Preacher: “Arlo, what kind of church is this?”
Arlo Guthrie: “It’s a ‘Bring-Your-Own-God church.’” — Arlo Guthrie
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Anyone can be forgiven for a little cynicism when they read or watch the news. For one thing, it is almost always bad news. For another, you’re pretty sure you’ve heard most of it before. Finally, much of it seems to be generated by hustlers of one stripe or another — politicians, con-men, and PR flacks.
But remember that behind the headlines, there are people digging through that daily sludge trying to make sense of it all and looking for surprises. These people, naturally, are flawed just like you and me.
Particularly like me because I am one of them.
But even with our flaws, journalists do our very best to simultaneously soak ourselves in the news like a morning bath, while remaining as neutral about it as, say, a cup of coffee.
That coffee doesn’t care whether the news is good or bad; it’s real job is to just wake you up.
And that’s our job as well — to wake you up. Maybe then you will do something that matters, like write a letter or go to a rally or get to work against the recall of a decent public servant being savaged by rich, right-wing partisans.
As we consume the news day after day, we start to recognize patterns. That keeps us motivated. Where initially we only saw a series of dots and no clear picture, we eventually develop a sense of what that picture might turn out to look like once all the dots are connected.
We try to not get things wrong. We also sense when things are changing. We have an instinct for the surprise.
Maybe that’s why you keep us around.
Speaking of surprises, I sense that San Francisco D.A. Chesa Boudin may be on the verge of pulling off what arguably would be the biggest political surprise in modern San Francisco history. He can do that by beating the odds if voters reject Prop H on Tuesday, thereby preventing his recall.
Later today, civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, among others, is scheduled to speak on Boudin’s behalf at a big rally in downtown San Francisco.
Right up until today, the unanimous consensus of political journalists locally and nationally was that Boudin would almost certainly be recalled under Prop H, which has a $7 million war chest funded by wealthy tech titans and conservative GOP donors.
That money has also created the false narrative about rising crime in San Francisco that has fueled the recall from the start. Most reporters have just repeated that false narrative loudly and clearly without checking in with the people who actually live in San Francisco to see what they think.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying voters here don’t care about crime because they most clearly do. A lot. But I’m also saying they know how to smell a rat.
And rising crime is not the problem with Proposition H. The rat is the problem.
CNN commentator Michael Smerconish is typical of the helicopter-herd mentality that has dominated national media coverage of the recall effort. When he devoted a segment to the controversy several weeks ago he claimed bluntly without any evidence that San Franciscans now care more about petty crime than fundamental reform of the prison system. He also said that he couldn’t find a single political expert who thought Boudin would keep his job.
That was lazy reporting.
If I am right about my hunch, maybe Smerconish will check back with his experts after Tuesday and ask them how they all could have gotten this thing so completely wrong.
Or maybe the rats will prevail. Take your pick. The verdict hangs in the balance.
(For an earlier prediction, see my May 24th essay “Who’s Afraid of Chesa Boudin?”)
TODAY’s LINKS: 6/5/22 — (50 stories from 30 sources)
Jan. 6 committee's long-awaited hearings promise revelations. Will a divided US want to hear them? (USA Today)
Before Jan. 6, Aide Warned Secret Service of Security Risk to Pence (NYT)
DOJ declines to charge Meadows and Scavino with contempt of Congress (CNN)
Russia strikes Kyiv for first time in weeks, battle rages in eastern Ukraine (Reuters)
Ukraine says Russian troops are pushed back in key eastern city (Reuters)
100 speeches in 100 days of war: Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky rallies his country (LAT)
As Ukraine loses troops, how long can it keep up the fight? (AP)
Russians Get Conflicting News on the Ukraine War as Telegram Turns Into an Information Battlefield (WSJ)
Ukraine claws back part of Severodonetsk, but Putin shows no sign of slowing (WP)
Ukraine claims fight back in key eastern city (BBC)
Thousands Swept Up as Kremlin Clamps Down on War Criticism (NYT)
Ukraine: Spare parts shortage threatens safe operations at nuclear plant (NHK)
Former Wisconsin judge killed in 'targeted' attack; suspect had hit list that included Mitch McConnell, Gov. Whitmer (NBC)
A mass shooting, and 2 more bodies: 3 Phoenix shootings in one night leave loved ones reeling (Arizona Republic)
3 dead, 12 injured after shooting on South Street in Philadelphia (ABC)
Texas school shooting victims take action against gunmaker (Reuters)
Shootings expose divisions on gun issue in faith communities (AP)
Would Showing Graphic Images of Mass Shootings Help Stop Them? (New Yorker)
My Team Set An Innocent Man Free Under Chesa Boudin’s Guidance. Let Us Keep Working. (SFC)
Exclusive: Chesa Boudin investigating 2016 killing by officers who S.F.’s former D.A. had cleared (SFC)
Civil Rights Legend Rev. Jesse Jackson to Join Chesa Boudin and San Francisco Leaders to Urge Voters to Reject the Recall on Sunday, June 5 (Chesa Boudin)
In Hong Kong, memories of China's Tiananmen Square massacre are being erased (CNN)
Tiananmen vigils gain prominence in Taiwan as Chinese threat looms (WP)
Who Killed Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh? (Edit Bd/NYT)
Biden's expected Saudi Arabia trip would show MBS 'got away with murder' as the Ukraine war pushes him to pick business over principles, experts say (Business Insider)
Al-Qaida enjoying a haven in Afghanistan under Taliban, UN warns (Guardian)
The path to House majority crosses through California again (Politico)
How Richard Uihlein became the GOP’s most influential megadonor — Midwest magnate has poured millions into rightwing causes such as gun rights and abortion (Financial Times)
Dear Elon, "Have fun on the moon," says President Biden (Salon)
Can the SEC stand up to the richest man on the planet? (NPR)
Baby formula shortage life-threatening for some older kids and adults
Some people depend on special formula to deal with a variety of health ailments. (WP)
The FDA is facing an investigation into its handling of the baby formula shortage (NPR)
Gay Travelers Gather at Disney World to Vacation and Make a Statement (WSJ)
Hiring Remains Strong Even as Fed Tries to Cool Economy (NYT)
Wall Street is panicking about a recession. But consumer spending and cooling inflation means it's not going to happen, a US strategist argues. (Markets Insider)
What causes a recession? Maybe it’s you and how grumpy you are about the economy (Forbes)
Is ‘Greedflation’ Rewriting Economics, or Do Old Rules Still Apply? (NYT)
Crypto-skeptics warn investors — and Congress — of inevitable catastrophe (WP)
Yellen admits Biden got inflation wrong (Politico)
Carla Provost’s tenure as Border Patrol chief was a disaster for children. Yet in 2021, she was hired to run an emergency migrant children’s shelter in Texas. (Reveal)
Domestic violence experts lament fallout from Depp-Heard trial (Guardian)
Sky high: Carbon dioxide levels in air spike past milestone (AP)
Scientists Have Established a Key Biological Difference Between Psychopaths and Normal People (SciTechDaily)
Future COVID-19 booster shots will likely need fresh formulations as new coronavirus variants of concern continue to emerge (The Conversation)
Climate change is forcing schools to close early for ‘heat days’ (WP)
Astronauts face mental and emotional challenges for deep space travel. Scientists are working on solutions (CNN)
Jupiter is a whirling world in stunning (and woozy) footage from Juno spacecraft (Space.com)
Child Entertained For 5 Minutes By Plastic Toy That Will Take 1,000 Years To Biodegrade (The Onion)
TODAY’s LYRICS:
“The Story”
By Norah Jones
I don't know how to begin
Cause the story has been told before
I will sing along i suppose
I guess it's just how it goes
And now those sprangs in the air
I don't go down anywhere
I guess it's just how it goes
The stories have all been told before
But if you don't char
The light won't hit your eye
And the moon won't rise before it's time
But if you don't char
The light won't hit your eye
And the moon won't rise before it's time
But I don't know how it will end
With all those records playin'
I guess it's just how it goes
The stories have all been told before
I guess it's just how it goes
The stories have all been told before
I guess it's just how it goes
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