"... or the decades-long quandary of federal immigration reform. He has also asked her to lead the administration’s voting-rights efforts, which are in a filibuster limbo. According to The Times, he has her working on combating vaccine hesitancy and fighting for policing reform, too, among other uphill battles.
It’s gotten to the point that every time I see Ms. Harris, I immediately think of 'The Wiz' and hear Michael Jackson singing:
You can’t win, you can’t break even/And you can’t get out of the game/People keep sayin’ things are gonna change/But they look just like they’re stayin’ the same...."
That's a NYT column, "Dear Kamala Harris: It’s a Trap!" by a polisci professor named Christina Greer
Ms. Greer is a political scientist at Fordham University.
Of course, it's a trap, a set up, and I don't know why Greer doesn't go the whole way and accuse Biden of white supremacy. But what interested me the most was the random appearance of Michael Jackson. Is he uncancelled now?
From the Wikipedia article on "The Wiz": "Lumet wanted Jimmie Walker, star of CBS-TV’s Good Times, telling Cohen “Michael Jackson’s a Vegas act. The Jackson 5’s a Vegas act.” Quincy Jones was also skeptical of Jackson, but after Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old Jackson to New York, Lumet and Jones saw the qualities that Cohen saw. Jackson's father, Joseph Jackson, was wary of the project and saw it as a threat to the Jacksons group cohesion. Cohen moved Michael and his sister La Toya Jackson into a Manhattan apartment, allowing him to be on his own for the first time. During the production, he became a frequent visitor to New York's famous Studio 54. Jackson was dedicated to the Scarecrow role, and watched videotapes of gazelles, cheetahs and panthers in order to learn graceful movements for his part. The long hours of uncomfortable prosthetic makeup by Stan Winston did not bother him. During the production of the film, Jackson asked Quincy Jones who he would recommend as a producer on a yet unrecorded solo album project. Jones, impressed by Jackson's professionalism, talent and work ethic on the film, offered to be producer of what became Off The Wall (1979), then later on the hugely successful albums Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987)."
Cohen was Rob Cohen the producer. Lumet was Sidney Lumet the director. Quincy Jones did some of the musical work, including adapting the Broadway show music.
"Of course it's a trap, but when you know it is you can deal with it. Harris, unfortunately, isn't bright enough to do that. One of the first things you learn in combat training is "attack into the ambush." Harris should have immediately gone to the border, right into the thick of things. Hold meetings with everyone: Border Patrol, immigrants, advocates, farmers on the border, Mexican officials, etc. Push for a harder line, a reinstatement of Trump's policies "temporarily" to gain control of the situation. Sure, she would have taken some flack from the left wing, but they can always be mollified by moderating her position later, while she makes inroads with Trump voters who aren't wedded to the GOP. Plus, it allows her to start establishing distance from the Biden administration, portraying herself as a bold leader even as he shuffles off for his 1:30 pm pudding cup and naptime."
Kamala is not being set up . This is a classic case of having a bad plan and getting surprised that it's not working well. Joe Biden was never capable of being President. He could not even campaign. He could not even give a written speech in front of a hand-selected audience without gaffs. So his second in command was going to have to be someone with exceptional executive leadership skills. Kamala has very few skills, and none that I can detect clearly. She's their 'Plan B'. And now that Plan B is falling flat on its face, what's a Democratic branch of the press corp to do? Move the issue. Move it toward sexism or racism. One or both. And not immediately, but with a few sliding comments, dripping that thought into people's heads before you make it the language used by all of the media. And that will happen on a dime- as if they get their cues via text.
It could not be that Kamala has been promoted to a level 5 spots above her abilities. It must be something else. And something of their doing, not ours.
For most of America, this is exactly what we saw coming. Joe is so incapacitated, he's taking a trip to Wisconsin and Northern Michigan this week (nice vacationy places this time of year), while his wife, DR Jill Biden, is showing up in Tokyo at the Olympic opening, and while there will be holding meetings with the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Which is funny because I don't remember her getting elected to anything, nor being approved by the Senate for anything, nor in any way being made an official of the United States Government. DR. Jill Biden is obviously 'Plan C'.
And while the music is playing, and Joe, Jill, and Kamala bounce around leaving things undone and in worse shape with each stop they make, and the press will continue to write glowingly of their 'new way' of governing, and how it's refreshing after those horrible years under Trump.
Yes, and I feel better at night knowing that DR Jill is handling our foreign relations, while Kamala has her finger on the pulse of National Security, and Joe gets to tell us what flavor of ice cream he's eating this week.
seems to not have a single person among her friends, family and professional entourage who can help her successfully navigate the situation that she's in, or been put in. An even slightly savvy pol could probably turn some of this mess into at least a little positive PR.
And she doesn't even seem to have any of those skills herself.
How can it that be that her situation is so perfect -- perfectly dreadful ?
Tom Tildrum writes: "Remember how much Michael Jackson hated his face and tried so hard to change it. Sad to say, but he might have welcomed the Scarecrow role precisely because it covered him up."
But it might have been the other way around. The treatment of his face sent him the message that his face was no good. Remember that the changes to his face seemed to have Diana Ross as the ideal, and Ross was the person whose face we got to see in "The Wiz."
"The Wiz" came out very early in his development, in 1978, before his solo albums. Here's how Jackson looked in 1978.
It's really sad to think that he was made to feel ugly when he looked like that.
Temujin wrote: "It could not be that Kamala has been promoted to a level 5 spots above her abilities. It must be something else. And something of their doing, not ours."
Embrace the healing power of 'and.' Harris is a nitwit who has been promoted far above her abilities, but the White House could easily have avoided responsibility for the border crisis while still protecting her if they chose to do so. Put someone else in charge: a retired general or Border Patrol chief, a distinguished retired politician, etc. They can make a few visits, chair a few committees, recommend a few superficial changes, and that's that. Instead, someone at the White House chose to put Harris front and center and let her take all of the fire over the mess. That's not accidental. My suspicion is that they did so precisely because she's a nitwit, and they wanted her to have a very public screw up.
Michael wrote: "And she doesn't even seem to have any of those skills herself.
How can it that be that her situation is so perfect -- perfectly dreadful ?"
This is what happens when you cheat your way through life: you fail to acquire the skills necessary to be successful at the next level, forcing you to continue to cheat. And when you can't cheat, bully, or kiss ass anymore, you flail.
If Veep Harris can't handle the workload she has been handed by the president, how in the hell is she going to handle the job of president if Joe Biden dies in office, is incapacitated, or resigns for whatever reason? President Harry Truman had two famous sayings for situations like this: "The buck stops here." and "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.". To Ms. Harris, I would strongly recommend if you aren't up to your current job, then gracefully resign, take your lifetime government pension, and go back to California.
"The crows are meant to be despicable characters. They are what used to be called shiftless and they are oppressing the scarecrow. The belief that you "can't win" is an obstacle to success. The idea that one should embrace the song's message of hopelessness is a serious misunderstanding of the sentiment that the movie is trying to convey."
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From the Wikipedia article on "The Wiz": "Lumet wanted Jimmie Walker, star of CBS-TV’s Good Times, telling Cohen “Michael Jackson’s a Vegas act. The Jackson 5’s a Vegas act.” Quincy Jones was also skeptical of Jackson, but after Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old Jackson to New York, Lumet and Jones saw the qualities that Cohen saw. Jackson's father, Joseph Jackson, was wary of the project and saw it as a threat to the Jacksons group cohesion. Cohen moved Michael and his sister La Toya Jackson into a Manhattan apartment, allowing him to be on his own for the first time. During the production, he became a frequent visitor to New York's famous Studio 54. Jackson was dedicated to the Scarecrow role, and watched videotapes of gazelles, cheetahs and panthers in order to learn graceful movements for his part. The long hours of uncomfortable prosthetic makeup by Stan Winston did not bother him. During the production of the film, Jackson asked Quincy Jones who he would recommend as a producer on a yet unrecorded solo album project. Jones, impressed by Jackson's professionalism, talent and work ethic on the film, offered to be producer of what became Off The Wall (1979), then later on the hugely successful albums Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987)."
Here's the Wikipedia link.
Cohen was Rob Cohen the producer. Lumet was Sidney Lumet the director. Quincy Jones did some of the musical work, including adapting the Broadway show music.
The makeup they put on Jackson seems actively insulting, as if they were saying no one wants to see his face.
Alex writes:
"Of course it's a trap, but when you know it is you can deal with it. Harris, unfortunately, isn't bright enough to do that. One of the first things you learn in combat training is "attack into the ambush." Harris should have immediately gone to the border, right into the thick of things. Hold meetings with everyone: Border Patrol, immigrants, advocates, farmers on the border, Mexican officials, etc. Push for a harder line, a reinstatement of Trump's policies "temporarily" to gain control of the situation. Sure, she would have taken some flack from the left wing, but they can always be mollified by moderating her position later, while she makes inroads with Trump voters who aren't wedded to the GOP. Plus, it allows her to start establishing distance from the Biden administration, portraying herself as a bold leader even as he shuffles off for his 1:30 pm pudding cup and naptime."
Temujin writes:
Kamala is not being set up . This is a classic case of having a bad plan and getting surprised that it's not working well. Joe Biden was never capable of being President. He could not even campaign. He could not even give a written speech in front of a hand-selected audience without gaffs. So his second in command was going to have to be someone with exceptional executive leadership skills. Kamala has very few skills, and none that I can detect clearly. She's their 'Plan B'. And now that Plan B is falling flat on its face, what's a Democratic branch of the press corp to do? Move the issue. Move it toward sexism or racism. One or both. And not immediately, but with a few sliding comments, dripping that thought into people's heads before you make it the language used by all of the media. And that will happen on a dime- as if they get their cues via text.
It could not be that Kamala has been promoted to a level 5 spots above her abilities. It must be something else. And something of their doing, not ours.
For most of America, this is exactly what we saw coming. Joe is so incapacitated, he's taking a trip to Wisconsin and Northern Michigan this week (nice vacationy places this time of year), while his wife, DR Jill Biden, is showing up in Tokyo at the Olympic opening, and while there will be holding meetings with the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Which is funny because I don't remember her getting elected to anything, nor being approved by the Senate for anything, nor in any way being made an official of the United States Government. DR. Jill Biden is obviously 'Plan C'.
And while the music is playing, and Joe, Jill, and Kamala bounce around leaving things undone and in worse shape with each stop they make, and the press will continue to write glowingly of their 'new way' of governing, and how it's refreshing after those horrible years under Trump.
Yes, and I feel better at night knowing that DR Jill is handling our foreign relations, while Kamala has her finger on the pulse of National Security, and Joe gets to tell us what flavor of ice cream he's eating this week.
Joe writes:
"Yes, VP Harris has been assigned some very tough intractable issues. Isn't that what she wanted? She ran for president."
Michael writes:
seems to not have a single person among her friends, family and professional entourage who can help her successfully navigate the situation that she's in, or been put in. An even slightly savvy pol could probably turn some of this mess into at least a little positive PR.
And she doesn't even seem to have any of those skills herself.
How can it that be that her situation is so perfect -- perfectly dreadful ?
Tom Tildrum writes: "Remember how much Michael Jackson hated his face and tried so hard to change it. Sad to say, but he might have welcomed the Scarecrow role precisely because it covered him up."
But it might have been the other way around. The treatment of his face sent him the message that his face was no good. Remember that the changes to his face seemed to have Diana Ross as the ideal, and Ross was the person whose face we got to see in "The Wiz."
"The Wiz" came out very early in his development, in 1978, before his solo albums. Here's how Jackson looked in 1978.
It's really sad to think that he was made to feel ugly when he looked like that.
Alex writes back:
A couple responses to other comments.
Temujin wrote: "It could not be that Kamala has been promoted to a level 5 spots above her abilities. It must be something else. And something of their doing, not ours."
Embrace the healing power of 'and.' Harris is a nitwit who has been promoted far above her abilities, but the White House could easily have avoided responsibility for the border crisis while still protecting her if they chose to do so. Put someone else in charge: a retired general or Border Patrol chief, a distinguished retired politician, etc. They can make a few visits, chair a few committees, recommend a few superficial changes, and that's that. Instead, someone at the White House chose to put Harris front and center and let her take all of the fire over the mess. That's not accidental. My suspicion is that they did so precisely because she's a nitwit, and they wanted her to have a very public screw up.
Michael wrote: "And she doesn't even seem to have any of those skills herself.
How can it that be that her situation is so perfect -- perfectly dreadful ?"
This is what happens when you cheat your way through life: you fail to acquire the skills necessary to be successful at the next level, forcing you to continue to cheat. And when you can't cheat, bully, or kiss ass anymore, you flail.
Montgomery writes:
If Veep Harris can't handle the workload she has been handed by the president, how in the hell is she going to handle the job of president if Joe Biden dies in office, is incapacitated, or resigns for whatever reason? President Harry Truman had two famous sayings for situations like this: "The buck stops here." and "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.". To Ms. Harris, I would strongly recommend if you aren't up to your current job, then gracefully resign, take your lifetime government pension, and go back to California.
Ron writes:
"The crows are meant to be despicable characters. They are what used to be called shiftless and they are oppressing the scarecrow. The belief that you "can't win" is an obstacle to success. The idea that one should embrace the song's message of hopelessness is a serious misunderstanding of the sentiment that the movie is trying to convey."
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