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I’ve Covered Politics for 50 Years. Here’s Why So Much Hinges on Electing Kamala Harris.
The New York Times ^ | Oct. 11, 2024, 5:04 a.m. ET | Joe Klein

Posted on 10/11/2024 3:35:25 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

In 1978, I visited my first war zone, Beirut. There were, in fact, several wars going on. The Israelis had made an incursion in the south, but there was chaos everywhere, with various local militias squaring off in the streets. Two of them had battled each other for control of the Holiday Inn. Imagine that. Beirut, clearly, had been a civilized and sophisticated city; parts of it still were — and yet it was descending into the unthinkable. The lesson was stark: My American soul, my life experience, had assumed that civilization was a rock-solid given, especially in historic cultural and commercial centers like Beirut. But it wasn’t. It was a tenuous state of grace. It needed to be nurtured, protected. That is why I’m voting for Kamala Harris for president. Civic order is the predicate for a diverse democracy like ours. It is the predicate for freedom. And we have been flirting, dangerously, with disorder and disunity in the Trump era.

My case for Ms. Harris is a conservative one, but it has little to do with the current nihilist havoc of the Republican Party — or its precursor, the libertarian, neoliberal reaction against government led by Ronald Reagan. It rests primarily on Ms. Harris’s respect for the traditions and institutions of our remarkable country. It also rests on two necessary adjustments she’s made to Democratic Party dogma: a move away from identity politics and a move away from the notional, indulgent pessimism of the academic left. That’s it. Three words: stability, unity, optimism.

In his first Inaugural Address, in January 1981, Ronald Reagan said, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.” He was wrong. Government could be arrogant and clumsy; it could make foolish attempts at social engineering and...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS: 0001absurdrational; 1981; joeklein; joeyouignorantslut; lectwingnuts; leftwingnuts; mediawingofthednc; newyorkslimes; newyorktimes; nyslimes; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills
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In his first Inaugural Address, in January 1981, Ronald Reagan said, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.” He was wrong.

There are two kinds of people in this world:

  1. People who believe a country is its citizens.

  2. People who believe a country is its government and the politicians and bureaucrats who infest it.

    1 posted on 10/11/2024 3:35:25 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    “Our Democracy” will not be secure until the voters accept the fact that the voters don’t matter. Only the bureaucrats matter.


    2 posted on 10/11/2024 3:39:00 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (My decisions about people are based almost entirely on skin color. I learned this from Democrats.)
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Nobody cares Joe. Nobody.


    3 posted on 10/11/2024 3:40:46 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's mone)
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Sorry, Mr. Klein. Most ppl don’t read the NYT so your message will mainly be seen by the elitists you surround yourself with. The rest of us just don’t care what you think.


    4 posted on 10/11/2024 3:40:55 PM PDT by Prince of Space (Trump 2024!)
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    And he writes thus drivel as we see proof Reagan was correct in NC, etc.


    5 posted on 10/11/2024 3:42:41 PM PDT by Fledermaus (Clay Bevis and Cuck Butthead are panty wadded, pearl clutching cowards. Rush deserves better.)
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Kamala is for civic order...the woman who said the rioters should keep rioting and there should be no cash bail and criminals from other countries should receive more benefits from the taxpayers than the taxpayers themselves get??? etc etc

    Maybe the author was “friend” of Diddy...or something...


    6 posted on 10/11/2024 3:43:14 PM PDT by Aria
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Joe Klein remains stupid.


    7 posted on 10/11/2024 3:46:38 PM PDT by nwrep
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    “a move away from identity politics”

    Kamala is the very definition of identity politics. She is asking for people to vote for her because she is a half black woman. That’s all she got.


    8 posted on 10/11/2024 3:46:42 PM PDT by DeplorablePaul
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    A Moron wants a Moron


    9 posted on 10/11/2024 3:46:59 PM PDT by butlerweave
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Oh, look who else is on Diddy’s list.


    10 posted on 10/11/2024 3:47:31 PM PDT by WeaslesRippedMyFlesh (there will come a day when FR rejects articles from the NYT, et al. as "Commie trash, no thank you"e)
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Joe Klein: “I are dumb. I haz The Dumbs, and I like it!”


    11 posted on 10/11/2024 3:47:41 PM PDT by kiryandil (Kraft durch Freude! - The Kamunist and The Walzrus )
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Klein? Isn’t he the “Primary Colors” guy?


    12 posted on 10/11/2024 3:48:07 PM PDT by Coffee... Black... No Sugar (“Who’s next!” - J)
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    To: WeaslesRippedMyFlesh

    Check his basement for missing kids!


    13 posted on 10/11/2024 3:48:19 PM PDT by kiryandil (Kraft durch Freude! - The Kamunist and The Walzrus )
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Mexican word of the day——queso. Hey Joe, queso-—que so, why you such a dumbass? Still not relevant after all these years.


    14 posted on 10/11/2024 3:48:23 PM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from withinE? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
    Romans 1:22


    15 posted on 10/11/2024 3:49:08 PM PDT by Vision (Woke is communism and it has no place in America. Election Reform Now! Obama is an evildoer.)
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    Dear Joe:

    ‘Visiting’ a war zone, inserting yourself into a war zone with PRESS emblazoned on your up-geared civvy armor and helmet and embedding to US forces who put themselves in danger protecting your ass isn’t ‘being in combat.’ It isn’t anything to brag about, or anything that gives your opinions any more weight on political matters than anyone else.

    Talking about it, referring to it when it comes to political persuasion is just like that assh@le who always has to drop “I went to Harvard” into a conversation. You pukes make me want to puke.


    16 posted on 10/11/2024 3:50:36 PM PDT by Gaffer
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum

    50 years of being a blow hard, wow, that’s tough to beat , but he just did.


    17 posted on 10/11/2024 3:50:43 PM PDT by sopo
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum
    [My case for Ms. Harris is a conservative one]


    18 posted on 10/11/2024 3:50:54 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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    To: E. Pluribus Unum
    God, I am so sick to death of the New York Times.

    And to this: "In his first Inaugural Address, in January 1981, Ronald Reagan said, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.” He was wrong."

    No, Kleinhole, you are wrong.

    19 posted on 10/11/2024 3:51:17 PM PDT by Lazamataz (If you are upset the bullet missed, contact me immediately. I'll make sure your bullet doesn't.)
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    To: ClearCase_guy

    Didn’t this phoney write Primary Colors? Shills got to shill i suppose. The dirth of just straight up bs articles recently I get the distinct feeling media types know a majority of the people didn’t give a crap about their propaganda anymore and it’s driving then crazy. Seems like they just trying the volume knob now. No thinking person cares what joe klein thinks


    20 posted on 10/11/2024 3:51:18 PM PDT by datricker (Go Trump/Vance!)
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