Althouse: At the Saturday Night Café...

September 19, 2026

At the Saturday Night Café...

... you can talk all night.

(No sunrise photo today — too much rain.)

73 comments:

Fred Drinkwater said...: Too much rain...
My father said he preferred to fly in bad weather. Kept all the amateurs on the ground.; 9/19/26, 6:25 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Rain, Rain,
Go away.
Please come back,
Some other day.

I just made that up.; 9/19/26, 6:29 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: It was a dark and stormy night.
And sunrise.
What a bummer.; 9/19/26, 6:30 PM
R C Belaire said...: I bet you have a non-viewed stock of sunrise photos from previous years in mid-September. Who would know?; 9/19/26, 6:49 PM
Narr said...: We'll take some of your unwanted moisture.; 9/19/26, 6:56 PM
Narr said...: Interesting presentations about the ACWABAWS on CSpan today (repeated in the early a.m.), including Kevin Levin on the slaves who went to Gettysburg with the ANV, and Simpson on the summer of '64 as the real turning point of the conflict.

I'm taping the others to view tomorrow.; 9/19/26, 7:08 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Thanks for the heads up Narr. Although Simpson is a little too much of a Grant fan-boy for my taste. I don't think Grant's plan was to lose 2 men for every one of Lee's and end up in a 9 months siege of Peterburg.

Had Johnston beaten Sherman, what would Grant have done then? In any case, McClellan ended up in front of Richmond in 1862, and wanted to cross the James. And he didnt need to lose 55000 men to do it.; 9/19/26, 7:26 PM
Saint Croix said...: Sam Harris on why he supports Israel.; 9/19/26, 7:26 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: BTW, I keep checking up on the "eastern front" and Russia-Ukraine seems to be in a stalemate. If you want the Ukraine POV go to the "institute for the study of war". If you want Russia's go to "Southfront".

What a tragic sad situation. If you'd told me that Europeans would be killing each other over a border dispute in the 21st century, I'd have never believed you. I thought we were beyond that. And that the average joe was now too smart to be used as cannon fodder in war over where a boundry was.

But then the genocide and savage nature of the gaza genocide shocked me too. Anyway, nothing has changed since 1945, we just have better weapons. Sads.; 9/19/26, 7:33 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Weird that Sam harris, "The Atheist" supports israel. Guess he believes in blood tribalism but that whole God thing? Forgetaboutit. The Jewish God doesn't exist. But the tribe does. That's why he has a bond with a "Jew" who doesn't speak English in another country.

That's the power of science!; 9/19/26, 7:37 PM
Gusty Winds said...: Saw Tom Jones last night at Ravinia in Highland Park, IL. Great show. 86 years old and he still has his voice.; 9/19/26, 7:42 PM
Original Mike said...: I have a puzzlement about rain.

We have a rain gauge in the garden, but are often away. I have been using the rain gauge on the rooftop of the UW meteorology building, which they put online to guide my remote watering. But I have found their amount is frequently low with respect our rain gauge. This past rainfall it is low by over an inch. I had shrugged it off to rainfall heterogeneity and the fact that the UW rain gauge is a couple of miles from my house (though why would their reading always be low rather than symmetrically distributed about the mean?)

But lately I have found rainfall apps which estimate rainfall from weather radar and can give me an estimate at my house. They are remarkably accurate! They agree with my own rain gauge most of the time.

So what's up with the UW meteorology rain gauge? Are they "adjusting" their measurements from some reason?; 9/19/26, 7:44 PM
Saint Croix said...: Tell us why you like Hamas, RCOcean II.; 9/19/26, 7:48 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: I don't like Hamas. But the October 7th attack doesn't justify 80000 dead gazans almost all of them women, kids, and old men.

God, don't people have any morals? Why didn't the IDF go into the tunnels and kill Hamas like men? They're soldiers. Or are they just women with beards? Or scum?; 9/19/26, 7:56 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Imagine General Grant murdering Southern women and kids because his soldiers didn't have the guts to fight General Lee.

I'm ashamed as an American to support such a country as israel.; 9/19/26, 7:57 PM
Saint Croix said...: Hasan Piker says Hamas is 1000 times better than Israel. Is that what you think?; 9/19/26, 7:57 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: On a happier note https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3_J1ARdmGI&list=RDJ0ogqBcK9ow&index=2.

Adios.; 9/19/26, 7:58 PM
Narr said...: I'm not religious (or spiritual) and favor Jews over Muslims because Jews don't want to kill me. YMMV.; 9/19/26, 7:59 PM
Saint Croix said...: "You might think that your special concern over Israel is due to the fact that we (Americans) supply many of the weapons the IDF uses to kill Palestinians. But we supplied arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE for a war in Yemen that has killed an estimated 377,000 people. Where were those protests? Where was the celebrity sanctimony over Yemeni dead? Why didn’t Zohran Mamdani trumpet his opposition to this evil while campaigning to become Mayor of New York? Yemen was the world’s worst humanitarian crisis for years, with American weaponry and logistical support fully implicated, and yet it never became the organizing moral obsession of universities, media institutions, activist networks, or leftwing politics the way Gaza has.

To point this out isn’t to commit the rhetorical sin of “whataboutism.” Rather, it exposes a glaring moral disparity: The world simply does not care when Muslims kill other Muslims—amazingly, it doesn’t much care when they kill Christians either—but it does care, enormously, when Jews do it. The General Assembly of the UN and its Human Rights Council have passed more resolutions against Israel than against all other nations combined, including North Korea, Iran, Russia, China, Syria, Sudan, and Yemen. A few of these countries have committed actual genocides. None of this makes sense. But this is the world we are living in."

-- Sam Harris; 9/19/26, 8:03 PM
Narr said...: McClellan and Johnston lacked the killer instinct that all successful generals need. If Little Mac had known his business Grant wouldn't have had to fight Lee at all, and as Gary Gallagher says, Joe Johnston would have retreated to Key West if Davis would let him.; 9/19/26, 8:12 PM
Josephbleau said...: “ McClellan and Johnston lacked the killer instinct”

Yes but unfortunately Hood, who replaced Johnston had a real killer instinct, and ended up killing his own fine army.; 9/19/26, 8:15 PM
Peachy+2 said...: Let Hollywood burn?; 9/19/26, 8:19 PM
Peachy+2 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/19/26, 8:22 PM
Peachy+2 said...: RC Cola - Religion has nothing to do with supporting Israel.

It is a basic understanding of Hamas-Nazi/Islamic-Nazi eternal victim cult of blood soaked rage-fueled cruelty and endless destruction.; 9/19/26, 8:23 PM
Original Mike said...: President Sheinbaum and President Trump Agree on Terms for Bilateral Trade Deal

Leaders who know what's good for their country.; 9/19/26, 8:24 PM
narciso said...: Billy is too ignorant for words; 9/19/26, 8:33 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Shinebaum harvest moon,
Up in the sky.; 9/19/26, 8:33 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Religion has nothing to do with supporting Israel.

Tell that to Ted cruz or The Huckster.; 9/19/26, 8:34 PM
Peachy+2 said...: Narr - yep.; 9/19/26, 8:39 PM
narciso said...: Arguments like this is why im working on my novel more and more; 9/19/26, 8:39 PM
Saint Croix said...: I'm not saying RCOcean II is Abdul El-Sayed

but when somebody brings up Hasan Piker

both of them have the same reaction

adios!; 9/19/26, 8:40 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Actually Joe Johnston had a plan to fight and counter-attack but Hood stopped it and said it was too risky.

There's a fine line between being "cautious" and "Timid". And being "aggressive" and "reckless". We can see the results of having two kinds of different Generals in the Atlanta campaign. We have Joe J. who believed in only taking "calculated risks" and Hood who believd in "Il nous faut de l'audace, et encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace!"

And..both lost. Which is the probable outcome when you're outnumbered 2-1 or 3-2 and can always be outflanked.

Whats astounding about the Lee v. Grant Campaign isnt that Lee lost, its that it took Grant so long to win - given he had a 2 to 1 advantage in everything.; 9/19/26, 8:41 PM
Saint Croix said...: and then he returns

with a cryptic reference to the Jewish president of Mexico

who is on the moon?; 9/19/26, 8:43 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Goddamn it Grant, we're getting slaughtered here. We're losing 2 men for every Reb.

Dont worry soldier. You may die but there's plenty of men to replace you. And in 9 months, Sherman will come marching north and Lee will have to retreat and then.. we'll have him.

Wow Grant. You are Genius. God bless you, son of Napoleon.; 9/19/26, 8:45 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: General Haig and General Grant were twins. Discuss.; 9/19/26, 8:45 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: You dont know the song "Shine on Harvest Moon?" Its usually taught in college.; 9/19/26, 8:46 PM
Saint Croix said...: You dont know the song "Shine on Harvest Moon?" Its usually taught in college.

and it makes you think of the Jews?; 9/19/26, 8:50 PM
Mason G said...: "and it makes you think of the Jews?"

Doesn't everything?; 9/19/26, 8:52 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Everyone agrees McClellan wasn't a great General. As Narr says, he just couldn't accept the cruel arthimetic of war. He just couldn't send "his boys" to certain death on the 1 in 10 chance they might win. He was too much of an "engineer" and nice guy.

Guys like Grant, OTOH, could send 10,000 men to die because "Hey Lee cant lose 5000 and I can lose twice as many" and go have his breakfast, without a second's thought.

But you gotta wonder what would've happened if Lee had had 120 thousand and Grant 60 thousand. Gee, I doubt Grant would've done so well. So yeah, "Grant fights". But so did Burnside and so did Pope. But Grant could make mistakes and survive and they couldn't.; 9/19/26, 8:56 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Saint Croix - Your'e the one who always thinks of jews. Not me.; 9/19/26, 8:57 PM
Big Mike said...: “Had Johnston beaten Sherman, what would Grant have done then?”

Johnston did beat Sherman on the first day of Shiloh, and Grant would have done what he actually did — take advantage of terrain and the ability of Union gunboats to shell Confederates during the night to form a relatively strong defensive position until Lew Wallace could bring his division and Don Carlos.Buell bring the Army of the Ohio the battle and crush the disorganized Confederate forces on the second day of the battle.; 9/19/26, 8:59 PM
Josephbleau said...: Yes but hood’s date with destiny was at Franklin and Nashville.

At Franklin, November 30, 1864, the two armies were actually fairly close in size: about 30,000 Union under Schofield versus 33,000 Confederates under Hood engaged. The American Battlefield Trust gives total casualties of about 2,326 Union and 6,252 Confederate.

At Nashville, December 15–16, 1864, the balance had changed dramatically. George Thomas had about 55,000 Union troops, while Hood had only about 30,000 Confederates remaining. Estimated casualties were roughly 3,061 Union and 6,000 Confederate.

So Hood had a bloody time of it with good odds, at least until Nashville.; 9/19/26, 8:59 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Grant at shiloh didn't do much of anything except not surrender. Its Buell who saved his bacon.; 9/19/26, 9:00 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Someone mentioned Thomas, who was the best and underrated general of the civil war. His victory at Nashville was decisive. Unlike the others. And who wanted to relieve Thomas for supposed "slowness"? Why our American Napoleon - Grant.

Thomas - the rock of Chickamunga. The victor of Nashville. the Guy who you could give a task to and never have to worry about it.

So why don't we praise Thomas or have 10 books on him? Easy. He was a southern boy. And he wasn't part of the Grant-Sherman-Halleck Clique.; 9/19/26, 9:05 PM
Big Mike said...: Hood’s insistence on a blind frontal assault at the Battle of Franklin is what destroyed his army. Hood’s subordinate commanders were pretty much wiped out : fourteen Confederate generals (six killed, seven wounded, and one captured) and 55 regimental commanders were casualtiies.; 9/19/26, 9:06 PM
Iman said...: Ocean is goo goo for gaza.; 9/19/26, 9:07 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Had McClellan been caught with his pants down like grant at shiloh, the radical republicans would've hung him from the highest tree in DC. But hey, it was Grant - liked by a powerful Ohio Republican in the House - and we won so its ok.; 9/19/26, 9:08 PM
Iman said...: Gefilte yourself, Ocean.; 9/19/26, 9:10 PM
Josephbleau said...: At Shiloh it was Albert Sidney Johnston. He commanded the Confederate army there and was killed on April 6, 1862, the first day of the battle.

At the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, it was Joseph E. Johnston. He commanded the Confederate Army of Tennessee against Sherman from Dalton south toward Atlanta until Jefferson Davis replaced him with John Bell Hood on July 17, 1864.

Easy way to remember it: Albert Sidney = Shiloh; Joseph E. = Atlanta

So there were two Gen Johnstons. I won’t re-litigate Shiloh but it was not as simple as Grant Bad Buell Good. But Sherman Bad was a fair part of it.; 9/19/26, 9:10 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: I have two minds over our the soldiers in our Civil War. On one hand, what hand what brave men. What courage. What fortitude. OTOH, how stupid to fight over such nonsense. The whole thing could've been settled over a conference table.; 9/19/26, 9:13 PM
Big Mike said...: Halle k was nor part of the Grant-Sherman clique, though Sheridan was, and so was James McPhersonumtil he was killed in battle,; 9/19/26, 9:14 PM
Josephbleau said...: The key to Shiloh was that Johnston was killed and replaced by P.G.T. Beauregard who did not attack along the river to the north in the evening and retreated the next day.; 9/19/26, 9:17 PM
Original Mike said...: "The whole thing could've been settled over a conference table."

Apparently not.; 9/19/26, 9:20 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: You can allocate all the blame you want. Sherman v. Grant. But there's zero reason for Grant's army to have been surprised - and almost destroyed - at shiloh. BTW, who else did this ever occur to? It was unheard of the Civil war. And why was Sherman at Shiloh there in the first place? An easy target.

Grant was over confident, split his forces, and never expected the Rebels to gather their forces and attack. And Sherman took no significant defensive measures. I'm not really too critical of Grant or sherman, it was early in the war and no on knew what they were doing. But Good God imagine if McClellan had done that! God, we'd still be talking about "crazy mac" letting his men be "Slaughtered" on the Tennessee river. And how Goddamn lucky he was that Buell came to rescue him.

Cause the Radical Republicans are now writing the history books.; 9/19/26, 9:21 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Good night and God bless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ogqBcK9ow&list=RDJ0ogqBcK9ow&start_radio=1; 9/19/26, 9:28 PM
Saint Croix said...: Boy the blue dogs have shrunk.; 9/19/26, 9:34 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: Trump announces ‘AI Force’ as alarm grows over technology’s advance ~ FT
𝘜𝘚 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘢 ‘𝘵𝘴𝘢𝘳’ 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 ‘𝘣𝘢𝘥’ 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳

The story is really buried in the last paragraph:
𝘈 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 63 𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘚 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 “𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺” 𝘰𝘳 “𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺” 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴.

The administration knows they need some kind of advisor or secretary-like individual, and initially appointed one. David Sacks resigned six months ago and they have obviously struggled to fill the position since. They're now reacting to the news cycle with this rushed announcement in a very "The thick of it" kind of fashion. It's not going well, is it? What's next, "infrastructure week" again?; 9/19/26, 9:43 PM
Original Mike said...: "Here’s what nobody is reporting. America’s continuing membership in NATO was another self-destruct trigger in the old 1951 deal. It was a NATO-era agreement between the United States and Denmark, built on the two countries’ mutual obligations to defend the North Atlantic treaty area. Article XIV of the 1951 agreement said, “This Agreement, being in implementation of the North Atlantic Treaty, shall remain in effect for the duration of the North Atlantic Treaty.”

In other words, if America ever quit NATO —as Trump has often threatened to do— the old treaty would at best become highly questionable, and at worst a piece of Cold War parchment ready for Nuuk’s shredder. We could lose all Greenland rights.

So, in that sense, Greenland was the biggest barrier to U.S. withdrawal from the cross-Atlantic alliance. We couldn’t afford to quit."; 9/19/26, 9:48 PM
Rocco said...: Fred Drinkwater said...
“Too much rain...
My father said he preferred to fly in bad weather. Kept all the amateurs on the ground.”

Look at what happened to Flight 209 from New York to Chicago. Ted Striker was not qualified on a passenger jet, but at least he got everyone down safely.; 9/19/26, 10:24 PM
Prof. M. Drout said...: It seems that posters who have effectively turned themselves into bots--either through over-obsession with a single issue or by mindlessly regurgitating the day's talking points--inevitably have one night where they start glitching out, spamming out rapid-fire posts either purely on their favorite topic or on anything else being commented on with the favorite topic shoehorned in.
Is drinking involved? Undiagnosed or under-treated mental health issues? Funny that this happened before LLMs made it so much easier.; 9/19/26, 10:33 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Gosh, Prof M.D. shows to give us the 30,000 foot analysis of everyone. Thanks Prof. Too bad, you never say anything otherwise. But thanks for the words of wisdom. Did a few drinks cause you to actually post a comment? It is Saturday night.; 9/19/26, 11:07 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: I can't speak for anyone else, but if I didn't post on Saturday night, you dullards would just drone on about the stock market or how Trump or Republicans are bad or terrible.

I mean where is bags to talk about Gas prices. ZZZZZ.; 9/19/26, 11:13 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: And this is really goodnight. Bores.; 9/19/26, 11:14 PM
Big Mike said...: “So why don't we praise Thomas or have 10 books on him?”

I started wondering about that myself, so I got on Amazon and looked. In fact, there appear to be, not just ten, but a full dozen books about him.; 9/20/26, 2:46 AM
wendybar said...: Gina Milan
@ginamilan_
Hey
@grok

Did Obama ever try to kick Fox News out of a White House event? And did his administration ban independent photographers so the White House could choose which photos got released?

Thanks.
Quote
CSPAN
@cspan
·
7h
Former President Barack Obama on President Trump's White House press ban: "I’m trying to think what would have happened if I had said, you know what, Fox News, you’re out of here! It’s unimaginable!"

Grok

@grok
·
4h
Yes. In October 2009, Obama White House officials deliberately tried to exclude Fox News from a multi-network interview pool with the TARP pay czar. Emails show them saying “we’d prefer if you skip Fox.” Other networks refused to proceed without Fox, so it was reversed. Aides
Show more
Gina Milan
@ginamilan_
·
4h
I guess he has early signs of dementia

https://x.com/ginamilan_/status/2101527663420547399?s=20; 9/20/26, 3:26 AM
Breezy said...: Is CNN in a legal pickle? I watched a couple of CNN segments where the reporters described in excruciating detail step by step of trying to go to the WH as usual. Their badges were declined and kept by security. Why that level of detail, who knows. Anyway, they proceeded to claim, summarizing, don’t worry we’ll still be doing our job here from the street overlooking the WH grounds.

Question is, if they can still do their “First Amendment” job from the street, what standing do they have to sue Trump for entry to the WH press room?; 9/20/26, 3:47 AM
Jim at said...: *So, in that sense, Greenland was the biggest barrier to U.S. withdrawal from the cross-Atlantic alliance. We couldn’t afford to quit."*

And now we can.

The Warsaw Pact has been dead for 35 years. It's time NATO joins it on the ash heap of history.; 9/20/26, 4:19 AM
Saint Croix said...: The “genocide” question is a way of framing Israel as the Nazis of the Middle East. Since it would be obviously insane and ridiculous to call Israel a Nazi state (that sort of rhetoric is reserved for Trump and Republicans), the Democrats use the genocide word instead. Before the war, Israel was called an apartheid state. It’s demonizing rhetoric.

I do not believe Democrats love the people of Gaza, any more than I believe that Democrats love the poor. Democrats hate billionaires. And they hate the state of Israel. And, of course, they hate Trump. You will know them by their hate.; 9/20/26, 4:27 AM
rehajm said...: …a minimum standard of journalism should apply. Because CNN was once a news channel should not be enough…; 9/20/26, 5:58 AM
rehajm said...: …the kangaroo courts will decide every organization has the right to try and Watergate Republicans from everywhere they want…; 9/20/26, 6:01 AM
Peachy+2 said...: RC Cola promises to leave and never does.
Perhaps Hasan Piker's dog abuse and American hate/ Israel hate sessions are up your alley? Go. Bye.; 9/20/26, 7:00 AM
Sweetie said...: Face the Nation has Bill Cassidy, Dead Senator Walking, on for TWO segments. CBS thinks they're going to pull righties going forward? FAT CHANCE (nothing to do with Margaret Brennan's weight).
One thing is for sure, if the media didn't understand Trump winning in 2024 they will be beyond surprised if the GOP keeps the house and senate. 'beyond surprised' = get ready for the riots; 9/20/26, 10:06 AM
Narr said...: Of course, Grant and Sherman were surprised at Shiloh, when they shouldn't have been.

Just like Little Mac was surprised at the start of the Seven Days. But unlike Grant his first thought was to leave someone else in charge and take a little boat trip. He ended up back at square one, and Lee had revived Confederate morale after a string of loses all over the map, some at Grant's hands.

As for Joe Johnston, he was continuously out-thought and
and out-fought by Grant in Mississippi in 1863. He spent his mental energies in pettifogging arguments with Davis over
his authority over Pemberton and Bragg. (It's an interesting question, why the career soldier thought he could out-pettifog Davis the lawyer and former senator.)

Only a complete ignoramus would claim that George Thomas has been neglected by historians and biographers. I read one book about him by an author named Thomas (but no relation) that argues that he was not merely the best general of the ACW but the best general in all of military history. Talk about fan-boys.; 9/20/26, 10:58 AM