1/ I believe that part of the reason for Trump's unpopularity is the extent to which his focus his shifted from the first time priorities, such as "The Wall" and "Trump Tax Cuts", to things that self-evidently only benefit him, such as "The Ballroom", "The Reflecting Pool" and crypto-currency.

1) Interesting "Dems Not in Disarray" front-page framing. 2) Point Dems need to keep making: -Virtually every Dem leader has now come out publicly against Platner. -Virtually every GOP party leader still all-in for Ken Paxton. (And, of course, for Trump) This is not a "both sides" situation.

Supplemental Song for the Day: Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler youtu.be/lcOxhH8N3Bo?...

The story in a nutshell. 1. Qatar bribed Trump with a large aircraft. 2. Trump spent $400 million in taxpayer money to make it luxurious. 3. It is insecure for use as Air Force One. 4. He intends to keep it as his own when he leaves office. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/u...

Song for the Day: Downeaster Alexa - Billy Joel youtu.be/LESFuoW-T7I?...

The saving grace about the Graham Platner fiasco is that he was pushed into withdrawing before the July 13 deadline. We literally never *have to* think about him again. We may choose to, but it will be a choice.

UPDATE: Appeals court will NOT intervene to restore Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center Judges noted how Team Trump claimed financial harm.. then ruled “Appellants, however, have failed to support this assertion with any specific facts or evidence”

Release the Files!

Judge Kaplan just ordered the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to release the $5.8 million sitting in the court's account that had been deposited by Donald Trump to E. Jean Carroll on the basis of her trial victory. www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...

NEW: Judge Dugan sentenced to a $5,000 fine and no jail time. "In a sentencing memo, prosecutors said that federal guidelines called for a prison term of 15 to 21 months in prison." They did not ask for a specific sentence from the court. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/u...

Song for the Day: Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, Second Movement - Bremen Philharmonic youtu.be/sv2QnrCJNk0?...

1/ Re: Graham Platner. Until the most recent revelations, I decided not to make public pronouncements of my views because I was not sure that I was right and I believed I lacked the personal knowledge or expertise to have confidence in my views. I was also given pause by the endorsements . . .

1/ I often give vent to my spleen here, and I make no apologies for it. I also do my best to share something more, which is why I post the Song for the Day, musings on sports (especially my beloved Knicks) and pictures of Mimi the wonder dog. I am so grateful to those who carried me through . . .

Genuine inquiry: What is the high water mark for a candidate of the Monster Raving Loony Party (or similar joke candidate)?

If Mitch McConnell were a cat, he would be named Schrödinger.

I saw Mitch McConnell kissing Santa Claus.

Nigel Farage = Jack Woltz “He made me look ridiculous and a man in my position cannot afford to be made to look ridiculous.” #GodfatherWisdom #CountBinface

I would not be surprised if 25 years from now, the aftermath of Brexit includes Irish reunification and Scottish secession. In this scenario, Northern Ireland rejoins the EU as part of the Irish Republic and Scotland applies for EU membership as an independent nation.

About 6 months ago, there were some very self-assured people on BlueSky lambasting NYC for not approving more office to residence conversions. They brushed aside my concerns about the technical difficulty of making such conversions safe. The former Pfizer building is at risk of collapse.

Mimi was groomed today. She would like you to know she is available for cuddles.

Song for the Day: Lost Ones - Lauryn Hill youtu.be/Yq_3A_8C7Ag?...

This is a case that @kenwhite.bsky.social (Popehat) would be amplifying if he were still on BlueSky. In this case, the ‘process was the punishment’ inflicted by Stephen Miller on academics studying the mendacity of right-wing websites.

My message to Graham Platner: British version: “You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go.” American version: Get the fuck out now so that we can fix the mess you made in our fight against a fascist!

I have edited a lot of sexual-assault-accusation articles, and this one easily clears every veracity check: contemporaneous emails with her therapist, a boyfriend who knew, a woman she warned—all before Platner ran for office. Good on Politico for nailing it, and on Jenny Racicot for speaking up.

Although I was a Maine resident from 1994-95 (Bangor), I refrained from posting about the race for the Democratic nomination for Senate, because I felt too far from useful knowledge. I no longer feel that way. This seat is far too important for Platner to stay in the race.

Why now on Graham Platner? I'm not sure, but I would not surprised if is related to Maine election law, which closes the window for a candidate to withdraw on the "second Monday in July", which is July 13th this year. If there's something that means he has to drop out, it has to be before 7/13.

When you're too corrupt even for Sepp Blatter, that is presumably time for a reassessment.

Estadio Azteca exacted one last bite of revenge after England beat Mexico 3-2. Now, England will be without one of its most experienced players on Saturday night (7/11) against Norway in Miami. Wonderwall? More like Wonderfall. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Song for the Day: Keep on Rockin’ In The Free World - Neil Young (SNL Dress Rehearsal) youtu.be/fwuhk5W3_q0?...

With this NY-21 moves (in my opinion) from “Leans R” to “Safe R”. Damn! www.nytimes.com/2026/07/03/n...

Even though my Spanish is far from fluency these days, I’m watching Mexico v. England on Telemundo, not Fox. Viva el Tri!

Norway: 2 Brazil: 0 entering stoppage time.

Song for the Day - Truckin’ - Grateful Dead (Giants Stadium 6.17.91) youtu.be/G0iCMfc_X3s?...

World Cup pet peeve: Team uniforms that bear no resemblance to the country’s flag. Why is Canada wearing navy blue?

Supplemental Song for the Day: No More Kings - Schoolhouse Rock youtu.be/3R1tZ6l876Q?...

Please read this incredible essay on the meaning of the Fourth Of July by my good friend, Ken White (a/k/a Popehat). I read it every year. Every year it inspires me. Every year it angers me. Every year it reminds me what “patriotism” means to me. www.popehat.com/p/the-fourth...

Song for the Day: Saturday In The Park - Chicago youtu.be/_Mnw9uiYggU?...

Never give up. Never surrender.

Song for the Day: America - Neil Diamond youtu.be/Pg8pj1x9-t4?...

Unemployment ticked down to 4.2% in June, but it fell for the wrong reason. Labor force participation dropped to 61.5%, the lowest since 2021. People aren't finding jobs — they're quitting the job market all together.

Like an engorged mosquito, getting fat sucking the blood of the people. Bizarrely, about 35% of the population runs towards him with pulse points exposed, believing that his success as a parasite benefits them.

Rank these by mass appeal: -Heaven’s Gate -New Coke -Gigli -Trump’s State Fair I grew up going to the NY State Fair in the 1980s. It was packed to the gills every year. It takes a special level of ineptitude to get Americans to ignore fried dough with powdered sugar.

Song for the Day: I’m Shipping Up To Boston - Dropkick Murphys youtu.be/x-64CaD8GXw?...

A plea to Boston Celtic fans regarding Mitchell Robinson. Support him. Give him love. See the things he does: offensive rebounding, gathering lobs and dunking, protecting the rim, guarding on switches, & running the defense. Accept his limitations: shooting beyond the rim & free throws. #Thanks

Song for the Day: When That Man Is Dead And Gone - Glenn Miller Orchestra youtu.be/X4IUesQQKKQ?...

Supplemental Song for the Day: The Killing Of Georgie - Rod Stewart youtu.be/95zxtaKQBBc?...

Great thread. I hope that this flight is landing in Germany.

As I work for Democratic majorities in the House & Senate and a Democrat in the WH in '28, I am guided by the hope that these words by Justice Jackson in her Birthright Citizenship concurrence become the core of a new jurisprudence dedicated to living out the promise of the Second Founding.

Birthright citizenship, which should have been a 9-0 no-brainer (or cert denied), remains the law of the land in a narrow 5-4 opinion. Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Alito & Thomas should go down in infamy. I hope they receive total consciousness on their deathbeds, and die knowing they are minions of evil.

In a 6-3 opinion written by J. Kavanaugh, the conservatives basically destroyed any attempt to enforce federal election donation limits, holding that it violates the First Amendment to ban political parties from making unlimited expenditures in "coordinated campaigns" with candidates. Link below: