Coming February 6, 2024 . . .
MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE
by Michael Wolraich
Pre-order at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop
Coming February 6, 2024 . . . MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE by Michael Wolraich Pre-order at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop |
Symone Sanders, who rose to prominence as Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) national press secretary during his 2016 presidential campaign, has signed on to work for former Vice President Joe Biden’s 2020 bid.
Sanders, who had been uncommitted throughout the cycle, is a CNN political commentator and has worked with Priorities USA, the largest Democratic Party Super PAC. She was a major hire for Sanders during the 2016 campaign, coming just as he faced criticism over the lack of diversity on his staff. But in the summer of 2016, she quit the campaign, at the time saying she did so of her own volition.
Sanders is a prominent progressive voice and a regular presence on cable news, giving Biden a valuable addition to his team. But she hasn’t always been sympatico with the former vice president. Recently, Sanders chastised Biden for cracking jokes in response to the unwanted touching allegations leveled against him by several womenwith whom he’d interacted during his career.
In the segment, she raised a hypothetical about how she would handle communications for Biden.
“If I’m Vice President Biden’s communications person, if he comes out and says the words ‘I’m sorry,’ all the chyrons and headlines will say ‘I’m sorry,’ Sanders said encouraging Biden to keep listening and talking to people
Comments
Here's is the Twitter campaign so far, going after small donations:
by artappraiser on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 2:54pm
Already see this right wing attack tweet, Russian style, utilitzing Identity Politics, trying to brand him secretly racist. I guess they had a tough time finding any juicy yearbook photos so far:
Note the request to retweet has already been honored 8,600+ times even though it was just posted 3 hrs. ago. This is how it's done: sow discord.
by artappraiser on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 3:01pm
Biden was Obama’s Vice President for two terms. Trump is in office. Biden opened his campaign reminding people about Trump’s Charlottesville comments.
Edit to add:
The yearbook thingie is interesting. Ralph Northam said he was not in the blackface photo. Have we ever heard who, if not Northam, was in the photo?
by rmrd0000 on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 3:35pm
Yes but I've read that Obama was a big disappointment, that he did basically nothing for the "Afro-American community" ....grievance is super easy to re-direct until everyone is a victim... what don't you get about selling "common good" and uniting under a single creed like the Constitution? Promoting robbing Peter to pay Paul is not the swiftest way to get a majority behind you.
This is the type of thing national winners say:
There is not a liberal America and a conservative America—there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America—there's the United States of America.
~ Barack Obama, 2004 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address
We've gotten to where we've nearly themed ourselves to death. Them and them and them. But this is America. There is no them; there's only us. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice, for all. That is our Pledge of Allegiance, and that's what the New Covenant is all about.
~ Bill Clinton, 1992 acceptance speech for the nomination
by artappraiser on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 3:35pm
Obama prior to being elected
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/11/5/18052390/trump-2018-2016-identity-politics-democrats-immigration-race
Obama reflecting on the tribalism he saw after being elected
Obama recognized tribalism.
by rmrd0000 on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 3:51pm
For me Dreams from My Father is a whole book by Obama which is mainly about the pitfalls of tribalism and the hopes of those who strive to rise out of base tribalism. Any political bad habits he still retained about pandering to special interests going into the presidential race, he learned real quick to avoid after his hard lesson from the Donnie McClurkin thing
by artappraiser on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 4:02pm
We can agree that he does clearly recognize it: Obama At U.N.: Reject Tribalism Home And Abroad
September 20, 2016
by artappraiser on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 4:10pm
My post is about reflections in 2018. Your links are from earlier points in time.
https://www.npr.org/2018/12/20/673937768/democrats-cant-avoid-identity-politics-in-2020
by rmrd0000 on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 4:23pm
by artappraiser on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 9:44pm
That women were raped and were forced to give blowjobs to keep parts or stay employed shouldn't be conflated with whether an old guy gives a bit icky shoulder rubs. Not sure why we're still debating this.
by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 1:13am
Media is going to “vet” Democratic candidates. That is why we know that Klobuchar is mean. Trump was treated as entertainment and got free airtime.
by rmrd0000 on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 8:36am
I don't even get thinking his touchy feely habits are icky, I read them as kind and nice. To me someone who does that sort of thing indicates they have a fondness and respect for the heart of every individual person he or she meets. But then I am a boomer who was born, raised and lived in the "heartland" until I was 29.
So is someone who refuses to touch a dog still considered uptight?
Edit to add another question: are they supposed to refuse hugging babies now?
by artappraiser on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 11:55am
P.S. I even think a little less of him that he did the "I get it" speech where he said he is learning and will try to change his behavior and basically admitted body language codes had become more uptight. That is the whole cynical political thing, where one adjusts their natural character to fit voters, that's why we think politicians are "phony", because they put on an act that is not their true self.
by artappraiser on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 12:21pm
Sorry if I overdwell with "icky" - just had the idea he was a bit oblivious to reactions, but working on very very minimal actual knowledge.
But a grown man who'll give a dog a colonic is a hero, that much I'm sure of - saw it on The Dodo (okay, not really...)
And Huggies are for babies - *and* old men. Match made in heaven.
by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 1:39pm
We all have different views of personal space. It's very subjective. I recognize that my view of personal space exceeds that of most people. I attempt to back away from people who get to close to me. I never reach out to hug someone. I don't ever even initiate a handshake. I'll shake someone's hand if they put out their hand to me. I've put up with a lot of hugs from people over the years. I'm out side the norm. Biden is as far outside the norm as I am in the other direction. I have never met anyone as touchy and huggy as Biden. That's not a critique of him or me. I think it's an obvious objective fact. When ever someone is that far outside the norm of human behavior it's going to make many people uncomfortable. That's true of both people like Biden and people like me. When looking at the many videos it's clear many, but not all, people are uncomfortable with Biden's level of physical intimacy. At the least Biden pushing into some, many, people's personal space revels an astonishing level of tone deaf behavior. It's paternalistic. Try to imagine Pelosi or Hillary doing the same thing with all the young men they meet. It would definitely not be tolerated or excused if an older women was hugging and nuzzling young men in that way.
by ocean-kat on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 3:29pm
Very well said. I'm not super touchy feely myself, I was born shy and it still is there.
I didn't mean to say his proclivities were super, I just meant they are not judged so harshly where I grew up. And I agreed with you when you stated previously that he seemed pretty clueless about acting professionally when the situation called for it. After seeing a SNL skit on Joe's behavior last week, though, exaggerating it, it hit me: a lot of people might find that kind of cluelessness endearing, it's anti-elite, not the stereotypical snobs drinking tea with the raised pinkies, rather, he bounds in like a happy puppy and slobbers all over everyone.
I'd just like to see more politicians be what they really are, and win or lose doing that, rather fake it. It's like this--when they fake it, that's when we get a lot of problems.
by artappraiser on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 4:11pm
I agree that I'd like politicians to be more real about who they are. And be judged on that. Biden's behavior is not the most important issue for me and I wouldn't base my vote on it. But it's not meaningless. What it says to me is that he lacks virtually any emotional empathy to what other people are feeling and how his behavior affects them. Or he just doesn't care. It's possible he can intellectualize empathy and come up with good policies for the broad spectrum of the many different people with their many different experiences and feelings. But being completely oblivious as to how other people feel is a factor I'd consider when I vote. It's a pretty severe personality defect imo. And when people point out how he makes them feel he doesn't seem to get it, doesn't seem to care, and doesn't seem to be able to intellectually reach an empathetic understanding.
by ocean-kat on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 5:19pm
Biden does appear to drive Trump nuts about stealing the fans. But here I see he has figured an angle to approach the problem: bash the union bosses as the workers' enemy:
by artappraiser on Wed, 05/01/2019 - 12:18am
Frank Rich's *humble* opinion on Biden's run (one thing I will give Frank is great insights on American pop culcha, including flyover):
by artappraiser on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 2:57pm
Ok, he accomplished the money supremacy thing, and here's how:
by artappraiser on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 3:00pm
by artappraiser on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 9:38pm
While I think a buy in to Medicare is a good idea I'm not on board with Sanders plan to end private insurance and force everybody onto Medicare. But Biden is not the president I want. He's every bad thing about Obama on steroids. He's totally for bipartisan deals, more than Obama was. In theory I want that too but there's no willing partner anymore on the republican side. And he's a push over in negotiations, again more than Obama. When the Bush tax cuts were set to expire Reid was negotiating with McConnell to continue some of the middle class Bush cuts. I personally wanted them all to expire. Biden told Obama to send him in, he'd get a deal. And he did get a deal, much worse than Reid was planning to get. McConnell was over a barrel. They were all going to expire and in the end he would have taken any deal. Reid was so pissed he told Obama he wouldn't work to get any compromises unless Obama promised he would never send in Biden again to uncut him.
by ocean-kat on Fri, 04/26/2019 - 10:47pm
New poll shows the name recognition effect as Biden goes up and Sanders goes down:
Clearly, belies that there is a "Bernie will continue to gain" frenzy. He was "building" because he was one of the few alternatives to Trump that people recognized and he had coverage. It's Warren and Buttigieg that are "building" now. The rest are currently losing steam or have no name recognition yet.
by artappraiser on Tue, 04/30/2019 - 2:12pm
Just one poll. Could be a trend. Could be an anomaly.
by ocean-kat on Tue, 04/30/2019 - 3:03pm
Biden takes 32-point lead over Sanders in new 2020 poll
@ TheHill.com, May 6
by artappraiser on Mon, 05/06/2019 - 2:42pm
A segment on “The View” of all places may suggest what is happening. Apparently, Behar and McCain are feuding but are able to agree that they want a fighter to go after Trump, and they think Biden is the guy.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-views-joy-behar-and-meghan-mccain-finally-agree-on-something-fist-bump-to-show-it
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 05/06/2019 - 2:57pm
Poll shows lefties a minority among Dem voters, Jennifer Rubin argues in Voters aren’t playing along with the media narrative, May 7:
by artappraiser on Tue, 05/07/2019 - 2:50pm
Nina Turner is a poor spokesperson for Bernie. Turner attacked black women activists for criticizing Sanders at a women of color political event. That was not a very bright strategy. Cornel West came out of the woodwork to attack Joe Biden. West is a Sanders supporter who became a Jill Stein supporter when Sanders lost the primary. Sanders need more mainstream supporters for Bernie to make inroads in the black community. Buttigieg is struggling to attract blacks as well. Obama and Hillary got black support because blacks, in general, are pragmatic voters.
Nina Turner
https://www.mediaite.com/election-2020/bernie-adviser-nina-turner-blasts-audience-from-black-womens-forum-for-booing-senators-mlk-comments/
Cornel West Guardian op-ed
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/01/biden-2020-past-better-candidate
Buttigieg and black voters
https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/06/politics/buttigieg-south-carolina-black-voters-2020/index.html
O’Rourke is in a similar situation
https://www.wsj.com/articles/buttigieg-orourke-sanders-are-struggling-with-black-voters-11557230702
(behind a paywall)
by rmrd0000 on Tue, 05/07/2019 - 3:52pm
Ha, the Cornel West bit is based on a piece that starts "Why Did Black People Vote Against Their Interests", taking the assumption that Bernie was their interests.
Bernie was almost as much of an asshat personally as Trump - but many of his ideas had laudable cores to them. I'm guessing there's a huge reckoning in centrist-progressive Dem politics that see how self-destructive all this purity stuff was, even as the big idea side is fine with people - but it's still not exactly clear who's good at *governing*, including managing the renegade fuckers on the other side ofbthe aisle.
I like AOC - possibly because everything she does is cute, good messaging - but she's also methodical - like Hillary, she makes lists - but the way she takes those lists to the podium is hilarious - most people are boring reading from a script - she's devastating. Frankly she inspires more than any other politician that step by step she could carve up the swamp up into manageable pieces without taking herself too seriously. But she's too young to be president. And no one else is grabbing me. A lot of people I'd vote dor for Congress and Senate - but a presidential leader? Abrams seems good with some more exposure, some more understanding of how competent she'd be. Booker probably remains my safe choice but he doen't pitch himself hard enough to make that likely. ...
by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 05/17/2019 - 8:26pm
More on same meme from Nate Silver today:
by artappraiser on Tue, 05/07/2019 - 4:19pm
Bernie Sanders' 2016 National Press Secretary now doing a great job for Joe Biden:
Edit to add: one has to admit though, like Joe has, that Trump's trolling has helped here.
by artappraiser on Tue, 05/07/2019 - 2:01pm
by artappraiser on Fri, 05/17/2019 - 10:32am
The best we can expect from a Biden presidency is negotiated legislation that defines how fast liberals lose on every issue. And he will be very generous to the republicans on how fast we lose. Perhaps that's the best we can expect from any democrat who can win. Perhaps we are on the losing side on the policy debate.
by ocean-kat on Fri, 05/17/2019 - 1:37pm
you know, your comment, referencing friendliness to Republicans and all, it made me think about how what Fox News does can alter the situation. They have this symbiotic relationship with Trump now. And they like to go with the nutty conspiracies about Dems from the far right Freedom Caucus types. I am cynical about that only being about ratings, really. (It's the same with conservative talk radio, the conspiracies and inflammatories keep em hooked.) But if they see writing on the wall from polls about ratings, maybe they'll do something different. I don't mean to infer I would know what they would change to, nor the effect on voting for Dems. It's more like a wild card.
I'm thinking like: farm belt people ,that type of thing. Not that so many people are cable news watchers, but more like Fox is the one that's on at the bank line and the gas pump and the doctor's waiting room....memes get spread that way....
by artappraiser on Fri, 05/17/2019 - 2:15pm
I think Trump is pretty well destroying the farm belt - will be as scarce as West VA coal miners by 2020. Republicans love to put on cowboy hats and pretend they're cowboys - an alien looking down might think it was a significant part of the population.
by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 05/19/2019 - 3:37am
Biden campaign putting out anti-tribal & anti-identity politics messaging clear as a bell, tweeted this afternoon:
coincides with a campaign rally in Phillie today with a crowd of about 6,000
by artappraiser on Sat, 05/18/2019 - 9:07pm
We weren’t one America during the Obama years.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 05/18/2019 - 9:18pm
yup, unity, including "national creed", Gettysburg address, and need for some bi-partisanship
excerpt from Jennifer Rubin May 18 op-ed column, Biden: The end of the beginning @ WashingtonPost.com
by artappraiser on Sat, 05/18/2019 - 11:08pm
However, Biden insisted that partisan brawling is not called for in every situation, pointing to bipartisan support for the stimulus plan early in President Obama’s first term.
What the fuck is he talking about? That's not how I remember it.
by ocean-kat on Sat, 05/18/2019 - 11:26pm