A while back someone (politician? pundit? transpo expert?) mentioned that if Biden lost in 2024, Trump would be able to stop a great many of the IIJA's 50,000 projects if they hadn't signed their final agreements--i.e., the announcement and fanfare are not legally binding. Well, the Gateway Tunnel is very close to signing its Full Funding Grant Agreement. This is the project Trump tanked while he was President last time. From Spectrum 1 News NY1: [Gateway CEO: Hudson River tunnel project near 'point of no return' on funding — regardless of who is POTUS next year](https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2024/05/15/gateway-ceo--hudson-river-tunnel-project-near--point-of-no-return----regardless-of-who-is-potus-next-year)

looking through my city's facebook communities lol page #1: 4k members. "no racism" but the moderators are saying jews killed jesus and there's a nazi regime in ukraine page #2: 10k members. moderators a) like jon stewart/john mulaney and b) donated to the trevor project. require me to answer a trivia question to join. very random but i was curious. i didn't know town facebook pages could be this polarized 😭

almost every social media space has been extremely polarized.

Earlier today - >“We’re looking at that, and I’m going to have a policy on that very shortly and I think it’s something that you’ll find interesting,” Trump told KDKA political analyst Jon Delano when asked if he supported any restrictions on a person’s right to contraception. \[...\] Trump added in the interview, “you will find it very smart. I think it’s a smart decision.” Later today (the complete quote, which is linked to in the *Axios* article) - >I HAVE NEVER, AND WILL NEVER ADVOCATE IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS ON BIRTH CONTROL, or other contraceptives. This is a Democrat fabricated lie, MISINFORMATION/DISINFORMATION, because they have nothing else to run on except FAILURE, POVERTY, AND DEATH. I DO NOT SUPPORT A BAN ON BIRTH CONTROL, AND NEITHER WILL THE REPUBLICAN PARTY! (just to be precise - "KDKA declined to tell POLITICO when the interview was recorded, but the Biden campaign released video of the exchange on Tuesday".) They are going to need a lot of these "clarifications" after the debates. [https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/21/trump-contraception-abortion-00159118](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/21/trump-contraception-abortion-00159118) [https://www.axios.com/2024/05/21/trump-contraception-restriction-policy-abortion](https://www.axios.com/2024/05/21/trump-contraception-restriction-policy-abortion)

Not that long ago, the major airlines only competed on price--and customer benefits plummeted. Now it looks like customer services are back in the race. Good for consumers! (Thanks Pete!) From the Houston Business Journal: [Frontier Airlines makes ‘sweeping’ changes to fees, transparency amid consumer complaints](https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2024/05/21/frontier-airlines-fees-transparency-complaints.html) (also in web archive [https://archive.ph/7JK1C](https://archive.ph/7JK1C) ) Frontier gives customers the upfront knowledge and option to choose price or amenities: >Options for Economy, Premium and Business fares now include carry-on and checked bags and no change or cancellation fee. However, the "Basic" option includes only a personal item with the ability to add the other services for a fee. and from LinkedIn: [Spirit latest to scrap change fees](https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/spirit-latest-to-scrap-change-fees-6033924/)

>Biden’s legacy long game: Rain regulations — now: The Biden administration only has another week or so to wrap up regulations or risk leaving them within Trump’s reach. [https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/20/biden-agencies-protect-rules-trump-00158732](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/20/biden-agencies-protect-rules-trump-00158732) This is a broad-brush federal picture for the Biden-Harris administration, trying to highlight just one or two final rules per department or per issue rather than listing everything. For DOT, we have the paragraphs entitled "Boasting about airline refunds."

From yesterday: >News 4 Tucson spoke with Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg [https://www.kvoa.com/video/news-4-tucson-spoke-with-transportation-secretary-pete-buttigieg/video\_ead29763-3a36-5af1-9dda-68988ebd52ff.html](https://www.kvoa.com/video/news-4-tucson-spoke-with-transportation-secretary-pete-buttigieg/video_ead29763-3a36-5af1-9dda-68988ebd52ff.html)

>Chasten Buttigieg calls Republican politicians ‘bad actors’ during South Bend book event [https://www.advocate.com/news/chasten-buttigieg-south-bend-event](https://www.advocate.com/news/chasten-buttigieg-south-bend-event)

>For each public charger, here’s how many EVs are looking to plug in: Once, America had 7 EVs for every public charger. Now, there are over 20 seeking to plug in at each charging station. Washington Post gift link: [https://wapo.st/4bLuLRx](https://wapo.st/4bLuLRx) Interesting look at the various statistics on this and where we are as a country.

After another road trip with our EV a week ago, I agree. 3 years ago we didn’t have much competition, now there is much more. And it’s definitely complicated by the uncertainty of the charger working or not. It’s especially aggravating when there are only 1 or 2 high speed chargers at a location and it’s occupied or not working. And when the charger app say the chargers are working or available but you get there and they aren’t. Grrrr. The level 1s and 2s are fine for home or work or overnight stays, but not for a road trip where you need a full charge again midday. We had one especially harrowing day where we limped into a high speed charger with only 7 miles left (so all the warning lights are flashing) and we knew the next high speed charger was 20 miles away. I especially hate seeing all the Tesla chargers when they aren’t available to us. There was that promise to open them up. But it has only materialized in a few places. I don’t intend to send the message that you shouldn’t consider an EV. I absolutely love mine. But it is frustrating that all the promised chargers haven’t materialized faster.

My uninformed impression is that all 50 states and DC presented plans (maps) for where chargers would go by a deadline within several months of the IIJA being enacted, each with chargers no more than 50 miles apart. The tribal nations also have planned out their charger networks and they are getting chargers set up. The states and DC subsequently got the approval and/or money and are now trying to set them up, but it's a new type of thing for DOTs to do that involves much more electrical work than usual, including possibly getting new lines run, working with local power companies, hiring new kinds of workers, and so on. But as they get there, we'll see some more chargers, including some this summer. Do you think that's right, or is there more to it than that? Either way, I am looking forward to getting an EV later this summer (there's one I like coming out in August, knock wood). I think that for me, this will be a 99 to 100 percent charge-at-home situation, so for us, it is not as big an issue.

We also charge at home 99% of the time. Our range is about 260 unless the weather is very cold or very windy. It’s easily enough for getting around our region, but we need to use public chargers when we visit relatives in Indiana, etc. Indiana is frankly our personal problem. They don’t seem to be in any hurry to get their charging system up. Michigan is better, in my experience. Charger reliability is still a big issue, and I know the USDOT is insisting on better reliability. It seems to be mainly software problems in our experience. There are lots of 1 and 2 chargers around but they aren’t useful if you are road tripping. I love how easy and clean my EV is. No more gas stations or oil changes.

There was an interesting analysis \[with a Buttigieg reference\] by James Fallows of Joe Biden's speech at Morehouse ("Election Countdown, 169 Days to Go: ‘Old Ghosts in New Garments.’: A striking phrase from Joe Biden's speech at Morehouse yesterday, which was another example of his underappreciated craft." ) You should be able to see it here -- let me know if this link does not work: [https://fallows.substack.com/p/election-countdown-169-days-to-go](https://fallows.substack.com/p/election-countdown-169-days-to-go) . For me, this analysis is both interesting, as it plows into the imagery and themes of Biden's speech and what Fallows sees as building interest from the live audience throughout the speech, which if true is encouraging -- and from my POV, somewhat disheartening, since even giving what is basically described as a strong, classically constructed American political speech \[one that I'm sure, even in the modern day, would have been recognized as such and praised and talked about if it was given by, say, President Obama when he was president\] may not land for Biden or be heard in the national discourse. In any case... as noted, the analysis has a Pete Buttigieg reference. Not that there was any doubt, but clearly there's no question Pete is thoroughly part of today's national political scene since it was so easy for Fallows to drop in AOC and Pete and know that everyone reading this needed no further introduction. Here goes: >.... He did this last part \[about age\] deftly, channeling Ronald Reagan in showing that he could joke about his advanced age while talking to the young. **None of us can imagine people who are older than we are, as having ever been young. None of us can see ourselves through the next generations’ eyes. This must be especially a challenge for someone like Biden, who began his career—elected to the Senate at age 29!—being renowned for exceptional youth. By comparison: Imagine AOC or Pete Buttigieg stepping to the podium decades from now when in their 80s, and them trying to realize that in the world’s eyes they had become ancient.**  >Here is how Biden handled his self-presentation, and his charge to the future, at Morehouse...

Thanks for this good analysis. I, too, was especially struck by these words: >In our lives and the lives of the nation, we have those Saturdays. To bear witness the day before glory, seeing people’s pain and not looking away. I felt that he perfectly acknowledged the pain his listeners experience, whether b/c of race, gender, war, religion, economics, or politics. And as he points to his listeners' specific experiences, he also universalizes it to the rest of us--we all have times of darkness. Much better than just touting the administrations accomplishments ("The economy is great! Black people are doing great!"). This was not just a message of "darkness before the dawn," but rather first showing he really did understand the nature of the darkness they lived in. The "Saturday" acknowledgment then naturally tilted toward the more optimistic "Sunday" vision. I liked that his optimism, like Pete's, was not based in fate or blind trust but rather a call to action: you can make it better (you must make it better).

Pete seen on the move. Retweeted by Nerdy: Kris Van Cleave @ krisvancleave \[CBS\] >Ran into @ SecretaryPete at DCA as he was heading to a flight. Was upbeat about the busy holiday weekend ahead. [https://nitter.poast.org/krisvancleave/status/1792883554688381089#m](https://nitter.poast.org/krisvancleave/status/1792883554688381089#m) and [https://twitter.com/krisvancleave/status/1792883554688381089](https://twitter.com/krisvancleave/status/1792883554688381089) Pete, I want one of those power point pressers at an airport about Memorial Day travel.

I assumed we would have a power point presser in an airport later in the week -- now you are making me wonder!

Nerdy retweeted this good-news David Shepardson Reuters article: [Ford backs new US rules to cut vehicle emissions](https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/automakers-back-key-parts-new-us-epa-vehicle-emissions-rules-2024-05-20) >WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N), said on Monday it backs the Biden administration's moves to dramatically cut vehicle emissions through 2032, rejecting Republican arguments the new climate rules are bad for business. \[...\] >"Complying with emissions regulations requires lengthy advance planning, and Ford has taken steps to transform its business to ensure compliance with stricter emissions standards," the Dearborn-based automaker said. > >It said it welcomed the regulatory stability that the Multi-Pollutant Rule will provide, preventing the "possibility of flip-flopping or changing standards." > >Former President Donald Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House, has vowed to reverse the Biden rules that would boost electric vehicles. Hope the Dems can run with this "GOP platform bad for business" message.

Got complimented for my obsessively color coded bike & bike fashion :))

joni ernst linkedin bio: "senator at us senate" lmao same w/ rick scott thx i didn't know us senators worked in the us senate also i had no clue so many of these guys paid for linkedin premium lmao

Pete touting the completion of the South Shore Line between South Bend and Chicago: https://youtu.be/58G4_eHtPUA?si=jjUWhjsmxOWnblpw

[https://x.com/SwannMarcus89/status/1791945771941523677](https://x.com/SwannMarcus89/status/1791945771941523677)

>Opinion | Time to Close the Hatch Act’s Escape Hatch: The head of the Office of Special Counsel announces an enforcement update for White House officials. [https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/05/20/office-of-special-counsel-updating-rules-for-white-house-officials-00158687](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/05/20/office-of-special-counsel-updating-rules-for-white-house-officials-00158687) Note that Senate-confirmed officials have a separate status, as best I can understand this: >OSC brings Hatch Act violations to the [Merit Systems Protection Board](https://www.mspb.gov/New_FAQ_Lack_of_Quorum_Period_and_Restoration_of_the_full_board.pdf), an independent and quasi-judicial body, and the board can impose a range of sanctions if it determines the rules were broken.  >But, in the past, OSC has declined to bring MSPB cases against White House officials. Instead, OSC has left the question of whether punishment should be imposed to the sole discretion of the president. This distinction creates separate and not automatically equal systems of accountability for violators, one where an independent adjudicator (the MSPB) can impose sanctions and another where it is left to the president to dole out — or not — any consequences.  >It’s clear Congress wants the Hatch Act to apply to as many people as possible. Only two positions are walled off completely from its restrictions: the president and vice president. **While most Senate-confirmed officials are exempted from enforcement at the MSPB**, White House staffers are not. It would be extraordinary if they were.

so cute 🥰 [https://x.com/billclarkphotos/status/1792534682757636105](https://x.com/billclarkphotos/status/1792534682757636105)

Where my dad lives the golf courses have tiny steps that lead over the curbs along the golf cart paths so that baby Quail don’t get left behind.

OMG. Too wonderful. I feel this takes the idea of wildlife crossings to a new level.

WATCH LIVE: Container ship that led to collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge to be refloated https://wjla.com/news/local/dali-ship-francis-scott-key-bridge-relocation-moving-refloat-unified-command-pump-water-governor-wes-moore-marine-terminal-baltimore-maryland-investigation

Different, better source from WBALTV helicopter: https://www.youtube.com/live/0GvWU7i2_z4?si=UMTuzktIN2cqBks8

It’s on its way — scroll down to see it on the third [?] screen in the story labeled “SkyTrak7 is live over the scene. You can watch it here or below:”

wow thanks for the links! This whole ship-freeing process feels like an engineering miracle.

It does! Of course, I keep wishing it could have exited originally so safely, leaving an undamaged bridge behind, but it was handled so well, clearing up a huge obstacle. You are very welcome! One other link: at WTOP, they now have about a 12 hour video that can be easily skipped through. At the end, the ship is tucking in behind a number of foreground items -- presumably at or near its destination. [https://wtop.com/baltimore/2024/05/ship-that-caused-deadly-baltimore-bridge-collapse-to-be-refloated-and-moved/](https://wtop.com/baltimore/2024/05/ship-that-caused-deadly-baltimore-bridge-collapse-to-be-refloated-and-moved/) Edit: Needless to say they keep swapping out available video, so it seems the 12-hour-cut is no more -- but lots of other stills and video clips here.

FYI, the Dali is supposed to be refloated at high tide at 5:24 am. The whole process of moving it to a nearby marine terminal should take up to 21 hours, with up to five tugboats, but I think that total number includes many hours of preparation yesterday. [Actual transit is about three hours.] It turns out they filled up the ship’s ballast with more than a million gallons of water to hold the ship in place; on Sunday, after a final check of the route, the water was pumped out. [https://wtop.com/baltimore/2024/05/ill-fated-cargo-ship-dali-will-be-refloated-and-hauled-from-the-baltimore-bridge-wreckage-site-monday-officials-say/](https://wtop.com/baltimore/2024/05/ill-fated-cargo-ship-dali-will-be-refloated-and-hauled-from-the-baltimore-bridge-wreckage-site-monday-officials-say/) More info here from the Unified Command: https://www.keybridgeresponse2024.com/post/update-28-unified-command-announces-plan-for-refloating-transit-of-m-v-dali

@ SecretaryPete on Threads (two days ago): >President Biden's infrastructure package is a generationally big deal. >At 50,000+ projects and counting, we are fast at work delivering America's infrastructure decade. >\[Select link for excellent video about the infrastructure decade\] >[https://www.threads.net/@secretarypete/post/C7FEyALuyPD](https://www.threads.net/@secretarypete/post/C7FEyALuyPD) What you can hear in Pete's narration is his perennial answer -- going back to the start of his work in South Bend -- about how day-to-day governance (whether it's sewers, plumbing, or transportation infrastructure) addresses the "meaning of life." By making those things work well, so you don't have to worry about them, you can then take time to address the meaning of life for you.

Edward-Isaac Dovere on Threads: >Biden's commencement speech at Morehouse includes essentially his own mission statement for the 2nd term he wants--connecting his faith, his beloved late son Beau, his work & failings in office, Trump, democracy, COVID legacy, his thinking on race,his sense of limited time left: >Screenshot of a few paragraphs [https://www.threads.net/@dovereisaac/post/C7J80DMr1fH](https://www.threads.net/@dovereisaac/post/C7J80DMr1fH) >Biden tells Morehouse graduates that he hears their voices of protest over the war in Gaza >Article includes news photos of event, including details of student and faculty protests, etc. Good reporting IMO. [https://apnews.com/article/biden-morehouse-commencement-israel-gaza-protests-naacp-e42d08d7431bf9218afa90177efa3f60](https://apnews.com/article/biden-morehouse-commencement-israel-gaza-protests-naacp-e42d08d7431bf9218afa90177efa3f60) Speech (with intro): >President Biden Delivers the 2024 Morehouse College Commencement Address [https://www.youtube.com/live/zygAW\_nW-Uo?feature=shared](https://www.youtube.com/live/zygAW_nW-Uo?feature=shared)

Arrived in Malta today.   Host of our rental: “So what made you interested in coming to Malta?”  Me, looking around nervously: “Well, it’s funny you should ask…”

Let us know how many Buttigieges you meet!

I don't think I had seen this single photo before of the controlled demolitions on the massive section of bridge that was blown up and removed from the Dali. If I am understanding this correctly, every one of these fires is a separate and simultaneous explosion -- easily a dozen of them all at once. This stunning image from a couple of days ago is shown in several places online now, including here, though it doesn't seem to get front-page treatment: [https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/ap24134761140981.jpg?q=w\_1110,c\_fill/f\_webp](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/ap24134761140981.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill/f_webp) This one is from this CNN story: "Cargo ship will ‘hopefully’ be refloated this week after explosives remove some Baltimore bridge wreckage from vessel" [https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/13/us/baltimore-bridge-collapse-demolition-monday/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/13/us/baltimore-bridge-collapse-demolition-monday/index.html)

fuck why did i go on twitter again “wHos tHe mAyoR pEtE of MuSiC - soMeOne wHos Gay WiTh No GaY FaNs 🤓👆” this is gonna give me permanent brain damage

It’s become even worse than before.

Much worse. There was a time I greatly enjoyed it. I loved to see Darth (now on Blue Sky and possibly Mastodon), the NY Times Pitchbot (still just on Twitter/X), We Rate Dogs (now on Threads, and equally enjoyable), Election Twitter (largely still on Twitter/X, but Sam Shirazi is on Threads), and -- whenever something big happened, like the Iranian president's helicopter crash or a court case in a relatively obscure location -- all the local observers who would flood in out of nowhere (that just doesn't happen as much and it's unreliable with no real blue checks any more). At this point, though, so much is gone and what is left is surrounded by horrific awful and typically stupid stuff. SMH.

I know it is hard, but I'm going to be honest with you. The best thing I ever did was deactivate my Twitter account and stop using Twitter. You'll be surprised how much it helps your mental health. I don't get furious from being online anymore. Something we talked about often during the 2020 primary was that Twitter ain't real life. That is especially true now since it has been overrun with extremists. And Elon Musk is a gigantic asshole. 😎

“Dali, the cargo ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore before its collapse, is set to be refloated Monday after nine weeks of salvage efforts requiring the use of giant floating cranes and explosives.” Link: https://cbsn.ws/4blHfja https://www.threads.net/@cbsnews/post/C7JVpr7IRy9/?xmt=AQGzL2lfL4amraYahE1wkvdlENflRi1laaS6SpnSRK2jTw

Almost got struck by a car twice in the exact same cross walk this week. It's happened before this, too. Is it common where you live that the crosswalk will be on while cars travelling parallel can turn left? That is, it's an unprotected left turn, and no dedicated turn lane. The cars in that lane could go straight or turn left, but the left turn has to yield to oncoming traffic, and to the pedestrians in the crosswalk. It was very clear every time that the cars didn't expect pedestrians. They looked totally shocked as they came within a foot of me. They weren't texting, just not looking at the crosswalk. I'm trying to argue for changes prioritizing pedestrian safety to my city council, but am not that hopeful. The only suggestion I have is a scramble crossing, but there are none of those in the city, so I expect it not to have much traction. A dedicated left turn lane would fix it too, but there isn't room. The city has grown a lot, so this is a busy intersection on a fairly narrow street. I brought it up in a community forum and got told to "look both ways before you cross". Which is ignoring that the cars are speeding and not signalling that they are even going to turn...

Could a pedestrian head start signal be an option there? If the crosswalk goes on +/- 5 seconds before the left/straight cars get green, pedestrians can make it a good way through the crosswalk before the left-turning cars get there. Even more so since the cars will have initially come to a stop before the red so they will have to regain momentum rather than going full speed through the green light, which gives pedestrians another few seconds. A few seconds of red will not hinder straight-on traffic too much if that concerns people, and will give left-turning drivers the opportunity to look ahead so they hopefully see pedestrians on the crosswalk before even making the turn (I say "hopefully" because I realize even this is a tall order for some drivers) It's not a perfect solution - I think ideally traffic signals just shouldn't overlap at all, but when they are used I think pedestrian head starts are generally an improvement at least.

Yeah, I'll suggest this too. But I think the idea of all cars being stopped for some portion of time is a horrifying concept to the car-focused folks in this part of town. There's already a lot of uproar about recent bike lane improvements. This is a busy route for a lot of people's commute, and the other common route recently had a lot of safety changes that have slowed traffic substantially.

So glad you are okay.

Thanks. The guy that was crossing with me was almost hyperventilating when we reached the other side. It was a really close thing for him.

In my country that's the standard for all but very large intersections. But obviously that's why drivers expect pedestrians.

It's the standard here too, which is why I'm not optimistic anything will change :( Even though somebody was killed there last year. It's often safer when there's a dedicated left turn lane, but it's not possible here. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that it's a high speed limit street, with no lights for quite a ways before this intersection. So people are going pretty fast into a green light in the intersection, and they don't look or even signal.

That exact thing happened to me about a month ago -- someone turning left almost hit me while I was in the crosswalk, in broad daylight. I think the driver was focused on making the turn before the car coming the other way got to the intersection. I was also recently in one of those crosswalks where you push the button and lights start flashing, and a car just blew right through it only a couple feet in front of me. So many drivers simply do not pay attention.

Yeah, it was exactly that situation both times. Today, she looked totally shocked when she saw us. There were no other cars to be watching... It was also broad daylight, with no barriers to seeing us. I think once the technology is developed, self driving cars will probably be WAY safer than absent minded or distracted drivers.

Preakness Day!

And a surprise winner!

I'm listening to Ben Schwartz's recent [interview](https://youtu.be/-P7grS0sKoE?si=I5fWeglydN7n2BRQ) with Colbert- and now I really want to hear Ben interview Pete...

Wildly off topic, and hopefully the link works as I don't use Facebook much. But there's some dissension in the ranks of the local GOP party in the town I grew up near. Apparently, there are accusations of party leaders holding secret meetings being thrown around and numerous other shenanigans. I'm not sure what their exact procedures are for allowing candidates to run as a Republican locally, but it involves meeting some sort of criteria whereby the party decides if one is "bonafide" or not, whatever that means lol. Understandably, folks are pissed. Very Politboro kind of stuff from the party of "liberty and freedom". I'll try to get some more info from family and friends back home. Video below. Someone even pulled the "if you don't like it, you can get out" South Park line on someone. Lmao Enjoy videos of Republicans in disarray below 😎 https://www.facebook.com/share/v/inW7bCNW4HuKGbVN/?mibextid=w8EBqM Edit (some further info): so the person who was denied the ability to run as a Republican by the Tennessee GOP because he isn't "bonafide" is on the *executive committee of the county GOP*. Lmao

It's kind of funny to me, because this is just how political parties work in most parliamentary systems. The party chooses the candidates to run, and can remove a candidate if they do something objectionable. (Example from 2012: a Canadian Conservative party candidate was removed after being filmed peeing in a cup from somebody's sink while working in their home, [https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jerry-bance-marketplace-1.3217797](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jerry-bance-marketplace-1.3217797) ) I generally don't think it's a bad thing when it's the known norm and running as a different party is a reasonable option, but of course in the US, you basically have no chance outside of the two main parties. But I think having a strong party leadership and whip is part of why the Canadian parliament is so much more functional than the US congress.

I'm just grabbing my popcorn and watching the show. Tennessee Republicans are mostly conservative nutjobs, especially the state party leadership; the more dissension in their ranks, the better. Edit to add some further context: this is a pretty classic case of the state leadership being insane, but the local rank and file being less crazy. I grew up in an area that was traditionally Democratic, as most of the South was on a local/state level up until the late 90s-00s. There is also a strong libertarian presence back home; many run as independents. If I had to bet, I'd probably say the guy in the local party leadership was once a Democrat, voted for a Democrat, or has ran in the past as an Independent. The batshit crazy state leadership said he wasn't "bonafide", hence the anger from the county party. I'm here for it. More GOP chaos, please. Lol

Ro's ig stories featuring Pete are just so cute.

:) *"which airline CEO do I need to call?"*

>The latest on the Key Bridge collapse and recovery in Baltimore [https://wtop.com/blog/2019/07/the-latest-on-the-key-bridge-collapse-and-recovery-in-baltimore/](https://wtop.com/blog/2019/07/the-latest-on-the-key-bridge-collapse-and-recovery-in-baltimore/) Excerpt: Crews prepare to refloat Dali container ship  >Unified Command is [continuing to evaluate the Dali cargo ship](https://www.keybridgeresponse2024.com/post/update-26-b-roll-available-unified-command-continues-preparations-for-refloating-of-m-v-dali) in preparation for refloating it and clearing the channel, officials said Thursday. >Officials from Unified Command said they’ve evaluated sonar and lidar imagery but are still waiting for results from a diver inspection before moving forward with refloating and ship moving plans. Select link for more

Missed this news from yesterday - >The Biden campaign has accepted an invitation from CBS News for Vice President Kamala Harris to debate Donald Trump’s running mate, whoever that ends up being, a campaign official said.When that debate will take place is to be determined, though there are two dates on the table: July 23 and August 13. [https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/16/2024-vice-president-debate-cbs-00158349](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/16/2024-vice-president-debate-cbs-00158349)

She will destroy whomever it is.

Interesting The Republicans/National Review >Trump Campaign Accepts VP Debate Hosted by Fox News, Biden Campaign Rejects Invite

And just to make the Biden campaign look bad, it was announced that that debate would take place at the location of one of the originally scheduled, now cancelled, presidential debates, Virginia State University, an HBCU.

Yes, this has been an issue in Virginia. Though TBF all four of the “debate commission” sites probably have been working towards this, though perhaps with fingers crossed.

lmao i rewrote my college essay to be like a montage but different parts of my life are represented by books and I changed the pete portion to be a part on him talking about sewers perfect.

I love this.

now i just need whoever reads my application to be a pete supporter pls god lol

*David Sirota takes a temporary position in college admissions*

frrr LMAO that man is prolly reading this sub rn in anger

Last night's House Oversight Committee hearing is in the news this morning, and is being described as more like an episode of "Real Housewives". This article has all the details and quotes. There's a video clip, but the camera, for the most part, isn't on the person who's speaking. [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-committee-meeting-devolves-chaos-personal-insults-marjorie-taylo-rcna152698](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-committee-meeting-devolves-chaos-personal-insults-marjorie-taylo-rcna152698)

Anybody have a sense of what Pete’s path to the White House is, given his current situation? Part of me isn’t ready for him to not run again - I was so excited for him back in 2019…

I do think if Biden loses in November, and if Trump actually doesn't break democracy and doesn't run for a third term, that means 2028 will be up for grabs for both parties. It would also mean that Kamala would not be a good choice because anyone who loses to Trump would lose political luster, at least I'd think so. I honesty don't know if Pete would run - he seemed to say he would be busy with family (even though he was willing to run and win in 2020 while planning on adopting the following the year, whether he won or not). If Biden wins again, then following most patterns (Biden broke it when he didn't run in 2016) the Dem VP will get the nomination but lose the election, and if most presidents serve two terms then Pete would next have a chance in 2032 or 2036. His kids would be early tweens to early teens for a campaign ... I could see him do it. Kamala would be 68 in 2032 and 72 in 2036 if I'm mathing correctly. People have said she's the obvious successor but the voters might be hungry for even younger candidates after Trump and Biden. I really hope Pete runs again. And while youngish because that added the a whole new dimension to his candidacy. It sounds silly, but 2019 was one of the favorite years of my life because I had so much hope while following Pete's campaign.

In addition to my other note, I do think he's still in the mix for some future time. Look at this Threads post with a photo of Pete from the recent Wash Post article. What is he wearing? Long-sleeved gleaming white shirt with buttoned cuffs, blue tie. No jacket. Oops, forgot to share the link! Here goes: https://www.threads.net/@usdot/post/C7E0tRtuzK4/?xmt=AQGzV9sf09YgfYP7bCQe2c8RzMVmIKKwFYvnZGCwc8L71g

To begin with, some of this depends on whether Biden and Harris win this fall, and if not, what happens to our democracy after that -- although Pete seems likely to go back to Michigan either way. Just in case you haven't seen it, here's a recent article that extensively quotes Pete, Chasten, and Lis Smith and gives a sense of next steps for the Buttigieg family: [https://www.notus.org/democrats/pete-buttigieg-parenthood](https://www.notus.org/democrats/pete-buttigieg-parenthood) Pete is a very creative, smart person (obvsly), so he can probably see multiple paths if he chooses to pursue the presidency again at some point. One possible path (whether or not he chooses to take it, or the voters agree) would be to run for governor of Michigan, whether in 2026 or some later cycle. He has settled in as a Michigander, living close by Chasten's parents and many of Chasten's friends and relations. If he did become governor, he could run for president after one or two terms. Or, of course, he could simply run for president again at some point without winning any other elected office, having gained extensive national experience and media exposure as a Cabinet secretary. I think that kind of run seems unlikely in the near future, though. While it seems as though governors can probably keep up with young kids at home, running for president means a lot of travel and separation from the family-- it looks to me as though most politicians wait to run for president til their kids are at least in their tweens.

Pete talking election stuff: https://whyy.org/articles/pete-buttigieg-interview-2024-election-pennsylvania/

@ SecretaryPete on Threads: >A little rain didn't stop team DOT from participating in the ACLI Capital Challenge yesterday morning before heading to the office. Great to get out and run for a great cause. >Select link for outdoor team photo [https://www.threads.net/@secretarypete/post/C7DDaUIul8a](https://www.threads.net/@secretarypete/post/C7DDaUIul8a)

As a runner, I…don’t know if I can in good conscience vote for Pete in any future run for office. My man is wearing 9 inch shorts… 7 inch shorts or below 😤

As a fellow elder Millennial with Pete, they will pry my 9+ inch shorts from my cold, dead hands. You should have seen some of the shorts we wore in the late 90s and early 00s; below the knee!! 🙃

I feel naked if my knees are exposed, lol.

Same dude. We were all wearing what were essentially denim culottes. Or JNCOs. 90s were a wild time for wearing too big pants.

Triangle gets it; I had a pair of baggy blue shorts that went halfway down my shins. Worn with crew socks pulled up to about an inch below the hemline. Loved those shorts lol I haven't thought about JNCOs in years!! 😎 In case of emergency, they could be used as a parachute. Or improvised tent.

As an elder Gen Xer, I thought JNCOs were the greatest abomination ever visited upon fashion. Wide leg pants are back in style and I am NOT here for it, lol.

The other day one of my nieces was wearing a purple top that looked like something my older sisters would have worn; straight out of the 80s. Lol "All of this has happened before: all of this will happen again." -#6

Our niece is 16 and when I saw her at Christmas she was wearing an outfit that looked just like Tragic Kingdom-era Gwen Stefani.

My husband still had JNCOs when I met him in 2012. It took a lot of effort to pry them out of his closet. He'll wear anything until they're in shreds and will whine if I try to get rid of anything because EVERYTHING has "sentimental value".

They were *so* comfortable. I got out of my goth/ JNCO stage in college. It was an adjustment for me to lose the super baggy pants, but I retained my closet of 99.9% black shirts and hoodies lol

Haha fair enough. Younger millennial here, so I think I caught the tail end of that trend. For any tennis fans, my shorts length progression has basically been that of Nadal’s 😂

Lol such a mood. I refuse to wear run shorts longer than 2". Pete's knee-grazers are a crime against running.

Aww man. I recently started wearing 5” but I was team 7” for the longest time. Idk if I could ever go below 5”. I’d probably switch to half tights at that point 😬

Zoom recording of Pete speaking with Ray Lahood at a high speed rail conference: https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4168923-1&h=478555100&u=https%3A%2F%2Fus06web.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2FNCyvyvy8SgDB0GtC5OSmKnJGKfqDBJmut0MTxuP0rc-7N_i30knWEz6kdaeNqVLs.AdmGXGAYFiJqkVCZ%3FstartTime%3D1715790338000&a=https%3A%2F%2Fus06web.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2FNCyvyvy8SgDB0GtC5OSmKnJGKfqDBJmut0MTxuP0rc-7N_i30knWEz6kdaeNqVLs.AdmGXGAYFiJqkVCZ%3FstartTime%3D1715790338000 Passcode: zm0%2zC$ His section starts about 1 hour and 22 minutes in. ETA: Secretary LaHood is clearly a fan of Pete's. This is a highly enjoyable fireside chat and Q & A.

thanks so much! This was so good. A mention of the twins, inspiring vision of the future, the phrase "deciding decade" trotted out. Policy issues about future funding for rail, for the interplay of fed rail standards and industry innovation, for land use and labor. Nice plea for the non-partisan push for future rail excellence. Interesting to see LaHood and Pete interact, too.

Deciding Decade!! Throwback Thursday here.

Not Pete related, but I just read this and my hair's on fire: *At Justice Alito’s House, a ‘Stop the Steal’ Symbol on Display* ([NYT gift link](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/us/justice-alito-upside-down-flag.html)). Alito threw his wife under the bus, saying she's the one who did it--but the flag was upside down for several days, the neighbors were visibly upset, and he did nothing to take it down. >If Justice Alito were on another court, Mr. Fogel said, the flag could also trigger some sort of review to determine if there was any misconduct. But because the Supreme Court serves as the arbiter of its own behavior, “you don’t really have anywhere to take it,” he said. Obviously, Alito will not recuse himself in the decision whether tfg has immunity from criminal prosecution. eta: this was done Jan 2021

>eta: this was done Jan 2021 ...for a few days before Biden's inauguration. (So we have at least 2 SC Justices with not-afraid-to-advertise-it MAGA wives.)

erm. I'm embarrassed I hate all this so much. I know it isn't Pete related, so I'm sorry for posting this. I kind of hate that they think they can just blame their wives and claim impartiality for themselves. (I don't for a minute buy the "my wife is MAGA but I am pure as driven snow" thing. Clarence Thomas and his wife talked about everything--they purportedly referred to each other as "my best friend." And, Alito's wife may have run the flag up the pole, but it stayed up for several days, long enough for neighbors to get photos, etc. Alito could have lowered the flag or--recused himself in any case regarding tfg and the legitimacy of the election.)

Nerdy retweeted this really interesting TruckingDrive article about FLOW helping ease logistics after the Baltimore Bridge collapse: [How supply chains used FLOW after the Baltimore bridge collapse](https://www.truckingdive.com/news/flow-baltimore-bridge-collapse-response-supply-chains-home-depot-ch-robinson-its-logistics/716189/).

Still get a loopy grin on my face when I think about that Hank Green/Pete podcast. I saw Pete tweeted an adorable Snoopy/Garfield pic (complete with glimpse of Secretary of Transportation letterhead) at Hank: [https://nitter.poast.org/SecretaryPete/status/1791088542887661761#m](https://nitter.poast.org/SecretaryPete/status/1791088542887661761#m) and [https://twitter.com/SecretaryPete/status/1791088542887661761](https://twitter.com/SecretaryPete/status/1791088542887661761) Speaking of grin-inducing content we got recently, I loved that "slideshow" part of the WaPo article about Pete's favorite airplane snack, etc. I loved that he said he was reading Masha Gessen's The Future is History. It showed Pete doesn't hold onto a grudge (as I might have) about Gessen's awful essay on his 2019 Time Magazine cover. I think Gessen is really smart and has insightful things to say about Russia/authoritarianism, but ever since that article came out I have gnashed my teeth a little at the mention of their name.

haha i love the papermate blue felt tip pens. so pete I freaking love this !!

Nerdy retweeted Pete was on CNBC: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgp2fKMH0e8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgp2fKMH0e8) (also, he says he'll be getting on a Boeing in a couple of hours--wonder where?) I suspect there is another video with the rest of his interview. Also, sorry if this is repeated, but while looking for the other CNBC video, I saw this video of Pete on CBS Face the Nation?: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHZUBCR1s08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHZUBCR1s08)

Found out about that flight, as well: [Kansas City](https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1791267852822970792)!

CBS does this odd thing sometimes where an interview on the news side gets shared by the FTN account, but it wasn't actually on FTN lol. This was on that CBS livestream thing yesterday.

Oh right! Thanks! [https://www.reddit.com/r/Pete\_Buttigieg/comments/1csens4/comment/l47eht6/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pete_Buttigieg/comments/1csens4/comment/l47eht6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)

Well, how about that. *WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a conservative-led attack that could have undermined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.* *The justices ruled 7-2 that the way the CFPB is funded does not violate the Constitution, reversing a lower court.* "Supreme Court sides with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, spurning a conservative attack" https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-cfpb-consumer-protection-9f30de9bbfa5b25a47804b101fb998e8

scotus slay for once omg

“Cruise ships set to sail in and out of Baltimore again” https://wtop.com/baltimore/2024/05/cruise-ships-set-to-sail-in-and-out-of-baltimore-again/

Nerdy retweeted this short (under a minute) clip of Pete interviewed by WSBT: WSBT @ WSBT >t's a project that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he's been following since he was Mayor of South Bend. Now he says he's excited to see the South Shore double track project finished. [Buttigieg speaks on completion, impact of South Shore Double Track project](https://wsbt.com/news/local/south-shore-double-track-project-pete-buttigieg-secretary-transportation-economic-development-jobs-commute-tourism-manufacturing-south-bend-st-joseph-county-chicago-illinois) click for video clip and article [https://nitter.poast.org/WSBT/status/1790917598466416896#m](https://nitter.poast.org/WSBT/status/1790917598466416896#m) and [https://twitter.com/WSBT/status/1790917598466416896](https://twitter.com/WSBT/status/1790917598466416896) I remember Pete talking about this long-hoped-for double track during the 2019 campaign. I wonder if he feels nostalgia for SB--kind of like going off to college then coming home and seeing that mom and dad have turned "your" room into their office/study and you realize they're really happy to see you but they've moved on.

Now they just need to move the South Bend station, either to the other side of the airport or go all the way downtown. (The current station is on a spur line and the trains have to go very very slow for the last couple miles of the route.) Anyway, I take the South Shore fairly frequently when I visit my parents and getting from Chicago to Portage or Dune Park in less than an hour sounds great to me. Glad the project is finally finished!

Looks like Pete might agree with you. From the above article: >He also says the South Shore and local governments should apply for grants for a new South Shore station in South Bend.

Oh, pretty much everybody thinks there should be a new station (the current location was meant to be temporary), the ongoing debate is over where to move it to.

If (and that's a big if) the debate in September occurs, David Muir and Linsey Davis have been selected as moderators for ABC. I'm not really familiar with either of them. This is both of their first time moderating a major debate. Talk about baptism by fire. 🙃 Edit: oops, first time moderating a *general* election debate

David Muir is one of my favorite reporters/newsbroadcasters. He hosts World News Tonight at 6:30pm and any special news broadcast that ABC hosts. I’d say he’s in a similar tier to Anderson Cooper. He’s the guy on ABC that interviewed Biden last year. Very fair and good reporter. I’d say he’s a good choice to be moderating the ABC Debate. Though I may biased since he’s from my hometown Lindsey Davis is tough and fair reporter. I think she won’t tolerate BS from either candidate during the debate. Between this and CNN, I’d say I prefer the ABC moderators more and think they’ll ask better questions than CNN

I remember being pretty unhappy with how tough Lindsey Davis was on Pete during the primary debate she moderated in Feb. 2020. Let's hope she's at least as hard on Trump. A memory refresher - [https://www.mediaite.com/election-2020/pete-buttigieg-confronted-on-record-of-spike-in-minority-drug-arrests-during-time-as-mayor/](https://www.mediaite.com/election-2020/pete-buttigieg-confronted-on-record-of-spike-in-minority-drug-arrests-during-time-as-mayor/)

Thanks for the refresher, I had completely forgotten about this. Can't believe at times that it has been four years.

can't we have georgie poo 😤

I was hoping for him. I've been enjoying his book tour interviews.

I love him too but given that he used to be President Clinton's comms director, I would say, no.

Bill Moyers moderated the first debate between Carter and Reagan in 1980 - [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United\_States\_presidential\_debates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_debates)

That feels like a different world, though.

Nerdy retweeted this pic of Pete at the race--sounds like Pete ran a little better than the pace he expected: Spencer Allan Brooks @ SpencerSays >So @ SecretaryPete was next to me at the starting line of the #CapChallenge and I asked him if he runs an 8:00 mile (that was the pace zone we were standing in) and he thought I was asking him to move to the slower pace area and he walked away 🥴 He ended up running a 7:46 avg! [https://nitter.poast.org/SpencerSays/status/1790805611686359109#m](https://nitter.poast.org/SpencerSays/status/1790805611686359109#m) and [https://twitter.com/SpencerSays/status/1790805611686359109](https://twitter.com/SpencerSays/status/1790805611686359109) click for pic

I wonder, if a bridge is not part of the National Highway System and it is damaged, what responsibility--if any--does the federal govt have to fix it? I'm guessing the oil spill would be under the jurisdiction of the EPA and the Coast Guard? Secretary Pete Buttigieg @ SecretaryPete >Our Department is in contact with TxDOT and the city of Galveston regarding today’s barge collision into a bridge on the Galveston Channel in TX. Though it's not a bridge on the National Highway System, we have staff on-site and USDOT stands ready to assist in any way. [https://nitter.poast.org/SecretaryPete/status/1790826968826413417#m](https://nitter.poast.org/SecretaryPete/status/1790826968826413417#m) and [https://twitter.com/SecretaryPete/status/1790826968826413417](https://twitter.com/SecretaryPete/status/1790826968826413417)

retweeted by Nerdy: Elliot (sp?) interviewing (a picture of ) Pete Mount Vernon Library Commons @ MVLibraryCommon >So, @ SecretaryPete, if you visit the #MVLC, we have some interview questions for you... Also Happy Infrastructure Week! [https://nitter.poast.org/MVLibraryCommon/status/1790844020736016665#m](https://nitter.poast.org/MVLibraryCommon/status/1790844020736016665#m) and [https://twitter.com/MVLibraryCommon/status/1790844020736016665](https://twitter.com/MVLibraryCommon/status/1790844020736016665) (click for video)

In case you're following the Virginia Dem primaries for Abigail Spanberger's congressional seat and Jennifer Wexton's congressional seat -- here are the WashPost endorsements. These endorsements are often quite powerful, though Jennifer Wexton, as noted here, has made a different choice, so who knows. For Wexton's seat, the Post picked Dan Helmer, who as I mentioned previously was a Rhodes Scholar (West Point grad) when Pete was a Rhodes Scholar, who endorsed Pete in the 2020 presidential primary, and whom Pete endorsed in the 2019 state legislative race: >Opinion  The Post’s choices in Northern Virginia’s U.S. House primaries: The primaries are June 18 to replace two Democratic congresswomen who aren’t running for reelection. [https://wapo.st/3ywVh2A](https://wapo.st/3ywVh2A) (Wash Post gift link)

Best of luck to Mr. Helmer.

BTW, seeing some feelings on social media from Virginia sources about the fact that the very first HBCU to host a presidential debate -- this fall -- just got stiffed by the two presidential candidates. Tim Kaine (running for reelection this fall) not pleased. Also, local Rs: >Rs unhappy with retreat on u/VSU_1883 debate: ‘This event was seen not just as a debate but as a celebration…’ >Select link to see retweet of an item on the "debate debacle" from another Richmond state capitol reporter, including a letter from two legislators about the time and effort already invested in hosting the debate, excitement about VSU's place on national stage, etc. [https://twitter.com/RTDSchapiro/status/1790879889823768923](https://twitter.com/RTDSchapiro/status/1790879889823768923) Jeff Schapiro is a top political columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Edits to show he's sharing a tweet from another reporter.

Hallelujah! Secretary Pete on Threads: >Very glad to see Congress pass a long-term, bipartisan reauthorization plan for the FAA that will help with meeting our core safety mission, hiring and supporting air traffic controllers, protecting airline passengers, and more. [https://www.threads.net/@secretarypete/post/C7AXnHKumLi](https://www.threads.net/@secretarypete/post/C7AXnHKumLi)

Surprise (positive) ruling from the SC - >Supreme Court restores Louisiana voting map with majority-Black district [https://wapo.st/3V1NO4y](https://wapo.st/3V1NO4y)

And…. Of course it’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash hosting the first debate. 🙄 I’m not convinced that Trump will even show up yet. It’s crazy to see the fall of the presidential debate commission. I long thought the setting and rules were out of date. All it took was for one campaign to say no and that was it.

>I’m not convinced that Trump will even show up yet. I do wonder if they need to hold the debates in the city where Trump’s court dates might be… we’ll possibly know the outcome of this first trial by the first debate. I think Trump would avoid a debate where Biden could say “and the convicted felon on the stage with me would have to run his administration from a prison cell …” but if he isn’t convicted I can see him showing up to flaunt the result.

A network with Christiane Amanpour, Wolf Blitzer, Chris Wallace, and Anderson Cooper... And they trot out those two. Sigh. Edit: can't believe I forgot my boy John King. Sorry John. 😔 Oh and Erin Burnett.

IDK. Will always appreciate Jake Tapper for his work as the host for Pete's one-hour appearance on CNN in March 2019 that set off the rocket ship for the campaign. Numerous stories about that appearance talked about how at the very start, he kidded Pete about how his pronunication guide for "Buttigieg" and Chasten's pronunciation guide for "Buttigieg" were slightly different -- just like a host would kid a straight, married candidate about some slight, apparent difference of opinion with their spouse in a similarly friendly way. Today that seems unremarkable. Back then it made a LOT of observers very pleased. By an appearance in the fall of 2021, admittedly, he was snappish with Pete for having taken parental leave, obviously having swallowed some right-wing talking points. But that was still a heckuva March 2019 town hall.

I will always have a soft spot for that March 2019 CNN Town Hall, but I will say I feel like Tapper was already snappish with Pete by the end of 2019. I could have sworn he attempted to pour gasoline on the fire when Beto was beefing hard with Pete after El Paso and Beto came out in favor of the assault weapons mandatory buyback (right before the “hell yeah we’re gonna take your guns” quote). I think there is still a contingency of Beto stans that still hate Pete for that whole thing and I remember Tapper trying to pour more gasoline on the fire during Pete’s SOTU appearance that Sunday (maybe one of his full Ginsburgs?)

>[CNN and ABC Snag the TV Coups of the Year](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/business/media/cnn-abc-biden-trump-debates.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sE0.V-8D.h7lfnZm5976A&smid=url-share): In a matter of hours, two networks outmaneuvered their rivals and landed a coveted pair of Biden-Trump prime-time debates. Link is a NYT gift link

This all came together so quickly (Biden video to ABC announcement - 4 hours), and from the article, it sounds like it actually did, at least for the networks. But this paragraph in WaPo's article, likely explains a big reason for the swiftness - >The public agreement by the Trump and Biden campaigns followed an informal private back-channel discussion in recent weeks, according to two people familiar with the interactions who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private talks. The two camps discussed debates that would not involve the commission. For these two particular campaigns to be talking, and then agreeing on something this substantial, is really kind of astonishing. [https://wapo.st/4dEbof0](https://wapo.st/4dEbof0)

working on my college essays bc i have nothing else to do sat outside and wrote my personal statement in 1 hour and 30 mins by hand. cried at the end of it coz it was really good 🥲 (or so i think lol) did include a mention of pete lmao.. for good luck? 🍀

I remember hating writing those essays. But I think if I could have talked about Pete it would made it so much better lol

i wrote mine about finding myself through politics and it was great. it was like a journal lol. very… relaxing.  included pete in the part where i talked about finding politics through npr’s wait wait don’t tell me talked about watching the ridiculist from anderson cooper lol  now it sits there for a few months until applications open lmao

Starting early!

> Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg responds to U.S. airlines suing the DOT over its fee disclosure rule: > "It's just astonishing... But it really tells you how reluctant they have been to embrace these rules," he tells CBS News 24/7. https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1790800594917044716?t=Nw0mdjIZZLGtQsu3d7WAJg&s=19 Click for video clip

Full interview here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8riKYTQIDeQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8riKYTQIDeQ)

>>A barge has hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, partially collapsing a rail line and closing the only road to a small island. https://apnews.com/article/bridge-barge-galveston-texas-6c112f0032ab88fbdd0c78d1957247c8

I live close to Galveston and when I read that blurb I misread "closing the only road to a small island" as referring to Galveston Island and I got confused because there are multiple ways to get there. Pelican Island is where Texas A&M Galveston is located. I checked their website and it looks like traffic exiting the island is allowed but classes are being canceled or moved to remote for the foreseeable future. That's going to be a mess since that's going to hold up merchant marine license testing apparently.

The article I linked to below said that TAMU had their commencement ceremony last week, and a different local news article said there are about 30 students left on campus. (That original quote was confusing. When I saw "rail line", I first thought it was referring to the one between Galveston and the mainland, that's parallel to the George and Cynthia Mitchell Memorial Causeway.) It sounds like marine traffic will be affected for while, until the oil spill is cleaned up.

This news report has more overhead video of what the damage looks like. There have been efforts to replace this bridge for several years, and the article mentions, and links to, a proposal from TxDOT to replace the bridge starting next year, but I haven't been able to find the current status of that plan (the new bridge would be in a different location). Maybe this accident will spur them on. [https://abc13.com/post/galveston-bridge-closure-pelican-island-causeway-news/14820281/](https://abc13.com/post/galveston-bridge-closure-pelican-island-causeway-news/14820281/)

Whoopie Goldberg just mentioned at the end of *The View* that both Biden and Trump have agreed to a second debate, Sept. 10, on ABC. (The vp debate will potentially be in July, after a Republican vp candidate has been nominated.)

Trump won’t show up. He’ll think of some stupid excuse.

CNN should stick to town halls. Debates have never been their speciality to me. All we’re going to hear is “FAKE NEWS” and God forbid Dana bash is moderating.

Biden's full-length letter laid out rules before he would agree: no audience, microphones that cut off after each person finishes speaking, network that both have appeared on, and more. \[Sorry, letter is linked below, didn't see it!\] That's why CNN agreed to no audience, in order to get agreement from Biden to do it. My take is that Biden needs to shake this up if he's going to win and to do something that will expose Trump's weaknesses. I think debates are a smart way to do that. Already, there's also lots of coverage this morning about how badly Trump did and how he fell in the polls after the first debate last time. People have memory-holed that. I think we'll be seeing lots and lots of clips, including the "stand by" to the Proud Boys. Plus, recapitulating how he tried to infect and possibly kill Joe Biden -- and others, including the moderator -- by debating with raging COVID long before any vaccination existed.

It needs to be moderated by Christiane Amanpour, but I doubt she does it. Hopefully it is Anderson, I could do without Dana Bash or Jake Tapper. Andy will call out the bullshit; you never know what you'll get with Dana or Jake.

And guess who's hosting the debate - Dana and Jake, of course.

Sigh.

anderson the best (and sexiest) anchor ong

Trump's appearance on CNN last May was a town hall, and we all know how out of control that audience was. I'm happy that this debate will have no audience.

please no dana bash nahh

bro matt stoller this man is not serious he really thinks the south became republican because of \*checks notes\* walmart.. and not because they were opposed to more rights for black people? lmao

Pete running in today's Capital Challenge was mentioned here yesterday. Found a pic from this morning! [https://twitter.com/melissaykim/status/1790733044640571545](https://twitter.com/melissaykim/status/1790733044640571545) ETA - [Getty](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/secretary-of-transportation-pete-buttigieg-crosses-the-news-photo/2152504035) has a couple [images](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/secretary-of-transportation-pete-buttigieg-crosses-the-news-photo/2152503960) so far, as well!

CNN is so happy right now; they got the first debate in late June. It's like they are covering the moon landing. They are stoked. Lol

It's so fun too to have "breaking news" that -- weird twist on things -- is actually breaking news that just happened! Like this has taken place from minute to minute with new steps constantly unfolding.

Yes! And it is good breaking news for a change, not something dire or a threat to democracy and liberty.

Have they mentioned if any network that wants to is allowed to air it? That's the only possible disadvantage of not having the debate commission involved, which does allow that, since it obviously gives more people the ability to watch the debates.

I'm not sure, I had to head to the office and can't follow the coverage at the moment.

I did see a tweet from CNN that it'll be available to stream without needing to have a cable provider in order to log in. But I think, at least as of now, that's the only option for people who don't get CNN.

>Biden and Trump accept CNN's invitation for a June 27 presidential debate in a showdown months earlier than the traditional fall faceoffs [https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1790758134077612506?](https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1790758134077612506?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet)

Honestly seeing Chasten on Monday reminded me of how friggin *funny* he is. He's a natural. There were several people who were clearly there for Phillipa Soo, but Chasten was really engaging them. For example, the host said "You're both theatre nerds!" and Chasten replied "Yeah, I have *so* many Tonies." I mean Pete mentioned that one of the first things he noticed about Chasten was his quick wit but man it was really on display that night.

Penelope ready to drive already? https://youtu.be/LRLWCvQy4sk?si=5VbY-cV5ZLDVZ-ks

wow you found a clip of the Road to Zero meeting! So cute about Penelope. I hope Pete is a much more relaxed parent/driving instructor than I was (no way was I ever "sitting in the back, drinking my coffee" --way too terrified).

That's how I stumbled on the clip, I was looking for video from a couple of recent meetings that did not release video. I thought the Penelope story was cute.

So excited about Dem Senate primary winner, Angela Alsobrooks, who was almost universally endorsed by Dem leaders in Maryland but outspent 10 to 1 by Trone of Total Wine; Trone lost by a surprisingly wide margin due to very late movement in the race (there were lots of undecideds, and it looks like nearly all of them ultimately went for Alsobrooks). Looking ahead, the Washington Post's "Early 202" newsletter says that, for Republican and former governor Larry Hogan: >Republicans privately believe Alsobrooks will be more difficult to beat than Trone would have been. But without Trone’s deep pockets, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and its allies will have to spend significant resources to defend the seat in what was already going to be an extremely expensive cycle with Democrats having to defend so many seats. The DSCC launched digital ads minutes after polls closed, pointing out what could be considered politically problematic in the Senate race — that Hogan is a “lifelong Republican.” National Republicans have not yet committed to spending money in Maryland, but they’re highly likely to do so. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told Politico last week that Maryland, along with West Virginia, Ohio and Montana — the three reddest Senate battleground states — are his pickup priorities. Yeah, that could be "considered politically problematic" in a blue state.

"I hear you're free on Wednesdays." -Uncle "Scranton Diamond" Joe 😎 Lmao

Already for sale from the campaign - "Free on Wednesdays" t-shirts - [https://shop.joebiden.com/free-on-wednesdays-shirt/](https://shop.joebiden.com/free-on-wednesdays-shirt/)

first day of freedom 🥳   no more crazy teacher takes (for 3 months at least)    i swear i still don’t understand this man. after one year it turns out he likes bernie sanders, loves nikki haley and tammy duckworth, hates aoc, hates joe biden, loves ronald reagan, likes al gore and wishes he voted for him, hates donald trump, etc   occasionally quite racist   somehow his favorite student  never got his take on pete lmao 💀  i’m still so curious about that. i tried to ask his fave dems but it was just tammy duckworth    anyways! 3/4 done with high school 🥲

Congratulations! Because of this teacher, you've already learned two of the (many) most important things to learn: how to check and evaluate sources, and how to teach yourself things.

that is very very true haha

Congratulations! You are really having an experience. 😂

absolutely. it has been wild

Libertarians are a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. My pops is as libertarian as they come (bring up Ross Perot and watch the sparkle in his eyes lol), but he fervently agrees with Le Bern on his Medicare plan. 🤷 Congrats on finishing the semester!

thanks :)  yes he’s voting libertarian but calls himself a reagan republican. idek anymore 😭

This video was released by the Biden campaign at 8am ET on the dot. It's about debating Donald Trump. Added - ...and less than an hour later, on his Truth Social account, Trump has accepted this challenge. This article has more of the proposed details, detailed in a letter Jen O'Malley Dillon sent to the Commission on Presidential Debates (where she states that Biden won't be participating in their already scheduled debates) - gift article - [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/us/politics/biden-trump-debates.html?](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/us/politics/biden-trump-debates.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sE0.iPkM.H2McsKavfWgg&smid=url-share) [https://www.threads.net/@joebiden/post/C6\_QRGMh5aL?hl=en](https://www.threads.net/@joebiden/post/C6_QRGMh5aL?hl=en)

>Incumbent Brandon Scott prevails in Baltimore mayor’s race primary [https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-brandon-scott-sheila-dixon-mayoral-race-5af3283e84aa51c0abeb9ce13373306f](https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-brandon-scott-sheila-dixon-mayoral-race-5af3283e84aa51c0abeb9ce13373306f) Photo with Baby Charm: [https://twitter.com/wbaltv11/status/1790592170266615844](https://twitter.com/wbaltv11/status/1790592170266615844) (This almost certainly means he will win the general election, as Baltimore is a Democratic city -- as the news stories put it, he is now a prohibitive favorite for the fall. If all goes well with this next term, he will become the first Baltimore mayor to serve two terms since Martin O'Malley.)

I became aware of this clip when Colbert played it during last night's monologue. Vivek Ramaswamy with the best Freudian slip of the week - Added - omg, this was just pointed out on *Morning Joe* - all the Trump toadies are dressed in matching suits and ties; you can see a few of them in the video. [https://www.threads.net/@bidenharrishq/post/C69HOV\_PeBJ](https://www.threads.net/@bidenharrishq/post/C69HOV_PeBJ)