jkavanagh.bsky.social

@jkavanagh.bsky.social

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Editor at New York magazine and Condé Nast in previous life

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The MAGA cult is irredeemable and toxic after gleefully swallowing a steady diet of poison fed by Murdoch and other amoral propagandists. But how do Dems reach the bewilderingly undecided: those apathetic and lazy uninformed voters who will decide the election?

The journalist, essayist, and poet Joseph Addison founded The Spectator with Richard Steele in 1711 to “ dissipate the ignorance of the public.” More than 300 years later, right-wing propaganda outlets like Fox News and Newsmax foster and propagate the ignorance of the public.

Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream tries to blame Trump's shooting on Democratic rhetoric. Even RNC Chair Michael Whatley urges her to pump the breaks on politicizing this.

Aaron Rupar (@aaron.rupar) on Threadswww.threads.net Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream tries to blame Trump's shooting on Democratic rhetoric. Even RNC Chair Michael Whatley urges her to pump the breaks on politicizing this.

“Hitler made his strongest appeal to those members of the lower middle classes who had been ruined by the inflation of 1923... ‘The masses’ of whom he speaks were these bewildered, frustrated, and chronically anxious millions.” “Brave New World Revisited,” by Aldous Huxley

Any criticism now of Trump (the guy who sent the mob which tried to hang Mike Pence), however measured and true, will be branded by his spineless party and amnesiac followers as hate speech intended to incite violence.

This week in reprehensible: journalistic malpractice by the New York Times and lies from Trump about his Project 2025

Parkinson’s, Project 2025 and more in my new post https://open.substack.com/pub/margaretsullivan/p/a-misleading-headline-an-outrageous?r=1yc91&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

A misleading headline, an outrageous lie, and a surprising aftermathopen.substack.com Following up on how two major news stories developed after they broke

Remind you of anyone? (From “Tyrant,” by Stephen Greenblatt)

Democrats need to unify. Perhaps Biden could confront quivering Dems and impetuous journalists with this speech from Wolsey in “Henry VIII”:

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jkavanagh.bsky.social

I think I slightly mischaracterized our discussion here. We don't conclude the law is an impediment *to Trump.* We talk about how his underlings could be taking a big risk by carrying out his designs. But as we also say, Trump could pardon them. So as we concluded, the threat is profoundly grave.

Could Trump actually prosecute his enemies without cause? On the pod former prosecutor Kristy Parker and I dig deep into this question. Upshot: The law is still an impediment to him, but he wouldn't be legally liable for doing this. She's highly illuminating: newrepublic.com/article/1834...

Trump’s Rage At Liz Cheney Suddenly Veers In an Alarming New Directionnewrepublic.com With Trump's threats to jail Liz Cheney and other political foes going nuclear, a former prosecutor explains what a second-term crackdown on his enemies would really look like. It's gonna be ugly.

Some advice for Biden from the Bard (“King John”)

Happy birthday, George Orwell. Political language, he wrote, "is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” Ever true today in the deterioration of language in journalism. www.culturaldaily.com/gibberish-jo...

Gibberish and Journalism - Cultural Dailywww.culturaldaily.com “The difference between literature and journalism is that journalism is unreadable and literature is not read,” said Oscar Wilde.

“A darkness shining in brightness which brightness could not comprehend.” “Ulysses,” by James Joyce #Bloomsday

“Thy great employment will not bear question.” “King Lear”

U.S. job growth across the first five months of 2024 is better than the first five months of any year of Trump’s presidency. No wonder Republican leaders have found themselves literally at a loss for words. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

Latest great jobs report leaves GOP leaders at a loss for wordswww.msnbc.com It appears that the American job market is so good, Republican leaders have found themselves literally speechless — again.

“The one minority most neglected and most underpaid in America is the intellectual one. ‘Elitist,’ which rightfully should be a term of praise, is derogatory in the quasi-democratic United States of America.” newcriterion.com/article/crit...

Critics & criticism | The New Criterionnewcriterion.com On the legendary critic’s career.

Stephen Greenblatt’s analysis of the biblical origin story helps explain our misogynistic Supreme Court justices and their supporters who would take us back to theocratic rule.

Believe Trump when he says, “I will have such revenges on you…that all the world shall—I will do such things,—what they are, yet I know not: but they shall be the terrors of the earth.” “King Lear”

Funny thing about the Dr. Phil/Hannity exchanges: They both begged Trump to say he won't prosecute Dems. But they presented this as a way for him to display magnanimous forbearance, which would (they said) reflect well on him, knowing this is the only way he'd consider it. More in this piece/thread:

Would Alito and Thomas rule in favor of Jack Smith in the immunity chase if Smith paid for a lavish vacation for them? Would it expedite the Supreme Court immunity case against Trump if Smith changed his name to Harlan Crow?

“Mainstream media has its own brand of failing us, not so much with lies but with its endless service to false equivalence in politics coverage and the frequent reluctance to live up to their mission. (Where are the newspaper editorials demanding that Trump should end his campaign?)”

Lies, false equivalence and other media failures in the aftermath of Trump's trialopen.substack.com The felon now claims he never said "lock her up" — and other pieces of post-verdict nonsense

“The networks are under no obligation to platform [Republicans’] lies.” (Yet they continue to do so.)

Folks, how often does a longtime DC insider rip the lid off of how behind-the-scenes manipulation of the big news networks really works? This is one of those times. Some real revelations here:

Will voters decide whether Trump’s “most recent badge of dishonor is, in the end, of no greater concern than his well-documented history as a bigot, a fabulist, and an authoritarian intent on pursuing a second term inflamed by a spirit of vengeance.”

Trump Is Guilty, but Voters Will Be the Final Judgewww.newyorker.com The jury has convicted the former President of thirty-four felony counts in his New York hush-money trial. Now the American people will decide to what extent they care.

“It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere,” wrote Voltaire.

Thoughts www.lawfaremedia.org/article/thou...

Thoughts on Donald Trump’s Convictionwww.lawfaremedia.org Do we care if we have a criminal president?

I ❤️ New York!

Trump found guilty on all 34 counts! 🥂 “Think not on him till tomorrow. I’ll devise thee brave punishments for him. Strike up, pipers!” “Much Ado About Nothing”

“Some subset of Trump supporters continues backing him not in spite of his efforts to place himself above our institutions and the law—not in spite of his threats to unleash punishment and suffering on other large groups of Americans—but precisely because of those things.”

Trump promoted a video of one of his supporters attacking "blowjob liberals" and raging that if Trump is elected, he will "get rid" of liberals, who will be "gone." The video also attacked @JoeNBC as a "scumbag." How is this not bigger news? 1/ (Link) newrepublic.com/article/1819...

Trump’s Ugly, Hateful Attacks on Media Suddenly Take a Dangerous Turnnewrepublic.com His posting of a video of a man cursing at Joe Scarborough sends a broader message: If elected, he’ll use state power to come after countless other Americans.

Justice Alito’s favorite book

Trump is addressing his cult at an NRA-sponsored event where guns are banned.

www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/o... “Journalism is an act of hope. Why else would reporters rush toward gunfire, visit Covid wards or wade into riots to interview arsonists? We do this because we believe that better outcomes are possible if we just get people to understand more clearly what’s going on.”

Opinion | The Case for Hopewww.nytimes.com After decades of reporting on the front lines, I am awed by the material and moral progress the world has made.

"Nobody who has not experienced [teaching] can fully imagine the peculiar drain which the activity makes on one's energy, nor its unique rewards,” wrote Kingsley Amis. Thank you to the teachers for all you do. #TeacherAppreciationWeek

This should be the default response to every both-sides enabler of Trump, including the New York Times.

"If you want to be an apologist for Donald Trump, that may be your role" -- Nancy Pelosi fires back at Katy Tur after Tur defends Trump's jobs record www.threads.net/@aaron.rupar...

Aaron Rupar (@aaron.rupar) on Threadswww.threads.net PELOSI: Trump has the worst record of jobs loss of any president KATY TUR: There was a global pandemic PELOSI: He had the worst record of any president. If you want to be an apologist for Donald...

“Still in motion of raging waste! It cannot hold; it will not.” “Timon of Athens”

100% -- Trump raging and falling asleep at the table while facing a jury of his peers might thrill the MAGA base but everyone else sees a shrinking, grubby, sordid figure who's furious that the law is being applied to him and has nothing but contempt for the very thought that this might happen

“Once more unto the bleach,” advised Trump four years ago today, on Shakespeare’s birthday.