Recently at The Bulwark:
CHARLIE SYKES: The Anti-Anti-DePape Right
JVL: End of Days
BGTH: How the Business of Box Office Has Changed Over the Last 15 Years
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KRISTOFER HARRISON: Why Dr. Oz Fears John Fetterman.
Dr. Oz isn’t “ableist.” He’s afraid.
Throughout his campaign, Oz has sought to turn John Fetterman’s stroke into a political millstone. That’s because he does not want you to know what he knows: John Fetterman’s ability to recover from a stroke while running a top-notch campaign—all with happy-warrior aplomb—is nothing short of incredible. Oz’s criticisms of Fetterman speak of a fear of Fetterman’s drive. Oz sees that drive and it has Oz spooked.
Traumatic brain injury is no joke. Aside from those who have suffered a brain injury, only medical professionals understand what recovery entails. Only this small subset of the population (which includes Oz) understands the hell of temporarily living inside a mind that refuses to obey you. Oz may be a quack, but he’s still a doctor. He knows what this stroke has told people about Fetterman’s character. And it scares him.
If Republicans win the House, MAGA voters will expect Republicans to impeach Biden, and Trump will demand it. The rationale won’t even matter — and other administration officials are likely to be impeached as well. Bart Gellman joins Charlie Sykes today.
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Special guest Dave Weigel joins Sarah, Mona, and Tim for this edition of Thursday Night Bulwark. The show kicks off at 8:00 p.m. ET. But only for Bulwark+ members!
SHAY KHATIRI: Now Is the Time to Solve the Iran Problem.
Hoping for the regime in Iran to collapse has long been an implicit part of U.S. posture toward the Islamic Republic. The Obama administration hoped that the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action would stall Iran’s nuclear advances for the next 15 years—long enough for the Islamic Republic to either reform or collapse. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has never looked at Iran policy beyond Iran’s nuclear weapons program. A week after Joe Biden assumed office, his national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, told the Washington Post that the first imperative of the administration was putting Iran’s nuclear weapons program “in a box.” Only then would the administration move on to the rest of the troubles Iran has been causing. But halfway through Biden’s term, the administration has failed to achieve even the first objective. It seems at times that the Biden team has moved on from Iran altogether.
JAMES C. CAPRETTA: Republicans’ Irresponsibility in Playing Political Games with the Debt Ceiling.
In a move that fits with the party’s over-the-top combativeness of recent years, Republican leaders have signaled plans for a debt-limit showdown with President Biden. They believe that, if the midterm election flips control of the House, Senate, or both to the GOP, they can extract budgetary concessions by withholding a needed increase in the government’s borrowing allowance in the second half of 2023. But recklessly manufacturing such a crisis brings alarming economic risks, and the brinkmanship will further inflame the tribalism that is already making orderly democratic governance a serious challenge.
The debt limit is a flashpoint again because budgetary projections indicate it might become a binding constraint on federal activity sometime late next year. Democrats in Congress raised it by $2.5 trillion in December 2021, to about $31.4 trillion. With the federal government expected to run a cumulative deficit of nearly $16 trillion over the coming decade, it will need to be raised again relatively soon. For stability, it would be best to increase it substantially to avoid repetitive partisan showdowns.
🚨OVERTIME 🚨
The series is tied up! And I’ll be headed to PA tonight, not for the game, but to cover the last days before election day in the Keystone state. Go Phillies! As a result, tomorrow’s Overtime might be a little lighter than usual.
Biden’s Big Speech. Was at Union Station, and frankly, did not show the majestic beauty of the grand hall, but some flags and blue pipe and drape. At least the lighting wasn’t bad this time. But what Biden said was important, honest, and frankly, a little dire:
“As I stand here today, there are candidates running for every level of office in America – for governor, for Congress, for attorney general, for secretary of state who won’t commit to accepting the results of the elections they’re in… That is the path to chaos in America. It’s unprecedented. It’s unlawful. And it is un-American.”
Part of the discourse… Is negative campaign ads, which are nothing new, of course. But particularly nasty. Trevor Noah examines a few he’s seen while doing his show in Atlanta.
The silver line is finally here… But with no express trains, a missed opportunity.
Your recipe of the day… The Courtesy Diner slinger.
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