Quotes of the Week
Plus links to some of the best articles and essays.
Note for new subscribers: On Fridays I send out a post with a list of notable quotes from the past week, along with links to some of the best longform essays and articles that I’ve come across. You can opt out of these posts by clicking “manage subscription” on the top right.
“In 2020, data from Britain’s Ministry of Justice found that an astounding 59 percent of transwomen prisoners were sex offenders—compared with 3 percent of women and 17 percent of men.” — Commentary’s Hannah Meyers
“Why Are Americans So Obsessed With Protein? Blame MAGA.” — Vanity Fair headline
“If I get shot, if I get murdered by an undocumented immigrant, please tell my children I did not care that they were undocumented.” — MSNBC’s Elie Mystal
“I understand that AOC may be more progressive than a lot of people. I also understand that she’s one of the most articulate, exciting people in the Democratic field.” — MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough
“People say to me all the time, ‘James, why don’t we just do like the Republicans do? Just stand up and lie?’ Because our fucking people wouldn’t stand for it!” — James Carville
“The majority of people used to be against civil rights. Were they right? No, they weren’t.” — The Atlantic’s Jemele Hill, on 80% of Americans being opposed to biological males competing in women’s sports
“I wasn’t surprised, not because I didn’t think she was qualified. She is. I was surprised because it went the sexist route. This is a woman, she’s this, she did, I’ve never seen quite a successful and consistent campaign undercutting the notion that a woman couldn’t run the country, and a woman of mixed race.” — Joe Biden, when asked on The View why Kamala Harris lost, and if he was surprised
“Think about how contrary this is to the example of Jesus. You look at this MAGA Christian Right and it is Will to Power. It is cruelty. It is dominance. Look how they applaud as Trump is cruel to immigrants.” — NYT’s David French
“Sure would be cool to [have] a non-senile president and a functional national security staff right now.” — NYT’s Jamelle Bouie, responding to the news that India launched a military operation against Pakistan
“Every time you say my name, you’re reminding the world that you’re terrified of smart, bold black women telling the truth and holding you accountable.” — Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett
“Yes, Biden was old, but that’s a lot different than an allegation of mental decline that kept him from being able to do the job, which there is no evidence of.” — Former Chief Pentagon spokesperson Chris Meagher
“[Trump was] claiming investors knew he would win. I think he should stop saying that because you’re going to make somebody investigate how investors would know you would win. I’m just putting that out there.” — The View’s Whoopi Goldberg
“Think I’m going to be sitting waiting in line at United waiting while 30,000 people are waiting? It’s the only way to get around. No apologies for that.” — Bernie Sanders, when asked by Fox News anchor Bret Baier about spending $221k on private jets during his “Fight the Oligarchy” tour
“Police Arrest a Man They Say Abused a Corpse on the R Train” — Headline of a NYT article that never once mentions that the “Brooklyn man” is an illegal immigrant
“I am a great admirer of President Joe Biden, I think he will ultimately go down as one of the most consequential presidents because of all the legislation he was able to pass in his first two years, and the incredible work he did on the international stage in his second two years. As some of the other seminal legislation is actually implemented, Americans are going to benefit from it. You can be sure that Donald Trump will take full credit for it. But it was Joe Biden’s vision and his desire to do the right thing rather than the politically expedient thing, that ultimately I think sacrificed some of his favorability.” — Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman, speaking on NBC News
“Trans people are totally and royally fucked. We’re facing generational oblivion as scotus greenlights eradication of trans people from society. If you want a preview of where we’ll be in two years, look to Russia. Trans people are not safe in the US.” — Alejandro Caraballo, American civil rights attorney and instructor at the Harvard Law School Cyberlaw Clinic
“Buttigieg, who has no clue, you know, he drives to work on his bicycle with his — in all fairness — with his husband on the back, which is a nice, loving relationship. But he didn’t have a clue, this guy didn’t have a clue. And he’s actually a contender for president? Between him and Crockett, you can have that party.” — Donald Trump
“People like immigrants, who are here not by choice, most of them. They fled fear. They fled where they lived. They fled central America, where they were in danger.” — MSNBC’s Mike Barnicle
If you need to get past a paywall, try Archive Today or 12ft.io.
The Cut: “The Watcher”
SB Nation: “Two Lanes to Accokeek”
New York: “Manhattan Fold ’Em”
New York: “Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College”
Texas Monthly: “The Hunt for the Serial Killer of Laredo”
Outside: “Trapped”
The New York Times Magazine: “War Without End”
Grantland: “The Malice at the Palace”
Oy, that picture of Biden and the View creatures, beyond words........a Last Supper for degenerates......
That Biden quote from The View about how he was surprised Republicans went the ‘woman and one of mixed race couldn’t run the country’ is just absurd on it’s face. There was zero discussion about either fact. The Democrat platform sucked, she was a terrible candidate, and people voted based on that. I don’t know why it’s still surprising to me that most Democrats are still completely unable to grasp why she lost. Carville excepted, of course.