Waitin' for the Weekend

Orange you glad it's Friday?

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Newsbites 7/26/24

There are 103 days left until the election, November 5th.  Check your voter registration, and be sure it's up to date.

What a difference a week makes - from depression to elation!  I Hope the Dems keep the campaign train fired up and steaming right on to victory - not just for the good of the party, but also for the country and the world, and all us little people who live and love and work in it.

Here are a few news clips worth watching.  First, the Obamas endorse Kamala: 

 

Governor Walz on the "he-man woman haters" in the Republican party:

 

Secretary Pete on Trump's fear of debating Kamala:

 

Former Ambassador Susan Rice on Kamala's creds to be Commander-in-Chief:

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Tim Walz for Veep!

Governor Tim Walz (D-Minn.)

In the last 24 hours, your Head Trucker has discovered Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and I think he would be a super Vice President for Kamala.  Of course, I know only what I've seen on YouTube and read on Wikipedia - which is true for all other candidates and politicians as well - but what I have seen and heard gives me great confidence that Walz is the man.  

And with Kamala, it would be a match made in political heaven - an irresistable Tracy & Hepburn team.

Poster for Woman of the Year, 1942.
Click to enlarge.

What makes me so confident is more than Walz's resume - small town guy, family man with 2 kids, 24-year Army National Guard vet (artillery), high school teacher and football coach, 12 years a Congressman, 5 years as governor of Minnesota - but beyond all that, he's highly articulate, witty, and humorous, with a positive outlook on America.  A happy, hopeful guy - unlike the angry, snarling opposing team - and he's only 6 months older than Kamala.  He also has executive experience (governor), which Kamala does not.

See and hear him speak off the top of his head - no teleprompter needed - in this interview yesterday with MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle:

Now, Kamala - if the chemistry is there, you couldn't pick a better running mate than Tim.  He's a bulldog of a speaker, and will bring geographic balance, a Midwestern fan base already in place, and great positive vibes to the campaign.  I say, pick Tim for the win!

As for the rest of the front-runners:

Mark Kelly, 59, is a fine man too - solid, sensible, supports women's issues, and he's been your good buddy for years.  (Residence:  Arizona)

Josh Shapiro, 51, is a powerful speaker, though maybe just a wee bit cocky, and might be a liability when it comes to the Middle East mess.  (Pennyslvania)

Andy Beshear, 46, is a good guy, seems young, but "inherited" the governorship from his dad, and might not appeal to the working class.  (Kentucky)

Roy Cooper, 67, is a distinguished Southern governor, but not quite right for veep - secretary of state, maybe.  (North Carolina)

Pete B., 42 - love him, smart as a whip and steady as a rock, but I think his time will come a little later on.  He's doing a great job where he is, and you could keep him on in your cabinet, though I'd like to see him as a senator or governor.  (Michigan)

I'm still looking over the rest of the field.  I'll let you know if I make any other good finds.

Here's another video all about Tim Walz, from Canadian studlet David Doel, who happens to agree with me:

Some things are just meant to be:

Tracy and Hepburn in Adam's Rib, 1949.

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Biden Addresses the Nation

Does character in pulic life still matter?

In a speech to the nation from the Oval Office tonight, President Biden explained his decision to bow out of the presidential race and his vision for the country's future.

Rachel Maddow comments on what she calls "a timeless speech about a very specific moment":

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Mark Kelly for Veep?

Kamala made her first campaign speech at a rally held yesterday in Milwaukee, and it was powerful:

Now, your Head Trucker has been reviewing potential VP picks for Kamala, just in case she phones and asks my advice.  And I want to say that Senator Mark Kelly stands very high on my short list.  He's a butch white man, for one thing, and that is no small consideration.  (Drop the PC sputtering, girls - we are talking reality here.)  For another, his life and career are exemplary.  And he's the kind of self-confident guy who is very comfortable supporting women's rights (with a wife and two daughters, he'd better be).

Kelly has been a senator from Arizona since 2020, but come to find out, he was born and raised in New Jersey, son of a mom and dad who were both police officers, so he is a working-class guy.  He graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, joined the Navy, and became a combat pilot who flew 39 missions over Iraq in the Gulf War.  Then he got picked by NASA to fly four space shuttle missions, commanding two of them.  A 25-year Navy veteran who earned lots of medals for service to his country, he's been a senator since 2020.

Kelly is also the husband of former U.S. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was left permanently disabled after an assassination attempt and mass shooting in Tucson in 2011.  After Gabby partially recovered from her injuries, the couple founded a gun-control advocacy group now known as Giffords.

Kelly was born in the same month as Kamala Harris, October 1964.  He supports all the issues you'd expect a Democrat to support, and he sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.  He's not exactly telegenic, but he's a decent speaker, and his record of public service is unimpeachable.  What's not to like?  

Watch this short intro he made at the Democratic National Covention in 2016, when Hillary was the presidential nominee:

Kelly gives a victory speech after his re-election to the Senate in November 2022:

Now look and see if that damn copycat Trae Crowder don't repeat my words tomorry.

* * * * * * * * * *

Update, 8 a.m.:  Whoa, I just came across this short interview with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is six months older than Kamala.  He's the current chair of the Democratic Governors Association.  A small-town guy, high-school teacher and football coach, 24-year Army National Guard vet, former Congressman - and he has the gift of gab, too.  I'll have to do more research and get back to y'all on this guy, fellas.

Listen to Walz talking about the joy, hope, and optimism Kamala has brought to the campaign:

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Pete, Bernie, Trae on Kamala

Official White House portrait of Kamala Harris,
Vice President of the United States
Click to enlarge.

Well, what a weekend that was, a total turnaround in the Democratic party, which raked in $80 million in campaign contributions from small donors in 24 hours.  Whooeee!  We are fired up for sure, now.  

This is the most electrifying political moment in my memory, which goes back to the time of JFK.  Your Head Trucker voted for him, I'm proud to say.  It's no lie - I went into the voting booth with my mom, and she let me pull the lever next to his name

This was state of the art in 1960, and they kept working just fine all over the country for decades.  The votes were recorded and tallied electrically.

.But between you and me, fellas, although I'm very enthused about smart, strong Kamala, I also know she has flaws alongside her virtues:  she's a human being, like all other politicians.  I may not agree with everything she says and does; but I do believe her heart and mind are firmly on the side of democracy and the rule of law, with liberty and justice for all.  

And she's electable!  She has my vote in the bag already, and I hope will get enough more to stop the fascist steamroller from taking over.  That's a mighty big, mighty tough job - she will be a target for outrageous abuse and maybe worse.  We should all keep her in our prayers.

Here's Secretary Pete:

 

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ;  I was never a Bernie fan, but I agree with every word he says here:

 

And here's that hillbilly sumbitch Trae Crowder, plagiarizing me. What he says about the veep choices in the last part of this video is exactly what I wrote in my Sunday post - a part I later deleted, thinking it sounded too smartass. 

Damn, boy! What you mean, poaching off my blog? Or are you some kinda fuckin' mind reader or somethin'? Hell, maybe we just think alike, in which case you are a goddamn smart fella. Next time you come through town, gimme a call, I'll buy you a beer.

BONUS:  Kamala outlines her experience and her vision in her first speech to campaign workers in Wilmington, Delaware, yesterday:

And this just in:

AP Survey Shows Kamala Harris Backed by Enough Delegates to Become Democratic Nominee

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BIDEN BOWS OUT

President Biden has announced he is leaving the presidential race, and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic candidate. 

Click to enlarge.

NBC News reports:

Sky News (UK) reports:

CBS News:

What I Say:  Thank God.  Now we have a chance to win this election and save democracy.  A really good chance.

Thank you for your service, Joe - and for choosing your country over your own ambition.  This single act shows you are a true patriot.  History will be kind to you.

I can breathe again.

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Bill and Hillary Clinton have endorsed Harris:

Click to enlarge.

3 p.m.:  Harris takes up the challenge, reports the Guardian;

I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation – to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.

We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.

You go, girl!  Now put on your running shoes, get out there and fight like hell!  We got your back!

What will her campaign against Trump look like?  Check out these two videos from 2019. when Harris was running for the Democratic nomination:

 

Yesss!  Fired up!  Ready to go!  Whooeee!

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Sunday Drive: Desiderata

Click to enlarge.

For my truckbuddy Frank, who reminded me of it:  The 1927 poem by American author Max Ehrmann, as spoken by Les Crane on the 1971 Grammy-winning recording, which your Head Trucker used to own.

Note to the younger generations:  The visuals in the above video are of recent date.  There were, of course, no music videos in 1971, nor any VCR's or home computers or Internet.  You listened to the radio, you listened to records, and you made up pictures in your head.  Once in while, if you happened to be sitting in front of the TV set, watching a particular show at a particular time, you might get to see a song performed; but you never saw that episode again, not ever.

Believe it or not, children, that's just the way it was, and we all thought it was wonderful.  You don't miss what you never had.

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Trae Crowder Rips Vance

Your Head Trucker doesn't necessarily agree with every word that comes out of Trae Crowder's rude, crude mouth - but what he says about his old drinking buddy J. D. is certainly noteworthy.  Funny, too.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

You know, fellas, your old Head Trucker is always concerned for your mental and moral welfare.  So at the end of a hellacious week, our text for the day is, Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.  

And to show you how it's done, here's a charming little sermonette in film:

 

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We're Fucked

 And by "we," I don't mean just Democrats.  I mean Democracy.

This morning I saw this headline:

Tonight, I saw this one:

Shit.

Whether crude face-saving ploy or cosmic irony, this election's over.

Shit.

Frail old grandpa or death-defying superhero, whodyathink is gonna win?

Shit.

The clock's running down and we got no team, no replacement.

Shit.  Shit.  Goddamn fucking shit.

What else is there to say?

Update, 7/18/24, 11 a.m.:

Well, I was pretty upset and frustrated yesterday, fellas.  I still am; but please don't despair.  Bad things happen, and we've seen a string of them in the last few weeks.  But good things happen, too. 

Perseverance through adversity is what makes a man a man:  what has made many men worthy of our respect and admiration down through the ages.  Even a girly boy like me can be a real man by that measure.

I really don't know if it's better for Biden to stay or go, or what the future holds for us and our country.  But we can face it together if we hang tough, buddies.  A good time may come yet.  Keep a smile on your face and peace in your heart.  

Cowboy up!  The rodeo ain't over yet.

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