By Chris Stirewalt | Friday, November 21 |
By Chris Stirewalt Friday, November 21 |
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A high opinion of Death by Lightning |
Opinions are luxury items, so I try not to have more than I can afford.
An opinion, of course, is different from a belief, which is itself different from faith. I believe in God. I have faith that I will be admitted to the Kingdom of Heaven. It is my opinion that the designated hitter rule is an abomination.
Being a congenital know-it-all, I have spent a lot of my adult life trying to shed opinions. The older I get, the more I understand. The more I understand, the more loosely I hold my opinions. The more loosely I hold my opinions, the closer I can hold the brotherhood of man. I think this is what they call "wisdom," but I can't be sure since I work in Washington, where there's not much chance for comparison. Opinions are so hard to give up because when you've got one that you just can't let go of — when you've held it like a grudge and nurtured it like a buzzard with a broken wing — it feels amazing when it finally hits. Ooooh, baby. That's me this week with James Abram Garfield. My entire adult life, I have been an evangelist for the man from Mentor, Ohio. Was it because I liked the cartoon cat as a child? Maybe, but that wouldn't be enough to explain my devotedness of opinion. (Though the cat was named for the artist's grandfather, James Garfield Davis, who was almost certainly named for the martyred president.) I think it was that I saw the 20th president, who served just six months, as among the greatest "what if" stories in American history: Noble, honest, wise and deeply patriotic, his unlikely ascendancy from backwoods congressman to the presidency in 1880 might have been a deliverance from the corruption and dysfunction of the Gilded Age. It's like "The Natural," but for politics. A man too pure in his love of public service who challenged the corruption of the day and paid a terrible price. He was really something. Read the speech Garfield gave at Arlington Cemetery on the first observance of what we now call Memorial Day, quoting John Milton with fluent grace and writing soaring oratory of his own: "The nation was summoned to arms by every high motive which can inspire men. Two centuries of freedom had made its people unfit for despotism. They must save their government or miserably perish. "As a flash of lightning in a midnight tempest reveals the abysmal horrors of the sea, so did the flash of the first gun disclose the awful abyss into which rebellion was ready to plunge us. In a moment the fire was lighted in 20 million hearts." Blammo. Garfield was a kind of finer version of Abraham Lincoln. A humbly born child of the frontier, with an innate understanding of American liberty, but who, unlike Lincoln, was given the chance at a first-rate education. He lacked Lincoln's wiliness and sense of humor, some of Lincoln's genius and almost all of Lincoln's ambition, but Garfield would truly have been a worthy successor. I think my strong opinion about him is also from my fondness for things and people too often overlooked. My pantheon of the underrated presidential greats holds Calvin Coolidge, Grover Cleveland high aloft, with Garfield set aside in a little alcove under the inscription, "What might have been." I have bored friends and strangers with stories. I've written and opined about his underrated greatness for probably 20 years. I've shoehorned him into the books I've written. I've been to the man's house … twice. So, in sum, it's a really good story and I am a weirdo. Then, in 2011, historian Candice Millard had her own flash of lightning in a midnight tempest with the publication of "Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President." Written like a true-crime page-turner, the book reintroduced Garfield to an America that didn't know how badly it needed his example. She made the most of an amazing cast of characters, from the scheming Sen. Roscoe Conkling to Charles Guiteau, the preposterous but still terrifying assassin, to a frustrated Alexander Graham Bell, who tried and failed to invent a way to save the president from the clumsy, fame-seeking doctors who ultimately caused Garfield's death. And so I watched Garfield's reputation grow with real satisfaction. And the moment was right. As our own times became more troubled, as corruption became rampant, as power politics shed even the barest nods to patriotic grace, as cynicism became a strategy, we were very much in need of him. But a decade ago, even I, a Garfield superfan, would not have guessed that one of the most popular shows in the country today would have been about Millard's story. And yet, here we are. "Death by Lightning" keeps climbing the charts at Netflix, and with good reason. I should warn that it is not family fare — at all. Nor is it faithful to the jots and tittles of political history, but unless you are a weirdo like me, you won't even notice. It is funny, sad, endearing, stirring and brilliantly cast. Its four episodes fly by. And the show, like Millard's book, also reminds me to wear my opinions lightly. The story of Garfield that I had become attached to was the story of "what if." But that wasn't exactly right. It's really a story of unintended consequences and unwritten destinies. Nick Offerman's portrayal of accidental President Chester Arthur is a revelation. Taking ample liberties, Offerman gives us Artur as the blunt brawler, not the prissy dandy that historians so often described. Offerman's Arthur isn't a stooge or a factotum for sharper men, he's a hard-nosed realist. Rather than Conkling forcing Arthur on the ticket with Garfield as a guarantee of political spoils, we see Arthur defy Conkling to take the job. And when we see Garfield killed by a deranged seeker of those spoils, it is not that Arthur bows to political pressure to enact the civil service reforms, it is that he also believes it is necessary and right to do so. Offerman opens the possibility of Arthur as a man who was moved by the example of the great man to be a better man himself. And that's a story American politics very much needs today. We need a politics that allows imperfect women and men, too often captured by their own ambitions, to be open to the possibility that there is room for enough patriotism to do the right thing even when they don't have to. At least, that's my opinion. [Programming alert: Watch "The Hill Sunday with Chris Stirewalt" — guests this week include Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee; Rep. Julie Johnson (D-Texas) of the House Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security committees; and Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center, as we continue our trip to the 250th anniversary of America's founding with his new book "The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America." We'll also get granular on the big changes in the generic ballot in our Whole Hog segment. All that, and our best-in-the-business panel of journalists, including Megan McArdle, Carl Hulse and Emily Brooks.] |
Holy croakano! We welcome your feedback, so please email us with your tips, corrections, reactions & amplifications: WholeHogPolitics@TheHill.com. If you'd like to be considered for publication, please include your name and hometown. If you don't want your comments to be publicized, please specify. |
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| Net Score: -17 points Change from last week: ↑ 0.6 points Change from one month ago: ↓ 3.6 points |
[Average includes: Fox News 41 percent approve - 58 percent disapprove; Reuters/Ipsos 38 percent approve - 60 percent disapprove; Echelon Insights 42 percent approve - 57 percent disapprove; Marist University 39 percent approve - 56 percent disapprove; Marquette University Law School 43 percent approve - 57 percent disapprove.] |
Republican: 41.4 percent Democratic: 47.2 percent Advantage: D +5.8 points [Average includes: Marquette University Law School 44 percent Republican - 49 percent Democratic; Marist University 41 percent Republican -55 percent Democratic; Reuters/Ipsos 40 percent Republican - 41 percent Democratic; Emerson College 40 percent Republican - 44 percent Democratic; CNN 42 percent Republican - 47 percent Democratic.] |
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Writer Jack Rodolico didn't set out to chronicle the story of a daring thief of art and antiques who burglarized some of America's richest and most powerful families in Greenwich, Conn. But once he started snooping, like the crook, he just couldn't help himself. The Atavist: "Greenwich detective Jim Hirsch had become somewhat inured to such crimes when he first heard about the burglary. Home robberies peaked nationally in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and Greenwich, where many houses were essentially poorly guarded museums, attracted talented thieves. There was the Silver Bandit, who snuck into the dining room of a home while its occupants were sleeping to steal antique silver. There was the Dinner Set Gang, who, while the rich entertained in the dining room, tore apart the bedrooms in search of jewelry. These thieves were a 'pain in the ass,' Hirsch told me. It would take Hirsch some time to discern what was exceptional about the crew that pulled off the Independence Day heist." |
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After court ruling, Dems take the lead on gerrymandering wars: WaPo: "President Donald Trump's plan to shore up Republicans' House majority in the 2026 midterm elections by redrawing congressional maps is backfiring, at least for now. When Trump pressured Republicans in Texas and other states to carve up their districts, his party appeared to have the upper hand. They controlled the redistricting process in more states and therefore could net more seats. But so far, Trump is losing. Democrats, who once thought they would come up short in a gerrymandering war, are on track to net an estimated five seats. And while that could shift, they may still end up with an advantage by the time state legislators, voters and courts finish weighing in." |
Indiana governor bashes fellow GOP legislators over refusal to deliver seats: The Hill: "'Indiana's State Legislators must show up for work and take a public vote for fair maps to counter the gerrymandering in California and Illinois,' [Republican Gov. Mike Braun] wrote. 'But the Indiana State Senate is hiding behind closed doors and refusing to even bring redistricting to a vote,' he continued. 'Hoosiers deserve to know where their legislators stand and expect them to show up for work, not walk out and hide in the dark.' Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray (R) announced last week that his caucus did not have enough votes to redistrict, saying lawmakers would not be convening next month for a special session." |
Florida Republicans take baby step toward gerrymander: Florida Politics: "The Florida House has announced what would be the first step in a highly anticipated mid-decade congressional redistricting effort. A House schedule shows the Congressional Redistricting Select Committee will hold its first meeting on Dec. 4 … and some members of the committee were surprised to see the meeting on the schedule. The move came just a week after House Speaker Daniel Perez told Politico at the Lincoln Day Dinner in Miami that 'redistricting hasn't been a conversation that we've had yet.' Gov. Ron DeSantis shortly afterward made clear he still expects movement and encouraged people to 'stay tuned.'" |
The party's over: a look at the global collapse of mainstream politics: The Atlantic: "E. E. Schattschneider, one of the most influential political scientists of the mid-20th century, once wrote that 'modern democracy is unthinkable save in terms of the parties. As a matter of fact, the condition of the parties is the best possible evidence of the nature of any regime.' By that score, the current nature of the party regime is faithless, fragmented, and febrile. Voters are less committed to parties, angrier at their fellow citizens, and quicker to become disgruntled with government. The ascendant parties—the MAGA version of the Republican Party, Britain's Reform, France's National Rally, and the German AfD—present themselves as preservers of national culture from immigration, globalization, and the corrupt and decadent elites of the old mainstream parties. This unwinding is the result of deeper forces, social and economic transformations that have unmoored the old mass parties of left and right." |
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Thune won't play in GOP's Georgia Senate primary, as costly dogfight continues — Punchbowl News Billionaire climate activist Steyer joins California governor race — The Hill And probably Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, too — KTLA Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani give cold shoulder to socialist primary challenger to Jeffries — The Hill Siena poll shows Stefanik starting way behind in bid to unseat Hochul — The Hill Dems will have to wait until Jan. 31 for runoff to fill vacancy in deep-blue Houston district — KXAS Fraud charges against Cherfilus-McCormick may open primary battle in Democratic district — The Hill Former San Francisco Mayor London Breed passes on run for Pelosi seat, backs heir apparent — KTVU Trump makes Miami's mayoral runoff a referendum on himself — Miami Herald Termed-limited Kansas Gov. Kelly formally endorses moderate Dem as successor — KSNW |
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"That is specifically why I said 'a' Jeffrey Epstein … so at least I wasn't trying to mislead people." — Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in a CNN interview defending her insinuation on the House floor that many notable Republicans had accepted campaign contributions from the notorious sex criminal. |
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"I just have to let you know how much I miss having you and any teammate in my weekly podcast feed. I hope you're on The Remnant again soon, so I can hear you talk about whatever 'strange new respect' the media might be feeling for MTG these days, or how CBS is doing under Bari Weiss's leadership, or whatever food you're enjoying these days. (We have a Portillo's out here near Disneyland and while recently devouring my Chicago dog followed by a Polish dog I wondered what you would think of either.) Blessings to you in this season of thanks." — Michael Grabowski, Mission Viejo, Calif. |
Mr. Grabowski, You put a lot of stuffing in that bird! Let me try to take it one bite at a time. On the podcast front, I have an exciting project in the works. I'm not ready to tell you the details, but I will be back in your queue in 2026. As for Brother Jonah Goldberg, he's been doing some really good big-brain stuff of late (I highly recommend his talk with William Imboden on the state of higher education and the dash through Napoleonic history with Andrew Lambert.) But sooner or later, he will have to come crawling back for that rank, rank punditry … On the matter of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and the massive dose of MTG SNR, I am very open to the possibility that she is sincere in her regret for having helped to poison the public discourse. Growing up is hard to do. Many people never do it at all, so I applaud those who even bother to try. I am less inclined to think sincere many of her new admirers in the media. The enemy of their audience's enemy is their friend, until they make up … As for CBS News, I can't yet really tell how it's going. There have been a lot of mixed messages, but one thing I know for sure is that I do not envy Weiss or her job. Here we have another sincerity test. The new owners of CBS say they want an aspirationally fair, independent news division. Like the new regime at The Washington Post, that will necessarily mean frequently clashing with an administration that is absolutely buck wild. Love it or hate it, Trump 2.0 is a churning cauldron of controversy, and any fair coverage would reflect that. After a lot of angst on the left about favorable coverage of the right, "60 Minutes" this week delivered a potent take on the jaw-dropping pardon of a crypto billionaire who had massively enriched the Trumps. Let's see where they go from here. And, most importantly, the food. I took a birthday break from my meat-based diet and have a bulletin: Garlic bread is really, really delicious. Holy smokes. I'm back in the meat bag until Thanksgiving, when I will again live the carb-y life in service of my long devotion to the king of holiday sides, dressing. I don't know about eating Portillo's in Southern California, though. The vibes seem way off there. If I'm going to eat Chicago's favorite wet sandwich, I think I need the environment to be as gray as the beef itself … Wretch on, c |
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It is my habit each year to share the Thanksgiving column by Adam Kelly, a great West Virginia newspaperman whose column was called The Country Editor, a nod to the Norman Rockwell painting with the same name. Kelly left a long wake in my home state, especially through his son, Bob, another legendary ink-stained wretch, who had the misfortune of having to teach me the business back in the days when the ashtrays were still full and the AP wire clattered in the background all day long. The elder Kelly's annual practice, maintained for decades now after his death, was to publish on Thanksgiving a journalistic version of what would in an ecclesiastical setting be called a litany. He would count one of his blessings followed by the refrain, "I thank you, Lord." Every year when I look at his words, a different part stands out. This year: "Family and freedom are ordinary words … except for those who cannot now experience those blessings, and so, Lord, this day I give You thanks for the priceless privileges which are mine as an American citizen … The freedom to speak, to write, to think, without government interference or control; the right to worship You in any way I choose." That one stings a little this year, with free expression so often under attack, and even when it isn't, to sometimes see that freedom used to denigrate the faiths of our fellow Americans. The enemies of liberty and pluralism, bedrock principles of this miracle of a nation, seem to be multiplying. But we still have those gifts, and the overwhelming number of Americans still believe in their worth. So perhaps it is good to be reminded now and then that those "ordinary" blessings are, in fact, extraordinary — and it's always use them or lose them. We're all getting a lesson in the immutability of human nature and the need for a vigilant defense of those rights. So, for the chance to play some small part of a recommitment of our founding principles, let us say: I thank you Lord. Whole Hog Politics is taking next week off so that the team here can count the blessings of family and fellowship, and we wish the same for you. I hope politics is the furthest thing from your minds next Friday morning. We're grateful for your support and encouragement. Happy Thanksgiving. |
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Write to WholeHogPolitics@TheHill.com with your tips, kudos, criticisms, insights, rediscovered words, recipes, and, always, good jokes. Please include your real name — first and last — and hometown. Make sure to let us know if you want to keep your submission private. My colleague, Meera Sehgal, and I will look for your emails and then share the most interesting ones and my responses here. Clickety clack! |
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Chris Stirewalt is political editor for The Hill and NewsNation, the host of "The Hill Sunday" on NewsNation and The CW, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of books on politics and the media. |
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