Evangelicals and Trump, Flying on Fat
For people opposed to Donald Trump, one of the hardest things to understand is how so many people can still not be opposed to Donald Trump. It’s even more confusing when those supporters are deeply religious. As a journalist and the son of an evangelical minister, Tim Alberta is in a unique position to try to explain what’s going on. In an article adapted from his new book, he gives us a rare inside glimpse, including some of the notes and comments he received from fellow congregants at his father’s funeral. One church elder “had composed this note, on the occasion of my father’s death, to express just how disappointed he was in me. I was part of an evil plot, the man wrote, to undermine God’s ordained leader of the United States. My criticisms of President Trump were tantamount to treason—against both God and country—and I should be ashamed of myself. However, there was still hope. Jesus forgives, and so could this man. If I used my journalism skills to investigate the ‘deep state,’ he wrote, uncovering the shadowy cabal that was supposedly sabotaging Trump’s presidency, then I would be restored. He said he was praying for me.” The Atlantic (Gift Article): My Father, My Faith, and Donald Trump.
Triple Threat
“The reason the Hamas-Israel war can be hard for outsiders to understand is that three wars are going on at the same time: a war between Israeli Jews and the Palestinians exacerbated by a terrorist group, a war within Israeli and Palestinian societies over the future, and a war between Iran and its proxies and America and its allies.” So writes Tom Friedman in a great explainer about a war that can even be difficult for insiders to understand. NYT (Gift Article): Understanding the True Nature of the Hamas-Israel War. “If Netanyahu is a captive of his political right, Biden needs to be very careful not to become a captive of Bibi. That is no way to win these three wars at once.”
+ Here’s an interesting look at a some of the broader, regional negotiations we don’t hear much about. Bloomberg (Gift Article): Saudi Arabia Offers Iran Investment to Limit Israel-Hamas War.
+ Negotiations to extend to cease-fire continue as Israel says the war is definitely not over. Here’s the latest from CNN, BBC, and Times of Israel.
Race Tracking
Columbia Journalism Review studied the front page coverage of the 2016 election cycle. What they found was more stories about the race and fewer about policy. They just checked the coverage leading up to the next presidential election. They found the same trend. The NYT and Washington Post “both emphasized the horse race and campaign palace intrigue, stories that functioned more to entertain readers than to educate them on essential differences between political parties.” (And the papers are great compared to cable news coverage.) Warped Front Pages.
Fat Chance
“Virgin Atlantic said the test flight Tuesday from London to New York was powered only by sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, a broad category of jet fuel that creates fewer carbon emissions than standard kerosene blends.” WaPo (Gift Article): A plane fueled by fat and sugar has crossed the Atlantic Ocean. (This makes me think I could cross the Atlantic Ocean.)
Extra, Extra
The Carter Center: “‘Come hell or high water, Jimmy Carter was going to use his inner resources to be there,’ presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said, adding that the former president ‘has the most intense willpower of any person I’ve ever known.'” NYT (Gift Article): Americans Glimpse Jimmy Carter’s Frailty and His Resolve.
+ Bringing a Knife to a Spun Fight: “Rachel Maddow looks at the elements of a violent knife attack in Ireland and how the story highlights some of the best and worst human inclinations in our modern, hyper-charged global political environment.” This segment is really worth a watch. It does a great job of explaining how social media and our current political environment (everywhere it seems) can lead to very different responses to the same event.
+ Sikh the Truth: US accuses Indian agent of directing plot to assassinate American citizen. “The indictment also provided new evidence that the Indian agent – who is not named – ordered the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Sikh activist who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia in June.” (Just what we need. More international strife.)
+ Live and Learn: Investor Charlie Munger, the longtime business partner of Warren Buffett, has died. “With Warren Buffett, Munger built Berkshire Hathaway into a multi-billion dollar behemoth.” Munger was legendary in investment circles, and quotable everywhere. 44 memorable Charlie Munger quotes about life and markets. “I think that a life properly lived is just learn, learn, learn all the time.”
+ A Kiss is On My List: “Manjit’s mother pawned her jewellery so her husband could afford the 372-mile trip from their village. Another of their sons had already died on a Mumbai building site. When Manjit emerged to safety, his dad was waiting to welcome him with a hug.” Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: The story behind this heartwarming father-son kiss.
+ The Eras Era: For three straight years, Bad Bunny was Spotify’s most streamed artist globally. This year someone else holds the top spot. And if you can’t guess who it is, you probably haven’t seen a single Kansas City Chiefs game this year.
Bottom of the News
“‘People always say they want to live like a king, but they don’t actually do anything about it. Well, I did,’ says Silva, 59, his red cloak billowing behind him as he strides to the window, pointing out a group of fans in his front yard.” WSJ (Gift Article): They Say a Man’s Home Is His Castle, but This Guy May Have Gone Too Far. “A former Brazilian shoeshine boy now calls himself His Majesty Ivan I of Cubatão and holds court near a mangrove swamp amid turrets and golden columns.” (I’d like to try something like this, but maybe next to cineplex and food court instead of a mangrove swamp.)
+ This summer Courtney Dauwalter made history, becoming the first athlete to win the three biggest races in ultrarunning in the same year. How Did Courtney Dauwalter Get So Damn Fast? (And how can she run so damn far?)
