DOUBLE VISION

We can dream of a better future, and deal with our rocky present at the same time ...

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

I’ll admit that my initial reaction to the torrent of leaks that are starting to flow from Democrats considering a run for the presidency in 2028 was met with a dismissive shake of the head and a snort of disgust.

With our nation under steady attack from the most lawless, dangerous administration in history, it just seems insulting and counterproductive to talk about what might happen during a presidential primary season that starts 25 months from now.

We are living at a time when it’s fair to question whether Lady Liberty can survive this sustained beating from the abusive thug who is leveling our White House.

I’m not much interested in hearing what a patriot might do in the future, and much prefer to hear about what they are doing right NOW.

At least all that was my initial reaction ...

After cooling down and reconsidering, I realize it is completely normal that we start hearing from folks who are crazy enough to pursue our nation’s highest office.

Because isn’t normality what so many of us crave right now?

Oh for the days, when we had a competent president, a productive Congress, and an honest Supreme Court. Oh for the days, when we could cynically sit back and poke fun at these haughty folks who have the run-away ambition it takes to believe they can ascend to the most powerful office in the world.

So, yeah, after several deep breaths and a shot or two of top-shelf contemplation, I am now reconsidering my saucy reaction to it all ...

This is traditionally the time when would-be candidates start leaking their intent to run for our nation’s highest office. Why should we give the orange, wannabe dictator the satisfaction of disrupting yet more normalcy in a country that is busy fighting off his relentless attacks?

I would rather hear from ANY prospective candidate than I would even one more word from the cranky, old lying gasbag in our White House.

So in that spirit, just a few words on 2028 for the fans of the political horse race.

This might become the most wide open and diverse Democratic field in history. I figure upwards of 20 people could announce their candidacy in the next year or so. This actually reminds me of the crowded 2016 Republican field at the end of Barack Obama’s remarkable two-term run, minus the complete idiots, fully half of whom have since fallen at Trump’s fat, little feet.

In no particular order, here is a generous handful of names off the top of my head who are at least strongly considering a run for the top: Kamala Harris, Chris Murphy, Pete Buttigieg, Wes Moore, Josh Shapiro, JB Pritzker, Cory Booker, Gretchen Whitmer, Ro Khanna, Andy Beshear, Mark Kelly, and Gavin Newsom. I’m sure I have forgotten a few, and other names will no doubt emerge because two years is a long damn time in politics, which was part of my initial ire with all this 2028 talk.

Since Trump landed with a thud on top of our well-being in 2024, I have felt a candidate will emerge who nobody is thinking of — somebody free of political baggage, and able to bring something completely new to the table.

Sometimes lightning strikes. Obama himself wasn’t given much of a chance in 2008.

And how many people had heard of Zohran Mamdani two years ago? Now he is the mayor of the most notorious city in the world.

Are there other Mamdanis out there?

No matter what happens, I say let’s have some fun with it, and talk about better days ahead. Lord knows we deserve it.

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Wouldn’t you know it, I spent about 30 column inches on Harris this week spinning the piece, If Only Kamala Harris Had Been Elected President …

In that offering, I used blunt force to shove all the good that would have come from a Harris presidency in the smug faces of the shallow, misogynistic morons who either didn’t vote, or threw away that vote by helping to elect a madman who is failing miserably on every level.

I offered up 25 things among hundreds that would have been better if only Harris had been elected instead of the despicable, no-talent Trump.

Turns out, just a few hours after I published that piece, the former vice president offered her strongest indication yet, that she is “thinking about” running for president in 2028.

That timing was odd and fortuitous. I guess my old news guy’s ears were burning. Or maybe it was just complete luck.

(It was complete luck.)

No matter, as we head toward 2028, God willing, I will be here blasting away with my take on things, and very appreciative of your company.

If you don’t subscribe to Enough Already, please do. If you don’t like what I’m typing, you can always unsubscribe and be done with me for good.

If you do subscribe, thank you.

If you have made the decision to pay for your subscription, I can’t thank you enough.

And because I am always straight with you, I want to admit just how uncomfortable I am casting for money. Being on the editorial end of things, my job has always been to provide the news, not pay the bills.

Used to be there was a classic argument among us newspaper types about who provided the most value to the newspaper. The circulation folks would tell you that without them, nobody would read the paper. The advertising folks would tell you that without them, nobody at the newspaper would get paid. The editorial folks like me would say, well if all that is true then why in the hell is it called a NEWSpaper instead of an ADpaper, or CIRCpaper?

One thing was undeniably true: The people selling the ads always drove the nicest cars.

These days, I am an independent writer/journalist who is responsible for content, circulation and sales. It keeps me plenty busy, mostly out of trouble, and way out of my depth when it comes to generating the revenue that helps pay my bills.

Only you can put a value on my work.

No matter what you decide, thank you for your readership, and all you are doing to make America a better and more decent place.

I always love hearing from you, and I hope it is clear just how much you are valued.

We are family.

Have a good, safe Sunday, and may all your dreams come true.

-Earl

(That’s my editor, Monkey the Cat. She uses wordpurrfect to claw her way through my copy …)