In the On Politics op-ed this a.m., NYT columnist Jess Bidgood wrote that Democrats have gone from "meh to less meh," pulled out a (one) poll that had Trump only one point ahead of Harris.... To be fair, she cites several instances of voters feeling optimistic. But to characterize the massive outpouring of support for Harris as "less meh" is, to my mind, a continuation of the NYT trying to shape public perceptions in unhelpful ways.
"While some attendees were disappointed that Trump didn't require JD Vance to bite the head off of a live bait to prove his loyalty, others were impressed by how many times Trump closed his eyes in prayer while sitting on the platform." Maggie Haberman
Trump and Republicans get away with spewing vitriol and hate speech because they know media will let them get away with it. Thanks for calling them out with specific instances of their hagiography.
I read Haberman as doing just fine She's done two front page videos- this is the first, a pretty straight up report with, one could say some if not a decided bias against Trump and her insight to Trump from consistently reporting on him. This seems cherry picked. She was straight reporting but did not, true, go the extra mile, quetionable that Trump was palying piety to the crowd.
Keep calling them out Aaron. I guess a free press doesn’t matter to them as they enable the autocrat. Thank you for your due diligence. Much appreciated!
The media is profoundly complicit in the rise of trump as a viable political figure. Indeed, the media helped elect trump in 2016. The amount of coverage trump received amounted to millions of free campaign dollars. The incessant negative hammering Clinton received at the hands of the media contributed to her losing. Since that first dark beginning the Democratic Party candidates have had to contend with 2 opponents, the media and their Republican opponent.
Why is this? No one reason. It's a combination of the advent of Russian money, Russian trolls, Corporate greed, wildly inexperienced actors instead of qualified, informed journalists, and the click bait lobotomized American public.
That approach will not work, especially in the media which is supposed to keep us informed-- unless you stay in your channel. He's too big and yes powerful. Responsible media needs are corporate too, and they have their own issues/problems. A lot of what we get from the responsible media is not paid for by the reader. It is what it is. I do not like blaming everything on "the media". That is too simple and not even true. The people, humanity, is more like it. People just ingest; few seem to think more deeply. Some are really ill intentioned and hateful, and promoters or spreaders of that, and some are working against it in their own way.
We like to blame, to cherry pick to prove our points. We like to channelize ourselves too..WE are tribal. Let's stick to the truth and check ourselves about that. I try. Call me on it.
PS.. I have not unsubscribed the WAPO or the NYTimes. I read the comments and comment. Note that the headlines are written by a headline writer. That I do not like.
At this point something needs to be done. Every word this man utters is a flat out fucking lie or rhetoric. All that does is poison the minds of everyone who hears his bullshit.
We need insight and education, understanding, and need it desperately about what is going on with us politically. And then we need a way to defeat in a very short time. Hopefully we will escape Trump and that would be it for him.
But not "Trumpism" even if he is quieted, a much bigger project. It's about the state of things that are going bad in and amongst ourselves that has been happening for a number of years. Trump has used it to catapult his very needy self to this national level: a life's work. He studied and had insight he had to the openings and flaws in our system. We have fallen asleep about protecting what we value-- if we even know what it is anymore. We have let Trump and his MAGA team work us, Including in much of the mainstream media ( not all)... and for sure social media. Substack has really been a gift, though it channels, and at least we can have a conversation, agree or disagree civilly and think.
Those poisoned minds we cannot bother about or lose energy over. They are gone for now. But we do have to go after the head of the snake. We are so short of time to accomplish anything but the most vital. I am hoping that Kamala Harris will bring it to him, shame him, and lay out a forceful positive vision in opposition to what gibberish lies and ultimately destruction of the country they are heading for. That is a big ask. I think she is up to it. But she needs us united and at her back.
I found this re-up very helpful. George Lakoff has been saying these things for a few years. I just read it again and highly recommend it- long but worth the read and the stretch if necessary
I no longer subject myself to the mainstream US press. I also do not do social media other than Substacks. I have become more and more critical of how the press in other countries is covering the US news also. The Left and the Right are not doing it well either. I have come to the conclusion that Journalism schools are failing us, in whom they accept and how they teach. Ethics is missing components, and given modern day realities there should be much better preparation for covering both a fascist election and a fascist government.
"It Was Democratic Voters, Not The Elites Who Picked Kamala Harris"
"The corporate media is trying to spin the rise of Kamala Harris as an act of the elites, but it was the quick and overwhelming support from Democrats that got her the nomination."
I have been criticizing the all fawning over Biden for his unselfish act which is echoed in the comments. Biden had no choice, he was taking us to disaster waiting til the last minute. The NYT article that tells the tale now, speaks of how difficult it was to convince Biden. He would have ruined his legacy, the work he has deserved credit for, and taken the country down if Trump won. The people could see this long before Biden could. The polls, some of the media helped and finally powers-that-be in and out of Congress. The NYTimes really laid it on Biden. They also did a great piece on Pelosi, the other day.
The convicted felon has always seemed to me like he’s the star of his own movie. That fist after the “assassination” attempt was pure Hollywood, which further gives me reason to doubt the authenticity of the attempt. I’m surprised the parents of the shooter haven’t been interviewed. If it ever comes out that it was all a setup, that picture will be iconic, all right. It will completely expose him for the fraud he is.
"A particularly irresponsible New York Times headline proclaimed..." I can't say that I find this headline more particularly irresponsible than so many other NYT headline proclamations. So much of what follows in the body of the articles below them is also consistently particularly irresponsible. Yesterday, Politcus USA reported that the New York Times quoted an anti-Harris voter saying that she was now voting for Trump in their latest poll story. The problem was that voter was a fraudster convicted felon. Here's my response to Politicus and to you.
I know that the NYT hated/hate Biden. Guess I shouldn't be surprised that they may actually want Trump to win. But I am. What's the real story with the NYT? Seems like someone should be reporting on it. They (whoever calls the shots) keep f**king with our democracy and getting away with it.
So far, the media has also ignored women voters. Women are, unfortunately, used to this. Women don't like Trump and he selected JD Vance, another misogynist. Never underestimate women.
The stink of the 34 Count Felony Factory and his Shillbilly Punk will never come off the Republican Party, the MSM and the Maggots. They will never shake the smell off them either because they tried to destroy our democracy. Project 2025 supporters will never be free either and the United States of America will never allow this to be implemented because we will always vote to save democracy from treasonous dictatorship. Look at how ugly and stupid they have shown themselves to be. Yes I’m personally pointing at those in the MSM, they will say because they wanted to save their jobs but I will say: Are you anymore safe in your jobs now that you tried to betray your fellow Americans? I don’t think so and neither will true Americans who said No!
The MAGA cult’s *king* is *THE* master con. To quote….”the likes of which we’ve never seen” It’s in his blood, his head and entire being. When he rose from the rally stage with clenched fist shouting *fight* it indicated to me that he was calling in his troops. Anyone else would have been assuring the *fans* that he was OK. tRUMP’s life has been to play the victim, martyr, he knows no other feelings IMHO. Such paranoia.
The press is made up of people, flawed, and corporate executives, compromised. People are fearful of losing their jobs so "bothsides" and bottom line enters the picture, as always. The press walks a line. At this point when it's existential and the Truth about the threat is so egregious, everyone should be not partisan, but about saving this country from a dramatic change even to the future of the press. As well, or so, there is FALSE HOPE, that Trump will change ( as there was such hope in 2016) because he got a bullet or shrapnel on his ear and there was an attempt on his life. But he is more of a hero now. Christ has risen. This man and his enormous following just does not go away. The obvious is that this leopard does not change his stripes. he says what he needs to say at the moment for his con. And the press goes for it. Fool me once, keep fooling me.
I don't like to use the word fascism.. unless it's from Tim Snyder or knowledgeable people who are giving me context and reason. Without saying what and why, it becomes name calling, labeling. Trump will use simple name calling for his simple minded audience. Understanding what is propaganda and fascist is for the opinion sections and it's covered here and on Substack and such...The Atlantic, The New Yorker, the NYRB, and others etc.
The news has to strive to be truthful. That is very difficult to do without bias.
If you prefer authoritarianism to fascism, so be it, but I have seen both Snyder and Ben-Ghiat warn of fascism. I think it is important to use a word so that people understand that the elements are in the making. In addition to Timothy Snyder I am following Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat who is a fascism expert at NYU, and has written the book Strongmen, which I recommend.
well so be it.. but I am careful not to throw that word around because it is a double edged sword and can be (and is) used as name-calling.. including wrecklessly. I have even heard the people we call "fascists" using it. So people get confused and thoughtless. When the word is used it has to be backed up which your linked people do. But please notice and be careful.
I think that one way to "cancel" or confuse a word Trump & friends use is to call the other side what they have been called. Then it's 'they do it too' or they do it, "they are projecting" and then the language becomes useless, name calling. Wasting time on our version of us against them and gotchas. Kamala has to do this ( engage it) somewhat if they debate, not only rise above like Hillary and Michelle tried to. Kamala has to check this emotional appeal with more appealing emotion. Hate is so addictive, but it has to be broken through. (Sorry to go on, I did not mean or want to.. but we gotta be smarter.)
I appreciate your quibbling language. We do this in my home all the time. The Democrats let the Republicans get away with defining them as "The Left" for a long time. Well, that was careless, and now they cannot undo it although they should start working on this. A lot of people don't even know what the different belief systems are so they accept this misuse of language as truth. Others ignore it. So, many vote for the Republicans because they misuse language and it is persuasive. However, if we let the Republicans own all words that describe them, and avoid using them, then we have no words left to speak the truth. I realize that language is constantly emerging. So, is our understanding of how fascist propaganda works. I am glad that Harris is following the formula of we go high when we talk about ourselves, but she also throws their words back at them and makes it a mockery. The cruelty revealed is theirs not hers. Sarcasm can be used by Trump and it can be used by Harris. Both with the other's words. I was wondering whether Trump was getting advice about the election from Putin, via Orbán. Putin is a master manipulator. Right now Harris is throwing Trump's Biden is Old back at him, and she will have to repeat it a lot of times for it to stick. Once it does he will be getting back some of what he put out there. He is looking for what to stick to her. He said bad things about Obama, but Obama won because his message was Yes We Can! backed by a powerful song. It seems Harris's message is Freedom! Backed by a powerful song! Will it work again? Let's hope so.
Kamala Harris's message, that I adopted instantly was what she said on one of her first featured speeches I think in Delaware after Biden bowed out: "We can do this!" Her positivity! I read many comments and people were getting depressed, packing their bags, tuning out figuring it's hopeless. It's not. But we have a short window. So I have no patience for those who are looking at other candidates at THIS point. And I must confess some residual anger with Biden for being in denial. ( another story). Trump may be getting advice from Hitler, Goebels, Putin, Orban.. and elsewhere. He also has the instinct. But he is getting old and "off". To his crowds they are so brainwashed and hyped that it does not matter. But Harris can debate him and win much better than Hillary could or did. Hillary was trying to be reasonable, rational and refuting his lies, while he intimidated her and gish galloped etc. The media thought Clinton won. The public thought Trump one. The public seems to want a gladiator fight. That's a lesson. I think Harris learned. She's a different sort of fighter. I hope she will use Trump's modus of appeal to the emotional brain and needs, to slay the monster. Biden was way too weak to do this. And the Democrats deferred to this. Lots of blame.
I highly recommend Lakoffs that has been re-upped.. still very insightful. It shows how we don't really understand how to defeat someone like Trump. And we should because "we can do this!" WE will have to do this. At least half of us will not allow this to happen here. We won't be Russians.
In the On Politics op-ed this a.m., NYT columnist Jess Bidgood wrote that Democrats have gone from "meh to less meh," pulled out a (one) poll that had Trump only one point ahead of Harris.... To be fair, she cites several instances of voters feeling optimistic. But to characterize the massive outpouring of support for Harris as "less meh" is, to my mind, a continuation of the NYT trying to shape public perceptions in unhelpful ways.
That is one opinion, to be fair.
The media are complicit for sure.
"While some attendees were disappointed that Trump didn't require JD Vance to bite the head off of a live bait to prove his loyalty, others were impressed by how many times Trump closed his eyes in prayer while sitting on the platform." Maggie Haberman
Trump and Republicans get away with spewing vitriol and hate speech because they know media will let them get away with it. Thanks for calling them out with specific instances of their hagiography.
https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/trumps-eyes-were-closed-during-prayer-rnc-he-was-not-asleep-2024-07-17/
Where did you get the above quote from??
I read Haberman as doing just fine She's done two front page videos- this is the first, a pretty straight up report with, one could say some if not a decided bias against Trump and her insight to Trump from consistently reporting on him. This seems cherry picked. She was straight reporting but did not, true, go the extra mile, quetionable that Trump was palying piety to the crowd.
Check her X account too.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000009580491/donald-trump-concludes-rnc-with-mixed-message.html?
Keep calling them out Aaron. I guess a free press doesn’t matter to them as they enable the autocrat. Thank you for your due diligence. Much appreciated!
The media is profoundly complicit in the rise of trump as a viable political figure. Indeed, the media helped elect trump in 2016. The amount of coverage trump received amounted to millions of free campaign dollars. The incessant negative hammering Clinton received at the hands of the media contributed to her losing. Since that first dark beginning the Democratic Party candidates have had to contend with 2 opponents, the media and their Republican opponent.
Why is this? No one reason. It's a combination of the advent of Russian money, Russian trolls, Corporate greed, wildly inexperienced actors instead of qualified, informed journalists, and the click bait lobotomized American public.
What could go wrong?
Need to stop giving this man FREE publicity. Stop talking about him. Unless it’s totally newsworthy, don’t breathe his name
That approach will not work, especially in the media which is supposed to keep us informed-- unless you stay in your channel. He's too big and yes powerful. Responsible media needs are corporate too, and they have their own issues/problems. A lot of what we get from the responsible media is not paid for by the reader. It is what it is. I do not like blaming everything on "the media". That is too simple and not even true. The people, humanity, is more like it. People just ingest; few seem to think more deeply. Some are really ill intentioned and hateful, and promoters or spreaders of that, and some are working against it in their own way.
We like to blame, to cherry pick to prove our points. We like to channelize ourselves too..WE are tribal. Let's stick to the truth and check ourselves about that. I try. Call me on it.
PS.. I have not unsubscribed the WAPO or the NYTimes. I read the comments and comment. Note that the headlines are written by a headline writer. That I do not like.
At this point something needs to be done. Every word this man utters is a flat out fucking lie or rhetoric. All that does is poison the minds of everyone who hears his bullshit.
We need insight and education, understanding, and need it desperately about what is going on with us politically. And then we need a way to defeat in a very short time. Hopefully we will escape Trump and that would be it for him.
But not "Trumpism" even if he is quieted, a much bigger project. It's about the state of things that are going bad in and amongst ourselves that has been happening for a number of years. Trump has used it to catapult his very needy self to this national level: a life's work. He studied and had insight he had to the openings and flaws in our system. We have fallen asleep about protecting what we value-- if we even know what it is anymore. We have let Trump and his MAGA team work us, Including in much of the mainstream media ( not all)... and for sure social media. Substack has really been a gift, though it channels, and at least we can have a conversation, agree or disagree civilly and think.
Those poisoned minds we cannot bother about or lose energy over. They are gone for now. But we do have to go after the head of the snake. We are so short of time to accomplish anything but the most vital. I am hoping that Kamala Harris will bring it to him, shame him, and lay out a forceful positive vision in opposition to what gibberish lies and ultimately destruction of the country they are heading for. That is a big ask. I think she is up to it. But she needs us united and at her back.
I found this re-up very helpful. George Lakoff has been saying these things for a few years. I just read it again and highly recommend it- long but worth the read and the stretch if necessary
https://www.theframelab.org/understanding-trump-again/
I no longer subject myself to the mainstream US press. I also do not do social media other than Substacks. I have become more and more critical of how the press in other countries is covering the US news also. The Left and the Right are not doing it well either. I have come to the conclusion that Journalism schools are failing us, in whom they accept and how they teach. Ethics is missing components, and given modern day realities there should be much better preparation for covering both a fascist election and a fascist government.
my above
I will add one more link to your great reporting. “The Daily”, which makes a very important additional point via their post.
https://open.substack.com/pub/politicususa/p/it-was-democratic-voters-not-the?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=c0q6
This was "The Daily" Headline and lede -
"It Was Democratic Voters, Not The Elites Who Picked Kamala Harris"
"The corporate media is trying to spin the rise of Kamala Harris as an act of the elites, but it was the quick and overwhelming support from Democrats that got her the nomination."
SARAH JONES & JASON EASLEY JULY 24 AT 12:47 PM
I have been criticizing the all fawning over Biden for his unselfish act which is echoed in the comments. Biden had no choice, he was taking us to disaster waiting til the last minute. The NYT article that tells the tale now, speaks of how difficult it was to convince Biden. He would have ruined his legacy, the work he has deserved credit for, and taken the country down if Trump won. The people could see this long before Biden could. The polls, some of the media helped and finally powers-that-be in and out of Congress. The NYTimes really laid it on Biden. They also did a great piece on Pelosi, the other day.
The convicted felon has always seemed to me like he’s the star of his own movie. That fist after the “assassination” attempt was pure Hollywood, which further gives me reason to doubt the authenticity of the attempt. I’m surprised the parents of the shooter haven’t been interviewed. If it ever comes out that it was all a setup, that picture will be iconic, all right. It will completely expose him for the fraud he is.
Clinton Eastwood should end a cease-and-desist.
"A particularly irresponsible New York Times headline proclaimed..." I can't say that I find this headline more particularly irresponsible than so many other NYT headline proclamations. So much of what follows in the body of the articles below them is also consistently particularly irresponsible. Yesterday, Politcus USA reported that the New York Times quoted an anti-Harris voter saying that she was now voting for Trump in their latest poll story. The problem was that voter was a fraudster convicted felon. Here's my response to Politicus and to you.
I know that the NYT hated/hate Biden. Guess I shouldn't be surprised that they may actually want Trump to win. But I am. What's the real story with the NYT? Seems like someone should be reporting on it. They (whoever calls the shots) keep f**king with our democracy and getting away with it.
It is as if we are reading an article about 2016. How has nothing changed?
So far, the media has also ignored women voters. Women are, unfortunately, used to this. Women don't like Trump and he selected JD Vance, another misogynist. Never underestimate women.
The stink of the 34 Count Felony Factory and his Shillbilly Punk will never come off the Republican Party, the MSM and the Maggots. They will never shake the smell off them either because they tried to destroy our democracy. Project 2025 supporters will never be free either and the United States of America will never allow this to be implemented because we will always vote to save democracy from treasonous dictatorship. Look at how ugly and stupid they have shown themselves to be. Yes I’m personally pointing at those in the MSM, they will say because they wanted to save their jobs but I will say: Are you anymore safe in your jobs now that you tried to betray your fellow Americans? I don’t think so and neither will true Americans who said No!
The MAGA cult’s *king* is *THE* master con. To quote….”the likes of which we’ve never seen” It’s in his blood, his head and entire being. When he rose from the rally stage with clenched fist shouting *fight* it indicated to me that he was calling in his troops. Anyone else would have been assuring the *fans* that he was OK. tRUMP’s life has been to play the victim, martyr, he knows no other feelings IMHO. Such paranoia.
The press is made up of people, flawed, and corporate executives, compromised. People are fearful of losing their jobs so "bothsides" and bottom line enters the picture, as always. The press walks a line. At this point when it's existential and the Truth about the threat is so egregious, everyone should be not partisan, but about saving this country from a dramatic change even to the future of the press. As well, or so, there is FALSE HOPE, that Trump will change ( as there was such hope in 2016) because he got a bullet or shrapnel on his ear and there was an attempt on his life. But he is more of a hero now. Christ has risen. This man and his enormous following just does not go away. The obvious is that this leopard does not change his stripes. he says what he needs to say at the moment for his con. And the press goes for it. Fool me once, keep fooling me.
The press needs to learn how to understand fascist propaganda.
I don't like to use the word fascism.. unless it's from Tim Snyder or knowledgeable people who are giving me context and reason. Without saying what and why, it becomes name calling, labeling. Trump will use simple name calling for his simple minded audience. Understanding what is propaganda and fascist is for the opinion sections and it's covered here and on Substack and such...The Atlantic, The New Yorker, the NYRB, and others etc.
The news has to strive to be truthful. That is very difficult to do without bias.
If you prefer authoritarianism to fascism, so be it, but I have seen both Snyder and Ben-Ghiat warn of fascism. I think it is important to use a word so that people understand that the elements are in the making. In addition to Timothy Snyder I am following Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat who is a fascism expert at NYU, and has written the book Strongmen, which I recommend.
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ruth-ben-ghiat/strongmen-ben-ghiat/
Also, I subscribe to Ben-Ghiat's Substack, Lucid. https://lucid.substack.com/
She is the one that says that Trump is a master at fascist propaganda.
well so be it.. but I am careful not to throw that word around because it is a double edged sword and can be (and is) used as name-calling.. including wrecklessly. I have even heard the people we call "fascists" using it. So people get confused and thoughtless. When the word is used it has to be backed up which your linked people do. But please notice and be careful.
I think that one way to "cancel" or confuse a word Trump & friends use is to call the other side what they have been called. Then it's 'they do it too' or they do it, "they are projecting" and then the language becomes useless, name calling. Wasting time on our version of us against them and gotchas. Kamala has to do this ( engage it) somewhat if they debate, not only rise above like Hillary and Michelle tried to. Kamala has to check this emotional appeal with more appealing emotion. Hate is so addictive, but it has to be broken through. (Sorry to go on, I did not mean or want to.. but we gotta be smarter.)
George Lakoff, the cognitive linguist, starting writing about this years ago. Here again:https://www.theframelab.org/understanding-trump-again/
https://www.theframelab.org/understanding-trump-again
I appreciate your quibbling language. We do this in my home all the time. The Democrats let the Republicans get away with defining them as "The Left" for a long time. Well, that was careless, and now they cannot undo it although they should start working on this. A lot of people don't even know what the different belief systems are so they accept this misuse of language as truth. Others ignore it. So, many vote for the Republicans because they misuse language and it is persuasive. However, if we let the Republicans own all words that describe them, and avoid using them, then we have no words left to speak the truth. I realize that language is constantly emerging. So, is our understanding of how fascist propaganda works. I am glad that Harris is following the formula of we go high when we talk about ourselves, but she also throws their words back at them and makes it a mockery. The cruelty revealed is theirs not hers. Sarcasm can be used by Trump and it can be used by Harris. Both with the other's words. I was wondering whether Trump was getting advice about the election from Putin, via Orbán. Putin is a master manipulator. Right now Harris is throwing Trump's Biden is Old back at him, and she will have to repeat it a lot of times for it to stick. Once it does he will be getting back some of what he put out there. He is looking for what to stick to her. He said bad things about Obama, but Obama won because his message was Yes We Can! backed by a powerful song. It seems Harris's message is Freedom! Backed by a powerful song! Will it work again? Let's hope so.
George Lakoff: Understanding Trump Again
A longish read but very worthwhile and insightful..
https://www.theframelab.org/understanding-trump-again/
Kamala Harris's message, that I adopted instantly was what she said on one of her first featured speeches I think in Delaware after Biden bowed out: "We can do this!" Her positivity! I read many comments and people were getting depressed, packing their bags, tuning out figuring it's hopeless. It's not. But we have a short window. So I have no patience for those who are looking at other candidates at THIS point. And I must confess some residual anger with Biden for being in denial. ( another story). Trump may be getting advice from Hitler, Goebels, Putin, Orban.. and elsewhere. He also has the instinct. But he is getting old and "off". To his crowds they are so brainwashed and hyped that it does not matter. But Harris can debate him and win much better than Hillary could or did. Hillary was trying to be reasonable, rational and refuting his lies, while he intimidated her and gish galloped etc. The media thought Clinton won. The public thought Trump one. The public seems to want a gladiator fight. That's a lesson. I think Harris learned. She's a different sort of fighter. I hope she will use Trump's modus of appeal to the emotional brain and needs, to slay the monster. Biden was way too weak to do this. And the Democrats deferred to this. Lots of blame.
I highly recommend Lakoffs that has been re-upped.. still very insightful. It shows how we don't really understand how to defeat someone like Trump. And we should because "we can do this!" WE will have to do this. At least half of us will not allow this to happen here. We won't be Russians.