Weekend Quotables
More on Cheney and the 'Big Tent'
339 days into the war on Gaza… at least 40,972 Palestinians have been killed and 94,761 wounded since the start of the war.
A foreign diplomat involved in Israel-Hamas cease-fire negotiations told Haaretz, "We are not progressing anywhere."
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Reporter: Is the White House prepared to increase pressure on Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire deal, similar to the UK withholding more weapons?
White House spox John Kirby: Hamas is the main obstacle. — X
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Nate Silver: Last update: 4 p.m., Monday, September 9: We continue to see mediocre data for Kamala Harris, like a new Pew national poll with a very large sample size that showed the race tied nationally — which would probably translate to a loss for Harris in the Electoral College.
Dick and Liz Cheney and the ‘Big Tent’
A few of my old, lefty friends were critical of my blasts yesterday at the Cheneys, who are looking for a home ‘neath the Democrats’ “big tent.” I am okay with anti-Trump neocons saying they will vote for Harris/Walz. I probably will as well, although my vote in IL doesn’t count for much. But as for the big tent, I think the only tent for Dick Cheney is the one for war criminals at The Hague.
I’m not worried about the Cheneys becoming Democrats. I’m more worried about the Democrats becoming Cheneys. The campaign is reading the poll numbers that say they are losing in most of the battleground states and interpreting them as showing a need to shift to the right. I expect more of that in the weeks ahead, including strengthening their ties with “neocon notables.”
Harris says she is looking to reassemble the coalition behind Biden’s winning campaign, including college students, Black voters, and women animated by protecting abortion rights. But all I’m seeing from the campaign is a tack to the right.
My critics go beyond just welcoming the Cheneys’ votes. They insist that Dick and Liz have transformed and become “defenders of the Constitution.” They imply that I’m violating the anti-Trump united front by not saluting these heroes of democracy.
Actually, I’m trying to make the case that the Democrats’ best hope for victory over Trump lies with a radical change on issues like national health care, immigration rights, and their stand towards Israel. The DNC leadership obviously doesn’t see it that way. No surprise there.
I welcome your feedback on this in the comments section below.
More Weekend Quotables
‘Tragedy’ is probably not the right word for this…
Phil Gordon, National Security Advisor to Harris, condemned the killing of American-Turkish activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot during a protest in the West Bank on Friday, writing that "we send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. We are seeking more information about this terrible tragedy." (Haaretz)
Michael Fakhri, U.N. independent investigator…
…accused Israel of carrying out a “starvation campaign” against Palestinians. — AP
Journalist Aaron Rupar
I want to meet the 9 percent of Americans who are still making up their minds about Donald Trump. *(don't actually) — X
ME to Rupar: I think you should meet some, as well as some of the non-committed voters in Michigan and others encamping on college campuses today.
Prem Thakker, reporter @zeteo_news
Question to State Dept Spox Patel: How can Aysenur’s family take an investigation seriously if it’s conducted by the perpetrators and they’ve continued to delay and lie about Hind Rajab (a six-year-old Palestinian girl in the Gaza Strip who was killed by Israeli forces (IDF)? — X
Trump threatens again to jail his opponents if he wins. Believe him.
“WHEN I WIN, those people that CHEATED will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long-term prison sentences so that this Depravity of Justice does not happen again,” Trump wrote on Saturday… “We cannot let our Country further devolve into a Third World Nation, AND WE WON’T!” — Truth Social
Harrison Nolan on why Dick Cheney will vote for Kamala Harris. https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/why-would-dick-cheney-endorse-kamala?r=211c8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Liz Cheney Has become a 'defender of the Constitution.' You can hear it in her conduct of the House Hearings on Jan 6, which she co-chaired with Dem Bernie Thompson of MS. Or you can read her book on the matter. I suppose you can claim what she writes and says in public is just a hoax to hoodwink us, but it cost her her seat in Congress. You are not required to 'cheer' her in any way, or even mention her. But she is part of a small trend of ex-GOPers without a party at the moment, and they all make the same claim about Trump opposing the Constitution. They are still conservatives, but Trump has no use for any of them unless they pledge fealty to him personally. It's a radical change in the GOP, well worth exploring.