Greg Mitchell has authored more than a dozen books and directed four recent PBS films. His latest, “The Atomic Bowl: Football at Ground Zero—and Nuclear Peril Today” has been airing over PBS stations and now streaming for free (key links to watch now and more here). A companion book is available, and you can read more or order here. And subscribing to this newsletter is still FREE.
Stephen reviews No Kings weekend and Trump’s crappy response:
Then this horror:
But don’t call them “deplorable”:
Embattled Trump nominee Paul Ingrassia told Republicans that the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell” and that he has “a Nazi streak,” according to a group chat viewed by POLITICO.
Paul Krugman this morning:
Trump’s disconnect from reality is uniquely destructive. No previous president has tried to overturn an election, sought to use the military against U.S. citizens, or sought to use the Justice Department as his own personal vendetta machine. The difference is that he’s the first president to live in an autocratic bubble, surrounded by a cult of personality within which nobody dares to criticize him, tell him uncomfortable truths or refuse to engage in blatantly illegal acts.
Furthermore, Trump is clearly getting worse, growing even more out of touch with each passing week. Regardless of whether it’s advancing age or growing frustration, even Trump, I think, realizes that his efforts to suppress all opposition are running into serious resistance. Putting out an AI video of himself dumping shit on protestors suggests panic, not strength. But his claims about what’s happening in America and the world keep getting stranger and wilder.
And Trump’s denial of reality is already having devastating consequences for America, with more to come.
Just finished reading haunting novel, deservedly honored, “Hamnet,” about son of Shakespeare and Ann “Agnes” Hathaway and their little-known lives related to him. Now a well-reviewed movie coming next month with Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. Trailer:
Expanded version of Bruce’s “Nebraska” out this week, with unheard cuts and others now in electric band versions. A kind of trailer:
Jeff Tweedy with Colbert (who is huge fan) tonight, chatting and singing. Here’s one of my favorites from current great album and tour from this past week. One son drums and the other plays keyboards and comes on to sing near end. Looking back at “stupid prom” Jeff had to attend but the highlight for me is when everyone is sick and throwing up in the grass the police come by and…the kids are so unimportant the cops don’t even bother to stop.
From Tunes to Toons
Steve Brodner:
This below has always been my issue with No Kings. What does that phrase mean to those who are open to persuasion? And most MAGAs, as we saw this past weekend, are perfectly with idea of him as new kind of “King.”
“Shining” not so brightly:
Photo Finish
My new feature, from my camera to you, let me know what you think. Today: Sunrise over the Hudson, at Nyack.
Lovely image. Love the red, wispy clouds on an otherwise cloudless morning.
Nice work