Category Archives: Politics

The Upside Down

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Somehow, I’ve stumbled into a Stranger Things episode. And thanks to Biden, Trump, and the Lakers, I can’t get out.

Democratic Party leaders and Biden officials say I shouldn’t trust what I’m seeing and hearing. They know what I, a certified bed-wetter, don’t. The President is not aging. The debate was a one-off. His voice, energy levels, and communication skills are all fine. And will continue to be throughout a second term. He continues to be the exact right person for the job at the exact right time.

Following the debate, the Serial Liar said, “As I walked off the stage on Thursday night, at the end of the highly anticipated ‘Debate,’ anchors, political reporters and all screamed that I had had the greatest debate performance in the long and storied history of North Korea Presidential Debates. They all said, effectively, ‘Trump was fantastic!'”

Cue JJ Redick, the Los Angeles Lakers’ new head coach who today said, with a remarkably straight face, “Rob (Pelinka) and I did not give Bronny anything. Bronny has earned this. … Bronny has earned this through hard work.”

Bronny, who is shorter than me, averaged 4.8 points on 36.6% shooting (26.7% from 3), 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.3 minutes per game at some loathsome college. But the Lakers are saying I shouldn’t trust that sample set and that they would’ve picked Bronny even if the team wasn’t desperate to make his dad happy and resign him.

Biden’s Reelection Team, The North Korean, and the Los Angeles Lakers all think we’re too stupid to think for ourselves. So they’ll do it for us.

Our eyes, ears, and brains be damned.

The Con Man And The Old Man

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Peggy Noonan:

“From the moment he shuffled out with a soft and faltering gait, you could see how much he has declined. He was pale and waxy, and there was something almost furtive in his gaze. His voice was hoarse and feathery, with no projection. His answers were scrambled, halting. At some points he made no sense. At some points he seemed out of it.”

Nicholas Kristof:

“One of the perils facing this country, I believe and Biden believes, is the risk of a victory by Donald Trump. And after the debate, it’s hard to avoid the feeling that Biden remaining in the race increases the likelihood that Trump will move into the White House in January.”

Biden has been an extremely successful president and is universally well liked and deeply respected by those who know him best. I believe, if the election were held today, he would lose. And were he to prove me wrong, I believe he’d be way too diminished in a year, two, three, or four to have anywhere as successful a second term. Because biology is undefeated.

You need an example? This morning I ran around Capitol Lake, a scenic 5-mile loop with views of water, birds, and the State Capitol dome. The last mile is a 2% decline and today I decided to flip the turbo booster switch and see what kind of mile I could do downhill. At my athletic peak I had very average speed at best, by which I mean I’ve always been slow. But my consistency over decades resulted in above average endurance. Leading to decent performances. For example:

Less than seven years ago, 7:46/mile 26 times. As Adam Sandler sings in the Chanukah song, not too shabby. So, back to this morning’s time trial. Felt good. Movin’. Watch vibrates signaling the mile split. “Seven what?” I thought to myself. Glance down. 8:09.

I was planning on running the 10k in the (d)US Olympic Trials until The Good Wife and my close friends staged an intervention. They said I was jeopardizing my legacy as the Seattle Marathon age group winner and beloved figure of running fans near and far. And that the selfless thing to do would be to acknowledge my time in the running limelight has passed and to kindly step off the track before I lose badly to Grant Fisher and company.

Thank goodness for their objective tough love.

Breaking Mexico’s Glass Ceiling

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“Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, won her nation’s elections on Sunday in a landslide victory that brought a double milestone: She became the first woman, and the first Jewish person, to be elected president of Mexico.

Early results indicated that Ms. Sheinbaum, 61, prevailed in what the authorities called the largest election in Mexico’s history, with the highest number of voters taking part and the most seats up for grabs.

It was a landmark vote that saw not one, but two, women vying to lead one of the hemisphere’s biggest nations. And it will put a Jewish leader at the helm of one of the world’s largest predominantly Catholic countries.” New York Times.

One detail left out of the Times coverage. Zero felonies.

CNN Is Having A Moment

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Ripping on CNN is a popular past time.They usually earn the criticism. But right now, the network is having a moment.

Specifically, last night Kaitlin Collins wasn’t the least bit scared of Cancun Cruz. Everything started out quite copacetic, but eventually she pressed him hard, and he melted down as if he was wrapped in a beach towel on a Cancun chaise lounge* in his suit and tie. Collins for the win.

Tonight Abby Phillip wasn’t the least bit scared of Byron Donalds. Donalds weaved and bobbed like a young Cassius Clay, but Phillip landed several body blows.

Collins-Phillip are a young, smart, poised, self-confident duo doing serious journalism in a format that seemed irredeemably broken.

A special thanks to the Celtics for the assist. If they did not have a double digit lead on the Pacers, I would not have seen Philllip v Donalds.

* I double-dog dare you to find a better chaise lounge song.

On Student Protests

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Typically, older non-participant observers highlight protest rhetoric and behavior that affirms their preconceptions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. You can see, in the student protests, what you want to see.

It should go without saying that one can be anti-Israel, without succumbing to anti-Semitism. Many American Jews are anti-Israel right now, but understandably, they are also fearful of rising anti-Semitism.

No university administrators should condone anti-Semitic language or behavior. No Jewish students in the U.S. should be held responsible for Hamas’s actions or feel unsafe on their campuses.

All that said, I fully support the majority of student protestors who are convinced their government is making matters far worse in Gaza.

I’ll take young people with the courage of their convictions, even if it results in chaos on American campuses, over political apathy every single day of the week.