Cut to Black
David and Sarah discuss the sexual assault allegation against Joe Biden, the president's tweet about who has the power to "open up" the economy, a federal judge's ruling that a Kentucky church can conduct Easter drive-in service, and The Sopranos.
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David French has the worlds highest ratio of good political takes: awful cultural takes. I’m here to fulfill his prophecy of filling the comments section to dunk on said awful cultural takes.
I literally threw my phone in disgust (albeit into a cushioned bed) when he made that Mt. Rushmore of TV shows. I paused when he started it, found my wife, and said “listen, he’s about to say something dumb like Battlestar Galactica is better than Sopranos”. The only way GoT belongs there is if we remember that Jefferson is in fact an overrated president. A show that squanders a good plot by making a bird boy king? Breaking Bad but no Sopranos? Battlestar Galactica? And Arrested Development is great, but simply not the best sitcom ever (Seinfeld is, and probably 3+ others). Bad, bad takes! That’s a truth grenade based entirely on alternate facts!
Repent, David French!
Excellent, eclectic pod. First, I apologize to David. For days I have been harping on David’s emphasis on Trump’s alleged challenge to federalism. I just didn’t see any evidence Trump would do this (I’m not on Twitter) while he and his staff repeated every day that federal government was playing a “supporting” (perfect?) role to states. Well, now Trump has claimed “total control.” I still think he is unlikely to do anything on this, since he would lose in court...but I can’t intimate that David didn’t see something I missed, so, I am sorry for doubting! I see this as mostly Trump shouting “I am in control” rather than trying to really start a constitutional crisis, but who knows? I liked Sopranos, but can’t hide glee at how David’s opinions on everything are so intense. It must be entertaining to watch him advocate a specific dessert, or parking space when two or more are available. The joy of argument just oozes out, and perhaps I identify. Finally, Sarah’s warning about how fighting hypocrisy on sexual abuse charges can lead to a spiral down in bad behavior was interesting. I agree that we shouldn’t address journalistic malpractice by asking for more of it. However, by stressing journalistic standards and statue of limitations issues, which are both important, I think the discussion under emphasized a giant issue. To me that is the incredibly partisan and ideological support for one-way hysteria, including among journalists and the commentariat, as well as politicians. This, and cancel culture, is the real horror of the incredible double standard applied by the left, including journalists and commentators, not just politicians. I don’t think Journalists, commentators, and cultural leaders would allow anything like the Kavanagh circus to happen to a left-wing nominee. Part of that is the cynical striving for power. But part is also genuine belief that stopping “monsters” (on abortion if not on sexual abuse) justifies just about anything. That double standard is real and dangerous, I think.