Monday, June 23, 2025

And The Man Might Do It

It would be funny! Though he'll still probably have to go up against Cuomo AND Adams AND a Republican in the general because everything is stupid.

The final Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey of the New York City Democratic mayoral primary finds former Governor Andrew Cuomo leading with 35% support, followed closely by Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani at 32%, and Comptroller Brad Lander at 13%. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams follows with 8%, Scott Stringer with 3%, and 4% of voters remain undecided ahead of Tuesday’s election. Since last month’s poll, Mamdani gained ten points on the initial ballot test, rising from 22% to 32%, while Cuomo gained one point, 34% to 35%.

Mamdani would win the primary after the ranked choice voting was calculated, if this poll is correct. 

Incompetent Old Guard

If all the old centrists wanted to rally behind one of their own for the New York mayoral primary, they could've chosen someone who wasn't a corrupt sex pest from the suburbs who most of them had previously called on to resign just a few years ago.

They should be condemned for not even trying.  Don't put yourself in charge if you can't even be bothered to do the work.

We can argue a bit about how much of this is genuinely about ideological differences, how much of it is  the desperation to make sure one of our guys is in charge of sprawling patronage networks, and how much of it is about an ageing generation who can't imagine a world that isn't about them.

And how much of it is about racism, of course.  

But, back to the main point, you guys were fucking lazy! Even Cuomo himself was so incompetent and lazy he fucked up getting matching funds!

These people should be embarrassed.

Even Dumber

The Tesla company guys are in the passenger seat, not the driver's, which means they're there to hit an emergency stop button and communicate with the teleoperator.  In other words, there is >1 employee per car, probably close to 2 at the moment.

Morning

go

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Nobody Could've Predicted

Elon's robotaxis have drivers.
(update: this is wrong - the company guys are in the passenger seat, thanks to reader R for pointing this out)

Sure Why Not

More great moments in diplomacy.
WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on China to encourage Iran to not shut down the Strait of Hormuz after Washington carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

What's Next

I have no idea what Iran will do, and what we will do in response.

I am pretty sure they sold Trump on the idea that he could just do this and move on but that doesn't mean it is the likely outcome.

Jaded Cynics Score Another Win

Amazing.
Bill Clinton Endorses Andrew Cuomo for New York City Mayor

Oopsie It Happened Again

Saturday, June 21, 2025

Happy Hour

Mahmoud Khalil emerges from airport security with his wife Noor and newborn, legal team and Rep. AOC.

[image or embed]

— Gwynne Hogan (@gwynnefitz.bsky.social) June 21, 2025 at 6:37 PM

Donors

A minor mystery in politics is why candidates in safe seats care so much about them. Most of them shouldn't, of course, unless the reason is something different from what the reason is usually portrayed.

I think I do understand the reasons for this, but as far as I know there has been zero reporting on why this actually is.

Media Studies

I'm not faulting this NYT article, but I invite you to consider it in the broader context.

Melting Pot

Occasional reminder that Laura Ingraham has 3 adopted children, one from Guatemala and two from Russia.

Pham

Send the Bishops everywhere.
Bishop Pham, himself a Vietnamese refugee as a child, said ICE agents were “standing there covered with masks as we walked toward the courtroom. Eventually the … agents kind of scattered and went away. No wonder people come in fear.”

Morning

Slacker Saturday

Friday, June 20, 2025

Friday Night

On your own.

Some Good News

We'll take what we can get.
Mahmoud Khalil was granted release on bail by a federal judge after a hearing Friday, in the latest move in the pro-Palestinian activist's legal saga following his March arrest that spotlighted the Trump administration's deportation crackdown.

Afternoon

Busy with some things

Lunch

eat

Crisis Or Opportunity

I bet Elon would love to delay his non-working robotaxis and blame "the regulators."