THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2024 The possible reasons go on and on: Just for the record, the madness has always been general. The madness is bred in the bone. We actually aren't "the rational animal"—and that's even true Over Here, within our own Blue America. Irrational conduct belon … | Continue reading
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2024 ...and hints of Caligula's horse: It's hard to get one's head around the inanity and the moral squalor surrounding the culture today. It's true—Greg Gutfeld is still working his primetime beat on the Fox News Channel. That said, it isn't entirely clea … | Continue reading
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2024 The disorder is also in Us: This morning, Ed Luce takes his place on the pile. There he is, in the Financial Times, beating up on a famous madman and on the horse he rode out on. His column begins as shown: Trump’s demolition of the US state It is tim … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2024 Ezra sticks with "unhinged:" Ezra Klein has published a fascinating interview with Anne Applebaum. Before the actual transcript is offered, his overview starts like this: Trump Kicks Down the Guardrails Think back two months. Imagine it’s September. You … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2024 Silver screen gives us the world: Is the United States on its way out? We can't swear that it isn't! No one knows where this is going—where the apparent madness could end up. For ourselves, we keep thinking about Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut (19 … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2024 We Blues can be clueless too: If only apocryphally, the emperor Caligula made his favorite horse a Roman consul—possibly, even a priest. On the rare occasion, we moderns tend to be wacky too. In what some see as a modern equivalent, Donald J. Trump has … | Continue reading
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18. 2024 ...comes to us from prehistory: The sexual politics of Donald Trump's world comes to us straight from prehistory. It starts with Trump himself, then moves on from there. Based on reporting, we're talking about Gaetz and Hegseth and Musk oh my! After that … | Continue reading
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18. 2024 Could something be lacking in Us? Was something wrong with the emperor Caligula? Was there anything wrong with his horse? The famous strongman and his famous steed have been mentioned in recent days, most often by commentators in Blue America. Uniformly, … | Continue reading
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2024 Plus, more text from Mary Trump: Was the recent election a "rout?" Was it "not even close?" Was it "a wipeout," the language we heard on this morning's Fox & Friends Weekend, language which came from Mark Penn? Is it true that "Democrats Were Crushed?" … | Continue reading
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2024 How did we lose to this guy? In our view, the most interesting piece of journalism today is an editorial in the New York Post. The Murdoch empire is divided today. Is the candidate who won the election filling his playroom with toys? Writing from the hea … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2024 Let's take one more look at the record: Love hurts—or at least, that's what songwriter Boudleaux Bryant alleged in his hit song of that name. First, the Everly Brothers recorded it. Years later, along came Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons. As a result, … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2024 The wages of tribal denial: We'll start with a statistical update concerning the ongoing "rout." And yes! It was in that way that last week's election results were described on this very morning. This is how Storyline grows: He received 50 percent plus … | Continue reading
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2024 Not even when he was reading: Over the past year, we've mentioned Pete Hegseth fairly often at this site. During that time, he's been one of the three regular co-hosts of the "cable news" show, Fox & Friends Weekend. Now, at age 44, he's been nominate … | Continue reading
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2024 And yet, explanations abound: Just to establish a factual record, here's where matters currently stand, according to CNN's count: Nationwide popular vote (to date), 2024 Candidate Trump: 75,536,884 (50.2%) Candidate Harris: 72,390,344 (48.1%) That's w … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2024 Not an unknown phenomenon: Back in the day, presidential election outcomes could really jump around. In 1960, Kennedy won the nationwide popular vote by one-tenth of a point. Four years later, Johnson won by more than 22 points! In 1968, it was close ag … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2024 Maureen Dowd pours it on: Imaginably, it could be better that we in Blue America took our (two-point) shellacking now. Obviously, it depends, in part, on what the incoming president does. On the other hand, consider this: If Candidate Harris had squeake … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2024 Margin now 2.1 points: This being an alternate Tuesday, we'll be posting a bit later than usual today. Out in the world of slow vote counting and actual facts, the nationwide popular vote now looks like this, according to CNN: Nationwide popular vote (t … | Continue reading
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2024 Could that explain the border? Could Tim Alberta have a point in the shocking thing he said? He made the statement on Friday evening's Washington Week. We posted the transcript this morning: ALBERTA (11/8/24): As someone who has spilled a lot of ink on D … | Continue reading
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2024 We'll never be able to see it: Down below, we'll get to what Tim Alberta said. First, though, let's set the stage with such manifestations as this: We've long been amazed by the way Blue America's journalistic elites continue to shower Saturday Night Liv … | Continue reading
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2024 ...in the seven swing states? We were struck by something Tim Alberta said on Friday night's Washington Week. Inquiring minds quickly wanted to know. Could this statement be accurate? GOLDBERG (11/8/24): Tim, how did Trump win? ALBERTA: I think the long … | Continue reading
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2024 "Overwhelmingly voted," he says: The letter appears in today's New York Times. It comes from a reader in Seattle. Here's what the letter says: To the Editor: Mark Twain said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.” Were he ali … | Continue reading
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2024 There is no cure for hapless: In all candor, it would be hard to be more clueless. It was 9:25 on Friday morning. On Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough was describing the lay of the American land. Through no fault of her own, Jen Psaki was forced to deal with … | Continue reading
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2024 Great American Novels gone wild: When it comes to the nationwide popular vote, how large will Candidate Trump's victory margin be? At present, we can't say. As of this morning, we still have counting of votes—but this is where the numbers currently stand: Na … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2024What ever happened to landslides? When all the votes have been counted, how will this year's presidential election look? Ezra Klein offers this in the New York Times:Where Does This Leave Democrats?[...]Donald Trump’s victory was not one of the grand lan … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2024 What ever happened to landslides? When all the votes have been counted, how will this year's presidential election look? Ezra Klein offers this in the New York Times: Where Does This Leave Democrats? [...] Donald Trump’s victory was not one of the grand … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2024 The world awaits news normals: We've been recalling what Viktor Laszlo says at one point in Casablanca. Lazslo is an important, world-renowned freedom fighter. On the run from the Third Reich, he has landed in Casablanca—and, by happenstance, he has wal … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2024The world awaits news normals: We've been recalling what Viktor Laszlo says at one point in Casablanca.Lazslo is an important, world-renowned freedom fighter. On the run from the Third Reich, he has landed in Casablanca—and, by happenstance, he has walke … | Continue reading
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2024That is, with the Iowa Poll: In the past, Ann Selzer's Iowa Poll had frequently landed pretty much right on the money.Every four years, results of the final survey would be released on the Sunday before the election. This year, that final poll showed Ca … | Continue reading
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2024 That is, with the Iowa Poll: In the past, Ann Selzer's Iowa Poll had frequently landed pretty much right on the money. Every four years, results of the final survey would be released on the Sunday before the election. This year, that final poll showed … | Continue reading
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2024Except actually, no—we aren't: For at least a generation, it's been a standard bit of messaging from "highly educated," high-profile American pundits:The American people are pretty sharp!That has always made for excellent messaging. Whatever else may ha … | Continue reading
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2024 Except actually, no—we aren't: For at least a generation, it's been a standard bit of messaging from "highly educated," high-profile American pundits: The American people are pretty sharp! That has always made for excellent messaging. Whatever else may … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2024The Times keeps looking away: We've just returned from a two-block hike to our voting place. Based upon the votes we cast after perhaps a three-minute wait, Harris and Walz will be elected today, along with Senator Alsobrooks.Kweisi Mfume will return to t … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2024 The Times keeps looking away: We've just returned from a two-block hike to our voting place. Based upon the votes we cast after perhaps a three-minute wait, Harris and Walz will be elected today, along with Senator Alsobrooks. Kweisi Mfume will return to … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2024Did Yeats get it right? No one can say that this incomparable site isn't shaping the national discourse.This very morning, Morning Joe began with a reading from The Making of the President 1960, the iconic book by Theodore White. We're forced to tell you … | Continue reading
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2024 Did Yeats get it right? No one can say that this incomparable site isn't shaping the national discourse. This very morning, Morning Joe began with a reading from The Making of the President 1960, the iconic book by Theodore White. We're forced to tell yo … | Continue reading
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2024Also, Semafor tattles: How does the state of Iowa vote in presidential elections?In recent years, the state's pattern has been hard to explain. Here's the way the state voted in 2008:Iowa presidential election, 2008Obama: 53.9%McCain: 44.4%Obama won by alm … | Continue reading
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2024 Also, Semafor tattles: How does the state of Iowa vote in presidential elections? In recent years, the state's pattern has been hard to explain. Here's the way the state voted in 2008: Iowa presidential election, 2008 Obama: 53.9% McCain: 44.4% Obama won … | Continue reading
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2024Then, as now, new normals: Way back in 1960, at the dawn of a new political era, it was apparently part of an array of new normals.Theodore White wrote the book about that year's storied presidential campaign. At one point, he described the sudden arrival … | Continue reading
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2024 Then, as now, new normals: Way back in 1960, at the dawn of a new political era, it was apparently part of an array of new normals. Theodore White wrote the book about that year's storied presidential campaign. At one point, he described the sudden arriva … | Continue reading
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2024Not built for this line of work: As we awoke this very morning, the youthful analysts were struggling to memorize the lyrics of a major Beatles hit."Let It Be," the youngsters were singing. They pointed us toward the new poll reported by the Des Moines Reg … | Continue reading
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2024 Not built for this line of work: As we awoke this very morning, the youthful analysts were struggling to memorize the lyrics of a major Beatles hit. "Let It Be," the youngsters were singing. They pointed us toward the new poll reported by the Des Moines R … | Continue reading
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2024Out of many mouths, one: E pluribus unum! The leading authority on the traditional motto starts by telling us this:E pluribus unum E pluribus unum ( Latin for "Out of many, one") is a traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal al … | Continue reading
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2024 Out of many mouths, one: E pluribus unum! The leading authority on the traditional motto starts by telling us this: E pluribus unum E pluribus unum ( Latin for "Out of many, one") is a traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal … | Continue reading
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2024Is Donald Trump mentally ill? Is the Republican candidate, Donald J. Trump, (some version of) mentally ill? We regard that as one of the major questions to emerge from the current campaign. A second major question would be this:Are we the people—are we hum … | Continue reading
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2024 Is Donald Trump mentally ill? Is the Republican candidate, Donald J. Trump, (some version of) mentally ill? We regard that as one of the major questions to emerge from the current campaign. A second major question would be this: Are we the people—are we h … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2024Atlantic writer muses: In a new essay at the Atlantic, Megan Garber muses about what Candidate Trump said.We invite you to take the Garber's Construct Challenge. Does this presentation make sense?WHAT ORWELL DIDN'T ANTICIPATE[...]Earlier this month, Dona … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2024 Atlantic writer muses: In a new essay at the Atlantic, Megan Garber muses about what Candidate Trump said. We invite you to take the Garber's Construct Challenge. Does this presentation make sense? WHAT ORWELL DIDN'T ANTICIPATE [...] Earlier this month, … | Continue reading
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2024King Lear on the moors: Can a large modern nation function this way?Plainly no, it can't. At issue is a pair of questions:What did President Biden say? Also, what did President Biden mean by whatever it is that he said?Yesterday evening, Kevin Drum was u … | Continue reading