I keep hearing how Voters do not want to see a rematch Trump v Biden. Of course I'd rather see a Repub, a REAL Republican other than Trump but I am absolutely happy. with Biden. He has accomplished soooo very much. My personal economic life has not been this good since the GOP killed the economy & took us into the Great Recession. I absolutely refuse to buy into this 'Biden is to old' and rematch business. With all due respect Steve
Let’s be clear. The problem is not Biden’s age. Bernie Sanders is a year older than Biden. The problem is Biden’s inability to take full advantage of the bully pulpit, and, therefore, his inability to control the narrative. If we don’t start acknowledging that politics, largely, is perception, the dues we pay for such denial could be immeasurable.
As for Schmidt’s earlier reference to Feinstein, I urge we keep in mind, that were she to step down before her term ends, per Senate rules, Dems would need to meet a 60-vote threshold to assign her replacement to the Judiciary Committee.
You survived! I don't know where you found the time to keep us up to date. That sounded like a trip one should make on a regular basis with aforementioned company.
Biden is handling his stutter just fine. It has nothing to do with his brain function, as some people are apt to jump to conclusions. My mother- in -law is 96 and sharp as tacks. She follows MSNBC most of the day and then fills me in while I set the table for dinner. She has been railing about tRump since he started the birther bullshit about Obama.
She was sent to a concentration camp at Heart Mountain, Wyoming in 1942. She is quite sensitive to that kind of racist blather.
You are dead right about that the future lies with the American people. But let’s look at the lives the American people lead: a high percentage are among the working poor, often working two jobs or one full-time job + gig work, with children and the elderly who need daily care, trying to keep schedules for medical care that they will go into debt for, struggles to keep cars fixed and running, a living on the hope of one day earning a living wage.
These people are not like you and me, and very likely not like those who subscribe here -- we are all life-long high-information voters. The overwhelmed and underpaid vote without adequate or honest information. The internet isn’t as helpful as it could/should be to get accurate, quick information on presidential and congressional hopefuls, let those increasingly important down-ticket races. When voters only have time for name-recognition voting, they aren’t able to consider policies that will affect them the days following the election. News is probably running in the background of meals, homework checks, and chores. Unfortunately, much of cable news is the deathstar of democracy. Yes, until we have journalists like Madhi Hasan everywhere, the truth will never be fought for. (Rachel Maddow, as well.)
But just as important, we need an educated populace that can challenge the bullshit as soon as they hear it. But the general populace does not have the time to dedicate the hours each day that we get to dedicate to unearthing facts and the relative quiet we get in order to think clearly and logically about what is being shoved at us daily. How can we create both the will of and the privilege we enjoy for the American populace? Civics is hard when you are too damned tired even to eat..
At this time when the continuation of our democracy is truly in peril, I think it’s misguided to place emphasis and importance on a poll that says most Americans do not prefer a rematch between Trump and Biden. I believe that any sane American (most of whom don’t track politics closely at all) would say that of course they don’t want to see a presidential contest between a 70-something man who is an indicted liar promising revenge and an 80-year-old man even if he is considered decent. I agree that we the people deserve better. But this is out of context. We do not live in a perfect world. We are actually living in a world where a vote for Trump is a vote to bring about authoritarianism, while a vote for Biden preserves democracy, the rule of law, free and fair elections, and the opportunity to continue to strive for a more perfect union. Almost anything else said about this election is irrelevant.
This brings me to No Labels. In my opinion if they were a legitimate force for improving our democracy they would be totally focusing on 2028. That they are even considering that it might be a good idea to run a third-party candidate in 2024 when our democracy is on the line, not to mention all their secrecy, bodes ill.
I am amazed and astonished at the political and legal knowledge of this wonderful woman, Fani Willis. What an ethical, moral woman! She will be the last American woman to have stood for righteousness and justice, if mister trump wins. The legal battle against d.t. will last for at least a year, and even maybe a year and a half, and if so, then by that time, mister trump may be president and he will put 66% of Americans in fear of going to jail--.By that time, I think the Perfect Planet for Heavenly Life will be imminently mordant, and not just the USA will be thirsting for fresh water and starving. ...Our time is short, so let us NOW make a time capsule for Fani Willis's legacy and place in it the glories of her efforts, so that if newly created sentient life reoccurs in a million years, and gets civilized after another million years, they will find it floating on the dead oceans and know that once a upon a time, a great, new version of goddess Athena Pallas--one who was a petite Black woman-- once strode staunchly in this world. .. That tribute ought to be placed inside a huge unsinkable bubble on the lifeless Oceans, be 2 stories tall, and enclose her marvelous shape and form with an 18' high sculpted statue of her attractive Self inside it. For the time being, let's all give a toast, everywhere and at anytime, in any party of savvy people, to Fani Willis, the Pallas Athena who is fighting Satan, and give her a rousing three cheers.
Yes, yes, YES!!! As usual, beautifully crafted and delivered. Ramaswamy is a snake, trying to slither his way into office. I totally buy that he is a professional bullshitter, but Trump does have 40 more years of lying and cheating experience, both personally and professionally. They are both an extreme danger to our way of life and Democracy!
It's as if the late great Carl Sagan foresaw the era of Trump, Ramaswamy, et. al., and the constant bullshit they spew that has served to turn much of the American populace into a hopeless cult of confusion:
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back." ~ Carl Sagan
Hassan learned from the best in the UK. North Americans would keel over watching the UK Sunday shows where politicians are, without fail, held to account. No echo-chamber there.
Also, we must remember Biden kneecapping the repubs during the State of The Union. That was off the cuff and did the trick to make them say Medicare was off the table for cuts.
Excellent review Steven. I have to say the George Stephanopous’s interview with Vivek last Sunday was also very good. Stephanopolous held Vivek’s feet to the fire...and Vivek stumbles his way to the end. HE IS DANGEROUS, - and I could easily see Trump choosing him as a suitable Vice President contender. Vivek is a silver-tongued demagogue and he must be recognized for what he is. He is dangerous so caution is duly in order. He may not be “Trump-like’ quite yet, but practice makes perfect, - and the media is giving him that opportunity. BEWARE! This guy is HORRIBLE~
we are in the hands of a master to get rid of populistic psychopaths.I am amazed and astonished at the political and legal knowledge of this wonderful woman, Fani Willis. What an ethical, moral woman! She will be the last American woman to have stood for righteousness and justice, if mister trump wins. The legal battle against d.t. will last for at least a year, and even maybe a year and a half, and if so, then by that time, mister trump may be president and he will put 66% of Americans in fear of going to jail--.By that time, I think the Perfect Planet for Heavenly Life will be imminently mordant, and not just the USA will be thirsting for fresh water and starving. ...Our time is short, so let us NOW make a time capsule for Fani Willis's legacy and place in it the glories of her efforts, so that if newly created sentient life reoccurs in a million years, and gets civilized after another million years, they will find it floating on the dead oceans and know that once a upon a time, a great, new version of goddess Athena Pallas--one who was a petite Black woman-- once strode staunchly in this world. .. That tribute ought to be placed inside a huge unsinkable bubble on the lifeless Oceans, be 2 stories tall, and enclose her marvelous shape and form with an 18' high sculpted statue of her attractive Self inside it. For the time being, let's all give a toast, everywhere and at anytime, in any party of savvy people, to Fani Willis, the Pallas Athena who is fighting Satan, and give her a rousing three cheers.
What we have done, to our sorrow, is indulged the unfit, the non-credible, the grossly ridiculous, as it they were legitimate, and by so doing we have complicity adulterated our sociopolitical system such that in this moment extraordinary bravery is required to denounce this monstrosity and deny it traction.
We all need to collectively make clear that we ain't having it, although now we're shooing the goats back onto their paddock after they're having a rollicking good time running amok in a rodeo of their own making.
Hasan was uninformed about the tech-business and constantly interrupting your guest doesn’t necessarily make for a good interview.
You’re right, Ramaswamy is an opportunist of the highest order and a total charlatan but (unfortunately) resonates with a large group of Republican voters.
It pains me to say that people like him are the future of the GOP political leadership, which says a lot about the state of mind of this party.
I believe I now know what quicksand feels like. It’s like there’s no way out of this mess. Sharks everywhere!! Oh, & Mehdi is the best there is. Why? Because he just states the facts and knows his business. He is exactly what a man of character should be.
I was so mad at myself for missing the live stream last night. I completely lost track of time! I’m going to listen to the recording now. Thanks for doing these interviews- love em!
A masterclass on how to deal with demagogues
I keep hearing how Voters do not want to see a rematch Trump v Biden. Of course I'd rather see a Repub, a REAL Republican other than Trump but I am absolutely happy. with Biden. He has accomplished soooo very much. My personal economic life has not been this good since the GOP killed the economy & took us into the Great Recession. I absolutely refuse to buy into this 'Biden is to old' and rematch business. With all due respect Steve
Let’s be clear. The problem is not Biden’s age. Bernie Sanders is a year older than Biden. The problem is Biden’s inability to take full advantage of the bully pulpit, and, therefore, his inability to control the narrative. If we don’t start acknowledging that politics, largely, is perception, the dues we pay for such denial could be immeasurable.
As for Schmidt’s earlier reference to Feinstein, I urge we keep in mind, that were she to step down before her term ends, per Senate rules, Dems would need to meet a 60-vote threshold to assign her replacement to the Judiciary Committee.
You survived! I don't know where you found the time to keep us up to date. That sounded like a trip one should make on a regular basis with aforementioned company.
Biden is handling his stutter just fine. It has nothing to do with his brain function, as some people are apt to jump to conclusions. My mother- in -law is 96 and sharp as tacks. She follows MSNBC most of the day and then fills me in while I set the table for dinner. She has been railing about tRump since he started the birther bullshit about Obama.
She was sent to a concentration camp at Heart Mountain, Wyoming in 1942. She is quite sensitive to that kind of racist blather.
You are dead right about that the future lies with the American people. But let’s look at the lives the American people lead: a high percentage are among the working poor, often working two jobs or one full-time job + gig work, with children and the elderly who need daily care, trying to keep schedules for medical care that they will go into debt for, struggles to keep cars fixed and running, a living on the hope of one day earning a living wage.
These people are not like you and me, and very likely not like those who subscribe here -- we are all life-long high-information voters. The overwhelmed and underpaid vote without adequate or honest information. The internet isn’t as helpful as it could/should be to get accurate, quick information on presidential and congressional hopefuls, let those increasingly important down-ticket races. When voters only have time for name-recognition voting, they aren’t able to consider policies that will affect them the days following the election. News is probably running in the background of meals, homework checks, and chores. Unfortunately, much of cable news is the deathstar of democracy. Yes, until we have journalists like Madhi Hasan everywhere, the truth will never be fought for. (Rachel Maddow, as well.)
But just as important, we need an educated populace that can challenge the bullshit as soon as they hear it. But the general populace does not have the time to dedicate the hours each day that we get to dedicate to unearthing facts and the relative quiet we get in order to think clearly and logically about what is being shoved at us daily. How can we create both the will of and the privilege we enjoy for the American populace? Civics is hard when you are too damned tired even to eat..
At this time when the continuation of our democracy is truly in peril, I think it’s misguided to place emphasis and importance on a poll that says most Americans do not prefer a rematch between Trump and Biden. I believe that any sane American (most of whom don’t track politics closely at all) would say that of course they don’t want to see a presidential contest between a 70-something man who is an indicted liar promising revenge and an 80-year-old man even if he is considered decent. I agree that we the people deserve better. But this is out of context. We do not live in a perfect world. We are actually living in a world where a vote for Trump is a vote to bring about authoritarianism, while a vote for Biden preserves democracy, the rule of law, free and fair elections, and the opportunity to continue to strive for a more perfect union. Almost anything else said about this election is irrelevant.
This brings me to No Labels. In my opinion if they were a legitimate force for improving our democracy they would be totally focusing on 2028. That they are even considering that it might be a good idea to run a third-party candidate in 2024 when our democracy is on the line, not to mention all their secrecy, bodes ill.
I am amazed and astonished at the political and legal knowledge of this wonderful woman, Fani Willis. What an ethical, moral woman! She will be the last American woman to have stood for righteousness and justice, if mister trump wins. The legal battle against d.t. will last for at least a year, and even maybe a year and a half, and if so, then by that time, mister trump may be president and he will put 66% of Americans in fear of going to jail--.By that time, I think the Perfect Planet for Heavenly Life will be imminently mordant, and not just the USA will be thirsting for fresh water and starving. ...Our time is short, so let us NOW make a time capsule for Fani Willis's legacy and place in it the glories of her efforts, so that if newly created sentient life reoccurs in a million years, and gets civilized after another million years, they will find it floating on the dead oceans and know that once a upon a time, a great, new version of goddess Athena Pallas--one who was a petite Black woman-- once strode staunchly in this world. .. That tribute ought to be placed inside a huge unsinkable bubble on the lifeless Oceans, be 2 stories tall, and enclose her marvelous shape and form with an 18' high sculpted statue of her attractive Self inside it. For the time being, let's all give a toast, everywhere and at anytime, in any party of savvy people, to Fani Willis, the Pallas Athena who is fighting Satan, and give her a rousing three cheers.
Yes, yes, YES!!! As usual, beautifully crafted and delivered. Ramaswamy is a snake, trying to slither his way into office. I totally buy that he is a professional bullshitter, but Trump does have 40 more years of lying and cheating experience, both personally and professionally. They are both an extreme danger to our way of life and Democracy!
It's as if the late great Carl Sagan foresaw the era of Trump, Ramaswamy, et. al., and the constant bullshit they spew that has served to turn much of the American populace into a hopeless cult of confusion:
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back." ~ Carl Sagan
Hassan learned from the best in the UK. North Americans would keel over watching the UK Sunday shows where politicians are, without fail, held to account. No echo-chamber there.
Also, we must remember Biden kneecapping the repubs during the State of The Union. That was off the cuff and did the trick to make them say Medicare was off the table for cuts.
Remember, Barbara Jo?
Excellent review Steven. I have to say the George Stephanopous’s interview with Vivek last Sunday was also very good. Stephanopolous held Vivek’s feet to the fire...and Vivek stumbles his way to the end. HE IS DANGEROUS, - and I could easily see Trump choosing him as a suitable Vice President contender. Vivek is a silver-tongued demagogue and he must be recognized for what he is. He is dangerous so caution is duly in order. He may not be “Trump-like’ quite yet, but practice makes perfect, - and the media is giving him that opportunity. BEWARE! This guy is HORRIBLE~
Thanks for this one Stephen.
we are in the hands of a master to get rid of populistic psychopaths.I am amazed and astonished at the political and legal knowledge of this wonderful woman, Fani Willis. What an ethical, moral woman! She will be the last American woman to have stood for righteousness and justice, if mister trump wins. The legal battle against d.t. will last for at least a year, and even maybe a year and a half, and if so, then by that time, mister trump may be president and he will put 66% of Americans in fear of going to jail--.By that time, I think the Perfect Planet for Heavenly Life will be imminently mordant, and not just the USA will be thirsting for fresh water and starving. ...Our time is short, so let us NOW make a time capsule for Fani Willis's legacy and place in it the glories of her efforts, so that if newly created sentient life reoccurs in a million years, and gets civilized after another million years, they will find it floating on the dead oceans and know that once a upon a time, a great, new version of goddess Athena Pallas--one who was a petite Black woman-- once strode staunchly in this world. .. That tribute ought to be placed inside a huge unsinkable bubble on the lifeless Oceans, be 2 stories tall, and enclose her marvelous shape and form with an 18' high sculpted statue of her attractive Self inside it. For the time being, let's all give a toast, everywhere and at anytime, in any party of savvy people, to Fani Willis, the Pallas Athena who is fighting Satan, and give her a rousing three cheers.
What we have done, to our sorrow, is indulged the unfit, the non-credible, the grossly ridiculous, as it they were legitimate, and by so doing we have complicity adulterated our sociopolitical system such that in this moment extraordinary bravery is required to denounce this monstrosity and deny it traction.
We all need to collectively make clear that we ain't having it, although now we're shooing the goats back onto their paddock after they're having a rollicking good time running amok in a rodeo of their own making.
Also, we need many more Medhi Hasans.
Medhi Hassan should be asking the questions at the debates. And definitely doing more interviews like this if the repug candidates dare face him.
I don’t agree with your assessment at all, Steve.
Hasan was uninformed about the tech-business and constantly interrupting your guest doesn’t necessarily make for a good interview.
You’re right, Ramaswamy is an opportunist of the highest order and a total charlatan but (unfortunately) resonates with a large group of Republican voters.
It pains me to say that people like him are the future of the GOP political leadership, which says a lot about the state of mind of this party.
I believe I now know what quicksand feels like. It’s like there’s no way out of this mess. Sharks everywhere!! Oh, & Mehdi is the best there is. Why? Because he just states the facts and knows his business. He is exactly what a man of character should be.
I was so mad at myself for missing the live stream last night. I completely lost track of time! I’m going to listen to the recording now. Thanks for doing these interviews- love em!