If I have one thing to thank you for — not just you, JVL, but Sarah and Tim and Bill and Andrew and Ben and Mona and Jim and Sam and Will and Sonny and Jill and Jonathan and Lauren and Will and Adrian and I’m sure I’m forgetting other staffers — and contributors like Gen. Hertling and Cam Kasky and George Conway and I know I’m forgetting…
If I have one thing to thank you for — not just you, JVL, but Sarah and Tim and Bill and Andrew and Ben and Mona and Jim and Sam and Will and Sonny and Jill and Jonathan and Lauren and Will and Adrian and I’m sure I’m forgetting other staffers — and contributors like Gen. Hertling and Cam Kasky and George Conway and I know I’m forgetting even more — it’s that you present yourselves *as people*.
This is important, in the same way that the most important quality to look for in a political executive is not their policy positions or their charisma or their experience but how well you think they’d deal with new and unknown situations you can’t imagine when you’re voting for them. Because you guys not only tell me what you know and think, you tell me *how you got there* and, even more importantly, how you’re *getting there* (or not).
You help me in *how to think about stuff*. At a time where there are people whose literal job it is to make it as hard as possible for Americans to process and think about what’s going on. (And many more whose job *should* be the opposite, but who have decided to jump into this massive project of cynical confusion with gusto.)
Letting it all hang out, admitting when you’re wrong, saying things like “I know I’m wrong, but I don’t know why because it seems right, tell me, Sarah, please?” is brave. It isn’t polished. But I think it *is you*, JVL, and is each of you (watch Tim’s short earlier today about the horrific revelations about Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s treatment in CECOT to see another example).
We learn not just from being told but through seeing examples. You’re examples. Not perfect examples, not finished examples, but examples of decency and quality and integrity and caring. And of the increasingly rare (and increasingly uncomfortable and, sadly, increasingly dangerous) example of journalists *achieving acts of journalism* — every day.
Oh Trey, this is an excellent response. Thank you for putting words to what I (and I'm sure so many others) deeply appreciate about The Bulwark's team and what they have come to represent in these dangerous and weird times.
As I sit here teary eyed after reading, not just your post, (which had me balling by the 2nd leg...) I'm more dark JVL then most but here,in the comments... let's me know that we are not alone
.... I subscribe, and wish I could do more.... keep doing what you all do..
While I usually fact-check before posting, I could see the comment count soaring as I typed, so I just hit “submit.” Looking into it, I see I had a distorted view of who’s “on staff” and who’s a contributor. And I obviously forgot some important names. But no matter — I’m not going to correct the post beyond the typos I fixed earlier.
Because I was most definitely *not* doing journalism— I was just writing from my feelings. And as many editors I’ve had and dread—I mean, respected!—over the course of my life would tell you, ‘editing’ (and especially ‘copyediting’) can *feel* like a soulless task when you’re working with something straight from the gut. So I will leave my comment alone. Those of you I forgot or whom I miscategorized — just know I’ve benefitted from your contributions too, and I know it.
If I have one thing to thank you for — not just you, JVL, but Sarah and Tim and Bill and Andrew and Ben and Mona and Jim and Sam and Will and Sonny and Jill and Jonathan and Lauren and Will and Adrian and I’m sure I’m forgetting other staffers — and contributors like Gen. Hertling and Cam Kasky and George Conway and I know I’m forgetting even more — it’s that you present yourselves *as people*.
This is important, in the same way that the most important quality to look for in a political executive is not their policy positions or their charisma or their experience but how well you think they’d deal with new and unknown situations you can’t imagine when you’re voting for them. Because you guys not only tell me what you know and think, you tell me *how you got there* and, even more importantly, how you’re *getting there* (or not).
You help me in *how to think about stuff*. At a time where there are people whose literal job it is to make it as hard as possible for Americans to process and think about what’s going on. (And many more whose job *should* be the opposite, but who have decided to jump into this massive project of cynical confusion with gusto.)
Letting it all hang out, admitting when you’re wrong, saying things like “I know I’m wrong, but I don’t know why because it seems right, tell me, Sarah, please?” is brave. It isn’t polished. But I think it *is you*, JVL, and is each of you (watch Tim’s short earlier today about the horrific revelations about Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s treatment in CECOT to see another example).
We learn not just from being told but through seeing examples. You’re examples. Not perfect examples, not finished examples, but examples of decency and quality and integrity and caring. And of the increasingly rare (and increasingly uncomfortable and, sadly, increasingly dangerous) example of journalists *achieving acts of journalism* — every day.
Thank you.
Oh Trey, this is an excellent response. Thank you for putting words to what I (and I'm sure so many others) deeply appreciate about The Bulwark's team and what they have come to represent in these dangerous and weird times.
Right back at you Trey.
JVL...
As I sit here teary eyed after reading, not just your post, (which had me balling by the 2nd leg...) I'm more dark JVL then most but here,in the comments... let's me know that we are not alone
.... I subscribe, and wish I could do more.... keep doing what you all do..
A Thankful Veteran
While I usually fact-check before posting, I could see the comment count soaring as I typed, so I just hit “submit.” Looking into it, I see I had a distorted view of who’s “on staff” and who’s a contributor. And I obviously forgot some important names. But no matter — I’m not going to correct the post beyond the typos I fixed earlier.
Because I was most definitely *not* doing journalism— I was just writing from my feelings. And as many editors I’ve had and dread—I mean, respected!—over the course of my life would tell you, ‘editing’ (and especially ‘copyediting’) can *feel* like a soulless task when you’re working with something straight from the gut. So I will leave my comment alone. Those of you I forgot or whom I miscategorized — just know I’ve benefitted from your contributions too, and I know it.