Your example view of the NYT dismissal of the biggest story in the news is a reminder that traditional print media as the driver of debate, is dying quickly. VP Harris’ campaign seems acutely aware of new media, and is not falling for trad media’s call for submission. I hope her administration will be in the forefront of current ways of communicating important messages to the populace, and not trying to “win the next war with the last war’s weapons”.
The NYT screwed the pooch in 2016, no doubt, and they are completely incompetent this go round too. But an incredibly deadly hurricane in the southeast combined with the threat of a regional conflagration in the Middle East are definitely "top of fold" stories. As someone in the region impacted by Helene, I'm not sure the comparison conveys the message Brian intends here.
I agree with the conclusions the Republicans are more adroit with strategy, messaging, etc. I agree the media can be complicit in double standard reporting (e.g., Clinton versus Trump coverage). Seems part of the reason Democrats are less adroit in political strategizing is they do not wake up in the morning and only think about how to divert attention from the truth or how to best spread misinformation and create fear. You need to be obsessed 100% of the time being dishonest and clever, gain praise from your tribe; and one party gets their attention diverted into governing versus obtaining power. If you are going to be good at corruption and fear mongering, especially during campaigning, it seems you need to be devoted to it completely, with no distractions, like facts. Skills in campaigning and governing are different, or to govern well you also need to be equally good at campaigning?
Blame the media - they repeat Trump lies as if they bear a relation to reality, they provide no context.
For example, Republicans and Trump claim that the Biden Administration is abusing the laws to attack him for political ends. Useful context would be, "actually, Trump and his appointee Bill Barr used the DOJ to go after political enemies, and to whitewash evidence of real crimes....."
I have paid special attention to and unsubscribed from, NYT since I started reading your posts..I find your observations about media self service and self delusions to be right on target. Thanks (albeit rather muted given the state of things.)
The criminal mindset is not one that decent people do not have or want in have. And the problem is to play the game on their terms, is to become like them and so they win regardless. It’s hard to handle shit without smelling like shit.
Trump at least has no shame and thus makes his criminal mind transparent for all the see. What does it say about the American people that so many are okay to that?
Brian writes, "Earlier this week I wrote about how Trump caught President Biden flatfooted with lies about the federal response to Hurricane Helene. These lies were easy to anticipate, and Biden’s astonishment reflected his party’s lagging unwillingness to think like its opposition—to anticipate Trump’s chicanery, and pre-empt it."
I think this showed up in the vice presidential debate. I don't know whether it was Walz's own plan (perhaps to model civil debate skills for high schoolers like his former students) or concocted by conflict-averse campaign consultants, but the decision to treat lying stochastic terrorist JD Vance with respect was a major blunder. It was always clear that Vance would try and present the smoothest, most civilized side of his personality in the debate. Walz's job SHOULD HAVE been to (adroitly, not shrilly) shame Vance for his moral depravity, extremism, and, yes, weirdness.
What Vance did to Springfield, OH was straight up stochastic terrorism and should have called for Walz saying, “You knew the lies about the Haitian immigrants were untrue and yet you and Donald Trump said them anyway and kept repeating them, putting people in danger. Are you now willing to apologize to the people of Springfield and the people of our country?” But there was nothing like that. (Perhaps part of this was the Harris campaign's embrace of the seeming security blanket of "toughness" on immigration—i.e., not strongly challenging right wing talking points. If so, that's its own shame.)
Also, Walz should have been prepped to bring up early on WHY Vance was Trump’s running mate and not Pence. Because Pence followed the law and Constitution and Trump trusts Vance to not do that. Much like Harris unsettled Trump early on by bringing up his rallies, Walz should have been putting Vance on the defensive with constant invocations of his amoral opportunism.
Way too much "going high," which aided Vance in appearing normal.
Lying is wrong and it has severe consequences. Going high is never wrong. It is possible and advisable to go high AND be alert and ready to respond effectively to another person’s bad behavior. These days, I’m thinking a lot about Jesus’ instruction to his disciples (see Matthew 10:16); “I am sending you out as sheep among wolves, so be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
I probably misspoke in the "going high" reference. I didn't mean to imply that Walz should have gone "low" in terms of lying about Vance. What I meant is that he shouldn't have paid Vance *unearned* respect. He should have—politely—shamed Vance for the cruel, premeditated lies he tells and for his bootlicking opportunism in turning his back on the accurate, caustic remarks Vance had made about Trump in the past.
Walz’ resistance to calling out most of Vance’s lies was due, probably, to the likelihood that Vance would bring up Walz’ lies and partial truths. Lying is wrong. Consequences include living in a glass house for the rest of your life.
There is NO COMPARISON between Walz's inconsequential misstatements and JD Vance's blatant, malicious lies that amounted to stochastic terrorism. To even imply there is is a lie.
Dems still infected by the "When they go low, we go high" virus, which may have only just worked during the Obama years, but a miserable, execrable failure in the face of tRump non-top, indefatigable lies, calumny, and subversion. Biden, AG Garland, their heads are too far up their bums to ever get it right, and Kamala Harris has to fight this gross deficiency off her own wicket. Let's fervently hope that there's enough wind in her sails to carry her first over the line, despite all the Democratic Party's institutional nonfeasance and dereliction.
President Joe Biden has immunity too, according to the current Supreme Court majority, right? So it should be no problem legally to arrest and detain the Republican candidate in order to avoid an insurrection. Would it be politically prudent? One-third of the country would be pissed off and get unruly, but that just proves the point. Or should we watch as he strikes a match to light a fuse?
Do you know if the Dem operatives are finally on the ball? Do you hear if they finally get it? My God I know everything Trump is doing and I'm just a voter from New Jersey! This is ridiculous for Biden and his team to be so blinded with Netanyahu and not see this coming. the deaths in Palestine should have been stopped cold and peace enforced instead Biden allowed Israel to do as he wished in the hopes of what? Peace! They want it to look like there is war everywhere and chaos - the Hurricane response was a given with Trump and you are so right Biden gets caught flat footed - there should be Admin ppl talking on shows day in and say out about what they are doing non stop. This nonsense needs to stop we are so sick of the lying. There is now an editorial -Washpo or NYT don't remember that now claims FACT CHECKING is like impeding free speech! WHAT!!!!!!!!!! OMG this country is on its way to a terrible place if Trump wins.
Your example view of the NYT dismissal of the biggest story in the news is a reminder that traditional print media as the driver of debate, is dying quickly. VP Harris’ campaign seems acutely aware of new media, and is not falling for trad media’s call for submission. I hope her administration will be in the forefront of current ways of communicating important messages to the populace, and not trying to “win the next war with the last war’s weapons”.
The NYT screwed the pooch in 2016, no doubt, and they are completely incompetent this go round too. But an incredibly deadly hurricane in the southeast combined with the threat of a regional conflagration in the Middle East are definitely "top of fold" stories. As someone in the region impacted by Helene, I'm not sure the comparison conveys the message Brian intends here.
I agree with the conclusions the Republicans are more adroit with strategy, messaging, etc. I agree the media can be complicit in double standard reporting (e.g., Clinton versus Trump coverage). Seems part of the reason Democrats are less adroit in political strategizing is they do not wake up in the morning and only think about how to divert attention from the truth or how to best spread misinformation and create fear. You need to be obsessed 100% of the time being dishonest and clever, gain praise from your tribe; and one party gets their attention diverted into governing versus obtaining power. If you are going to be good at corruption and fear mongering, especially during campaigning, it seems you need to be devoted to it completely, with no distractions, like facts. Skills in campaigning and governing are different, or to govern well you also need to be equally good at campaigning?
Blame the media - they repeat Trump lies as if they bear a relation to reality, they provide no context.
For example, Republicans and Trump claim that the Biden Administration is abusing the laws to attack him for political ends. Useful context would be, "actually, Trump and his appointee Bill Barr used the DOJ to go after political enemies, and to whitewash evidence of real crimes....."
I have paid special attention to and unsubscribed from, NYT since I started reading your posts..I find your observations about media self service and self delusions to be right on target. Thanks (albeit rather muted given the state of things.)
The criminal mindset is not one that decent people do not have or want in have. And the problem is to play the game on their terms, is to become like them and so they win regardless. It’s hard to handle shit without smelling like shit.
Trump at least has no shame and thus makes his criminal mind transparent for all the see. What does it say about the American people that so many are okay to that?
Brian writes, "Earlier this week I wrote about how Trump caught President Biden flatfooted with lies about the federal response to Hurricane Helene. These lies were easy to anticipate, and Biden’s astonishment reflected his party’s lagging unwillingness to think like its opposition—to anticipate Trump’s chicanery, and pre-empt it."
I think this showed up in the vice presidential debate. I don't know whether it was Walz's own plan (perhaps to model civil debate skills for high schoolers like his former students) or concocted by conflict-averse campaign consultants, but the decision to treat lying stochastic terrorist JD Vance with respect was a major blunder. It was always clear that Vance would try and present the smoothest, most civilized side of his personality in the debate. Walz's job SHOULD HAVE been to (adroitly, not shrilly) shame Vance for his moral depravity, extremism, and, yes, weirdness.
What Vance did to Springfield, OH was straight up stochastic terrorism and should have called for Walz saying, “You knew the lies about the Haitian immigrants were untrue and yet you and Donald Trump said them anyway and kept repeating them, putting people in danger. Are you now willing to apologize to the people of Springfield and the people of our country?” But there was nothing like that. (Perhaps part of this was the Harris campaign's embrace of the seeming security blanket of "toughness" on immigration—i.e., not strongly challenging right wing talking points. If so, that's its own shame.)
Also, Walz should have been prepped to bring up early on WHY Vance was Trump’s running mate and not Pence. Because Pence followed the law and Constitution and Trump trusts Vance to not do that. Much like Harris unsettled Trump early on by bringing up his rallies, Walz should have been putting Vance on the defensive with constant invocations of his amoral opportunism.
Way too much "going high," which aided Vance in appearing normal.
Lying is wrong and it has severe consequences. Going high is never wrong. It is possible and advisable to go high AND be alert and ready to respond effectively to another person’s bad behavior. These days, I’m thinking a lot about Jesus’ instruction to his disciples (see Matthew 10:16); “I am sending you out as sheep among wolves, so be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
I probably misspoke in the "going high" reference. I didn't mean to imply that Walz should have gone "low" in terms of lying about Vance. What I meant is that he shouldn't have paid Vance *unearned* respect. He should have—politely—shamed Vance for the cruel, premeditated lies he tells and for his bootlicking opportunism in turning his back on the accurate, caustic remarks Vance had made about Trump in the past.
Walz’ resistance to calling out most of Vance’s lies was due, probably, to the likelihood that Vance would bring up Walz’ lies and partial truths. Lying is wrong. Consequences include living in a glass house for the rest of your life.
There is NO COMPARISON between Walz's inconsequential misstatements and JD Vance's blatant, malicious lies that amounted to stochastic terrorism. To even imply there is is a lie.
Dems still infected by the "When they go low, we go high" virus, which may have only just worked during the Obama years, but a miserable, execrable failure in the face of tRump non-top, indefatigable lies, calumny, and subversion. Biden, AG Garland, their heads are too far up their bums to ever get it right, and Kamala Harris has to fight this gross deficiency off her own wicket. Let's fervently hope that there's enough wind in her sails to carry her first over the line, despite all the Democratic Party's institutional nonfeasance and dereliction.
President Joe Biden has immunity too, according to the current Supreme Court majority, right? So it should be no problem legally to arrest and detain the Republican candidate in order to avoid an insurrection. Would it be politically prudent? One-third of the country would be pissed off and get unruly, but that just proves the point. Or should we watch as he strikes a match to light a fuse?
It’s the media that has this country by the balls.
Do you know if the Dem operatives are finally on the ball? Do you hear if they finally get it? My God I know everything Trump is doing and I'm just a voter from New Jersey! This is ridiculous for Biden and his team to be so blinded with Netanyahu and not see this coming. the deaths in Palestine should have been stopped cold and peace enforced instead Biden allowed Israel to do as he wished in the hopes of what? Peace! They want it to look like there is war everywhere and chaos - the Hurricane response was a given with Trump and you are so right Biden gets caught flat footed - there should be Admin ppl talking on shows day in and say out about what they are doing non stop. This nonsense needs to stop we are so sick of the lying. There is now an editorial -Washpo or NYT don't remember that now claims FACT CHECKING is like impeding free speech! WHAT!!!!!!!!!! OMG this country is on its way to a terrible place if Trump wins.