On crime, Mike Lee, Tulsi Gabbard, Rishi Sunak, Bono, Sacheen Littlefeather, Babs Costello, Lucianne Goldberg, and more
A headline from the Associated Press read, “Zeldin’s crime message resonates in New York governor’s race.” (Article here.) Lee Zeldin is the Republican nominee, running against the incumbent, Kathy Hochul. I often think of an old slogan from Ford Motor: “Quality is Job 1.” Well, Job 1 of government is the physical security of the people. And if politicians can’t deliver it — they should be booted.
• Whenever I write “Job 1,” I think that Bible-minded people may read it to mean the first chapter of Job.
• In a recent interview, Senator Bernie Sanders said, “Crime is a real issue. Violence is a real issue. I go all over the state of Vermont. There is a drug problem, and the addiction to drugs and the violence drugs cause — it’s a huge problem all over this country.”
Yup.
• Tulsi Gabbard, newly ex-Democratic, is a big star on the right. A hero of CPAC, a hero of Fox News. She is now campaigning with Republican senator Mike Lee in Utah. He says that Gabbard “left the Democrat Party because it’s foreign and economic policies have failed America’s hardworking families.”
Lee says “Democrat Party,” in good populist fashion. How about the “foreign and economic policies” that have “failed America’s hardworking families”? Interesting that Lee puts “foreign” first. Would those policies include opposition to Putin and support of Ukraine? Gabbard is one of Putin’s biggest apologists in America. You should hear her on Assad, too.
The GOP and the conservative movement have traveled a long way. Mike Lee has obviously traveled with them. His decision to campaign with Tulsi Gabbard is a milestone.
• There are many things to say about the rise of Rishi Sunak to be Britain’s prime minister. One of them is this: The assimilative powers of Britain are formidable. True, we Yanks may have outdone our cousins. But our patrimony is British, and it is one of liberalism — a sparkling classical liberalism — and I say, “Long may it wave.”
Shortly before Sunak became PM, Ayesha Hazarika, a columnist for the Evening Standard, had a comment: “Spare a thought for us with Indian mums who are about to get absolutely rinsed about our lack of success.”
I love that phrase (had never heard it before): “absolutely rinsed.”
• Prince Harry may be a hate-object — he certainly is where I live — but the title of his forthcoming memoir is perfect: “Spare.” (For an article, go here.)
• “French leader vows to raise retirement age to 65, up from 62.” For France, this is one hell of a change, and cryingly needed. (Article here.)
• Here is Bono, the rock star, in a new interview:
“I ended up as an activist in a very different place from where I started. I thought that if we just redistributed resources, then we could solve every problem. I now know that’s not true. There’s a funny moment when you realize that as an activist: The off-ramp out of extreme poverty is, ugh, commerce, it’s entrepreneurial capitalism. I spend a lot of time in countries all over Africa, and they’re like, Eh, we wouldn’t mind a little more globalization actually.”
About 20 years ago, Martin Amis wrote a book about Stalin (Koba the Dread). In some quarters, there was some chortling: Oh, 50 years after his death, you’ve discovered Stalin was bad, huh? David Pryce-Jones had a different reaction. I’ve never forgotten it: When someone joins your side — especially a famous, influential, and even chic someone — rejoice.
Half of National Review’s founding editors and writers had been Communists. Some of them had outright spied for Stalin. Bill Buckley said that these people were worth their weight in gold. Crucial.
In any event, a tweeter pointed out to me that Bono arrived at his view of capitalism some time ago. An article from 2013 is headed, “U2’s Bono Courageously Embraces Capitalism.”
• Donald Trump, as you may know, refers to Elaine Chao as “Coco Chow.” Chao was Trump’s transportation secretary. She immigrated to America from Taiwan with her family when she was eight. She is married to Senator Mitch McConnell. Recently, Trump wrote, “. . . the Old Broken Crow, Mitch McConnell, a puppet for China along with his ‘wife,’ Coco Chow . . .”
To focus on just one thing: the quotation marks around “wife.” Trump is adulated by millions, including by people who should know better, and once did. An old story, but still a sickening one, to some of us.
• All day long, I get text messages from MAGA luminaries, asking that I donate to them — not asking, but demanding, usually! One of the luminaries is Herschel Walker. See below.
I would rather Walker contacted his kids.
• Travel with me back to Oscar Night 1973. Marlon Brando wins the Best Actor award, for The Godfather. He has sent Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead — to decline the award for him. She is an American Indian model, actress, and activist. She tells that audience that, through her, Brando wishes to make a statement — about Hollywood’s portrayal of Indians, and about the Wounded Knee Occupation, which took place the month before.
This is one of the most famous episodes in Oscar history. And Sacheen Littlefeather became one of the most famous Indians, or Native Americans, in the country.
She passed away on October 2, at 75. Jacqueline Keeler, a Navajo writer and activist, then interviewed Littlefeather’s two sisters — who said that the family was not Native American at all; that Sacheen had fabricated her identity, her past — the whole bitsy.
Bear in mind, Sacheen Littlefeather is not here to defend herself, or explain herself. But if her sisters’ story is true — it is a very American one. We are a land of self-reinvention. Often this self-reinvention involves deception, including self-deception. These types dot American history and literature. I think of a fellow with whom I share a name: Jay Gatsby.
• Babs Costello is a social-media star, a grandmother who dispenses wisdom about cooking, cleaning, and other vital matters. I am maybe the last to have heard of her. But I encountered her just the other day, in a video about how to carve a pumpkin. She is terrific. One word about language, please.
In the video — again here — note the way she says “stand,” “Vaseline,” “jack-o’-lantern.” For that matter, note the way she says her own name, “Babs.” I grew up with that “a” — not from all, but from many. And to hear it, warms my heart.
• Have a glimpse of fall, in Central Park:
• Have a glimpse of David Geffen Hall, on the Lincoln Center campus. Something was goin’ on earlier this week. A touch o’ Cirque du Soleil?
• Lucianne Goldberg has passed away, at 87. She was marvelous, and utterly herself. Like no one else. Once, years ago, we invited her and Sid to dinner. She responded by saying, “Throw another haunch on the fire, we’re coming over.” I’ve always loved that: “Throw another haunch on the fire.” They were such delightful company, the Goldbergs, and unique.
Have a good weekend, everybody. (Even Michigan State fans.) (But not too good a weekend.)
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