEAL that MAGA members will be satisfied with; I would argue they don't want one. They like the chaos and they'll enjoy toying with McCarthy before they inevitably oust him.