Still free to subscribe to this nearly daily newsletter! Greg Mitchell is author of fourteen books and director of five films for PBS since 2022. His latest film “Woody Guthrie and The Ghost of Tom Joad Today” is now streaming via PBS.
McKee:
Bramhall:
Bagley:
Anderson:
Lucian Truscott IV:
You’ve probably read by now that last night near the end of his interminable speech, Trump led the assembled MAGA masses in a pledge. Not to the United States of America. Not to the Constitution. Not even to the Republican Party.
Instead, it was a pledge to the first commandment of Donald Trump: Go out and vote for Republican candidates. Cheat if you have to, but do what Trump tells you.
“Please raise your right hand,” Trump told his adoring crowd. “I pledge to the greatest president in the history of the United States that loves us so much he can’t even breathe that I will go out with my family, my friends, I will do it any way — I don’t care if I’m registered or not, I’m going to try and cheat like hell, like they do. There’s never been bigger cheaters, they don’t care. I am gonna go out and I’m going to get my friends and family and we are going to vote on November 3rd, or we are going to vote before that!”
After the cheering died down, Trump threw in “so help me God,” before warning the crowd, “You know what happens if you don’t vote? You go to hell.”
This is not cult-like behavior. It is a cult, unapologetically authoritarian and focused on the wishes of the leader even if crimes must be committed to gain his ends.
Kevin Williamson, the longtime writer for conservative National Review:
Trump is a habitual liar who has made his political career on the support of people, often dumb and mostly angry, who enjoy being lied to. J.D. Vance is a schmuck, a spineless yes-man without honor or integrity … Trump is surrounded by a team of cretins, incompetents, nepotism beneficiaries, drunks, degenerates, and sundry clueless clowns. Their political goal is tyranny and the displacement of the American constitutional order by a Trump-fronted mafia state.
Music Pick
Very unusual version of Neil Young’s great “Like a Hurriance” by My Morning Jacket—with the Presevation Hall Jazz Band. From upcoming benefit album for The Bridge School.
From Tune to Toons
Horsey:
Jones:
Brodner:
Rowson:
More Bramhall:
Margulies:
Lars:
Chappette:
Reminder: They will be screening, and I will be talking about, my new Woody Guthrie film at the Springsteen Center in Jersey on Sept. 25, get your tickets here.
Photo Finish
September song, two days ago…
Wow Greg! If this were a ballgame … you knocked every pitch out of the park. A political cartoonist’s grand slam. You took US all to a most memorable and enlightening experience. Thank you MVP!
Kevin Williamson (National Review!). Very good selection of cartoons (Jones, Brodner, Rowson, Chappette), and brilliant hibiscus photo.