by John Walters

Portland

In Portland a white man who belonged to a group called Patriot Prayer was fatally shot in the chest on Saturday night. The name of the victim has not been released and no suspects have been identified.

Earlier in the evening a caravan of approximately 600 vehicles (mostly Chevy trucks?) entered the city, the sight of protests and often vandalism the past three months, as part of a pro-Trump rally.

Meanwhile the president is planning on visiting Kenosha, Wisc., on Tuesday.

Trump keeps stumping on “law and order” which, of course, is a dog-whistle for “stamp out free speech.” Here’s what we know: the president is taking the side of vigilante groups and, hilariously enough for a man who refuses to comply with legal decisions and pardons convicted criminals right-and-left, pretends to care about upholding the law.

What he really wants is to stoke a race war and promote white fear. Here’s Oregon governor Kate Brown: “But despite the President’s jeers and tweets, this is a matter of life and death. Whether it’s his completely incompetent response to the pandemic, where nearly 200,000 have died, or his outright encouragement of violence in our streets: it should be clear to everyone by now that no one is truly safe with Donald Trump as President.”

It’s incredible how little respect Trump commands from many politicians. It’s even more incredible that they’re right.

Buffett at 90

Billionaire Warren Buffett, who unlike fellow super-rich peers Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, never created a mega-company out of thin air (other than his own holding company, Berkshire Hathaway), turned 90 yesterday. What do you get for the man who owns everything?

Being the savvy investment guru that he is, Buffett issued a 2:1 split on himself, which means that there are now two Warren Buffetts who are each 45 years old.

If you ever saw the Netflix documentary on Buffett, you know he has a genius for understanding how to grow wealth and a void of knowledge in places the rest of us would take for granted. His ex-wife tells the story of being sick and nauseous in bed, and sending Warren down to the kitchen for a pot so that she’d have somewhere to vomit. He returned with a frying pan.

It should be noted that Buffett, the world’s third-richest man with a net worth of around $80 billion, has given away most of his earthly wealth while still here.

Gone Too Soon

Actor Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed both Jackie Robinson and James Brown in biopics, died over the weekend of colon cancer. He was only 43.

The Howard University grad gained international fame when he played the lead role of King T’Challa in Black Panther. That film was released in 2018, some two years after his first cancer diagnosis. Baseman’s illness was kept secret.

He also played an ill-fated soldier in Spike Lee’s Da’ 5 Bloods, released earlier this year on Netflix. Our personal favorite memory of Boseman comes from this SNL sketch, where the South Carolina native reprised his T’Challa/Black Panther character for the recurring “Black Jeopardy!” sketch.

The Tip Of The Iceberg

After last week’s Republican National Convention, we got to thinking about the 1997 film Titanic. We remembered how at the time Billy Zane’s pretentious and superficial Cal Hockley was the villain and Leo DiCaprio’s penniless but adventurous Jack Dawson was the hero.

And we wondered how anyone watching Titanic in 2020 could do anything but see that Cal is Trump’s Republican party and Jack is Joe Biden’s Democratic party.

Cal is slimy, insincere, dishonest and corrupt. He literally frames Jack Dawson for stealing a watch, knowing that it will result in his likely death. He only cares to possess things, not to actually love them.

Jack is, as he says, happy “with the air in my lungs” and “taking life as it comes.” He is more comfortable in steerage, but his lust for life attracts Rose (I’m not sure what she’s a metaphor for, but pretty sure Titanic is the good ol’ USA and the iceberg is November 3rd). And that scene in which Titanic’s crew are locking the steerage folks on the stairwell as the ship begins to sink, well, that’s good ol’ “law and order” (as is the officer shooting the male steerage passenger who comes too close to the lifeboat, as Micah notes).

Anyway, what has happened to us as a country that so many Americans are now identifying as Cal? Worth noting: Cal, coward that he is, does survive. Jack, our hero, dies nobly. But he does die. Maybe that’s all that matters to these people.

p.s. We’ve often wondered if Zane was too good a villain for his own good in this film. He was so loathsome, it only proves what a fantastic job he did. But did it hurt his career? Was he so inextricably linked to Cal that casting directors were unable to see him as anyone else? How many other big roles did Zane land after this?

Putt-Putt Golf

Two magnificent putts to close the BMW Open or whatever in Somewheresville, Illinois, yesterday. First, Dustin Johnson buries a 45-footer to force a playoff, and then Jon Rahm takes him out in the playoff hole with a 66-footer. Wowza.

by John Walters

Listening to Charles Barkley speaking to Wolf Blitzer on CNN the other night, this quote knocked me down: “It’s exhausting being black…especially if you’re a celebrity. I love Tom Brady, but nobody asks him what it’s like in white America.”

The brief NBA work stoppage earlier this week—Wednesday through Friday—demonstrated that athletes are able to be unified in terms of social justice and have even ruminated, seriously, about putting their money where their mouths are. That is, surrendering massive pay days in order to work toward justice.

The National Football League season is slated to begin in less than two weeks. And while I’d never expect Brady, or Drew Brees (or Jake Fromm) to threaten not to play, it’s important to remember that 70% of the players in the NFL are black. 70%.

Tom Brady can’t do much at quarterback with no one to throw to or no one to protect him.

The GOP is annoyed by the NBA’s protest—during the RNC, no less—but you have to think that Donald Trump believes that in terms of sports the NBA is, to use a term the president once used about the now-defunct USFL from decades ago, “small potatoes.”

However, if the 70% of the NFL that is black refused to play in two weeks, well, now that would be something. No league draws the type of television ratings, commands the nation’s attention, quite like the National Football League. An NFL strike would embolden both the NBA and MLB to go on strike. I hope you like hockey, America. Like, very much.

If NFL players simply chose not to play and announced that they were going to dedicate the next two months to helping people register to vote, to do everything in their power to promote the idea of voting on November 3rd, that would send a most powerful message.

It was less than six months ago that, in this space, I wrote that Colin Kaepernick would go down as the most important NFL player of this era with the possible exception of Brady. I wonder how many readers scoffed at that. In the time since I wrote that, Kaepernick’s legacy has only grown in stature.

Do I expect an NFL players strike to take place? No, not unless a few more black men (or women) are shot or killed under the most questionable of circumstances by the police in the next 10 days (and yes, who are we to say that cannot happen?). But if you are asking me what I’d like to see, this is it. No sports of any kind, or at least no black men playing those sports, between now and election day.

That is the most powerful statement these men (and women) could make.

by John Walters

Once Upon A Mud Night Dreary

From what we were able to ascertain, the president gave a speech blaming Joe Biden for what’s wrong with America. Which might have been effective rhetoric if Biden had been president the past four years as opposed to the man who was speaking.

And Ivanka spoke but did not wear her wedding ring. No explanation on that one so we won’t presume to guess why.

As for Trump’s speech, Frank Bruni does a good job of sifting through the bullshit in his column this morning. “It’s not a lie if you believe it, Jerry.”

Also, we thought David Brooks did an excellent job here illustrating what Trumpism is attempting to do: create a Mean World that doesn’t necessarily exist. It’s Bogeyman America.

Meanwhile, we hear that Trump PROMISED that there would be a vaccine “by the end of the year, if not sooner.” And why not promise that? The election is on November 3rd. If he’s wrong and he loses, who cares? And if he’s wrong and he wins, he won’t care. It’s the kind of guarantee a seasoned con man knows how to make, because there’s no downside in promising this lie. And if you think this president hasn’t lied about this pandemic already, well, you’re too dumb to be reading this blog.

A Farce In The Crowd

Meanwhile, the attendees of the RNC on the South Lawn of the White House numbered in the hundreds, seated close to one another, with few wearing masks. Apparently the president invoked his dead brother, Robert, whose death remains a mystery (did he go to a farm upstate to live with other overshadowed siblings?), and you had to wonder how many folks in this Sturgis East gathering might now meet the same fate. Wilbur Ross didn’t look so good, did he?

Posting Dale

This nerdy rant by CNN’s Daniel Dale is magical. You can hear the astonishment and earnestness in his voice as he fact-checks the president’s lies from his speech. Watch Cooper’s reaction at the end of his breathless polemic (“Well, that’s it?”). What’s truly incredible is that there’s no way Dale is reading off a teleprompter. He has all of that stored up in that gigantic brain of his and he’s simply flushing it out. Outstanding.

Lute Leaves

Arguably the most successful big-time coach in the history of Arizona sports, Lute Olson passed away earlier this week at the age of 85. Olson led the University of Arizona to the national championship in 1997—the Wildcats became the first and still only team since teams began being seeded in 1979 to defeat three No. 1’s en route to cutting down the nets in April.

Olson was the head coach in Tucson for 24 years and beat more No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tourney (7) than any coach has with the lone exception of Mike Krzyzewski (8). He took the Wildcats to 23 straight NCAA tourneys and a quartet of Final Four appearances.

We’ve always thought that one of the important factors in Olson’s success wast that in the 2nd through 6th seasons (five years) of his tenure in Tucson, he had a mature coach-on-the-court player by the name of Steve Kerr. In many ways Kerr has blossomed into the NBA style of coach that Olson was in college.

Gubernatorially handsome and always flashing a smile, Olson could have risen far in politics had he wanted. He had the look and the demeanor. Fortunately, he simply retired and enjoyed the 330 days of sunshine a year the Sonoran desert affords.

Karsten’s Koming

The oldest existing world record in men’s track? That belongs to Kevin Young of the USA, who in 1992 ran a 46.78 in the 400 hurdles at the Olympics in Barcelona. At the time Young became the first man in 20 years not named Edwin Moses to break the WR in that event.

But on Sunday in Stockholm Karsten Warholm of Norway, running in front of no fans during the pandemic, clocked a 46.87. That’s the second-fastest time in history…and Warholm struck the last of the 10 hurdles he needed to clear, which definitely slowed him some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oynlRDGD6GI

The men’s 5,000-meter world record was broken earlier this month by Joshua Cheptegei (12:35.36) in Monaco. The previous record (12:37.35) had been set in 2004 by Kenenisa Bekele. So on August 14th a 16 year-old world record was broken and on August 23rd a 28 year-old world record was nearly broken.

Are runners better off without fans?

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=29752711

This, from Maria Taylor, is eloquent and trenchant. I love how she says that “for years the black body has been a revenue-generating sport.” Or how she notes that the NBA players didn’t have a plan, but they didn’t have to. Because they did not create this problem. Love how she notes that Dylann Roof can shoot up a church of black people and be arrested as if he were jaywalking while Jacob Blake takes seven bullets to the chest for attempting to return to his vehicle.

Roof had murdered nine people. The cops were almost apologetic about it.

by John Walters

The Bucks Stop Here

The Milwaukee Bucks become the first major pro sports team, at least in our memory, to refuse to play a game. The Bucks skipped out on their playoff game with the Magic last night to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times in the back in Kenosha, Wisc., over the weekend by police. Blake was unarmed and it was broad daylight.

The Bucks’ action sparked a reaction all over sports. All three NBA games last night were not played and chances are that all three of tonight’s playoff games will also be called off. Certain Major League teams, including the Dodgers and Giants, also opted to not play.

The entire NBA postseason is in jeopardy. And why not? Players must be tired already of being part of the NBA Truman Show and meanwhile incidents like the Blake shooting continue to transpire.

If you read this space, you know we’ve been calling for black athletes to boycott playing for a variety of reasons over the past year. They do hold power and their leverage is their abstinence. Knowing how much the Bucks’ act must have pissed off POTUS on the third night of the RNC last night already makes it worth it.

We hope (perhaps selfishly) that the NBA players vote to end the season. It’s never mattered anyway after the mid-March interregnum. And those arguing that the players’ power comes from having the platform of playing are either being disingenuous or fooling themselves. Nothing would be more powerful than these players not playing and then being visible in communities extolling people to vote.

Finally, we loved Charles Barkley on CNN last night: “It’s exhausting being black, especially when you’re a celebrity. You know, I love Tom Brady, but nobody asks him about what’s going on in white America.” Yes. Damn!

This Is What ‘White Privilege’ Looks Like

I get tired of hearing “white privilege” used as a cudgel over and over, but to deny its existence is pure willful ignorance. This video clip from Kenosha is as pure example of it as you’ll ever see.

You can skip ahead to 2:30 of the video to get to the meaty part.

I imagine the Tucker Carlsons of the world will whitesplain that Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, was under attack by the mob and was only defending himself. I guess the questions I have are why Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Ill., drove some 30 miles with a long gun to be a part of this scene. And why, if he was supposedly “defending businesses,” was he out in the middle of the street with his gun.

What is truly horrifying takes place after the shootings. There’s Rittenhouse walking down the center of the road as three police vehicles slowly approach. People are screaming “He shot somebody,” the gun is clearly visible, and the cops are apathetic. They clearly do not see Rittenhouse as a threat (in an earlier video Rittenhouse and other “vigilantes” are being given water bottles by the cops).

As Don Lemon asked on CNN last night, “What would happen if he had been Muslim, black or Latino?” I think we all know, Don. I share your frustration that the guest to whom you asked that question chose such a milquetoast response.

This was on the same night that AARP Ken Doll Mike Pence pledged “law and order.” How about law and justice, for once?

Oh, and of course, of course, this kid was in the front row of a Trump rally or two. Of course.

You’re Dead To Me, Lou

Here’s former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz speaking at the RNC last night:

You can listen for yourself. What we here don’t understand is how Republicans are able to overlap their “values” with the glaringly obvious failings and/or corruption of Donald Trump. Here’s Charlie Kirk on Monday night:

“President Trump was elected to defend the American way of life…The American way of life means you follow the law, you work hard, you honor God, you raise your kids with strong values and you work to create a civil society.”

As Frank Bruni of The New York Times reacted, “Excuse me? Trump doesn’t bow to the law, not to go by the tax returns that journalists have gotten their hands on, by the hush money paid to a porn star, by his rescue of Roger Stone. The examples abound.”

This is what Trump Republicans don’t seem to get. It’s not (all of) their values that are so misplaced. It’s that they actually believe that Donald Trump is a gatekeeper of such values. It’s laughable. As are they.

By the way, pity the Republicans. In just four short years, Trump, a Democrat most of his life who only a dozen or so years ago seriously considered running for president as a Democrat, has completely hijacked their party. During the first three nights of the RNC speakers America has heard included Donald Trump, Jr., Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Tiffany Trump, Melania Trump and Donald Jr.’s girlfriend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMRV0dx9_Vk

It’s like one of those King family Christmas specials from the 1970s when you didn’t quite know who the King family were, you just knew they were wealthy and they were going to occupy your screen for the entire hour.

Never mind, by the way, that the White House is not supposed to be prostituted out as a campaign backdrop or that the Secretary of State is not supposed to take sides in an election.

Man, I cannot wait until Biden is president and all of these same Republicans remember decorum and protocol and emoluments clauses and the like. It’s going to be rich, the irony. And they’ll be unapologetically shameless about it.

More Fun From The Graham Norton Show

Here in America, British expat James Corden attempts (or before Covid-19, attempted) to recreate the magic of The Graham Norton Show, but it just does not translate. How Norton manages to wrangle big stars (I believe the show airs just once a week) and then make them so comfortable with one another (I believe alcohol is involved) always amazes me.

Here, in just a two-minte clip, are two very funny anecdotes. Enjoy. And all four of the celebrities are clearly enjoying themselves. That’s what always stands out about the Norton show and what makes him such an extraordinary host: the guests want to participate and are clearly having a blast.

Laura Blows

The first of the two hurricanes slated to hit the Louisiana and Texas coasts, Laura, made landfall last night (love that word: landfall). Laura is a category 4 hurricane and its effects will be exacerbated by a pandemic that will cause locals to think twice about fleeing to a crowded shelter (thanks, Obama… that’s what I’m supposed to say when anything goes wrong, right? Even if none of the crisis is of his making?).

Anyway, more death. More property damage. More loss. But it’s mostly poor black people so don’t worry about it. You’ll probably hear little about it in the president’s remarks tonight from the RNC.

Tesla (Cont.)

Tesla stock, like the crime rate in New York City as described in the Rolling Stones’ “Shattered,” keeps “going up, up, up, up, up!”

You could’ve owned Tesla (TSLA) for as little as $805 on May 28th, or three months ago. Today, after yet another morning of the stock rising more than $50 (third consecutive day), it’s above $2,200. That’s nearly 200% up in three months.

Now, while we do hear you, Susie B. (“Tulips!”), you’d be wise to remember that the stock’s 4-for-1 split coming on August 31st is going to put the stock price back in the $500 range. And while it doesn’t technically change the value of the stock, you tell that to a millennial with a Robin Hood account who doesn’t care too much about EPS or P/E ratios.

Seeing the price of Tesla stock back at around $500 will stimulate more buying. Will Tesla, after the split, be up near $1,000 in value by year’s end? We think so.