Monday, September 30, 2024

My Thoughts on the 2024 MLB Post-Season

I want to say a few words about the forthcoming 2024 MLB post-season although a pall has now been cast by the passing of Pete Rose

The sad news notwithstanding, the game must go on.

This year's edition of the post-season is a mixture of the old and the new.

American League

AL East - New York Yankees

AL Central - Cleveland Guardians

AL West - Houston Astros

AL Wild Card Teams - Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals & Detroit Tigers

After missing the post-season a year ago, the Yankees rebounded with an MVP season from a healthy Aaron Judge. The Guardians also missed the post-season last year but regained their form under new manager Stephen Vogt. After a slow start under new skipper Joe Espada, the Astros rebounded and overtook the Seattle Mariners shortly after the All-Star Break. It is Astros' 8th consecutive post-season appearance and 9th in 10 seasons.

The Baltimore Orioles make the post-season for the second consecutive year albeit settling for the first AL Wild Card berth after winning the AL East a year ago. The Kansas City Royals make their first post-season appearance since winning the World Series in 2015. A year ago, Matt Quatraro's squad lost 106 games and now play October baseball. Equally improbable are the rise of the Tigers who are making their first post-season appearance since 2014. On August 10th, the Tigers were 55-63 and 10 games in the AL Wild Card standings. The Tigers roared back going 33-13 over the past seven weeks overtaking the Minnesota Twins to earn the third and final Wild Card berth.

The Yankees and Guardians earn byes in the first round. The Wild Card round will see the Orioles host the Royals while the Astros host the Tigers. The latter series is particularly interesting because Tigers manager A.J. Hinch will face the team he managed to the 2017 World Series and from whom he would earn a yearlong suspension for his role in the team's sign stealing scandal. A triumph for the Tigers against the Astros would represent something of a redemption for Hinch. The winner of the Tigers-Astros series will face the Guardians while the winner of the Orioles-Royals will face the Yankees in the ALDS matchups. 

National League

NL East - Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central - Milwaukee Brewers

NL West - Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wild Card Teams - San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves & New York Mets

This is the Phillies' third consecutive post-season appearance under manager Rob Thomson, but their first NL East title since 2011. Meanwhile, the Brewers have earned back-to-back NL Central titles and three division crowns in the past four seasons. However, it is the first title under new skipper Pat Murphy after Craig Counsell jumped ship to the Chicago Cubs in the off-season. The Dodgers continue to win division titles with or without Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers have won 12 NL West titles in the past 13 seasons and also represents their 9th consecutive post-season appearance under skipper Dave Roberts. 

After a disappointing 2023, the San Diego Padres have returned to the post-season this time under manager Mike Shildt who was abruptly jilted by the St. Louis Cardinals following the 2021 season after making three consecutive post-season appearances in four years. Both the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves punched their way to the post-season today after splitting a doubleheader in Atlanta which was delayed as a result of Hurricane Helene. Unfortunately, this left the defending NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks as the odd team out. It is the Braves 7th consecutive post-season appearance under manager Brian Snitker although the first time they haven't won the division since 2017. Like the Padres, the Mets had a disappointing 2023 season but rebounded this year under new skipper Carlos Mendoza. 

The Phillies and Dodgers have earned byes. The NL Wild Card matchups will see Brew Crew host the Mets while the Padres host the Braves. The winner of the Brewers-Mets matchup will face the Phillies while the winner of the Padres-Braves matchup will face the Dodgers in the NLDS matchups. 

Finally, let's take a look at some potential World Series rematches with the year the two teams last faced each other in brackets.

Houston Astros vs. Philadelphia Phillies (2022)

Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves (2021)

Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (2017)

Kansas City Royals vs. New York Mets (2015)

New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies (2009)

New York Yankees vs. New York Mets (2000)

New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves (1999)

New York Yankees vs. San Diego Padres (1998)

Cleveland Indians vs. Atlanta Braves (1995)

Detroit Tigers vs. San Diego Padres (1984)

Baltimore Orioles vs. Philadelphia Phillies (1983)

New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1981)

Kansas City Royals vs. Philadelphia Phillies (1980)

Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Mets (1969)

Baltimore Orioles vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1966)

Cleveland Indians vs. Brooklyn Robins (1920)

Of course, some of these matchups have occurred more than once all involving the Yankees. The Yankees have faced the Phillies twice (1950 and 2009), the Braves in the World Series four times (1957, 1958, 1996 and 1999), and the Dodgers 11 times (1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1963, 1977, 1978 and 1981). FOX must be salivating at the thought of a Yankees-Dodgers World Series. I think they will be considerably less enthusiastic about a first time matchup like the Tigers-Brewers although the Harris and Trump campaigns might like it because Michigan and Wisconsin are crucial swing states. 

Mind you, I don't think I'll watch any of it. But I'll keep my eye on proceedings from a distance and acknowledge them for posterity's sake.

Pete Rose is a Hall of Famer, Plaque or No Plaque

A short time ago, I learned that MLB's all-time hits leader Pete Rose passed away today at the age of 83

No cause of death has been released at this time.

His passing was announced on ESPN by Eduardo Perez whose father Tony Perez was Rose's longtime teammate with the Cincinnati Reds and later with the Philadelphia Phillies. The younger Perez was informed of the news by his father, and he confirmed it with Rose's son, Pete, Jr. 

In 23 MLB seasons with the Reds, Phillies and briefly with the Montreal Expos, Rose played more games, had more plate appearances, more at bats and more hits than any other player in MLB history. "Charlie Hustle" collected 200 or more hits ten times (leading the NL in hits seven times), won three NL batting titles, was named to 17 NL All-Star Teams and earned three World Series rings (two with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and one with the Phillies in 1980). Rose was also the only player in MLB history to collect at least 500 hits at five different positions - first base, second base, third base, left field and right field. 

Unfortunately, because Rose bet on baseball while managing the Reds during the late 1980's, he was banned from MLB and rendered ineligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Yet, following my visit to Cooperstown in 2012, I noted that Pete Rose is there if you look close enough:

I also didn’t realize that Pete Rose is in the Hall of Fame. Oh, you won’t find him in the Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery on the main floor. But you will find Charlie Hustle on the 3rd Floor where he is acknowledged as Major League Baseball’s all-time hit leader. Rose has also played more big league games than any other player who stepped onto the field. This fact is acknowledged with a cap he wore during his half-season with the Montreal Expos in 1984. Yet I am under no illusions that Rose will ever have a plaque on the main floor.

I don't think this state of affairs will ever change. If baseball is not prepared forgive "Shoeless" Joe Jackson of his transgressions more than a century after the fact, Charlie Hustle stands no chance. 

But in my book, and that of a lot of other baseball fans, Pete Rose is a Hall of Famer, plaque or no plaque. 

Lastly, on a personal note, Pete Rose came into the world on April 14, 1941 - the same day my Dad was born. 

As one might understand, I cannot help but think of Rose's passing without thinking of my father's mortality. Dad had a brush with death nearly a decade ago with his quadruple bypass and is making the most of his life. But I harbor no illusions that all things must come to an end. I can only hope that end doesn't come anytime soon.

With that, I wish my Dad an early L'Shana Tovah.

R.I.P. Charlie Hustle.

Walz Just Needs to be Himself in Tomorrow's VP Debate with Vance

 


In just over 24 hours from now, the VP debate between Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Republican Senator J.D. Vance will take place in New York City.

While I think that Walz's debate prep with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg will be of help, I think Walz will be more than fine if he is just himself. And if people see fit to underestimate him then so much the better.

I don't question Vance's intellect, and I have no doubt he will be much more focused and disciplined than Trump. 

But Vance isn't going to be on stage to persuade the American people, he will be there to persuade Donald Trump.

If that is the case Vance is going to come across as the phony asshole he's been since hitching himself to the Trump train. Even if Walz comes across as less of a policy expert than Vance, he will come across as a warm, decent human being who cares about the well-being of people. This would hopefully go a long way with the independent voters who will likely decide this election. 

Marlins Part Ways with Schumaker But He Won't Be Unemployed for Long

 

After only two seasons at the helm of the Miami Marlins, Skip Schumaker has been dismissed as the team's manager.

Although Schumaker guided the Marlins to a post-season appearance a year ago earning him NL Manager of the Year honors, they regressed this year losing 100 games. 

However, the writing was on the wall for Schumaker as soon as Kim Ng abruptly exited as team president last October. Schumaker was not pleased with this development and the club subsequently removed his option to remain in the dugout in 2025

In the grand scheme of things leaving Miami will likely be a good thing for Schumaker because several teams are interested in his managerial services namely the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox

There is one other potentially in the mix - the St. Louis Cardinals. OK, I'm aware the Redbirds are brining back Oli Marmol for 2025. But the Cardinals are a team in transition. John Mozeliak will be out as team President after next season and be replaced by former Boston Red Sox CEO Chaim Bloom who joined the Cardinals organization back in January.

In the event Schumaker doesn't have a big-league managerial job at the beginning of the 2025 season and the Cardinals struggle out of the gate don't be surprised if the team reaches out to Schumaker who spent 8 of his 11 big league seasons in a Redbirds uniform. Schumaker also played for two seasons with the Reds.

Whatever Schumaker's future holds he will be given another chance to manage a big league ballclub in the not-too-distant future.

Sunday, September 29, 2024

The Chisox Have Nowhere To Go But Up


The Chicago White Sox's 2024 season has finally come to a merciful end as they finish with a record of 41-121.

Amid the disaster, there is a silver lining.

For starters, while the White Sox eclipsed the 1962 New York Mets for most losses in a season in the modern MLB era, the Chisox actually have a slightly better winning percentage (.253 vs .250).

September turned out to be the team's best month. While a 10-15 record is hardly something to brag about, the team did play better the last two weeks of the season going 8-6 winning 5 of their last 6 games and two out of three against the playoff bound Detroit Tigers. 

Although the team went a paltry 13-34 under interim manager Grady Sizemore, the players responded to him and if the Chisox are smart they'll make him their full-time manager in 2025. 

The way I look at it, the Chicago White Sox have nowhere to go but up.

Mind you, the White Sox could win 20 more games next year and still finish with 100 plus losses. Nevertheless, it would be a step in the right direction. No one is expecting the team to go to the post-season next year.

Then again, the Kansas City Royals lost 106 games a year ago and now have an AL Wild Card berth. So stranger things have happened. 

For all the sorrow on the South Side of Chicago, these fans will still have a team for which to root unlike the residents of Oakland. Which means White Sox fans will have a measure of hope however small it might be.

I Wasn't Wild About The Wild Taxi Tribute to Cat Stevens and Harry Chapin

 

Late this morning, I ventured to City Winery in Boston to see and hear Wild Taxi - a tribute act to Cat Stevens (a.k.a. Yusuf) and Harry Chapin. Wild Taxi features Howie Fields (pictured left) on drums. Fields joined Chapin's band in 1975 and played with him until his sudden death at the age of 38 in 1981. 

Wild Taxi is actually a subgroup of a larger acoustic musical project called Satinwood. In addition to their tribute to Stevens and Chapin, they have another tribute act called Rainy Day People which is a tribute to both Gordon Lightfoot and Jim Croce. I saw Rainy Day People at City Winery in August 2022 when they were booked in a smaller performance area called the Haymarket Lounge.

Alas, Wild Taxi was booked in the main hall, and this was the start of why I was unfortunately not wild about the event. Their music is meant for a more intimate setting rather than in a large supper club environment where people are crammed together. I've had my issues with this venue when I saw Leonid & Friends this past Memorial Day and when I saw Gilbert O'Sullivan in March 2023. It was my hope to minimize some of these issues by sitting in the same seat I had next to the stage when I saw Ron Sexsmith in February 2023. It didn't help matters much. Last year, I was only focused on Sexsmith whereas today it was a five-person band. 

Despite Wild Taxi being a Satinwood project along with Rainy Day People their approach this different. With Rainy Day People, the set alternated between Lightfoot and Croce. Not so with Wild Taxi. The first half of the show was devoted to Cat Stevens and the second half was devoted to Harry Chapin.

With that said, the first half of the show was solid. Wild Taxi has Stevens' material down pat. In fact, it reminded me of when I saw Cat Stevens in concert at the Wang Theatre in December 2014 in what was his first U.S. concert since 1976. The songs which received the most rapturous response were from Tea for the Tillerman. Not surprisingly, nearly half of the Cat Stevens set was devoted to songs from Tea for the Tillerman ("Into White", "Where Do The Children Play", "Hard Headed Woman", "Sad Lisa" and "Wild World"). Wild Taxi's arrangements were so close to the album it took me back both to listening to the album and when I attended Stevens' concert. 

Following a brief intermission, Wild Taxi embarked upon their tribute to Chapin. This proved to be disappointing. Despite the presence of Fields in the band, they were not as strong on Chapin's catalogue. Wild Taxi leader Paul Motter had trouble getting the opening riff for "Cats in the Cradle". Well, as Harry might have said, "Close enough for Chapin music."

But when Motter asked Fields to tell the story behind "Story of a Life", Fields demurred and passed the ball back to Motter. Unfortunately, Motter claimed that Chapin wrote the song while on a flight from Dallas to Fort Worth. That would be a short flight. In fact, the flight was from Austin to Dallas. Motter and the band also seemed to be phoning it in when performing "30,000 Pounds of Bananas".

As it turned out, Wild Taxi had to be off stage prior to 2 p.m. which meant they had to cut the Chapin set short by about five songs. I'm not sure of all the songs they cut but I do know they were planning on playing "Corey's Coming". Motter's wife Melanie (who was on keyboards) was confused about which song they were playing to end the show. Her husband replied, "It begins with a T." This meant "Taxi". They performed a decent rendition but Motter's trying to impersonate Big John Wallace's falsetto on the bridge just didn't work. 

There was a demand for an encore, but the band said they had to go. Thus, the show ended on a sour note, and I wanted to get out of there as soon as I could. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the show more if it had been in the Haymarket Lounge or some other more intimate venue in which things weren't so rushed. I can only hope the circle will come around next time. 

Joe Castiglione Calls His Final Play as Red Sox Radio Broadcaster

 

A short time ago, I listened to Joe Castiglione call the final play of his career as the radio broadcaster for the Boston Red Sox. 

As his former broadcast partner Sean McDonough and current broadcaster partner and successor Will Flemming struggled to keep their composure, Castiglione went about his business as he has for the past 42 years and kept his focus on Sox reliever Justin Slaten facing Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Richie Palacios until Palacios lined out to Sox centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela to end the ballgame and end the 2024 regular season with a 3-1 win and a .500 record

Whatever sadness Castiglione might have felt in the moment he kept to himself. Castiglione did what he has done every season since 1989 after his colleague Ken Coleman retired. He read the words of the late MLB Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti from his essay "From a Great and Glorius Game":

It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.....and summer was gone.

Joe Castiglione ended his career on a high note. In July, he received the Ford C. Frick Award at the Baseball Hall of Fame ceremonies before announcing his retirement two weeks ago

Here is what I wrote about Castiglione when he was named this year's Ford C. Frick recipient last December:

I began listening to the Red Sox on the radio shortly after moving to Boston in 2000. Usually I would listen to the games on a Sunday afternoon while walking from Boston to Cambridge via Mass Ave or Memorial Drive. Sometimes I would be content to listen to the game walking around Jamaica Plain. 

The common denominator was Castiglione with his low-key demeanor and leisurely delivery. While Castiglione roots for the Red Sox he does so quietly and isn't a homer. Nor does he overwhelm you with statistics. He knows how to let the game breathe while knowing how to pace the drama with pauses. 

Now 76, Castiglione began working a reduced schedule this past season calling 81 games - half of the team's schedule.

He is part of that dying breed of baseball broadcasters who focuses his attention on the game rather than the bread and circuses surrounding it. Even with a reduced schedule, I hope Castiglione will be part of the Red Sox radio broadcast team for many more years to come. 

Well, as Castiglione said while calling his final at bat, "Nothing is forever." 

Perhaps, but I am glad Castiglione was one of the voices who helped mark my passage of time here in Boston. I know I am far from alone in that sentiment. 

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Paul McCartney Wingin' It With a One Hand Clap in The Backyard

 

This afternoon I went to the Kendall Square Cinema to attend a special screening of One Hand Clapping, a film featuring Paul McCartney & Wings. 

One Hand Clapping was shot at Abbey Road Studios in August 1974. It consists of live recordings and voice overs by Macca and Wings including his wife Linda, former Moody Blues lead singer Denny Laine, drummer Geoff Britton and lead guitarist Jimmy McCulloch of Thunderclap Newman and Stone the Crow fame. Yesterday, actually marked the 45th anniversary of McCulloch's death. He was only 26 when he suddenly passed away of an accidental alcohol and pills overdose. Also on hand was Geoff Emerick, The Beatles' longtime recording engineer.

While originally intended for theatrical release, McCartney ultimately shelved the project. Bootlegged for many years, the film finally came to light during a 2010 re-issue of Band on the Run. The One Hand Clapping album received a formal release back in June with the movie hitting the big screen this past week featuring an introduction from Macca himself.

To some degree, I can see why McCartney originally saw fit to shelve the project. While the sound quality of the music was good, the visuals are grainy while the editing of the music and the voiceovers is slip-shod, and the viewer is treated to awkward periods of silence. While McCulloch offers some interesting insights as a musical prodigy, the voiceovers of Laine and Britton are utterly incomprehensible. 

Nevertheless, where you have McCartney good music is sure to follow. The film was shot less than a year after the release of Band on the Run so the new Wings lineup gives us great renditions of "Jet", "Band on the Run". "Bluebird" (featuring Howie Casey on saxophone) and "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five". During this period, Wings would also have a hit with "Live and Let Die" from the James Bond movie of the same name. For One Hand Clapping, "Live and Let Die" was performed with the Tuxedo Brass Band with conductor Del Newman. 

Given that One Hand Clapping had been bootlegged for decades, I wonder if Rob Reiner saw it during this period. When Linda McCartney saw fit to be critical of Geoff Britton's drumming after their performance of "Soily" (a song previously unreleased on record until now) she gave me Jeannine Pettibone vibes from This is Spinal Tap. It was the only point in the documentary which McCartney asked director David Litchfield to cut the film. Although Britton did appear on several tracks on Wings' 1975 album Venus and Mars, his drumming must have been an ongoing issue because he would be replaced by Joe English during the recording sessions. 

The most interesting aspect of One Hand Clapping was when McCartney was alone at the piano wearing a suit explaining that he knew he wanted to go into music when he was a lad but assumed it would be in cabaret rather than rock 'n roll. One of the songs he played was "Suicide" which I recognized as a fragment at the end of "Hot as Sun/Glasses" from McCartney. It was fascinating to hear "Suicide" in full. One can only wonder how many other McCartney songs remain on the shelf.

At the conclusion of One Hand Clapping, McCartney, who was 32 at the time the film was shot, said he figured he would retire from music at 25 and then at 30 but now had concluded he would go on "until I drop". Fifty years later, McCartney is proceeding according to plan.

After the credits finished rolling, McCartney returned to the screen for a bonus film called The Backyard which was directed also by David Litchfield in 1976. The Backyard was shot in the back of Abbey Road Studios and it featured McCartney on an acoustic guitar playing some old rock 'n roll favorites including Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock" (the first song he played for John Lennon), "Peggy Sue" and "I'm Going to Love You Too" by Buddy Holly, "Sweet Little Sixteen" by Chuck Berry and McCartney's own "Blackpool" which is very clearly inspired by "Twenty Flight Rock".

While both One Hand Clapping and The Backyard are quite raw in some respects, it does give us a glimpse of Paul McCartney's creative process with Wings at the height of their success.

Will AOC Shed Tears for Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah After He Was Killed by Israel?

 

(via Arsen Ostrovsky on X)

When I learned that Israel had killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an air raid in Beirut, I almost immediately wondered if AOC would condemn Israel for the attack or at the very least shed a tear for Nasrallah.

Well, prominent Israeli attorney Arsen Ostrovsky was way ahead of me on X when he shared the picture above of AOC wiping away tears with the caption:

Reaction from @AOC that Hassan Nasrallah, arch terrorist, with blood of hundreds of American servicemen and nationals on his hands, was eliminated by Israel.

As of this writing, AOC has not made any public comment concerning Nasrallah's death. But considering that she condemned exploding Israel's pager operation against Hezbollah operatives earlier this month, it is reasonable to conclude she would likely do so again.

President Biden and Vice-President Harris will shed no tears for Nasrallah. From President Biden:

Hassan Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror.  His death from an Israeli airstrike is a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.

The strike that killed Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023.  Nasrallah, the next day, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a “northern front” against Israel.

For her part, Vice-President Harris echoed Biden's sentiments regarding Nasrallah's death as "a measure of justice":

Hassan Nasrallah was a terrorist with American blood on his hands. Across decades, his leadership of Hezbollah destabilized the Middle East and led to the killing of countless innocent people in Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and around the world. Today, Hezbollah’s victims have a measure of justice.

I have an unwavering commitment to the security of Israel. I will always support Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.

When AOC does weigh on the subject, I doubt she will condemn Nasrallah as a terrorist much less lament those who were his victims. Above all else, she will not see Nasrallah's killing as a measure of justice. 

Friday, September 27, 2024

Chisox Fall to Tigers to Set Modern MLB Record 121st Loss; Detroit Heading for Playoffs for 1st Time Since 2014


The Chicago White Sox have eclipsed the 1962 New York Mets losing their 121st game of the season surpassing an ignominious record which stood for 62 years.

The South Siders did so by losing 4-1 to the Detroit Tigers.

With two games left in the 2024 season, the Chisox are now 39-121. 

Meanwhile, the Tigers have clinched their first post-season berth since 2014 after going on a 31-11 tear over the past seven weeks. Detroit has won six in a row and 10 of their last 11 games. 

If there is a silver lining for the White Sox it is that the Tigers are only five years removed from losing 114 games amid eight consecutive losing seasons. 

It is also worth recalling that in 2003, the Tigers nearly surpassed the '62 Mets in futility with 119 losses. Three years later, the Tigers won the AL pennant. 

The White Sox will have better days - just not in 2024.

Meanwhile, the Tigers have roared into October rather unexpectedly. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene: Elect Trump in Order to Control The Federal Government

Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene made some headlines when she declared during a radio interview yesterday in which she said that House Republicans don't deserve to be re-elected

But what stood out to me was when she implored voters “to elect President Trump in order to control the federal government, in order to take back all of these huge agencies and departments and set the course right.”

The President of the United States, no matter who he or she is, is elected to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, not control the federal government. 

A President who sees fit to control the federal government is a dictator. 

Of course, this is exactly what MTG and MAGA want where it concerns Donald Trump.

Naturally, MTG would not want Kamala Harris to have such powers. I have no doubt that if Harris becomes the next President, she will introduce articles of impeachment the day after she is sworn in just as she did with President Biden

But nothing MTG says or does will make her the apple of Trump's eye quite like Laura Loomer.


Thursday, September 26, 2024

A's Play Final Home Game in Oakland; Beat Rangers 3-2

The A's played their final home game in Oakland this afternoon in front of a rare sellout crowd defeating the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers 3-2.

This day was a long time in coming yet is a familiar story for the A's who I have characterized as baseball's vagabonds. The team has moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland and is heading for Las Vegas via Sacramento. For all of the problems the Chicago White Sox have had they still have a home. 

Although the A's won most of their World Series titles in Philadelphia, they were in Oakland longer than anywhere else coming out west in 1968. During their time in Oakland, the A's won 4 World Series titles and 6 AL pennants although it has been 35 years since they won a championship. The A's have made the post-season 11 times this century but never got past the ALCS. 

While current owner John Fisher deserves a great deal of blame for tanking the team successive city administrations in Oakland and broad swaths of its community were unwilling to replace a decrepit ballpark to keep the team. After all, the Raiders left for Vegas while the Warriors now play in San Francisco. Speaking of San Francisco, the Giants also deserve some of the blame for the A's leaving the Bay Area. And what if Bud Selig had let the group organized by A's legend Reggie Jackson make a bid for the team in 2005?

Of course, there is the issue of the MLBPA not approving plans to relocate to Sacramento due to concerns with Sutter Health Park not being up to MLB standards although they do not have a veto. It's also unclear how the A's plan to pay for a ballpark yet to be built in Las Vegas.

Nevertheless, there are some heartbroken fans who have been with the team since the days of Charlie Finley, Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Joe Rudi, Vida Blue and Rollie Fingers thru Tony La Russa and the Bash Brothers onto the Big Three during the Moneyball era. 

While the A's were not contenders in 2024, they are far better than the team which went 50-112 a year ago. The A's play their final three games as the Oakland A's in Seattle. Should they sweep the Mariners, the team will have a 20-game improvement finishing 70-92. Unfortunately, that is very cold comfort in Oakland tonight.

The Political Implications of NY Mayor Eric Adams' Federal Indictments

New York Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted in federal court on two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals and one count of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud

Adams, a Democrat elected in 2021, is the first sitting New York Mayor to be criminally charged while in office. 

The focus of my thoughts aren't the merits of the case but its political implications.

On one hand, it could be to the benefit to former President Trump who was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in a New York courtroom earlier this year. The argument being that all politicians are corrupt, and that Trump is no better or worse than anyone else as demonstrated by Adams' indictment. 

On the other hand, this undermines the so-called deep state argument of weaponizing the federal government. Yes, Trump has been subject to criminal prosecutions at both the state and federal level, but the DoJ has also gone after Texas Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar, former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, Hunter Biden and now Adams. Some deep state. 

Mind you, this hasn't prevented Adams from claiming the motivation for the charges are his criticisms of the Biden Administration's handling of the migrant crisis. Adams' claim is downright Trumpy.

The greatest political impact of Adams indictment might not be so much in the race for the White House, but rather control of the House of Representatives with Democrats trying to flip several New York area districts which went Republican in 2022. How else does one explain New York Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik calling Democrats the "cult of corruption" with a straight face while fervently supporting Trump's re-election bid?

Of course, no one has a monopoly on virtue. Trump and Adams aren't the first corrupt politicians, and they are far from the last. Yet whatever criminal liability Adams might possess, he never attempted to overturn an election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Trump presents a unique threat to our constitutional order than no other corrupt politician, Democrat or Republican, ever has before.

The question is if the voters be able to see the difference and make the distinction up and down the ballot.

White Sox Sweep Angels as They Try to Avoid a Modern MLB Record 121st Loss


The Chicago White Sox defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-0 in their final home game of the 2024 season and in so doing managed to avoid setting a modern MLB record with 121 losses - at least for now.

The Chisox scored all 7 of their runs in the fifth inning - the most runs they scored in any inning this season. 

Starting pitcher Chris Flexen pitched 6.1 innings of scoreless ball earning his first win since May 8th against the Tampa Bay Rays. Until today, Flexen had gone 24 starts without a win during which he had a record of 0-12. 

Today's win also marked the South Siders first sweep in nearly five months when they won three straight games vs the Rays in late April.

The timing worked out for the White Sox as they played an Angels team which owns the second worst record in the AL. For all of the Chisox's misfortunes, the players are firmly behind interim manager Grady Sizemore despite going 11-31 since he took over the club last month. The same cannot be said for Angels manager Ron Washington who carelessly said his team were "not big league baseball players" before having to do damage control. All things considered I think Sizemore has a better chance of managing the White Sox in 2025 than Washington does with the Halos. 

Nevertheless, the White Sox did tie the 1962 New York Mets for the modern MLB record of 120 losses when they fell 4-2 to the playoff bound San Diego Padres on Sunday

The South Siders have a tall task ahead of them as they head to Detroit to play the hottest team in MLB. Since August 11th, the Tigers have gone 30-11 and roared past the Minnesota Twins to take an AL Wild Card berth. With today's victory over the Rays, the Tigers have won five in a row and 9 of their last 10 games

But this gives the White Sox something for which to play this weekend aside from pride. They have a chance to become a post-season spoiler. If the Chisox sweep the Tigers, they will not only have not eclipsed the '62 Mets but they would finish the year with a season high 6-game winning streak. 

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

UK PM Starmer Lectures Israel at UN "No More Excuses" After Calling Hostages "Sausages"



Evidently, Mr. Starmer didn't get around to telling Hamas there would be "no more excuses" regarding the release of all remaining hostages. 

Well, what one can expect of a man who only yesterday referred to the hostages as sausages?


In Mr. Starmer's eyes, Israel must make haste and give aid which will invariably end up in the hands of Hamas

This on top of restoring funding to the UNRWA, dropping objections to the ICC's kangaroo court case and plans to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state is making British Jews as anxious as when Jeremy Corbyn was at the helm of the Labour Party as anti-Semitism surges across the U.K.

While Starmer admirably rooted out anti-Semitism within the Labour Party while in opposition, now that he resides at No. 10 Downing it is incumbent for him to do the same for all of the U.K. But one cannot do so if you choose to stand with the terrorists instead of standing with Israel.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Whitmer Acknowledges Tlaib's Criticism of Nessel is Anti-Semitic While Tlaib's Apologists Claim She is The Victim


A couple of days ago, I was dismayed when Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (center) wouldn't back her Attorney General Dana Nessel (pictured left) in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper after Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (pictured right) accused Nessel of anti-Palestinian bias on account her being Jewish following charges she made against anti-Israel protesters at the University of Michigan. 

Yesterday, Whitmer issued the following statement:

The suggestion that Attorney General Nessel would make charging decisions based on her religion as opposed to the rule of law is antisemitic. Attorney General Nessel has always conducted her work with integrity and followed the rule of law. We must all use our voices to call out hateful rhetoric and racist tropes. 

That's better, but I wish Whitmer would have identified the source of the anti-Semitism namely Rashida Tlaib. 

Then again whether Whitmer names her or not, Tlaib's apologists are claiming she never made a comment regarding Nessel's faith and that she is the real victim and is owed an apology. It is being argued that Tlaib was focusing on systemic bigotry against Palestinians rather than Nessel's religious heritage. 

Nonsense.

Tlaib specifically said, “It seems that the attorney general decided if the issue was Palestine, she was going to treat it differently, and that alone speaks volumes about possible biases within the agency she runs.”

She was going to treat it differently?

The she in question is Nessel and it to be treated differently is Palestine. Remember Tlaib said "that alone speaks volumes about possible biases within the agency she runs."

That alone? Possible biases? In other words, Tlaib has no evidence to support a claim of bias within the Michigan Attorney General's office. All she has her assertion that Nessel is the one with anti-Palestinian bias and the only basis for that claim is the fact that Nessel is Jewish.

Tlaib and her apologists can use all the weasel words they want. It doesn't change the fact that Tlaib is anti-Semitic, and that her bigotry extends to her own state's Attorney General.

Charlie Blackmon Will Retire as Second Greatest Player to Wear a Colorado Rockies Uniform


Charlie Blackmon, who has spent his entire 14-year MLB career with the Colorado Rockies, announced yesterday he would retire at season's end.

Blackmon, who is known for his long hair and long beard and is affectionately known as Chuck Nazty, will retire as the second greatest player to wear the Rockies uniform.

While Hall of Famer Todd Helton is indisputably the greatest player in Rockies history, Blackmon has dibs on second place. Consider these achievements.

Blackmon, 38, is second on the Rockies' all-time list after Helton in games played (1618), at bats (6146), hits (1797), doubles (333), extra base hits (626) runs scored (991) total bases (2942). He is also second in team history in stolen bases (148) after Eric Young, Sr. while ranking third in walks (482), and fourth in RBI (797). Blackmon ranks number one in Rockies franchise history in triples (67). 

I do hope Blackmon gets at least three more hits and three more RBI so he can reach 1,800 hits and 800 RBI. 

The Dallas native was the Rockies second round pick in 2008 after playing college baseball at Georgia Tech. Blackmon made his MLB debut in 2011. His career peak was between 2014 and 2019 when he was selected to four NL All Star Teams. Blackmon's best season came in 2017 when he won the NL batting title with a .331 average. He also led the senior circuit in hits (213), runs scored (137), triples (14) and total bases (387). 

In 2024, Blackmon is hitting a career low .249 with 11 HR and 48 RBI in 118 games played. Blackmon would have been a free agent at the end of this season. With the Rockies nearing 100 losses along with declining productivity, it is not clear if the Rockies would have offered him a contract in 2025. It is clear that Blackmon didn't want to play anywhere else and has decided to bow out gracefully. 

Monday, September 23, 2024

Panetta Calling Israel's Pager Attacks Against Hezbollah "a Form of Terrorism" is an Act of Staggering Hypocrisy



Former CIA Director and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta claimed that Israel's pager attacks against Hezbollah terrorists is "a form of terrorism". In an interview on CBS News Sunday Morning, Panetta claimed:

The ability to be able to place an explosive in technology that is very prevalent these days and turn it into a war of terror, really, a war of terror — this is something new. I don’t think there’s any question that it’s a form of terrorism. This is going right into the supply chain, right into the supply chain. And when you have terror going into the supply chain, it makes people ask the question, what the hell is next?

This is a staggering display of hypocrisy from Panetta who oversaw drone attacks against al Qaeda during his time in the Obama Administration. When Panetta left government service in 2013, he defended the use of drone attacks in this way:

I think it depends on the nature of the threat that we’re confronting. We are in a war. We’re in a war on terrorism and we’ve been in that war since 9/11. The whole purpose of our operations were aimed at those who attacked this country and killed 3,000 innocent people in New York as well as 200 people here at the Pentagon.

I think we had a responsibility to use whatever technology we could to be able to go after those who not only conducted that attack but were planning to continue to attack this country.

It’s been an important part of our operations against Al-Qaeda, not just in Pakistan, but also in Yemen, in Somalia and I think it ought to continue to be a tool we ought to use where necessary. 

And also where we can use it in conjunction with other countries that are pursuing the same goal.

Utilizing Panetta's logic, like the U.S., Israel is also in a war on terrorism on two fronts - one against Hamas and one against Hezbollah. The latter organization has been firing rockets into northern Israel since last October. 

Under the circumstances, surely Israel has a responsibility to use whatever technology it can against those who would attack it and those who continue to attack it. 

So how does Panetta possibly conclude that Israel is engaging in terrorism? 

And don't tell me this has to do with beepers. I suspect if Israel were using drones against Hezbollah, Panetta would surely make the same complaint. 

How is Hezbollah different than al Qaeda? Could it be that Panetta does not agree with our designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization? 

Or, like AOC, does he simply hold Jews to a different standard?

Reds Dismiss Bell as Manager; Benavides Takes Over Helm for Last Week of 2024 Season

With a week left in the season, the Cincinnati Reds have fired manager David Bell. Bench coach Freddie Benavides will take over the club on an interim basis for the final five games of the 2024 season.

Bell, who turned 52 one week ago today, has managed the Reds since 2019. His tenure was an up and down one. The Reds would make the post-season during the COVID shortened 2020 season. By 2022, the Reds would endure a 100-loss season only to nearly make it back to the post-season last year. At the time of Bell's firing, the Reds were in fourth place in the NL Central with a 76-81 record, 13½ games back of the division winning Milwaukee Brewers. In just under six seasons with the Reds, the team was 409-456

This is what I don't get about Bell's firing. Why they let Bell go after giving him a three-year extension through the 2026 season last year? Why give your manager a multi-year contract extension only to fire him after less than one season?

I'm sure this might give Bell's successor pool some pause for thought before coming to the Queen City.

With that said, it is nice to see Benavides get a chance to manage at the big-league level even if only for a week. I remember Benavides as a member of the expansion Colorado Rockies in 1993 and saw him play against the Montreal Expos at Olympic Stadium on Labour Day of that year. Benavides would play with the Expos the following season which was the best team to never win a World Series. 

But Benavides' Bonafide's are with the Reds who drafted him in 1987. He played with the Reds at the big-league level in 1991 and 1992 before the Rockies pried him away in the expansion draft. Benavides returned to the Reds organization 25 years ago and has worked in player development, a minor league manager and minor league field coordinator before joining the Reds big-league coaching staff in 2014 when Bryan Price was the team's manager. Benavides was initially a special coach responsible for infield defense before becoming the team's first base coach in 2016. When Bell took over the club in 2019, Benavides moved to bench coach. 

Let's just say that Benavides has paid his dues. Perhaps he will get a shot at managing the club in 2025. But given how mercurial Reds' management has been it might be better if he gets a full fledged major league managerial assignment elsewhere. 

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Michigan Gov Whitmer Fails to Back AG Nessel After Rep. Tlaib Claims She is Prosecuting Anti-Israel Protesters Because She's Jewish


Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (pictured center) is doing damage control after she failed to back her Attorney General Dana Nessel (pictured left) in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper. Earlier this month, Nessel announced charges against 11 anti-Israel protesters at the University of Michigan.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (pictured right) suggested that Nessel, who is Jewish, is prosecuting the anti-Israel protesters out of bias. Tlaib stated, “It seems that the attorney general decided if the issue was Palestine, she was going to treat it differently, and that alone speaks volumes about possible biases within the agency she runs.” Nessel replied on X:

Rashida's religion should not be used in a cartoon to imply that she's a terrorist. It's Islamophobic and wrong.

Just as Rashida should not use my religion to imply I cannot perform my job fairly as Attorney General. It's anti-Semitic and wrong.

However, when Tapper asked Whitmer about the row between Nessel and Tlaib, she meekly replied:

I’m not going to get in the middle of this argument that they’re having. I can just say this. We do want to make sure that students are safe on our campuses and we recognize that every person has the right to make their statement about how they feel about an issue, a right to speak out. And I’m going to use every lever of mine to ensure that both are true.

In so doing, Whitmer basically let Nessel hang out to dry while giving legitimacy to Tlaib's attack on her integrity. I can't imagine Nessel was too pleased because a few hours after her appearance, Whitmer's office issued the following statement:

Governor Whitmer has been very clear in denouncing all anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, racist, and sexist language targeted toward communities in our state. The hateful rhetoric and racist tropes that have been lobbed at people, simply for who they are and what faith they practice, is unacceptable. Attorney General Nessel has spent her career defending the rights of Michiganders to live freely and safely in our state. Her office has centered impartiality and fairness in every decision to uphold the rule of law equally.

We will continue to bring Michiganders together to call out hateful rhetoric and violence as we work toward peace.

While the last sentence of Whitmer's first paragraph emphasizes Nessel's fairness and impartiality, she failed to call out Tlaib's hateful rhetoric.

I am not surprised at Whitmer's dithering. Following the October 7th attacks, Whitmer issued a namby-pamby statement on X which read, "I have been in touch with communities impacted by what's happening in the region. It is abhorrent. My heart is with all those impacted. We need peace in this region." 

It took several days for Whitmer to utter the word Israel, but still could not bring herself to condemn Hamas by name.

Whitmer was mentioned Democratic presidential hopeful during the ultimately successful effort to get President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race. But Whitmer's dithering in the days following October 7th and now her hesitation in having the back of her Attorney General makes it hard no for me. I can only hope Kamala Harris wins in both 2024 and 2028 by which time Whitmer will fade from the national conversation.

The Substance Had a Lot of Style But Very Little Substance


Last night, I went to the Kendall Square Cinema to see The Substance starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid.

I am sorry to say The Substance, while full of style, had very little in the way of substance.

The story is a variation on the fountain of youth. Moore plays an Academy Award winning actress Elisabeth Sparkle who hosts her own fitness show. Although the program is successful, the sleazy network executive Harvey played by Quaid thinks that now she is 50 she is too old and abruptly fires her. In reality, Moore is 61 and looks delightful

After surviving a near fatal car accident with hardly a scratch, a young doctor gives her a thumb drive called (you guessed it) The Substance. Simply put, The Substance gives one an opportunity to create a better version of yourself. The only caveat is that you have switch back and forth every seven days. 

Sue, the newer and better version of herself played by Qualley becomes the new host of the fitness show and is an overnight sensation. Due to this success, she does not abide by the seven-day regime and slowly takes the sparkle out of Elisabeth.

What follows is a series of heavy-handed symbolism, horror cliches, cheesy prosthetics and gratuitous nudity.

OK, I was just fine with the gratuitous nudity. There are worse things to do on a Saturday night than seeing Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley in all their naked glory.

That is until the nudity got mixed with the cheesy prosthetics. 

French born director Coralie Fargeat does deploy some interesting vertical shots and shows the female body in all its glory. I'll also never look at shrimp quite the same again after Harvey wolfed it down as he was firing Sparkle. 

But for the most part, the film is far too derivative of The Shining and Carrie. The Substance falls apart in the third act as the audience was laughing derisively during the climatic (or should I say anti-climatic) scene. Their laughter was reminiscent of the snickering I heard when I watched Bad Girls Go to Hell at the Brattle Theatre back in May

With that being said, I do think Moore gave a remarkable performance progressing (or perhaps regressing) from stoicism to rage before finally attaining peace. Remarkable enough that we might see a lot more of Moore than we have seen since career peak in the 1990s. Hopefully, The Substance is a springboard to more substantiative roles for Moore.

Friday, September 20, 2024

How Can Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Still Support Trump & Vance Despite Their Lies About Haitian Immigrants?

In an op-ed in the New York Times, Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine expressed dismay at former President Trump and his fellow Buckeye J.D. Vance for their ceaseless attacks on Haitian immigrants living in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio:

As a supporter of former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, I am saddened by how they and others continue to repeat claims that lack evidence and disparage the legal migrants living in Springfield. This rhetoric hurts the city and its people, and it hurts those who have spent their lives there.

While Governor DeWine's editorial is timely and a step in the right direction, it bears worth asking a question. Several, in fact.

Given the fact that DeWine has conceded that Trump and Vance are repeatedly stating falsehoods about the town in which he grew up and the Haitian community that resides there, how can he continue to support Trump and Vance?

Does DeWine have reason to believe that Trump and Vance will reverse course and apologize for their defamatory and inflammatory statements much less cease making them?

DeWine has consistently stated the Haitians are in the U.S. legally. What does he have to say of Senator Vance's assertion, "I'm still going to call people illegal aliens."?

What happens if Trump (possibly with Vance in tow) visit Springfield in the next couple of weeks as he has promised and he persists in his lies?

What if following a Trump-Vance rally in Springfield, an angry mob take it upon themselves to physically assault and possibly kill members of the Haitian community?

Will Trump and Vance still have DeWine's support?

I have no illusions about Governor DeWine supporting Kamala Harris. DeWine does not believe in a woman's right to choose to have an abortion

But given how Trump and Vance have willfully lied about what is happening in Springfield, Ohio not only with regard to accusations of Haitians eating cats and dogs but to accusations that they are in the country illegally, Governor DeWine ought to declare that he cannot in good conscience support Trump and Vance. 

His word would carry a lot of weight. I can only hope this weighs on Governor DeWine's mind.

Trump (The Man Who Never Concedes) Claims Jewish Voters to Blame If He Loses to Harris

 

In a speech before the Israeli American Council, ostensibly to speak out against anti-Semitism, former President Trump claimed Jews would bear some of the blame should he lose to Vice-President Harris in November. 

Trump claimed“In my opinion the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss.” 

For starters, if Trump were to lose, the first thing he would say is that the election was rigged and that he won by a lot as he has since November 7, 2020. Trump will never concede. Thus, he does not get to say the election was rigged but it's still the fault of the Jews if Harris beats him. He cannot have it both ways.

But what can one expect of a man who claims that Jews who don't vote for him hate their religion and hate Israel? As I argued back in March:

Jews in this country don't need lectures from someone who breaks bread with neo-Nazis nor someone who saw fit to publicly denounce Israel's leaders only hours after it was attacked by Hamas instead of offering sympathy. Trump is a fair-weather friend to Israel if there ever was one.

For bad measure, Trump also complained Jewish voters hadn't treated him right. If this is Trump's idea of persuasion, it isn't going to work. Not with me and not with most American Jewish voters. 

Donald Trump isn't entitled to my vote. It must be earned. The onus is not on how the voters, Jewish or otherwise, treats Trump but how Trump treats the voters. And Trump treats people like garbage. 

As Trump himself put it, "I don't care about you. I just want your vote. I don't care."

Trump can howl all he wants. This Jew isn't going to give Trump his vote and there's not a damn thing he can do about it. 

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Ohtani Becomes 1st MLB Player to Attain 50 HR & 50 SB in a Season With a 6-for-6, 10 RBI Performance vs. Marlins

 

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani made MLB history today becoming the first player in the sport's history to hit 50 HR and steal 50 bases in a single season.

Ohtani reached both marks today going 6-for-6 at the plate with 3 HR, 2 stolen bases with 10 RBI in a 20-4 shellacking of the Miami Marlins. 

Oh yes, the Dodgers also clinched a playoff berth marking the first time Ohtani will play October baseball in his MLB career after spending his first six seasons with the crosstown Los Angeles Angels. 

The shame of it all is that fewer than 16,000 fans were on hand to see it in Miami's Loan Depot Stadium. Well, they certainly got their money's worth even if they were rooting for the Marlins. 

The 2024 season began inauspiciously with a gambling scandal involving his interpreter who pled guilty to bank and tax fraud charges.

It remains to be seen if any of this will catch up to Ohtani himself. Whatever the case, it did not impede Ohtani's ability to play baseball. Ohtani will surely win his third MVP in four seasons and become only the second MLB player to win the MVP in both leagues joining Frank Robinson who did so with the Cincinnati Reds in 1961 and the Baltimore Orioles in 1966. 

With 9 games left in the regular season, Ohtani is hitting .294 with 51 HR and 120 RBI along with 51 stolen bases. Ohtani leads the NL in both HR and RBI and is second in steals behind Elly de la Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds who has 64 thefts

Whatever comes after, Ohtani has certainly reached the pinnacle of his career and he will be forever remembered for this game.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

AOC Pities The Poor Hezbollah Terrorists

(via Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Over the past couple of days, Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Syria have been killed and injured as a result of pagers and walkie-talkies exploding. It is widely believed to be an Israeli counterterrorism operation. 

AOC certainly believes it to be so as she has demanded a "full account of the attack, including an answer from the State Department as to whether any US assistance went into the development and deployment of this technology." She also claims the "attack clearly and unequivocally violates international humanitarian law." 

Pity the poor Hezbollah terrorists.

It is worth noting that AOC's view of the situation is not shared by her fellow Democratic colleagues in the House. Case in point - California Congressman Brad Sherman:

Let’s be clear—in its strategic attack on Hezbollah, Israel used innovative methods to carry out a precise military operation, maximizing the elimination of terrorists while minimizing harm to civilians by targeting military communication devices.

Iran’s ambassador must explain why he had a Hezbollah military communication device, given Iran’s long history of using its ‘diplomats’ to carry out terror. This includes a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States and target dissidents abroad, especially in Europe. In war, it’s impossible to fully prevent harm to civilians—especially when Hezbollah operates in Beirut’s densest civilian areas.

Some impacted by this operation may be civilians due to Hezbollah’s use of civilians as human shields and their use of soldiers.

Needless to say, AOC seems uninterested in Hezbollah's terrorist activities (including launching missiles into northern Israel and using human shields) much less Iran's involvement. Her only agenda is delegitimizing and demonizing Israel and willfully promoting hatred against Jews.  

Rich Lowry Used The N-Word Not The M-Word to Describe Haitians in Springfield, Ohio


Yesterday, National Review editor-in-chief Rich Lowry used the N-word to describe Haitians living in Springfield, Ohio during an interview with Megyn Kelly.

But Lowry denies he said what we all heard and is essentially arguing, "Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying ears?"

Lowry's NR colleague Andrew McCarthy claimed that Lowry was mashing up the word migrant (with a long i) and immigrant (with a short i) and Lowry went along it claiming he had mispronounced the word migrants. 

It makes me wonder how often Lowry, McCarthy and other NR colleagues have described former President Obama or Viee-President Kamala Harris as a migrant. 

Now for those of you who might be unaware, I contributed a few articles to National Review Online between 2017 and 2020. I have never met Rich Lowry, exchanged emails with him or spoke with him on the phone. But had I heard him utter the N-word, I surely would have not bothered making a submission to his magazine. 

The fact that Lowry and McCarthy would make this claim demonstrates the legacy of Trumpism and what it has inflicted upon National Review and other conservative and libertarian entities. One of the key legacies of Trumpism is the virtue of lying and continuing to repeat the lie even in the face of overwhelming evidence and facts to the contrary. 

How else does one explain J.D. Vance's promulgation of the lie that a) Haitian immigrants in Springfield were stealing cats and dogs to eat them and b) that they were there illegally? Indeed, The Wall Street Journal ran a story this morning with the headline, "How the Trump Campaign Ran With Rumors About Pet-Eating Migrants - After Being Told They Weren't True?"

For his part, Lowry didn't buy into the pet eating story. But he has plenty of concerns about Haitians in Ohio:

To be clear, Haitian immigrants (many permitted here legally under Biden policy) didn't begin showing up in Springfield hoping to filch unsuspecting domestic short hairs. Rather, they were looking for work in a city that was seeing something of an economic revival. That's all well and good, but people are more than cogs to be plugged into warehouses or manufacturing operations.

They come with families and with needs for housing, health care and education. They have pre-existing cultural predilections different from ours (Haiti and the United States are very different places), and if they don't speak the language, that makes everything even more difficult.

Nor are resources unlimited. Health care facilities, schools and the housing stock have all been strained in Springfield.

Yet the same could be said of every immigrant community which has come to the United States - Irish, Italians, Germans, Cubans, Vietnamese boat people among many others. The same challenges were present when they came to this country and yet their presence made the American experience better. What makes the Haitians so different? Lowry's slip of the tongue certainly clarifies matters.

It is revealing that Lowry made a point of actually writing, "The Haitians also tend to be poor drivers." The death of 11-year-old Aiden Clark was horrific but it does not mean Haitians are any better or any worse drivers than anyone else. The Lowry made a point of saying so makes his verbal excretion less surprising. 

In a different age, Lowry would have already stepped down as Editor-in-Chief of National Review. Today, being a racist is a badge of honor in MAGA world.

If the folks at NRO, Trump, Vance and in MAGA world want to tell us to Rich Lowry used the M-word instead of the N-word then all they are doing is telling us exactly who they are and demonstrating why they deserve our contempt.

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Thoughts on the Second Attempt Against Trump's Life

For the second time in just over two months, former President Donald Trump was the target of assassination.

However, unlike the first attempt last July during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in which Trump was wounded, he was unharmed. Today's incident took place in the vicinity of Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Secret Service agents thwarted the assassination attempt. The suspect fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later by local authorities in nearby Martin County. 

The suspect has been identified as Ryan Routh, a 58-year-old man originally from North Carolina who has taken up residence in Hawaii. Routh has a lengthy criminal record including a conviction for possessing a machine gun back in 2002. Routh did apparently vote for Trump in 2016 but would sour on him. 

In his social media accounts, Routh was particularly outspoken in his support for Ukraine and had evidently gone to Ukraine to join their fighting forces but was rebuffed. While it is not specifically clear what led Routh to try to do what he did today, it is clear that he is not like Thomas Crooks who I have argued is more of an Arthur Bremer-like figure than John Wilkes Booth. Routh might very well have aspired to be like Booth.

Not surprisingly, right-wing media outlets such as the New York Post are trying to link Routh to President Biden and Vice-President Harris:

“DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose,” he wrote, a similar slogan commonly used by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

“We cannot afford to fail,” Routh continued. “The world is counting on us to show the way.”

This is similar to language that Harris continues to use on the campaign trail.  On Aug. 29, she said at a rally in Savannah, Ga., “We are fighting for our democracy.”

On July 31, she said at an event in Houston that “our fundamental freedoms are on the ballot and so is our democracy” — after using identical wording at a sorority event the same day.

Tom Fitton, president of the conservative legal group Judicial Watch, told The Post: “It is no coincidence that Routh repeated Kamala’s and Joe’s extremist rhetoric against Trump. At this point it is inexcusable incitement.”

What incredible nonsense!!! No rational individual or person acting in good faith would arrive at such a conclusion. Given Routh's criminal history and erratic, violent behavior, it is reasonable to conclude that he would have attempted to assassinate Trump regardless of anything either President Biden or Vice-President Harris would have said. Whereas Fitton is simply being dishonest and is well aware of his deceit. 

The same can be said for Florida Republican Congressman Mike Waltz who claimed:

This rhetoric against President Trump, this narrative that he will be the next dictator, that he is the next Hitler coming, it has got to stop. Enough is enough. And when you have this narrative coming from the left, from [the] media, from elected officials, even, that Trump has to be stopped by any means necessary, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that these people are being radicalized and taking action like this.

Congressman, name me a single Democratic elected official who has called for the assassination of former President Trump. I'll wait.

It won't be long before Trump will also cast blame upon Biden and Harris just as he did late last month after the first attempt on his life. In an interview with Dr. Phil, Trump stated:

When this happened, people would ask, whose fault is it? I think to a certain extent it’s Biden’s fault and Harris’s fault. And I’m the opponent. They were weaponizing government against me, they brought in the whole DoJ to try and get me, they weren’t too interested in my health and safety.

They were making it very difficult to have proper staffing in terms of Secret Service.

Given Trump's poor performance in his debate against Kamala Harris last week, blaming her, President Biden and other Democrats for the attempts on his life is basically the only card they have left to play, and they will play this hand again and again. 

As to the second attempt on his life, I shall restate the view I shared two months ago:

As much as contempt as I have for former President Trump and his behavior both inside and outside of the White House, I prefer that he be defeated by ballots instead of bullets. It is wrong to try to kill Trump just as it was wrong for January 6th insurrectionists to shout, "Hang Mike Pence!!!" - an assessment with which Trump concurred

Unfortunately, things come in threes, and I would not be shocked if there was another attempt made on Trump's life between now and the election. Conversely, I would also not be surprised if a Trump supporter saw fit to make an attempt on Vice-President Harris' life in retaliation for the two attempts on Trump's life.

Sadly, this is our age of unreason.