#Roy Newsome

[paul-archibald]

Music for New Year

The hope and optimism of a New Year is one of the hallmarks of New Year’s Day, with resolutions made and a time to celebrate new beginnings. The music composed for this time of year can be both joyful and reflective so the music in today’s programme will hopefully lift the spirits and provide the perfect start for the year ahead.  George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)Music from The Royal…

[tiffany-of-jaffa]

Headcanon that in the overcrowded swamp au, Henry is a major rather than a Colonel, Frank and Charles are both captains. Also, Calvin Spalding, Steve Newsome, Syn-Paik/Cho-wan Ho, Roy Dupree, Sydney, Ugly John, Oliver, Ginger, Margie, Lorraine Anderson, and Lt. Scorch are there.

[goopgirlie813]

We got a lot of time and we need to start preparing now. If we make it through Trump's presidency intact we need to elect a good democrat president (or if by some miracle the gop does a massive u turn then one of them that has good policies). There probably won't be official running announcements for a good while but let's get an idea of who is most likely to get in the race:

I would suggest reading up on all of these candidates and creating yourself a personal list of pros, cons, and achievements for each one. When intent to run does get announced, you'll be equipped to help support their campaigns.

Even before then, decide which one you would most like to see as president and try to support them in general. Widespread vocal support of a given candidate for president may increase the odds that they choose to run.

(I am getting started on both as we speak. I will reblog with my candidate preferences in order to encourage further discussion after I've done some reading. I am also going ahead and following the tags for each of these people's names as well as their social media accounts so that I get updates from them. I reccommend yall do the same.)

Also, now would be a good time to get involved with your local democratic party and learn how primaries work. Be prepared to show up and help us get a good ticket when the time comes.

[nodynasty4us]

From the July 11, 2024 roundup:

“It’s an extremely tricky situation for all of the candidates who would like to succeed Joe Biden, including the governors,” said a veteran Illinois political observer who was granted anonymity to speak freely. “No one wants to be seen as the person who is telling grandpa publicly you have to take away his car keys — if you also want to follow grandpa and own the car. Nobody wants to alienate Joe Biden’s base because they know they will need them later.”

[farm-lesbian]

shiv & marie at the mill by joanna newsom

[nodynasty4us]

Let's run down why these particular people are being talked about for vice president.

Were probably going to run in 2028 and were widely suggested as Biden replacements by people who didn't want Harris: Newsom, Whitmer

Popular governors of red states: Cooper, Beshear

Wealthy and could contribute tons of his own money to the campaign: Pritzker

Name recognition from a previous presidential attempt: Buttigieg

Rising stars who are not as well known nationally and could use the exposure to prepare for 2028 or 2032: Kelly, Shapiro

[politicalfeed]

Harris Picks Up Enough Delegate Support to Win Nomination on

Vice President Kamala Harris swiftly secured the Democratic nomination for president, reaching the required delegate threshold just one day after launching her campaign. Following President Joe Biden’s unexpected withdrawal and endorsement of Harris, she has amassed the necessary delegate support to become the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer.

Wave of Endorsements

The rapid accumulation of endorsements from potential rivals, lawmakers, governors, and influential labor and advocacy groups was pivotal in Harris’s quick ascent. On Monday evening, state delegations pushed her over the threshold of 1,976 pledged delegates needed to win the nomination on the first ballot, according to CNN’s delegate estimate.

Harris’s Campaign Kickoff

Harris’s campaign began with a bang. She held a campaign event in Milwaukee and visited the campaign’s headquarters in Delaware, delivering a powerful speech that outlined her vision and set the tone for her campaign. During her address, she emphasized her prosecutorial background and directly confronted former President Donald Trump’s scandals and legal troubles.

Financial Surge

Harris’s campaign announced an unprecedented fundraising haul of $81 million in the first 24 hours, with over 880,000 grassroots supporters contributing. ActBlue, the Democratic donation-processing site, confirmed it was the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. The Democratic super PAC Future Forward also secured $150 million in commitments within 24 hours of Biden’s announcement.

Uniting the Party

Harris has received widespread support across the Democratic Party. Four governors of crucial Midwestern states — Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota’s Tim Walz, Wisconsin’s Tony Evers, and Illinois’s JB Pritzker — endorsed her, along with other notable governors like Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, North Carolina’s Roy Cooper, California’s Gavin Newsom, and Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro.

On Capitol Hill, Harris has garnered the backing of over 40 Democratic senators and nearly 100 House members. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly announced her enthusiastic support for Harris. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are also expected to endorse her soon.

Broad-Based Support

Harris’s support spans the ideological spectrum of the Democratic Party, from moderate populists like Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown to progressives such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The political arms of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus, along with key labor unions like the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of Teachers, have also endorsed her.

Conclusion

The coordinated and rapid endorsements reflect the Democratic Party’s unity and urgency to rally behind Harris. With no credible challenger emerging after Biden’s exit, the primary focus now shifts to who Harris will choose as her running mate. The overwhelming support she has received underscores her strong position as the party’s nominee and sets the stage for a dynamic 2024 presidential campaign.

[lenbryant]

(LongPost) Joe Biden completely recast the 2024 election and Donald Trump can't handle it

Democrats were able to take bold action. Republicans are still embracing a fascist, who's having a full-blown meltdown.

Michelangelo Signorile

President Biden did something Donald Trump could never do: give up power.

He listened to members of his own party, people who weren’t afraid to speak up.

That’s the opposite of what happens in the GOP, where Trump silences anyone who challenges him with threats of political annihilation, the hallmark of an authoritarian.

And now, as Biden announced he was dropping out of the race while focusing on important issues for the remainder of his successful presidency, we can all get behind a historic candidate for president, Vice President Harris, someone who will energize voters and transform this presidential race.

Already, Democrats have raised a torrent of money from online small donors—over $50 million as of last night. It was the biggest online haul from small donors since 2020, showing the enormous excitement.

The Signorile Report is reader-supported. If you’ve valued reading The Signorile Report, consider becoming a paid subscriber and supporting independent, ad-free opinion journalism. Thanks!

Yes, these last few weeks and the process surrounding them were messy and drawn out, taking up precious time. We weren’t in agreement about what was playing out. Many of us went back and forth in the span of a few days—or even a few hours. It was also often enraging and heartless, as a sensational corporate media inflamed the discussion for its own purposes. I was certainly outspoken about that, as were many of you.

But we’ve come to a great place.

First off, the drawn-out process—which mostly was about Biden coming to a decision that certainly had to be made deliberately and with care—wound up benefiting Democrats and hurting Trump. He chose JD Vance, going full MAGA extremist and Project 2025-backed in his VP running mate selection. He was cocky and confident that Biden wasn’t leaving the ticket. He would have chosen someone who highlighted diversity or was part of the GOP establishment if he believed Biden was stepping down and endorsing Harris.

Better yet, Trump’s entire campaign and the entire Republican National Convention have been wasted, as they were focused on a candidate who is no longer running. He’s even now whining about having spent all his money on Biden. Poor baby.

We also seem to have dodged the suggestions of a “mini-primary” and a chaotic battle at the Democratic convention. There is simply no time left for that. As the days went on, more Democratic leaders came behind supporting Harris if Biden dropped out, as a consensus was built. It helped to alleviate fears of disunity and a party in disarray at an open convention in August.

There will likely still be an open convention and voting by the over 4000 delegates, as Democratic leaders heed the advice of those who say this shouldn’t be a coronation by the few hundred members of the Democratic National Committee.

But other potential candidates, named in recent weeks by those calling on Biden to drop out, took themselves out of the running. Governors Gavin Newsom, Wes Moore, and Gretchen Whitmer made that clear, while Governors Josh Shapiro and Roy Cooper quickly endorsed Harris, as did Cabinet Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona. They are all potential running-mate contenders, with Shapiro, Whitmer, Cooper, and Kelly reportedly under the most serious consideration.

So Harris will not have any real competition—even as Joe Manchin laughably announced he may re-register as a Democrat to run for the nomination, only to backtrack on the idea this morning—and Harris comes with a campaign war chest and, most powerfully, Biden’s endorsement, which the majority of delegates will surely honor. Already, at least five state delegations to the DNC announced they unanimously backed Harris as the candidate, as did all 50 Democratic state party chairs.

I know there’s lots of disagreement, angst, and sadness among many about the pressure put on Biden to drop out. I was in fact among those who two weeks ago were saying we needed to get behind Biden, as he’d made it clear he was not leaving the race and we needed to focus on Trump. And many were annoyed that the discussion continued even after Biden said he was staying in.

But I trust that almost everyone involved has been acting in good faith (except for the corporate media). Trump is an existential threat. Concerned people, from the donors and members of Congress to the rank and file of the party, had different opinions about what would be the least risky path. Many believed Biden should stay in, viewing that was less risky, while others pushed for a replacement, seeing that option as having less risk. And it was debated in the open for over three weeks.

This is where that’s all come now, and everyone should get behind Harris. And let’s be clear that it happened because Biden, and Biden alone, made a selfless decision to put the country ahead of himself based on data about the race and what he was being advised. That shows him to be a patriot in addition to having had one of the most successful presidencies in history, one which Harris, as a member of that administration, can build on in a new presidency.

Don’t buy all of the palace intrigue stories in the media about Biden “seething” in recent days at his beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, “digging in” and refusing to drop out—stories based on unnamed sources and reported even as late as Sunday morning, just hours before he announced he was leaving.

We now learn—from the same media that pushed those narratives, mainly the New York Times—that Biden was in fact preparing his letter to the American people announcing he was leaving the race all day Saturday, even as the reports of him being “dug in” were circulating well into Sunday afternoon just before his announcement.

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The president saw polling and other data that made it clear to him that he needed to make a move. Biden saved us from Trump in 2020, and he now passes the torch to a candidate who makes history, who would become the first woman and Asian American, and the second Black person, to become president. 

Biden is not stepping down because of cognitive decline—contra the ridiculous claims of those in the GOP now saying he can’t run the country if he can’t run for president—but rather because of shaky support in polls (in his case, because of a very bad debate that exacerbated the situation). This is what President Lyndon B. Johnson did in 1968—another enormously successful one-term president—and what other presidents did after they saw support dwindling. So it’s nothing new, and the president can certainly run the country for the remainder of his term.

This is a fresh start, and, as I said, the excitement is reflected in the amount of money Harris raised from small donors—and the big donors who were worried about Biden—in less than 24 hours.

And Donald Trump is very worried.

As I noted, he picked JD Vance, an extremist in his positions and a bit of a dud in his oratory and campaign skills, thinking Biden was the candidate. He stupidly listened to his two not-very-bright sons, Eric and Don Jr., who were charmed by Vance, who is a tool of the man who bankrolled him, tech billionaire Peter Thiel. The Vance pick was lauded by the leaders of Project 2025, who excuse Trump’s crimes and wouldl help him commit more as they work with him to consolidate power.

Trump again tried in vain to distance himself from Project 2025 at a rally on Saturday in Michigan, deathly afraid of the connection. And after Biden’s announcement on Sunday, he showed how petrified he is of Harris, already pushing back against debating her.

His fear drove him to write ugly, panic-laden posts on Truth Social attacking Biden and Democrats, which had critics saying he was “shitting his pants” in an overnight meltdown. Even the far-right Wall Street Journal editorial page criticized Trump in an editorial, headlined: “Trump Gives an Assist to Democrats: His reaction to Biden’s decision was small-minded and divisive.”

The 2024 election is Donald Trump’s to lose, and he may yet manage it.That was our reaction to his splenetic outburst on Sunday after President Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race. It should have been an opportunity to show some class and judgment by welcoming the decision, warning U.S. adversaries not to take advantage of Mr. Biden’s last few months in office, and saying Vice President Kamala Harris will have to defend Mr. Biden’s failed record. Short and presidential, with a unifying tone. Not Donald Trump. On Truth Social on Sunday after the announcement, the former President posted this: “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for president and is certainly not fit to serve—and never was! . . .” And on down from there.  We realize Mr. Trump is frustrated that he won’t be able to run against Mr. Biden. The biggest doubt voters have about Mr. Trump is that he’s a divisive, vindictive man who is unable to speak for all Americans. He had a chance on Sunday to show he was capable of more, but he didn’t rise to the occasion. 

Trump, of course, will never “rise to the occasion,” as he is incapable of it. The WSJ editorial page knows this, even as they hope against all hope.

And “frustrated” isn’t the word I’d use to describe his reaction to not running against Biden. He is, rather, immensely frightened.

Trump is now the oldest candidate in the race, one showing mental declineas he fumbles sentences, confuses names, makes non-sensical comments about “the late, great Hannibal Lecter," and is an overall rambling, low-energy mess. That was clear in his sleepy yet hateful and ultimately disastrous acceptance speech at the convention—and it’s why he’s not campaigning a lot—which completely upended the convention’s bogus unity theme.

Trump thought running against Biden, and using the media’s one-sided obsession with Biden’s age, would insulate him. Now he’s exposed, as all the focus will be on his fumbles in addition to his authoritarianism.

The entire MAGA world is, in fact, angry and fearful, railing on social media and attacking Democrats and Biden. And Trump’s campaign officials are worried. Per Axios:

Some of [Trump’s] advisers are quite concerned that a fresh, youthful, non-Biden ticket presents a bigger threat than Trump assumes…the Trump team's biggest concern, and some early polling flicks at why, is that Harris would help turn out more women, who historically vote in greater numbers than men. Harris, armed with Democrats’ abortion message, which worked well in off-year elections — could leverage the nation's gender divide.

Be fully prepared that they will be working hard to demonize Harris. Democrats have got to define her before the Trump and the GOP does. The good news is that she’s already a high-profile figure who has truly grown in he past year, on the campaign trail and in her public profile.

The contrast now couldn’t be clearer: a convicted felon and his enablers vs. a former prosecutor and her fighters for justice. It’s autocracy vs. democracy.

If some voters, as the polls suggested, disliked Trump but were reticent about Biden because of his age and the debate performance, they now have a new choice: a woman who will be making the case against Trump on reproductive freedom, racist bigotry, and democratic freedoms.

It’s time to rally everyone, get energized for this fight, and beat Donald Trump.

[projazznet]

Larry Coryell – Barefoot Boy (1971)

Barefoot Boy is one of Larry Coryell’s finest recordings as a leader. … This recording is a noteworthy example of the possibilities inherent in the early days of fusion, blending the electrifying energy of rock with the improvisational excitement of jazz.” – Jim Newsom/AllMusic.

Larry Coryell – guitar Steve Marcus – saxophones Mike Mandel – piano Mervin Bronson – bass Roy Haynes – drums Lawrence Killian – conga Harry Wilkinson – percussion

[plethoraworldatlas]

President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance Thursday evening against presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump—an unhinged, would-be authoritarian whose lies were glaring and constant—sent much of the Democratic Party establishment into a spiral of panic and ignited calls for the incumbent to step aside to allow another Democratic candidate to take on the former president in November.

The alarm began to set in just minutes into the CNN-moderated event in Atlanta, with Democratic operatives and lawmakers exchanging despairing texts with reporters and each other after the president declared—after appearing to lose his train of thought—that "we finally beat Medicare," an absurd line that followed his stumbling attempt to explain that the nation's ultra-rich pay far too little in taxes.

"For example, we have a thousand trillionaires in America—I mean billionaires, in America," said Biden, his voice raspy from what his campaign says was a cold. "And what's happening? They're in a situation where they, in fact, pay 8.2% in taxes. If they just paid 24% or 25%, either one of those numbers, they'd raised $500 million—billion dollars, I should say, in a 10-year period."

The beltway access outlet Politicoreported that the text message inboxes of its journalists quickly blew up with expressions of dismay from Democratic lawmakers and the names of potential options to replace the 81-year-old incumbent, who cruised through the primary process without a serious challenge.

"I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue," an unnamed member of the House Democratic caucus wrote to Politico. An anonymous Democratic insider told the outlet that they believe "there are short lists being made" for Biden's potential replacement, lists that reportedly include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

An unnamed Democratic lawmaker toldThe Financial Times that "many House Democrats tonight, representing a wide cross-section of the Democratic caucus, were privately texting one another that Biden needs to announce he's decided not to run for reelection"—a belated conclusion that drew disdain from commentators who have been warning for months that a Biden reelection bid could be calamitous.

"Hilarious to watch elite consensus shift and see all the media folk who knowingly created the Biden 2024 catastrophe now desperately try to maintain credibility by depicting themselves as the courageous voices demanding a course correction when it may already be too late," The Lever's David Sirota wrote Friday morning.

The frenzied discussions of a last-ditch replacement effort spilled over into the editorial pages of major newspapers, panel discussions with former White House officials and ex-lawmakers, and the segments of prominent corporate television shows, including MSNBC's "Morning Joe"—which Biden reportedly watches obsessively.

In a panel discussion following Thursday night's 90-minute debate, CNN national political correspondent John King said that "there is a deep, a wide, and a very aggressive panic in the Democratic Party" that began shortly after the debate kicked off and "continues right now."

"It involves party strategists, it involves elected officials, and it involves fundraisers. They are having conversations about the president's performance, which they think was dismal, which they think will hurt other people down the party in the ticket," said King. "And they're having conversations about what they should do about it. Some of those conversations include should we go to the White House and ask the president to step aside. Other conversations are about should prominent Democrats go public with that call."

Dire concerns about Biden's performance and broader readiness to compete in the November election were amplified by Trump's showing during Thursday night's debate, which further showed that the presumptive Republican candidate poses a grave threat to democracy, the climate, workers, and fundamental rights.

"Tonight put on full display how broken our political system is. Our generation deserves better," Stevie O'Hanlon, communications director for the youth-led Sunrise Movement, said in a statement. "The debate also made it undeniable that a Trump presidency would be a climate catastrophe. When Trump was asked if he would address the climate crisis, he ignored the question completely—because he can't answer it. He has promised oil and gas CEOs that he will expedite drilling permits, hasten fracked gas pipeline approvals, and release 'vast stores' of oil and gas on public lands. In return, they're bankrolling his campaign."

"Biden touted achievements that young people fought hard and long to win: the Civilian Climate Corps and the Inflation Reduction Act. Like in 2020, we will fight like hell to defeat Donald Trump so we have the political conditions to end the fossil fuel era and win a Green New Deal," O'Hanlon added. "But President Biden and the Democratic establishment's choices have made an election against a convicted felon dangerously tight. Young people have offered Democrats the vision, energy, and policy on which to beat Donald Trump. They have turned away from it. If there is to be any chance of beating Trump this November, they must listen to young voters."

"Biden is manifestly not up to the task of combating Trump's lies, vitriol, and neofascism—nor is he capable of articulating a coherent progressive vision capable of galvanizing voters this fall."

It's far from clear that mounting calls for Biden to end his reelection campaign and clear the way for a viable replacement will move Democratic leaders or the White House, which has been adamant that the president will be on the ballot in November even as Democratic voters indicate they would prefer someone else as their nominee.

A Gallup survey released ahead of Thursday's debate showed that just 42% of Democratic voters are pleased with Biden as the nominee and a majority want a different candidate.

But Robert Costa of CBS News reported in the debate's aftermath that unnamed sources close to Biden said there is "zero chance" the president "steps away from running."

...

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also stood by the president, telling reporters on Friday that he should not drop out of the race even as one unnamed House Democrat—described as an "outspoken defender" of Biden—toldPolitico's Jonathan Martin that Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) should seriously consider a "combined effort" to convince the incumbent to step aside.

"The movement to convince Biden to not run is real," the lawmaker said.

However, Martin noted, "many top party officials" feel that "Biden can't be persuaded let alone pressured."

"One Democratic governor called the debate 'beyond bad,' but said it was 'too late' to nominate a new standard bearer," Martin reported.

But analysts argued Thursday's debacle solidified the case that a Biden candidacy is untenable—and could gift Trump and his far-right allies another four years in power, which they're planning to use to unleash a massive assault on reproductive rights, public education, immigrants, environmental regulations, and more.

"I'm not saying that Joe Biden is going to lose the presidential election because of tonight's debate. The race is still ridiculously too close to call at this point," saidZeteo's Mehdi Hasan, a former MSNBC host. "But it's not looking good. And what I am saying is that you're deluded if you believe Joe Biden, at this stage of his life, is the best person Democrats have to offer against Donald Trump, against a fascist."

...

After acknowledging that "a comatose Joe Biden would make a better president than Donald Trump," Vox's Eric Levitz wrote Thursday that even though "there is no way for the Democratic Party to deny Biden the nomination at this point," party leaders could "personally lobby the president to step aside and endorse his preferred successor, preempting the hazards of a contested Democratic convention in late August."

"Waiting months to anoint a presumptive nominee would be highly risky. Rallying around Biden's handpicked heir now would be much less so," Levitz added. "The president's policy positions and governing record matter more than his current skills as a rhetorician. But precisely because of how much is substantively at stake in this election, Democrats cannot afford to wager it on American voters changing their minds and deciding that Biden isn't too old for his job after watching him struggle to remember the topics of his own sentences."

RootsAction, a progressive group that urged Biden in late 2022 not to run for reelection and has been calling on the president to step aside for more than a year, said in a statement that Thursday night underscored the incumbent's "severe liabilities as a candidate."

"Biden is manifestly not up to the task of combating Trump's lies, vitriol, and neofascism—nor is he capable of articulating a coherent progressive vision capable of galvanizing voters this fall," the group said. "There is still time before the party convention to decide on a different nominee for the party. Democratic leaders must finally heed the clear preference of Democratic voters and reconsider their backing of Biden's candidacy."

"We need a swift intervention to make Biden voluntarily a one-term president so a Democratic nominee can be up to the job of defeating Trump," RootsAction added. "The stakes could not be higher for the future of the United States, and the world."

[twwpress]

Weekly Press Briefing #72: November 5th - 11th

Welcome back to the Weekly Press Briefing, where we bring you highlights from The West Wing fandom each week, including new fics, ongoing challenges, and more! This briefing covers all things posted from November 5 - 11, 2023! Did we miss something? Let us know; you can find our contact info at the bottom of this briefing! 

Challenges/Prompts:

There are no open challenges/prompts that we know of this week. Do you have a challenge or event you’d like us to promote or know of one we’re missing? Be sure to get in touch with us! Contact info is at the bottom of this briefing.

This Week in Canon:

Welcome back to This Week in Canon, where we revisit moments in The West Wing that occurred on these dates during the show’s run.

Season 1, Episode 7: The State Dinner aired on November 10, 1999.

Season 2, Episode 6: The Lame Duck Congress aired on November 8, 2000.

Season 3, Episode 5: War Crimes aired on November 7, 2001.

Season 4, Episode 7: Election Night aired on November 6, 2002.

Season 5, Episode 6: Disaster Relief aired on November 5, 2003.

Season 6, Episode 4: Liftoff aired on November 10, 2004.

Season 7, Episode 7: Live Debate Episode aired on November 6, 2005.

Photos/Videos:

Here’s what was posted from November 5 - November 11:

Allison Janney posted a reel of Christopher Walken dancing (from a Fatboy Slim video) along with a message celebrating the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Amy Landecker posted photos of herself, Brad, and their former Transparent castmate Paula Newsome at the opening night of Alex Edelman’s show Just For Us. 

Bradley Whitord posted a promo image for Alex Edelman’s show Just For Us along with glowing praise. 

Dule Hill posted an announcement and celebration post about the SAG-AFTRA strike being over. 

Dule Hill posted a video of himself tap dancing on the helipad on the roof of the St. Regis Mexico City. 

Janel Moloney posted a photo of her beagle Ollie curled up on an outfit she had laid out. 

Mary McCormack posted a photo of herself limbering up before a day of walking the picket line, a photo of herself walking with her “WB warriors” Ever Carradine and Elizabeth Wachsberg, and a photo of herself with her “union strong sisters” (including Allison Janney) along with a message of solidarity. 

Peter James Smith posted photos from backstage/behind the scenes on Upload (3rd season now streaming on Amazon Prime): 1 | 2 | 3 

Donna Moss Daily: November 5 | November 6 | November 7 | November 8 | November 9 | November 10 | November 11

Daily Josh Lyman: November 5 | November 6 | November 7 | November 8 | November 9 | November 10 | November 11

No Context BWhit: November 5 | November 6 | November 7 | November 8 | November 10 | November 11

@twwarchive: November 9 

Edits/Artwork:

#ABBEYBARTLET: showing a little décolletage… by @livsbenson [VIDEO EDIT]  season 2 joshdonna you were everything to me!! by @nacejisbon [VIDEO EDIT]

Editors’ Choice: 

We are taking a week off and will be back with fresh recommendations next time! 

Fics:

Presenting your weekly roundup of fics posted in the tag for The West Wing on Archive of Our Own. 

Josh/Donna

Errors and Omissions by Chinesepapercut | Rated M | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

Domestic Days by spooky_spacegirl | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

Come Back, Be Here by MatthewsMary | Rated E | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete [Editor’s Note: While this fic is listed on AO3 as complete, it has continued to update and appears to be a WIP]

On the Trail by Tyrols | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

it’s tough to feign indifference, baby by coldswaters | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete 

Other Pairings/Gen Fic

Getting Both by E_Rocc | Rated G | Christopher Mulready, Roy Ashland, Jed Bartlet (No Pairings Listed) | Complete

it started off with a kiss... now it ended up like this by imawkwardlysoc | Rated G | Sam Seaborn/Original Female Character | In Progress

right or wrong by helsinkibaby | Rated G | Ainsley Hayes/Leo McGarry | Complete

The Language of Tomorrow by silasfinch for justdreaming88 | Rated T | Ellie Bartlet/Original Female Character(s) | In Progress

PA Stories by pipisafoat | Rated T | Josh Lyman (No Pairings Listed) | In Progress

Two For the Road by onekisstotakewithme for miabicicletta, Luppiters, daylight_angel | Rated G | C.J. Cregg & Toby Ziegler (No Pairings Listed) | Complete

Breathe by GlitteringNiffler | Rated T | Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet | Complete

The Vice Presidency  by pipisafoat | Rated G | Leo McGarry/Original Female Character(s) | Complete

Come Apart by krazykitkat | Rated M | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | Complete

Multiple Pairings

War & Peace by miabicicletta for krazykitkat, onekisstotakewithme | Rated T | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Andrea Wyatt/Toby Ziegler, Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet | In Progress 

THE WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING TEAM CAN BE REACHED VIA THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

Twitter: @TWWPress

Email: weeklypressbriefing@gmail.com

Feel free to let us know if we missed something, if you have an event you’d like us to promote, or if you have an item that you’d like included in the next briefing!

xx, What’s next?

[nodynasty4us]

From the August 8, 2024 opinion piece:

The grim reality for Govs. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) and Andy Beshear (D-KY) is that a Harris/Walz victory potentially means giving up, or at least seriously delaying, their ambitions of sitting in the Big Chair. If Harris wins, she will almost certainly run for reelection in 2028, which means the four above-mentioned governors can't run until 2032, by which time they will all have hit term limits and won't be governors any more. ... Meanwhile, if Trump wins, all four can attack him constantly and vie for the honor of being leader of the opposition. And all four can run in 2028, either as a sitting governor or a recently retired governor. That is clearly much better for them, but it would be uncouth to let on.  ...

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also has to secretly hope the Trump wins or that Harris can find a place for him in her cabinet. However, he could possibly run for governor of Michigan when Whitmer is term-limited in 2026. Being governor of a swing state for 6 years would be an excellent position to run for president in 2032. The one governor who is in relatively good shape for a future presidential run is Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC). He is likely to challenge Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) in 2026. If he wins that, he will have to decide whether to run for reelection or run for president in 2032.

[farm-lesbian]

SHIV AND JOANNA | ribbon bows | soft as chalk | does not suffice | have one on me

[objectivistnerd]

2024 Democratic Veepstakes Straw Poll

Since President Joe Biden announced he would not be running for a second term last Sunday, the Democratic Party has coalesced around his endorsed candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris. However, since we're only a few weeks out from the Democratic National Convention, this has forced the traditional selection of a running mate into a massively condensed timeline. Potential contenders have had to be much less subtle than in previous cycles, and Harris's potential to become the first female President raises the salience of just who she selects to be on the ticket with her.

In this poll, please select the candidate who you think makes the most sense. This includes their level of experience, whether they bring demographic and geographic balance to the ticket, and whether they can appeal to swing voters and/or energize the base. Please choose the option which you think would make her more likely to win, even if you personally want her to lose. (I promise the DNC is not consulting a self-described neoliberal capitalist's Tumblr polls when doing candidate selection.)

Tumblr is not real life and half of y'all are communists anyway, but I love running polls with too many options so I couldn't help myself. These names came from reported short lists via Wikipedia. A few have publicly declined, but when has that ever stopped a politician?