In Case You Missed it (v6)

Another week in the books. Another handful of posts you might not have had the chance to see... Here's a recap for you.

Sunday School brought us a chance to hear from not only a Dem running for president, but two Republicans doing the same:  former Representatives Mark Sanford and Joe Walsh. They're of two different minds when it comes to president Trump and to impeachment, with Wash taking a much harder line, as he did here, posing a question to Sanford.

... Either the Republican party stands up now and says, we oppose this, we oppose collusion, we oppose foreign governments interfering in our election, either we stand up with one unifying voice with that right now, Mark, and we don't get involved in the gobbledygook of censure or impeachment or is it politically prudent. How about we Republicans do what is right, sir?

It was interesting to hear them, and to see one of the Sunday classrooms have a multi-person interview - or, in this case, to have a Republican debate, something we might not see if the president and the RNC have their way.

On Monday, I switched gears a little. I figure everyone now and then someone might get tired of my words, and so I let the president's own words flow, unimpeded, in free (and very shapely) OrangeVerse (and yes, it actually does flow orangely, in case you haven't seen any of his poetry before).

I dropped a Sunday School Extra Credit piece on Tuesday, which was all about interviewers and their subjects - or, more accurately, about interviewers trying to get their subjects to answer questions - featuring Chuck Todd of Meet the Press and Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday. While Wallace tried valiantly to get an answer using the old 'repeat the question' method, Todd took the 'yell at your guest' approach, and became the darling of social media folks all over the left hand side of the dial. Me? Not really all that impressed.

While some are applauding Todd for his efforts, others suggest that giving him kudos for doing his job is kind of like giving everyone a participation trophy or something. And, of course there's the whole other point that this is way too little, way too late. Had he or any other journalists done this back in 2015, beginning with the escalator ride, we might not be sitting here having an impeachment investigation of the president. Why? Because Trump would not have been the nominee, had he faced even the slightest real scrutiny in the beginning - or even the middle - of his campaign. By the time most media outlets started to take him seriously, it was way too late.

We're apt to fall into the same thing again this year, the way coverage is going. Tuesday's debate will be a real test for the moderators, if not for the candidates.

I was Wondering on Wednesday among other things, about how the president is reacting to the whole impeachment thing.

I'm also wondering, thinking about his impeachment binge-tweeting, whether he's really mad that Mueller didn't find any collusion, and so he's been trying to show that he is, in fact, able to successfully collude with another country to interfere in our elections?

Similarly, he's got the Mueller report showing multiple acts of obstruction of justice, for which he's been told he cannot be charged, and so now he's just boldly obstructing everything, including the impeachment inquiry?

Thursday's message from the Update Desk showed us that even though the third quarter fundraising rush was completely over, there's no end to the hustle to get campaign contributions. And, there's little start to policy discussions, generally, although there was a glimmer of hope. 

This week saw only one email related to guns - and it wasn't Beto this time, it was Biden. Bernie mentioned Medicare for All, pointing out that everyone should be entitled to the same great health care he received after suffering his heart attack.  

On other issues, we saw new plans from Warren, who introduced a new worker's rights plan, and Sanders, who rolled out his 'Money isn't Speech' plan.  And, both Buttigieg and Warren released plans for LGBTQ equality.

All of the candidates are talking about the upcoming debate, which will have Tulsi Gabbard and Tom Steyer joining the top ten on stage - I can only imagine, and will start pumping energy drinks tomorrow to make sure I'm ready for the live stream on the veritable pastiche Facebook page.  

And finally, blissfully, TGIF! I was in a funk, I admit, and it was my own fault for watching clips of Trump's rally in Minnesota. I really should know better.

I see a man unhinged, unglued, unsafe, unsound, and unfamiliar with what America means or stands for. I see young people in the audience behind him, and except for the couple times when the teens appeared shocked at what Trump was saying, it was disheartening to say the least. 

I really should know better.

Next week?  I know for sure I'll have something to say about the debate, as well as a number of our regular features.  Stop by to see what else bubbles to the top.