Part of me pedantically dislikes these year-end lists, because they inevitably exclude anything that occurred in the last two weeks of December, rendering that period a strange chronological void.
The Biden withdrawal is definitely a contender! The others, in the article, as you say, are boring. I imagine they are mostly all Americans who can't imagine that anything anywhere else might be important. From that perspective, history might claim Luigi to be a close second.
In the wider world, the rulings of the ICJ on the criminal actions by Israel, including that their entire occupation is illegal, might well be considered to have been a major development of huge importance, either by bolstering the rule of law in international affairs, or by bringing down the post-WWII institutions we have all gotten used to, and which served the US interests so very well, for so very long.
I think the moment that defined 2024 was Biden's debate performance. Laid bare in all its glory was all the endless gaslighting about Biden's mental capacity. The world saw that he was obviously suffering from dementia, and the reality that he was not the actual person leading the executive branch of government was truly shocking to many people.
I may be splitting hairs here but It wasn't so much that Biden dropped out of the race, it was when & what ensued afterwards. Vivek called this early when he was debating for the Republican nomination for POTUS.
Biden dropped out AFTER the primaries & Harris supplanted him without a single primary vote. The Democratic Party subverted democracy to save democracy yet the MSM didn't even blink.
I, personally, think THIS is when generally most people woke up & said "What?"
I was amazed at how readily Democrats accepted the new situation.
The least popular VP in modern memory was suddenly installed as the new presidential candidate, & most Democrats joined in the ensuing "Politics of Joy" with no questions asked.
As a private corporation, the DNC is entitled to appoint its nominees for president without any sort of primary process at all; this is precisely the argument the DNC used in court to defend the absurd primary shenanigans that resulted in Clinton's nomination in 2016.
When they shifted $100,000,000 from the Biden campaign to the Harris campaign last summer, they broke federal election campaign law in tiny bits, chewed it thoroughly, and spit it at the electorate, but that fact seems to be elided by... everyone.
re the $100 million campaign fund, I remember reading at the time that Harris was the only one that it could legally be transferred to, and that was an early reason for choosing Harris. Interesting to hear that might not have been the case.
Election fund law is, for a wonder, crystal clear about razzle-dazzle backfield plays with money donated to a particular campaign. Harris did not have a campaign or a campaign fund; they just reassigned her Joe’s. None of the donors to that hundred megabuck pot donated to Harris, they donated to Biden. Legally, it matters. Realistically, it never will.
With respect to your work, if your idea of a good time on a Saturday night is to watch old interviews with Donald Rumsfeld, then please, I ask you to reconsider your options. ;)
I got a chuckle out of Michael's phrasing there: "Last night I happened to be listening to an old C-SPAN interview with Donald Rumsfeld, as one does on a Saturday night. . ."
Crookes didn't fire the bullet that winged Trump; this was the same bullet which hit the guy in the top row of bleachers behind the stage: this bullet was rising and was fired from the window of the building Crookes was atop.
In political terms, there were a number of coups and collapses of government in multiple countries. Frankly I doubt whether the next president being Trump or Harris/Biden would make any well reasoned top 5 list at all.
However, the defining political feature of 2024 was the Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza -- and its full throated backing by the US and EU leadership (thereby burying the so-called rules based order for all time). Full stop.
This is a great exercise. And I think the “moment” you selected is one definitely worthy highlighting. I covered it at the time as well as a truly jarring moment in media, where you got to see a real-time case study of propaganda and the manufacturing of public opinion being hashed out within such a short window period.
The galvanizing moment was a 78 year old man having a bullet clip his ear, instinctively go to the ground, then stand back up, pump his fist, and yell "Fight! Fight! Fight!" I've got the T-shirt, from the iconic photograph Mike isn't mentioning. I told people it was the moment Trump got re-elected. Emblematic of the most remarkable political comeback in history, with literally every elite group arrayed against him.
I'm reminded of the time Reagan made a state visit to West Germany, and a balloon went off with a loud POP during his speech. "Missed" said Reagan without losing a beat (this was after his recovery from a shooting that nearly killed him). The room erupted.
That's definitely an unprecedented development for sure. It did prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the Democratic Party has nothing but contempt for democracy.
On second thought, I'm thinking history will may well say that Ansarallah, AKA the Houthis, were the people who will be most remembered for what they have done i 2024, and are doing, to support the people of Gaza. Small they may be, with limited weapons, facing overwhelming power, theirs are the actions of legends.
The Biden withdrawal is definitely a contender! The others, in the article, as you say, are boring. I imagine they are mostly all Americans who can't imagine that anything anywhere else might be important. From that perspective, history might claim Luigi to be a close second.
In the wider world, the rulings of the ICJ on the criminal actions by Israel, including that their entire occupation is illegal, might well be considered to have been a major development of huge importance, either by bolstering the rule of law in international affairs, or by bringing down the post-WWII institutions we have all gotten used to, and which served the US interests so very well, for so very long.
I think the moment that defined 2024 was Biden's debate performance. Laid bare in all its glory was all the endless gaslighting about Biden's mental capacity. The world saw that he was obviously suffering from dementia, and the reality that he was not the actual person leading the executive branch of government was truly shocking to many people.
Joe Scarborough insisting that Biden was intellectually at peak efficiency will be thrown in his face for as long as he has a face to throw it in.
Joe has Teflon face. He's already licking Trump's boots. Some people have no shame.
I may be splitting hairs here but It wasn't so much that Biden dropped out of the race, it was when & what ensued afterwards. Vivek called this early when he was debating for the Republican nomination for POTUS.
Biden dropped out AFTER the primaries & Harris supplanted him without a single primary vote. The Democratic Party subverted democracy to save democracy yet the MSM didn't even blink.
I, personally, think THIS is when generally most people woke up & said "What?"
None of my friends, mostly loyal Democrats, thought there was any problem at all with that.
And that in itself, is bizarre.
I was amazed at how readily Democrats accepted the new situation.
The least popular VP in modern memory was suddenly installed as the new presidential candidate, & most Democrats joined in the ensuing "Politics of Joy" with no questions asked.
And when I gently and reasonably pointed out that there had not been a primary, none disagreed but they only looked mildly discomfited, if at all.
After paying absolutely no attention to the vice president ever, my left-wing friends at our weekly croquet game were exhibiting The Joy™.
It was like they were victims of a stage hypnotist who was tired of making people act like a chicken.
It is so weird. . .
As a private corporation, the DNC is entitled to appoint its nominees for president without any sort of primary process at all; this is precisely the argument the DNC used in court to defend the absurd primary shenanigans that resulted in Clinton's nomination in 2016.
When they shifted $100,000,000 from the Biden campaign to the Harris campaign last summer, they broke federal election campaign law in tiny bits, chewed it thoroughly, and spit it at the electorate, but that fact seems to be elided by... everyone.
re the $100 million campaign fund, I remember reading at the time that Harris was the only one that it could legally be transferred to, and that was an early reason for choosing Harris. Interesting to hear that might not have been the case.
Election fund law is, for a wonder, crystal clear about razzle-dazzle backfield plays with money donated to a particular campaign. Harris did not have a campaign or a campaign fund; they just reassigned her Joe’s. None of the donors to that hundred megabuck pot donated to Harris, they donated to Biden. Legally, it matters. Realistically, it never will.
Yet another part of that whole mess to be pissed about.
“Biden Pulls Out”
I wish he had, then we wouldn’t have Hunter.
Smartass comment of the week!
With respect to your work, if your idea of a good time on a Saturday night is to watch old interviews with Donald Rumsfeld, then please, I ask you to reconsider your options. ;)
@Red
It's like hitting one's self over the head with a hammer, it just feels so good when you stop!
I got a chuckle out of Michael's phrasing there: "Last night I happened to be listening to an old C-SPAN interview with Donald Rumsfeld, as one does on a Saturday night. . ."
It seems like the whole thing was acted out to make the old guard look like the perpetrators so the new guard can try to come out squeaky clean.
But this time around, can they pull the same shit again without people reminded of the corruption that is now acceptable to point out? Nope
Crookes didn't fire the bullet that winged Trump; this was the same bullet which hit the guy in the top row of bleachers behind the stage: this bullet was rising and was fired from the window of the building Crookes was atop.
See Chris Martenson's excellent analysis.
What a good, biting blurb about a bizarre, bullshit spectacle.
In political terms, there were a number of coups and collapses of government in multiple countries. Frankly I doubt whether the next president being Trump or Harris/Biden would make any well reasoned top 5 list at all.
However, the defining political feature of 2024 was the Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza -- and its full throated backing by the US and EU leadership (thereby burying the so-called rules based order for all time). Full stop.
This is a great exercise. And I think the “moment” you selected is one definitely worthy highlighting. I covered it at the time as well as a truly jarring moment in media, where you got to see a real-time case study of propaganda and the manufacturing of public opinion being hashed out within such a short window period.
Those interested in that coverage can read more on my Substack “New Outlook” where I cover politics, media, and culture: https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenobisanya/p/the-methodical-manufacturing-of-public?r=b9m27&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
The galvanizing moment was a 78 year old man having a bullet clip his ear, instinctively go to the ground, then stand back up, pump his fist, and yell "Fight! Fight! Fight!" I've got the T-shirt, from the iconic photograph Mike isn't mentioning. I told people it was the moment Trump got re-elected. Emblematic of the most remarkable political comeback in history, with literally every elite group arrayed against him.
I'm reminded of the time Reagan made a state visit to West Germany, and a balloon went off with a loud POP during his speech. "Missed" said Reagan without losing a beat (this was after his recovery from a shooting that nearly killed him). The room erupted.
True, because it was more than a failed assassination attempt.
That's definitely an unprecedented development for sure. It did prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the Democratic Party has nothing but contempt for democracy.
Very well put, Michael.
On second thought, I'm thinking history will may well say that Ansarallah, AKA the Houthis, were the people who will be most remembered for what they have done i 2024, and are doing, to support the people of Gaza. Small they may be, with limited weapons, facing overwhelming power, theirs are the actions of legends.