It’s our last BradCast before we head off for a 4th of July respite next week. Which means we’re trying to fit in a whole bunch of stuff into one single show today before we go. Which means we call in two of our (and your) fave guests to help us out before hitting the road. [Audio link to full story follows this summary.]
Longtime OG blogger friends — HEATHER DIGBY PARTON of Salon and Digby’s Hullabaloo and ‘DRIFTGLASS’ of his eponymous blog and the Professional Left Podcast — are back with us today as we wrap up another absurdly overstuffed news week, on another absurdly busy news day.
The top story we tackle with Digby and Driftglass today is the remarkable news and various fallout following 33-year old Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani‘s upset defeat of New York’s disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo to win this week’s Democratic Mayoral election in NYC.
Digby describes Mamdani, who ran a relentless campaign focused on affordability issues for New Yorkers, as “a real generational talent”. Driftglass agrees, saying he represents “a generational change” for the party, even as older establishment Dems have issued bizarre broadsides since the Tuesday election, while Republicans have turned to outright ugly attacks, including on his Muslim background and a call from a member of Congress for the 33-year old Ugandan-born, naturalized citizen and likely next mayor of NYC to be stripped of his citizenship and deported!
But, it’s the calls coming from inside the house that may be the most peculiar. “Dudes, he did what you’re telling everyone to do. ‘It’s the economy, stupid,'” Parton pushes back at the establishment types now wringing hands and clutching pearls since Mamdani’s victory. “He talked about that incessantly. And now you’re saying that was the wrong message for America? Give me a break. Make up your mind.”
Driftglass concurs. “He ran an exemplary campaign. He checks every box that all of these worrywart centrists say you have to check. He did exactly what people asked and they are terrified of him,” he explains today. “He won by coalition-building. By being smart, articulate and naming his enemies. The next hurdle is going to to be your own party.”
That’s just a taste. We’ve got much more today on that and what Mamdani’s Primary win means for the party going forward into next year and beyond. But, we’ve also got more today with Digby and Driftglass on Donald Trump‘s weekend bombing of Iran and his twisted behavior since; his terrorizing the U.S. with ICE assaults on migrants across the country; and whether Republicans will actually be able to pass their “One Big Beautiful Bill” — which steals trillions from the poor to give tax cuts to the rich — before (or even after!) July 4, as Trump has demanded.
Also, Desi Doyen closes with our latest Green News Report with both good and bad news for forests and other public lands amid a record sweltering week for the much of the nation, as we considering skipping the fireworks this year, given how many we have to deal with every day just to produce The BradCast during the ongoing, nightmarish, seemingly unending Trump Era…
The olde daze movie “Never On A Sunday” may get an update to “Always On A Friday:
(Supreme Court meets Friday to decide 6 remaining cases, including birthright citizenship).
Concerning that Friday (today) hearing, I recommend this song:
(It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue).
In your upcoming travels stay off Highway 61 (The Shape Shifters Of Bullshitistan – 27).
And may the fourth be with you.
1 song lyric excerpt is never enough.
“Hey Mr. Dinosaur
You really couldn’t ask for more
You were God’s favorite creature
But you didn’t have a future
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps”
–Gordon Sumner
China is developing “institutions” that function like the US congress and US supreme court (AP News).
There is only 1 Digby to go around in this world.
She must be shared.
Digby appeared on The Majority Report with Sam Seder, as she often does, on Thursday (July 3rd).
In an absolutely blood-curdling and spine-chilling discussion, Digby and Sam explained the new levels of ICE funding, and Digby shared some of the horrifying inside details (big bonu$e$ for Ice agent-thugs, lots more hiring, etc).
It’s not all about Trump —- Trump is just achieving what the GOP and the Billionaire class have wanted for many decades.
Digby starts around 23:50.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v...E&t=1469s
OMG.,
Real police-state stuff.
This is not a drill.
DonL,
Where have they been:
(Here Come De Conservative Judges – 17).
That series began a decade and a half ago (2009) but of course the ‘pop-culture’ thought it was an irrelevant conspiracy theory (Here Come De Conservative Judges).
The current paper-tiger is composed of reactionaries rather than visionaries.
As usual (How To Enjoy The End Of Bad Choices).
Just sayin’ …