I wached the debate. I heard enough comments afterwards to flip off the media frenzy. Yep, it was a lousy night for Biden. It was even a more ugly show for tump, but that is what maga likes to suck up. Bottom line - there is no one that could step in at the 11th hour and win in November. What all clear-minded people need to remind themselves is our lives are decent now. Sure some things aren’t fabulous, but with all the global crap going on, things WILL be a lot worse should the orange tump get another term. (Don’t be surprised if the term extends beyond 4 years.) Another Bottom Line - I will still vote for Joe. If something devastating happens, then Harris steps in. She can handle it. She won’t be alone, with competent cabinet members and administration alongside her.
When your ace closer walks the first four batters to let the tying run score in the bottom of the ninth, you have to pull him. That's what Biden did. I think he's the best president of my lifetime and would continue to be in a second term. But he is not up to the job of beating Trump. And if he cannot beat Trump, nothing else matters. That was the premise of his 2020 campaign. For the same reasons he stuck with it then, he needs to bow out now.
The only person who could beat Trump in a forum such as this is another reality tv performer. This is an act. His act is to show bullying strength, to hell with truth and diplomacy. His people don’t give a shit about that. Joe Biden is a person, not an actor. He presidents. That’s what he does. That’s what he should do. This “debate” was aimed for the trash heap of history from the getgo.
Some friends and I were discussing this and we came to the conclusion that going forward, presidential candidates need to be already famous as a performer of some sort. Like Zelensky. Like Reagan. Like Trump. You don't shoot a big-budget movie with unknown actors. You need star power.
Possibilities:
* Al Franken (but he shot his wad)
* John Stuart ( too lefty?)
* Steven Colbert
* Neil DeGrasse Tyson
* George Clooney
* Taylor Swift
* Steph Curry
* Dwayne Johnson
* Matt Damon
* Leonardo DiCaprio (too short?)
* Queen Latifah
You get the idea. Question is, why would any of these celebs put themselves through a meat grinder when they already have great careers? Has to be because they love the US and are willing to put themselves on the chopping block.
The belief that a President needs to be a leading actor in a movie, comes from living in a country in which the media covers everything like a reality show.
I can't tell if you are being serious or ironic, but if it's the former, please understand that we're in a crisis: It's sort of like how everybody was downloading music back in the era of Napster, before the move to the streaming model — and the industry was crashing. It's the same thing here with news/media: As the business model is changing, everybody is becoming a reality show host — until we pivot to the right financial model.
It could appear that Substack could be that model, but The Bulwark's alarmist tendencies suggests maybe not: Even if they are user-funded, a model in which they fully depend on subscriptions means they are incentivized to bump out content and to keep everyone on the hook with alarm.
Hi JVL, Well Jake, Dana and CNN did not take *any* of your advice.
Olbermann on Debate #1
Watch Keith Olbermann's Post Debate YouTube analysis. Nothing short of brilliant, describing journalistic malpractice. He knows legacy media like the back of his hand.
Was on the livestream tonight and you were medicine for my soul, which is hurting pretty bad right now. Please keep doing the amazing work you do. I’m with for wherever this ride takes us.
Ditto -CNN did not get answers from tRump. He did not address who would be deported or how - rather he rambled about vets.
Many view CNN as Fox lite
There was an insurrection - tRump ran it.
SCOTUS is corrupt - tRump formed it
There was a witch hunt - NY and GA found the witch
Our Lawyers need to step up - election denial dies after all court cases and vote recounts - no matter what Mike Johnson , Ginni, Clarence, or Jordan say.
And Gaetz is despicable and should not be on the House Judiciary Committee
It would be the right thing to do, but, as you say, it won't happen. And, of course, there's the potential for Joe Biden to say something untrue. (He's done it in the past.) Do they stop the debate for that too and fact check him and badger him? It isn't both-siderism to say both sides have to play by the same rules. I just don't think stopping the debate would work. And, yes, I understand Trump's lies are not in the same category as Biden's but then you get into watching the Lie-O-Meter which goes from Little White LIe to Pants-On-Fire, Holy Crap, Holocaust Denial Lunacy. Stopping the debate just won't work.
This is a debate, not an incisive, take-no-prisoners interview. It’s up to the debate participants to refute points; it’s not the moderators’ role to halt everything until the lying liar who lies yells “uncle”. The CNN post-debate discussion should definitely correct the record and obviously will.
The debate mods need to ask “Sir, on January 6th you ignored multiple calls asking for assistance in the Capitol while your supporters were battling police. You instead chose to watch it unfold live on Television for hours. How was doing nothing to stop the violence during those 3 hours better than doing something and why?”. And when he doesn’t answer and instead does the standard BS shuffle, FOLLOW-UP and DON’T move on. The mods are going to be called biased no matter what questions they ask, so what do they have to lose?
I agree. And a good follow-up is a wonderful thing. (Dana Bash has no talent for following-up, so I'm a little concerned about that.)
But here's the thing. Trump's answer to your questions would be something like this:
"We did everything. Look. There were maybe some people who did bad things, but you have to remember that Nancy Pelosi was responsible for sending in the troops or whatever. She didn't do it. She didn't. Why doesn't the press ever ask Nancy Pelosi? And some of those people ... good people ... the police. They let them in. They waved them in. People came to me and said, sir, you should say something. And I said okay and then I told everyone to ... and you've got to remember, when I made that speech. It was a great speech. One of the biggest, if not the THE biggest crowds I ever spoke to and I said "be peaceful." That's what I said. "Be peaceful." So, I think, in all honesty, that we did everything we could on January 6 and now we have these people, patriots I call them. Hostages. They're hostages. And it's a disgrace. They got no trial. They got no anything. In jail. It's a terrible thing for this country."
And then Dana Bash will "move on" because that's what she does. He filibusters. His MAGA Army nods in agreement and the interviewer moves on. "Okay, sir, let's talk about energy policy." Clock runs out and there we are, same place we started.
I read a book many years ago, the story of a destroyer in WWII. The author -- who served in the ship -- described his experience as being like a series of clocks. A watch was four hours long. A day was six watches long. A week, seven days. The clocks turned and the war went on and you watched the clocks knowing that someday the war would end, but also knowing the clocks could stop. That's how I think Trump looks at things. Very much: right now. Win the news cycle. Win the day. Win the week. Win the month. Win the election. He wins the news cycle or the day by getting through this debate, which WILL happen. And then, whatever happens, he takes that and uses it to win the next news cycle. It's how this guy's brain works and the media is incapable of dealing with it because they have clocks running too. And they're not going to voluntarily stop them.
The debates should be moderated by the BBC. They don’t take any guff. They interrupt if someone is lying. They ask the right questions and hang on until they get an answer. tfg would be a slavering blob if someone did that to him. Jonathan Swan was mighty close. (Tfg is a slavering blob anyway.)
You'd think that JVL would LOVE Medhi Hassan if he likes journalists who ask hard questions and bring receipts.
Problem for JVL is that Hassan puts those skills to use when interviewing Israeli officials, JVL doesn't like that. Nevermind the fact that Hassan has been a consistent critic of Trumpism, for JVL defending Israel is more important than protecting the United States against Trump.
I wached the debate. I heard enough comments afterwards to flip off the media frenzy. Yep, it was a lousy night for Biden. It was even a more ugly show for tump, but that is what maga likes to suck up. Bottom line - there is no one that could step in at the 11th hour and win in November. What all clear-minded people need to remind themselves is our lives are decent now. Sure some things aren’t fabulous, but with all the global crap going on, things WILL be a lot worse should the orange tump get another term. (Don’t be surprised if the term extends beyond 4 years.) Another Bottom Line - I will still vote for Joe. If something devastating happens, then Harris steps in. She can handle it. She won’t be alone, with competent cabinet members and administration alongside her.
When your ace closer walks the first four batters to let the tying run score in the bottom of the ninth, you have to pull him. That's what Biden did. I think he's the best president of my lifetime and would continue to be in a second term. But he is not up to the job of beating Trump. And if he cannot beat Trump, nothing else matters. That was the premise of his 2020 campaign. For the same reasons he stuck with it then, he needs to bow out now.
The only person who could beat Trump in a forum such as this is another reality tv performer. This is an act. His act is to show bullying strength, to hell with truth and diplomacy. His people don’t give a shit about that. Joe Biden is a person, not an actor. He presidents. That’s what he does. That’s what he should do. This “debate” was aimed for the trash heap of history from the getgo.
Some friends and I were discussing this and we came to the conclusion that going forward, presidential candidates need to be already famous as a performer of some sort. Like Zelensky. Like Reagan. Like Trump. You don't shoot a big-budget movie with unknown actors. You need star power.
Possibilities:
* Al Franken (but he shot his wad)
* John Stuart ( too lefty?)
* Steven Colbert
* Neil DeGrasse Tyson
* George Clooney
* Taylor Swift
* Steph Curry
* Dwayne Johnson
* Matt Damon
* Leonardo DiCaprio (too short?)
* Queen Latifah
You get the idea. Question is, why would any of these celebs put themselves through a meat grinder when they already have great careers? Has to be because they love the US and are willing to put themselves on the chopping block.
Thoughts?
The belief that a President needs to be a leading actor in a movie, comes from living in a country in which the media covers everything like a reality show.
I can't tell if you are being serious or ironic, but if it's the former, please understand that we're in a crisis: It's sort of like how everybody was downloading music back in the era of Napster, before the move to the streaming model — and the industry was crashing. It's the same thing here with news/media: As the business model is changing, everybody is becoming a reality show host — until we pivot to the right financial model.
It could appear that Substack could be that model, but The Bulwark's alarmist tendencies suggests maybe not: Even if they are user-funded, a model in which they fully depend on subscriptions means they are incentivized to bump out content and to keep everyone on the hook with alarm.
CNN let Trump get away with not answering their questions. They stopped Biden when he tried to talk and let Trump get away with lies.
Hi JVL, Well Jake, Dana and CNN did not take *any* of your advice.
Olbermann on Debate #1
Watch Keith Olbermann's Post Debate YouTube analysis. Nothing short of brilliant, describing journalistic malpractice. He knows legacy media like the back of his hand.
https://www.youtube.com/live/0q0NNnn_kCE?si=7X_XDbXAzT-0llNU
Was on the livestream tonight and you were medicine for my soul, which is hurting pretty bad right now. Please keep doing the amazing work you do. I’m with for wherever this ride takes us.
Ditto -CNN did not get answers from tRump. He did not address who would be deported or how - rather he rambled about vets.
Many view CNN as Fox lite
There was an insurrection - tRump ran it.
SCOTUS is corrupt - tRump formed it
There was a witch hunt - NY and GA found the witch
Our Lawyers need to step up - election denial dies after all court cases and vote recounts - no matter what Mike Johnson , Ginni, Clarence, or Jordan say.
And Gaetz is despicable and should not be on the House Judiciary Committee
Corruption rules
I can't comment in you tube, But What I'm watching is the opposite of what JVL said.
Biden looks horrible. But Trump simply did not answer the questions. And CNN allowed it
'
Absolutely.
Re: "They should stop the debate."
It would be the right thing to do, but, as you say, it won't happen. And, of course, there's the potential for Joe Biden to say something untrue. (He's done it in the past.) Do they stop the debate for that too and fact check him and badger him? It isn't both-siderism to say both sides have to play by the same rules. I just don't think stopping the debate would work. And, yes, I understand Trump's lies are not in the same category as Biden's but then you get into watching the Lie-O-Meter which goes from Little White LIe to Pants-On-Fire, Holy Crap, Holocaust Denial Lunacy. Stopping the debate just won't work.
This is a debate, not an incisive, take-no-prisoners interview. It’s up to the debate participants to refute points; it’s not the moderators’ role to halt everything until the lying liar who lies yells “uncle”. The CNN post-debate discussion should definitely correct the record and obviously will.
Again, JVL loves media folks who don't let interviewees brazenly lie:
https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-presses-pro-israel-democrat
Buuuut, something tells me JVL won't even watch because he wants to keep his moral blinders on when it comes to Israel:
https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-presses-pro-israel-democrat
The debate mods need to ask “Sir, on January 6th you ignored multiple calls asking for assistance in the Capitol while your supporters were battling police. You instead chose to watch it unfold live on Television for hours. How was doing nothing to stop the violence during those 3 hours better than doing something and why?”. And when he doesn’t answer and instead does the standard BS shuffle, FOLLOW-UP and DON’T move on. The mods are going to be called biased no matter what questions they ask, so what do they have to lose?
I agree. And a good follow-up is a wonderful thing. (Dana Bash has no talent for following-up, so I'm a little concerned about that.)
But here's the thing. Trump's answer to your questions would be something like this:
"We did everything. Look. There were maybe some people who did bad things, but you have to remember that Nancy Pelosi was responsible for sending in the troops or whatever. She didn't do it. She didn't. Why doesn't the press ever ask Nancy Pelosi? And some of those people ... good people ... the police. They let them in. They waved them in. People came to me and said, sir, you should say something. And I said okay and then I told everyone to ... and you've got to remember, when I made that speech. It was a great speech. One of the biggest, if not the THE biggest crowds I ever spoke to and I said "be peaceful." That's what I said. "Be peaceful." So, I think, in all honesty, that we did everything we could on January 6 and now we have these people, patriots I call them. Hostages. They're hostages. And it's a disgrace. They got no trial. They got no anything. In jail. It's a terrible thing for this country."
And then Dana Bash will "move on" because that's what she does. He filibusters. His MAGA Army nods in agreement and the interviewer moves on. "Okay, sir, let's talk about energy policy." Clock runs out and there we are, same place we started.
I read a book many years ago, the story of a destroyer in WWII. The author -- who served in the ship -- described his experience as being like a series of clocks. A watch was four hours long. A day was six watches long. A week, seven days. The clocks turned and the war went on and you watched the clocks knowing that someday the war would end, but also knowing the clocks could stop. That's how I think Trump looks at things. Very much: right now. Win the news cycle. Win the day. Win the week. Win the month. Win the election. He wins the news cycle or the day by getting through this debate, which WILL happen. And then, whatever happens, he takes that and uses it to win the next news cycle. It's how this guy's brain works and the media is incapable of dealing with it because they have clocks running too. And they're not going to voluntarily stop them.
Is it wrong to respond to one's own post?
Well, on the Trump answer I wrote above, when it actually came up, it's almost exactly what he said.
The debates should be moderated by the BBC. They don’t take any guff. They interrupt if someone is lying. They ask the right questions and hang on until they get an answer. tfg would be a slavering blob if someone did that to him. Jonathan Swan was mighty close. (Tfg is a slavering blob anyway.)
I seem to remember one of those BBC journalists say he goes into every interview thinking, "What makes this guy think it's alright to lie to me?"
Seems like a good going-in assumption.
Jeremy Paxman, who recently hosted the BBC's Newsnight for the last time, has cited the words attributed to Times foreign correspondent Louis Heren:
"Why is this lying bastard lying to me"
You'd think that JVL would LOVE Medhi Hassan if he likes journalists who ask hard questions and bring receipts.
Problem for JVL is that Hassan puts those skills to use when interviewing Israeli officials, JVL doesn't like that. Nevermind the fact that Hassan has been a consistent critic of Trumpism, for JVL defending Israel is more important than protecting the United States against Trump.
You're not rid of me yet, JVL, I'm riding out the subscription I've paid for to the end of it's term, especially now that Sykes is writing again.
You like live fact-checking with receipts? Then surely you're a fan of Medhi Hassan?
So surely you'll educate yourself on a topic you're clearly not very informed about?
https://zeteo.com/p/top-seven-lies-about-gaza
Let's just say that the chance of you watching at the 5 min video, is pretty much nil.
A most excellent satire, right up JVL's alley: https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/my-2024-presidential-debate