Christine McVie, R.I.P.

Longtime Fleetwood Mac singer, songwriter and keyboard player Christine McVie passed away following a brief illness. She was 79. 

Originally known as Christine Perfect, she gained attention in her native England as a member of the late 1960's blues outfit Chicken Shack. She played with Chicken Shack on their first two albums and most notably sang lead vocal on a cover of the Etta James hit "I'd Rather Go Blind". After leaving Chicken Shack, she would marry founding Fleetwood Mac member John McVie recording a solo album in 1970 titled Christine Perfect which included a new recording of "I'd Rather Go Blind".

McVie would slowly become absorbed into Fleetwood Mac and formally joined the group for their 1971 album Future Games. My favorite McVie composition "Show Me a Smile" appears on this album featuring a gentle yet passionate vocal accompanied by Danny Kirwan's introspective guitar licks. 

At the height of their fame during the mid to late 1970's much of the focus was on Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Yet McVie wrote a good many of their greatest hits including "Over My Head", "Say You Love Me" and "Go Your Own Way" (the latter of which was sung by Lindsey Buckingham) in the midst of her divorce from John McVie. In the 1980's, McVie also co-wrote hits such as "Hold Me" (which was inspired by her relationship with Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson) and "Little Lies".

After a 15-year hiatus from the band, McVie would rejoin Fleetwood Mac in 2013 for several tours and also recorded an album with Buckingham in 2017. 

McVie's passing comes as a shock. There are some public figures one tends to take for granted and I would put McVie into that category. For all of Buckingham and Nicks' contributions, if McVie doesn't join Fleetwood Mac then they don't become a global phenomenon. Christine McVie's contributions to Fleetwood Mac were simply perfect. R.I.P.

Trump's Dinner With a Holocaust Denier Leaves a Bad Taste

Defeated former President Trump's dinner with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes leaves a bad taste for many reasons. The most obvious of which is that he sees fit to legitimize immoral people with repugnant views because they have seen fit to cozy up to him. 

Of course, it is hardly surprising he has done so. This is a man who has excused David Duke, the events in Charlottesville and praised The Proud Boys. That Trump's daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism and has Jewish grandchildren does not enter into the equation. 

True to form, Trump has claimed not to know Fuentes as if anyone who could come to Mar-a-Lago to have an audience with the former President. It has long been Trump's standard operating procedure to claim he does not know the people with whom he associates. So I'm not buying him blaming Kanye West though it is remarkable how anti-Semites find a way to flock together. 

A few of Trump's allies have seen fit to condemn his choice of dinner companions. I actually think former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman has a point when he condemns Trump breaking bread with West and Fuentes and former President Obama's association with Louis Farrakhan and Jeremiah Wright in equal measure. Both are wrong. 

Alas Friedman is an exception to the rule. Most Republicans have remained silent on the matter while some like Senators John Thune of South Dakota and Thom Tillis of North Carolina blame staffers as opposed to holding Trump responsible for his own behavior. 

And while Friedman's commentary is admirable if Trump is the nominee in 2024 can Friedman honestly tell us he won't support him once more? If he cannot then his condemnation of Trump's behavior will have been meaningless.

Consequently, Fuentes' standing will continue to grow among white supremacists and within American conservatism at large. This will leave more than a bad taste. It will leave a stain on the American soul and continue to weaken its moral fabric.

Irene Cara, R.I.P.

Singer, songwriter, actress and pianist Irene Cara passed away yesterday. No cause of death has been released as of this writing. She was 63.

I actually found out the news through Leo Adamian, a friend on Facebook, who was close friends with Cara and had drummed for her on first two albums, Anyone Can See and What a Feelin'. 

Suffice it to say, I cannot do her life proper justice in the way Leo and his circle of friends could. However, I can say that anyone who was sentient in the early 1980's knew the songs "Fame" and "Flashdance...What a Feeling" (the latter of which she co-wrote) and the angelic voice which sang them.

Indeed "Flashdance...What a Feeling" remains a fixture on adult contemporary radio nearly 40 years after its release. Having earned Cara a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a Grammy, "Flashdance...What a Feeling" is one of those songs where from time to time I have noticed people pausing all business to appreciate Cara's balance of quiet restraint and emotional vulnerability. She certainly conveyed that same balance of her performance in the movie Fame.

Although Cara's fame peaked in the mid-1980's her small body of work left a deep and enduring impression and shall continue to do so. R.I.P.

Belated Thoughts on The Mass Shooting at The Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia

As you are probably aware, a night supervisor at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia shot and killed six employees on November 23rd before turning the gun on himself. 

Now details have emerged that the assailant purchased the gun the morning of the shooting. The assailant was known to have a temper and was paranoid claiming the government was watching him, a classic sign of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder which may never have been diagnosed. Whatever the assailant's mental health, he had no criminal record and thus passed the state's background check. 

Virginia does have a red flag law but the victims had no way of knowing the assailant had purchased a weapon much less knew he intended to use it. Of course, some counties refuse to enforce red flag laws as was the case in El Paso County where the Club Q mass shooting took place in Colorado Springs on Saturday night. 

Now it's true that most people who purchase guns would never set out to kill innocent civilians. Nevertheless guns are far too easily accessible in this country. So long as policymakers and law enforcement place the right to own a gun over the right to life then we can expect these kinds of incidents for the foreseeable future - perhaps within a matter of hours.

On President Biden's 80th Birthday

Today, President Joe Biden is 80 years old.

Much has been made of Biden's age by purported allies and foes alike. When Biden's Democratic presidential rivals, particularly Eric Swalwell, took aim at his age in 2019 it made them look small.

For me I live by Satchel Paige's old adage. "Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

The question is remains is if other Democrats don't mind and if voters at large don't mind.

Let me put it this way. At 76, Donald Trump isn't exactly a spring chicken himself.

If people honestly don't believe that someone over the age of 75 should serve as President of the United States then propose a constitutional amendment. 

From where I sit President Biden has a strong constitution and command of the tasks before him. Stimulus checks, funding for vaccine distribution, infrastructure spending, increased access to health care, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, climate change provisions and student loan relief (notwithstanding present judicial challenges) cannot be implemented with a weak constitution. 

If Democrats want someone else they better be damn sure they're going to win because otherwise we could end up with four more years of Trump or perhaps Ron DeSantis. 

With that I hope President Biden's 80th birthday was full of joy and merriment.

Five Thoughts on McCarthy's Intent to Remove Omar, Schiff & Swalwell From Committee Assignments

Kevin McCarthy has not yet been elected Speaker of the House but he has already declared three Democrats to be persona non grata from committee assignments - Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and California Congressmen Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell. Here are five thoughts I have on the subject.

First, Democrats did open the door when they stripped Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar of their committee assignments in February 2021 and November 2021, respectively. Now that Republicans will be in the majority we ought not be surprised that they would see fit to take the same measures.

Second, in the case of Omar, McCarthy says he will strip her of her committee assignments on account of her anti-Semitism. Yet Omar is hardly the only Democrat in Congress who has expressed anti-Semitic views. Omar's fellow squad members Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and AOC have also engaged in anti-Semitism. In the case of Tlaib, she has been characterized as anti-Semitic by no less than former DNC Chair and fellow Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. So why is McCarthy limiting this sanction to Omar? For that matter why doesn't he extend this to members of his own party?

Which brings me to my third point. Marjorie Taylor Greene is every bit as guilty of anti-Semitism as Ilhan Omar. But McCarthy will give Greene every committee assignment she wants because he cannot become Speaker without her. Greene demanded McCarthy give her "leeway" in exchange for her support. Should MTG express anti-Semitic views in the future she has immunity. Out of political expedience, McCarthy believes some anti-Semitism is less equal than others. It depends on who is spouting it.

Fourth, let's assume Omar, Schiff and Swalwell are stripped of their committee assignments. Chances are it will augment their political standing instead of diminish it. The proof in the pudding is the aforementioned Marjorie Taylor Greene. As I argued at the time she was stripped of her committee assignments:

While I'm glad Marjorie Taylor Greene has been stripped of her congressional committee assignments it remains to be seen if this will have the effect of marginalizing her. 

Indeed, I suspect this will have the opposite effect. Greene's standing in GOP and conservative circles will only be heightened. Absent any committee responsibilities, Greene will have ample opportunity to raise money. She might even emerge as a viable presidential candidate.

Whether or not Greene embarks on a White House bid, for all her crudeness, she has certainly become a power broker in Washington.

Finally, given the tiny majority Republicans have in the House, there is the possibility that some Republicans could buck him and defeat his proposal. If that comes to pass then McCarthy will be on thinner ice than he is now. He might last as long as Speaker of the House as Liz Truss lasted as British Prime Minister.

Thoughts on The Mass Shooting at a LGBTQ Nightclub in Colorado Springs

I awoke to the news this morning that there had been a mass shooting at a LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs called Club Q which claimed the lives of 5 people with 18 others injured. 

The only silver lining in this tragedy is that the gunman was bravely subdued by several patrons thereby preventing any further injury and loss of life.

Naturally, one cannot help but think of the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016 which claimed the lives of 49 people. The perpetrator carried out this attack in the name of ISIS. 

We have now come to the point in this country where there have been so many mass shootings that they invoke memories of other mass shootings. The mass shooting at Parkland High invoked memories of Columbine. The mass shooting at the elementary school in Uvalde invoked memories of Sandy Hook. Mass shootings have occurred in nearly every possible setting you can imagine - schools, the workplace, grocery stores, houses of worship, parades, movie theaters, concert venues and nightclubs. It is hard to feel a sense of safety when one leaves home with the thought you might never return as if one were leave to go to war.

Of course, the paradox here is that violent crime in this country is not nearly what it was in the early 1990's. But with the nature of these crimes being so spectacular and claiming so many victims at once it is hard to see it that way. Whatever the statistics those facts are of cold comfort to those who have lost loved ones in these heinous acts.

As for the perpetrator of this crime while a precise motive has not been established we cannot safely conclude he had violent animosity towards the LGBTQ community. The question remains is if right-wing political discourse had any role in stimulating this violent animosity. It appears that the suspect had previously threatened to kill his mother and had a cache of weapons and bombs. In which case, there's a good chance this man has a history of mental health problems. But mental health or not, if a man is prepared to kill his own mother then he is prepared to kill anyone for any reason. Nevertheless, he did see fit to set his sights on the LGBTQ community and this is a cruel reminder that this sort of hatred exists in our country.

Danny Kalb, R.I.P.

Guitarist Danny Kalb, best known as a member of the 1960's psychedelic blues group The Blues Project, passed away today. No cause of death has been released, but the news was broken by his fellow Blues Project alum Steve Katz on Facebook. Kalb was 80.

The New York born Kalb was part of the Greenwich Village folk music scene in the early 1960's playing with the likes of Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Dave Van Ronk, Pete Seeger and Phil Ochs. Kalb founded The Blues Project in 1965 along with Andy Kulberg and Roy Blumenfeld and would later be joined by Steve Katz and Al Kooper. 

Signed with Verve Records, they would release three albums between 1966 and 1967 - Live at The Cafe Au Go Go, Projections and Live at Town Hall. Their songs combined folks, blues and psychedelia. The group would break up shortly after their performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Katz and Kooper would found Blood, Sweat and Tears while The Blues Project morphed into Seatrain with Kulberg at the helm. As for Kalb, he largely kept out of the limelight but would occasionally partake in reunions with The Blues Project.

Kalb's most significant contribution to The Blues Project was his 11-minute plus interpretation of Muddy Waters' "Two Trains Running" (the song from which The Rolling Stones got their name) on lead guitar and vocal. Towards the end of the song one of Kalb's strings went out of tune and he just retuned it as the band played on. At the risk of being a curmudgeon this is the kind of spontaneity that is simply lacking in modern pop-rock music. For "Two Trains Running" alone, guitarists should take note of Danny Kalb. R.I.P.

The Pros & Cons of Frisch Conceding to Boebert

After putting up one hell of a fight in Colorado's 3rd District, Democratic challenger Adam Frisch conceded to Republican incumbent Lauren Boebert.

Frisch conceded despite the fact there will be an automatic recount as just over 500 votes separate the two. Boebert leads Frisch by only 0.34% of the vote.

There are pros and cons to this decision. Now some of you out there might not think there is any upside to Frisch's concession. In which case, let me begin with the cons.

For starters, what if Frisch wins the recount? Presumably that concession goes out the window. But let us assume the recount affirms Boebert's victory. Despite the slim margin of her victory, Boebert will be as insufferable and intolerant as ever. We can look forward to more of Boebert heckling President Biden as he speaks of his deceased son or telling insurrectionists where they can find Nancy Pelosi. When Pelosi announced she was stepping down from her leadership post all Boebert could say was, "Good riddance!!!" She is an affront to civil society.

Nevertheless, it would seem the voters of Colorado's 3rd District want Lauren Boebert to represent notwithstanding the narrow margin. In an era where Republicans routinely refuse to concede and use it as a fundraising tool despite the evidence (i.e. Trump and now Kari Lake in Arizona), it is refreshing to hear someone accept the outcome even if it breaks their heart to do so. Boebert might be a bad representative but not acknowledging she won would be worse. Frisch said it well:

The likelihood of this recount changing more than a handful of votes is very small. Very, very small. It’d be disingenuous and unethical for us or any other group to continue to raise false hope and encourage fundraising for a recount.

Colorado elections are safe, accurate, and secure. Please save your money for your groceries, your rent, your children, and for other important causes and organizations. I just got off the phone with Rep. Boebert. I called her to formally concede this election.

How refreshing it is to hear a candidate not only ask for donations but ask voters to save their money for themselves and other causes. I especially like the fact that Frisch praised the electoral process regardless of the outcome. Adam Frisch would have been an infinitely better representative than Lauren Boebert, but the voters decided otherwise and it is something with which we must live. Now if only Donald Trump, Kari Lake and MAGA Republicans would follow suit then we could get back to having a functioning democracy.

Thoughts on Judge, Goldschmidt, Verlander, Alcantara, Tito, Showalter, J-Rod & Harris II

During this past week, the BBWAA announced the winners of Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player in both the American and National Leagues. Here are my thoughts on the winners.

AL MVP - Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

This was a no-brainer with Judge eclipsing Roger Maris' 61-year old AL single season HR record. Judge not only led the AL in HRs with 62 but he also led the league in RBI (131), walks (111), OBP (.425), SLG (.686) and OPS (1.111). 

The question now is whether Judge will remain in a Yankees uniform as the 30-year old slugger is now a free agent. This has been complicated by allegations the Yankees made a non-aggression pact with the New York Mets in which the Mets agreed not to pursue him. This is known as tampering. 

But none of this behind the scenes inside baseball takes away from Judge's magnificent accomplishments in 2022.

NL MVP - Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals

A perennial MVP candidate who had finished in the Top 10 five times including two runner ups in 2013 and 2015 while a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks finally got his brass ring. This season, Goldschmidt hit .317 with 35 HR and 115 RBI while leading the NL in SLG (.578), OPS (.981) and OPS + (180). Goldschmidt, 35, bested a couple of third basemen for the honor - teammate Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres. The veteran first baseman is signed with St. Louis through 2024. 

AL Cy Young Award - Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

After winning his second career AL Cy Young Award in 2019, Justin Verlander pitched only once during the COVID shortened 2020 season and missed all of 2021 due to Tommy John surgery. Yet somehow Verlander picked up right where he left off leading the AL in wins (18) and ERA (1.75) augmenting his Hall of Fame resume. 

Verlander, who turns 40 in February, is a free agent. While Verlander is not likely to attract a long term deal he will have no shortage of suitors. 

NL Cy Young Award - Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins

The brightest spot on a disappointing Marlins team, Alcantara went 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA leading the Senior Circuit in innings pitched (228.2) and complete games (6). At 27, Alcantara is under club control through 2026 with a club option in 2027. However, if the Dominican born Alcantara continues to pitch well and the Marlins continue to flounder he could soon be trade bait. 

AL Manger of the Year - Terry Francona, Cleveland Guardians

This is Tito's third time winning the honors in Cleveland something he never earned leading the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles. Francona won AL Manager of the Year in 2013 and 2016 - the latter campaign earned the then Tribe franchise an AL pennant.

While the Guardians exceeded all expectations, if I were a BBWAA voter I would have voted for Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. How many people expected the O's to lose 100 plus games for the fourth time in five years? You could count on one hand how many people expected Baltimore to enjoy a winning season in 2022.

Still, I do have a soft spot for Francona going back to when he played for the Montreal Expos. I remember Tito when he had a full head of hair.

NL Manager of the Year - Buck Showalter, New York Mets

This is the fourth time Showalter has won Manager of the Year honors and he has now done it with his fourth club although his first in the NL. Showalter won AL Manager of the Year in 1994 with the New York Yankees, in 2004 with the Texas Rangers and in 2014 with the Baltimore Orioles. I guess 2024 couldn't wait.

Although the Mets would blow a double digit lead in the NL East, Showalter guided the team to their first post-season appearance since 2016 and provided them with a firm leadership which neither Mickey Callaway nor Luis Rojas possessed. 

AL Rookie of the Year - Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners

There is reason to believe that if not for the 21-year old Dominican born centerfielder, the Mariners might still be in the midst of a two decade plus long post-season drought. In his inaugural campaign, J-Rod hit .284 with 28 HR and 75 RBI with 25 stolen bases to boot. 

NL Rookie of the Year - Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves

This was the year of the 21-year old rookie centerfielder. Georgia native Michael Harris II did not make his big league debut until Memorial Day Weekend but his emergence and the return of Ronald Acuna, Jr. helped the Braves overcome their early season struggles and end up with 101 wins and yet another NL East title. In only 114 games played, Harris hit .297 with 19 HR, 64 RBI along with 20 stolen bases. 

I have a feeling that this will not be the last post-season award that Harris II and J-Rod see in their careers.

GOP Wins House Majority as Pelosi & Hoyer Step Down

I won't dwell on Republicans regaining the House of Representatives as I have previously expressed my concerns about their intentions towards President Biden and not certifying his re-election in 2024 not to mention the chloroforming of the January 6th Committee. The only hope I have is that Republicans will fight over Kevin McCarthy's very short leash.

However, the 118th Congress will look very different where Democrats are concerned as both Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer today announced they have stepped down from their leadership positions after being leadership fixtures for nearly 20 years. Pelosi, of course, would enjoy two tenures as Speaker of the House. 

New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become the new House Minority Leader with Katherine Clark (who happens to be my Congresswoman) will likely become House Minority Whip while California Representative Pete Aguilar is expected to become chairman of the Democratic caucus. Longtime South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn plans to remain in the House leadership but will move down from Whip to Assistant House Minority Leader. 

Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar don't have a high profile outside of political animals and policy wonks although Aguilar did gain some prominence as a member of the January 6th Committee. It will be interesting to see what kind of force they will be against a GOP controlled Congress with a tiny majority but with large ambitions. It will be equally interesting to see how the trio stand up to the more left-wing elements within the party namely The Squad. 

I cannot help but wonder if Pelosi and Hoyer stepping down will accelerate pressure on President Biden not to run in 2024. But whereas Pelosi and Hoyer have obvious successors, Biden simply does not one. Besides one does not want change the captain of the ship with mutineers in the midst. There are enough mutineers in the House of Representatives that do not believe Biden won the 2020 election. The last thing Democrats should do is reward their indulgences.

Thoughts on Trump's Third White House Bid

Defeated former President Donald Trump has officially thrown his hat in the ring for the third time. 

This development should come as a surprise to no one.

For starters, Trump has never publicly accepted his defeat at the hands of Joe Biden and seeking to regain what he thinks is rightfully his own. At times, Trump has demanded he be reinstated into The White House. From where Trump sits the White House and the office of the President of the United States is merely another Trump property to be bought and sold.

Trump's announcement comes exactly a week after the Republicans had a lackluster performance at the polls failing to gain in the Senate and losing key gubernatorial and other state level races. This announcement surely will not do Herschel Walker any favors in Georgia and nor does Trump care. 

However, Republicans will likely gain control of the House and a Republican controlled House will not certify Joe Biden's re-election even if this is what the voters want. Combine these conditions with Trump's malevolent disposition and one cannot underestimate him for a moment even if a majority of Americans cannot abide him. 

It will be interesting to see if Trump's announcement will deter other Republicans from challenging him namely Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who has been the target of his ire. Then there's his former VP Mike Pence who is now beginning to talk tough now that the midterms are over and he has a book to promote.

Personally, I would like to see Liz Cheney challenge Trump even if for no other pleasure than to see them on a debate stage together though I doubt Trump would ever consent to debating the Vice-Chair of the January 6th Committee. 

But make no mistake. However toxic Trump is he still stands a legitimate chance of returning to the White House by hook or by crook.

Trump Appointed Judge Invokes Hitler in Blocking Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Last week, a federal judge blocked President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. 

Now the reasoning the judge used in rendering his decision is being called into question. In a transcript of the injunction, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman invoked likened the Biden Administration's implementation of the student loan forgiveness program to that of Hitler after the Reichstag fire. Pittman, who was appointed to the federal bench by Trump in 2019, stated:

You know, you could also make the argument that so was the authority given to Hitler after the Reichstag fire.

What is the Court's role if Congress has given away too much of the authority that is supposed to be deemed in that branch under the Constitution? There has to be some sort of recourse, doesn't there?

It is one thing to argue that Congress is abdicating its role or that the Executive Branch is exceeding its authority; it is quite another to equate forgiving student loans up to $20,000 to an act which banned opposition political parties and jailed their leaders. Needless to say such a comparison is inflammatory.

Moments after invoking Hitler, Judge Pittman said, "No, I'm just talking. These are some thoughts that are going through my head."

Too bad Judge Pittman didn't give any thoughts as to whether the plaintiffs had any standing to challenge the policy in the first place. One can only hope the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals will take corrective action.

But even if they do take corrective action, Judge Pittman will be on the bench for many years to come. How many other Trump appointed judges will see fit to invoke Hitler when ruling on programs administered by the Biden Administration that they don't like?

U.S. COVID Cases Pass 98 Million as Hospitalizations Plateau

Today, U.S. COVID cases surpassed 98 million. According to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, there have been 98,045,358 cases resulting in 1,074,688 deaths representing a mortality rate of 1.1%. 

Meanwhile hospitalizations appear to have plateaued in the low 20,000s. According to Our World in Data, hospitalizations fell to 20,862 on October 15th. Although they went above 22,000 at the beginning of November they have decreased modestly and were at 21, 469 as of November 12th. 

For its part, the Biden Administration is maintaining its public health emergency on COVID through the end of January 2023. With Thanksgiving next week and Christmas coming, I suspect the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths will invariably spike.

Hobbs Wins Arizona's Governors Race, But We've Not Heard The Last of Lake

Arizona's Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has defeated former local TV news anchor and Republican standard bearer Kari Lake in the gubernatorial race. 

Nearly a week after election day, with 97% of the ballots cast, Hobbs narrowly defeated Lake by just over 20,000 votes (50.4% to 49.6%). 

To be very frank, I am surprised that Hobbs prevailed after refusing to debate Lake. I thought Hobbs' decision was disastrous, drew the wrong kind of attention to herself and could threaten to overshadow Lake's election denialism. I will say that had Hobbs debated Lake, I believe it would not have taken her almost a week to win the race. 

With that said, I'm glad Hobbs won. Lake is a certifiable loon or at least plays one on TV. However authentically kooky Lake is, if Hobbs runs for re-election in 2026 then I don't see how she can be unwilling to defend her record and avoid a debate. The fact that she won office without the benefit of a debate might give her reason not to debate in four years time. 

Of course, I do not expect Lake nor her supporters to accept this result with grace and humility. Given the audits of the 2020 election in Arizona, I expect the same to happen in this race. 

However, Lake does have another chance at seeking elected office in 2024 when Kyrsten Sinema is up for re-election in the Senate. Democrats have shown frustration with Sinema and a primary challenge is very likely. With a divided Democratic Party, Lake would have a chance to win a Senate seat and in so doing give Republicans back control of the Senate in two years time. 

But Lake and the MAGAverse are going to trumpet the stolen election theme and may create mischief and possibly mayhem when Hobbs is sworn into office on January 2, 2023. 

Is Zelensky Onboard With Ukraine's Anti-Israel Vote at the UN?

On Friday, the UN General Assembly voted 98-17 to ask the International Court of Justice to issue an advisory opinion on the legality of Israel's so-called occupation of Palestinian territories. 

Among the 98 countries which voted in favor of this resolution is Ukraine. There have been ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Israel over Israel's refusal to provide military aid. Israel cooperates with the Russian military where it concerns Iranian involvement in Syria. 

Ukraine's vote can be viewed as retaliation against Israel for refusing to provide military support notwithstanding its ongoing humanitarian aid. Michael Brodsky, Israel's Ambassador to Ukraine, blasted the decision stating, "Supporting anti-Israeli initiatives in the UN doesn’t help to build trust."

Yet it would appear there is discord between the office of President Zelensky and Ukraine's foreign ministry. Today, Alexey Arestovych, one of the Zelensky's top aides, denounced the vote on a livestream calling it "a grave mistake." Arestovych added:

Ukraine’s foreign ministry’s position was illogical and unacceptable. We’re teaming up with Russia and Iran who are attacking us, and distancing ourselves from Israel — which we want as an ally. Ukraine must at least abstain from such votes.

Unless Arestovych is going into business for himself, one must suspect that this view is shared by President Zelensky himself. With that said, having daylight between the office of the President and Ukrainian Foreign Ministry could be a fissure which Russia could exploit. 

I can understand Ukraine being upset with Israel for not providing it with military aid. But in voting for this referral to the ICJ Ukraine not only is voting with Russia but is doing its bidding even if unintentionally.

Re-Electing Warnock Means Democrats Won't Be At The Mercy of Manchin & Sinema

With Senator Catherine Cortez Masto's re-election in Nevada (and barring a potentially successful recount challenge) Democrats have secured another majority in the Senate.

This notwithstanding it is still incredibly important for Reverend Raphael Warnock to be re-elected in Georgia. For starters, Republican Herschel Walker is simply manifestly unqualified for the position and would serve as nothing more than a body to vote yay or nay as he is told. Warnock, on the other hand, has shown himself to be a competent legislator with a mind of his own. 

However, the greatest significance in re-electing Warnock would be Democrats would have a 51-49 majority. While it is a slim majority, it would mean Democrats won't be at the mercy of fellow caucus members Joe Manchin of West Virginia or Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Manchin and Sinema were a thorn in the Biden Administration's efforts to pass Build Back Better. Although Manchin and Sinema would eventually support a watered down version of Build Back Better in the form of the Inflation Reduction Act, they did a great deal of harm to the standing of both the Biden Administration and Senate Democrats. 

Having said that I realize it is possible that Manchin and Sinema could team up and cause further mischief, but both are up for re-election in 2024 and there's a very good chance Sinema will face a primary challenger. If Georgia voters re-elect Warnock then no one Senator be it Manchin, Sinema nor anyone else could torpedo legislation that would benefit the broadest base of the American public. 

Cortez Masto Re-Elected; Keeps Dems in Control of Senate But Look for Laxalt to Demand a Recount

NBC News, CNN and several other media outlets have declared Catherine Cortez Masto has been re-elected to her Senate seat in Nevada. Her win means Democrats keep control of the Senate. 

However, Democrats might not want to celebrate too boisterously. There is the possibility that Republican Adam Laxalt could demand a recount. With 97% of the vote in, Cortez Masto leads Laxalt by fewer than 5,000 votes. A margin of 0.5% separates the two. 

Nevada has no automatic recount trigger. However, Laxalt could formally request one. The two caveats are that his campaign must pay for the recount and that the request must be formally submitted within 72 hours of vote certification. That would be November 25th -the day after Thanksgiving. 

Given how Laxalt has loudly trumpeted election denialism and how only yesterday South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham claimed, "There is no mathematical way Laxalt loses. If he does, then it’s a lie.” 

Considering all the trouble Graham could find himself with the Fulton County DA for his phone calls to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after the 2020 election you would think Graham might want to zip it. However imprudent and inaccurate Graham's comments are it is a clear indication that we ought to expect a recount. 

I don't believe it will change the outcome of the results, but it also won't change the perceptions of the MAGAverse about the results of elections their candidates don't win. Complicating matters is that Republican Joe Lombardo unseated Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak in Nevada's gubernatorial race after a single term in office. However, Lombardo nearly lost Trump's endorsement after he failed to call the defeated, former President "great". So perhaps some Nevada voters didn't see Lombardo in lockstep with Trump the way they did with Laxalt.

Whatever rebukes Trumpism has received in 2018, 2020 and now 2022, we know that neither Trump or Trumpism is going to go gentle into that good night. Not with the Georgia runoff between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker scheduled for December 6th. And not all bets are off in Nevada.

Winning a World Series is No Guarantee of Job Security: Astros Fire GM & Assistant GM

You would think winning a World Series would provide some measure of job security.

This is not the case with the Houston Astros who yesterday, less than a week after winning the World Series, parted ways with General Manager James Click and then dismissed Assistant GM Scott Powers. 

Yes, it's true that Click was offered a one-year contract but Astros owner Jim Crane wanted to fire him outright and basically made Click an offer he had to refuse. To give you an idea of how out of the loop Click was from Crane, Click did not know the Astros had given manager Dusty Baker a one year extension until it was publicly announced. Needless to say Click and Crane did not click.

I am sure both Click and Powers will find jobs in baseball sooner rather than later. Click spent 15 years with the Tampa Bay Rays before being hired as the Astros GM prior to the 2020 season in the wake of the electronic sign stealing scandal. The Rays just hired former Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels as a senior adviser. Perhaps the Rays will welcome Click back to the fold. Before joining the Astros, Powers worked in the front offices of both the Oakland A's and Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Still the experience of being unceremoniously dumped after their organization won a championship is going to stick with them. Will they even get their World Series rings? Would they even want them? As my sister Sarah told me many years ago, "Baseball is a sad game."

Kelly Re-Elected in Arizona; Can Cortez Masto Secure Senate Dem Majority in Nevada?

Earlier this evening, Mark Kelly was successfully re-elected to his Senate seat in Arizona turning back a strong challenge from Republican Blake Masters. 

Now the question is what will happen in the Nevada Senate race between Democratic incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto and her Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. Cortez Masto, seeking her second term, trails Laxalt by fewer than 800 votes. Laxalt is the grandson of former Nevada Governor and Senator Paul Laxalt. The younger Laxalt previously served as Nevada's Attorney General and made an unsuccessful run for Governor in 2018. Regardless of the outcome, a recount is most likely. 

If Cortez Masto wins then the Democrats keep their majority in the Senate. If Laxalt wins then it will be up to Georgia to save the country yet again with a runoff between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker. Of course, if Cortez Masto does win it wouldn't hurt for Democrats to have a 51-49 instead of needing Vice-President Kamala Harris to cast a tie breaking vote in a 50-50 Senate. But it remains to be seen which way Nevadans rolled the dice.

Gallagher, R.I.P.

Comedian Gallagher passed away this morning of multiple organ failure. He was 76. 

Although he had multiple heart attacks over the past decade, Gallagher continued performing right up until the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While best known for his use of props, most notably smashing watermelons, Gallagher cleverly deployed puns and wordplay as demonstrated with this appearance on the 1989 revival of The Smothers Brothers. R.I.P.

Thoughts on The Difference Between Remembrance Day & Veterans Day

November 11th marks Veterans Day here in the United States. In Canada, the U.K. and in other Commonwealth countries, today is Remembrance Day. 

When I grew up in Canada you always knew it would soon be Remembrance Day as most people sported poppies on their lapels. The poppies are in reference to a poem called "In Flanders Fields" written by a Canadian soldier named John McCrae, a military surgeon. Its first couplet reads, "In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow/Between the crosses, row on row." McCrae would find himself among those rows succumbing to pneumonia early in 1918. 

In the 20 plus years I have lived in this country, I can count the number of poppies I've seen on one hand and there's a good chance they were worn by Canadians or Brits. Whereas Remembrance Day commemorates those who died in war, Veterans' Day honors the soldiers still among us. Of course, American soldiers who perished during war are honored on Memorial Day on the last Monday in May. 

Given that for many people Memorial Day signifies the unofficial beginning of summer a couple of years back I mused that we ought to switch Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Honor the living in May and remember the dead in November. If nothing else, a parade seems more fitting in May.

Naturally, I have no such illusions such a proposal will come to pass. In the grand scheme of things it is not so important when we remember our military veterans so long as we remember them. 

Republicans Will Rally Back to Trump If He's Indicted

The big political story of the day is the near universal consensus among Republicans that the party's lackluster performance lay at the feet of defeated, former President Trump.

Various news outlets owned by Rupert Murdoch (i.e. Fox News, Wall Street Journal and New York Post) have seen fit to taunt Trump as has National Review. Newly elected Republican Congressman Mike Lawler says Republicans should move on from Trump. Ditto for Virginia Lieutenant-Governor Winsome Earle-Sears. They are coalescing around Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who won re-election by nearly 20 points over Democrat (and former Republican) Charlie Crist and has been the main focus of Trump's ire in recent days. 

To be sure, Trump still has his allies such as Tucker Carlson and Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. But others have begun to waver with Trump's former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany wants Trump to wait until after the Georgia runoff to announce his third White House bid.

Yet time and again, Republicans have stuck with Trump from the moment he descended the escalator at Trump Tower to deride Mexicans, question John McCain's heroism through Charlottesville, Helsinki and the events of January 6th. While DeSantis has emerged as a plausible challenger, Republicans quickly closed ranks around Trump after the raid on Mar-a-Lago three months ago putting a DeSantis into a box. 

With the breadth of his victory in comparison to GOP performances around the country, DeSantis is out of the box. But if Republicans rallied around Trump after a raid by the FBI then imagine what would happen if Trump were actually indicted. While DeSantis has conservative cred, he doesn't have a base of support who would run through a wall for him and then rebuild it only to run through it again.

I also suspect that if Republicans do capture both the House and the Senate that things will calm down somewhat. For the moment, Republicans have neither of these things. They might not win with a huge majority but they will have a power they do not have now and that will ease pressure on Trump and put the focus back on President Biden.

The only scenario in which I see this not coming to pass is if Trump is indicted and DeSantis says good riddance. This would be a big risk to take as he could alienate the MAGAverse. If the gamble pays off then maybe DeSantis could kill the king. But until the king is killed then Trump isn't finished. Trump might be having a bad day today, but he also had a bad day on January 6th but in the days that followed his devotees worshipped him even more. I mean Trump could always shoot someone on Fifth Avenue.

Feeling a Little Less Blue But America Will Probably Be Seeing Red

The Republican juggernaut did not come to pass last night and with it comes a small measure of relief for my pessimistic outlook on our present state of affairs. 

For starters, the election took place peacefully and people exercised their franchise. 

The biggest gain for Democrats last night was John Fetterman winning a Senate seat in Pennsylvania despite lingering doubts about his health and how it impacted his recent debate performance against Dr. Oz. Pennsylvanians see Fetterman as one of their own while viewing Oz as a crudite carpetbagger from New Jersey. 

However, I suspect that gain will be offset in Nevada where Republican Adam Laxalt is leading Democratic incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto which will likely leave control of the Senate up to Georgia yet again as Raphael Warnock will be in yet another runoff race this time against Herschel Walker. It remains to be seen where that 2% of the Libertarian vote will go. The Republicans were expected to make significant gains in the House. Alas this has not come to pass as the likes of Lauren Boebert trails Democrat Adam Frisch albeit by only 64 votes. Given the margin there is a legitimate cause for a recount regardless of who is the victor. But there is no margin when it comes to the quality of the two candidates. Of course, quality isn't always enough.

Yet let us keep in mind that a Republican controlled Congress is a Republican controlled Congress whether the majority is 1, 5, 20 or 100 and plenty of misery could arise from it even with President Biden's veto. Then there is still the possibility that Kari Lake could win the gubernatorial race in Arizona with Mark Finchem becoming Secretary of State. Finchem overtly says he would not have certified Biden's electoral win in Arizona and would empower the state legislature to overturn election results. It only takes one state to overturn an election and others are sure to follow. If we're not careful this could happen in 2024.

So while I feel a little less blue about our democracy and Democrats I still think America will probably be seeing red.

My Hour of Vaccination & Voting

 

Within the past hour, I got vaccinated and then I voted.

After work, I stopped off at the CVS in my neighborhood and received my second Moderna booster. Last March, the CDC recommended that all adults 50 and over receive a second booster. As those of you familiar with the space are aware I turned 50 back in September so this was very much on my mind. While I'm sure some mild side effects will follow, I am glad I got this done.

I must confess that I did not intend to vote in this election. There are political factors at play in Massachusetts than there are in Georgia as was the case when I voted for Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in the Senate runoff vote in January 2021. Their election was the difference in attaining additional stimulus relief, vaccinations, infrastructure spending as well as funding for climate change and health care subsidies, the appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, stronger gun control measures and student loan relief. These are good things and unfortunately the country appears on the verge of not wanting good things. 

Whatever the case, Massachusetts is one of the few places which is reliably progressive and in the grand scheme of things my vote is less likely to make a difference. But with the democracy and Democratic blues I have been feeling, I concluded in the minutes after obtaining my vaccination that I had to least make some modest contribution to our polity. If nothing else I can revive the Nixon era slogan, "Don't blame me, I'm from Massachusetts".

Now one can make the case that by connecting vaccination to voting that I am turning vaccination into a political act. I reject this argument out of hand because those who oppose vaccinations are the ones who turned into a matter of political identity rather than a public good. I am old enough to remember when scarcely anyone questioned the merits of vaccination as there were still a good many people who remember iron lungs. There were a few people who didn't get vaccinated on religious grounds, but they kept it in the religious sphere.

To the extent that vaccination and voting have anything in common is that they are a public good which benefits a large number of people regardless of their station in society. In other words, I get vaccinated and I vote just as much for the other person as I do for myself. I don't wish other people to suffer. 

Of course, not everyone thinks in this way. Indeed a great many people do not look at the world beyond themselves and their families, if even that. Yet I am equally sure that I am not alone in my outlook in that a jab of a needle and the stroke of a pen can do a great deal of good even if you don't get everything you want.

Why I'm Feeling The Democracy & Democratic Blues

At this time 24 hours from now, Americans will for the most part know what direction the country will be going as the results of the 2022 midterm elections are revealed.

Of course, I have a fairly good idea that tomorrow is going to be a great night for the Republicans and two ominous years for the country.

Not only do I believe that Republicans will regain the House of Representatives, but that they will regain the Senate. Democrats will fail to make breakthroughs in both Ohio and Pennsylvania while Republicans will gain seats in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire and possibly even Washington. The contest between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker in Georgia will probably come down to a runoff next month but the GOP could gain there as well. With that said, I wonder if Mitch McConnell's days will be numbered because of defeated, former President Trump's disapproval. 

Democrats will win in some places. I expect Josh Shapiro to be elected Governor of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer to be re-elected in Michigan, but their margins of victories could be too close for comfort. This is just one of those years where Democrats are damned if they debate (John Fetterman) and damned if they don't (Katie Hobbs). One would think that an unemployment rate of 3.7% would be good news for Democrats. But Republicans have convinced voters that Joe Biden has singlehandedly put us into a recession because of inflation while also convincing voters that crime is at an all-time high. It isn't but it's complicated and voters want easy answers. 

Speaking of crime, amid armed Republicans intimidating voters, I have a bad feeling we will see a mass shooting or shootings at polling stations. For a country that has had mass shootings at concerts, schools, movie theaters, grocery stores and houses of worship is it really a stretch of the imagination that one would not happen at a polling station. 

Now I did fear this would happen during the 2020 election, but it did not come to pass fortunately. But because it did not come to pass I underestimated the events that preceded January 6, 2021. This I cannot do for the foreseeable future.

But let us assume that tomorrow's vote occurs peacefully and we freely elect Republicans to take over Congress along with several Governors' mansions and Secretaries of State. For starters, no Republican Congress is ever going to certify the election of a Democratic President ever again. I can certainly see Biden besting Trump yet again in 2024, but I can also see a Republican Congress disregarding those results.  

I also wonder how many times a Republican House will impeach President Biden over matters of policy. Remember that Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced an impeachment resolution against Biden the day after he took office. Kevin McCarthy might be Speaker of the House but MTG will have the real power. While I cannot imagine even a Republican controlled Senate impeaching Biden, repeated impeachments by a Republican controlled House even for the most trivial of matters will have the effect of weakening his authority. In which case, Democrats will likely move Heaven and Earth to keep Biden from seeking re-election even if Republican efforts to impeach Biden are as baseless as their claims about the 2020 election. The simple truth is that many Democrats have never accepted Biden and never will.

Then there are the states will not only elect Republican Governors, but Republican Secretaries of States. These Secretaries of State will be avowed election deniers who will have the authority to oversee elections. Then there is a state like Georgia where a Republican like Brad Raffensperger (who is not viewed favorably by Trump) will likely be re-elected but will return to office with diminished authority. Republican Secretaries of State, Republican controlled state election boards will no more certify a Democratic victory than a Republican controlled Congress the will of the people be damned. This only need happen in one state and then the rest fall like dominoes. 

The sad truth is that I don't think most Americans really care about democracy. Most Americans want high quality goods and services at low prices and I suspect that many would be content to surrender their freedoms in exchange for a $300 gift card from Amazon. Most Americans have never known a system other than democracy and they don't think it has given them very much and are ready to try something else. So they can spit at democracy. What they get in its place will do far worse than spit back. But as demonstrated with COVID, we learn things the hard way if we choose to learn at all.

There is always the possibility that the results won't be as bleak as I expect. There could be a scenario where Democrats hold onto the Senate and hold onto some key Governors' mansions and Secretary of State posts. But I'm not counting on it. I am preparing for the worst. Even if the worst of it doesn't come tomorrow it will soon follow. And when it does a lot of people are going to be hurt and killed and most of us won't give a damn and either will look the other way or pretend it didn't happen.

Astros Win 2nd World Series Title in 5 Years

The Houston Astros have won their second World Series title in five years defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 6 of the Fall Classic.

The clinching game was scoreless until the 6th inning when Kyle Schwarber struck first for the Phillies with a solo HR. However, the Astros would answer with four runs in the bottom of the inning via a 3-run HR by Yordan Alvarez and a single by Christian Vazquez. Framber Valdez pitched six solid innings while Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressley combined on three innings of scoreless baseball limiting the Phillies to a single. 

The Phillies had a 2-1 series lead, but the Astros came roaring back with three straight wins beginning with the combined no-hitter in Game 4. 

With the likes of Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yuri Gurriel still on the club there will remain a cloud over the Astros franchise not being held to account for their actions during their run for team's first World Series title in 2017. However, Dusty Baker is no A.J. Hinch and it is nice to see Baker finally earn a World Series ring after nearly 30 years as a big league manager. At 73, Baker is now the oldest manager to ever win a World Series title. With Baker's contract up, I suspect that he will retire and pass on the reins to bench coach Joe Espada who was been waiting in the wings for a managerial job.

It's also hard to root against Trey Mancini, a cancer survivor. I also have a soft spot for former Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez while Cristian Javier emerged as a feel good story having become the first MLB pitcher to start combined no-hitters ever, let alone the same season. And then there's Jeremy Pena who added a World Series MVP to his ALCS MVP trophy. Pena hit .400 going 10 for 25 with a HR during the Fall Classic becoming the first rookie position player to win the award.

Let's give the Phillies their due. After sweeping the Mariners in the ALDS and the Yankees in the ALCS, the Phillies gave the Astros a scare and got two wins against them. Let us remember, the Phillies were 22-29 when the team dismissed Joe Girardi in favor of Rob Thomson. I doubt anyone thought the Phillies would have got this far back in June. They might have fallen short but the Phillies had a lot of fight in them. Or on this case Phight.

But the hour belongs to Houston whose residents will get another World Series parade and this time while not recovering from a hurricane. 

A Brief Note on The Anti-Semitism of Kanye West & Kyrie Irving

The anti-Semitism of both Kanye West and Kyrie Irving has been well documented so I won't comment about at it length. But it does merit a few brief thoughts.

First and foremost, I am not surprised either West or Irving harbor such views. West has long had an unpleasant disposition going back to when he claimed former President Bush didn't care about black people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina or interrupting people during their moment in the sun (i.e. Beck, Taylor Swift). He comes across as a hateful person. It was only a matter of time before he set his sight upon Jews. As for Kyrie Irving, he has exhibited a tendency towards conspiracy theories - claiming the Earth is flat, the JFK assassination and COVID vaccines. Anti-Semitism is the world's oldest conspiracy theory. So it is only natural he would progress (or perhaps regress) towards Holocaust denial. 

Both West and Irving have faced consequences for their hatred of Jews (albeit belatedly) with West losing an endorsement deal with Adidas and Irving losing an endorsement deal from Nike and being indefinitely suspended by the Brooklyn Nets. However, both men yield a great deal of influence and there is a segment of the population who will view them as martyrs particularly in the African-American community. In the case of West, it is remarkable to see white supremacists come to champion him. It is even more remarkable to see mainstream Republicans defend him while looking the other way at his anti-Semitism. Meanwhile, most of Irving's NBA colleagues have been silent on his views.

As such I suspect that the setbacks for West and Irving are only temporary. West will record another album, Irving will eventually return to the NBA and both will get new shoe endorsement deals with a critical mass of this country in their corner. In time, I fear that anti-Semitism will become a mainstream point of view in the United States and the public support for West and Irving will go a long way in making this come to pass.

Cristian Javier & 3 Relievers Throw 2nd World Series No-Hitter to Tie Fall Classic

In Game 4 of the World Series, Cristian Javier along with relievers Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly combined on a no-hitter to give the Houston Astros a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies to even the Fall Classic at two games apiece. Javier pitched six of those innings. 

It is the first no-hitter in World Series competition since Don Larsen's perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Needless to say, it is the first combined no-hitter in World Series history. However, it is not Javier's first combined no-hitter. Back in June, Javier, Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly no-hit the New York Yankees. Javier pitched 7 of those innings striking out 13. He is also the only pitcher in MLB history to start to combined no-hitters.

Overall, it is the third no-hitter in MLB post-season history. The late Roy Halladay tossed a no-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS. The Phillies have now been on both ends of a no-hitter in post-season play. Dusty Baker has also been on both ends of a no-hitter in post-season play as he was managing the Reds when Halladay threw his masterpiece.

As the late Joe Garagiola said, "Baseball is a funny game."

If this doesn't pick up World Series viewership then nothing will. Game 5 is scheduled for tonight with Game 1 starters Noah Syndergaard and Justin Verlander facing off once more. 

Why Trump & Republicans Are Ignoring Byron York's Advice on Paul Pelosi

Byron York of The Washington Examiner has some advice for Republicans as to how to respond to the assault upon Paul Pelosi last week:

Perhaps Republicans should look back to how Democrats responded to the June 14, 2017, assault weapon attack on Republican representatives practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. Democratic leaders knew the shooter, James Hodgkinson, was an angry, Trump-hating progressive — not crazy in the sense that David DePape is crazy, just angry, from a progressive Democratic perspective. He was a supporter of and volunteer for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). A watcher of Rachel Maddow and MSNBC. An absorber of Democratic talking points. A man angry enough to attack Republicans with a semi-automatic rifle and a 9 mm handgun, gravely wounding Scalise and four others.

Here is what Democrats did after the Scalise attack: They condemned the violence. They wished Scalise well. They praised law enforcement. And they moved on. They did not concede that their rhetoric might have contributed to Hodgkinson's actions. They did not even acknowledge the accusation.

After citing quotations from both Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders, York concluded:

Can you find any recognition of collective guilt there? Any apology? Any vow to change in the future? No. Now, obviously, Pelosi and Sanders did not have much of the press corps targeting them, suggesting that they bore responsibility for the shootings, so they were not under the pressure that McCarthy and other Republicans are under today. But their response to the baseball shooting is a model of how Republicans can respond to the Paul Pelosi attack today. Say the right things. Condemn the violence. Wish Pelosi well. Praise law enforcement. Then move on. 

Well, I can tell you that Republicans aren't heeding York's advice. They aren't saying the right things. They aren't condemning the violence against Paul Pelosi much less wishing him well. They aren't praising law enforcement and they sure as hell aren't moving on.

After Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Donald Trump, Jr. had a good chuckle at Pelosi's misfortune, the defeated former President chimed in:

It’s weird things going on in that household in the last couple of weeks. You know, probably, you and I are better off not talking about it. The glass, it seems, was broken from the inside to the out and, you know, so, it wasn’t a break in, it was a break out.

The whole thing is crazy. I mean, if there’s even a little bit of truth to what’s being said, it’s crazy. But the window was broken in and it was strange the cops were standing there practically from the moment it all took place.

And for good measure, the senior Trump also made a point of saying he's "not a fan of Nancy Pelosi."

So let's review. Trump isn't saying the right thing. He didn't condemn the violence nor did he wish Pelosi well. Trump didn't praise law enforcement and actually did the opposite. Of course, given all that has happened after the 2020 election, the last thing he wants to do is to move on.

And this is the problem with York's advice. With very few exceptions, Trump and Republicans consider Nancy Pelosi an enemy to be destroyed and as such Paul Pelosi is an enemy by default. Forget about showing him any measure of compassion. They won't acknowledge there was an assault in the first place. It is their contention that Paul Pelosi is not the victim of a crime. Notice how Trump said, "I mean, if there’s even a little bit of truth to what’s being said" as if he had any claim to being a beacon of honesty. 

Of course, York mentions none of it. Why would he? Instead he asks of Democrats, "Can you find any recognition of collective guilt there? Any apology? Any vow to change in the future?" Last I checked, Democrats never disputed that Steve Scalise was shot nor did they utter an unkind word about him or his family. And they certainly never had a kind of word for James Hodgkinson whereas Charlie Kirk wants "a patriot" to bail out Pelosi's attacker notwithstanding the fact he is being held without bail. 

Defeated former President Trump and the quislings who go along with him are clear of compassion and devoid of decency. They accept what is said by Trump and the conservative echo chamber at face value Because of this they derive pleasure in the suffering of others who dare to hold a contrary view and anyone associated with with such persons. The individual who attacked Paul Pelosi was part of this echo chamber. The failure of a critical mass of this country to condemn this attack does not bode well for us because the reaction to the attack on Pelosi is the tip of the iceberg. It won't be long before this critical mass will condone murder possibly in the name of people exercising their right to vote. If that happens then lynch mobs are soon to follow.

In view of these conditions, Byron York's advice is lost on Trump and Republicans as those horses left the barn long ago and are never coming back.

Chisox Reportedly Name Pedro Grifol New Skipper

The Chicago White Sox have reportedly hired Kansas City Royals bench coach Pedro Grifol to be their new manager. 

Grifol, who turn 53 later this month, would succeed Tony La Russa who was brought back in 2021 after an absence of nearly 35 years from the organization. After winning the AL Central in 2021, the Chisox took a step back in 2022 and health problems forced La Russa to bow out in late August and bench coach Miguel Cairo became acting manager.

I am emphasizing the word "reportedly" in my headline because the White Sox were "reportedly" going to hire Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada. But then the Chisox shifted gears word soon got out they were going to interview former manager Ozzie Guillen who guided the team to a World Series title in 2005. But perhaps White Sox brass thought it wise not to hire two ex-managers in a row.

A collegiate player at Florida State University who played in two College World Series, Grifol spent nearly a decade as a minor league player in the Minnesota Twins and New York Mets organizations. He would then spend 13 seasons in the Seattle Mariners organization as a minor league manager, scout and director of minor league operations before joining the Royals coaching staff in 2013. 

Grifol would be part of back to back AL pennant winners and earn a World Series ring in 2015. He was considered a possible successor to Mike Matheny and was interviewed for the position. But the Royals opted to go outside the organization for Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro. Grifol also interviewed for the Marlins managerial vacancy which went to Skip Schumaker and in previous seasons had interviewed for managerial positions with the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants.

The time has finally arrived for Grifol. Will the Chisox players responded more favorably to him then they did to La Russa and Cairo? Lance Lynn seems happy. Given that the White Sox were expected to win this season and similar things are expected in 2023 how long a leash will Jerry Reinsdorf give to Grifol? When we consider how fast the Chisox moved from Espada to Guillen to Grifol, the new skipper might not have a lot of time to establish himself.  

Why It's Premature to Declare Netanyahu The Winner of 2022 Israeli Election

A number of news reports have already declared Benjamin Netanyahu the winner of the 2022 Israeli elections. 

I'm not inclined to concur with this conclusion just yet.

After all, there were similar declarations when Israeli last went to the polls in March 2021 with Netanyahu claiming "a great victory."  Bibi would instead end up on the opposition benches.

I'm not saying Netanyahu won't return to power. I just think it's too early to draw conclusions because voting is only one part of the Israeli electoral process. The other part is cobbling together a coalition and there is no guarantee Bibi will be able to pull that off. After all, he has been unable to pull that off in three of the previous four elections which have been held since April 2019. 

Let us also keep in mind that putting together a coalition takes months. Indeed, the coalition between Naftali Bennett and current Prime Minister Yair Lapid brokered by Mansour Abbas did not form until three months after the election. Even if the composition of the Knesset is more conservative and nationalistic this time around it doesn't necessarily mean the parties will want Netanyahu to lead them. They might turn to someone else to lead or Israel could end up holding its sixth election in four years. 

Even after all the votes have been counted the 2022 Israeli election is far from over.