Our House Divided, &c.

On Trumpism and anti-Trumpism; the formidable J. K. Rowling; an open congressional seat (pour moi?); and more

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Obviously, there is a great divide in our country—political, social. “Red” and “blue.” But how to measure this divide, or illustrate it? Please consider the below for a moment.

Roughly half the country says, “This is good. This is what the White House ought to be doing. In fact, it’s thrilling. It’s about time.” The other half says, “How can this be, in America? How can the president and his aides behave this way? How can Americans want this, and vote for it?”

A person’s reaction to the White House’s message, above, says a lot about where he is. Where he stands.

I would like to say a quick something about Rosie O’Donnell. In 2000, I interviewed her for a piece about her. (That piece is here.) She was gracious to me, a conservative working for Bill Buckley’s magazine. (She was on the “other side,” politically.) She was open, patient, etc.

She was a more forthcoming interviewee than many conservatives—than many, or most, conservatives I had interviewed. And she was a big star. She was very famous, in television and the movies, at the time.

During the interview, I believe, she mentioned that she was involved with adoption. She ran an agency, or had a connection to it, or something. Two friends of mine (a married couple) had been seeking to adopt and were unable to do it. Rosie said, “Have them call my cell.” They did.

In fairly short order, my friends had their first child: a daughter (adopted via Rosie).

I have not been in touch with Rosie since. It has been 25 years. But, man, did she do a good deed, for a family much loved by me.

***

There may be a book or two about Laura Loomer in the future—about her and her influence on the government in this current period. Loomer, as you know, is a social-media “influencer” who has the ear of President Trump. She is a “9/11 truther” (someone who thinks the attacks of that day were an “inside job”). She once clinked glasses with Nick Fuentes, another “influencer.” He is a Nazi-friendly Putinist. As they clinked their glasses, Loomer offered a toast: “To the hostile takeover of the Republican Party.” See it here.

Last year, Trump paid tribute to Loomer at his Palm Beach resort, Mar-a-Lago. He said, “You don’t want to be Loomered. If you’re Loomered, you’re in deep trouble. That’s the end of your career, in a sense.”

Yes. That has been amply proven.

The latest news—so far as I know—is this. I have linked to a story in the Washington Post, headed, ““Mark Warner says spy agency visit canceled over posts by Laura Loomer.” The subheading reads, “The ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee arranged a routine visit to the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. He said it was nixed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office after social media posts by far-right activist Laura Loomer.”

MAGA is an interesting, and strange, world. And it has been put in power by the American voter.

By the way, I was talking with an experienced reporter who has traveled the length and breadth of this country. He said that Nick Fuentes has been very, very underrated as an influencer. He has lots of followers. He is very, very popular with the young. He is talented, quick, clever. He is forcing others in the right-wing social-media “space” to get more extreme, just to keep up.

Think of drugs, or porn. People want ever harder stuff. There comes a day when pot, or Hustler, seems tame. Too soft. Gotta “escalate.”

This is something to watch, the influence of young Fuentes.

***

You may have seen this news: “Florida plans to become first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates.” There is a great deal to say about vaccination, but I would like to make simply one observation, here and now. I make it without judgment.

When I was growing up, the anti-vaccine sentiment and agitation were on the left. “Hippies” and related types. The sentiment and the agitation have migrated rightward. Our politics are “topsy-turvy,” as I said in an essay last year, about foreign policy.

***

More topsy-turviness: “Trump blasts Epstein scandal as a ‘Democrat hoax that never ends.’” For years, Republicans pressed for further investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. And now—a “Democrat hoax”? That is a head-snapping reversal. And curious. I think of a rap song from 1990: “Things That Make You Go ‘Hmmm’ ...”

***

Well, here’s something else that’s making me go “hmmm”: “Nadler, Pillar of Democratic Party’s Old Guard, Will Retire Next Year.” Dang. Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D., N.Y.) will not seek reelection. I live in that district—and have done so for 27 years now. Nadler and I have stood in line together at our polling place, on Election Day.

Should I run? I honestly think I could break into triple digits (in number of votes).

“A new beginning”! (That was Reagan’s slogan, as you may recall, in 1980.)

***

I regard this woman as one of the great figures of our age—clear-minded, gifted (of course), and brave—and I am grateful for her presence on the scene:

***

Would you care for a little language? When I was in Salzburg last month, I went once or twice to a bakery. Which is also a café, and a sandwich shop. Not exactly sure what to call it. Anyway, an eatery. Maybe a lunch place.

The sandwiches were identified with signs in English: “Cheese and Ham,” “Cheese and Turkey.” Those were two of the signs. And I thought, “We always say ‘ham and cheese’ and ‘turkey and cheese.’” Never the reverse.

It’s like “Mom and Dad.” “Dad and Mom” seems so odd upon the tongue.

***

At the golf range—in New York—a little kid said to his dad, “How long are we going to be shooting?” That was such interesting wording. An adult might have said “hitting balls” or “practicing”—or even “swinging.” But the boy said “shooting”—as in, “I shot 86 in my round yesterday.”

Sort of made sense.

***

There is a hip young guy who’s a cashier at the grocery store across the street from me. Very nice, as well as cool. The old lady in front of me required patience, and he was very patient with her. When it was my turn to check out, I said to him, “It’s good that you’re so patient with us oldsters.” He smiled and said, “Well, I hope people are patient with me when I’m old.”

I think he’s about 20. And Golden Rule–minded.

***

A reader sent me this picture from Tobey’s Donut Shop in Watkins Glen, N.Y., thinking I would like it—which I certainly did:

***

May I end on an observation? Kindly parents of adult handicapped children are some of the most amazing and admirable people there are. I saw such a family the other day. I thought about how long the parents had been at it. Anyway, such people set an example, for all of us.

Later.