September 20, 2024

Those of you who come to my blog via Facebook will have already discovered a change in things. Due to a number of factors, I have chosen to create a new Zoidland page where I will post these blog entries, rather than doing so on my wall. I’m hopeful that this adjustment will enhance our ability to communicate with each other — after all, that’s the whole point of this endeavor of mine!

She Said She Said: Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris held a campaign event in Michigan, and brought along some star power to boot. The prime guest of honor was Oprah Winfrey, and the stage was set to mimic the former host’s famous talk show setup. This gave the two women a chance to sit down and have an in-depth conversation, much as Winfrey did during her talk show days. (Gun owners will be interested in Harris’ comment about her also being a gun owner: “If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot.”) In between those moments of introspection, though, Zoom-style calls came in from the likes of Meryl Streep, Bryan Cranston, Julia Roberts, Chris Rock, and Jennifer Lopez, as well as non-Hollywood folks like Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, reproductive rights activist Hadley Duvall, and Natalie Griffith, a survivor of the Apalachee High School shooting. Despite the support shown on stage, though, Harris also received a non-endorsement from the Uncommitted National Movement. The pro-Palestinian grassroots organization announced that they were not endorsing Harris, but also that they oppose former President Donald Trump and also do not encourage votes for third-party candidates. LINK

Fixing a Hole: More often than not of late, stories about the U.S. House involve how they have failed to take action on anything. This story bucks that trend, as they unanimously (that is, 405-0) voted this morning to pass a bill that bolsters Secret Service protection for major presidential and vice presidential candidates. Despite the universal acclaim in the House, the bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, as the enhanced protection called for within the bill is already being provided to Trump since the second assassination attempt on him last weekend. Others argue that what the Secret Service needs is to better manage its resources, rather than just more of them. Regardless, there’s a possibility of including additional funding for the USSS in the government funding extension bill currently making its way through the Senate. LINK

Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey: Arguably the biggest news of the past 24 hours has been that of North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson. A CNN investigation found that the Republican lieutenant governor has been associated with comments on a pornography website’s message board from between 2008 and 2012, in which he described himself as a “black NAZI!” and a “perv,” expressed support for reinstating slavery, and — despite a recent history of anti-transgender rhetoric — stated that he enjoyed watching transgender pornography. The candidate has denied the comments, and refused calls from other Republicans for him to step down from the race before last night’s deadline. Robinson has a history of controversial remarks against members of the LGBTQ+, Jewish, and Muslim communities, as well as Black voters who support Democrats. He has also criticized feminism as being “watered by the devil.” Current polls — taken before this most recent report — already showed Robinson running behind the Democratic candidate, Attorney General Josh Stein. This isn’t bound to help. LINK

It Was Twenty(-Five) Years Ago Today: And finally, on a more personal note, I wanted to make a mention of that this weekend will mark the 25th anniversary of the premiere of The West Wing. I didn’t actually start watching the show until the start of the third season, but very quickly became a huge fan of the series — the DVD box set sits proudly on my media shelf, and when I had shoulder problems a few years back, I adopted Martin Sheen’s/Jed Bartlet’s method of swinging a jacket around to put it on. I recognize that the world of the Bartlet (and later Santos) administration was highly idealized and simultaneously sensationalized, but it also helped spark my interest in the real people who served in the actual West Wing of the White House. I was already a bit of a news junkie, but this show — coupled with a commute that gave me plenty of time to listen to NPR — really got me into looking at politics as not just something to roll one’s eyes at, but a consequential part of daily life, and worthy of discussion. So in honor of TWW‘s 25th anniversary, let’s raise a glass, have a walk-and-talk, and together ponder for the country as a whole, “What’s next?”

Do You Want to Know a Secret: I Want to Tell You that, like I’ve done in a few other posts, I’ve chosen a particular musical group’s songs as inspiration for the headlines. This really is For No One other than myself. So Don’t Let Me Down, and post your guesses in the comments or on FB!