Why is it that one suspect poll should be worrying for Dems yet when it comes to DeSantis, “he has slipped in the polls. Those polls will bounce around and DeSantis has plenty of time to mount the kind of comeback that reporters love and will help fuel.”
Nice to have it stated so plainly how journalists put their thumbs on the scale for certain candidates. God knows they didn’t help fuel Biden’s comeback in 20. Then they were incredulous he was the candidate and were disappointed about both Dem unity and enthusiasm.
And it’s appalling to call this upcoming election--if it is a rematch--boring. Democracy remains at stake--listen to the things Trump says he will do. And even if he somehow isn’t the GOP nominee, his rivals are tripping over themselves to embrace the crazy. To say the GOP is leaving it up to weather to decide turnout is silly. Their voters come out no matter what. And they have cut maps so that most of their voters don’t have to wait in long lines. I know this last bit is nit picky, but the details matter.
What does anyone think about Biden showing up for the "debate" and just doing it himself if Trump doesn't show? Using Trump-likely answers to object? Help or hurt? Would that or could it happen?
Thanks, Jon, as usual. The title has me feeling anxious but, all in all, this is a pretty upbeat piece. Although the focus of this essay is on election rigging, I'm a little surprised that you didn't mention the G.O.P.'s seeming suicide mission to double down again and again on ever more restrictive abortion legislation. Seems to me they're slitting their own throats. Trump in an interesting position in that respect. He's already shown a willingness to back away from the most extreme views (we all know that he actually doesn't care about the issue at all) but that may well cost him votes on the far right.
As Jonathan usually does, he has produced a fine analytical piece on the dynamics of the upcoming, now with us, 2024 presidential election.
Yet, unwittingly, like most journalists/pundits across the spectrum, as they opine on Trump’s candidacy he omits any mention of January 6: the only time in our country’s history’s a president tried to use the threat of violence, then actual violence which he did act to stop, in an attempt to remain in power.
I know Jon strongly believes that this is a very bad thing. But echoing an excellent piece today by S.V. Date in the Huffington Post,
where Date points out that mentioning Trump without mentioning this stark, unprecedented fact is akin to mentioning Neil Armstrong without saying anything about the moon.
The acid of Trump and Trumpism appears to have succeeded in corrupting, at least in part, our political journalism. It’s the water we swim in, where coup attempts and lies about legitimate elections become normalized, oh BTW’s… now let’s discuss Trump like any other candidate.
Trump attempted to shoot our democracy in broad day light. And nobody seems to care or think it matters. Or, if they do, they aren’t saying it out loud and often enough.
The American presidential election process is a Rube Goldberg machine, crissake! - especially now that Republicans have gone rogue and ambushed the various secretaries of state offices and state legislatures. There are so many moving parts that it's impossible to stay current without an informative guide. Thanks, Jon.
Rest in peace, Newton Minow. You were right, in large part; American television was, and still is a vast wasteland (The Apprentice, FOX News, DWTS featuring Sean Spicer, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, etc.).
The commission on presidential debates is too political. It's put together by the two parties and while the two party system is historical there's nothing in our constitution or otherwise it says it Hass to be that way. In fact there's been many situations where the two parties do not dominate, shouldn't we foster more parties or more candidates as opposed to sticking with just two parties and I'm a loyal Democrat, who work for Jimmy Carter in the White House. Maybe we should go back to something like the league of women voters sponsoring the debates.
The other hopeful possibility is that the next generation is becoming more politically involved. That young people turn out and vote. It’s their country. I read somewhere that abortion and guns is driving younger voters to become engaged. We will find out.
You nailed it on this one, Jon. The big question in my mind is whether Jack Smith turns out like Bob Mueller and whiffs on federal prosecution for stealing classified docs and inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, the only cases that I think pose a real danger for Trump.
Why is it that one suspect poll should be worrying for Dems yet when it comes to DeSantis, “he has slipped in the polls. Those polls will bounce around and DeSantis has plenty of time to mount the kind of comeback that reporters love and will help fuel.”
Nice to have it stated so plainly how journalists put their thumbs on the scale for certain candidates. God knows they didn’t help fuel Biden’s comeback in 20. Then they were incredulous he was the candidate and were disappointed about both Dem unity and enthusiasm.
And it’s appalling to call this upcoming election--if it is a rematch--boring. Democracy remains at stake--listen to the things Trump says he will do. And even if he somehow isn’t the GOP nominee, his rivals are tripping over themselves to embrace the crazy. To say the GOP is leaving it up to weather to decide turnout is silly. Their voters come out no matter what. And they have cut maps so that most of their voters don’t have to wait in long lines. I know this last bit is nit picky, but the details matter.
What does anyone think about Biden showing up for the "debate" and just doing it himself if Trump doesn't show? Using Trump-likely answers to object? Help or hurt? Would that or could it happen?
Thanks, Jon, as usual. The title has me feeling anxious but, all in all, this is a pretty upbeat piece. Although the focus of this essay is on election rigging, I'm a little surprised that you didn't mention the G.O.P.'s seeming suicide mission to double down again and again on ever more restrictive abortion legislation. Seems to me they're slitting their own throats. Trump in an interesting position in that respect. He's already shown a willingness to back away from the most extreme views (we all know that he actually doesn't care about the issue at all) but that may well cost him votes on the far right.
Thank you Jo Anne. I just hope for an expansion of our “we”. Silence is not likely to help.
As Jonathan usually does, he has produced a fine analytical piece on the dynamics of the upcoming, now with us, 2024 presidential election.
Yet, unwittingly, like most journalists/pundits across the spectrum, as they opine on Trump’s candidacy he omits any mention of January 6: the only time in our country’s history’s a president tried to use the threat of violence, then actual violence which he did act to stop, in an attempt to remain in power.
I know Jon strongly believes that this is a very bad thing. But echoing an excellent piece today by S.V. Date in the Huffington Post,
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-coup-media_n_64505256e4b039ec4e867f2d,
where Date points out that mentioning Trump without mentioning this stark, unprecedented fact is akin to mentioning Neil Armstrong without saying anything about the moon.
The acid of Trump and Trumpism appears to have succeeded in corrupting, at least in part, our political journalism. It’s the water we swim in, where coup attempts and lies about legitimate elections become normalized, oh BTW’s… now let’s discuss Trump like any other candidate.
Trump attempted to shoot our democracy in broad day light. And nobody seems to care or think it matters. Or, if they do, they aren’t saying it out loud and often enough.
The American presidential election process is a Rube Goldberg machine, crissake! - especially now that Republicans have gone rogue and ambushed the various secretaries of state offices and state legislatures. There are so many moving parts that it's impossible to stay current without an informative guide. Thanks, Jon.
Rest in peace, Newton Minow. You were right, in large part; American television was, and still is a vast wasteland (The Apprentice, FOX News, DWTS featuring Sean Spicer, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, etc.).
The commission on presidential debates is too political. It's put together by the two parties and while the two party system is historical there's nothing in our constitution or otherwise it says it Hass to be that way. In fact there's been many situations where the two parties do not dominate, shouldn't we foster more parties or more candidates as opposed to sticking with just two parties and I'm a loyal Democrat, who work for Jimmy Carter in the White House. Maybe we should go back to something like the league of women voters sponsoring the debates.
The other hopeful possibility is that the next generation is becoming more politically involved. That young people turn out and vote. It’s their country. I read somewhere that abortion and guns is driving younger voters to become engaged. We will find out.
You nailed it on this one, Jon. The big question in my mind is whether Jack Smith turns out like Bob Mueller and whiffs on federal prosecution for stealing classified docs and inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, the only cases that I think pose a real danger for Trump.