Just Ask The Question Newsletter - 2.15.24

What happened to the "liberal media"? How damaging is the false equivalency narrative?

Feb 16, 2024

Welcome back to the Just Ask the Question newsletter where we share insights on the White House and politics in general through podcast interviews, original articles and commentary.

And because everyone deserves a break now and then from all that is D.C., we will also share the lighter side of the news with exclusive interviews from leading pop culture figures. sign up here

Biden and Trump are both too old – but only one is a traitor

The 2024 presidential election is a battle between a bunch of old farts screaming “get off my lawn!”

If you are a partisan and you’re not angry by the time you finish reading this, then I haven’t done my job.

After a special prosecutor recently made an issue of Joe Biden’s age and mental acuity, several reporters pressed him on the issue during a gathering at the White House. Biden fell into a trap and lost his temper. Who the Hell is prepping this guy? They aren’t doing their job.

The president could have responded with something like, “Most Americans might think it silly to ask me about my age when the former president is pushing sedition and fascism, backing up Vladimir Putin, putting our international allies – especially in NATO – at risk and there are two dangerous wars being waged; one in Gaza and one in Ukraine. At home, Roe V. Wade has been overturned, the Republicans have created a false narrative about the U.S. Southern border, and we have to deal with racism, misogyny and climate change. I’m dealing with real issues while you’re chasing shadows. Go ahead. Question my mental acuity. But are there any real questions from the press?”

I’d love it. You just know some reporter wouldn’t get it and would re-ask the question.

Sigh. But that didn’t happen…

Keep Reading

EP 247: Just Ask the Press - Is the 'Mainstream Media' headed for extinction?

This week on Just Ask the Press: Donald Trump says if our NATO allies don't pay up, he wouldn't lift a finger to help them if Russia attacks. Joe Biden suffers through a disastrous news conference regarding his age. Are both men too old to run? Will Trump even be eligible to run? This and a lot more - including the 60th anniversary of the Beatles in the U.S. on this edition of Just Ask the Press.

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Hiding Joe Biden won’t help him

Let President Biden defend his memory. It will remind Americans that Donald Trump is incompetent

Once, while standing in a press scrum at the Capitol many years ago, I watched Joe Biden take questions for about 20 minutes from a gaggle of reporters. He was friendly with some, polite with others, and tenacious about his talking points. He had a slight stutter, and on occasion tripped over a few points. I knew him peripherally but had never questioned him before. On that day, I was there to talk about Tom Capano, the former Delaware deputy attorney general who’d recently been convicted of murdering Anne Marie Fahey, the appointments secretary to then-Governor Tom Carper.

I was writing a book, “Above the Law,” about the murder and, of course, I’d spent far too much time covering Capano’s trial. Until I’d met Donald Trump, I’d never met anyone as narcissistic or bat guano crazy as Tom Capano. He tried to implicate most of Delaware’s politicians in the murder he committed and was successful in embarrassing a friend or two about their sexual exploits, but nothing else.

My question to Biden was perfunctory as there was no indication – despite Capano’s vague aspersions – that Biden had anything to do with Fahey, and had very little to do with Capano. He deflected my question, and then said “Tom Soprano was no friend of mine.” I chuckled. After all, “The Sopranos” was a hot show at the time and many in Delaware had made jokes about the Capanos being the Delaware Sopranos – including one man who drove around in a convertible during jury deliberation outside of the courthouse playing the theme song from the Godfather…

EP 246: Jamie Raskin - Why Donald Trump shouldn't be on the ballot this fall

On This episode of Just Ask the Question, Congressman Jamie Raskin tells us why Donald Trump shouldn't be on the ballot this fall, what the Democrats have to do better and why the PRESS Act is important for free speech.

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Haley faces tough road back into GOP after taking on Trump, lawmakers say

Former SC governor has questioned Trump’s age, mental sharpness

Republican lawmakers see a clear path back into Donald Trump’s Republican Party for one of his former primary foes — but perhaps excommunication for his lone remaining challenger.

Some Republican members said it was a wise move by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to end his presidential bid after finishing second to Trump in the Iowa caucuses. His exit and immediate endorsement of the former president means a return to big-time GOP politics — and even, eventually, Trump’s orbit was possible, lawmakers said.

But the Republican lawmakers predicted a much different future for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump’s former United Nations ambassador and only primary foe still standing. She has chosen to continue her primary campaign, pivoting to a message critical of Trump’s age and mental status — and that she alone could take down President Joe Biden in November.

Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, who is not seeking reelection after being one of Trump’s chief critics within the party, recently said, “I don’t think that’s likely, but it is possible” that Haley could again seek national office as a Republican. But, he said, it is much more likely that DeSantis could try again, perhaps as soon as the 2028 election cycle.

“You may alienate some people who like your opponent. That’s the nature of negative campaign ads and messaging,” Romney said. “That’s how it works. And you make a calculation to do what you think is going to get you the nomination. That’s how it works…

NEW FICTION

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Which way is up?

Brian J. Karem

Jim walked out of the backdoor of his house, sat at the umbrella table on the deck, with an iced tea on the table, and glanced at the vista below.
The Valley. Los Angeles. And all that goes with it. He smiled and sipped on his plain iced tea. Plain, not “unsweetened” damnit, he thought to himself while remembering a comedy bit he found amusing. How do you sweeten tea and then “unsweeten” it?
To his left a man wielded a chainsaw and was halfway up the palm tree in the back yard, hacking away. Jim was curious. He’d never seen anyone prune a palm tree before. He’d only lived in the Los Angeles a short while and was getting used to mud slides, fires, earthquakes and traffic on the 405. The fineries of landscaping had escaped him. In fact, he took it for granted.
The Los Angeles metro area, if nothing else, could be judged by how coiffed the neighborhoods were.
“Is it natural to trim it back to just the crown?” He asked the worker.
“Si. Si.” The man said.
Jim was uncertain if the man actually spoke English. A fresh palm frond hit the ground before him. He picked it up. “Usted Catolica? He asked the worker.
Si. Si.” The man said again.
Holding up the palm frond he said. “Este es muy importante. No?” Jim smiled.
“Yeah. Yeah. On Palm Sunday. I’m not stupid,” the man said.
“Woe. Sorry. I just remember them from childhood. . .” Jim continued to smile.
“And you assumed I was Catholic because I’m Hispanic like you assumed I couldn’t speak English?” The man seemed offended.
Yeah,” Jim said as he shrugged his shoulders. “The percentages are in my favor.”
“Are you a racist?” Pete asked.
“A racist? No. I’m retired,” Jim said still smiling.
“Retired from what?” The worker asked. He looked at Jim and assumed him to be in his 50s, maybe Hispanic, or Italian, or maybe Middle Eastern.
“Everybody else’s bullshit, including my own.” Jim was still smiling. He assumed the worker was in his mid 30s, worked his ass off every day and didn’t get paid shit. “Want a beer?”
The man looked around. Was the guy for real? “Okay.” He said. After all, he’d been working since dawn with only two breaks and he’d really like to get off his feet for a bit. You know. Go the bathroom. Take a breath. Maybe take a shit.
“What’s your name?” Jim asked.
“Pete,” Pete said. “Yours?”
“Jim.” Jim said as he sat back down and eyed the iced tea.
“Very nice of you Jim,” Pete said as he took Jim’s offer to sit down on one of the large comfortable wicker chairs seated around the umbrella table.
“The way I see it, is either you can treat everybody as a friend and take a chance, or treat everybody as an enemy. It don’t make much difference,” Jim said with a smile. “Saw that in a movie once. Stuck with me. Here’s the beer,” Jim reached into a nearby cooler and tossed one to Pete.
Pete took the beer, unscrewed the top and sat down with a smile. He kicked back and both men enjoyed the quiet breeze and the sound of traffic in the distance as they did nothing for several minutes.
“Actually it does,” Pete said laconically.
“Actually what does?” Jim asked.
“I think it matters whether you treat everyone as a friend or an enemy. Unless you’re saying no matter what your choice is you’re fucked,” He smiled back at Jim.
“Now you’re getting it,” Jim continued to smile. “You might as well enjoy the ride.”
Pete nodded. What the Hell. “You have music?” He ventured.
“Yeah. What do you like?” Jim asked.
“Anything that’s good.” Pete answered.
“Dave Brubeck okay?” Jim responded
“Okay” Pete said placidly.
“Hey Siri, play David Brubeck,” Jim said. Soon the deck was engulfed in the mellow sounds of cool Jazz and both men kicked back to watch the sunset.
Then a stray thought struck Pete. He smiled and took a sip of beer. “Thanks for the beer, but you know I get paid by the hour. You don’t mind paying me to have a beer with you?”
“Not at all. It’s a beautiful sunset,” Jim said with a big smile.
“That it is,” Pete responded.
Jim then looked over at him and continued to smile. “Besides, I’m not paying you. I just rent this place. The owner’s paying,” He smiled. “Have another beer. They’re his too.”
Pete look around. “His beers?”
“Yeah. I stuffed him in an ice chest in the back. Kept his beers.”
Pete look around again. Did he hear that right? “What?”
“Did I stutter?” Jim asked. Peter looked at him as if for the first time. He thought Jim seemed familiar, and now he placed it. He had the look of Vincent Dinofrio in Full Metal Jacket right before he killed his gunny and then took his own life.
“I’ve got a go. Thanks for the beer,” Pete said as he stood up and backed slowly away from the deck.
“No. Stay. Seriously.” Jim was all smiles as if he were offering a stray dog a treat – while he hid a collar in his other hand.
Pete had no idea what to think, but he wasn’t going to stay around to talk with an obvious psychopath. Without even responding, he picked up his tools, including the chainsaw, cleared his throat and left Jim to his own devices as he exited the deck.
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anybody!” He said as he turned to leave.
“Hell son, I don’t care. Tell everybody,” Jim softly smiled. Pete couldn’t decide if it was a sneer of contempt, or something else, but he didn’t wait to find out.
With that Pete was gone. Jim curled his lip for a second and then chuckled a bit before he walked back inside the house and then upstairs to his bedroom. His wife Laura was curled up softly under a blanket. When she heard him enter, she sighed.
“I can’t believe you got that guy to stop,” she said.
“Well, you said you wanted to take an afternoon nap and you had a headache,” Him smiled.
“How’d you get him to stop?”
“I offered him a beer.”
She snorted. “Uh huh.”
He smiled and turned his palms up with his hands extended. “I was just having a little fun.”

“Yeah, I know how you like to have fun,” she said. She closed her eyes for a second and then said softly. “Thanks. I love you.”
“You too Laurie,” he walked over and stroked her hair before quietly excusing himself. He walked back upstairs, opened the sliding glass door and sat back down on the deck. He looked over at the beer and started to chuckle. Then he looked over at his iced tea, smiled, picked it up and took a big sip while looking down at the valley below.
Life was good.

***

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