Only in Washington
This New York Times profile of National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is really quite breathtaking in its ambition. This kind of glowing, butt-sharkery is part and parcel of the cozy relationship between Democratic office holders and the press, and it normally wouldn’t have drawn my attention. Where it becomes notable is the degree to which its content (expected, glowing, slobbering) doesn’t match its headline/subhead: “Jake Sullivan, Biden’s Adviser, a Figure of Fascination and Schadenfreude
Washington has long been captivated by fallen star narratives, which has made President Biden’s national security adviser a figure of fascination, somewhere between sympathy and schadenfreude.
I defy readers to make their way through this profile and conclude that Mr. Sullivan’s “star” is fallen. I could use this kind of “fallen” narrative.
On American Decline
The continuing decline of our once-great republic continues apace, as it appears the utterly craptastic UVA football team—who managed a 6-6 record this year—are “bowl bound” as a result of being able to win 6 games. Putting aside the four straight losses to end the season, the historically bad defense, the horrifically bad coaching, and the fact that two of those six wins came as a result of the other guys missing make-able field goals, the presence of this team in a bowl game reflects the “everyone gets a trophy” mentality that accompanies our decline.
Moderna Booster
As I write, the Moderna Booster has been working its microscopic magic inside me for 18 hours. Hours 0-10 were fine, maybe a little sluggish (stopped on the treadmill at 20 minutes rather than going on for 30, went to bed to read early, etc), hours 10-18 were sound sleep, and now I seem only to have a sore arm. So far, so good.
Somewhat less satisfying was the Facebook post of a friend who attended a UVA Basketball game in Charlottesville on Friday night. I and three of the giants of mid-80’s University life are congregating in the center of the universe tonight for the “ACC-BIG TEN” Challenge game twixt the heroes of Charlottesville and the dread pirates of wherever it is the University of Iowa is. The post stated “UVA is not playing around with COVID. Masks were mandatory the entire night unless you were eating or drinking and proof of vaccination was required prior to entry into John Paul Jones Arena”.
So here we are, nearing the two year mark in this thing with the majority of the US population vaccinated, and I am attending a sporting event in one of the single most vaccinated cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Yet three vaccinations and proof thereof be damned, I gotta wear a mask? This is unsettling, and suggests that we are not moving to the endemic phase of this pandemic. I’ll do what is required, as I wish to watch a game I have no particular right to see, but this goes into the “what caused Bryan to become less pliable” category for if that time ever comes.
Etc.
This video is really worthwhile. Put aside the whiny, left-of-center dudes who made it (who are just SO let down by liberal America), but concentrate on the serious hypocrisy of the Blue States.
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