Alby's Latest Posts
Song of the Day 7/16: Dexys Midnight Runners, “Come On Eileen”
I’m no lawyer, but I’ve read enough commentary on Judge Aileen Cannon’s dismissal of Trump’s stolen document trial to know it’s got no basis in American jurisprudence. Will she be reversed on appeal? Tune in for another exciting episode of “As the Despot Turns”! I confess to an irrational hatred of this song, which is […]
DL Open Thread Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Political party conventions used to deserve media attention. Reporters covered them because the party’s nominee wasn’t pre-ordained. That changed when primaries replaced caucuses and smoke-filled rooms. With the nominee already decided, conventions became PR events, but they still get flood-the-zone coverage, just like the Super Bowl. And just like all the words wasted in the […]
Song of the Day 7/15: Justin Townes Earle, “Look the Other Way”
This track from Justin Townes Earle’s 2012 album “Nothings Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now” could be a theme song for Judge Aileen Cannon, who’s shown she’s a pro at looking the other way.
DL Open Thread Monday, July 15, 2024
And just like that, the media’s obsession with giving voice to Democrats quivering with fear over Joe Biden’s feebleness is yesterday’s news. Well, almost. Axios quoted a “senior House Democrat” saying, “We’ve all resigned ourselves to a second Trump presidency.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had the right response on Twitter. “If you’re a ‘senior Democrat’ that feels […]
Song of the Day 7/14: The Clash, “Guns on the Roof”
Nobody is sure how many guns are in private hands in the United States; most estimates put the figure well above 300 million. It doesn’t seem to be making anyone safer. From “Give ‘Em Enough Rope,” the second studio LP by the Clash.
DL Open Thread Sunday, July 14, 2024
Have you noticed that nobody is surprised at the attempted assassination of Donald Trump? I’m only surprised it took this long for someone to do it, because for eight years now we’ve been told that Trump is an existential menace. You have to assume that eventually someone will take that seriously enough to act on […]
DL Open Thread Saturday, July 13, 2024
The most interesting aspect of the current Democratic civil war is that the rank and file is decidedly not behind the move to oust Biden from the ticket. Surprisingly, those on the left, who are often critical of Biden, are among those who, like the Squad, are ridin’ with Biden. The media echo chamber, meanwhile, […]
Song of the Day 7/12: Huey Lewis and the News, “Stuck With You”
Joe Biden’s press conference last night satisfied neither side of the Democrats’ civil war. Biden stumbled but he didn’t fall, so neither side can claim vindication – though both already have. Meanwhile, it continues to look like the party is stuck with him – sort of the way the ’80s were stuck with Huey Lewis. […]
Song of the Day 7/11: Suzanne Vega, “Luka”
The literary world was shaken this week when Andrea Skinner, youngest daughter of Canadian author Alice Munro, revealed to the Toronto Star that her stepfather, Munro’s second husband, molested her when she was 9 years old – and that when Munro learned of it 15 years later, she refused to leave him. The shocking disclosure […]
DL Open Thread Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Joe Biden gave what even Politico conceded was a forceful speech to open the NATO conference. The president didn’t fumble over words as he often does during remarks. He was clear and forceful, appearing energized by the transatlanticism that he has embraced throughout his political career. For most of the political press, this was Not […]
Song of the Day 7/9: Keane, “I’m Not Leaving”
Any hope of removing Joe Biden from the Democratic ticket depends on him going willingly. Instead he’s given every indication he’ll put up a fight. It’s been 20 years since Keane’s “Hopes and Fears” LP, which contained their biggest hit, “Somewhere Only We Know,” which turns up on TV a lot, on both soundtracks and […]
DL Open Thread Tuesday, July 9, 2024
The media’s feeding frenzy for forcing Biden out of the race continues but seems to be slackening a bit because the public isn’t climbing on board. Like a pug on your leg, WaPo and all the political sites are still humping away at it, but the broader Democratic public doesn’t seem to see the big […]
DL Open Thread Monday, July 8, 2024
The “Fascism on the Worldwide March” storyline took a major hit the past few days. First voters in England rejected the Tories. Now France’s far-right party, Marine LePen’s National Rally, which seemed poised to take over the premiership, got its ass mightily kicked in the country’s second round of elections. Not only did they not […]
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