Dear President Trump, Jennifer Rubin’s WP editorial today reminding us that democracy is not a meritocracy was a bittersweet read as it sinks in that Elizabeth Warren almost certainly doesn’t have a viable path to the nomination. Rubin clearly thinks Warren is meritorious, along with Klobuchar and Buttigieg. She notes that Steyer probably should have … Continue reading Go figure….
Journalism
History and privilege
Dear President Trump, Yesterday morning I read poet Lisel Mueller’s WP obituary first because it was at the top of the stack (Katherine Johnson had just died and so hers hadn’t yet made it to the main page) and about midway through there was an interesting quote in reference to her poem “Happy and Unhappy … Continue reading History and privilege
In death as in life
Dear President Trump, A few months ago I told you about having devoured all of the biographies in my K-8 library about women generally and men of color as a kid, but I don’t think I’ve told you how much I enjoy reading the WP obituaries about people from these demographic groups (along with a … Continue reading In death as in life
Two things
Dear President Trump, I’ve got two things on my mind this morning, both of which are follow-ons from letters earlier in the week. The first has to do with whether the king-makers have drawn any lines in the sand that you aren’t supposed to cross or if the point is for you to sow maximal … Continue reading Two things
Calling out problematic headlines and getting results
Dear President Trump, I never know whether the thing that occurs to me at 10pm to write to you about the next day will be compelling enough to hang in through the night and the next morning’s adventures (ha!). Of course it helps when the news cycle is stale and things are quiet around here, … Continue reading Calling out problematic headlines and getting results
Associative learning and Joe Biden
Dear President Trump, This morning Laura and I took a not-rainy walk (finally!) with the dogs in the part of town we call “Swale-land.” It’s on the way to the grocery store and it feels kind of exotic because every other street is lined with richly planted swales instead of the usual plain grass nature … Continue reading Associative learning and Joe Biden
Sunshine and shadow, shadow and sunshine
Dear President Trump, Just a few minutes ago out the back window to the East, the light on the huge fir trees (and one birch) in the distance was doing this incredible glow/shadow thing where some of the faces of the trees were bathed in golden light and other faces were charcoal-looking, like they couldn’t … Continue reading Sunshine and shadow, shadow and sunshine
Wrapped toadies and snowed peeps
Dear President Trump, This afternoon’s WP article about Dershowitz joining your legal team (Sonmez & DeBonis) is something else. The authors quote Dershowitz extensively and make clear that he’s no fan of yours, and that in fact, he thinks you’re a menace. In another piece, your buddy George Conway wonders very out loud what Dershowitz … Continue reading Wrapped toadies and snowed peeps
“Lordy, Lordy, Lordy”
Dear President Trump, He’s been gone for 26 years now, but I can almost hear Laura’s dad saying “Lordy, Lordy, Lordy” like he’s right here sitting in the living room with us. He’d always say it when he was incredulous about something someone had done; he’d shake his head slowly back and forth as he … Continue reading “Lordy, Lordy, Lordy”
What if the goal is for all hell to break loose in the Middle East?
Dear President Trump, On the way home from the frame shop this afternoon I got behind a car with an Indiana license plate. It had an American flag inspired background and at the bottom the words “In God We Trust.” When I got home I looked it up to see if it was a specialty … Continue reading What if the goal is for all hell to break loose in the Middle East?