In Case You Missed It (v100)

Gather 'round, friends - it's time for your recap of last week's posts, in case you missed anything.

The week started with your Sunday School lesson, from ABC's This Week, with Jon Karl sitting in for George Stephanopoulos. Rep. Adam Kinzinger was one of the guests. Karl talked about AG Merrick Garland's statement that no one is above the law, not even a former president. Kinzinger agreed that it seems "more likely now" that we'll see the prosecution of a former president, and that he "hopes they're moving forward on it." 

Here's what came next.

Karl's response? 

So, you -- you hope that there will be a prosecution of Trump himself. Even -- I mean, this is -- I mean, you just have to take a step back here. This is a guy who is sounding like he’s going to run again, so he would be being prosecuted by the president that he is potentially running against.

Kinzinger was clear when he answered.

Look, I worry about everything that has happened for the last few years. And really, I worry about everything that could happen in the future, and that includes things like, you know, what happens if a president’s running for office and he’s indicted, how does that feel? But, the converse of that is, what happens if we don’t do anything? What happens if we look and say, well, he’s running again, we’re concerned how it’s going to look, so that, like, whole coup attempt thing, let’s just up that behind us and hope it never happens again? Because it will happen again.

We all should be worried about this, including those in the House and Senate who were active participants. 

For your Extra Credit, we checked in on Karl's chat with term-limited Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD); I've often referred to him as my favorite Republican, mostly because he is a Republican, not a Trump-pandering RINO. Here's a bit of the conversation after Karl's comments about one of them, Dan Cox (Hogan's called him a "QAnon whackjob"). He won the GOP gubernatorial primary.

Cox had support from the moronic Democratic Governors Association, and after playing one of the DGA ads, Karl said that even though the ad was "a cynical effort" voters responded to it.

Hogan said that's not quite correct. 

So, first of all, only 20 percent of the people in Maryland are Republican, and 20 percent of them showed up to the polls. So about 2 percent of the people in Maryland voted for this guy. It's not going to be the same in November, I can tell you that. So, it's not a big win. It's really a loss. 

And, obviously, Hogan won't be supporting Cox.

I would not support the guy. I wouldn't let him in the governor's office, let alone vote for him for the governor's office.

Hogan's planning on staying involved after he's out of office, which I think is good. 

On Tuesday, I did a Quick Take on the failure of the Secret Service to secure texts (and frankly, who knows what else) from December 2020 and January 2021. It's inconceivable to me that, in response to a DHS OIG request, there was only a single relevant text during that time period.

The Secret Service submitted the responsive records it identified, namely, a text message conversation from former US Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund to former Secret Service Uniformed Division Chief Thomas Sullivan requesting assistance on January 6, 2021, and advised the agency did not have any further records responsive to the DHS OIG's request for text messages.

For a full month, there was only one text? Seriously? And that text was from a former employee of the Capitol Police to a former Secret Service employee? How incredibly convenient that all seems.

I've done so much wondering lately - way more than makes it into the weekly Wondering on Wednesday posts. This week, I decided to give myself a break from the head-banging and from doing any heavy lifting about the House Oversight Committee's hearing with gun company execs. 

Instead, I shared a few memes from my files; here's one of them.

I also included some clips from the hearing, including a couple from Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA).

On Thursday, I shared a throwback Sunday School post from July 28, 2019. Why that post? Because it featured two people who are currently in the news. 

One's Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) who appears to be lobbying to become the next Speaker of the House, assuming the Dems hold their majority and that Nancy Pelosi stays true to her word to not stay in the role. Back in 2019, though, he was talking about impeachment. 

The other? Andrew Yang, then a presidential candidate, and now one of the founders of the Forward Party. His conversation with Chris Wallace, former host of Fox News Sunday, was interesting, and it's in keeping with his vision for the new party.

Wallace wondered if Yang would attack the front-runners, as a way of getting more air time.

 I don't think that we benefit if I'm throwing rocks at other candidates when, frankly, I agree with them on many, many issues. And I think right now my focus really is on introducing myself to the American people. 

You can read more about his new idea in our TGIF entry, where I credited him with a mixed week. Another in the same boat? Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. He spoke at a conference in Rome, hosted by Notre Dame, the university in Indiana, and talked about the global reaction to his decision in the Dobbs case.

He also spent time talking about religious liberty, saying

It is hard to convince people that religious liberty is worth defending if they don’t think that religion is a good thing that deserves protection...  Our hearts are restless until we rest in God. 

So, what list did he end up on? 

Alito the man had a good week, I guess, for finding a place where his beliefs are widely accepted. Alito the justice? Bad week. As with the other justices, the less time they spend before partisan groups espousing their beliefs, the better.

I'll see you back here later with a Quick Take or two, Sunday School, and maybe more.

TGIF 7/29/22

It's good week/bad week time again. Let's dive in; I'll tell you which list I put them on, and you're welcome to chime in with your opinions.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito spoke earlier this month in Rome  at a conference sponsored by the University of Notre Dame. During his keynote address, Alito was heard "mocking foreign leaders who lamented his opinion doing away with a half-century of federal constitutional protection for abortion rights in the US." 

He also spent time talking about religious liberty, saying

It is hard to convince people that religious liberty is worth defending if they don’t think that religion is a good thing that deserves protection...  Our hearts are restless until we rest in God. 

His personal beliefs are fine, but they're none of my business - not to mention that millions of Americans disagree with him. The problem with him expressing them is the appearance that they influence his decisions, as could his appearance at a conference sponsored by the Religious Liberty Institute at Notre Dame. The article notes that "The institute or its faculty members have filed amicus briefs in at least five Supreme Court cases on religious freedom issues."

Alito the man had a good week, I guess, for finding a place where his beliefs are widely accepted. Alito the justice? Bad week. As with the other justices, the less time they spend before partisan groups espousing their beliefs, the better.

Andrew Yang, former presidential and NYC mayoral candidate, has officially formed a third party - the Forward Party - with two Republicans: David Jolly, a former Florida congressman, and Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey. 

The linked New York Magazine article notes the Forward Party relies on polls showing dissatisfaction with the current situation in the US, and "showing that “roughly half” of Americans would call themselves independents." Using That Guy from Vermont as an example, the author points out how labels mean different things to different people. 

And, while support for a third party is high, according to Gallup, "that doesn’t mean that many people will actually join one.

Yang, Jolly, and Whitman have their work cut out for them. I'll give them a mixed week - they're trying, and people are talking about them, even if what's being said is not all good. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is having a bad week. There's her husband's stock activity, and there's her Asian trip, and a potential visit to Taiwan, which is causing agita on both sides of the Pacific.

But instead of treating the trip like a regular one-off congressional visit... which usually prompts a sternly worded letter from the Chinese Embassy, China has responded to the potential of Pelosi visiting the island by repeatedly upbraiding American counterparts, leaving the Biden administration wondering if Beijing is serious about provoking another crisis in the Taiwan Strait over the speaker’s arrival. 

Stateside, she's "left President Joe Biden's team in a no-win situation - even if it doesn't prompt a serious crisis." Even some Dems are questioning it, as are Republicans.

To the degree that it’s not exactly in America’s interest to drive a crisis right now, then that probably wasn’t particularly well chosen.

To me, it's a mess of her own making, and completely unnecessary for her, and for us.

Will Smith made a video. You can decide for yourself how this is helpful, and to whom.

Donald Trump had a bad week, for two reasons. 

First, he stuck his bone spurs in it with comments about 9/11. Trump's hosting the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour at his Bedminster, NJ course, which is not all that far from the site of the former World Trade Center. Families of 9/11 victims condemned his hosting the tourney in a letter which told of their "extreme pain, frustration, and anger," and quoted Trump's own words from 2016:

 … Who blew up the World Trade Center? It wasn’t the Iraqis – it was Saudi. Take a look at Saudi Arabia. Open the documents. We ought to get Bush or somebody to have the documents opened because frankly, if you open the documents, I think you are going to see it was Saudi Arabia … 

But what's he saying now, when he's got the world's attention (and plenty of Saudi money flowing to his business)?

Well, nobody’s gotten to the bottom of 9/11, unfortunately, and they should have, as to the maniacs that did that horrible thing to our city, to our country, to the world, so nobody’s really been there. But I can tell you there are a lot of really great people that are out here today and we’re going to have a lot of fun and we’re going to celebrate.

Staying with the tournament, it seems Bedminster is again using the Presidential Seal "on various items, including golf carts," despite previous complaints, and despite a law against using it this way.

Federal law prohibits knowingly using the printed or other likeness of the presidential seal “for the purpose of conveying, or in a manner reasonably calculated to convey, a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States.”   

Given the previous complaints, it seems "the Trump Bedminster golf course is aware of, or  should be, that using the seal is illegal, but is using it anyway."  What a surprise.

TGIF, everyone.

Highlights from the DNC: Closing Night

Here are links to highlights from nights one, two, and three, and here's the transcript for last night (other than Joe Biden's acceptance speech), the closing night of #DemsinZoomland.

Let's get right to the highlights, starting with Gov. Gavin Newsom (CA).

Climate change is real. If you are in denial about climate change, come to California. 11,000 dry lightening strikes, we had over a 72 hour period, leading to this unprecedented challenge with these wildfires.

There is so much at stake in this election, none more important than the work Joe Biden did with Barack Obama on the vehicle emissions standards, the fuel efficiency standards. It will save billions and billions of dollars taxpayers, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. There is so much at stake in this election.

I... express my deep reverence, my admiration to Joe Biden, to Kamala Harris, California’s own, to their faith, their devotion, their constancy, to their commitment, and not just to the environment, but to the Commonwealth, to our kids, our kids’ kids, our grandkids, to our legacy. There is so much at stake in this election. And I just want to close by reminding each and every one of you. The future is not just something to experience, it’s something to manifest. It’s inside of us, not just in front of us. It’s our decision, not our conditions that will determine our fate and future. So let us resolve that after this historic night, this incredible, incredible week, this remarkable convention, that we do everything in our power to get Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in to the White House in January, 2021.

Andrew Yang.

Many of us have gotten tired of our leaders, seeming far removed from our everyday lives, and we despair that our government will ever rise to the challenges of our time. But we must give this country, our country, a chance to recover. And recovery is only possible with a change of leadership and new ideas. Bold and innovative policies that will get help into your hands in the midst of this crisis are now possible, but we need your help to turn the page for our country in 75 days. We are here tonight to celebrate Joe Biden’s nomination as the Democratic candidate for President. I have gotten to know both Joe and Kamala on the trail over the past year... They’re real people. They understand the problems we face. There are parents and patriots who want the best for us and our country. And if we give them the chance, they will fight for us and our families every single day.

Our future is now, and it is daunting. But I ask you tonight to join me, to help Joe and Kamala fight for the promise of America, turn the page for our country and lead us forward to a future we’ll actually be proud to leave to our children. 

Sen. Chris Coons (DE).

People of faith have long led change from abolition and women’s suffrage, to the labor movement and the struggle for civil rights. Joe Biden will continue that progressive march towards justice, inspired by respect for the dignity of all people, people Joe believes were made in the image of God. 

...he’ll be a president for Americans of all face as well as people of conscience who practice no particular faith. Joe’s faith is really about our future, about a world with less suffering and more justice, where we’re better stewards of creation, where we have a more just immigration policy, and where we call out and confront the original sins of this nation, the sins of slavery and racism. Joe knows these are central issues in this election, and for him, they’re rooted in faith.

We need a President who brings people of all faiths together to tackle our challenges, rebuild our country and restore our humanity. Someone who knows we’re called to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Joe Biden will be that President. Joe has always known this race is a battle for the soul of our country, and he’s right. Joe believes, he believes in both the greatness and the goodness of this country. He believes in us, and in what we can do together.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (GA).

There are those who are disgracefully using this pandemic to spread misinformation and interfere with voting, forcing many in 2020 to still risk their lives to exercise their sacred right to vote. A right that has already been paid for with the blood, sweat, tears, and lives of so many. So let’s stand up for our children, our children’s children and for this great democracy that our ancestors worked to build and let’s vote. Let’s organize to get others to vote with us. 

We know how important it is that we elect real leaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, people of honor and integrity, who hold justice close to their hearts and believe that the lives of my four black children matter. In the words of womanist poet, Audre Lorde, your silence will not protect you. Congressman Lewis would not be silenced and neither can we. We cannot wait for some other time, some other place, some other heroes. We must be the heroes of our generation because we too are America. Our votes can be our voice.

Historian John Meacham.

Our faith and the things that bind us together is fraying, for our democracy is under assault from an incumbent more interested in himself than he is in the rest of us. Extremism, nativism, isolationism and a lack of economic opportunity for working people are all preventing us from realizing our nation’s promise. So we must decide whether we will continue to be prisoners of the darkest of American forces or will we free ourselves to write a brighter, better, nobler story? That’s the issue of this election. A choice that goes straight to the nature of the soul of America.

Often we’d prefer to hear the trumpets rather than face the tragedies but an honest accounting of who we’ve been, can enable us to see who we should be. A country driven by the best parts of our soul, not by the worst. A country informed by reason and candor, not by ego and lies. A country that’s big hearted, not narrow minded... our story has soared when we’ve built bridges, not walls. When we’ve lent a hand, not when we’ve pointed fingers. When we’ve hoped not feared.

From Jamestown forward, our story has become fuller and fairer because of people who share a conviction that Dr. King articulated on that Sunday half a century ago; the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Bending that arc requires all of us. It requires we, the people, and it requires a president of the United States with empathy, grace, a big heart and an open mind. Joe Biden will be such a president. With our voices and our votes, let us now write the next chapter of the American story; one of hope, of love, of justice. If we do so, we might just save our country and our souls.

Rep. Deb Haaland (NM).

I’m grateful to be with you here on indigenous land. The promise of this country is older than our constitution. Over 500 years ago, thousands of Indian tribes were vibrant democratic societies with rich cultures and traditions and communities that had sustained them for millennia on lands they loved and respected. My people, the Pueblo Indians, migrated to the Rio Grande Valley in the late 1200s to escape droughts. We were led to the great river and its tributaries, where we established an agricultural tradition that continues to this day. My people survived centuries of slavery, genocide and brutal assimilation policies. But throughout our past, tribal nations have fought for and helped build this country. There were those like my Laguna grandparents who worked on our country’s railroad and those like my mother, a Navy veteran, who served this country with honor. I stand here today, a proud 35th generation new Mexican, and one of the first native American women ever elected to Congress. I’m a symbol of our resilience as the embodiment of America’s progress as a nation.

Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.

Our nation absolutely has what it takes to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic that’s claimed tens of thousands of our loved ones. We have the talent, resources and technology. What we’re missing is leadership. We need a leader who works with States to ensure that everyone who needs a test gets one, and gets results quickly. A leader who secures a safe, effective vaccine, and distributes it quickly and fairly. A leader who inspires us to practice distancing, and wear masks, not as a political statement, but as a patriotic duty, a commitment we make to one another.

.. I know Joe Biden can be that leader. I’ve worked with Joe Biden. I’ve seen who he is with no cameras around, how he sits with people in their pain, and holds them in his heart. How he pours over COVID briefings, asking smart questions, letting science guide his way, just as he did when managing the Ebola crisis. And six years ago, when Joe Biden met my family, many of them immigrants, awed to be in the nation’s Capitol, I saw how he kneeled beside my grandmother’s wheelchair, took her hands in his, and said, “Thank you for choosing us, the United States of America, as the place to trust with your family.” Tonight, as a father, son, and grandson, as the doctor who swore an oath, and as an American who loves my country, I can tell you that Joe Biden is the man I trust to look out for my family, and the leader I know will heal this nation.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (WI).

What kind of country do we want to be? Do we want to be a country where millionaires get to dodge taxes? Or one where working families get a break? Do we want to be a country where medical bills bury people in debt, or one where healthcare is affordable for all? Or where tens of thousands of people die from a virus, or where the American dream lives? I think we know the answer to that fundamental question, because most of us want the same things. Good schools in our neighborhoods, racial justice, the freedom to love who we want, dignity in our work, and an economy where small businesses and working families thrive. And over the past months, we’ve added another to that list. A nation free from COVID. That’s why Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the only answer in this election. Trust me. They are.

You see, there’s another part of my story, the part where I ran for office, the part where I served in Congress, the part where I worked with Joe Biden and Barack Obama to make sure kids, and grandkids, if they’re dependents can stay on their parents’ health insurance until they’re 26. We got that done. And yes, it was a big effing deal. That’s the America I know, that’s the America I love, and that’s the America we will be with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House. A nation that plans, a nation that builds, a nation that builds back. Say it with me there at home, a nation that builds back better. Here in Wisconsin, our state motto is just one word, forward. This November, let’s move forward and never look back. 

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (IL).

Joe knows the fear military families live because he’s felt that dread of never knowing if your deployed loved one is safe. He understands their bravery because he has had to muster that same strength, every hour of every day Beau was overseas. That’s the kind of leader our service members deserve.

One who understands the risks they face and who would actually protect them by doing his job as commander in chief. Instead they have a coward in chief who won’t stand up to a flatterer, a Putin, read his daily intelligence briefings, or even publicly admonish adversaries for reportedly putting bounties on our troops' heads. As president, Joe Biden would never let tyrants manipulate him like a puppet. He would never pervert our military to stroke his own ego. He would never turn his back on our troops or threaten them against Americans, peacefully exercising,their constitutional rights.

Joe Biden would stand up for what’s right, stand tall for our troops, and stand strong against our enemies. Because unlike Trump, Joe Biden has common decency. He has common sense. He can command, both from experience, and from strength. Donald Trump doesn’t deserve to call himself commander in chief for another four minutes, let alone another four years. Our troops deserve better. Our country deserves better. If you agree, text more to 30330 to elect Joe Biden, a leader who actually cares enough about America to lead.

Mayor Pete.

When you put your life on the line for this country, you do it, not because it’s the country you live in, but because it’s a country you believe in. I believe in this country, because America uniquely holds the promise of a place where everyone can belong. We know that for too many, and for too long, that promise has been denied. But we also know America is at its best when we make that circle of belonging wider.

This coalition we are building this very season, gathering progressives and moderates, independents, and even what I like to call future former Republicans, standing for an America where everyone belongs. Joe Biden is right. This is a contest for the soul of the nation. And to me, that contest is not between good Americans and evil Americans. It’s the struggle to call out what is good in every American. It’s up to us. Will America be a place where faith is about healing and not exclusion? Can we become a country that lives up to the truth that black lives matter? Will we handle questions of science and medicine by turning to scientists and doctors? Will we see to it that no one who works full time can live in poverty?

I trust Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to guide us toward that better future, because I’ve seen up close their empathy, and their capacity. Just as I’ve seen my fellow Americans capacity to support, and include one another in new ways and do better by the promise of America. The day I was born, the idea of an out candidate seeking any federal office at all was laughable. Yet earlier this year, I campaigned for the presidency often with my husband, Chasten at my side, winning delegates to this very convention. Now I come to this convention proudly supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

Mike Bloomberg.

I’ve supported Democrats Republicans and independents. Hell, I’ve actually been a Democrat, Republican, and independent. It’s all about people. And the two people running for president couldn’t be more different. One believes in facts, one does not. One listens to experts, the other things he knows everything. One looks forward and sees strength in America’s diversity. The other looks backwards and sees immigrants as enemies, and white supremacists as allies. Here’s another difference. One has proven he knows how to handle a crisis by helping to lead the economic turnaround after the 2008 recession, while the other has not only failed to lead, he has made the current crisis much worse. He has failed the American people catastrophically.

Four years ago, I came before this very convention and said New Yorkers know a con when we see one. But tonight, I’m not asking you to vote against Donald Trump because he’s a bad guy. I’m urging you to vote against him because he’s done a bad job.

So I want to ask small business owners and their employees one question, and it’s a question for everyone. Would you rehire, or work for someone, who ran your business into the ground? And who always does what’s best for him or her, even when it hurts the company? And whose reckless decisions put you in danger, and who spends more time Tweeting than working? If the answer is no, why the hell would we ever rehire Donald Trump for another four years?

So when Trump says he wants to make America great again, he’s making a pretty good case for Joe Biden. Look, our goal shouldn’t be to bring back the pandemic economy. It should be as Joe says, to build it back better. Joe’s economic plan will create clean energy jobs that help fight another crisis that Trump is ignoring, climate change, and Joe will rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges, something Trump has incessantly talked about doing, but in the last three and a half years, he hasn’t done anything. What a joke.

And let me tell you a little secret. Donald Trump’s economic plan was to give a huge tax cut to guys like me who didn’t need it, and then lie about it to everyone else. Well, Joe will roll back that tax cut that I got, so we can fund things our whole country needs, like training for adults who have lost jobs and making college more affordable and investing in American research and development, so that the products of tomorrow are made today by American workers.

My favorite childhood book was called Johnny Tremain, about a Boston boy who joins the Sons of Liberty at the dawn of the American Revolution. At the end of the book, Johnny stands on Lexington Commons and sees a nation that is, quote, “Green with spring, dreaming of the future.” That’s the America I know and love. And that’s the America we are in danger of losing under this President. So let’s put an end to this whole sorry chapter in American history and elect leaders who will bring integrity and stability, sanity and competence back to the White House. Joe and Kamala, go get him for all of us.

Brayden Harrington (NH).

My name is Brayden Harrington and I am 13 years old. And without Joe Biden, I wouldn’t be talking to you today. About a few months ago, I met him in New Hampshire. He told me that we were members of the same club. We stutter. It was really amazing to hear that someone like me became Vice President. He told me about a book of poems by Yeats he would read out loud to practice. He showed me how he marks his addresses to make them easier to say out loud. So I did the same thing today. And now I’m here talking to you today about the future, about our future.

My family often says 'when the world feels better,' before talking about something normal, like going to the movies. We all want the world to feel better. We need the world to feel better. I’m just a regular kid. And in the short amount of time, Joe Biden made (me) more confident about something that’s bothered me my whole life. Joe Biden cared. Imagine what he could do for all of us. Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to, someone who cares, someone who will make our country and the world feel better. We’re counting on you to elect Joe Biden.

Joe and Kamala are up next, in full. 

TGIF 5/8/20

Another Friday, already? Let's dive in and see what was going on this week.

Right off the bat, we now know that coronavirus has entered the White House, with both a presidential valet and the vice president's press secretary having tested positive. I understand now that the valets will be wearing masks, which makes sense, at least according to the CDC experts. Better late than never, I guess.  Pence's aide, Katie Miller, happens to be married to Trump's immigration policy guru, Stephen Miller. She's being quarantined for 14 days, not sure about him.

The president went to a mask company in Arizona this week, where he wore glasses but not a mask. But that's OK, I guess, because as the song says, Live and Let Die. Also while he was in Arizona, the president did an interview with ABC's David Muir which was, well, Trumpian to the extreme. I'll have more on that tomorrow.

Attorney General Snitty Snitty Bill Barr tried (and failed, it would seem) to convince the Administration to drop their assault on the Affordable Care Act, and he tried (and succeeded) in getting the DOJ to drop the charges against Michael Flynn, who cooperated with the Mueller Investigation. On the former, Barr's concern seems to be kicking tens of millions of people off their insurance, or appearing to, during an election year - which would not be an actual crime, only a political crime. On the latter, Barr said that "people sometimes plead guilty to things that turn out not to be crimes."  As with the Roger Stone case, the line prosecutor on the Flynn case withdrew. Seems things continue to be not so warm and fuzzy at DOJ...

Unemployment numbers for April came out today, and they were not good. I had heard estimates of between 16-17%  but  the unemployment rate came in at 14.7%. All of the job gains over the past 11 years have been wiped out. The 10.3% increase was the largest "over the month" increase in the metric's history.

For a somewhat unusual reason, Andrew Yang is in the news again this week. Last week, Yang sued the NYS Board of Elections for cancelling this year's presidential primary, as there are no candidates still officially in the running other than Joe Biden. And just the other day, a federal judge ordered NY to hold the primary after all. While some saw it as a victory for delegates who still have a chance to impact the party's platform at the convention, others don't feel the same. Ben Adler, writing in City and State New York, disagrees.  Adler said "this is just more proof - as if any were needed after Trump - that "outsider" candidates who run to promote their personal brand or idiosyncratic ideas usually leave politics worse for their involvement." Ouch.

And finally, Joe Biden. Evidence appears to be mounting against him vis a vis Tara Reade. On the heels of a recording alleged to be her mother calling in to the Larry King Show that came to light last month, we now have documents from her divorce, filed in 1996, in which her ex-husband references Reade saying she was sexually harassed while working for Biden's office.

I don't know how anyone looks at this, with a believing or disbelieving eye, and doesn't think it seriously hurts the Biden campaign.

TGIF, everyone.

TGIF 3/6/20

If it's Friday, it's list-making day.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar is having a bad week, wouldn't you agree? Today at the White House, when the president was explaining why he wasn't going to the CDC as planned (because someone who works there might have the virus) Azar said "he's sending me instead" and Trump seemed pretty comfortable with the thought of sending Azar into a coronavirus threat, and then ignored him for the rest of his remarks.

And then, during the question time at the rescheduled CDC visit, Trump spoke of the many great experts including Mike Pence who is "working 24/7 on this" again ignoring Azar who was standing right next to him. I'm still thinking he's gonna be the fall guy, especially if those cruise ship peeps come off the boat.

Speaking of the president, he had a week. Just like he always does. From a great jobs report to not touching his face to bizarro comments at the CDC (and how all of that transpired), you'd think that was enough.

But no-o-o-o -- there's more. Because there's always more.

You'll recall I suggested not long ago - in fact, it was just last week - that Mulvaney was in trouble.

There's little about Barron in the media - by design. It's because the legitimate media know that president's kids are off limits, and because they know that the mere mention of the name Barron - nothing about the child himself, mind you, but simply using the homophones Barron and baron in a sentence - caused an uproar on the Trump News Network. Mulvaney better have his bags packed.

Little did I know that it would take so little time, and that he'd be going so far away. And I do have to laugh at the folks at The Hill, who earlier in February gave us this article, headlined

Oopsie. No word yet on who will run OMB, but I doubt even someone as fabulous as Mulvaney would have a hard time running the budget from another country.

Let's see who else is having a week? Chuck Schumer, for one.  He verbally attacked two Supremes this week, 

“I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions,

He said he misspoke , after being publicly whipped by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter.

This is not the first time Schumer has shot his mouth off, and it won't be the last. I understand that, to a certain point, but the problem is he's just not good at it.

Joe Biden, we know, had a good week. That Guy From Vermont did not. Elizabeth Warren did not, and that's frustrating. Mike Bloomberg did not, but he's going to keep spending money so that either Biden or TGFV has a good November (he hopes). Tom Steyer and Amy Klobuchar didn't. Pete Buttigieg had a good week, I think, because we have definitely not heard the last from him. Steve Bullock did too, as he's decided to run for US Senate in Montana.

Andrew Yang had a good week; he's announced the formation of Humanity Forward, a new nonprofit.

Humanity Forward, which will be based in New York, will focus first on a “data dividend” project and campaign that would fight on behalf of consumers who want the rights to their personal data, Mr. Yang said. 

Separately, he said Thursday that the group had received pledges of $3 million for pilot programs that would provide people with a universal basic income payment each month.

I could keep going, but this seems like a good place to stop.

TGIF, everyone.

Email of the Week (v10)

Thursday is 'Email of the Week' day, when I plow through a hundred or so emails from the handful of Democratic presidential candidates I'm following to see what's going on.

Out of the 167 emails received since last Thursday afternoon, I'd guess that around 150 of them were requests for money - crazy amounts of money. We need $2M in the blink of an eye, and then that turned into $4M. We need $7M in the next week. We need we need we need we need we need.  

All but one of Mike Bloomberg's emails were policy-specific, focusing on immigration, veterans, reproductive health, and reforming our broken tax code. The fifth? Tomorrow's his birthday, if you want to send him a greeting. 

Warren reminded us that it was three years ago that the "Nevertheless, she persisted" moment occurred, and reminded supporters that this is a marathon not a spring (but she needs money, lots of money, to stay in the race.)

TGFV  boasted of his big win in New Hampshire, but that wasn't enough to lift him to the top tier. Here's part of that message.

Let me be clear: Now that we've gained another victory in New Hampshire, the establishment and financial elite are going to throw everything at us except the kitchen sink, And I have a feeling that the kitchen sink is coming pretty soon as well. 

So, if it wasn't him, who had the emails that made it to the top of the list?  Mayor Pete came close with 'This Is Our Moment,' which said, in part,

A fresh outlook is what makes new beginnings possible. It’s how we galvanize the majority that’s ready to act. And election after election has shown us that putting forward a new perspective is how Democrats win the White House. The stakes are monumental. We cannot afford to miss the mark or miss this moment. We must get this right. We must be clear-eyed about the challenge before us. And we must be equally clear about the choice ahead.

But the winner of the coveted email of the week is Andrew Yang, who - like Michael Bennet and Deval Patrick - suspended his campaign this week. It was a long email, so I'm including only some key excerpts.

We have accomplished so much together. We have brought a message of Humanity First and a vision of an economy and society that works for us and our families to millions of our fellow Americans...

One of the things I’m most proud of -- we gave $1,000 a month for a year to 13 families across the country.

We highlighted the real problems in our communities as our economy is being transformed before our eyes by technology and automation... Our signature proposal, Universal Basic Income, has become part of the mainstream conversation... We have touched and improved millions of lives and moved this country we love so much in the right direction.

And while there is great work left to be done, I am the MATH guy. And it is clear tonight from the numbers that we are not going to win this race. I am not someone who wants to accept donations and support in a race that we will not win. This is not an easy decision... But I have been convinced that the message of this campaign will not be strengthened by my staying in this race any longer.

My goal when I first started was always to solve the problems that got Donald Trump elected. And I know in order to do that, I will support whoever is the Democratic nominee. That said, I hope this campaign can be a message, and word of caution, to all of my Democratic colleagues.

Donald Trump is not the cause of all of our problems. He is a symptom. We must cure the disease that got him elected, and in order to do that we must address the real problems that affect our people and offer solutions to actually solve them. Those solutions are bold, and many think they are crazy. But I hope my campaign has made it a little less crazy to think we can lead our country to eradicate poverty...

This is the beginning. This movement is the future of American politics. This movement is the future of the Democratic party...

I can't wait to see who brings their A-game next week.

Email of the Week (v9)

Thursday is 'Email of the Week' day, when I plow through a hundred or so emails from the handful of Democratic presidential candidates I'm following to see what's going on.

I received 160 emails this week from the gang of eight candidates I'm following.As usual, Mayor Pete led the way with 48 emails,  followed by Elizabeth Warren (29) Amy Klobuchar and That Guy From Vermont (24 each), Andrew Yang (20) the new guys, Mike Bloomberg and Deval Patrick (7 each) and Tom Steyer (1).

Fundraising, Iowa (pre- and post-caucus), upcoming debates, and New Hampshire were hot topics, as were pointed barbs at each other. 

There were even a couple of emails from Cory Booker, who's now running for his Senate seat instead of for President.  Here's one of them, with the subject line Trump is tearing our country apart.

I just walked out of the President’s State of the Union address.

What we heard from Donald Trump tonight was more of the toxic division that we’ve become accustomed to. He’s tearing us apart instead of bringing our country together.

I’ve always believed that the ties that bind us are stronger than the lines that divide us. As we work to elect a President and members of Congress this fall, it’s important that we choose candidates who will help unite us instead of pushing us further apart.

That’s where you come in, Sue.

I’m running for re-election to be one of those leaders. Please send in a donation now so I can keep a message of unity at the forefront of our national politics.

Our country is deeply hurting right now -- and the past three years of Trump’s hatred and bigotry have only added to the pain that millions of Americans are feeling.

As I said often during my campaign for president, defeating Donald Trump is only the floor -- not the ceiling. Once he’s out of office, we’ll then have to begin the hard work of healing a country so wounded that it elected someone like him in the first place.

I’m ready for the challenge before us, but I’m going to need your help. Invest in our campaign today to send me back to the Senate for another term.

Let’s also do everything we can to ensure that this was the last State of the Union address Donald Trump will deliver as our president.

Sincerely,
Cory

That was almost the winner, but since Booker is no longer running for president, I went back through everything, and that's when I found this one Andrew Yang. Short and sweet, it earned the coveted Email of the Week recognition.

Sue --

Last night during the Iowa caucuses, the entire nation realized something the Yang Gang has known since the beginning -- we desperately need a president who actually understands technology.

This is a HUGE opportunity for our campaign to win over every single voter who saw what happened in Iowa last night and is now looking for a president who is ready to lead us into a future that is already here.

If we act now, we can make sure all these voters know that Andrew will be that president. So make a rush donation before the end of the day to help us reach these voters!

Sure, he's asking for money - but in that first sentence, he hit the nail on the head.

We don't need someone who merely knows how to tweet and who thinks that Rudy 'The Butt-Dialer' Giuliani is a tech security expert - we need someone who understands that whatever the heck ends up being the result from Iowa, whenever we get it, we can't have leaders who don't understand how critical it is that our election technology is both world-class and works as intended.

And, honestly, that whatever we do, it cannot fall victim to something as simple as a bunch of goofballs calling in, jamming the lines, and preventing votes from being reported.

Users on a politics-focused section of the fringe 4chan message board repeatedly posted the phone number for the Iowa Democratic Party, which was found by a simple Google search, both as screenshots and in plain text, alongside instructions.

"They have to call in the results now. Very long hold times being reported. Phone line being clogged," one user posted at about 11 p.m. ET on Monday, three hours after the caucuses began.

"Uh oh how unfortunate it would be for a bunch of mischief makers to start clogging the lines," responded another anonymous user, sarcastically.

Some users chimed in, posting alleged wait times on hold, imploring others to “clog the lines [and] make the call lads.”

Because if the goofballs can take us down so easily, can you imagine what the professionals can do? 

In Case You Missed It (v21)

Another long week in the books - and a not-as-productive-as usual week, at that.

Here's all the stuff I could dump out of my head, and it wasn't much, I admit. I spent too much time starting (and not finishing) posts - a big ADD week, for sure.

Anyway - we had both Amy Klobuchar and Andrew Yang in the Sunday School classrooms. Here's a snippet from each of them, starting with Klobuchar's take on That Guy from Vermont and which of them should be the nominee.

I think Senator Sanders' idea of kicking 149 million Americans off their current health insurance in four years is wrong. That's why I don't think he should be leading the ticket. I think I should be leading the ticket because my ideas are much more in sync with bold ways of getting things done... and the experience of getting things done. 

And here's Andrew Yang countering an argument that his freedom dividend (universal basic income) won't go far enough.

Americans know instinctively that if you put a thousand dollars a month into our hands, it would find its way right back into our main street economies, make our families stronger, healthier, mentally healthier. It would create hundreds of thousands of jobs. It would improve the buying power, increase the buying power of over 90% of Americans.

I'm glad they're both still in the race. I don't agree with everything they propose, but it's still a good time to have some policy disagreements.

I got my head out of DC for a bit on Tuesday with this Meanwhile Back in Albany entry, taking a look at what New York's Sonofa Gov had on his mind during his 10th State of the State address. Among other things, he's concerned about the disheartening hate crimes that have hit us not just here in NY, but across the country. And he's planning on us taking the lead.

He said hate crimes would be subject to the "first-in-the-nation domestic terrorism law" and there'd be funding to expand the capacity of the Hate Crimes Task Force and for security grants to schools and places of worship. And, he wants schools to teach civic values and our history on diversity, as well as how immigration was driven by religious freedom. 

For Wondering on Wednesday, it was back to DC for much head shaking, including this bit about a suggestion from the Republicans that they hunker in a bunker of their own and read the transcript of John Bolton's book.

Remember, whatever he said in the book is a lie, the president told us - and there's nothing better than putting a person on the stand and making them lie under oath, or to try and prove that they're not. Well, nothing better than that - except hiding in a secure bunker, out of sight from the press and from your constituents...

These are the same Republicans, natch, who have been up in arms about the Democrats deposing various government officials in the SCIF.... sigh.

Our Email of the Week brought us to an unexpected place. While there were a number of noteworthy things in my inbox, including the ones mentioned below. 

• Sanders threw three of the Squad members at us in one email, and he's already focused on NY's April primary;   

• Mayor Pete went on Fox News for a town hall, the only one to do so, I guess;

• Deval Patrick got an endorsement from a NH State Senator; and

• Andrew Yang qualified for the February debate, after missing the January one - maybe the best news of the week.

But the winner was not in that mix - in fact, even I was surprised with who landed on top.

So there you have it -- four posts, to go along with the ten I have in draft right now, that are alternately fighting with me or taunting me. I'll get to work on those, I promise. 

Remember, you can always drop your email in the Instant Gratification box on the right sidebar to catch all the posts when they're fresh.

See you tomorrow for Sunday School.

Email of the Week (v8)

Thursday is 'Email of the Week' day, when I plow through a hundred or so emails from the handful of Democratic presidential candidates I'm following to see what's going on.

So, after having added Tom Steyer, Deval Patrick and Mike Bloomberg to the rolls, I got 156 emails, but the newcomers only accounted for 15 of them. Mayor Pete continues to lead the pack in terms of emails sent, with Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar not far behind. Tom Steyer has yet to ask me for anything.

As we're nearing the end of the month, and the candidates are now facing monthly FEC disclosures, a couple of them told me, and because the Iowa caucuses are next week, it's hot and heavy in the money grab category.  

What's interesting is that the candidates are all setting ridiculous goals - a million by Friday, three million by the end of the week, that kind of thing -  and some are having trouble meeting them - so I wonder about this whole 'shooting yourself in the foot to keep up with the Joneses' thing.

So, what was noteworthy this week? 

• Sanders threw three of the Squad members at us in one email, and he's already focused on NY's April primary; 
• Mayor Pete went on Fox News for a town hall, the only one to do so, I guess;
• Deval Patrick got an endorsement from a NH State Senator; and
• Andrew Yang qualified for the February debate, after missing the January one - maybe the best news of the week.

There were a few emails that were in the running for this weeks' prize, including one from Mayor Pete touting polls showing while he's running slightly behind That Guy From Vermont in New Hampshire, he beats Trump by a larger margin than any of the rest of them. 

Amy Klobuchar is gaining momentum and endorsements, and she told us she's the only debate-worthy candidate who has visited every one of Iowa's 99 counties. 

But this week, because I'm feeling frisky, I'm going with Bloomberg. 

I know -- he's poison, he's killing the process, he's doing it all wrong: I get that. But I'm going to give it to him, anyway - because he's willing to put his own money where his mouth is - even if no one likes that he's doing it - and because I'm curious about how he's doing what he's doing.  Skipping the early states, particularly the two very non-diverse, small states that have always had an outsized impact on who gets elected, is an intriguing approach, and one that's different from Steyer, the other billionaire in the race. 

So, here it is, our coveted Email of the Week.

See you  next week. 

Sunday School 1/26/20

Two of the Democratic presidential candidates - Amy Klobuchar  (Meet the Press and This Week with George) and Andrew Yang (Fox News Sunday)- were in the classrooms this morning, and that's where I spent my time.

The Klobuchar interviews were very similar. We'll start with MTP, where Chuck asked about impeachment. She said she thought the House managers made the case for witnesses, and about

looking over at colleagues and thinking, "you want to get to the truth. You know, you got elected to do this job not to serve at the pleasure of the president, but to represent the people." And I don't know how they can cut out facts and evidence... No matter how they vote on impeachment in the end, Americans want a fair trial. The polls show, overwhelmingly, people want to hear from the witnesses. So that's what I keep thinking when I hear the back and forth. Let's just get this done, hear the witnesses...

Asked about her efforts to get others on board, and whether she shares the "pessimism" of other Dems, she referenced "moments of courage" that Republicans have demonstrated in the past

You know, John McCain with that arm of his that, because of torture, he could hardly move it and lift it, when he voted no against repealing the Affordable Care Act... Lisa Murkowski, along with my friends Heidi Heitkamp and Claire McCaskill, when they just didn't have the stomach to vote for then-Judge Kavanaugh...

Those votes, she said, people voted against their own "immediate political interests. But they did things for the country."

She anticipates she'll still be running against Donald Trump in the fall. She refers to voters as 'jurors' in the primaries and the general election, and says

...this is a decency check in addition to an economic check on this president. And if we want to win, we have to bring people with us that don't agree with everything that's said on the debate stage. 

And, she agreed, "quickly" but not right away, the Dems will have to unify behind one candidate, even if it's not her.  At the same time, though,

I think Senator Sanders' idea of kicking 149 million Americans off their current health insurance in four years is wrong. That's why I don't think he should be leading the ticket. I think I should be leading the ticket because my ideas are much more in sync with bold ways of getting things done... and the experience of getting things done. 

And yes, Chuck, she's OK with having to be in DC doing her constitutional duty, even if it means she'll won't be in Iowa on caucus night.

I've always believed that obstacles on the path aren't obstacles, they are the path. If that happens, I think the people of this state and all of the four early states, if it goes on that long, they get that we have a constitutional job to do. And that is what I'll be doing. 

On This Week, she echoed her comment about That Guy From Vermont kicking 149 million people off their health insurance, and said

...you've got people out there that are interested in having a candidate that has a history like I do, that brings the receipts to the race of actually winning in very red and very purple suburban districts and doing that by bringing along with her a fired-up Democratic base, as well as independents and moderate Republicans. What matters most... is winning and uniting our party and I'm someone who can do that. I think that's where the country is, George.

George asked if she's going to NH, since she's only fifth in Iowa right now. She made it clear that's the plan, and touted her Iowa endorsements and her strong grassroots operation. She acknowledged she doesn't have the same name recognition as some of her competitors, or "billions of dollars" like two of her opponents, but said she's got grit, referencing her blizzard announcement, and

a lot of people have gotten out of this race, but I'm still standing....  And I'm only one of two candidates left from the middle of the country, the very, very part of the country that we need to win.

They talked about how she can pick up ground in Iowa before the caucuses on the 3rd while she's in DC for the impeachment trial. Tele-town halls - they have 12,000 people on one last week - and surrogates, and being there as much as the trial schedule allows, she said, noting

And the fact that I have this real job and that I'm in the arena and that I'm actually taking on the Trump administration and all of their shenanigans and behavior, I think that's actually a good thing.

She said impeachment is not only a decency check, but that it's "a patriotism check for our nation." And, finally, when George asked if the Senate should move to censure or at least try to censure Trump it he's acquitted, she suggested it's too early for that.

Right now, what I want my colleagues to do is join us in getting the witnesses... I want to hear from the men in the room where it happened. That is people like Mr. Bolton and Mick Mulvaney... All we are asking for right now is four witnesses. Zero witnesses plus zero evidence equals zero justice...

About her colleagues, she said

However they vote, whatever they choose to do when the evidence comes in, they cannot go down in history as the people that blocked the truth from coming forward, because eventually it will come forward. 

And "eventually" may be sooner than they think, if what we're hearing tonight is true.

Moving down the hall to the Fox classroom, Chris Wallace started his chat with Andrew Yang talking about the 'cost-benefit analysis' of his efforts in Iowa and the polls, which show him still lagging behind at 3% after doing over 150 events and spending $5M on ads. Yang said that the most recent poll shows him doing better - and improving, and suggests

We're going to surprise a lot of people on caucus night on February 3rd, I can guarantee you that.

Wallace then moved from the heartland to New Hampshire, noting Yang has spent similar time and money there - and asked Yang if it's time to drop out if he fails to finish in the top three or four in either Iowa or NH. Yang's answer? Um, that would be a 'no.'

Well, you know, Chris, and many people who have been paying attention to this race know, that we've been growing faster than any other candidate in a campaign. We have resilient grassroots support and we're going to be competing all the way through Super Tuesday and into the spring...

Wallace then moved to talking about policy, starting with Yang's freedom dividend, the $1K universal basic income that's the heart of his policy - and referenced AOC who says it's "regressive" and not enough to make up for income inequality. Yang, dismissing the Squad Leader, said that

Americans know instinctively that if you put a thousand dollars a month into our hands, it would find its way right back into our main street economies, make our families stronger, healthier, mentally healthier. It would create hundreds of thousands of jobs. It would improve the buying power, increase the buying power of over 90% of Americans.

Iowans, he said, can see their stores closing, can see tech companies (like Amazon, natch) "soaking up $20B in value a year and not paying a dime in taxes." It's not working for people, and that's why "we need the freedom dividend to actually put buying power directly into our citizens' hands." 

Wallace asked Yang how he talks about the freedom dividend potentially taking the place of existing welfare programs, instead of being an added benefit. He mentioned Yang's spokesman said that the freedom dividend is meant to be an alternative to programs like food stamps or vouchers for housing.

Yang noted that the better a family does, the less they get in benefits, and that's not working for them,

So, with the freedom dividend if you get this $1K and you start working and doing better, then you get to keep everything you make. This way the incentives are aligned with both the family and our country... We have to be able to improve on what we have in a way that will actually boost both families and the economy.

Next, Yang described his emotions when she told him that it had happened and, in answer to Wallace's question about what women and men should take away from her story, Yang first reminded us that his wife is not alone, and added

And so what we have to do as a country is acknowledge that these situations happen more often than we'd like to believe and that institutions, instead of protecting the doctor in this case, should be doing what they can to protect ourselves, our wives, our daughters, our mothers, We can do better than this as a country. And the gratitude and support that Evelyn has received over the last number of days has been really inspiring that we can do better. 

To end the interview, Wallace asked about Yang's saying the DNC made a big booboo saying they wouldn't hold any debates on Fox, and he wondered why Yang said it and what, if any reaction the DNC had. Yang said it came up at one of his Iowa events when someone asked how we were going to bring the country together, and

I thought, well, if you're going to bring the country together, you have to start by talking to Americans. And I pointed out this example of where the DNC decided not to have any of the presidential debates on Fox, which I thought was a mistake.

He hasn't had any "direct conversation" with the DNC, but they have talked to his people. 

I think it's this common sense, you know, to me, hopefully the DNC will adopt a different approach in the future because we have to bring the entire country together.

The problems that face us affect all of us and we need to -- to come together as a country to solve them.

 He's right. He's absolutely right.

See you around campus.