Category: Politics

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Main Event

Before we go to the Main Event. Take-away from the Undercard. Generationally speaking. Bernie Sanders & Elizabeth Warren had more energy than Joe Biden will likely be able to muster. Electability.

As for tonight’s central contenders. I think they’ll be:

Joe Biden- Seasoned yet yes sleepy
Kamala Harris- Wiley yet phoney
Cory Booker- Empathetic yet pathetic
Julián Castro- Staunch yet obscure
Andrew Yang- Techie yet outré
Kirsten Gillibrand- Feminist and misandrist

Let’s see if they perform true to form.

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Under Card

Tonight’s Democrat debate on CNN is considered the lighter-weight bout. With Warren and Sanders at center ring. As the most progressive, they will spar with moderate candidates.  I’d describe the major contenders on the undercard as follows:

Bernie Sanders – Cranky yet consistent
Elizabeth Warren- Breathless yet authentic
Pete Buttigieg- Youthful yet brilliant
Amy Klobuchar- Nervous yet earnest
Beto O’Rourke- Idiocyncratic and erratic

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Dénouement

The Russian Collusion Saga never had a climax. So. Today’s Mueller Story just sputtered to a halting end. As did he. A new impeachment plot would have an even weaker epilogue. Dems need to write a best seller starring a superhero who saves America from Trump. Oprah?

Jeopardy’s seasonal swan song this week. And. Who knew. Our former next door neighbor’s book on Chinese History a clue. Imperial Twilight. Hope it doesn’t portend Alex’s dénouement. Godspeed.

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Mulled Wine

Will tomorrow’s Mueller testimony pop any corks? Cause a public thirst for impeachment? Or finally dilute the taste for more Congressional hearings? Who knows. But. The Nadler-Schiff label will be served on every TV network. Take a sip every time someone says obstruction.

Speaking of bland blends. Season 2 of Big Little Lies. Except for Kidman v. Streep in the finale. Tours-de-force performance. High end.

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Classical Notes

Wimbledon Men’s Final. A riveting rare classy classic. Could have gone either way. Djokovic and Federer beautifully played a 5-set 12-12 tie-breaker. First time in history. Didn’t get to the Park until after three.

Pete Buttigieg on David Axelrod’s great CNN show. It seems they’ve known each other for quite some time. At one point, Axelrod reminded Pete that his piano teacher told him not to just play the notes perfectly, but to make music. Axelrod as campaign maestro.

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Mueller This Summer

Debates? Nevermind. July 17. Save the date.

Caterer Alert. Anchor the catamarans. Carry the kegs back from the sand. Hamptons watch parties planned. If the resistance is real summer sojourns to Italy & Greece have been rescheduled.

Charcoal & steaks will be replaced by House committees grilling the Special Counsel.  Obstruction. Collusion. Steele Dossier. Lovers Peter & Lisa. Must see TV. So. Pop a can. It’s Mueller Time!

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Oprah v. Trump

Yes. She is the only person who would be a shoe-in for President in 2020. Beats Trump in a heartbeat. People would trample each other like a sale at Filene’s Basement to get to the voting booth. Always said so. Now on last night’s Real Time even Bill Maher agrees.

Oprah Winfrey in a landslide. No contest.

Woman. Check.
Black. Check.
Center moderate. Check.
Capitalist. Check.
Celebrity. Check.
Pragmatist. Check.
Successful business leader. Check.
Popular with the working class. Check.
Great speaker. Check.

Any questions?

 

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Debate or Scrum

Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado; former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.; Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey; Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind.; former housing secretary Julián Castro; Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York; former Representative John Delaney of Maryland; Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York; Senator Kamala Harris of California; former Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado; Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington; Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; former Representative Beto O’Rourke of Texas; Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio; Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Representative Eric Swalwell of California; Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; the self-help author Marianne Williamson; and the former tech executive Andrew Yang.

Second night June 27 looks best.

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Voice Male

Sexism Alert? It shouldn’t be a gender thing. But. Maybe it is. Bottom line. Bad voices attract us to people or can be off-putting. Why does Kamala Harris sound like a pedantic lecturer with a courtroom cadence. Elizabeth Warren a hyper-breathless school marm. Kirsten Gillibrand yelling in a small room. Do we react differently to women’s voices. Or. Are they just different. Rarely in a good way.

Okay. Bernie’s accent is annoying. And. Biden um’s and ah’s. So.

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Snow Queens

Trump & The Queen. He looks bored. Ivanka and Camilla seem to have chosen the same white ensemble. Awkward. Melania in white as well. It’s like a snow storm inside Buckingham Palace. Harry is there. To defend his wife’s honor? No. Don’t insult her as a victim. Charles Blow.

Meanwhile, Kirsten Gillibrand said her favorite part of campaigning is seeing lots of little girls on the trail because “Female is the Future”.
She happens to have two young sons back at home. Sad.