So I have an unpopular take: This is all Merrick Garland’s fault.
OK, it’s not ALL his fault, and hindsight is 20/20, but I really feel like there is a multiverse where we’d either have an incoming Harris administration right now or, at least, some less psychotic GOP administration had Garland simply appointed a special counsel to investigate Trump’s role in January 6 from the jump.
From. The. Jump.
It’s hard to remember now, but there was a very small window between January 6 and, I dunno, around June of that year where it seemed unthinkable that Trump would ever be the Republican nominee. Even Trump was going through “stages of grief” in that time because he thought his political career was over. Had the investigation started then, the charges and trial may have happened in a timely manner, and it would not have been perceived as “going after” a presidential candidate, because he wasn’t one and no one thought he’d be one. And it would have been way too early for him to declare his candidacy like he did right after the Mar-a-Lago raid.
In fact, if Trump was already under investigation for January 6 the idea of Trump being under investigation for a completely different crime wouldn’t have been such a shock (as it was when the raid happened), and maybe even that case would have taken a different trajectory. (Who knows, had the January 6 investigation against Trump commenced immediately after Garland was appointed, he may have been scared enough to just comply with the Justice Department’s subpoena and given the documents back.)
I know. Woulda Coulda Shoulda.It doesn’t matter now. But on our last podcast, Renato and I were joined by Ken White, author of The Popehat Report, to discuss whether more prompt action by Garland would have made a difference. Give it a watch:
Exciting News!
So if you have been jonesing to get out of the country since November 5, I have an idea for you! Renato and I will be hosting a cruise from Denmark to Iceland, with stops in Norway and Sweden in between, next July. If you are a fan of the It’s Complicated podcast, please join us! This is a smaller ship — about 70 staterooms — with award-winning dining and service. (Plus maybe you can scout out some real estate at the ports of call.) Just call the Travelstore or scan the URL below for pricing and details!
Movies worth watching:
For those of you enrolled in my Substack course, you know that I spent a lot of time discussing the concept of social capital, and why it matters for a democracy (see Class 26, Class 27, and Class 29). All of these lessons drew heavily on the work of Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. I was therefore so excited to learn that there is a new documentary on Netflix, “Join or Die,” about this exact topic! I plan to check it out this weekend, but here is a trailer (and a prescient interview Putnam gave to the New York Times this past July):
Upcoming events:
I am so excited to be joining my colleagues Amb. Norm Eisen and Professor Ruth Ben Ghiat for a virtual panel sponsored by the Brookings Institution on “Democracy’s next act: How to build resilience around the world.” The event will take place online at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4 — you can find the link here to join!
NEW: Guest speaker Ruth Ben Ghiat, author of Strongmen: From Mussolini to the Present, on Sunday, January 5, at 8 p.m. EST. Ruth and I will springboard from the Brookings talk to take hard look at what lies ahead in the coming Trump administration, and how to prepare for the worst while remaining active and engaged. We promise to leave you with action steps and hope, so please join us!
I had a great time in Madrid for my 50th — thanks to those of you who sent the birthday wishes!
Why the f do the Democrats always have to kowtow to Republicans?
What the hell is Merrick Garland doing there in the first place!? Can you imagine any Republican president in recent history hiring a Democratic attorney general? I may have the unpopular opinion that Harris's severe right swing including cozying up to the Chaneys and Goldman Sachs and bragging about her Glock abandon the progressive liberal principles and populism that could have spoken more to what was a populist's election! (Run ons are my jam 😂) The left should offer a left alternative to the right not a right-lite version of itself.
That being said, I think the social dilemma IE social media and foreign influence and social engineering probably would render any of that stuff irrelevant. There's no message Democrats could use versus the gigantor media and propaganda operation of the right. How we are going to figure this one out is beyond me? That's why smart people like you need to be guiding the way! Can't wait to see you and Ruth tearing it up! Happy belated 50th! I think the '50s are the best decade of life... so far for me at least!
That sounds very insightful and true about Garland. Democrats consistently have underestimated Trumps resilience and popularity. They can’t believe that people see him as a legitimate and sympathetic leader. Garmons approach in multiple areas was cautious, slow, and timid which seems to be part of his basic nature. Sometimes this is a virtue, in this situation, not.
Biden’s slow response to the border probably also played a role. And of course if Biden had declared for only one term it would have allowed for a real competitive Democrat primary.