Press -- With No Other Major Races Going On -- Opines Wildly About Virginia Governor's Race

                                            Terry McAuliffe, former Governor of Virginia

Quickly --

 

  ... polls have shown McAuliffe, who previously served as governor from 2014 to 2018, tied with Republican former business executive Glenn Youngkin with the election a week away — and the president's own popularity is on the decline.

     --St Louis Post-Dispatch

 

Here we have a typical article from the press these last days on the race for Virginia governor.  I have been following the various polls on Nate Silver's Five Thirty-eight. I have paid special attention to the aggregate of all polls, which I find to be about the best way to account for the variations in poll results.  

 What the Post-Dispatch (otherwise a pretty good newspaper) does not say is that Youngkin's numbers have also gone down in recent days, and that McAuliffe still leads.  In fact, McAuliffe has led the entire way, although by a smaller margin recently.  

But this can partly be explained by Youngkin becoming more known. It is telling, moreover, that his numbers are deflating slightly.  It seems to me that is not what a candidate wants to see one week before the election.  No wonder Youngkin's approach is increasing in intensity and, dishonesty* -- and ugliness.   

*For example, his latest ad inaccurately accuses Mr. McAuliffe of wanting the government to come betwee parents and their children.  This is simly preposterous.  (I plan to have a source for this soon.) 

 

 

Frankly, he's a menace.

 The vast majority of voters all hoped he would disappear from the limelight.  Sadly, this was not to be.  And it appears it will not be until stronger political force is brought to bear. 

No one wishes him any physical harm.  But the general populace must take him much more seriously.  First, the media must take his threat much more seriously.  

More later

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Meanwhile, please see post here about Robert Kagan article.  

Tony Bennett Does It One More Time

 Here is Tony Bennett, master songster on his 95th birthday not only singing through difficulties, but reaching the top of the mountain.  Mr. Bennett here shows that not only could he still perform marvelously, but that even at an advanced age, one can still grow and develop beautifully.

Listen to the shine, the confidence.  That is experience building on experience,  and showing forth on a new day in a new way.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=yNrvXw9juNs&feature=share

Courtesy CBS

Americans’ Trust in Media Drops to New Low

While the media obsesses over President Biden’s approval ratings, trust in the media has fallen to the second lowest level since 1997.

Let us not forget the media’s awarding Donald Trump with over a billion dollars in free publicity in the 2016 campaign.  

In contrast, there is little mention now of Mr. Biden’s accomplishments, to wit, success in seeing that vast numbers of Americans have received the COVID vaccine resulting in millions getting back to work; the shipment of free vaccine to countries all around the globe; a scandal-free administration; a constitutional government; a crack-down on violations of anti-trust law;  a comprehensive infrastructure plan;  economic aid to the newly unemployed, plus cities and states; and the list goes on.

One wishes gratitude was as prized a value as the glorification of opinion numbers.

Trust in Media Sinks 

 https://news.gallup.com/poll/355526/americans-trust-media-dips-second-lowest-record.aspx

President Biden’s Approval Numbers Improve

 With the Afghanistan withdrawal fading into the background, Americans seem more likely to support the President in a new NPR/Marist poll.

Americans do want their President to succeed, and President Biden’s strengths appear to be winning over more people at this time.

President Biden’s Approval Numbers Recover Somewhat