#Robert b. Hubbell Newsletter

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Steve Brodner

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A scar on the face of democracy

January 21, 2025

Robert B. Hubbell

Before turning to the ugly events of the official inauguration, I include links to our alternative Substack livestream event featuring Jessica Craven, Jess Piper, Managing Editor Jill Bickett, and me. The documents referenced in the livestream can be accessed here.

Inauguration Day 2025 was a scar on the face of democracy

Inauguration 2025 will be remembered as the Black Mass of democracy, a ceremony that mocked the Constitution and rule of law, exalted obscene wealth, imperiled the future of our children, celebrated insurrectionists, and was capped by the richest man in the world, giving a salute used by the Nazis to demonstrate loyalty to Hitler. The second inaugural of Donald Trump will forever be a scar on the face of democracy.

There is much to cover, so I will focus on ensuring that everyone is up to date on what happened. Because the Trump administration took hundreds of actions today, it will be impossible to cover everything. I will focus on what is important.

Trump's inaugural speech

Trump's speech was pathetic, even by his pathetic standards. His speechwriters tried to restrain his worst instincts, which resulted in a low-energy pablum of Trump's greatest lies, peppered with announcements of illegal and depraved executive orders.

The full text of the speech is here: WhiteHouse.gov, The Inaugural Address. For those who could not bear to watch the ceremony (and that includes me), the written words reveal the lack of substance and pervasive lies. Perhaps it sounded better in the original German. For a flavor of the speech, see Lucian K. Truscott IV (Substack), Listless, uninspired and robotic: Trump’s vision of a “golden age of America” rings hollow | Also arrogant, uninformed, just plain stupid, and as usual, too much makeup.

Trump's speech was filled with lies. For a recitation and fact check of those lies, see AP News, Fact Focus: A look at false and misleading claims Trump made at inaugural events.

However, Trump's speech was bad not merely because it was poorly delivered and filled with lies. No, it was depraved because of its promise to plunge America into chaos.

Below are a few of the major announcements Trump made during his speech:

Declaration of a national emergency at the Southern Border

Send US military troops to the southern border to assist with immigration enforcement (likely illegal)

Designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (a possible prelude to the US military attacking drug cartels in Mexico and South America)

Invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to eliminate foreign gangs (on US soil?)

All cabinet members must work to reduce inflation (Good luck with that!)

Produce the most oil and gas of any nation in the world

End the Green New Deal

Revoke electric vehicle mandate (which does not exist)

Impose tariffs and taxes on foreign nations (not clear how anyone can “tax” a foreign nation)

Establish the “External Revenue Service” to collect taxes from foreign nations.

Establish the Department of Government Efficiency (an illegal committee that violates federal law)

Stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America

Establish a federal policy recognizing only “male” and “female” genders

Change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America

“Take back” the Panama Canal

Shortly after concluding the speech, Trump began issuing executive orders that must be considered as supplements to his speech. Those orders include the following:

Declare an end to birthright citizenship (a violation of the US Constitution)

Close the border to asylum-seeking migrants (a violation of federal law)

Withdraw from the Paris Climate accords

Withdraw from the World Health Organization

Pardoning and commuting the sentences of all 1,500 January 6 insurrectionists

Define sexual identity for federal workers and programs

Remove protections for transgender people in federal prisons

Remove protections for transgender migrants in US custody

Signed precursor orders to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada

Eliminate restrictions on domestic energy production

Loosen standards for vehicle tailpipe emissions and fuel efficiency

Loosen standards for efficiency for major appliances

Eliminate environmental justice programs

Delaying the ban of TikTok in the US (a violation of federal law)

I discuss the implications of the executive orders in Concluding Thoughts.

Musk gives salute used by Nazis in a speech at a post-inaugural event featuring Trump

Trump ran on a wink-and-a-nod to white supremacists and neo-Nazis. Although he could not make his sympathies explicit, he allowed his surrogates to do so.

Trump's number-one billionaire supporter, Elon Musk, has been more explicit in his sympathies for white nationalism, including his support for the German right-wing party with ties to neo-Nazi groups (AfD). On Monday, Musk appeared to drop whatever pretense of deniability he maintained about his affinity for Nazi symbolism and ideology.

During a speech at an arena in Washington D.C. Musk twice saluted the audience with the same hand gesture used by the Nazis to honor Hitler. See The Guardian, Elon Musk appears to make back-to-back fascist salutes at inauguration rally.

Per The Guardian (which includes an embedded video of the salute),

Social media users expressed shock at Musk’s gesture. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University, said: “Historian of fascism here. It was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too.” Musk did not immediately comment, though he did repost footage of his remarks that included the second salute and endorsed memes seeking to turn footage of his salutes into jokes. One X user wrote: “Can we please retire the calling people a Nazi thing?” Musk wrote “Yeah exactly” and added a “yawning” emoji.

To reiterate, Twitter users are mocking people who are upset about the apparent Nazi salute, and Musk is endorsing those comments with a sign of his boredom.

Some people are defending Musk, saying that the gesture was “awkward” and not intended to mimic the Nazi salute. The one person who has not raised that defense is Elon Musk. Having raised an implication of support for the Nazi ideology, Musk has chosen to remain silent on the subject.

We must condemn the emerging tolerance for white supremacy and antisemitism. The growing normalization of neo-Nazism understandably threatens millions of Americans. Speak out. Do not leave room for ambiguity. Do not allow silence to fill the room. Whether intentional or not, what Elon Musk did deserves to be condemned and rejected—including by Musk himself.

And the American press has largely been missing in action on this issue. Oh, sure, they have reported the events surrounding the salute and its alleged ambiguous meaning. But none have condemned Musk for allowing the menacing meaning of the salute to hang in the air. Come on, legacy media! If you are going down, you should go down swinging. End with a bang, not a whimper.

CREW and other organizations sue the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for violating federal law

Part of Trump's blitzkrieg of executive orders is designed to make us feel helpless. But advocacy organizations are already fighting back. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has filed a lawsuit along with several other organizations to force the so-called DOGE committee to comply federal law regarding advisory boards. See DOGE sued to follow the law or cease operations - CREW.

Per the CREW press release,

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is operating in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, according to a lawsuit . . . . The lawsuit seeks a ruling that the establishment of DOGE is unlawful, and for the court to force DOGE to comply with the transparency, ethics, records retention and equal representation required under FACA. Currently, DOGE is operating unchecked, without authorization or funding from Congress and is led by unelected billionaires who are not representative of ordinary Americans. DOGE representatives have reportedly already been speaking with agency officials throughout the federal government, and communication is allegedly taking place on Signal, a messaging app known for its auto-delete features. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that advisory committees follow a specific authorization process, include a balanced membership, have a clear charter including the scope of the committee’s activities, have meetings open to the public and disclose records to the public.

The plaintiffs in the suit are being represented by CREW and Democracy Forward. Check out their websites and sign up for their newsletters. Both organizations are at the forefront of protecting us from government over-reach and unethical behavior.

The first step to supporting the two organizations seeking to limit Trump's lawlessness is to educate ourselves about their work—and I pledge to do that in the near future! If someone from CREW or Democracy Forward is reading this, I would love to interview a representative of your organization to spread the news about your good work to the readers of this newsletter. Thank you and keep up the good work!

Concluding Thoughts

It is difficult to communicate the extent to which Trump assaulted the Constitution on January 20, 2025. For most presidents, a single instance of a clash with the outer limits of the Constitution or federal law is a defining moment in their presidency. On Monday, Trump

Purported to remove birthright citizenship from the Constitution, which provides that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

Purported to create a “pause” in enforcement of a federal law banning TikTok when no such “pause” is authorized by the statute.

Purported to tax foreign countries in violation of existing treaties and international law.

Purported to define gender in a way that will discriminate against more than 1 million transgender people.

Threatened to invade Panama to reclaim the canal in violation of a US treaty with Panama.

But his worst action was to pardon the January 6 insurrectionists. They betrayed their nation and should have been held accountable to prevent future attacks. By pardoning them, Trump has sent the unmistakable message that violence intended to promote his political interests is acceptable and will be pardoned.

On Tuesday, the legacy media in the US should be howling in protest against “Dictator Trump” for assaulting the Constitution as no other president has or ever will. Tuesday will be a litmus test for the future of the legacy media. Sadly, the odds are that they will fail—spectacularly.

So, my friends, it is up to us. No one is coming to save us. We must save ourselves. The first step in that process is to proclaim the imminent threat to democracy posed by Donald Trump. We must not relent, and we must ignore the voices telling us to “calm down” and “chill out.” The twin evils of accommodation and normalization are responsible for our current peril. We cannot repeat those mistakes.

It was a tough day. If you want some perspective and affirmation, check out the discussion in livestream video linked above.

Stay strong, everyone! We are in the thick of the fight already, and we must remain steadfast.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

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You must watch / read this.

I hope you watched David Muir’s interview with President Biden, linked here [Remarks by President Biden Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of D-Day | Collevile-sur-Mer, France]. If you did, you know that Joe Biden is on top of complex issues and has a command of the facts. Now watch (or read) the following exchange (posted on Twitter by Decoding Fox News on X).

In the video clip, a Fox interviewer asks Trump, “What is your relationship with God like, and how do you pray?”

Here is Trump’s answer (transcribed by me from the video; please excuse any errors in capturing Trump’s word salad). Remember, the question is: What is your relationship with God like, and how do you pray?” Let’s see how well Trump answers that question:

Okay, so I think it’s good. I do very well with the evangelicals. And I have more people saying they pray for me. I can’t even believe it. And they are so committed, and they are so believing. They say, “Sir, You’re gonna be okay. I pray for you every night.” I mean everybody. Almost, I can’t say everybody, but almost everybody that sees me, they say, it’s such a beautiful thing. You know, what’s a beautiful thing too? When you look at all of this bad stuff going on, they have nothing to look up to, they have no God, they have no anything. They kill people, they beat people, they push people into subways. So, there’s just nothing there. Religion is such a great thing. It keeps you … you know, there’s something to be good about. You want to be good. You want to …it’s so important, and I don’t know if it’s explained right. I don’t know if I’m explaining it right. But when you have something like that you want to be good. You want to go to heaven. Okay? You want to go to heaven. If you don’t have heaven, you almost say, “What’s the reason? Why do I have to be good? What difference does it make?”

The question was, “What is your relationship with God like, and how do you pray?”

Did Trump answer the question? No. He doesn’t believe in God, much less pray to God. So he threw spaghetti against the wall in the hope that no one would notice that he has no inner spiritual life.

More importantly, Trump’s syntax and thought process demonstrate a seriously disordered mind incapable of stringing together more than five or six words at a time before suddenly shifting to a new thought.

And this is the man to whom many evangelical Christians have tied their fate and that of their nation—not to mention their souls and salvation (within their belief framework).

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[tinydick2]

Your mother has a tiny dick asshole

[misfitwashere]

Joe Biden’s gifts to America

August 2, 2024

ROBERT B. HUBBELL

AUG 2

Over his half-century of public service, Joe Biden bestowed many gifts on America. True, like every politician with a fifty-year record, he has made his share of mistakes. But when it mattered most, Joe Biden stepped into the breach to defend democracy and provide hope to America when it flagged.

He stepped up to challenge Trump in 2020 because he believed he could save America from the horrors of a second Trump term. He was right. That was a gift.

Over the next four years, he restored decency, compassion, and fairness to the governance of great nation. That was a gift.

He proposed and passed sweeping legislation that made historic investments in fighting climate change, protecting the environment, ending child poverty, rebuilding our infrastructure, and bringing chip manufacturing back to America’s shores. That was a gift.

He restored the broken relationships between America and its allies. He was able to do so because our allies recognized that he was a good and decent man whose word could be trusted. That was a gift.

Today, Joe Biden’s gift of renewed international alliances resulted in the freedom of three American citizens wrongfully detained by Russia. The exchange would not have happened except for the relationship of trust and goodwill between President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The German Chancellor agreed to release a Russian assassin held in a German prison. In agreeing to the deal, Chancellor Scholz told Biden, “For you, I will do this.” See WaPo, Inside the deal that led to a blockbuster prisoner swap between U.S., Russia. (This article is accessible to all.)

The complex deal involved 24 detainees and 7 countries—the most complicated prisoner swap between the US and Russia in history. President Biden continued to work his relationships with foreign leaders to close the deal until the very moment he announced his withdrawal from the presidential race. Joe Biden’s selfless efforts were a gift.

The complex deal could not have happened without Joe Biden and Kamala Harris or the cooperation of six US allies. Vice President Kamala Harris played an active role in the negotiations, including private meetings with the Slovenian Prime Minister and German Chancellor at the annual Munich security conference.

The complexity of the deal is beyond the comprehension or attention span of Donald Trump—who boasted that he could secure the release of US detainees from Russia without giving any concessions to Putin. After Joe Biden finished his press conference announcing the deal, a reporter shouted a question about Trump's boast that “that he could have gotten the hostages out without giving anything in exchange.”

Biden stopped, returned to the lectern, and asked, “Why didn’t he do it when he was president?” See embedded video, here.

Within an hour of completing negotiations for the swap, Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race. Thirty-minutes later, he endorsed Kamala Harris for president. At a time when party leaders and podcast pundits were calling for “mini-primaries” and an “open convention,” Joe Biden had the wisdom and foresight to realize that Democrats needed unity and certainty.

Kamala Harris had earned Joe Biden’s endorsement, and he gave it promptly and enthusiastically. Forty-eight hours later, Kamala Harris was the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party. That was Joe Biden’s final gift—a seamless transition that has allowed Democrats to overtake Trump in less than two weeks. Kamala Harris deserves great credit for that result, but so, too, does Joe Biden for his selfless actions, wisdom, and political foresight.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

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Trump's legal and money problems get worse.

Trump pleaded poverty to a NY appellate court on Wednesday, arguing that he didn’t have the money to obtain a bond to prevent collection on the half-billion-dollar civil fraud judgment. On Friday, Trump posted a statement on Truth Social claiming that he did, in fact, have $500 million to obtain a bond. See AP, Trump says he has nearly $500 million in cash but doesn't want to use it to pay New York judgment.

It doesn’t matter whether Trump is lying about having a half billion dollars in cash. By claiming he does, the New York appellate court is unlikely to grant Trump relief from posting the bond. NY AG Letitia James can begin executing the judgment at the close of business on Monday.

There is a point to this development beyond Trump undermining his legal defense. It is another illustration of Trump's inability to control his rage when his ego is involved. And his ego will be on the line again and again through November—both because of his legal jeopardy and his faltering performance on the campaign trail.

It appears that Democrats are paying close attention to Trump's descent into madness and rage. Biden’s stump speech now has a section mocking Trump's claim that he is broke, which is likely to provoke Trump into making more unforced errors.

One potential wildcard for Trump is his ability to pull money out of a security offering by Truth Social’s new parent company.

While Trump may eventually be able to sell some securities in the parent company and generate cash, that is a complicated and uncertain process. Jay Kuo does a nice job of explaining the mechanics of such a sale. More importantly, Kuo points out the potential for corruption and foreign manipulation of a president whose finances are tied to a stock that has no inherent value. See Jay Kuo on Substack, Status Kuo, The Publicly-Traded Presidential Candidate.

However, the public offering of Truth Social stock will likely be a curse for Trump. Being a controlling person in a public company is no picnic. Trump will be subject to a regulatory scheme and disclosures that do not apply to private citizens. Trump hates scrutiny of his finances. It makes it more difficult for him to lie.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

TFG’s sponsor needs to know.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Sign of the Day... in Greenwich Village...

(Mary Elaine LeBey)

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Kamala Harris meets the moment!

September 11, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

Kamala Harris’s debate performance exceeded the unfair and asymmetrical expectations imposed on her by the press and pundits. She was terrific—in command of the facts, unfazed by Trump's bluster, personable, sincere, and likable but strong. That is a difficult mix to maintain in the face of a torrent of lies shouted by a bully who could not be controlled by the moderators. For those who were worried about the possibility that Kamala Harris would somehow stumble and harm her electoral prospects, put those worries aside. The reverse happened. She soared while Trump collapsed into his hollow shell.

Kamala Harris was confident and at ease. Trump sputtered and dodged in a futile effort to avoid answering the moderators’ questions.

I was struck by judgments delivered during the debate by two preeminent historians. I follow both Heather Cox Richardson and Michael Beschloss on Twitter. Near the end of the debate, the historians posted the following comments, which encapsulated the debate for me:

Heather Cox Richardson: “Trump is proving world leaders like him by citing Viktor Orban. Dear heavens. She is walking him like a poodle.” Michael Beschlossos: “From start to end, Kamala Harris has just delivered what is easily one of the most successful Presidential debate performances in all of American history.”

First, I hope HCR writes a book or starts a rock band with the name, “Walking Him Like a Poodle.” HCR’s comment gets to the pith of the debate: Kamala Harris was in charge, leading Trump into traps he knew were traps but could not avoid. In the instance cited by HCR, VP Harris chided Trump, saying that world leaders laugh at him and military leaders believe he is a “disgrace.” Trump responded by citing Viktor Orbán as a leader who respects him. As HCR said, “Dear heavens.” Trump was outmatched and outclassed—bigly.

Michael Beschloss’s comment is significant because it ranks Harris’s performance in the historical context of presidential debates. The precise ranking of her performance matters less than the fact it will be near the top, according to one of the nation’s preeminent historians.

There is too much to cover in tonight’s newsletter, so I will focus on the major newsworthy positions revealed in the debate. I will return later in the week to additional subjects when transcripts and analyses are available. Of note:

Harris presented herself as a candidate offering “generational change.”

Harris advocated for the middle class and small businesses.

Harris promised to sign a bill enacting the protections of Roe v. Wade.

Harris promised to sign the border bill that Trump convinced Republicans to kill.

Harris promised to reinstitute the child tax credit and institute a $6,000 credit for families with newborns

Trump refused to acknowledge that he lost the 2020 election.

Trump refused to express any regret for anything he did or failed to do regarding the January 6 insurrection.

Trump refused to say whether he would veto a national abortion ban.

Trump repeatedly claimed that Democrats advocate for the execution of babies after birth.

Trump refused to say why he urged Republicans to defeat the border bill.

Trump claimed that tariffs are “taxes on foreign nations.”

Trump refused to say whether he hoped Ukraine would defeat Russia war of aggression.

Trump said he didn’t have a plan for healthcare after nine years but has only “concepts for a plan.”

Trump repeated a racist slur that Haitian migrants are stealing and eating pets them in Springfield, Ohio.

No one who watched the debate could believe anything other than the fact that Kamala Harris is smart, capable, and up to the challenge of serving as president and commander-in-chief. Moreover, the debate served as a hyper-charged “media interview”—complete with hostile questions and an obnoxious heckler.

One of the first commentators to publish a review of the debate is David Frum in The Atlantic, How Harris Roped a Dope | She stayed human when Trump went feral. Per Frum,

Vice President Kamala Harris walked onto the ABC News debate stage with a mission: trigger a Trump meltdown. She succeeded. Former President Donald Trump had a mission too: control yourself. He failed. Trump lost his cool over and over. Goaded by predictable provocations, he succumbed again and again. Trump was pushed into broken-sentence monologues—and even an all-out attack on the 2020 election outcome. He repeated crazy stories about immigrants eating cats and dogs, and was backward-looking, personal, emotional, defensive, and frequently incomprehensible.

One final note: During the debate, I received outraged emails from readers about the moderators' failure to control Trump or treat Kamala Harris fairly. While true, let’s not make the debate about the moderators. That is what Republicans are doing tonight—to avoid talking about Trump's meltdown. Let’s focus on Kamala Harris’s ability to show Americans that she is up to the job of being president. That’s the story; let’s not bury the lead.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[filosofablogger]

Committee Flops Like A Dead Fish

Robert Hubbell’s newsletter this morning covered a few important and encouraging topics, for those of us who are feeling a bit overwhelmed by the right-wing drama of late, both in the House of Representatives and in the State of Florida!  Here is just one of the topics he covered … Democrats Fight Back! Robert B. Hubbell 7 March 2023 Democrats have been frustrated by the asymmetry between GOP…

[garudabluffs]

What happens now? Judge Dearie will continue his review of the non-classified documents. We should expect that process will turn out badly for Trump. And then . . . sometime in 2023, we should expect an indictment of Trump for espionage.

“A reader asked in the Comments section yesterday whether the crime of espionage requires an intent to share the defense secrets with another party. It does not. Under Subsection (d) of the 18 USC § 793 (Espionage Act), if a person lawfully obtains possession of information harmful to the security interests of the United States (if disclosed), the person is guilty of espionage if he “willfully retains the same and fails to deliver it on demand to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it."

Thus, under the Espionage Act, there is no requirement of an intent to share the information with anyone. Continued possession of defense secrets after a demand for their return is espionage. That is why the DOJ will indict Trump.”

READ MORE https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/a-good-day

88 Comments “This was quite a masterpiece Mr. Hubbell.  I appreciate your excellent summary of events and the links to documents.  I would also like to add Mr. Raskin's diatribe against the Republicans in the House yesterday.  He gave them heck concerning the January 6 Select Committee.  Here is the link:https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/let-s-tell-some-truth-raskin-goes-scorched-earth-on-republicans-during-hearing-over-opposition-to-jan-6-committee/ar-AA126gqR#:~:text=View%20Profile-,%E2%80%98Let%E2%80%99s%20Tell%20Some%20Truth!%E2%80%99%20Raskin%20Goes%20Scorched%20Earth%20on%20Republicans%20During%20Hearing%20Over%20Opposition%20to%20Jan.%206%20Committee,-Michael%20Luciano%20%2D

Robert B. Hubbell  12 hr ago Author

“There is a DOJ rule against indicting within 69 days of an election. I suppose a November or December indictment is possible .”

“Is it possible for TFG to appeal the 11th Court's decion to the Supreme Court?” Robert B. Hubbell Author “Possible. Highly unlikely that the Court would grant review.”

“A terrific newsletter! To add frosting to the cake of Robert's excellent perspective, check out Lawrence Tribe's conversation Wednesday at the weekly Community Advocates/Jews United for Democracy and Justice. It's on YouTube at” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAg9rT2csgc.

COMMENTS “And may I quote constitutional law scholar Laurence Tribe, who last night stated on a Zoom with Jews United for Democracy and Justice: "The recoking is coming for the president."  (Former president!) I slept well.”

Legal expert reacts to Trump's inaccurate claim about declassifying

https://youtu.be/wAkvJPd1uoI

Attorney who sued Trump over real estate properties speaks out

CNN's Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow discuss the New York attorney general's lawsuit against Trump accusing him of business fraud with New York real estate attorney Adam Leitman Bailey. Bailey has sued Trump in the past over his real estate properties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H_HZlL8cJg

Trump Seems To Think His Presidential Powers Continue

“Former Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security Miles Taylor, former FBI counterintelligence agent Pete Strzok, former U.S. attorney Harry Litman, and Wall Street Journal Justice Department reporter Sadie Gurman react to Trump’s claim that he declassified documents just by “thinking” about it “

364,376 views Sep 22, 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDoIn23gyxg

3,612 Comments  

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Democrat Tom Souzzi wins in NY 3rd congressional district.

Tom Souzzi won the NY 3rd congressional district election to replace disgraced GOP ex-member of the House, George Santos. While Santos won by 7 percentage points in 2022, Souzzi won by approximately 8 percentage points in 2024—a swing of 15 points. By all measures, the outcome is a positive signal for Democratic prospects in November. But—on cue—talking heads are already explaining away Souzzi’s victory and predicting tough headwinds for Joe Biden. Don’t believe them.

Major media thrives on the counter-narrative, i.e., predictions of doom and gloom that seek to turn good news into bad and bad news into catastrophe. Here is a case in point: On Monday, CNN ran an article on the upcoming election in NY 3rd congressional district entitled, New York Democrats are worried about Tuesday’s special election. They have good reason to be.

The CNN article included the sub-headline “Democrats on the brink, and Republicans on the rise,” and predicted that the election would serve as a litmus test for Democratic prospects in November:

“The outcome (of the race) will be a measure of how the Democratic brand can affect races all over the country,” [Larry ] Levy [of Hofstra University] said. “If Suozzi can’t withstand the damage the Democratic Party has sustained over inflation, Israel and immigration, then I’m not sure who could.” [¶] Though no single contest . . . can claim to foretell what comes next in national politics, “Suozzi vs. Mazi” (it rhymes) comes awfully close.

CNN, which has recently turned Trump-curious, undoubtedly regrets claiming that the NY 3rd congressional election “comes awfully close” to predicting “what comes next in national politics.”

There is some truth in CNN’s statement. Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP vice-presidential nominee in-waiting Elise Stefanik campaigned hard for Suozzi’s opponent, hammering on immigration. Both Johnson and Stefanik should be rethinking their approach to immigration today.

We cannot become complacent because of Suozzi’s victory. Rather, the lesson is that we must replicate the enormous effort that went into securing Suozzi’s victory. Even CNN recognized that an army of grassroots volunteers helped Suozzi:

Grassroots progressive groups like Engage Long Island, which is part of the Indivisible network, have been feverishly knocking on doors – taking their case directly to like-minded neighbors. And Suozzi has massively outraised Pilip, taking in $4.5 million to her $1.3 million, according to Federal Election Commission filings that cover the beginning of October through January 24 of this year.

Tonight, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the grassroots volunteers at Indivisible, PostCardsToVoters (sent 202,236 fully handwritten postcards to Democrats in NY-03), Markers for Democracy, Swing Left, and dozens of other groups that did the hard work of getting out the vote to ensure victory! You are all heroes!

There will be much analysis of what this victory means, but none will be more reliable and salient than that of Simon Rosenberg at Hopium Chronicles. Simon played a key role in motivating grassroots volunteers to join the effort to elect Suozzi. I recommend that you check out Simon’s Substack blog on Wednesday. See Simon Rosenberg, Hopium Chronicles.

But the last word goes to the Biden Campaign, which released this statement:

Donald Trump lost again tonight. When Republicans run on Trump’s extreme agenda – even in a Republican-held seat—voters reject them. As we saw in 2020, 2022, . . . .

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

MLK at 95.

January 15, 2024

ROBERT B. HUBBELL

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born 95 years ago on January 15, 1929. As a Baptist minister, he advocated non-violence while promoting civil rights. He spoke for the poor, the oppressed, and the disenfranchised. While he was imprisoned in a Birmingham jail for protesting segregation, he responded to eight white ministers who had criticized him for participating in protests that they described as “unwise and untimely.”

Dr. King’s famous reply to the white ministers explained why he traveled to Birmingham from Atlanta to protest:

I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider.

While Dr. King was keenly aware of the racism that served as the understructure of the Christian church in the old South, he would be shocked by the virulent, mean-spirited, anti-Christian message that animates many (not all) evangelical congregations in America today. They form the backbone of Donald Trump's support in Iowa and beyond. They have adopted Trump's message that treats the poor, oppressed, and disenfranchised as “outsiders” and “others” who do not belong in America.

Over the last several days, we have learned that members of the Texas National Guard��physically blocked federal Border Patrol agents from responding to reports of immigrants in distress in the Rio Grande. The bodies of a mother and two children were later recovered from the river in the area where immigrants were reported to be in distress.

Texas, of course, denies that its cruel actions caused the drownings—a denial that should be viewed skeptically from a state whose governor—Greg Abbott—recently commented Texas troopers could not shoot immigrants crossing the border because the troopers would be charged with murder by the Biden administration. Texas governor criticized after comment about shooting migrants | The Texas Tribune.

Similar animus underlies the recent comments of Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, who withdrew Mississippi from a federal program to provide food to school children during summer breaks. Governor Reeves said Mississippi withdrew from the program to fight “attempts to expand the welfare state.”

Blocking efforts to rescue a drowning mother and her children? Regretting the inability to shoot immigrants because it would be murder? Denying food to poor children out of spite? Who are these people? How do they look at themselves in the mirror?

Ninety-five years after Dr. King’s birth and fifty-five years after his death, it is difficult to believe that people who identify as upstanding members of the Christian church can support such actions.

Another section from Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail is relevant to this moment in our nation’s history:

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. I meet young people every day whose disappointment with the church has risen to outright disgust.

Dr. King’s words were prophetic. See Pew Research (10/17/19) In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace.

And, of course, as Dr. King recognized, “there are some notable exceptions” among church leaders who supported his work—just as there are exceptions today. Several readers have recommended Faithful America as an antidote to Christian nationalism. The organization’s helpful FAQ page explains why “Christian nationalism” is not Christian. See Resisting Christian Nationalism: FAQ + Resources | Faithful America.

On this day commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth, we can see how far we have come—and how much further we must go. He didn’t despair. Neither should we.

Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

More “obeying in advance” by the Washington Post

I haven’t referred or cited to the Washington Post since Jeff Bezos ordered the editorial board not to endorse Kamala Harris for president. I sometimes wonder whether that was the right decision. Today, it became clear it was.

Editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes just published an article on Substack entitled, Why I'm quitting the Washington Post. Telnaes explains that she prepared an editorial cartoon that showed billionaires bowing in supplication to Trump. The cartoon is in the linked article. As explained by Telnaes,

The group in the cartoon included Mark Zuckerberg/Facebook & Meta founder and CEO, Sam Altman/AI CEO, Patrick Soon-Shiong/LA Times publisher, the Walt Disney Company/ABC News, and Jeff Bezos/Washington Post owner.

Telnaes explains,

For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job [publishing the cartoon]. So I have decided to leave the Post. I doubt my decision will cause much of a stir and that it will be dismissed because I’m just a cartoonist. But I will not stop holding truth to power through my cartooning, because as they say, “Democracy dies in darkness”.

Ann Telnaes deserves our respect and admiration for her courage. And the ongoing disgrace at WaPo should cause all self-respecting journalists and columnists to follow Ann Telnaes’s example.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mike Luckovich

* * * *

"Russia, Russia, Russia. It's always Russia!"

October 9, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

On a day of major political stories, the Earth is reminding us that we are guests on this planet subject to our collective good behavior over the long term. Hurricane Milton is threatening Florida like no other storm in the last century. Millions are (wisely) evacuating in the face of strong winds and a record storm surge that will inundate coastal areas.

Two months ago, Trump joked about human-caused climate change creating “more beachfront property.” In 2021, 175 House Republicans and 35 Senate Republicans voted to defund FEMA. See MTN News, A Whopping 175 House Republicans Voted Against FEMA Funding in 2021. Many of those lawmakers are now criticizing FEMA for being overwhelmed and under-resourced. Last week, Speaker Mike Johnson refused to call a special session of the House to enact emergency supplemental funding for FEMA.

Jokes aside, the substantive policy of the Republican Party is to promote fossil fuels and undermine green energy. See Center for American Progress, Project 2025 Would Jeopardize Global Climate Action. One of Trump's first acts in 2017 was to serve notice that the US would withdraw from the Paris Climate Accords, and one of Joe Biden’s first acts was to rescind that notice. If Trump is re-elected, we should expect that Trump will again seek to withdraw from global efforts to fight human-caused climate change. See NBC News, Mike Johnson won't commit to bringing House back before the election for more hurricane relief.

The weather is not the climate and record-breaking weather events are not (in themselves) climate change. But acceleration in global climate trends over time are evidence of human caused climate change. Indeed, the tendency of hurricanes to rapidly increase in intensity—like Hurricane Milton—is part of a new trend in hurricane behavior. See NBC News, Hurricane Milton's rapid intensification is part of a climate-fueled trend.  

Climate change is maddeningly difficult because its effects are difficult to track—until they are not. We may be living through one of those moments in which the effects of climate change are undeniably manifest. The question facing us is whether we have the capacity to maintain our concern and sense of urgency after the water has receded and the news crews have moved to the next breaking story. We need the ability to engage in long-term thinking and the patience to allow solutions to work over decades (or longer).

Many worthy and effective organizations are focused on fighting human-caused climate change. I have previously endorsed and appeared before Third Act, an organization started by Bill McKibben. Third Act describes itself as “a community of Americans over sixty determined to change the world for the better. Third Act harnesses an unparalleled generational power to safeguard our climate and democracy.” Check out Third Act—or highlight your climate focused organization in the Comments section.

In the meantime, my wife and I express our concern and empathy for the hundreds of thousands of Floridians affected by Hurricane Milton. Be safe and follow the guidance of authorities!

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

* * * * *

Texas woman leaves the state to obtain an abortion while Texas Supreme Court ruled that she had no right under Texas law to abortion.

          Kate Cox fled Texas to end a pregnancy that was “incompatible with the life” of the fetus and that threatened her life. Shortly after she fled, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that she had no right to an abortion in Texas. See CNN, Texas Supreme Court rules against pregnant woman seeking abortion as she leaves state for procedure.

          The cruelty and inhumanity of the Texas Supreme Court’s ruling is surpassed only by its denial of personhood to Kate Cox—and every woman relegated to the status of a second-class citizen in Texas. Those who seek to deny reproductive liberty have once again underestimated the reaction of women across America. Kate Cox deserves our sympathy and support. Her courage in challenging Texas’s abortion statute will serve as an example for women across America.

          The deprivation of constitutional liberties in Texas is rightfully the focus of the outrage surrounding this case. But a grim reality underlies the denial of reproductive liberty. In an important article, Katelyn Jetelina outlines the disastrous public health consequences of denying reproductive liberty to women. See Katelyn Jetelina, Your Local Epidemiologist, Women fighting for their lives in the US (substack.com).

          Katelyn Jetelina’s article is incredibly important, and I urge you to read it. She details the suffering imposed on women by reactionary abortion restrictions. For example,

Compared to other high-income countries, the U.S. ranks highest in deaths from pregnancy and childbirth—a mortality rate 20 times higher than the Netherlands.

Non-Hispanic Black women have a maternal mortality rate of 69.8 per 100,000 live births—the highest mortality rate of any racial group.

One study found that every 1-unit increase in the abortion policy index (i.e., more restrictive state-level policies) equated to a 7% increase in maternal mortality.

The estimated increase in maternal mortality post-Dobbs is 24%.

          In short, by restricting reproductive liberty, religious fundamentalists are killing women—something the Texas Supreme Court seemed comfortable with in its ruling on Monday.

          The Texas decision is re-inflicting trauma on thousands of women like Kate Cox and Katelyn Jetelina who suffered through traumatic, life-threatening pregnancies. We will overcome the reactionary movement that has made temporary hostages of our Constitution and women in America. But the tragedy of Kate Cox teaches us that we cannot relent in our battle to restore the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The Harris campaign kicks into high gear

July 26, 2024

ROBERT B. HUBBELL

Kamala Harris has the Trump campaign on its back foot. Whatever Trump’s advisers expected from V.P. Harris, they were wrong. Although Trump and his surrogates have tried several lines of attack, each attempt backfires as Trump offends important constituencies he needs to win. In attacking Kamala Harris, Trump is offending Black Americans, successful women, mothers raising blended families, couples trying to conceive, young people, and more. The Harris campaign has responded forcefully, using a pointed sense of humor that is refreshing and attractive to younger voters who see the internet as a battlefield of ideas.

On Thursday, the Harris campaign released a powerful television ad that was a “no-holds-barred” look at the threat to democracy posed by Trump. See The Guardian, ‘We choose freedom’: Kamala Harris campaign launches first ad. The ad is embedded in The Guardian article; I urge you to watch it. If you don’t, here is The Guardian’s description of the ad:

Released on Thursday morning, the ad opens with shots of Harris’s smiling face behind a podium, the word Kamala, the word Harris, and the American flag. The soundtrack is the beginning of Beyoncé’s song Freedom, to which Harris entered and exited her first speech to campaign staffers after gaining lightning speed momentum on the road to becoming the presumptive nominee. The ad is narrated by Harris, whose first words are, “In this election we each face a question. What kind of country do we want to live in?” She continues: “There are some people who think we should be a country of chaos. Of fear. Of hate,” she says, over shots of Trump and JD Vance. “But us, we choose something different.”

On social media, the Harris campaign has been even more aggressive. The Harris campaign took a clip of Trump imitating Kamala Harris, saying, “I’m the prosecutor and he is the convicted felon.” After Trump admits that he is a convicted felon and Harris is a prosecutor, the ad immediately cuts to a picture of Kamala Harris with her voice saying, “I am Kamala Harris and I approve this message.” The Harris campaign is showing early signs of social media savvy—just as Barack Obama’s campaign did in 2008.

The Harris campaign also went after JD Vance, who described Kamala Harris in 2021 as a “childless cat lady” who should not have an equal voice in the future of America because she does not have biological children. (Harris is a stepmother to two children with Doug Emhoff.) Thursday was “In Vitro Fertilization Day.” The Harris campaign released a statement saying, “Happy World IVF Day To Everyone Except JD Vance.” See HuffPo, Harris Campaign Wishes Happy World IVF Day To Everyone Except 1 Person.

The confidence and swagger of that ad was reflected in the Harris campaign’s immediate acceptance of debate with Donald Trump, set for September 10. But as Kamala Harris demonstrated an eagerness to debate, Trump began hedging his bets, saying he “did not like the idea” of a debate on ABC. See CNBC, ‘Let’s go’: Harris agrees to debate Trump, accuses him of ‘backpedaling’ on Sept. 10 date.

The Harris campaign also used social media to troll Trump's morning appearance on Fox News, during which Trump called Kamala Harris “garbage.” The Harris campaign issued a press release entitled Statement on a 78-Year-Old Criminal’s Fox News Appearance. The press release said,

After watching Fox News this morning we only have one question, is Donald Trump ok? Trump is old and quite weird [and] this guy shouldn’t be president ever again.

For their part, Trump and his surrogates were reduced to claiming that Kamala Harris is a “DEI hire,” a “failed border czar,” and a socialist who will destroy the economy of America.

Luckily for Kamala Harris, economic growth and border security both improved in the second quarter. On Thursday, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the gross domestic product grew at a 2.8% rate in the second quarter, well above the consensus prediction of 1.9% by economists. See USA Today, US GDP report: Latest data shows economy grew 2.8% in Q2 (usatoday.com)

At the border, crossings by immigrants dropped to their lowest level since 2020 (under Donald Trump). See CBS News, Migrant crossings continue to plunge, nearing the level that would lift Biden's border crackdown. Per CBS News,

July is on track to see the fifth consecutive monthly drop in migrant apprehensions along the U.S.-Mexico border and the lowest level in illegal immigration there since the fall of 2020, during the Trump administration, the internal Department of Homeland Security figures show.

My point in noting the responses by the Harris campaign is not to revel in the “zingers” and “smackdowns” that are long overdue. Rather, it is to highlight the nimbleness, swagger, and professionalism of the Harris campaign. The lightning-quick responses would be exemplary for any presidential campaign; they are stunning for a presidential campaign that is four days old.

Although it is still early, it seems clear that the Harris campaign will focus on Trump's criminality, incoherence, age, and hateful agenda. And it is doing so with a satirical edge that transfers easily into internet memes—which is an effective way to create viral messaging that reaches young people. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has been caught flat-footed, trying to ignore the awkward creepiness of JD Vance and Trump's part-time approach to campaigning.

All of this should give Democrats confidence that Kamala Harris will run a strong campaign against an opponent who will wage a vile and hate-filled counter-offensive. If the first few days of the campaign are any indication, Kamala Harris is up to the task.

Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Promises Kept.

January 5, 2024

ROBERT B. HUBBELL

When Joe Biden declared his candidacy for president in 2019, the nation was bruised, battered, and divided by three years of Trump's unrelenting chaos and carnage. During Biden’s year-long campaign, Trump plunged America into darker waters as he tried to extort Ukraine into fabricating lies about Joe Biden and his son. Trump then engaged in gross dereliction of duty by mishandling the nation’s response to Covid, ultimately resorting to lies and quackery as the death toll mounted.

Biden stepped into the breach, promising “to restore the soul, honor, dignity, and decency” of America. In word and deed, Biden has kept those promises—despite virulent and violent opposition by MAGA extremists who sought to prevent the peaceful transfer of power—and who still seek to destroy our democracy today.

Historians may view Biden’s greatest success as the restoration of normalcy, decency, and rationality to the executive branch of the US government. Biden’s legislative accomplishments are historic and will be an enduring legacy standing alone.

Identifying Biden’s legislative successes is easy; identifying the depth and breadth of Biden’s restoration of decency and rationality is more difficult—because living in a normal frame of reference is subtle and ineffable. It infuses every aspect of democracy and political discourse. It is the absence of chaos, it is not waking up every morning thinking, “Oh, God. What has he tweeted now?”, and it is not hearing every governmental action re-interpreted through Trump's lenses of narcissism, delusion, and insecurity.

Joe Biden acts within a rational political framework. His policies can be praised or criticized because they exist (in writing) and reflect the reasoned judgment of Biden and his staff after a period of reflection and debate. They are not made up “on the fly” in response to reporters’ questions shouted over the noise of helicopter rotors.

The return to normalcy, decency, and dignity is neither sexy, compelling, nor “made for TV.” But it was precisely what the nation needed after the chaos of Trump's tenure as president. Joe Biden kept his promises. For that, we owe him a debt of gratitude that we must repay in 2024.

On the eve of the third anniversary of January 6, Biden is launching his 2024 campaign in earnest. In a political ad previewed on MSNBC, Biden said that he is making “the preservation of democracy” the centerpiece of his campaign. In the ad, Biden says, in part,

All of us are being asked, “What will we do to maintain our democracy?” History is watching. The world is watching. Most importantly, our children and grandchildren will hold us responsible . . . .

A campaign theme of “preserving democracy” is neither sexy, compelling, nor “made for TV.” But it is precisely what the nation needs as it stares into the abyss of a second Trump term as president.

I have heard from dozens of readers this week who are disappointed with Biden’s responses regarding immigration and the war in Gaza. Some have suggested that they will not vote or will vote for a third-party candidate. Both of those options are the functional equivalent of voting for Trump.

The freedom to criticize the president is a privilege of our democracy guaranteed in the Constitution. We can debate presidential policies only if we have a democratic frame of reference within which to hold those debates.

That democratic frame of reference will exist under a second Biden term. Under Trump, the democratic frame of reference will be replaced by a simple test: Does speech praise Trump? If not, the speaker will act at their peril. Trump’s vigilantes will threaten the speaker, and state and federal agencies will pretend the threats are harmless jokes or over-exuberant expressions of loyalty to Trump.

The threat of vigilantism to punish speech is not hyperbole. As we approach the third anniversary of January 6, elected officials who criticize Trump or apply the law to his unlawful conduct are being deluged with death threats. They are being “swatted” by sick individuals who call 9-1-1 to make false reports of crimes in progress—resulting in the deployment of armed emergency responders to the elected officials’ homes.

Like Joe Biden, Trump has made promises. He has promised his followers that, if re-elected, “I will be your retribution.” He has also promised that he will be a dictator “on day one” if he is elected to a second term.

Joe Biden has kept his promise “to restore the soul, honor, dignity, and decency” of America. We should take Biden at his word that he will work to preserve democracy if re-elected in 2024.

As with Biden, we should take Trump at his word: He will exact retribution and act as a dictator on day one of his second term.

The competing promises of Trump and Biden tell us everything we need to know about the choice we face in the 2024 election.

Concluding Thoughts.

The choice between presidential candidates in 2024 could not be starker. There is no ambiguity, nuance, or grey area. We must help Joe Biden communicate that fundamental difference and help people understand that the choice in 2024 is not about policies or the economy. It is about democracy—and whether we are for it or against it.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Michael de Adder, Halifax Chronicle Herald

* * * *

Trump promises to eliminate future elections

July 29, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

Last Friday, Trump told Christian rally-goers that “You won’t have to vote any more” if they elect Trump in 2024.

Let that sink in. A presidential candidate promised to eliminate future elections.

The media yawned.

Actually, the media ignored the story (except for The Guardian) until commentators on social media and the Harris Campaign shamed journalists into acknowledging Trump's antidemocratic threat—which they did in a dismissive, begrudging manner.

It is tiresome to highlight the media’s failings, but this incident is so egregious that it is important on many levels. Most importantly, it underscores that Democrats cannot relent in their effort to warn the American people that Trump hopes to end fundamental democratic norms—like the peaceful, regular transfer of power as prescribed by the Constitution.

Among the issues that should drive voters to the polls in 2024, Trump’s repeated promises to end democracy should be the most alarming. But concepts like “democracy” and “tyranny” strike many voters as “abstract.” Taking away the right to vote is not abstract; doing so would render all other rights illusory.

Let’s turn this incident against Trump by convincing voters that Trump really, truly wants to eliminate the right to vote after 2024. And we must not let him (or his surrogates) weasel out of the plain meaning of his words.

What did Trump say?

 At a rally in Florida on Friday, Trump said,

Christians, get out and vote! Just this time – you won’t have to do it any more. You know what? It���ll be fixed! It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote any more, my beautiful Christians. I love you. Get out – you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote.

See The Guardian, Trump tells supporters they won’t have to vote in the future: ‘It’ll be fixed!’.

Like most of Trump's statements, it is simultaneously inscrutable and blazingly obvious. He is promising the end of democracy if he is elected. “In four years, you won’t have to vote again.”

The same words uttered by most other politicians might be susceptible to innocent interpretations. But those words uttered by this president can mean only one thing: He wants to eliminate elections in America. He tried to override the will of the people in 2020 by canceling their votes through coup and insurrection. He says he will do so again if he is re-elected. We should believe him.

To repeat: A presidential candidate has promised that 2024 will be the last time that Americans will vote because “everything will be fixed.” That is the equivalent of a five-alarm fire for democracy.

How did the GOP, the media, and the Harris campaign respond? You can probably predict their responses, but let’s look for ourselves.

The GOP response

In typical GOP fashion, the GOP response was (a) he didn’t mean what he said, (b) he said the opposite of what you think you heard, and (c) Trump says weird things all the time, so chill out!

The typical Republican response was delivered by New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, who laughed off the statement by saying, (a) it was “hyperbolic,” (b) Trump was trying to make the point that “We want everyone to vote in all elections,” and (c) it was a classic “Trumpism.”

Saying that the statement was hyperbolic and “a Trumpism” are. not serious responses because they do not address the substance of what Trump actually said. Trump incited an insurrection by telling people to “Fight like hell” moments before the attack on the Capitol.” We are long past claiming that Trump's words should not be taken seriously and literally.

Claiming that Trump's statement means the exact opposite of what Trump said is depraved. Sununu’s interpretation of “We want everyone to vote in all elections” vs. Trump's “You’re not gonna have to vote again” is depraved. The depravity of Sununu’s perverse interpretation is not diminished because Sununu delivered the lie with a hearty laugh.

Other Trump apologists (on social media) argued that Trump was saying only that Republicans would not need Christian evangelical votes after 2024 because Trump would do such a great job of fixing all problems in America, “you’re not gonna have to vote.” That explanation makes no sense; even if Trump “fixed” all the problems in America in the next four years, the Constitution still requires an election in 2028.

There is simply no reasonable interpretation of Trump's words other than his declaration that in four years, he intends to eliminate elections (if he can).

The media’s response

As noted above, The Guardian gave serious coverage to Trump's statement. US media outlets, not so much. See, for example, Lucian K. Truscott IV’s description of the NYTimes’ pathetic response. As Truscott notes in his Substack, the Times relegated the statements to “a few lines in a wrap-up piece about what’s happening in the presidential campaign . . . and they buried it on the Times website.” The Times then breezily moved on to pedestrian coverage of the campaigns as if they were reporting the details of an itinerary rather than one of the most shocking statements ever by a major-party candidate for the presidency.

Perhaps even worse was the pathetic interview of Chris Sununu by Martha Raddatz on ABC. Raddatz asked Sununu, “What the heck did he [Trump] mean there [in the statement]?” As noted above, Sununu responded,

(a)  The statement was hyperbolic; (b)  Trump meant that everyone should vote in every election; and (c)  That statement is a Trumpism.

Sununu’s pathetic response was enough to satisfy Radattz, whose follow-up question was, “Ok. Let's turn to President Biden and Kamala Harris.”

I won’t pick on Raddatz (much). Almost every journalist on mainstream media is as pathetic as Raddatz. The inability to ask follow-up questions to ludicrous rationalizations of attacks on democracy is staggering. Most are entertainers, not journalists. Their presence on “news” shows is insulting to their viewers.

Raddatz’s failure to challenge Sununu’s answer and her immediate transition to a question about President Biden and Kamala Harris demonstrates the media’s dangerous addiction to mindless “balance” and false equivalency. Nothing Kamala Harris did over the weekend deserves to be in the same news block as a story about a presidential candidate promising to end the need for elections. Nothing.

Having watched the media fail miserably for seven years with Trump, nothing should surprise us. But the guy tried to overturn one election already and is saying he will do it again. What will it take for the media to realize that Trump is a unique threat to democracy who deserves coverage that applies only to aspiring dictators?

Even if the Times and Raddatz believed that Trump's remarks had a benign explanation, they failed to acknowledge the more plausible, malign interpretation. Instead, they were willing to assume that Trump's remarks were harmless “Trumpisms.” They are not. We saw what happened after Trump told his followers on January 6, 2021: “We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore.”

So, continue writing those letters to the editor and comments to stories highlighting the media’s failings. And become a messenger for Harris by amplifying her campaign’s messaging. Read on!

The Harris Campaign’s response

Kamala Harris’s campaign organization has been reacting to Trump's missteps and threats like a rapid response force to each. Early Saturday morning, the Harris campaign posted a clip of Trump's comments and attached the following statement:

Statement on Trump's Promise to End Democracy When Vice President Harris says this election is about freedom she means it. Our democracy is under assault by criminal Donald Trump: After the last election Trump lost, he sent a mob to overturn the results. This campaign, he has promised violence if he loses, the end of our elections if he wins, and the termination of the Constitution to empower him to be a dictator to enact his dangerous Project 2025 agenda on America. Donald Trump wants to take America backward, to a politics of hate, chaos, and fear —this November America will unite around Vice President Kamala Harris to stop him.

The Harris campaign’s statement is spot-on for several reasons. First, the campaign issued the statement just after noon on Saturday morning, showing a willingness and ability to rebut Trump quickly. By responding within the same news cycle, the Harris campaign shaped the social media response, which ultimately prodded the major media to acknowledge Trump's threat.

Second, the Harris campaign identified Trump's threats in plain language, including

“Trump's Promise to End Democracy.” “Last election Trump sent a mob to overturn the results.” “He has promised violence if he loses” “He has promised the end of elections if he wins” “He has promised to terminate the Constitution” “To become a dictator” “To enact dangerous project 2025”

Dangerous threats demand plain language. The Harris campaign rose to the challenge.

The campaign’s statement was strong in another respect: In identifying Trump as a threat to democracy, it identified Kamala Harris as the point of unity to stop Trump. A very smart move! Kamala Harris is giving Democrats the antidote to Trump's cult of personality. The campaign is fashioning Kamala Harris as a champion of democracy. And it is working!

Concluding Thoughts

Trump's threats present a dilemma. Should we take them seriously? Or does our attention give them credence and heft they do not carry on their own? As with most things in life, there is tension in truth. We must take Trump's threats literally and seriously. But we must not ascribe superpowers to Trump or self-executing inevitability to his threats. By taking his threats seriously, we can prevent them from coming to fruition. So, do not despair or cower in fear. Raise the alarm as we work to defeat Trump and stop his dark plans.

Meanwhile, Democrats continue to rally around Kamala Harris. She held her first fundraiser in Pittsfield, MA at the Colonial Theatre. The event was sold out, with an overflow crowd in front of the theater. Kamala Harris spoke after an all-star warm-up that included former Governor Deval Patrick, Senators Warren and Markey, Rep. Neal, and Heather Cox Richardson.

According to those in attendance, the evening was “electric.” The crowd was so enthusiastic, Kamala Harris had difficulty quieting the cheers so she could say “Thank you.” She gave a great speech and pumped up the crowd even further.

In eight short days, Kamala Harris has unified and inspired Democrats in a way that has defied expectations of pundits and career politicians. She is doing so at the precise moment that Trump's veneer of invincibility is cracking. We need to sustain the wave of enthusiasm for Kamala Harris and spread it to others—so that we can push Trump’s downward trajectory past the tipping point of no return. We can do that!

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]