Jimmy Carter was the first President I remember being elected to office. I remember the toothy grin, peanuts, and his brother Billy. Along the way, there was the energy crisis, the Camp David Accords, and the Soviets invading Afghanistan. The popular Senator Ted Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic Nomination. Then came the hostage crisis in Iran which consumed him and the nation. Add inflation that never let up, and he was left vulnerable to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Whether you agreed with him or not I believe he wasn't going to intentionally steer you wrong. He was real or the very least presented himself that way. He was a decent person and always tried to do his best.
This 5 minute stretch of an Episode of Pod Save America between PSA host Dan Pfeiffer and Melissa Murray of the Strict Scrutiny podcast have some interesting points made of Merrick Garland and others were not able to meet the moment in history regarding Trump and the January 6 2021 insurrection. Attorney General waited after almost two years before appointing Special Counsel Jack Smith and had taken a bottom up approach in prosecuting offenders for January 6, 2026 attack on the U.S. Capitol which essentially saving the biggest offender(presumably Donald Trump). Mistakenly thinking Trump would fade into history like most defeated in a presidential election usually do. This as we now know was a huge political miscalculation I think part of the miscalculation was that the institutions themselves would hold on their own. This I think doesn't count that the institutions are only as strong as the people in them and how they are used.
Another example of of expecting institutions to defend themselves is the recent action by those in the media. It even started before the election when owner of the Washington Post, Jeff Bezos owner of Amazon, nixing a Kamala Harris endorsement shortly before election day which was and essentially an endorsement of Donald Trump. Now recently, along with Meta/Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg, each contributing $1 million dollars each to Trump's Inauguration. We also saw Joe and Mika of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" meet and kiss the ring at Mar a Lago, then they try and defend it. Just breaking recently was a $15 million settlement(and apology by "Meet the Press host George Stephanopolus) by ABC News for alleged defamation. If we were expecting our heroes to be in the corporate media you're going to be tremendously disappointed. They're job is to defend shareholders, profits but not the U.S. Constitution.
The capitulation by ABC News sets an awful precedent and will certainly invite more of the same. This will certainly embolden Trump to intimidate the news media and their owners who only interest is their bottom line and not journalism.
I was skeptical of AOC when she first burst on the scene in 2018. She was a bit of a left-wing bomb-thrower at first protesting at Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office when she first entered Congress. She was a member of what became known as "The Squad". Since then though she has proven an excellent communicator. She's now vying for chair of the Oversight Committee which signals, even if she shouldn't get it, to her ambitions. I agree with Chris in saying she is one of the most interesting Democrats to be watching in the future
The outrage from right-wing punditry and politicians was to be expected. What was disappointingly aggravating was the criticism and anger from mainstream media and left leaning punditry. Here lies a fundamental example of the differences of the left and right political ecosystems. When Trump (or other MAGA adjacent figures) are convicted, charged with felonies, promote insurrections, impeached twice and and still have pending indictments working through the system that would cripple a typical politician what happens with Trump? His poll numbers and fundraising goes through the roof and is reelected President.
Biden pardons his last son on charges that any other first time offender if he were an ordinary citizen wouldn't have reached consideration. The investigations were still ongoing and certainly wouldn't have stopped. on January 20th. The cry about "Hunter's laptop" is reminiscent of "What about her emails" were to Hillary Clinton that came about endless hearings and investigations about Benghazi (sound familiar?). Then came the cries of "Well he said he wouldn't." from pundits and the media that came quickly. Many criticisms even from respected mainstream or left leaning people.
Many pardon critics cry Trump will use it as justification for him pardoning convicted January 6th insurrectionists and others. Seriously? He has already made it clear he would pardon them anyway so we are offended why? He would justify(or not) the pardons anyway so what really the difference. Given the public's political amnesia, Hunter's pardon will be forgotten old news come January 2025.
Also forgotten are the friends and loyalists Trump pardoned from his first term: Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone and Steve Bannon. You also can't forget Charles Kushner, Donald's daughter Ivanka's father-in-law, who is now nominated for Ambassador to France.
President Biden broke "norms"? Really? Trump's entire first term(and brand) is about breaking "norms" yet this is the hill mainstream media and left wing pundits want to stand on? That, as President Biden would say, is a bunch of malarkey.
Democrats once again clutch their pearls over President Biden pardoning his son Hunter recently. Many in the on the political left are indignant that Joe pardoned his son after he said he wouldn't. As if it's the first time a politician changed his mind or flip flopped. Especially now 8 years into the Trump era we're getting upset over this? Come on people. At least Representative Jasmine Crockett has some good sense.
