Thank you for sharing the information regarding Elon Musk citizenship. All I really knew about him is that he made the bulk of fortune was from Pey Pal.
Why didn't the bulwark mention Trump's comments on Venezuela? He has directly praised the government of Venezuela (and thus the Maduro regime) twice on video since Maduro stole this election. He's claiming Venezuela is a safer place than the U.S. He did it when he was talking to that illiterate vlogger a week or so ago and he did it again with Musk. He essentially suggested that he and Musk could flee down there if the shit hit the fan. I see zero major news outlets discussing this but I would have thought that praising communist dictators would've been something that the Bulwark would've latched onto.
Yes, I did read her piece but I think we all need to be more focused on what is happening in our hemisphere then maybe we can understand why people are willing to risk thier lives crossing the Darian straits. Before they just bitch about our border, which definitely needs fixed.
I'm going to reply to myself to correct something I misstated above--the Bulwark did mention one of these incidents of praise that I wasn't aware of. Linda Chavez wrote about it on July 25th. So this is a pattern with Trump, not a glitch. I do think it needs more coverage and attention.
Thanks for the telling reminder that California high speed rail is behind not merely for the politicking of those who demanded it bypass their enclaves.
Bill, we all know that history repeat itself. But I am always amazed at how you find excerpts from the past that fit so neatly into our present moments. I love this element of your writing :)
You can't even compare Trump to Douglas sadly. Trump is, truly, a unique figure in politics.
The Mussolini comp is thrown around except Mussolini was the most prominent Italian journalist of his day, spoke fluently in five languages, and fought in the great war.
Mussolini famously never articulated a coherent program "The program is to break the nose of the gentleman from Il Mundo," but he actually had one. Trump truly doesn't have any actual policy. His rhetoric IMPLIES a policy but every time that implication is written down he runs from it.
Also Trump is shockingly stupid. There's no getting around it and there's no better way to say it. He's lazy and stupid. His one great skill is he, more than anyone else, figured out that American politics of the right had become bullshit and incoherent. As such you can just say anything. It doesn't matter as long as you appear to hate the same enemies in the most entertaining way possible.
Kudos to Andrew and Bill for your commentary. As a history guy I love the references to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. Harris should certainly debate the Orange Menace at least once, and depending on how it goes, maybe twice, if Trump is man enough to accept the challenge ~ a highly doubtful proposition. The most effective things that Harris and Walz can do now is to 1) "Keep up the pressure," to channel a certain British Defense Minister circa 1982, by maintaining their own enthusiasm and that of their crowds (read; "Joy!"), and 2) Maintain the sure-footed campaign that has been so remarkable in these last three weeks. Be careful to stick to the script, no policy gaffes, be careful and well-spoken in the FEW interviews that they should do.
- Edward Wollenberg, Clarksville, AR*
*Not a native ~ Grew up in Falls Church, VA., an old observer of politics since the Watergate Hearings (John Dean!) and the Nixon resignation!
P.S. Old enough to remember when the "dog days of August" was a real thing!! :) (Those days are actually long gone, but in any event) ~ Boy, not THIS year! Couldn't even go on vacation and not feel like missing out on head spinning political news.
I only view the public parts of Twitter, which is non existent since Elon, so I rely on Google searches to give me the recent posts of accounts. I'm hoping to see the NYT Pitchbot say "the winner of last night's disastrous Twitter Spaces, Florida Governor Ron Desantis"
And I'm amazed I haven't see it yet, as that's a common response if you are familiar with that account, or Elon just broke my view that much.
And you watch those 'vicious dictators', who he gets on so well with, ghost DonOld Trump the minute he loses the election. No longer the Useful Idiot to them they'll just go, 'Donald who?'
Thanks, Andrew, for your sacrifice. Bill probably owes you 5 JD Vance interviews, at least, in return! I’ve decided that I can’t waste any more brain space trying to figure out the MAGA faithful. I thought I understood a bit in 2016, but not now. So, thanks, Bulwark, for doing the heavy lifting!
Thank you for sharing the information regarding Elon Musk citizenship. All I really knew about him is that he made the bulk of fortune was from Pey Pal.
Why didn't the bulwark mention Trump's comments on Venezuela? He has directly praised the government of Venezuela (and thus the Maduro regime) twice on video since Maduro stole this election. He's claiming Venezuela is a safer place than the U.S. He did it when he was talking to that illiterate vlogger a week or so ago and he did it again with Musk. He essentially suggested that he and Musk could flee down there if the shit hit the fan. I see zero major news outlets discussing this but I would have thought that praising communist dictators would've been something that the Bulwark would've latched onto.
Excellent question
Yes, I did read her piece but I think we all need to be more focused on what is happening in our hemisphere then maybe we can understand why people are willing to risk thier lives crossing the Darian straits. Before they just bitch about our border, which definitely needs fixed.
I'm going to reply to myself to correct something I misstated above--the Bulwark did mention one of these incidents of praise that I wasn't aware of. Linda Chavez wrote about it on July 25th. So this is a pattern with Trump, not a glitch. I do think it needs more coverage and attention.
Thanks for the telling reminder that California high speed rail is behind not merely for the politicking of those who demanded it bypass their enclaves.
“…They should spend much more time building up Harris and explaining her program than focusing on Trump….”
Amen.
Listening to some excerpts, I wonder if Trump took out his false teeth for the Elon "interview".
Bill, we all know that history repeat itself. But I am always amazed at how you find excerpts from the past that fit so neatly into our present moments. I love this element of your writing :)
You can't even compare Trump to Douglas sadly. Trump is, truly, a unique figure in politics.
The Mussolini comp is thrown around except Mussolini was the most prominent Italian journalist of his day, spoke fluently in five languages, and fought in the great war.
Mussolini famously never articulated a coherent program "The program is to break the nose of the gentleman from Il Mundo," but he actually had one. Trump truly doesn't have any actual policy. His rhetoric IMPLIES a policy but every time that implication is written down he runs from it.
Also Trump is shockingly stupid. There's no getting around it and there's no better way to say it. He's lazy and stupid. His one great skill is he, more than anyone else, figured out that American politics of the right had become bullshit and incoherent. As such you can just say anything. It doesn't matter as long as you appear to hate the same enemies in the most entertaining way possible.
Kudos to Andrew and Bill for your commentary. As a history guy I love the references to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. Harris should certainly debate the Orange Menace at least once, and depending on how it goes, maybe twice, if Trump is man enough to accept the challenge ~ a highly doubtful proposition. The most effective things that Harris and Walz can do now is to 1) "Keep up the pressure," to channel a certain British Defense Minister circa 1982, by maintaining their own enthusiasm and that of their crowds (read; "Joy!"), and 2) Maintain the sure-footed campaign that has been so remarkable in these last three weeks. Be careful to stick to the script, no policy gaffes, be careful and well-spoken in the FEW interviews that they should do.
- Edward Wollenberg, Clarksville, AR*
*Not a native ~ Grew up in Falls Church, VA., an old observer of politics since the Watergate Hearings (John Dean!) and the Nixon resignation!
P.S. Old enough to remember when the "dog days of August" was a real thing!! :) (Those days are actually long gone, but in any event) ~ Boy, not THIS year! Couldn't even go on vacation and not feel like missing out on head spinning political news.
I think they had some people hacking the account but it was trumps campaign team hoping to blurb some of his most cringe comments.
That should be yours guys answer yes their is hacking but it is from your campaign staff trying to get the campaign back on track
I only view the public parts of Twitter, which is non existent since Elon, so I rely on Google searches to give me the recent posts of accounts. I'm hoping to see the NYT Pitchbot say "the winner of last night's disastrous Twitter Spaces, Florida Governor Ron Desantis"
And I'm amazed I haven't see it yet, as that's a common response if you are familiar with that account, or Elon just broke my view that much.
I had always thought that Bozo was the only orange haired clown
And you watch those 'vicious dictators', who he gets on so well with, ghost DonOld Trump the minute he loses the election. No longer the Useful Idiot to them they'll just go, 'Donald who?'
Thanks, Andrew, for your sacrifice. Bill probably owes you 5 JD Vance interviews, at least, in return! I’ve decided that I can’t waste any more brain space trying to figure out the MAGA faithful. I thought I understood a bit in 2016, but not now. So, thanks, Bulwark, for doing the heavy lifting!
“You know, I got along with Kim Jung Un. We had dinner. We had . . . everything."
Did anybody else find this phrasing strange in a really creepy ugh way? Like you really needed a shower after just reading it.
They almost had it all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEDA3JcQqw
Very well said, Mr Kristol, as always. Thank you for the clarity of thought and expression.
pretty good mr. kristol