Also to Michael. I understand they’re trying to put their moderate foot forward. But, when you guys commented on the phalanx police force you have no idea how much that pisses off so many people in Chicago.
Brandon Johnson and Pritzker went full hog, basically sent in an army preemptively for the DNC. SPECIFICALLY, to look good and moderate. Cannot have the crazies making trouble!
The problem is the entire fucking convention is not that image. We were here in 2020. We know Pritzker didn’t do shit. We know Lightfoot didn’t support the cops and allowed rioting. We know Brandon Johnson ran to the left of Lori on this issue. We know they believe rioting is justified if for the right reasons AND we know the reasons the people outside the DNC hold ARE THE RIGHT REASONS. They’ve rioted and been supported in their views for 10 months now by all the people speaking at that convention.
They weren’t making a step towards moderates. They are hiding who they are from everyone they can. Chicago has been calling for more of a police presence for years. They all show up for DNC to clean it up. People have been calling to stop the protests for now almost a year. They start to clean it up for the DNC.
God damn RNC has Hulk Hogan and somehow the DNC has come off 3x more fake and manufactured. This whole event from conception, to location, to speakers, to nominee, to supporters is so manufactured and fake it makes my stomach do flips. Mainly because looking at the people they seem genuine individually. As a collective it looks like hysteria. Whether you want to go more mundane with Beatle Mania, or more sinister like a Maoist struggle session be my guest.
Ok apparently im not the only one holding a grudge for this. Seriously though, as a law and order moderate, fuck them for losing their damn minds in 2020. Thankfully that was also when I discovered this glorious podcast and maintained a glimmer of hope for American society.
2020 was when it was all transparently exposed. But it still continues to this day. The CPD is incredibly short staffed. BJ is still not giving them any space to operate. Is still not stumping for them to get more funds and be better prepared. My home gets broken into once a quarter, if not more frequently. My coworker had her car stolen by gun point just a few months ago. My good friend blindsided by a group of 10 walking home from work, knocked out from behind and all his belongings stolen in the middle of Streeterville had to get 12 stitches. No one gives a shit. Police are demoralized. Criminals never stay in jail. For my coworker who was robbed at gun point, perpetrators crashed her car into a wall about four blocks after they stole it. Both caught. Both got sentences of 3 months probation. Threatening someone’s life with a firearm. Stealing their car. Then driving recklessly into a wall threatening more lives. 3 months probation. People who broke into my home have been caught before. Usually while committing other crimes. I know of not a single one who has served any jail time. Another friend of mine lives in boys town. During the pride festival groups started jumping on police cars damaging them. Certainly not gay judging on the fact all groups were men grinding with women. Police stood there doing nothing. The convenience store across the street from me. Robbed at gunpoint. Cops came. I threw out trash in my alley. Group of 8 guys in neon hoods in the alley. Walk by with my dog, round the corner. Tell police there are 8 guys in neon hoods laughing in the alley kicking over trash and going in garages. Police say they cannot go after them because they cannot be properly identified. I know the store owner well (buy daily nicotine from him) and he said he described them as 8 guys in neon hoods. They were less than 25 yards from the police who responded, laughing and destroying shit. Police said they cannot do anything about it.
Then DNC comes to town, and before anything even occurs. It is all hands on deck. 20x the amount of cops than necessary. National guard in town. United Center looks more peaceful even with protestors than an average Windy City Smokeout.
Are you fucking kidding me? Seriously?
I understand they’re putting on a piece of theater. But how does anyone in local or state government live with themselves? Police aren’t the solution unless you need to do this event then suddenly they are the solution? You just revealed yourself for the vacuous sacks of shit bags we all already knew you were. Loathsome, vile, detestable, ugly creatures. Letting millions suffer more than necessary so that they can create a political image we all know they don’t believe. Again, perfectly outlined by the fact that the second they needed something done, something more important than their political messaging, they somehow found the solution immediately. Found the solution somehow before the problem even reared its head. “You know how we are going to make the DNC work? Especially in a very very minority area of a pretty minority city? Oh, we are going to do exactly the opposite of our political foundation of the last four years+. We are going to do specifically what we said would not work”.
And, the second the DNC is out of town I am certain it’s going to go back to business as usual.
Am I rooting for chaos? No, I live in the city and I don’t want to deal with it. Actively tried my hardest to work remote from out of state this week, and failed and I’m stuck here. But also, this week has outlined more than any point in my life how hopelessly subjected to the government we all are. Even more than 2020. 2020 had genuine outrage and pandemonium. Had a pandemic going on. National racial reckoning. It was handled miserably (biggest understatement of a generation) but there was actual chaos and upheaval. The DNC just outlined for things we are perfectly aware of occurring, for business as usual, they all know a solution and just willfully decide not to implement it when there are other considerations they find more important.
Lastly, to get ahead of it. If a response is “this level of police is too expensive and unreasonable and politics is about trade offs”. Perfectly fine argument. Also complete bullshit in this context. Not that it’s not true, it’s that it isn’t the conversation being had. No one in Chicago is having a discussion about how police are great but we just cannot afford as many as we would like. It’s a discussion about them being a bad force entirely. The exact image they just blew up entirely by 100% putting the fate of the DNC in their hands.
This is pissing me off to such an incredible degree I cannot overstate it. I have had 2hr discussions/arguments with very left leaning friends about how getting rid of police is bad. I have argued other times they aren’t a racist force. Other times that social workers cannot do the job. Other times they do a hard job. Other times that they’re the best solution to underprivileged neighborhoods righting themselves. Etc etc etc. 10s of hours if not 100s of hours of in person arguments with coworkers, friends, acquaintances, family, etc. Had friends leave my home because they refused to be around me. I have had dates who have suggested I’m racist because I think police are a net positive. I’ve had coworkers tell me the views aren’t acceptable in the office with a wink and a nod at HR. Over and over and over and over and over again for years.
Then their party needs something done, and the solutions is so many police you’d think they’re doing a military operation with a supporting cast of national guard. And I want to find every single person I have had this argument with and go “NO ONE BELIEVES THIS!! YOUR OWN PARTY DOESN’T BELIEVE THIS!! YOU WERE LIED TO YOU FUCKING IDIOT!! DO YOU GET IT NOW?? DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW STUPID YOUR VIEWS WERE??”
But no, they’re going to do this. And next Monday come out with some bullshit community rejuvenation project that somehow reduces police while funneling millions of dollars into the area that goes absolutely no where because no one is safe to operate a business, get and education, or generally live their life.
It is hard to put to words how angry this event has made me. Imagine somewhere in the realm (in feeling but 1/100th the scale) of the women of Qatar when they held the World Cup and the government was like “look at how western and free we are, everyone come on in!”, and the women of Qatar all looked around and thought “what the fuck is this shit?? Since when?”
This was so cathartic to read, thank you! Though I live in the south suburbs now, I miss going into the city. I grew up on the South side, went to high school on the West side, witnessed a drive-by shooting not 30 feet from my living room window when I was 11 years old, so I am well-versed in "keeping my head on a swivel". I had to go into the city a lot between 2021-2022 because I was caring for my grandmother in the last year of her life. Yeah, the violence level was different. Nothing happened to me but I know there were a couple of times I barely dodged becoming a statistic.
That's the other argument I've seen, and I'm sure you have as well, that "cities are always violent!" Yes, but it's a different thing when the criminals KNOW there will be few if any consequences. Like, how is that so difficult to understand?! I don't think it is. I think the people making this argument won't get it until it happens to them and let's just say, I'm not charitable on that end.
As a third generation Chicagoan (now refugee on the east coast) I don't know what is worse; the violence, the $135,000ish in per capita debt, or the fact that the sox stink. I weep with you, dude. Well said.
It drives me absolutely insane that everyone realizes there is a huge problem with spending. And that last precisely to when someone offers something else for free. And then it’s like an 80/20 supported proposition.
I get everyone needs help. But can they not see it is a short term bandaid that just digs a much larger hole?
All kidding aside, you’ve put it very well. While hyperpartisan zombies suffer from, or rather embrace selective amnesia, many of us keenly remember the events of 2020 — just 4 years ago! — and who let them unfold the way they did. Never stop reminding people.
I will note that the friend I was staying with who lives in a high-rise at Millennium Park remarked on a whole fleet of new-style CPD vehicles that she'd never seen before Saturday
Thank you Matt for refusing to leave the issue of Covid accountability behind, you speak for a lot of us when you keep that subject front & center with bullet points that should not be forgotten. True to the best of what libertarianism has to offer in its purest and most reasonable form
Constantly aggravates me when people are like “you’re the only one still talking about covid.” Yeah, that’s a problem. I understand that the news cycle forgets about what happened a week ago, but millions of people’s lives got worse during covid for reasons beyond the virus itself.
I think it is unfair to pin school closures completely on Democrats. I realize in most cases Dem areas were slower to lift them and they shouldn't be lying about it, but Trump was president when all of this started. His daily press conferences when he went on stage with Fauci at the beginning of the pandemic and supported the lockdowns set a precedent, and once the government puts something in place, it can be hard to reverse. It was a difficult time and mistakes were made on both sides. I know it is probably an unpopular opinion amongst listeners to The Fifth, but the Emily Oster article Moynihan mentioned during the pod is definitely worth a read (the link below should allow anyone to read it, even without an Atlantic subscription) :
That's bothersome to me, too. I favored lockdown measures during covid, but in retrospect, I think it should've been more obvious to me that major, prolonged disruptions in an entire generation's learning and development was more societally harmful than potentially cutting short of the last few years of the lives of the elderly. One thing that seems to be frustratingly lacking in either party's platform this election is a plan for how we're going to help those students recover as much of what they lost as possible.
You all need to get out of that room and relisten to these speeches again. I think you were swept up in the moment and dumbfounded that people could actually string a sentence together (something exceedingly rare between Harris, Trump and Biden). Obama’s were as well spoken as ever. Michelle gave one of the most haunting, bullshit, bold face lying, immoral, demeaning, terrible speeches I have ever heard in my life. Was she well spoken? Yes. Of course. That has been the Obama magic for them both for almost 20 years now. They can make shit sound like gold.
I have a feeling your immune systems were down and you all got caught up in the moment without proper defenses. Barack’s was fine, but with some abysmal ideas and lies mixed in. Michelle’s was a horror show slathered in honey. I am happy she’s not running for office. She undoubtedly 100x more talented than Harris. And now I see why for decades people have said Barack’s radical ideas came from Michelle.
I know it’s a R talking point & I’ve got plenty of criticism for Trump’s flights of fantasy, but with Obama (& HRC) the disdain for Americans (not Rs, just garden variety Americans) leeches through. I like Pesca, but as a journo, he needs to see and understand why someone wouldn’t find Obama as a glorious orator soaring above the clouds. Overlooking that puts him in the bag for a POV and taints his work.
I think I could have a beer with Mike Pesca. But dang, his wish-casting about the Obamas made me slap my forehead purple. Barack's speech in particular was intellectually incoherent.
As I'm listening, all I can think is, "find someone who loves you as much as Pesca loves Obama".
"... I immediately thought of an MVP hitter doing that, tugging on his glove before stepping into the batter's box. with this, like Juan Soto does, with the thought, I'm going to crush this fastball. He's Steph Curry in his pregame warmups... like when Chris Rock, right before he goes on stage, knowing full well there is no chance I am not going to crush and you're going to enjoy it and I'm going to enjoy it too."
While y'all have been whooping it up at the DNC you've been missing the Little League World Series, which has been some of the best baseball I've ever seen.
Mexico was down 4-1 against Cuba when, in the last inning, they hit back to back homers to win 6-4. These kids are great.
I just hate that this election is making me choose between tariffs and price controls. So many good ideas, its like watching a sunset try to kick the shit out of Rembrandt.
When somehow-still-President Biden gave his speech on the first night/second morning of the DNC, guess what? He repeated the “very fine people” *and* “bloodbath” lies. Not a joke! (The “inject bleach” lie was given to Rep. Robert Garcia, while Rep. Jamie Raskin got “five people died” on Jan. 6, and several people are sharing Project 2025…oooo, scary!)
It’s basically the only speech Biden has, the same one he’s given, shouted, over and over again. That’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact! Right down to the “we have to remember who we are,” which might be because he can’t remember who or where he is.
I think it could be my fault👋, I may have been one of the last of Saturday's attendees to speak with Kmele before he fled for the refuge provided by some former murderers (can you be "former" in this case? or is it like getting your divorce retroactively annulled by the Catholic Church for a clean slate do-over?). Anyway, H/T to MM & Michael Jordan for their assistance in the getaway/rescue operation.
Kmele was very gracious ofc and it's only in retrospect that I recognize the deer-in-the-headlights look he may have had in his eyes while revealing (is this a secret?) the plans & location of another live show in our lifetime 👀. Oh Joy! to use a word I formerly loved but already feel has been robbed of all meaning via MacKenzie-tested (probably) co-optation by people who are Not Our Friends. Post-modernism you've done it again!
In conclusion thank you Matt Welch for being a man of the people and mingling with the great unwashed for longer than your contract rider stipulates; it was a pleasure to meet you and to speak for a few brief moments before you introduced me to Jaye - signed, I'm Not Lisa:-)
I get that this makes me a bad person in our overly sensative 2024, but I think its OK to make fun of Walz's kid. He's 17 and as much as they want to portray him as some sort of special needs kid because he's "neurodivergent", he's just a normal 17 year old.
As a reminder, 30 years ago a 7-year old Andrew Giuliani acted up during his dad's inauguration and SNL did not one, but 2 skits making fun of the 7 year old.
I don't think he made a claim of them not being "better". He just said he doesn't trust anyone like that. I've never smoked anything and can count the sips of alcohol consumed on half a hand, but I'm totally down for rolling MM for whatever cash he has on him after he hits the blackout phase of the evening. Unfortunately, his superpower of not slurring makes that opportunity harder to spot. Plus, what cash?
About the whole "Who do you write for" discussion at the end. One theme that has been in my head for the last few years is people who tell on themselves by accident. If someone tells you they are worried about something like birthrates, they probably don't have kids. If they talk about "workers rights" they have probably never had a real job. If they talk about racism, privilege, and tolerance they are likely the ones with those things in spades. Sanctity of life is only true when it comes to unborn babies, that kinda stuff.
The reason they ask who you write for is because they are well aware of the distortions in media because they do it so much at this point. It's like when someone starts a conversation with words like "in my honest opinion" or "trust me" you can safely guess they aren't either honest or trustworthy. Sure you can waive that off as just generally being suspicious of strangers, or some kind of bona fide up front. Much like you can apply "fear of the media" to team blue. But to me the first thing someone brings up in conversation illustrates a theory of mind which will give you an idea of what they are about. It's not that they are worried about "slipping up" or getting their facts wrong. They know that facts don't matter, nor what is actually said. Both can be twisted to purpose. What they want is to be able to "speak to your manager" if you don't say the right things. They can only do that if you write for "their team". To me it just reads like shared culpability or mutually shared destruction. On team red they don't eat their own often, and generally ignore what the media says if it isn't overtly conservative in nature. Team blue wants everyone to have dirty hands for security reasons. But IDK, maybe it is too early to be drinking.
Also to Michael. I understand they’re trying to put their moderate foot forward. But, when you guys commented on the phalanx police force you have no idea how much that pisses off so many people in Chicago.
Brandon Johnson and Pritzker went full hog, basically sent in an army preemptively for the DNC. SPECIFICALLY, to look good and moderate. Cannot have the crazies making trouble!
The problem is the entire fucking convention is not that image. We were here in 2020. We know Pritzker didn’t do shit. We know Lightfoot didn’t support the cops and allowed rioting. We know Brandon Johnson ran to the left of Lori on this issue. We know they believe rioting is justified if for the right reasons AND we know the reasons the people outside the DNC hold ARE THE RIGHT REASONS. They’ve rioted and been supported in their views for 10 months now by all the people speaking at that convention.
They weren’t making a step towards moderates. They are hiding who they are from everyone they can. Chicago has been calling for more of a police presence for years. They all show up for DNC to clean it up. People have been calling to stop the protests for now almost a year. They start to clean it up for the DNC.
God damn RNC has Hulk Hogan and somehow the DNC has come off 3x more fake and manufactured. This whole event from conception, to location, to speakers, to nominee, to supporters is so manufactured and fake it makes my stomach do flips. Mainly because looking at the people they seem genuine individually. As a collective it looks like hysteria. Whether you want to go more mundane with Beatle Mania, or more sinister like a Maoist struggle session be my guest.
Ok apparently im not the only one holding a grudge for this. Seriously though, as a law and order moderate, fuck them for losing their damn minds in 2020. Thankfully that was also when I discovered this glorious podcast and maintained a glimmer of hope for American society.
2020 was when it was all transparently exposed. But it still continues to this day. The CPD is incredibly short staffed. BJ is still not giving them any space to operate. Is still not stumping for them to get more funds and be better prepared. My home gets broken into once a quarter, if not more frequently. My coworker had her car stolen by gun point just a few months ago. My good friend blindsided by a group of 10 walking home from work, knocked out from behind and all his belongings stolen in the middle of Streeterville had to get 12 stitches. No one gives a shit. Police are demoralized. Criminals never stay in jail. For my coworker who was robbed at gun point, perpetrators crashed her car into a wall about four blocks after they stole it. Both caught. Both got sentences of 3 months probation. Threatening someone’s life with a firearm. Stealing their car. Then driving recklessly into a wall threatening more lives. 3 months probation. People who broke into my home have been caught before. Usually while committing other crimes. I know of not a single one who has served any jail time. Another friend of mine lives in boys town. During the pride festival groups started jumping on police cars damaging them. Certainly not gay judging on the fact all groups were men grinding with women. Police stood there doing nothing. The convenience store across the street from me. Robbed at gunpoint. Cops came. I threw out trash in my alley. Group of 8 guys in neon hoods in the alley. Walk by with my dog, round the corner. Tell police there are 8 guys in neon hoods laughing in the alley kicking over trash and going in garages. Police say they cannot go after them because they cannot be properly identified. I know the store owner well (buy daily nicotine from him) and he said he described them as 8 guys in neon hoods. They were less than 25 yards from the police who responded, laughing and destroying shit. Police said they cannot do anything about it.
Then DNC comes to town, and before anything even occurs. It is all hands on deck. 20x the amount of cops than necessary. National guard in town. United Center looks more peaceful even with protestors than an average Windy City Smokeout.
Are you fucking kidding me? Seriously?
I understand they’re putting on a piece of theater. But how does anyone in local or state government live with themselves? Police aren’t the solution unless you need to do this event then suddenly they are the solution? You just revealed yourself for the vacuous sacks of shit bags we all already knew you were. Loathsome, vile, detestable, ugly creatures. Letting millions suffer more than necessary so that they can create a political image we all know they don’t believe. Again, perfectly outlined by the fact that the second they needed something done, something more important than their political messaging, they somehow found the solution immediately. Found the solution somehow before the problem even reared its head. “You know how we are going to make the DNC work? Especially in a very very minority area of a pretty minority city? Oh, we are going to do exactly the opposite of our political foundation of the last four years+. We are going to do specifically what we said would not work”.
And, the second the DNC is out of town I am certain it’s going to go back to business as usual.
Am I rooting for chaos? No, I live in the city and I don’t want to deal with it. Actively tried my hardest to work remote from out of state this week, and failed and I’m stuck here. But also, this week has outlined more than any point in my life how hopelessly subjected to the government we all are. Even more than 2020. 2020 had genuine outrage and pandemonium. Had a pandemic going on. National racial reckoning. It was handled miserably (biggest understatement of a generation) but there was actual chaos and upheaval. The DNC just outlined for things we are perfectly aware of occurring, for business as usual, they all know a solution and just willfully decide not to implement it when there are other considerations they find more important.
Lastly, to get ahead of it. If a response is “this level of police is too expensive and unreasonable and politics is about trade offs”. Perfectly fine argument. Also complete bullshit in this context. Not that it’s not true, it’s that it isn’t the conversation being had. No one in Chicago is having a discussion about how police are great but we just cannot afford as many as we would like. It’s a discussion about them being a bad force entirely. The exact image they just blew up entirely by 100% putting the fate of the DNC in their hands.
This is pissing me off to such an incredible degree I cannot overstate it. I have had 2hr discussions/arguments with very left leaning friends about how getting rid of police is bad. I have argued other times they aren’t a racist force. Other times that social workers cannot do the job. Other times they do a hard job. Other times that they’re the best solution to underprivileged neighborhoods righting themselves. Etc etc etc. 10s of hours if not 100s of hours of in person arguments with coworkers, friends, acquaintances, family, etc. Had friends leave my home because they refused to be around me. I have had dates who have suggested I’m racist because I think police are a net positive. I’ve had coworkers tell me the views aren’t acceptable in the office with a wink and a nod at HR. Over and over and over and over and over again for years.
Then their party needs something done, and the solutions is so many police you’d think they’re doing a military operation with a supporting cast of national guard. And I want to find every single person I have had this argument with and go “NO ONE BELIEVES THIS!! YOUR OWN PARTY DOESN’T BELIEVE THIS!! YOU WERE LIED TO YOU FUCKING IDIOT!! DO YOU GET IT NOW?? DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW STUPID YOUR VIEWS WERE??”
But no, they’re going to do this. And next Monday come out with some bullshit community rejuvenation project that somehow reduces police while funneling millions of dollars into the area that goes absolutely no where because no one is safe to operate a business, get and education, or generally live their life.
It is hard to put to words how angry this event has made me. Imagine somewhere in the realm (in feeling but 1/100th the scale) of the women of Qatar when they held the World Cup and the government was like “look at how western and free we are, everyone come on in!”, and the women of Qatar all looked around and thought “what the fuck is this shit?? Since when?”
This was so cathartic to read, thank you! Though I live in the south suburbs now, I miss going into the city. I grew up on the South side, went to high school on the West side, witnessed a drive-by shooting not 30 feet from my living room window when I was 11 years old, so I am well-versed in "keeping my head on a swivel". I had to go into the city a lot between 2021-2022 because I was caring for my grandmother in the last year of her life. Yeah, the violence level was different. Nothing happened to me but I know there were a couple of times I barely dodged becoming a statistic.
That's the other argument I've seen, and I'm sure you have as well, that "cities are always violent!" Yes, but it's a different thing when the criminals KNOW there will be few if any consequences. Like, how is that so difficult to understand?! I don't think it is. I think the people making this argument won't get it until it happens to them and let's just say, I'm not charitable on that end.
As a third generation Chicagoan (now refugee on the east coast) I don't know what is worse; the violence, the $135,000ish in per capita debt, or the fact that the sox stink. I weep with you, dude. Well said.
This reality awaits all not already living it. The gates are open, the treasury is bare and the perpetrators double and the citizens hide.
It drives me absolutely insane that everyone realizes there is a huge problem with spending. And that last precisely to when someone offers something else for free. And then it’s like an 80/20 supported proposition.
I get everyone needs help. But can they not see it is a short term bandaid that just digs a much larger hole?
That’s not hysteria, that’s JOY!
All kidding aside, you’ve put it very well. While hyperpartisan zombies suffer from, or rather embrace selective amnesia, many of us keenly remember the events of 2020 — just 4 years ago! — and who let them unfold the way they did. Never stop reminding people.
I will note that the friend I was staying with who lives in a high-rise at Millennium Park remarked on a whole fleet of new-style CPD vehicles that she'd never seen before Saturday
I’m relieved I’m not the only one who is still mad about all of this.
Thank you Matt for refusing to leave the issue of Covid accountability behind, you speak for a lot of us when you keep that subject front & center with bullet points that should not be forgotten. True to the best of what libertarianism has to offer in its purest and most reasonable form
Constantly aggravates me when people are like “you’re the only one still talking about covid.” Yeah, that’s a problem. I understand that the news cycle forgets about what happened a week ago, but millions of people’s lives got worse during covid for reasons beyond the virus itself.
I am 1000% with Matt—the thing that pisses me off the most about Dems was their tyrannical school closures. And now the m’fuckers are lying about it
I think it is unfair to pin school closures completely on Democrats. I realize in most cases Dem areas were slower to lift them and they shouldn't be lying about it, but Trump was president when all of this started. His daily press conferences when he went on stage with Fauci at the beginning of the pandemic and supported the lockdowns set a precedent, and once the government puts something in place, it can be hard to reverse. It was a difficult time and mistakes were made on both sides. I know it is probably an unpopular opinion amongst listeners to The Fifth, but the Emily Oster article Moynihan mentioned during the pod is definitely worth a read (the link below should allow anyone to read it, even without an Atlantic subscription) :
https://archive.ph/7rInV
That's bothersome to me, too. I favored lockdown measures during covid, but in retrospect, I think it should've been more obvious to me that major, prolonged disruptions in an entire generation's learning and development was more societally harmful than potentially cutting short of the last few years of the lives of the elderly. One thing that seems to be frustratingly lacking in either party's platform this election is a plan for how we're going to help those students recover as much of what they lost as possible.
You all need to get out of that room and relisten to these speeches again. I think you were swept up in the moment and dumbfounded that people could actually string a sentence together (something exceedingly rare between Harris, Trump and Biden). Obama’s were as well spoken as ever. Michelle gave one of the most haunting, bullshit, bold face lying, immoral, demeaning, terrible speeches I have ever heard in my life. Was she well spoken? Yes. Of course. That has been the Obama magic for them both for almost 20 years now. They can make shit sound like gold.
I have a feeling your immune systems were down and you all got caught up in the moment without proper defenses. Barack’s was fine, but with some abysmal ideas and lies mixed in. Michelle’s was a horror show slathered in honey. I am happy she’s not running for office. She undoubtedly 100x more talented than Harris. And now I see why for decades people have said Barack’s radical ideas came from Michelle.
I'm just happy the Obama girls are the recipients of affirmative action for their race and wealth. Apparently
Because, god forbid, they benefit from "generational wealth."
I know it’s a R talking point & I’ve got plenty of criticism for Trump’s flights of fantasy, but with Obama (& HRC) the disdain for Americans (not Rs, just garden variety Americans) leeches through. I like Pesca, but as a journo, he needs to see and understand why someone wouldn’t find Obama as a glorious orator soaring above the clouds. Overlooking that puts him in the bag for a POV and taints his work.
I think I could have a beer with Mike Pesca. But dang, his wish-casting about the Obamas made me slap my forehead purple. Barack's speech in particular was intellectually incoherent.
As I'm listening, all I can think is, "find someone who loves you as much as Pesca loves Obama".
"... I immediately thought of an MVP hitter doing that, tugging on his glove before stepping into the batter's box. with this, like Juan Soto does, with the thought, I'm going to crush this fastball. He's Steph Curry in his pregame warmups... like when Chris Rock, right before he goes on stage, knowing full well there is no chance I am not going to crush and you're going to enjoy it and I'm going to enjoy it too."
etc.
Good lord, throttle it back, man.
Really cool that you guys were able to find a lady's room to record this in.
Pesca's in all my podcasts this week. I don't hate it!
Excuse me sir, but this is the DNC. There are no ladies rooms😉
So, from what I gathered in this episode, it seems like the only way to score a dinner with Moynihan and Kmele is to become a hitman. Got it! 🤪
The terms are agreeable.
I assume the targets would all be bad people.
While y'all have been whooping it up at the DNC you've been missing the Little League World Series, which has been some of the best baseball I've ever seen.
Mexico was down 4-1 against Cuba when, in the last inning, they hit back to back homers to win 6-4. These kids are great.
Sorry you're missing it, Matt
The LLWS is always must-watch for me.
I just hate that this election is making me choose between tariffs and price controls. So many good ideas, its like watching a sunset try to kick the shit out of Rembrandt.
When somehow-still-President Biden gave his speech on the first night/second morning of the DNC, guess what? He repeated the “very fine people” *and* “bloodbath” lies. Not a joke! (The “inject bleach” lie was given to Rep. Robert Garcia, while Rep. Jamie Raskin got “five people died” on Jan. 6, and several people are sharing Project 2025…oooo, scary!)
It’s basically the only speech Biden has, the same one he’s given, shouted, over and over again. That’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact! Right down to the “we have to remember who we are,” which might be because he can’t remember who or where he is.
Joe actually wasn't going to say that line but he glanced down and saw it written on the back of his hand and couldn't help himself.
“Come on, hand!”
I think it could be my fault👋, I may have been one of the last of Saturday's attendees to speak with Kmele before he fled for the refuge provided by some former murderers (can you be "former" in this case? or is it like getting your divorce retroactively annulled by the Catholic Church for a clean slate do-over?). Anyway, H/T to MM & Michael Jordan for their assistance in the getaway/rescue operation.
Kmele was very gracious ofc and it's only in retrospect that I recognize the deer-in-the-headlights look he may have had in his eyes while revealing (is this a secret?) the plans & location of another live show in our lifetime 👀. Oh Joy! to use a word I formerly loved but already feel has been robbed of all meaning via MacKenzie-tested (probably) co-optation by people who are Not Our Friends. Post-modernism you've done it again!
In conclusion thank you Matt Welch for being a man of the people and mingling with the great unwashed for longer than your contract rider stipulates; it was a pleasure to meet you and to speak for a few brief moments before you introduced me to Jaye - signed, I'm Not Lisa:-)
Yay, Pesca!!
Yay, 🍑🐠!!
Mister Fish Fuzz himself!
I had too much of a good time in Chicago.
Both shows were great.
I get that this makes me a bad person in our overly sensative 2024, but I think its OK to make fun of Walz's kid. He's 17 and as much as they want to portray him as some sort of special needs kid because he's "neurodivergent", he's just a normal 17 year old.
As a reminder, 30 years ago a 7-year old Andrew Giuliani acted up during his dad's inauguration and SNL did not one, but 2 skits making fun of the 7 year old.
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/andrew-ruins-rudy-giulianis-inaugural-address-cold-open/2860970
To dispute Moynihan's point, my dad had never drank or smoked in his life and he's a way better man than me who drinks all the time. lol
I don't think he made a claim of them not being "better". He just said he doesn't trust anyone like that. I've never smoked anything and can count the sips of alcohol consumed on half a hand, but I'm totally down for rolling MM for whatever cash he has on him after he hits the blackout phase of the evening. Unfortunately, his superpower of not slurring makes that opportunity harder to spot. Plus, what cash?
Yeah it was inarticulate the way I put it. "Better" to me = trust. A better man is always trustworthy.
For those old enough, "sober" = "narc"
My dad is just high on life.
Isn’t “Scottie Pippen’s Clam Shack” just Larsa Pippen?
About the whole "Who do you write for" discussion at the end. One theme that has been in my head for the last few years is people who tell on themselves by accident. If someone tells you they are worried about something like birthrates, they probably don't have kids. If they talk about "workers rights" they have probably never had a real job. If they talk about racism, privilege, and tolerance they are likely the ones with those things in spades. Sanctity of life is only true when it comes to unborn babies, that kinda stuff.
The reason they ask who you write for is because they are well aware of the distortions in media because they do it so much at this point. It's like when someone starts a conversation with words like "in my honest opinion" or "trust me" you can safely guess they aren't either honest or trustworthy. Sure you can waive that off as just generally being suspicious of strangers, or some kind of bona fide up front. Much like you can apply "fear of the media" to team blue. But to me the first thing someone brings up in conversation illustrates a theory of mind which will give you an idea of what they are about. It's not that they are worried about "slipping up" or getting their facts wrong. They know that facts don't matter, nor what is actually said. Both can be twisted to purpose. What they want is to be able to "speak to your manager" if you don't say the right things. They can only do that if you write for "their team". To me it just reads like shared culpability or mutually shared destruction. On team red they don't eat their own often, and generally ignore what the media says if it isn't overtly conservative in nature. Team blue wants everyone to have dirty hands for security reasons. But IDK, maybe it is too early to be drinking.
Spot on.