The Democrats Have a Deeper Bench Than You Think
Plus, Right-Wing Creeps Claim Bringing Brittney Griner Home Was Woke.
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SEBASTIAN HUGHES: The Democrats Have a Deeper Bench Than You Think
āThereās no one else.ā
This is the argument used most often in support of President Joe Biden running for a second term. Itās not the most complimentary defense of the man who kicked former President Donald Trump to the curb only two years ago, but itās the one his critics seem to have the hardest time refuting.
Despite his gaffes, old age, and inability to be a truly influential or transformational figure within his own party, Biden is viewed as a far better candidate than any of his potential successorsāa dynamic memorably mocked in a Halloween sketch on Saturday Night Live.
Jesse Singal joins to discuss the fraught discourse on trans treatment. The group then turns to Ron De Santisās possible big blunder embracing anti-vaxers and a great scientific breakthrough (and its detractors).
The case for Biden to run again, the hate-mongering GOP, and the expectations around Kamala vs the realities of the vice presidency. Symone Sanders-Townsend joins guest host Tim Miller for the weekend pod ā and also chats about why she switched from Bernie, and the Trump fans in her own family.
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CATHY YOUNG: Right-Wing Creeps Claim Bringing Brittney Griner Home Was Woke.
Since just about everything is potential fodder for culture wars these days, itās no surprise that the return to the United States of basketball player Brittney Griner, detained in Russia on a drug charge earlier this year, turned into another such skirmish. What is notable, though, is the extent to which American far-right punditry has been almost literally reciting Kremlin propaganda talking pointsāand putting identity politics over basic solidarity with a fellow American.
MARK CLEMENS: Breaking Out of the Walled Garden of Literature.
Thereās a scene in Lauren Oylerās Fake Accounts that finds the narrator rereading an email from an ex-boyfriend concerning Our Mutual Friend. Right, I thought, I know that one. Dickensāhis last complete novel. About money, I think? How odd, these extremely online millennial characters reading that. I certainly havenāt. Had I read Our Mutual Friendāor even taken two minutes to scan its Wikipedia entryāI wouldāve seen exactly why Oyler placed it in her book, as it telegraphs a crucial late plot twist. But it wasnāt until I read a line near the end of Fake Accounts, āincreased access to information hasnāt really increased our willingness to access it,ā that I was shamed into looking up the Dickens book, and it was then that I realized Oyler had bet on my laziness and ignorance and won. (No reviewerāI googledāhas mentioned this trick, doubtless for fear of spoiling its effect.) Pulling a fast one on your reader: Thatās one way to criticize the state of literature.
SONNY BUNCH: āAvatar: The Way of Waterā Review
Avatar: The Way of Water is like almost nothing youāve ever seen before in a very literal way: the combination of high frame rate (HFR), 3D, and 4K projection youāll see it in via an IMAX or Dolby-branded theater is, simply, different from your normal big screen outing. Itās a sui generis sort of viewing experience, unless you happen to be one of the 12 people who watched Ang Leeās Gemini Man in 3D HFR IMAX.
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Programming note: Overtime will try to publish, internet permitting, next week, and itāll be a little shorter than usual. So if it doesnāt come, donāt fret!
Want to invest in Twitter? If so, Elon Musk wants your money. Lol. But things arenāt going so great over there.
I have a better idea. Give the gift of Bulwark+ to the person in your life! (Or, if youāre not already a member, treat yourself to our holiday special.)
France re-going nuclearā¦ Itās a good call given the fragile energy situation in Europe. The French are great at nuclear. A few years ago, I went on a junket to learn about their MOX method, something the U.S. should have adopted, rather than our current posture, which is pitiful.
Meet the naughtily named fanā¦ Who goaded Ken Rosenthal into baseball lore.
A 3D modelā¦ Of where Trump stored classified information at Mar-a-Lago.
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