Why Hegseth Could Be Trump's Heir Apparent

The U.S. Constitution clearly states that a U.S. President cannot serve for more than two terms. But since when has President Trump felt compelled to be restrained by anything much less the U.S. Constitution? 

Lest we forget that Trump has publicly mused that it ought to be "terminated." Let us also remember that Trump has seen fit to unilaterally tear down the East Wing of the White House and install in its place a ballroom larger than the present White House. This is not the act of a man who intends to relinquish his office. In view of these facts, we cannot discount the possibility that he will seek a third term in office, the Constitution be damned. 

But let us assume for the sake of argument that Trump abides by the Constitution and does not run in 2028. Then it is question of who will succeed him at the mantel of MAGA. 

At the moment, the two most likely successors are either Vice-President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio.  

Yet I am not so sure about either of them. It appears that Trump isn't sure about them either.

Vance comes across as a bully's accomplice as he best demonstrated when he falsely accused Ukrainian President Zelensky of not being thankful to the United States in the infamous Oval Office ambush. Meanwhile, Rubio's body language communicates that he didn't like Trump or Vance's behavior. But he also prefers to be in Trump's good graces. So, Rubio publicly demanded that Zelensky apologize.

Neither Vance nor Rubio project strength. Vance certainly didn't project it in his interactions with Iranian negotiators. Rubio does project an air of competence in an otherwise incompetent administration. While this might earn Rubio a salute from CBS news anchor Tony Dokoupil, I cannot see MAGA embracing him on account of his Latino background. Besides, since when does Trump give a shit about competence? For Trump, Rubio will always be "Little Marco".

In Trump's mind, in order to project strength, you have got to look good on TV. 

Enter Secretary of Defense, er, War Pete Hegseth.

Although Hegseth served in the military intermittently over two decades, Trump knows him best from his decade with Fox News. Trump views Hegseth as a youthful warrior full of machismo. It would not be unreasonable to believe that he sees himself in Hegseth even if he never served a day in uniform. Hegseth has shown a willingness to expunge all that is woke within the U.S. military. If that means destroying the Pentagon from within then so be it. Hegseth has been Trump's "good soldier" where it concerns implementing his agenda and Trump might very well reward him with command of the Republican Party and MAGA at large.

Well, up to a point. 

If Trump doesn't run in 2028 and the country ends up electing a Republican President, I still believe the real power will remain with Trump. Assuming it is Hegseth who becomes President, Trump will become Prime Minister Putin to Hegseth's President Medvedev. Or perhaps Hegseth will give Trump an honorific title such as "President Emeritus". I believe Hegseth will be more eager to go along with such a scheme than either Vance or Rubio. 

Of course, I do not believe that Pete Hegseth would be a good President. But the point isn't whether I think he would be a good President. It's whether Trump thinks Hegseth could play President on TV.

Mamdani's Disingenuous Statement on Israel

In an interview yesterday with Jonathan Karl of ABC News, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he could not support Israel as a Jewish state.

Mamdani said he “support[s] the state of Israel as a state with equal rights" but added, "I think any state that privileges one religion over the other is one that I can't tell you I support, whether it be Israel or Saudi Arabia or anywhere else.”

This statement is utterly disingenuous. 

For starters, Karl asked Mamdani if he supported Israel as a Jewish state due to the DSA not supporting a two-state solution. The DSA is not out in the streets objecting to Saudi Arabia as a Muslim state. The same can be said for Iran which DSA characterizes its Islamic regime as "a popular revolution." Needless to say, Israel is far more egalitarian than the Iranian regime which subjugates women and LGBTQ persons and yet DSA refers to Israel's establishment as "Nakba" while supporting "a liberated Palestine from the river to the sea."

Mayor Mamdani, like the DSA, directs his ire to one country in the entire world in both word and deed - Israel. How else does one explain why Mamdani characterizes AIPAC as "monsters" but not Hamas? He, like the DSA, does not support Israel in any way, shape or form. Mamdani and the DSA simply want Israel eliminated from the face of the Earth.

When I Was Contacted by a Mass Murderer

 

This morning I learned of the death of Valery Fabrikant. 

Fabrikant was an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Concordia University in Montreal. He was also an abrasive and paranoid man who had grievances with nearly everyone he encountered be they faculty, staff or students. In August 1992, Fabrikant shot and killed 4 of his fellow professors while wounding a staff member. 

I remember this horrific attack as I was living in Ottawa at the time where I was about to begin my second year as an undergraduate student at Carleton University. 

Fast forward to February 2010 when a similar attack took place at the University of Alabama in Huntsville which claimed the lives of three professors while injuring three other people. Like Fabrikant, Amy Bishop, who had been an assistant professor of biology, was a paranoid woman who had grievances with nearly everyone she encountered be they faculty, staff or students. 

At the time of the incident, I could not help but think of what had occurred at Concordia University nearly 20 years earlier. Indeed, I made a point of writing about it most likely on the blog of The American Spectator where I was contributing articles at the time. 

Alas, I cannot find the substance of what I wrote. But what I do know is that it infuriated Fabrikant because he contacted me in the comments section. As it turned out, Fabrikant's thoughts (such as they were) had been posted online mainly by his son and had been for many years.

How he managed to maintain an internet presence let alone continue to write academic papers I'll never know. Needless to say, I had no desire to correspond with a mass murderer. 

Now that he is gone, I will give him no further thought. Whatever thoughts I have regarding the Concordia University massacre will be with his victims and their families.

Phoivos Ziogas

Matthew Douglass

Michael Hogben

Aaron Jaan Saber

R.I.P.

Celebrating Mel Brooks' 100th Birthday at The Brattle

(YouTube screenshot from CBS Sunday Morning)

Today marks the 100th birthday of actor, comedian, writer, director, producer and all-around mensch Mel Brooks.

In honor of the occasion, I went to the Brattle Theatre both yesterday and today to take in several of his films - Young Frankenstein, History of the World, Part I and The Producers. 

Alas, Blazing Saddles was not part of this retrospective. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention seeing Blazing Saddles in the presence of the man himself in October 2016 when he was a mere lad of 90. At the time, I wrote, "Mel Brooks has lived a full life and yet he has so much more to do." Indeed, Spaceballs: The New One is due to come out in April 2027. Let us hope that he is there for the premiere. 

Until then, here are my thoughts on what I saw yesterday and today.

Young Frankenstein (1974)

The proceedings began yesterday afternoon with Young Frankenstein. I should mention that I saw Young Frankenstein at the Brattle during my Memorial Day Reverie in 2024. Since my last viewing of the film, both Teri Garr and Gene Hackman passed away leaving Brooks the last living link to the film.

There was enthusiastic and uproarious laughter to Young Frankenstein from start to finish. The laughter was spread around all the main cast members - Gene Wilder (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein - That's Frankensteen), Peter Boyle (The Creature), Marty Feldman (Eye-gor), Cloris Leachman (Frau Blücher) (cue the horse sound), Teri Garr (Inga, Frederick's lab assistant and later wife), Kenneth Mars (Inspector Kemp) and Madeline Kahn (Elizabeth, Frederick's fiancée and later the wife of the Creature). An honorable mention goes to Hackman who played a blind man who wishes to befriend The Creature who has unexpectedly come into his home only to cause The Creature one agony after another.

As hilarious as Young Frankenstein is, it remains faithful to the story crafted by Mary Shelley more than two centuries ago while also using some props created by Kenneth Strickfaden which were part of the original Frankenstein movie from 1931. As I noted in my previous dispatch on Young Frankenstein, the intro music produced by John Morris is melancholic. While it is among the funniest films ever committed to celluloid, Mel Brooks made it with the utmost care and seriousness. 

History of the World, Part I (1981)

This was the second half of the Saturday afternoon double feature with Young Frankenstein. I first saw History of the World, Part I 40 years ago during a Canadian Jewish Congress sponsored camping weekend outside Peterborough, Ontario. It was the same program which would culminate in my only trip to Israel two years later.

To give you an idea how well received History of the World, Part I was received, we watched it on two consecutive nights, and the second viewing was just as funny as the first. Early in the film there is a depiction of Sid Caesar dropping a stone on a young man's foot and he reacts by wailing. Immediately after this scene I exclaimed, "And this is how heavy metal was invented," to a big laugh. It was one of the first times I ever remember people laughing with me than at me. So, I did it again the following night. They laughed with me again.

History of the World, Part I was also popular in the Goldstein household. The film culminates with the early days of the French Revolution. In this vignette, Mel Brooks portrays both Louis XVI and Jacques, the piss boy. In the years which followed, if I ever found myself in an undignified position in a work setting, I would tell my family that I was the "piss boy". During my unpleasant two months with soon-to-be UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, I referred to myself as the "parliamentary piss boy".

Needless to say, History of the World, Part I holds a special place in my heart. Yet I was disappointed by the audience reaction to this film compared with both Young Frankenstein and The Producers. Perhaps they were uncomfortable with Dom DeLuise uttering "faggot" during his portrayal of Emperor Nero in the Roman Empire vignette. Or maybe they didn't like it when Mel Brooks would say "It's good to be the king!" after Louis XVI would make advances at various young, well-endowed women. 

I must admit that in a world of resurgent anti-Semitism, I did feel a tad uneasy with the musical number during the Spanish Inquisition sequence. There is always the risk of minimizing the suffering Jews endured. On the other hand, our ability to laugh even in the darkest of times has helped ensure our survival. 

Of course, certain actors will get a warm reception no matter what. In the case of History of the World, Part I this would apply to both Madeline Kahn as Empress Nympho during the Roman Empire skit and Harvey Korman as the Count de Monet (a.k.a. Count the Money) in the French Revolution skit. 

I suspect that most people prefer both Young Frankenstein and The Producers in higher regard than History of the World, Part I. But for me, History of the World, Part I is second only to Blazing Saddles amongst Mel Brooks' filmography.

The Producers (1967)

Fast forward to today which marked the first time I had seen The Producers in almost 25 years. I previously viewed it at the Harvard Film Archive which is situated less than a mile away from The Brattle. At the time I saw the film at the Harvard Film Archive, it had been revived on Broadway with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick playing Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, respectively. The Broadway production of The Producers would win 12 Tony Awards. Of course, Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder would play these roles in the film version.

Aside from the film's basic plot, I did not remember much of the actual story. The one thing I clearly remember from that screening was how big a reception Gene Wilder got when he showed up on the silver screen. Today wasn't that much different. There is simply something about Wilder's manic charisma which transcends generations. 

The film's basic plot has Bloom, a young high-strung accountant, join forces with failed Broadway producer Bialystock to produce a Broadway flop as they are convinced it will make them more money than a hit. In order to guarantee this outcome, they produce the most offensive play they can find - "Springtime for Hitler" written by an ex-Nazi soldier Franz Liebkind (Kenneth Mars). Bialystock and Bloom's plan backfires when "Springtime for Hitler" becomes a hit after L.S.D. (Dick Shawn) portrays Hitler as a stoner. 

As with the Spanish Inquisition scene in History of the World, Part I, I do have some unease with "Springtime for Hitler". Yes, Brooks is mocking the Nazis just as he mocked racism in Blazing Saddles and anti-Semitism in History of the World, Part I. Yet what struck me was Franz Liebkind's monologue comparing Hitler and Churchill:

Nobody ever said a bad word about Winston Churchill, did they? No! "Win with Winnie!" Churchill! With his cigars. With his brandy. And his rotten painting, rotten! Hitler, there was a painter. He could paint an entire apartment in one afternoon! Two coats!

This monologue is as funny now as it was nearly 60 years ago. The difference now is that there is a critical mass of people who believe Churchill was the bad guy in WWII and this narrative is being legitimized by the likes of Tucker Carlson. 

Don't get me wrong. The Producers is a funny film. I'm only afraid of those who view the Nazis as the good guys having the last laugh.

Whatever my fears, Mostel, Wilder, Mars and Shawn deliver manic performances which continue to evoke manic laughter. The foundation of these manic performances was Mel Brooks' screenplay which would earn him an Oscar.

Epilogue

It is delightful that Mel Brooks made it to 100. Perhaps he will live long enough to become the 2,000-Year-Old Man after all. G-d willing!!!

"What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?" Shows David Clayton-Thomas at the Height of His Powers

 

I have been on something of a Blood, Sweat & Tears kick since the passing of its former lead singer, David Clayton-Thomas, earlier this week.

Truth be told, though, I have been listening to Blood, Sweat & Tears for as long as I can remember. The group's eponymous second album which represented Clayton-Thomas' debut with the group is among the first albums I ever remember listening to as a child. Dad told me how I would bounce around the room when I heard "Smiling Phases". That album would spawn three Top 5 singles - "You've Made Me So Very Happy", "Spinning Wheel" along with "And When I Die" and would best The Beatles' "Abbey Road" to win the Grammy for Album of the Year for producer James William Guercio who would also produce the likes of The Buckinghams, Chicago and Moondog.

Yet I needed something more by which to remember Clayton-Thomas. When I saw that the 2023 documentary What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? was available for viewing on YouTube, I leapt at the chance to see it. Directed by John Scheinfeld, What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? tells the story of their 1970 tour of the former Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland and how it would lead to the group's decline. I only wish I had saw it in a movie theatre to get the full glory of the sights and sounds.

When Blood, Sweat & Tears played in the Soviet bloc, they were the first rock 'n roll group to play behind the Iron Curtain. However, this was a tour that Blood, Sweat & Tears had no desire to embark upon but did so under duress. The reason for this duress was that Clayton-Thomas had been arrested for an alleged assault and faced revocation of his Green Card as he was a British born Canadian citizen. To make matters worse, Clayton-Thomas had a criminal record as a juvenile growing up in Toronto.

In an effort to prevent Clayton-Thomas' deportation, their manager Larry Goldblatt made a secret deal with the U.S. State Department. In exchange for Clayton-Thomas to remain in the U.S. they would partake in this cultural exchange. Less than a year earlier, President Nixon had visited Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu in an effort to promote detente. However, several of the group's members particularly guitarist and occasional lead singer Steve Katz were strong critics of not only the Nixon Administration but their escalation of the Vietnam War and thus felt uneasy about their involvement. But for the sake of Clayton-Thomas they reluctantly went along with it.

For his part, Clayton-Thomas made a point of saying he was not as political as Katz but did share his opposition to the Vietnam War. While not mentioned in the film, it is well worth noting that before Clayton-Thomas joined Blood, Sweat & Tears, he had fronted a Toronto-based group called The Bossmen which had a minor Canadian hit with a song called "Brainwashed" which was an anti-war song with jazz undertones. The song featured Clayton-Thomas singing "damn" which was bleeped out for radio airplay. That was heady stuff in 1966.

During their time in the Eastern bloc, the band members were followed not so inconspicuously by local spies while having their rooms trashed by some other not so conspicuous local spies. Accompanying Blood, Sweat & Tears on the tour was a film crew led by first-time director Donn Cambern who had recently completed work as a film editor on Easy Rider. Cambern and his crew would capture the sights & sounds of Romanians loving the music, chanting "U.S.A." and Ceaușescu's goons turning their dogs on people who wanted nothing more than peace, fun and music. 

Cambern's crew would also capture representatives of the State Department pressuring the group to emphasize jazz over rock, tone down their gestures and to dump long-haired members of their road crew. To their credit, Blood, Sweat & Tears ignored their edicts. Unfortunately, this was not what either the Nixon Administration or the Ceaușescu regime wanted to see. So, the original documentary never saw the light of day. While Cambern had a successful career as a film editor and would earn an Oscar nomination for editing the 1984 film Romancing the Stone, he would never direct another film. Sadly, Cambern died a few months before the release of the documentary, and it is dedicated to his memory.

When Blood, Sweat & Tears returned to the U.S., the group was not treated as cultural Ambassadors for peace but as tools of the Nixon Administration as Clayton-Thomas, Katz and drummer Bobby Colomby fielded hostile questions during a press conference. The group still opposed Nixon and the Vietnam War but had a newfound appreciation for American freedom after being exposed to the repressive nature of Eastern bloc Communism.

Then as now, there was little appreciation for nuance. The group would subsequently face a slew of negative articles in the press and would become the bête noire of the New Left culminated by a protest led by Abbie Hoffman outside a Madison Square Garden concert dubbed Blood, Sweat & Bullshit! During the performance, an audience member hurled horseshit on stage striking Colomby's drum kit. Meanwhile, conservatives assailed the Nixon Administration for subsidizing supposedly long-haired radicals to a Communist country. This was a no-win situation for Blood, Sweat & Tears. Clayton-Thomas expressed sadness for putting the group into said no-win situation.

What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? essentially argues that this tour represented the end of the group. I think it would be more accurate to say that it was the beginning of the end. At the time of the tour, Blood, Sweat & Tears had just released Blood, Sweat & Tears 3. While not as successful as their previous album, it did yield two Top 40 hits - "Hi-De-Ho" and "Lucretia MacEvil" both of which were played during the Eastern Bloc tour. The following year, the group would release B, S, & T 4. This would yield "Go Down, Gamblin'" which would prove to be their final Top 40 hit. Another single "Lisa, Listen to Me" would peak at #73 on the U.S. Billboard charts but would get more airplay in Canada. 

Clayton-Thomas along with founding members Dick Halligan and Fred Lipsius would depart the group after B, S & T 4. By 1975, Clayton-Thomas would return to the group but by this time Blood, Sweat & Tears would be for all intents and purposes a nostalgia act which remains the case to this day under the direction of Colomby. There have been over 150 members of Blood, Sweat & Tears. 

What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? gives the most important members of the band the opportunity to share their firsthand experiences. Along with Clayton-Thomas, Katz and Colomby, Jim Fielder and Fred Lipsius also share their insights. We also hear from Clive Davis who signed the group to Columbia Records back in 1967. Davis passed away two days before Clayton-Thomas. Perhaps the most joyful aspect of the film was hearing David Clayton-Thomas sing songs originally sung by Al Kooper on their debut album Child is the Father to the Man such as "Something Goin' On", "I Can't Quit Her" and "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know". While I enjoy Kooper's performances, Clayton-Thomas takes those songs to places which Kooper couldn't. We get to hear Clayton-Thomas' voice at the height of its power.

If nothing else What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? gives the uninitiated to see and hear how the innovators of jazz-rock got to the top of the mountain even if it also meant seeing their inevitable fall. R.I.P. David Clayton-Thomas.

Mets Give Mendoza His Marching Orders; Name Ex-Padres Skipper Green Interim Manager

Exactly halfway through the 2026 MLB season, the New York Mets have parted ways with manager Carlos Mendoza. Andy Green, who managed the San Diego Padres from 2016 through most of the 2019 season, has been named interim manager for the rest of the year.

The Mets began today 34-47 amid a six-game losing streak and have already lost their first game under Green. Both the Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies began the season with a record of 9-19. On April 28th, the Phillies dismissed Rob Thomson in favor of Don Mattingly. Under Donnie Baseball, the Phillies have gone 37-17. They are the top seed in the NL Wild Card race and are only 3½ games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

From April 28th through June 18th, the Mets treaded water going 25-22 before dropping back-to-back games to the Phillies and being swept in a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs which precipitated Mendoza's firing. Back on April 18th, I reflected on Mendoza's job status after the Mets had lost 10 in a row in what would ultimately be a 12-game losing streak:

For starters, the Mets have the second highest payroll in MLB. This means the Mets are expected to win and to win now.

Let us also consider Mendoza himself. Hired prior to the 2024 season on a three-year deal with a club option for 2027, the Mets would earn a NL Wild Card berth and reach the NLCS falling to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. But then there was last year. Things were looking very good for the Mets. In mid-June, the Mets had the best record in MLB with a 45-24 and had a 5½ game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. The Mets were not so amazin' going 38-55 the rest of the way. As Mets announcer Gary Cohen put it at the time, "And the Mets agonizing, three-and-a-half-month, slow-motion collapse, is complete."

This collapse has now lasted more than a year. Fittingly enough, it began on Friday the 13th beginning a 7-game losing streak going 3-13 for the rest of the month and it hasn't got much better since.

Unless, the Mets go on a Knicks-like surge, Andy Green will be a short-term solution to get the team to the finish line. During his near four-year stint in San Diego, the Padres never finished better than 4th place as the Los Angeles Dodgers began their dominance of the NL West. I'm not sure if even Danhausen could uncurse the Mets at this stage.

3 Candidates Endorsed by Mamdani Will Be Headed to Congress

(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani displayed his clout this evening as all three congressional candidates he endorsed won their Democratic primaries including two candidates who unseated incumbent Democratic Congressmen.

Brad Lander, the former New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate, unseated two-term incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman winning his primary in New York's 10th Congressional District by more than 30 points.

New York's 13th Congressional District proved a closer contest, but Darializa Avila Chevalier unseated incumbent Adriano Espaillat by 3.5%. Espaillat had served five terms in Congress and was the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Chevalier was part of Mamdani's DSA.

Meanwhile, New York's 7th Congressional District was an open seat, but Mamdani's pick, Claire Valdez bested Antonio Reynoso, who was endorsed by retiring Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, by nearly 18 points. Valdez is also a DSA member.

Given that these are safe Democratic seats, all three of these Democratic nominees will be elected to the next Congress in November.

What is unsettling is how Israel was a defining issue in these races and, in so doing, has become a litmus issue among Democrats. How else does one explain a business openly bragging about wishing they could deny service to soon to be former Congressman Goldman? Or for that matter how Mayor Mamdani can call AIPAC monsters when he won't use that term to describe Hamas?

But most frightening of all is how this sentiment among Democrats is not confined to New York City as we have seen in Maine with Graham Platner, in New Jersey with Adam Hamawy and perhaps in Michigan with Abdul el-Sayed or possibly Nithya Raman in Los Angeles or Janeese Lewis George in Washington, D.C.

Andy Burnham Was a Horrible Boss

When I wrote my lament for soon to be former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, I mentioned that I had firsthand experience working for his likely successor, Andy Burnham.

Back in 1995, I was an undergraduate political science student at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. I was selected to partake in an academic exchange with the University of Leeds during which I would intern for a UK Member of Parliament (MP). 

As I was a card-carrying member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), I wanted to intern for a Labour MP. I would be assigned to Tessa Jowell, a MP representing a constituency called Dulwich which was situated in South London. Jowell would later serve as a cabinet minister in both the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and subsequently was appointed to the House of Lords. Sadly, she passed away of brain cancer in 2018. 

There were two staffers working for Jowell, one of whom was Andy Burnham. He was for all intents and purposes my boss. I'm sorry to say that he was a horrible boss.

To put it bluntly, Burnham treated me like shit. He constantly talked at me as if I were a buffoon. Indeed, both he and his assistant Duncan went out of their way to belittle my intelligence. They would tell me that I had limited intelligence.

Needless to say, I was largely confined to opening mail and was often sent downstairs to an empty desk where for the most part I would catch up on my homework. The problem with this arrangement was that in order for me to graduate I had to demonstrate what kind of parliamentary work I was doing be it at the constituency or policy level. The fact that I could not demonstrate this put my university graduation into jeopardy. Burnham was well aware of the situation, but he did not give a toss. 

There were occasions when I was asked to attend surgeries. In the context of UK politics, a surgery is where a MP will meet directly with their constituents. In Canada, MPs have permanent constituency offices for that purpose. 

I didn't have a problem being involved with that process. The problem was that I had to get there on my own. While I had my Nicholson's Guide to London, I was nevertheless in unfamiliar territory and frequently got lost often in very rainy weather. By the time I would arrive there would be nothing for me to do except stand around soaking wet while Burnham would laugh at me derisively.

I do remember Burnham getting very angry with me after he found out I had contacted Tony Benn, a legendary Labour MP who would serve in the House of Commons for nearly half a century. My undergraduate thesis was a comparison between the youth wings of the NDP and the Labour Party. The reason I wanted to get in touch with Benn was to interview him due to his support of Andy Bevan, who had been hired as the party's official youth organizer, despite considerable resistance from the party establishment.

In any case, Burnham made a point of accusing me of "sleaze". Sleaze? This wasn't cash for questions. I was trying to fulfill my academic requirements. Nothing more.

I should mention that I did interview Tony Benn. In the years that followed, I was not crazy about Benn's softball interview of Saddam Hussein. But when I visited Benn at his home, he treated me with the utmost courtesy and respect and I did the same. Tony Benn provided me with more courtesy and respect in 30 minutes than Andy Burnham could muster in two months.

I'm not sure why Tessa Jowell wanted an intern. I'm also not sure why Andy Burnham treated me the way he did. All I know is that I was miserable and things got to a point where University of Leeds faculty agreed to reassign me to a different MP. I would be placed with a Scottish Labour MP named Jimmy Wray who gave me the following advice after telling me he thought I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown:

You're the boss!

Don't worry and don't hurry!

A man who never made a mistake is a man who never made anything!

Needless to say, my time with Jimmy Wray proved a far better use of my time and Jimmy's. And yes, I was able to graduate.

Now, I write all this with the understanding that this took place more than 30 years. Burnham would subsequently be elected to the House of Commons in his own right in 2001. He would later serve in Gordon Brown's cabinet and twice sought the leadership of the Labour Party in 2010 and in 2015. 

Following the ascension of Jeremy Corbyn in 2015, Burnham was smart enough to leave Westminster and successfully seek the mayoralty of Manchester. He would be re-elected to the same post twice before making his successful return to Westminster last week.

Going to Manchester was a shrewd move on Burnham's part. He managed to create a power base for himself outside of London and I'm sure other MPs may take a similar path should he end up living at Number 10 Downing Street.

So, I will be the first to acknowledge Burnham's success. I can only hope that he treats the people who work for him now a lot better than he treated me more than 30 years ago.

Will Poetica Coffee Receive Poetic Justice for Its Anti-Semitism?

 

I had never heard of Poetica Coffee, a NYC coffee shop with several locations in Brooklyn and in Manhattan's East Village.

But Poetica Coffee sure decided to draw attention to itself with a Facebook post which remains up as of this writing. The Facebook post blasts New York Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman for having the temerity to visit their establishment and engaging in commerce:

Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee. Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference? 

See, here at Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between. Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away. We issued you a refund—we don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways). Enjoy your loss on Tuesday. Don’t ever come to Poetica.

Given the fact that Poetica sees fit to associate "genocide enablers" with AIPAC, it is safe to say that they will likely not deny service to people of Chinese origin despite the Government of China's genocide against Uyghur Muslims or to people of Burmese origin despite the Government of Myanmar's genocide against Rohingya Muslims. No, Poetica is only singling out Jews.

For his part, Goldman, who is facing a primary challenge from Mamdani ally Brad Lander, responded:

I am sorry to see this post. The barista could not have been nicer to my 7-year-old daughter and me — allowing her to use the bathroom even though we had not purchased anything.

I made sure to buy a coffee in return for her kindness. I hope you at least make sure she gets the tip that she deserved.

It is worth noting that the DoJ is not amused and has already seen fit to launch a probe against Poetica Coffee. Given that Trump's DoJ has a fairly broad definition of what constitutes religious discrimination as is the case with their probe into MLB alleging discrimination against players writing biblical verses on their caps in protest of Pride Night, I'm not sure if this will serve as much of a remedy.

Perhaps Poetica Coffee will receive poetic justice instead. The fact that the establishment went out of its way to single out a Jewish Congressman for visiting their establishment will make New Yorkers rethink where they purchase their coffee. This would be a fitting consequence for brewing discontent.

Mamdani is The Real Monster

 

At a rally last Thursday evening in Brooklyn for DSA endorsed congressional candidates, only hours after being present at the New York Knicks championship celebration parade, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called AIPAC "monsters.":

These monsters take many forms today: in those who fund television ads that blanket the airwaves with misleading and bad-faith attacks about Claire, Brad, and Dari; those who would rather spend far more on political contributions than they would ever be made to pay in taxes; in AIPAC, for whom the only thing more frightening than democracy being allowed to run its course is an end to the genocide in Netanyahu's wars.

They move millions in dark money to accomplish a single goal: to preserve their power, so that they can turn us against one another instead of turning our leaders toward the moral change we all know to be necessary. In a politics that for too long has asked working people to lower their expectations, to settle for less, to become satisfied with small victories while our wages grow even smaller and our costs grow even larger; to resign ourselves to resignation, to accept the unacceptable. In the wealthiest city, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, we need not live in fear of monsters any longer. 

This did not sit well with New Jersey Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer:

“Monsters.” “Dark money.” A hidden hand “turning us against one another.” Swap “AIPAC” for “Jews” and it’s the oldest antisemitic conspiracy theory in the books. That’s not criticizing a lobby. That’s laundering antisemitism from your podium as Mayor of a city with more than a million Jews. This bullshit is dangerous. If you want to talk about real monsters let’s start with the North Koreans, Russians, Sudanese, the Iranian regime, and their proxies — Hamas, Hezbollah, PIJ — and other terrorist groups who’ve killed scores of Americans.

AIPAC isn't frightened by democracy, it is engaging in it while Mamdani engages in demagoguery by likening it to monsters.

To pick up on Gottheimer's point, Mamdani has never referred to the North Koreans, Russians, Sudanese, the Iranian regime much less Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad as monsters.

Consider what I wrote back in January after a mob chanted pro-Hamas slogans in front of a synagogue in Queens:

The fact that Mamdani cannot condemn Hamas by name much less characterize them as anti-Semitic should not come as a surprise. While vowing to fight "the scourge of anti-Semitism" after taking the oath of office he immediately rescinded executive orders regarding the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism and prohibiting the city from engaging in the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement against Israel.

Let us also remember that the day after October 7th, Mamdani also condemned Israel while making no mention of Hamas.

Mamdani cannot condemn Hamas because he supports Hamas and their anti-Semitic objective of wiping Israel off the face of the Earth. If Mamdani were to condemn Hamas by name, he would be a dead man walking. 

Keep in mind, this will only get worse. The night Mamdani was elected, I predicted there would be an October 7th inspired attacks against Jews in NYC. By calling AIPAC monsters, Mamdani is planting the seeds for bloodshed. That makes him a monster in my eyes.

Why I Feel Sorry for Keir Starmer

 

As widely expected, Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation as UK Prime Minister this morning. Starmer's resignation will most likely take effect in September when the Labour Party is expected to elect a new leader. 

That new leader will very likely be Andy Burnham, a three-term Mayor of Manchester who was returned to the House of Commons in a by-election last Thursday. I plan to write more about Burnham in the coming days as I have firsthand experience working with him.

For now, however, I wish to share my thoughts about Starmer's current state of being.

Simply put, I feel sorry for him.

After all, it was less than 2 years ago that he led the Labour Party to massive landslide victory ending 14-years of Tory rule. It was a landslide almost a large as that of Tony Blair when his first Labour government ascended to power nearly 30 years ago. Unlike Blair, however, Starmer will never get an opportunity for re-election much less three mandates.

As of this writing, unemployment in the UK is just under 5% - its lowest level in five years. You would think the unemployment rate would have been treble that amount given the eagerness with which Labour hung Starmer out to dry. Then again, the unemployment rate under President Biden was under 5% (much of that time under 4%) and fat lot of good that did him. 

This isn't to say that Starmer didn't make a share of mistakes. He should have exercised far more diligence and better judgment when considering Peter Mandelson to be Ambassador to the U.S. Mandelson was a confidante of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein although he was not involved in any sexual misconduct. 

Although Starmer's government was successful in reducing migration levels to the UK, it was insufficient for many voters who turned to Reform led by Nigel Farage and his tendency towards incitement against minorities calling for "pure, cold rage."

When Starmer made his resignation speech, he made a point of saying he was proud of "ripping out the poison of anti-Semitism". Unfortunately, as it turns out, there a lot of anti-Semites in the UK and many of them have turned to the Green Party to find a purportedly legitimate expression of that hatred. 

From where I sit, I think Starmer is to be given every credit for his earnest efforts to stamp out anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and speaking out against its further rise under his watch. However, I think Starmer was wrong in recognizing a Palestinian state at a time when Hamas was still holding hostages. Alas, many a troll on Blue Sky think Starmer is guilty of enabling a genocide and they are clearly not referencing China or Myanmar.

Keir Starmer strikes me as a decent fellow who the British electorate expected to walk on water. If this same electorate perceives Andy Burnham as a savior, then I can only imagine how they will react when Burnham attempts to take a stroll on the Thames.

Starmer ought to have had the chance to make his case to the voters in 2028 or 2029. Whatever mistakes he made have made, I can think of certain world leaders who made far worse mistakes and were given second chances.

Thoughts on Trump DoJ's Definition of "Religious Discrimination" re: MLB on SF Giants Pride Night

 

Very little has gone right for the San Francisco Giants this season. They are arguably MLB's most disappointing team. As of this writing, the Giants are 31-44 and 17 games back of the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Giants President Buster Posey has been taken to task for hiring Tennessee Volunteers head coach Tony Vitello to manage the team without the benefit of coaching or managing at the major or minor league level.

Alas, the Giants are facing other problems which have taken on a life of their own. The team recently held a Pride Night as they have since 2021, the first MLB team to do so. During these games, the Giants sport hats with the pride rainbow incorporated into the team logo. 

However, this year, several Giants pitchers (Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker) wrote Bible verses on their caps while one pitcher, Sam Hentges, refused to wear the cap at all. For its part, MLB issued warnings to the pitchers concerning uniform violations but did not subject them to any disciplinary action.

In response to MLB's warning, Trump's DoJ has now launched an investigation into whether MLB engaged in religious discrimination against the pitchers who scrawled the Bible verses on their caps and has referred the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights issued this statement:

The three players expressed their opposition to MLB's pro-Pride orthodoxy. The Civil Rights Act prohibits MLB and its franchises from unreasonably burdening the rights of players with religious objections to serving as the League's vehicle for pro-Pride messages. 

Federal law is clear: employers must modify their uniform requirements to reasonably accommodate their employees’ exercise of religion. The Trump administration is committed to combatting religious discrimination.

Dhillon is engaging in intellectual dishonesty. When Dhillon refers to MLB's so-called "pro-Pride orthodoxy", she is making an ideological statement, not a religious one. If players were to refuse to wear 42 on Jackie Robinson Day, I am sure Dhillon would blast MLB's "pro-DEI agenda." Let us remember that last year Trump's DoD removed all references to Jackie Robinson's military career on the grounds it was DEI before restoring the data following a backlash. 

Dhillon is also misrepresenting federal law on the matter. The EEOC guidelines on reasonable accommodations concerning religious garb refer specifically to clothing and items such as hijabs, turbans, and crosses. They do not cover the inscription of Bible verses onto articles of clothing.

Let me put it this way. Does anyone honestly think the Trump DoJ would launch such an investigation had the pitchers wrote verses from the Koran on their caps? 

Yet it would not surprise me if MLB were to bend the knee to the Trump Administration and make the wearing of Pride caps optional. I say this because of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's abrupt reinstatement of Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and the 1919 Chicago White Sox last year after meeting with President Trump. While I was pleased about the decision, I was not pleased about how it came about:

I'm sure that Trump basically told him, 'Either you reinstate Pete Rose, or all foreign-born players will be asked to leave the country.' Or perhaps he limited the edict to players from Latin American countries which comprise about 25% of all active MLB players.

Needless to say, I will not be surprised if Trump soon has another meeting with Manfred and strong arms him once more. In which case, the Trump Administration will have once again taken a bad situation and make it worse. But I suppose that is the sort of thing in which the Trump Administration takes pride in doing.

Iranian Regime Sentences Singer To Be Flogged 74 Times For Performing Without a Hijab

What I think has been lost in President Trump's foolish ineptitude in his ultimately failed military action against Iran is the barbarity and cruelty of the Iranian regime.

Prior to the joint the U.S.-Israeli military action, the Iranian regime had murdered an estimated 30,000 civilians protesting for the most basic human rights. 

And now comes word that an Iranian court has sentenced singer Parastoo Ahmadi and her production crew to receive 74 lashes for performing without a hijab in 2024 concert which was posted to YouTube. Ahmadi and her team have also been banned from public performance, nor can they leave the country for the next two years. 

However, even prior to the military action in Iran, the Left has ignored the brutality of the Iranian regime. Had this military action occurred with an American President with a modicum of sanity then perhaps there would have been genuine regime change. A new regime in Iran which would not subject women to bodily harm if they choose not to wear the hijab. A new regime under which women would not die in police custody because they offended the morality police as Mahsa Amini did and lost her life because of it.

One of the consequences of Trump choosing to surrender to Iran is there will be a lot more arrests and detentions of those who offend the Iranian regime. Parastoo Ahmadi is only the tip of the iceberg. With sanctions relief and reconstruction money coming into the Iranian regime's coffers will pay for more prisons and other tools of repression to ensure the subjugation of the Iranian people.

Why I Am Not "Stunned" Trump Would Fabricate a Story About Meloni

 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is not putting up with President Trump's bullshit.

When Trump claimed that Meloni had "begged" Trump to have a picture taken with her, Meloni put out a video on X to publicly rebuke him in front of the whole world:

Donald Trump's statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly stunned. I don't know why the president of the United States behaves like this toward his own allies. After all, it is not the first time.

I can only say it's a shame he doesn't show the same resolve toward with the enemies of the West and toward the enemies of the United States - towards leaders with whom he, on the other hand, is much more accommodating. But there is one thing he should remember. Italy and I do not beg.

While I am pleased to see a world leader publicly take Trump to task for his boorish behavior, I am not at all stunned that he would fabricate a story.

Indeed, fabricating stories is Trump's stock and trade. Given his propensity towards lying, it is fair to presume that when Trump claims something it is invariably untrue.

When I learned about Meloni's rebuke of Trump, it made me think of when the Boy Scouts of America back in August 2017 publicly denied that their leadership had called Trump to thank him for "the greatest speech ever made to them". Indeed, Boy Scouts officials apologized to parents for Trump's speech because of its "political rhetoric."

If Donald Trump is willing to lie about the Boy Scouts, then why wouldn't he lie about the Italian Prime Minister?

What is stunning, however, is that Meloni would be the one to speak out against Trump with such force. After all, Meloni was arguably Trump's closest ally in Europe. However, Trump and Meloni have parted company in recent months over Iran and public criticism of Pope Leo. The pair appeared to have an amicable conversation during the G-7 Summit in France earlier this week but appearances, much like Trump's claims, are deceiving.

While Meloni's public admonition of Trump will put her high on his shit list, it will certainly help her standing with Italian voters who are scheduled to go to the polls next year.

Vance Gives Israel The Zelensky Treatment

 

In defending in the so-called Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Iranian regime, Vice-President Vance castigated Israel in harsh, patronizing terms:

You have seen people within Bibi’s cabinet, who have come out and attacked the deal, and in some ways very personally attacked the president of the United States.

Number one, Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. And he happens to be the head of state of the world’s superpower.

If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.

The other thing that I would say is that over the last three months, two thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland, have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars.

The problem for Israel is not Donald J. Trump. And anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in.

For all intents and purposes, Vance basically gave the Israeli government the Zelensky treatment. He all but asked, "Have you said thank you once?" 

But why would the Israeli government thank the Trump Administration for having sold it down the river? Iran is no more committed to giving up its nuclear program than it did with President Obama a decade ago. But the Trump Administration is lifting sanctions, will provide a reconstruction fund of at least $300 billion and protection for Iranian proxies in Lebanon namely Hezbollah. They have resuscitated the Iranian regime, the world's largest sponsor of terrorism. 

Yet according to Vance, President Trump is above criticism. With friends like Trump and Vance who needs enemies? Unfortunately, Israel is surrounded by enemies, and the Trump Administration is handing them the ammunition necessary to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth.

While it is true that Israel has few friends, Vance is simply lying when he says that Trump is his only friend. Israel has support from the likes of Indian PM Narendra Modi and Argentinian President Javier Milei.

It is also rich when Vance claims, "You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have.”

Last I checked, it was U.S. forces that killed over 100 schoolgirls. I don't think it was intentional. Yet Vance's commentary would strongly imply that Israel deliberately seeks to kill civilians. Aside from being defamatory, Vance is throwing rocks in a glass house.

Nothing Vance said today was helpful to anyone but the Iranian regime. Shame on him!!!

The Noteworthy Career of Al Worthington

 

Former MLB pitcher and coach Al Worthington has passed away at the age of 97. 

At the time of his death, Worthington was the fourth oldest former living player. Only Bill Greason, Bobby Shantz and Bob Ross (not the one you're thinking of) who are 101, 100 and 97, respectively, ranked higher in longevity.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, he pitched at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. After a stint pitching with Nashville in the Southern Association, he would be signed by the New York Giants in 1953. 

Later that year, he made a spectacular debut with the Giants throwing back-to-back complete game shutouts against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Brooklyn Dodgers, respectively. But then Worthington came back down to Earth losing eight consecutive decisions before earning back-to-back wins in consecutive starts against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Worthington spent most of the 1954 season in the minors with their Triple-AAA affiliate in Minneapolis but did make 10 appearances for a Giants club that would win its first World Series title since 1933. Alas, Worthington would spend all of 1955 pitching in Minneapolis before returning to the starting rotation in 1956. 

In 1957, Worthington transitioned into a relief pitcher although he would toss his third and final big-league shutout against the Phillies. Worthington would follow the Giants from the Polo Grounds to Candlestick Park. However, Worthington would have a falling out with the Giants over stealing signs. Worthington would pitch for both the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox in 1960 leaving the Chisox over issues concerning sign stealing once more. He objected to sign stealing on religious grounds and briefly walked away from baseball.

However, his retirement was short-lived and Worthington would remain with the White Sox organization but pitched in Triple-AAA in both 1961 and 1962. He would return to the big leagues in 1963 when the Cincinnati Reds purchased his contract via the Rule 5 Draft. Worthington would post 10 saves with the Reds in 1963 but struggled early in the 1964 season with the Reds sold him to the Minnesota Twins.

When Worthington put on a Twins uniform, he was 35 years old. But Worthington would embark upon his most successful period as a major league pitcher. In 1965, Worthington went 10-7 with a 2.13 ERA recording a career high 21 saves for a Twins team that would win the AL pennant. Worthington would make appearances in Game 4 and in Game 7 as the Twins fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

His tenure with the Twins would last the rest of the decade as he would lead the AL in saves with 18 in 1968 and would pitch on the 1969 Twins team that was the inaugural winner of the AL West Division. Worthington would pitch in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles but would be knocked out of the game on a RBI single by future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the O's swept the Twins to win the AL pennant. 

As it turned out, it was the last pitch Worthington would throw in the big leagues. Over 14 seasons, Worthington made 602 appearances (533 out of the bullpen) and had a record of 75-82 with a 3.39 ERA along with 111 career saves. Of those 111 career saves. 88 of them came in a Twins uniform.

Worthington would return to the Twins in 1972 as the team's pitching coach serving in that role for two seasons first under Bill Rigney (for whom he had pitched under while with the Giants) and later Frank Quilici. Following the 1973 season, Worthington would leave the Twins to become the baseball coach at Liberty University (then known as Lynchburg Baptist College), a role he would serve in for the next 12 seasons before being succeeded by another former big leaguer, Bobby Richardson. Worthington also served as the school's athletic director for several years before retiring in 1989.

In 2011, Worthington was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Worthington practiced what he preached. R.I.P.

World Cup 2026: Palestinian Flags Allowed While Israeli Flag Confiscated

 

During a World Cup matchup today between Iran and New Zealand in Los Angeles, security personnel confiscated an Israeli flag while allowing Palestinian flags to be flown.

FIFA rules do indicate the only flags which can be flown at matches are the two countries playing each other on the field.

So why were Palestinian flags allowed to be flown?

Does FIFA consider Gaza to be part of Iran?

Given Hamas deep ties to the Iranian regime perhaps they are perceived as one in the same. 

After all, the raison d'etre of the Iranian regime and Hamas is to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth while killing as many Jews as possible.

The man with the Israeli flag made the understatement of the century when he said, "It seems like a little anti-Semitism is playing a part here."

Trump's Stupid Suggestion That Israel Stand Down & Let Syria Take On Hezbollah

President Trump says a great many stupid things.

I'm sure you can name a few off the top of your head. Injecting bleach, deploying nuclear weapons against hurricanes and raking forests to stop the wildfires in California.

But perhaps his idea that Israel should stand down and let Syria take on Hezbollah has to be amongst the stupidest ideas he has uttered in quite a while.

While meeting with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamada Al Thani during the G-7 Summit in France, Trump stated:

Israel's fighting Hezbollah for too long, and too many people are being killed. You don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody because there's a lot of people in those apartment houses and they're not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you.

I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah, because to be honest with you, I think they'd do a better job of doing it.

On what basis does Trump believe that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa would do a better job than Israel of fighting Hezbollah?

For his part, Trump says that al-Sharaa "has pulled that country together very quickly, he's very capable, and he's very good for me."

Ah, so that's it. Trump thinks al-Sharaa is more capable of handling Hezbollah than Israel because "he's been very good for me." In other words, al-Sharaa knows how to flatter Trump. 

And, at the moment, Trump is upset with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and frozen Israel out of the ceasefire agreement and proposed peace negotiations with Iran.

In other words, Trump is being guided by his temper rather than reality. What makes Trump think that al-Sharaa has any interest in fighting Hezbollah? He has no desire to engage in any activity which might benefit Israel even if indirectly. There is also the practical argument that Syria's new government is in a rebuilding stage and stands little to gain by partaking in a military action in Lebanon. I also cannot imagine that Lebanon, whatever antipathy they have for Hezbollah, would welcome Syrian involvement given their virtual occupation during the Assad years. 

But let's says that Syria does embark on a military mission to rid Lebanon of Hezbollah. What reason is there to believe that it wouldn't result in the same level if not more civilian casualties than have arisen as a result of Israeli military operations?

Now it would be one thing if Trump were to covertly encourage Syria to fight Hezbollah. But to utter it as a verbal excretion out of anger towards Israel is not only stupid but it is reckless, irresponsible and unhelpful. Defeating Hezbollah requires careful and meticulous planning while being able to adapt to changing conditions on the ground not by throwing shit at the wall during an international summit to see what sticks.