Confidence, Man

“Look, Folks”,

as he

would say;

“C’mon, Man!”,

he would

inveigh

that he’s

the best one

and should

and could

finish the job.

So why the 

defection

despite

affection?

Everyone knows

the torch

gets passed,

and sees him

past

his prime.

Losing confidence,

questioning

competence,

begging acceptance

of the optics,

is just

not

a good look.

Look, Folks,

he appears

knowledgeable

yet weak

week

after week.

Each moment

on screen

we screen

his condition,

with increasing

attrition,

despite

a great

3 years. 

It sears 

the heart

and mind

that such 

a kind

and effective

politician

against 

the definition

of a Confidence Man,

could lose

the coalition

of confidence.

It’s not 

the platform

on which 

he stands

that demands

change.

He can’t 

defend

his own

success,

and we’re

supposed

to pretend

to address

his strength?

The length

of this standoff

between those

with confidence

and those

without

will without

a doubt

be resolved 

soon.

(It isn’t yet

because

we can’t

forget

what we

all saw

and fear

each time

he appears.)

I suspect

we can 

expect

that after

the RNC 

Convention,

convention 

will be

upended

and the intended

outcome

of restoring

confidence

will come about

not 

with a lout,

but

with a more

youthful

and vigorous

substitute.

As the ever

astute

Confidence Man

who literally

and figuratively

dodges

bullets,

shows strength,

and dare 

I say,

discipline,

the energy

and unity

on display

each day

this week

makes

the weakened

opponent

each moment

weaker,

and his party,

now

the one

of

fear 

and loathing,

is seeking 

some confidence,

and preferably,

a woman.

Add Vance

I knew 

he’d add

Vance

to advance

his mission.

But I 

was more

surprised

by 

Cannon’s

timing

her decision

to throw out

the documents

case. 

Boy,

that Cannon’s

got balls!

And 

probably,

really,

really,

really

wants

to be

Trump’s next

AG.

Confronting

his own

mortality

as recently

as the 

last few

days,

his invincibility

is convincingly

aiding

his legacy

with the next

generation.

The son

he wished

for

is his ticket

and more

for 

avoiding

accountability

permanently.

I believe

he now 

believes

himself 

to be

an extremely

stable

genius.

What once

were schticks

now sticks

like crazy

glue.

It’s a truly

crazy,

newzy

week

after the freak

out

about Biden.

But next week,

the week

after

the mega

MAGA

convention,

JD 

as VP

will be

as normal

as whatever

normal

can possibly 

be.

Will he 

debate

Kamala?

Or will

she be

the one

to advance

beyond

the Hillbilly

Elegy 

of JD 

Vance?

Let dem

leaders

know

that Joe

should go

out 

on top,

and advance

someone

else

or else

this race

is done.

Earshot

What’s overheard

is the herd

of inciters

denying

culpability

when ,

unsurprisingly,

shots were

fired

during

a Trump

rally.

The shooter

was shot

and got

what he

sought,

which brought

instantaneous

blame

on the rhetoric

of the heretic-

laden

other 

side.

My initial

reaction

was inaction;

I think

I am numb

at this point.

The violence

expected;

the blame

projected.

I’m glad 

that Trump

was protected

and it 

only pierced

his ear.

Not that 

that’s 

nothing;

but we saw

the luckiest

duck.

In a country

run amok

with violent

speech

and hate,

that victorious

fist pump—

symbolic

if not

iconic

of Trump(ism)—

as he was

ushered

off the stage,

fuels

the rage

to engage.

In this first

attempted

assassination

in the social

media age,

we are all

within 

earshot

of the next

shooter.

Map Quest

Holding it

as long

as possible,

the drive

continues

until

what was

once

probable

is now

unfathomable,

while

the situation

of this election

becomes

untenable.

The liberal

art of losing

the electoral

college,

despite

the popular

vote,

is no 

longer

remote.

We are

being driven

by fossils

fueled

by the vision

of apocalypse.

The fear

of the end

so near

brings up

the rear

view

mirror

of fascism.

Cataclysm

feels

imminent.

Despite

the words

at the presser,

I heard

some answers

that seemed

to hint

at some

exit ramps

ahead. 

Stopping

to rest

after a

personal

best,

could test

the road

less

traveled.

Have we

unraveled

entirely?

Or merely

enough

to find 

the stuff

to repair

our tire

before 

we expire

and find

a charging

station?

A slight

detour

might

be required

to be

re-inspired.

Seeking

the path

to victory,

fearing 

history

as precedent,

we are in

a moment

to test

this quest

not yet

mapped:

to elect

a project 

for 2025-

keeping

democracy

alive-

or turning

right

into a 

dead

end?

What Hump?

Now, everyone can

see it;

it’s obvious 

to us,

regardless

of excusing

and refusing

to say

what may 

be scary.

Delay,

delay,

delay,

is now

the Biden

way,

forcing us

to traverse

this hump.

But,

unlike Igor,

we can’t

ignore

what 

we see,

as it’s

as plain

as day.

Biden’s persistence

and

his insistence

maintains

he’s the 

best one

to win.

It’ll be 

just fine

if Dems

fall 

in line,

because 

the alternative

will be punitive

and much 

worse.

Although

pragmatic,

the suggested

tactic

is coming

under

scrutiny.

Not yet

a mutiny,

or destiny,

but a growing

bounty

of voters 

now

can not 

see how

they can 

vote for

Biden

or the team

that’s hidin’

what’s in

plain sight.

He might

change course

later,

despite

current posture;

I think

there’s still

some time

to mitigate

this torture.

But we’re

not sure

that he can

beat Trump,

which makes 

this hump

feel like 

a mission

impossible.

With All Due Respect

With all

due respect,

Sir,

I suspect 

it’s impossible

to accept

the possibility

of losing

our democracy

because of 

a bad night.

You would

be right,

Sir,

if what did

occur

was merely

an hour,

but our

attempts

to rectify

can not

justify

what seems

like a weakened

state.

The spate

of outcry

grows by

the day,

Sir,

as your stiffened

spine

looks less

fine

than arthritic.

Those who

play critic

with your 

performance

were surprised

not by

the other guy’s

lies 

or word 

salad,

but by your

eyes

looking lost,

and muffled

speech

with its

cost

too great

to proceed.

Mistakes happen.

That’s not

the problem.

Your presidency

has been

legislatively

powerful.

Your passion

and compassion

are the aspiration

for this nation,

and you saved

us from Trump

and Covid.

You are a super

hero

but not super

human,

Sir,

and we respect

you 

and your

legacy.

As you have

fought

and taught

us,

reliance

on defiance

has brought

us

to a dangerous

precipice,

now on

this side.

Your pride

won’t win

and we can’t

spin

this 

any more.

The American

people

deserve

respect,

and I suspect

you detect

what they

reflect:

We need

amazing

grace;

for you 

to

step aside

in this race

and decide

someone

else 

should take 

your place

or release

your delegates

and open

the convention,

however

unconventional

this may be.

It’s where

we are,

Sir,

at this moment.

It would be

most constructive

and instructive, 

and certainly 

most brave.

You could

save

your legacy

with our 

democracy

in this emergency,

with All

due respect.

Patriot Acts

“I know how

to tell

the truth,”

declared

the POTUS

the day after

the rest of us

saw 

he couldn’t claw

his way out

of a debate

with a liar

lying

about 

everything.

Telling 

the truth

for the uncouth

MAGA man

is seen 

in the ways

he conveys

fears and aches.

The stakes

being grilled

have filled

our capacity

on this anniversary

of America.

Patriotism

on display

today,

waiving in 

red, white,

and blue,

hate and fear

is still clear

while professing

love

for America

above everything

except embryos.

I chose

anniversary

instead of birthday

because a union

was created

and debated

since 1776.

America

is not

biological;

it’s philosophical

and ideological, 

though sometimes

with 

the logical part

missing.

We are all

patriots today,

celebrating

this anniversary

of possibility

for humanity

to live decently

in democracy,

once 

associated

with liberty

and justice

for all.

Truth

has been

spinning

for winning

elections.

But reflections

of  acts

of patriotism

reveal

less cynicism

and criticism

than truism,

until the era

of MAGA.

Now,

truth telling

is telling.

Claiming

to be

a patriot

with mendacity

and audacity

to blatantly

lie

is the truth

this 

4th of July

of one party

claiming

the future.

The truth

is grim,

but patriotism

for US

has meant 

a system

dependent

upon

truth

and accountability.

A patriot

acts

for 

a more

perfect union,

not for

a savior

or

not with 

a diety

but with

democracy,

where 

the truth

is not easy

to accept.

Hearing Aids

It’s hard

to regard

calls

to step 

down

as 

the sound

of success.

But two 

things

can be true

at the same

time. 

Not everything

must 

rhyme.

Biden can be

his legacy

now,

taking 

a bow,

with a vow

to make

us all

better.

Fearing

a worse

defeat

that

would

seem like

a complete

disaster,

I understand

the reticence.

I imagine

the pain

and belief

that Biden’s

relief

is the best

shot

we’ve got

going forward.

He’s always

bounced

forward

but now

must

fall back,

knowing

he’s slowing

down

along

the way

down.

How cruel

the circumstance

of his

last chance

that may

be ours.

I have to

think

his aids

are hearing

what 

is happening

here.

It is clear

he is losing

a losing

battle,

and winning

the election

won’t

be the correction

for the ravages

of aging.

It’s torturous

to witness

declining

fitness

and not

having

access

to more.

I understand 

the seriousness

of the iffiness

of Harris

at the top

the ticket.

Fear of losing

is confusing

issues:

winning

and delivering

for the future.

Biden 

is not

winning

now,

and the 

trajectory

is not

good.

Would

that his

aids

are listening

and that

he can hear

that we

see

his legacy

cemented 

gracefully,

which

is utterly

anti

Trump.

Before 

the 4th,

the irony

of the immunity

of the presidency

decision

did not escape

me. 

Washington

stepped down

when he could

have remained

in office.

He distinguished

the presidency

from a monarchy.

For different 

reasons

but still

guided

by pride,

if Biden

steps

aside,

it will

be 

for the

better. 

Be who

we say

we are.

After the Mourning After

The mourning

after

the disaster

from

the Supreme

Court’s decision

based on the 

division

between

the so-called

conservative

and liberal

justices,

is disbelief

and profound

grief

at what 

has happened

and where

we are 

headed.

Wedded

to The Constitution,

yet 

with bizarrely

cynical

interpretation,

the judicial

wing

is sanctioning

unlimited acts

perhaps

illegal

for which

a POTUS

is not 

accountable.

To the tune:

Immune.

Immune.

Immune.

From 

Delay.

Delay.

Delay,

to 

the striptease

of expertise,

including

the last

resort

to abort,

The Supreme

Court

is sort

of 

an untouchables

in this

sequel

to the no- longer

co-equal 

branch of government

term.

I fear

what we 

see

in Trump

and Biden

is actually

us:

One side

bloated,

greedy,

aging

and needy,

impulsively

and compulsively

grifting.

The other,

honest,

decent,

with legislative

skill,

understanding

and displaying

what is 

still

required

and admired

in democracy.

But aging

happens,

despite

staging

and stance,

and the way

to advance

is with

improvement.

Our aging

democracy

has hit

a new low

although

each time

it feels

like

the bottom.

Now

the Presidency

is the real

fantasy

for criminality.

The clarity

of the disparity

has never

been

easier

to see.

Eventually,

our democracy

could become

more democratic.

But that will

mean

we must 

lean in

actively

to the only

party 

for democracy

left. 

Conventional Wisdom

When RBG
supposedly

was doing

planks

while ill,

I still

thought

she ought

to have 

resigned.

After several 

bouts

of cancer,

the answer

was not

not

stepping

down.

Of course

I could

not have

dreamed

of the esteemed

Mitch

to bitch

and moan

that the election

had thrown

confirmation

hearings

off 

the calendar. 

And we know

the result

of all that 

tumult.

Going back 

in time,

history’s rhyme

may 

be LBJ.

Did his

resignation

lead to 

Nixon’s 

election,

or was it

the chaos

at the Dem

convention?

This is the fear

as the convention

this year

to nominate

Biden

again

seems

doomed.

But he’s

resumed

his vigor

with

a teleprompter,

so maybe

we should

all exhale?

No way!

I say

with great

dismay.

When did

the individual

become 

indispensable?

The debate

was telling

us what

we knew.

He is kept

from view

for a reason.

This season

is rough

and the tough

decision

is not a revision

of Biden’s

vision

of and for

democracy.

It’s for winning

without 

spinning

his ability.

Ladybird

encouraged

Lyndon

to resign.

We seemed

resigned

now

to go

off a cliff

rather than

riff

on (the) convention.