James Fallows

@jfallows.bsky.social

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Reporter and writer: https://fallows.substack.com/ and https://www.ourtownsfoundation.org/ One-time speechwriter, long-time pilot, longer-time husband of linguist/writer Deborah Fallows. Note same wristwatch in the two photos, more than 50 years apart.

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A proposed address by the nation's 46th president, drawing on an address by the nation's first. fallows.substack.com/p/a-presiden...

A Presidential Address for This Momentfallows.substack.com ‘We’ll teach them how to say goodbye.’ A dramatic way for Joe Biden to demonstrate his strength, and the nation’s. An imagined speech, with 120 days to go until the election.

When reading the piece below, about how bad the SupCt has been ( theatlantic.com/politics/arc... ) , can't help thinking of same author's ringing endorsement of Brett Kavanaugh. "A superb nominee," etc. (This is prof Akhil Reed Amar of Yale Law. ) www.nytimes.com/2018/07/09/o...

Opinion | A Liberal’s Case for Brett Kavanaugh (Published 2018)www.nytimes.com It is hard to name anyone else with such strong judicial credentials.

Through 5 prez cycles, 2000 —> 2016, did big-deal reported stories on how parties and candidates prepared for debates. Traveled, interviewed candids + advisors, watched tape, etc Eg www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc... Now: God save us. Though will watch and write something about it.

When George Meets Johnwww.theatlantic.com Presidential debates always put more importance on projecting character than on being right. George W. Bush and John Kerry can both boast of never having lost a debate, though the two candidates rely ...

Just as reference: At this stage in 2012, Obama/Romney a cliff-hanger. In Nov, Obama won by 5 million votes, 4% margin, 332-206 EV. At this stage in 1992, Ross Perot was runway leader over Bill Clinton and GHW Bush. See NYT story June 11 1992 below. At this stage in 2004, Kerry in lead over GWB

Anecdata: Hearing from friend after friend about positive Covid tests in past few days. Separate instances in diff cities, mainly Eastern half of US. Is it just us? Just coincidence? Similar anecdata from others? Tracking data showing mild uptick www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVI...

COVID-19 Current Wastewater Viral Activity Levels Mapwww.cdc.gov COVID-19 current wastewater viral activity levels map

I've prepped a prez candidate for a debate and written about scads of them, 2000 -> 2016. Any article about this upcoming spectacle that doesn't put "debate" in air-quotes has already lost the narrative.

News interview I would love Isaac Chotiner to do: With whoever writes NYT headlines. Today's installment. first Axios, then NYT, framing similar news.

Our friend Sophie Schmidt took an important step for journalism six years ago in founding @restofworld.org restofworld.org Now she makes this significant commitment, to @msf.bsky.social for Gaza crisis relief. view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/171...

Contrasts of the NYT: On one hand, political coverage. On other, truly outstanding investigative projects. Like today's by Rebecca Robbins / Reed Abelson on "PBM" racket jacking up pharma projects: www.nytimes.com/2024/06/21/b... Really well done. Target for second Biden term.

The Opaque Industry Secretly Inflating Prices for Prescription Drugswww.nytimes.com Pharmacy benefit managers are driving up drug costs for millions of people, employers and the government.

For the past six months or so, I have hoped and assumed this would be his goal. Godspeed! www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Carter’s next potential milestone: First former president to see 100www.washingtonpost.com Jimmy Carter has been in hospice care for 16 months, but continues to eat well and defy the odds as his 100th birthday approaches.

Two people named J. Fallows (Jack, and James.) Two people wearing Cirrus jackets. Both standing in front of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. One of them six times as old as the other. fallows.substack.com/p/a-note-to-... Summertime.

Unwise to point this out, but still: *By my reckoning, Dems /progs /reproductive-rights etc have done "better than expected" in huge majority of races since Nov 2016. Main exception: JD Vance. *As Prez, Biden has done "better than expected" in big performances, SOTU etc CF: Upcoming "debate."

Genuine tip of the hat to Chris Pandolfo, of Fox News, for the most precise use of 'decimate' you'll ever see in a news story. www.fox13news.com/news/trump-v...

Tee-hee. Isn't this amusing?

For your both-sides collection, front page of WaPo today: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

I give NYT headline writers a lot of grief. But respect where it is due: Just the right headline, on fascinating story: www.nytimes.com/2024/05/30/u... (And story doesn't even include name "Otis.")

If you're looking for more MAGA gear in wake of yesterday's news, add this to your shopping list! Makes a great rally gift. (Came out in 1989, but, hey, always relevant.)

Why we love big banks, chapter five million: -Dealing with paperwork / procedure for (very modest) estate of a family member. -In flood of paper, this notice. -As if steep fees are not enough, bank also re-selling personal info w/ no opt-out choice.

I remember the minutes in Dec 2000 when news came that there *was* a verdict in Bush v Gore, but no one knew what it was. (Could guess but not be sure.) Mark these minutes in our experience. We know there is a verdict on Trump. Can guess but not be sure what it is.

1/ In next edition of NYT style guide pls add: "When tempted to write 'a picture emerges,' 'a portrait emerges,' 'paints a picture,' recognize these as evasions through which a writer expresses a judgment while shying from doing so "They are similar to 'critics contend' or 'may raise questions'

Being Married to a Linguist for Decades™ dept. Listen for a tic that has gotten way out of control in podcasts: - Q: "So you're saying XXX XX." - A: "Exactly." It's the "exactly" that has become the tic / cliche. Listen for it and you'll hear it constantly. You're welcome!

A commencement speech actually worth watching! Ken Burns at Brandeis Really, hear him out. alumni.brandeis.edu/news/2024/co...

Ken Burns: “Be curious, not cool. Insecurity makes liars of us all.”alumni.brandeis.edu

This is a beautiful and wise essay by Gregg Easterbrook. greggeasterbrook.substack.com/p/my-back-pa... It features one of the people we both revere(d) as an editor, Bill Whitworth.

My back pages.greggeasterbrook.substack.com I found something a beloved, departed editor told me to look for

In a sea of "how will it play?" campaign stories, a very good "how will it work?" WaPo story by Rachel Siegel: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Trump’s immigration plans could deal a major blow to the job marketwww.washingtonpost.com Immigration is a major reason the job market rebounded so strongly from the pandemic’s lows. That could be in jeopardy, economists say.

Singapore Airlines, by me. fallows.substack.com/p/the-singap... TL;DR Keep your seatbelt on, tight.

The Singapore Airlines Emergency: What Happened, and What Can We Learn?fallows.substack.com Apart, that is, from a reminder of the fundamental lesson: Always keep your seat belt on. Some other guides for following the news as it unfolds.

1) Very good WaPo article on renowned Depression-era photog Russell Lee. 2) Very strange headline framing. Along w Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, Lee was one of *best* known of the group. (Eg Nick Lemann wrote a book about his photos.) 3) See point #1. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Free story idea for newspaper/broadcast politics editors: How is it that Biden keeps managing to "do better than expected" in high-stakes speeches. Eg: powerful 2024 SOTU, right after "elderly man w/ poor memory." Or this weekend's at Morehouse. fallows.substack.com/p/election-c...

Election Countdown, 169 Days to Go: ‘Old Ghosts in New Garments.’fallows.substack.com A striking phrase from Joe Biden's speech at Morehouse yesterday, which was another example of his underappreciated craft.

This is so important and valuable. A way to get "Google search without the crap." Notably AI crap, which destroys G-search utility. Intro'd here: tedium.co/2024/05/17/g... In practice: After a Google search, click on "Web." You'll get the de-crapped results.

How I Made Google’s “Web” View My Default Searchtedium.co Forget AI. Google just created a version of its search engine free of the extra junk it has added over the past decade-plus. You just need one URL parameter.

Kids these days. hub.jhu.edu/2024/05/14/q...

Hearing is be-leafing: Students invent quieter leaf blowerhub.jhu.edu Patent-pending design by Hopkins undergrads could be available in stores within two years

Unemployment rate: —May 2020: 13.2% —May 2024: 3.9% S&P closing level: —May 15, 2020: 2,864 —May 15, 2024: 5,308. [Stock market ≠ the economy, but still. ] Weekly COVID deaths: —May 2020: 6,900 —May 2024: 294 "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"