DL Open Thread: Friday, July 5, 2024
The Third Way Comes To England. With a less-charismatic Tony Blair:
Ben Riley-Smith, the Telegraph’s political editor, suggests it is “perhaps the most significant phrase” of the speech. He posted:
Perhaps the most significant phrase hidden in that Starmer speech – this will be a “government unburdened by doctrine”. His leadership has rejected the simple ideological templates of the left. Starmer, aides say, is “outcomes foccused”. A declaration he’ll continue that approach.
Trying to contain my enthusiasm. There, contained. Yo, Joe, not too late to name Chris Coons Ambassador To Great Britain. (Do ambassadors get to wear those wigs to cover rampant male pattern baldness? If so, win-win.) As your last final act? We Jews would call that a mitzvah.
Biden-Stephanopolous: 9 Questions. I agree with almost all of ’em. A sample:
Have you been tested for any kind of neurological condition? Have you received any diagnosis at all? Given the extraordinary circumstances of your being by far the oldest president in American history, will you fully release all medical records, including those that go well beyond what you have released to date?
Biden’s health has to be the main focus of this interview, and it is essential to get him on record on a matter of obvious public interest. If he says no to any part of this, push him, citing the New York Times reporting on how these episodes are happening more frequently.
NYC Police Commissioner Officially Sanctions Police Brutality. By serving as judge, jury and–pardoner:
The statement, posted on the social media platform X, came in response to a story published last week by ProPublica and The New York Times that detailed how Caban has buried dozens of cases of alleged police misconduct involving officers accused of, among other things, wrongly using chokeholds, deploying Tasers and beating protesters with batons. Some episodes were so serious that a police oversight agency, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, concluded the officers likely committed crimes.
Caban, ProPublica found, has prevented 54 officers from facing a public disciplinary trial in his roughly one year in office — a tactic known as retention. His predecessor, Keechant Sewell, did it eight times in her first year.
“No one is more invested in a fair, effective, and efficient NYPD discipline process than I am,” Caban wrote. “Any suggestion that my handling of an incredibly complex, collaborative process undermines these standards simply does not survive honest scrutiny.”
Caban also argued that he was more efficient and effective at administering justice than the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
Pistol Pete Schwartzkopf couldn’t have stated it (or anything, for that matter) more eloquently. If he can cite anything as a career accomplishment, Schwartzkopf can point to successfully preventing rogue cops from being held accountable. Quite the legacy.
Yes, there will be a Political Weekly, and there is indeed some news in it. I’ll probably crank it out this afternoon.
What do you want to talk about?
Can we all agree at least that this Biden quote from today exceeds the minimal requirement to be labeled bullshit?:
““I’m a nominee to this party because millions of Democrats like you just voted for me in primaries all across America,” Biden said during a rally in Wisconsin on Friday. “You voted for me to be your nominee. No one else. You the voters. The voters did that.”
Well, no, Joe. You did that be clearing the field by stating you were running again. Most incumbent presidents do. The DNC reinforced this. Unless anyone thought that Dean Phillips was a viable alternative, you’re full of, um, blarney. Or is that malarkey? Whatever the proper term, you’re full of it.
Yikes. Watching this Biden interview. Hoarse, weak. Long pauses where it looks like his brain and his mouth aren’t connecting.
At his best when he recites parts of campaign speech. Otherwise, man, he’s stumbling.
Stephanopolous not letting him off the hook about his neurological health.
He comes across as a stubborn old man who refuses to face reality.
That’s IT! That fucking guy can’t win. He’s in a total state of denial.
Get OUT, Joe!
My 91-year-old mother-in-law betrays the same symptoms that Biden demonstrated tonight. This is utterly pathetic. Thank G-d the interview was only 22 minutes long.
Interesting point about the “Biden Get Out” voices in Congress: Virtually all of them are centrists.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/07/biden-interview-campaign-aoc-democrats-progressives-omar-tlaib-bowman.html?
In other words, when you find yourself on the side of Mark Warner, a little self-reflection is in order.