Evening Roundup, May 9
Featuring Joseph Tomás McKellar & Jen; Shalise Manza Young; Andrew Weissmann & Jen; Allison Rice; Jess Piper & Jen; Democracy Index; Jamie Schler; Ruben Bolling; and our Contrarian Pet of the Week!
Welcome Pope Leo XIV! Joseph Tomás McKellar on staying faithful in a paradoxical world
Yesterday, white smoke appeared out of the Sistine Chapel’s stove announcing that the conclave has chosen a new pope. Pope Leo XIV is the first American pope to ever serve as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
The 'Not Me' Trump administration's blame-shifting
By Shalise Manza Young
Real leaders take responsibility.
Judge Rules that Detained Tufts Student Must Be Released: Andrew Weissmann explains
On Friday, Vermont Federal District Court Judge William K. Sessions III ordered the immediate release of Rümeysa Öztürk, the Tufts University student who was grabbed off the street by ICE in March and has been held in a detention center in Louisiana ever since.
The Ravens and 'football decisions': It's time to be clear
This week, the Baltimore Ravens released longtime kicker Justin Tucker. Tucker is often touted as the greatest kicker in NFL history, largely because he holds the all-time field goal percentage record and has the longest field goal in NFL history, a 66-yard game-winner against the Lions in 2021.
Trump's policies hurt rural America: Jess Piper explains
Roughly 78% of America’s most farming-dependent counties voted for Trump in the 2024 election. Now, Trump’s tariff chaos and cuts to USAID are causing massive pain for independent farmers. What is the tipping point for Trump voters? How much harm can they endure before admitting that their vote was a mistake?
The Democracy Index
This week we saw the consequences of autocratic overreach. Although there are still heartbreaking tragedies and dangers inflicted every day, it’s important to step back and see where democracy has been resilient.
Please PLEASE stop asking trump voters to be sorry they voted for him. Now it’s farmers. I don’t understand this demand for mea culpas. Farmers are hurting bad. And your impulse is to say, “Who’s sorry now?” Drop it, please, and instead interview those who might have solutions or at least stop-gap measures that will prevent massive bankruptcies. Ask Indivisible leaders and 50501 leaders and those who represent farming communities for comment and solutions. That would be actual reporting and not just sitting around enjoying these farmers’ pain. Talk to governors who have large farming constituencies. What if anything can be done at the state level. How are the true family farms doing compared to the immense agribusinesses. Do you have anyone on staff who even understands the difference?l
Has anyone done a list/analysis of all of Trump's Executive Orders? It would be great if you or one of your colleagues would create this. What I envision is the text of the EO and then an analysis/description of how it is illegitimate.