Fridays with Nicole Sandler

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74 replies
    • earlofhuntingdon says:

      David Faris strains credulity by writing, “it strains credibility … to assume that Americans would vote for one but not two women.” He’s writing as an advocate, not an analyst. He also seems to beg the question. Forget his assumptions, what do voting analyses really say?

      The question is whether voters in this election can be persuaded to vote for two women on the ticket. Who’s assessing that, with what biases? How do those risks stack up against the risks posed by other candidates. That may be as much art as science, but it’s also a battle between progressive action and a more risk-averse reading of the voting base.

      • Savage Librarian says:

        I did notice that. But I think people are surprised at the resounding response to Kamala. Volunteers have stepped up in astounding numbers. I’m definitely good with anyone she picks as a running mate. But I no longer think Big Gretch is out of the question.

      • Harry Eagar says:

        I finally heard someone say (but was only half-listening to the radio and don’t know who it was) what I have long known: evangelicals have a very strong objection to voting for women.

        Which doesn’t mean they won’t do it or that any would vote for Harris anyway, but helps explain why the US has never had a woman leader even though the South Asian nations — Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan — have even though none would be considered feminist societies.

        • earlofhuntingdon says:

          You’ve picked a voting group that seems unlikely to vote for a Democrat, regardless of gender. But, yes, Christian [sic] nationalists see to hate the idea of women in leadership positions. J.D. Vance is an ardent supporter of that view.

        • bevbuddy says:

          Dear Kamala Harris, I am so glad you are a strong fighter for democracy. That is the measure you should use for your VP pick.

          We all need to be.

          Quoting:

          https://www.mind-war.com/p/catholic-coup-jd-vance-paypal-mafia

          Catholic Coup: JD Vance, PayPal Mafia, Opus Dei & Knights of Malta
          Jim Stewartson

          “Last month, Pope Francis, who seems to be zeroing in on this group of radical fascists in the Vatican, took the highly unusual step of of excommunicating the former top Catholic in the United States Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, for schism. This means the Pope found that Vigano was no longer a follower of the Catholic Church but someone who wanted to destroy it.

          “In 2020, according to Mike Flynn, Vigano became Flynn’s “personal priest.” A week before the election that year, both Flynn and “Q” posted a pro-Trump letter from Vigano almost simultaneously. Ever since, Vigano has become more and more radical, including a recent “sermon” that included “Pizzagate” references. He is also a blatant Russian agent, including being a speaker at “Russophile” conferences with Aleksandr Dugin in Moscow.

          “Theocracy is a Tool of Fascists

          “Peter Thiel and JD Vance’s adoption of René Girard as a rationale for playing God and attempting to impose radical Christian theocracy on the world “for our own good,” is the consequence of a world in which psychopathy and messianic narcissism are lavishly rewarded. The “PayPal Mafia,” of which Vance is effectively the mascot, believe they are so much more intelligent and powerful than everyone else they are entitled to destroy the world in order to rebuild it in their own images.

          “The problem is not with religion, or Christianity, or Catholicism. It’s with people who use the beliefs of others to hoax them into self-destruction.

          “We should not be afraid to call out the difference. And we’d better soon, because this Catholic Coup is nearing completion.”

        • Rayne says:

          I’m really uncomfortable with the overbroad brush painting this a “Catholic coup” when right in the first graf of the excerpt you’ve shared the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, excommunicated the fascist cleric Carlo Maria Vigano. The reason for excommunication, schism, tells us this fascist and others who identify as Catholic but share Vigano’s beliefs have split from the Catholic Church.

          Better to call them fascist heretics attempting to co-opt the Catholic Church. Insurrectionists, if you will.

    • Harry Eagar says:

      Not all evangelicals are Christian nationalists or Dominionists. But just about all the preachers preach subordination of women.

      I have never seen a study of how evangelical women vote that question.

  3. Clare Kelly says:

    Thanks, as always.

    People forget that Kamala Harris been subject to nasty vitriol her whole life.

    She’s also had a very strong support group to help her flourish.

    She’s been through a few election campaigns, too.

    I don’t think she was surprised by the crowd picking up “We’re not going back”.
    The line was classic ‘call and response’. I saw her repeat her line, then mouth it to the crowd.

    At any rate, I wept through almost the entire speech in Milwaukee, for a variety of reasons, and was reminded of the Kamala Harris campaign speeches I’ve heard in California.

    She’s reconnected to her authenticity.

    After four years of a lawless, authoritarian-curious Trump administration, a global pandemic, a never-ending January sixth coup, (successful) squeakers to pass real solutions in Congress, a never ending drone of hand-ringing over President Biden’s age, SCOTUS, a humanitarian failure in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the prospect of an even worse 2nd Trump term and the rise of global authoritarianism…I think Americans are relieved and energized at the prospect of ‘Not goin’ back’.

    Gaslighting is over. This administration has an extraordinarily successful record. And there’s a lot of work to do. There will be some very, very, dirty tricks to legitimize a coup.

    And then, there’s the very real prospect of the first woman… ever, as President of the United States, FF’sS.

  4. Savage Librarian says:

    One of my favorite things that Kamala says is, “Can you believe they put that in writing?!!”

    I can’t tell you how many times that went through my own head during my ordeals with white supremacists, bigots, and idiots. I never said it out loud and I always kept a very calm, straight face when those things happened (except that one time I called somebody a liar in a meeting. Uh-oh…)

    But there was one time that really hit the jackpot. It came through the mail, in someone’s own handwriting, addressed to me. And when the shit hit the fan for that person, they were totally clueless. They couldn’t figure out what went down.

    So, I’m glad to hear Merrick Garland is focusing on civil rights for the rest of this administration. Even when I had lots of evidence, it was a long, long haul to set things right. And I was all alone. Thank Goddess that things have finally moved forward.

  5. OldTulsaDude says:

    Kamala Harris was my choice in 2020. I viewed her early exit as a sign of maturity, pragmatism, realism, qualities that, along with optimism, make for a great leader. Now that Trump has actually stated his plans to make voting unnecessary after this year, it is imperative all eligible find a way to vote, and cast that vote for Harris.

  6. John H Wolfe says:

    In addition to the NYTs lack of reporting on Trump, there has been very little in the times on the murder of Sonya Massey. At least the Post has some updates on this murder.

    I point this out, although it might be out of place here, because Trump wants the police to have expanded immunity That is relevant and could be highlighted in NYT articles about the Sonya Massey murder and Trumps policy positions.

  7. Clare Kelly says:

    This got me so fired up that I think I screwed up my “Name and Email” fields.

    Mea culpa, Rayne.

    Not only did both Kamala and Joe call her family, they immediately called on Congress to pass the Tim Scott-sabotaged George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

    I only saw brief coverage of this in The Guardian.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/23/kamala-harris-sonya-massey-killing-police-reform

    (Argh, this is in reply to John H Wolfe).

    The contrast between Trump, this administration, and Kamala Harris as a POTUS candidate could not be more stark.

    We’re not goin’ back.

  8. RockyGirl says:

    Vote on day one of early voting. News articles etc of a huge crowd that can’t wait to vote for Kamala will further the narrative that she is a winner, which in turn will encourage others to vote for her for fear of missing out.

    [Welcome back to emptywheel. Please use the SAME USERNAME and email address each time you comment so that community members get to know you. You attempted to publish this using what I believe is your real name; I have edited your username to match your previously established username. Please check your browser’s cache and autofill. /~Rayne]

  9. synergies says:

    It’s interesting who the VP pick will be. I googled who would choose Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly’s replacement if he became VP & it would be the current Democratic governor & if I read correctly also has to be the same party as the Senator being replaced. In total happiness, at first I thought how cool a two woman ticket would be. Maybe a bit much. Here’s what I think. I think there is this tremendous excitement, energy & people getting involved. People within the campaign will discuss & debate with others. We Democrats aren’t bad when we debate & decide : ) Speaking of; I love Gabby Giffords & Mark Kelly but would that energize the gun crowd?
    Decisions, decisions, decisions : )

  10. Matt Foley says:

    To JD Vance,
    Where can I pick up my refund for the 27 years of school taxes I’ve paid?
    Thanks,
    Childless Cat Man

    • Clare Kelly says:

      I’m cackling, gleefully. Ty.

      Dear Apple warranty Dept:

      I did not spew liquid at my screen.

      How dare you!

      • Matt Foley says:

        JD,
        Please see IRS Schedule 8812 Credits for Qualifying Children and Other Dependents.
        Thanks,
        Childless Beardless Cat Man

        • Harry Eagar says:

          One thing I have never seen remarked is that the Catholic Church used to be opposed to state subsidy for religious schools.

          Dunno when that happened or if the change was ever formally endorsed, but when I was at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, Father Shea was clear on the matter.

        • earlofhuntingdon says:

          I’d like to see support for that position, Harry. The Catholic church benefited substantially from state aid to public schools, from transportation and books and supplies, to supplementary teaching and aid for special needs.

          Conversely, much of that aid was struck down as unconstitutional, principally from the 1950s onward, until the new make-up of the S.Ct., especially under Cheney/Bush – and post-Reagan societal changes – began to reverse the trend.

          The Court’s current Catholic majority seems bent on mandating state aid, reversing the trend from banning, to neutrality, to benevolent neutrality, to whatever the Court calls its current position.

        • earlofhuntingdon says:

          I meant state aid to “private” schools, which pre-Reagan, were overwhelmingly Catholic parochial schools.

  12. Badger Robert says:

    OT: perhaps Ed Walker could develop the use of polls as a heuristic device to ignore the facts of the last 8 years and instead validate the opinions of the cruelest and stupidest part of the public as uncritically news worthy.

  13. Magnet48 says:

    klynn I have never heard such profound wisdom from anyone in my life. My own mother came close & was headed in this direction but James Talarico is the real deal. I was screaming with joy & amazement tears streaming. Thank you for sharing this incredibly uplifting young man with us. And in Texas! How perfect! I feel nourished, there is no other word for it. For all the spirituality that my mother spoke of I could not connect it in any way to the world I saw around me except in her actions. Then I learned about FDR & fell in love with an idea of America but America always kept falling short & after Reagan America got lost in the sweep of greed. Talarico defines what America stands for.

  14. Savage Librarian says:

    Time’s Come Due

    You are a felon, you
    In your decline

    We’ll call you on the things you do
    We tell you, we ain’t playing
    We ain’t playing

    So, please understand it
    No, we won’t back down
    You know better, Donald
    Understand it
    The time’s come around
    Oh, yeah

    You are a felon, you
    In your decline

    You know time’s come due
    Time’s come due
    Time’s come due
    Time’s come due here and now
    And to be fair
    Yes, we will be free
    Of this we vow

    You are a felon, you
    In your decline

    So, please understand it
    No, we won’t back down
    You know better, Donald
    Understand it
    The time’s come around
    Oh, yeah

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzmS4p3jXvs

    “IZA – I Put a Spell On You”

    • Clare Kelly says:

      Thanks, Savage Librarian.

      Nina Simone’s “Feelin’ Good” summed up my feelings this week.

      And, like the allies supporting Kamala Harris now, there’s a cover for everyone.

      A Michael Buble’ cover showed up in my Apple Music suggestions after I downloaded Nina and The Pussycat Doll’s versions.

      ;)

      • Savage Librarian says:

        LOL. I wondered if you would stop by and share this. I almost used it, too. I love it. The beat, saxophone, snorts, laughing, screaming. It’s wonderful. When my brothers and I were kids and our mom was mad at us about something, we shortened that famous line to “I don’t care if you DON’T want me, I’m YOURS.”

        • SunZoomSpark says:

          SL,
          You may know that my EW handle SunZoomSpark is the name of a song by Captain Beefheart on Clear Spot.
          I got hipped to Screaming Jay when Frank Z signed him to Bizarre Records.

          Legend has it that Jay had 75 kids!

        • Savage Librarian says:

          Jalacy J. “Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins has quite a personal history. He was a hot mess and loved theatrics. In some respects he was very much like Trump. That’s why using his song for a parody came to mind.

  15. Magbeth4 says:

    Pete for VP. He is smart, good with the Press, attractive, married, with children, executive experience running a city and a very big Agency of the government.

    • bgThenNow says:

      I just read an interview someone sent me directly so I can’t post the link because it is in the NYT. Lulu Garcia Navarro’s interview with him in the magazine.

      Last Sunday, I started asking people in my circle who would be their choice, every one said Pete B.

      He is really amazing. I don’t know if we are ready for a gay VP, but he is white. From the midwest. He has had a lot of visibility. Married with Babies. The Rs have not been able to touch him. He has the resume.

      And he’s young.

        • Clare Kelly says:

          “The fact that they can’t think of what else to do besides go right to race and gender isn’t just revealing about some of the ugliest undercurrents in today’s Republican Party. It’s also just profoundly unimaginative, because it means that they can’t speak to how any of this is going to make people’s lives better.”
          ~Pete Butigieg

          Profoundly unimaginative.

          “The Interview” is also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and a weird app whose Editor, Joe Kahn, needs to resign just like President Biden did from HIS campaign.

          :)

      • David Brooks says:

        My fellow Boomers, who became politically aware in the 60s, are beginning to move in.

        • fatvegan000 says:

          Remember the big parade they had, with all their golf carts decked out in Trump flags and wearing his gear? A few of the sane Villagers were protesting on the side of the road and one old man in a cart veered toward them, put up his fist and yelled “White Power!”

          I was totally shocked and will never forget that.

    • bgThenNow says:

      I love the Villages and James T links today. So great. Thank you EW friends! Also thanks to those who had a way to post the PB interview.

  18. harpie says:

    New:

    Gunman at Trump Rally Was Often a Step Ahead of the Secret Service
    Text messages, obtained exclusively by The Times, indicate that some law enforcement officers were aware of Thomas Crooks earlier than previously known. And he was aware of them. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/28/us/politics/trump-shooting-thomas-crooks-secret-service.html July 28, 2024 Updated 3:33 p.m. ET

    I’ll leave this here for people to see, but also post it on the “Trump Invites Reporters” post
    because it’s more on topic there.

  20. JanAnderson says:

    Not going back, certainly. Listening to the gloom and doom bros, Trump and Vance, bloody depressing. A couple of wet blankets, bleh. What in the world does any voter see in them? The abyss? The hubs of hell? LOL
    You go Harris, let the sunshine in.

  21. not-the-dart says:

    Willie Nelson’s “Bring Me Sunshine” recorded July 8, 1968 at RCA Victor Studio in Nashville, TN seems apropos to “let the sunshine in”.

    The recording “Willie Nelson – Bring Me Sunshine” from the Grand Ole Opry “MisterHuskey” posted on YouTube 14 years ago is a favorite:

    Bring me sunshine in your smile
    Bring me laughter all the while
    In this world where we live there should be more happiness
    So much joy you can give to each brand new bright tomorrow

    Thanks to Lyrics dot Com for verse above…

  22. Clare Kelly says:

    Speaking of Kamala Harris…
    Another ‘Trump abortion ban’ takes effect in Iowa today.

    “Harris slams ‘Trump abortion ban’ as Iowa’s six-week abortion ban takes effect
    Kamala Harris has condemned a six-week abortion ban that takes effect in Iowa today, calling it a “Trump abortion ban”.

    From Monday, most abortions are prohibited in the state after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.

    In a video statement, Harris said:

    “Today, Iowa put in place a Trump abortion ban, which makes Iowa the 22nd state in our country to have a Trump abortion ban. And this ban is going to take effect before many women even know they’re pregnant. And what this means is that 1 in 3 women of reproductive age in America lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban.”

    The Guardian
    18.28 BST (36 minutes ago)
    7/29/24

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