Thank you for the great discussion. It is so nice to hear different opinions and perspectives given and received with respect. Thank you to all of you for your good work. I am looking forward to the next podcast.
I read a poll taken in Wisconsin that showed Joe's numbers have fallen a bit. I saw a six point spread drop to eight points. The overriding question about Joe is secondarily to me. I love him, but stood for Elizabeth Warren in 2020's north Ankeny caucus, where Mayor Pete won handily.
The threat of another DJT presidency is my overriding concern. The voters in that small but critical margin in Wisconsin (or any of the swing state) do not listen to podcasts, they don't read the news, they think Joe is old, and some say he's senile.
He is not senile, but he did not comport himself well in the nondebate "debate," but he has been the best president. He has his hand on the tiller. But if he doesn't get the votes in November and DJT wins, we will know Joe should have been replaced.
Clearly the Iowa voters have the wool pulled over their eyes so securely that I wonder if leaving is the best thing for us. I will vote for a shadow of Joe or a full-bore Kamala or anyone the party nominates. I am clearly in a minority in Iowa.
ME. To say this is the most important election of my lifetime is a truth so crystal clear to me that I am aghast that there is more than a half dozen individuals in America who don’t think the same.
I have voted in every presidential election since LBJ, a leader who moved Civil Rights legislation from the wish list to the nation’s law books.
Johnson fell from grace when he failed to see both the improbability and the futility of waging war in Vietnam. He stepped down and turned the reins of the Democratic Party to Hubert Humphrey, who lost to Richard Nixon, a man who was willing to put his own personal fortunes over those of the nation, leading to the dark era we call Watergate.
And, thereafter we elected a string of presidents both Democratic and Republican—-until now we are offered the choice between a man, DJT, a former president, who has a popular following despite a personal track record that reads like the rapsheet of a hardened criminal who makes no bones about revolutionizing the nation into an autocracy with him as the unfettered leader able to excersize his will with, as per the SCOTUS, “immunity,” which means he would b a king, not a president.
On the other hand the Democratic Party is holding out hope that a knight in shining armor will arise to take the reins of leadership from an elderly man who, in simple terms, has not been 100% on all measures, but who has been rock solid on the big issues that stand like mountains of threat in the last four years. He will be remembered 100 years from now with names like Lincoln, FDR, and LBJ.
Price's questions about the media's role and responsibilities deserve attention. I would urge Dave to dedicate one of his columns to this issue. Beginning in 2014 with Trump's 'birther' allegation and continuing through the 2016 campaign, the media faced significant challenges in handling a president as dishonest as Trump. Assuming we have a democracy in 2025, I would hope journalism schools take Price's criticism to heart.
President Joe Biden will hold a news conference Thursday, the key event in a monumental week during which the Democratic incumbent is fending off calls for him to step aside as the party’s presumptive nominee following a shaky debate performance.
It’s just the type of event that many political watchers have said Biden needs to pull off successfully to turn back demands — including from within his own party — that he withdraw from his reelection battle against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
What was not said by panel---but, in my view, what should have been said---to provide a literary perspective----for listeners and members of Iowa Writer's Collaborative--
Just substitute "Biden-Harris" for "Humpty Dumpty"---
Quote by writer Lewis Carroll, in his book---"Through the Looking-Glass":
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall:
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses and all the King's men (also, you may add, " and women", here).
Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty in his place again."
In short, the for Biden-Harris, in my view, the "political egg" has fallen from the "political wall"; and nothing, nothing can put that "political egg" together again. (for you "political scientist---it is called--- "political entrophy")
If Biden resigns as president wouldn't that foster the impression that the party was mistaken in nominating him, since sitting presidents normally seek re-election?
And I have a hard time seeing how Biden could withdraw as the nominee and remain as president.
I'm old enough to remember exactly where I was on Nov. 22, 1963 (Clive Elementary School) and I've never seen anything like what's happening now.
John, a good point. But I think many Democrats would say they’ve since learned some things about Biden that they didn’t know, or a worse case scenario, were kept from them.
The repeated use of the term sundowning in reference to Biden by one of your commentors on the podcast is very disturbing. Sundowning is a term used for Alzheimer's patients in mid to late disease. Is the commentator a healthcare provider with a confirmed diagnosis for Biden? If not, you should carefully choose your words to describe someone's behavior on an off night.
The "threat to democracy" narrative of people calling themselves journalists has several critical issues. It relies on hyperbole and diminishes credibility and impact over time. This approach reinforces existing biases rather than nuanced understanding while oversimplifying complex political issues into simplistic narratives. It lacks historical context, overlooking the resilience democratic systems have shown in the past. There's also a risk of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy, where constant warnings about democratic collapse could erode public faith in institutions. Finally, this framing may compromise objectivity by prioritizing a particular political perspective over balanced reporting, potentially undermining the media's role in providing impartial information to the public. You're not journalists, but activists, and behave in ways described as:
1. Open bias towards specific political or social causes
2. Prioritizing a particular narrative or agenda over strict objectivity
3. Actively campaigning for change rather than solely reporting events
4. Selective reporting that emphasizes information supporting their position
5. Use of more emotional or persuasive language compared to traditional journalism
I reject your premise that journalist must feign "objectivity" to have credibility. I have never concealed my views about certain political issues but that doesn't mean my reporting and analysis is not grounded in research and facts.
In my years in the business, I observed there were two types of journalists: Those who offered their opinions in articles and those who did not. Neither were activists. Examples of opinion journalists include Marc Thiessen, on the right, and EJ Dionne, on the left. Neither are activists.
The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, now known as PBS NewsHour, is characterized this way because it has a long-standing reputation for detailed, unbiased reporting and thoughtful analysis, aiming to provide viewers with a comprehensive understanding of complex issues through expert insights and civil discourse.
Not everyone has to do things the same way. Mother Jones and ProPublica publish some excellent journalism, with editorial standards that are not exactly like the Associated Press.
A lot of so-called "objective" reporting smuggles editorializing into stories that are ostensibly straight news. We see this on a regular basis from some of The NY Times political reporters. I reject the premise that I need to pretend not to have opinions in order to do my job well.
If you don't like that, there are plenty of other news outlets for you.
A day after we recorded this podcast, two of Iowa's four Democratic nominees for Congress came out for replacing Biden as the presidential nominee.
https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2024/07/12/bohannan-corkery-go-out-on-a-limb-against-biden/
Thank you for the great discussion. It is so nice to hear different opinions and perspectives given and received with respect. Thank you to all of you for your good work. I am looking forward to the next podcast.
I read a poll taken in Wisconsin that showed Joe's numbers have fallen a bit. I saw a six point spread drop to eight points. The overriding question about Joe is secondarily to me. I love him, but stood for Elizabeth Warren in 2020's north Ankeny caucus, where Mayor Pete won handily.
The threat of another DJT presidency is my overriding concern. The voters in that small but critical margin in Wisconsin (or any of the swing state) do not listen to podcasts, they don't read the news, they think Joe is old, and some say he's senile.
He is not senile, but he did not comport himself well in the nondebate "debate," but he has been the best president. He has his hand on the tiller. But if he doesn't get the votes in November and DJT wins, we will know Joe should have been replaced.
Clearly the Iowa voters have the wool pulled over their eyes so securely that I wonder if leaving is the best thing for us. I will vote for a shadow of Joe or a full-bore Kamala or anyone the party nominates. I am clearly in a minority in Iowa.
ME. To say this is the most important election of my lifetime is a truth so crystal clear to me that I am aghast that there is more than a half dozen individuals in America who don’t think the same.
I have voted in every presidential election since LBJ, a leader who moved Civil Rights legislation from the wish list to the nation’s law books.
Johnson fell from grace when he failed to see both the improbability and the futility of waging war in Vietnam. He stepped down and turned the reins of the Democratic Party to Hubert Humphrey, who lost to Richard Nixon, a man who was willing to put his own personal fortunes over those of the nation, leading to the dark era we call Watergate.
And, thereafter we elected a string of presidents both Democratic and Republican—-until now we are offered the choice between a man, DJT, a former president, who has a popular following despite a personal track record that reads like the rapsheet of a hardened criminal who makes no bones about revolutionizing the nation into an autocracy with him as the unfettered leader able to excersize his will with, as per the SCOTUS, “immunity,” which means he would b a king, not a president.
On the other hand the Democratic Party is holding out hope that a knight in shining armor will arise to take the reins of leadership from an elderly man who, in simple terms, has not been 100% on all measures, but who has been rock solid on the big issues that stand like mountains of threat in the last four years. He will be remembered 100 years from now with names like Lincoln, FDR, and LBJ.
The New York Times editors weigh in on this election. Please read and share this “gift” article as widely as you are able. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/11/opinion/editorials/donald-trump-2024-unfit.html?unlocked_article_code=1.6U0.kfrA.UE5X2adiO5MV&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR11dDmiM6qKE73OcNWqu2RyWhDLhBGQu9y3e-Ck6gLaWia6kKNxXIpG6oM_aem_l4rr6lIRmxxmUhQ6nCv9Pw
Price's questions about the media's role and responsibilities deserve attention. I would urge Dave to dedicate one of his columns to this issue. Beginning in 2014 with Trump's 'birther' allegation and continuing through the 2016 campaign, the media faced significant challenges in handling a president as dishonest as Trump. Assuming we have a democracy in 2025, I would hope journalism schools take Price's criticism to heart.
Thank you so much! Especially for the insights, near the end, into Iowa politics. Looking forward to the next podcast.
President Joe Biden will hold a news conference Thursday, the key event in a monumental week during which the Democratic incumbent is fending off calls for him to step aside as the party’s presumptive nominee following a shaky debate performance.
It’s just the type of event that many political watchers have said Biden needs to pull off successfully to turn back demands — including from within his own party — that he withdraw from his reelection battle against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
https://apnews.com/article/how-to-watch-biden-press-conference-a70590e7574fc9680229b6b6289f6a02
What was not said by panel---but, in my view, what should have been said---to provide a literary perspective----for listeners and members of Iowa Writer's Collaborative--
Just substitute "Biden-Harris" for "Humpty Dumpty"---
Quote by writer Lewis Carroll, in his book---"Through the Looking-Glass":
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall:
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses and all the King's men (also, you may add, " and women", here).
Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty in his place again."
In short, the for Biden-Harris, in my view, the "political egg" has fallen from the "political wall"; and nothing, nothing can put that "political egg" together again. (for you "political scientist---it is called--- "political entrophy")
Richard Sherzan
Democrats should go full Hollywood and nominate George Clooney for president and Taylor Swift for VP.
If Biden resigns as president wouldn't that foster the impression that the party was mistaken in nominating him, since sitting presidents normally seek re-election?
And I have a hard time seeing how Biden could withdraw as the nominee and remain as president.
I'm old enough to remember exactly where I was on Nov. 22, 1963 (Clive Elementary School) and I've never seen anything like what's happening now.
John, a good point. But I think many Democrats would say they’ve since learned some things about Biden that they didn’t know, or a worse case scenario, were kept from them.
I think many Democrats are so blinded by their hatred of Trump they've lost the capacity for rational thought.
The repeated use of the term sundowning in reference to Biden by one of your commentors on the podcast is very disturbing. Sundowning is a term used for Alzheimer's patients in mid to late disease. Is the commentator a healthcare provider with a confirmed diagnosis for Biden? If not, you should carefully choose your words to describe someone's behavior on an off night.
my apologies. I've heard others use the term, and will refrain in the future. thanks for the education.
The "threat to democracy" narrative of people calling themselves journalists has several critical issues. It relies on hyperbole and diminishes credibility and impact over time. This approach reinforces existing biases rather than nuanced understanding while oversimplifying complex political issues into simplistic narratives. It lacks historical context, overlooking the resilience democratic systems have shown in the past. There's also a risk of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy, where constant warnings about democratic collapse could erode public faith in institutions. Finally, this framing may compromise objectivity by prioritizing a particular political perspective over balanced reporting, potentially undermining the media's role in providing impartial information to the public. You're not journalists, but activists, and behave in ways described as:
1. Open bias towards specific political or social causes
2. Prioritizing a particular narrative or agenda over strict objectivity
3. Actively campaigning for change rather than solely reporting events
4. Selective reporting that emphasizes information supporting their position
5. Use of more emotional or persuasive language compared to traditional journalism
I reject your premise that journalist must feign "objectivity" to have credibility. I have never concealed my views about certain political issues but that doesn't mean my reporting and analysis is not grounded in research and facts.
Q: Why did the journalist jump headfirst into the argument between the Sun and the Moon?
A: He wanted to shine a light on his own opinions, even if it meant eclipsing the facts.
In my years in the business, I observed there were two types of journalists: Those who offered their opinions in articles and those who did not. Neither were activists. Examples of opinion journalists include Marc Thiessen, on the right, and EJ Dionne, on the left. Neither are activists.
I would consider myself an opinion journalist, on the left.
The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, now known as PBS NewsHour, is characterized this way because it has a long-standing reputation for detailed, unbiased reporting and thoughtful analysis, aiming to provide viewers with a comprehensive understanding of complex issues through expert insights and civil discourse.
Not everyone has to do things the same way. Mother Jones and ProPublica publish some excellent journalism, with editorial standards that are not exactly like the Associated Press.
A lot of so-called "objective" reporting smuggles editorializing into stories that are ostensibly straight news. We see this on a regular basis from some of The NY Times political reporters. I reject the premise that I need to pretend not to have opinions in order to do my job well.
If you don't like that, there are plenty of other news outlets for you.
OY
Cui bono?
Harris, of course.