Thank you for the follow up. I thought Stuart was originally billed to be on with Simon at 2:00. Then it was 1:00 and now it's 12:00. Oy...I hope to catch live, as Simon and Stuart are my favorite duo. I need to hear them today after this July 4 weekend that was like no other, especially given the Patriot Front (or whatever the hell they call themselves) all over downtown, crowding the Metro and marching ....marching as if they were the KKK with those disgusting masks.
Too bad about McMorrow. I thought she was the best candidate. I really appreciated her coming out early and saying she would not support Schumer for Leader. I wish more were doing so. Dems re-electing him as Leader in early 2025 really stole any enthusiasm I had about the party being a party looking towards the future.
Josh, suggest taking 45-50 minutes to check out these interviews: Mary Peltola, James Talarico, Jon Ossoff. If you only have 15-20 hard for me to pick on but maybe Sen. Ossoff (the "allow yourselves to feel hope" one). If these candidates can't rekindle any of your enthusiasm, I don't think anything I can say will. I hope you can "steal it back" because we need to win in November.
[edit, p.s. If you only have two minutes then please watch minutes 12-14 of the Ossoff interview. "[T]he stakes are so high in these midterms that the time for self-pity and self-doubt is over. It is time to win. . . . Allow yourselves to feel hope. . . . The only way we don't win these elections is if we lose faith in ourselves and our ability to shape this country's future as citizens."]
Whatever happens in Michigan, I think it will be fine. I have a personal primary preference, but I am of the belief Rogers' baggage will be too much for him either way. Anyone I know in Michigan will get the oppo I did on Mike from 2024, and some for 2026.
There is opportunity, and the key to those opportunities is to bring the momentum of those Senate and House races to the state and local levels. The surge of enthusiasm in those races can make a huge impact on state legislatures just on voting rights and redistricting alone: never mind union support, healthcare, school meals, childcare, public education, inequality, taxes, or an environmentally and economically sustainable energy policy.
That is all at stake in the legislatures, including in Wisconsin, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, and Alaska; several of those very important for redistricting.
Likewise in Indiana and Missouri, it's very hard to see those State House chambers flipping. But since some Republicans did vote against mid-decade redrawing in both states, if Democrats can flip 10-15 state legislative seats in both situations, if not more, that can be enough to derail any plans for 2028 with anti-redistricting majorities. In Kansas, alongside a Democratic governor, only 5 House pickups are needed to break the GOP supermajority there. And just 1 or 2 seats in Nebraska for the unicameral legislature filibuster.
Which makes rural voters so important in this process. If anyone finds the newest rural post below to be useful, feel free to forward it to people who would most need it:
Hey John, I have watched them all. I am encouraged by the potential class of Senate candidates coming forward. They have spirt and offer some hope I do not disagree.
But when the current group of sitting democratic senators re-elected Chuck Schumer as leader in January 2025 it fundamentally broke my belief they knew how to win. Schumer was doing a book tour at the time because he wanted to reach Gen Z.
Why didn't he just paint a picture for the blind or play a flute solo for the deaf. How at least 25 senators saw that and said yep this guy has his finger on the pulse of the nation I will never know. Until a majority of the Senate Caucus can say yep we screwed up on that it is time for an immediate change I will not fully get it back. I am volunteering for Sherrod Brown but until he is saying he would not support Schumer I just cannot get my hopes up.
Sherrod Brown knows how to fight! It’s also a possibility that the Senate Dems who voted for Schumer have since come to understand that they need to fight. At least some of them. Their base has spoken loudly, and some of them are stepping up.
Mallory McMorrow has dropped out of the Michigan Senate Race. I supported her and am sad to see her drop out but nonetheless I think this was the right decision, as it will allow a fair 1 on 1 contest between the top two candidates.
Now that Mallory has dropped out, I am supporting Haley Stevens. I appreciate Dr. El-Sayed’s powerful background and his charismatic leadership, but I am concerned about some of his positions (defund the police, abolish ICE, medicare for all) that are not well suited for a swing state like Michigan. Also, I consider his active campaigning with Hasan Piker in this campaign as an example of really bad judgment and evidence that he doesn’t understand what it takes to win in a state like Michigan.
Finally, I wish both Haley and Dr. El-Sayed the best and I expect that whoever wins the primary that we all come together and focus on defeating Mike Rogers in the general election and winning the Senate.
M'kay - well this got buried, so I'm reposting this great series of voter reg trainings that the DNC is conducting starting tomorrow:
Training One - The Registration Strategy
Tuesday, July 7, at 8 p.m. ET
The first training will focus on how to effectively register Democratic voters through messaging and persuasion. We will share the best practices the DNC has refined through the When We Count program
Training Four - From Registration to Turnout: Building Long-Term Democratic Power
Thursday, July 16, at 8 p.m. ET
This training will cover how to sustain relationships with new voters that you register to increase the likelihood that they actually turn out to vote on Election Day for Democrats.
In my experience, if you sign up for an event they typically send you the recording the next day. I signed up for all 4 even though I already have Tuesday calls.
Lifting Balogun's suspension would be fine if there was a process, and if Trump hadn't apparently called the FIFA president. "Perception of corruption" doesn't even enter into consideration for these guys. I was hoping FIFA would've gotten its house in order after the last corrupt group left, but it looks just about the same. The sport is great but it's like a mafia-run event.
That likely rapist Ronaldo also said nice things about Trump, went to the White House with Infante for a black tie dinner, and then had a 3 game suspension for elbowing an Irish player reduced to 2 games so he could start for Portugal. That looked pretty corrupt to me too. Why is the President of FIFA at the White House with a player like that?
As Dave Zirin wrote: “ Dave Zirin: The New York Times, among other outlets, has reported that the White House reached out to Infantino regarding the suspension. Then Infantino and FIFA waited until after the Independence Day festivities to drop the news on the soccer world. Trump immediately put himself at the center of it, posting, “Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice.” Trump has practiced sleazy backroom corruption his entire life, but now in his senescence, he wants to be valorized for it—to be treated like a statesman for the behavior of a sleazy mobster.
Trump put the screws to Infantino and then FIFA discovered Article 27 of the disciplinary code, which allows the ruling body to step in for any decision other than match-fixing and reverse the decisions of referees and replay officials. Ironically, “match-fixing” is exactly what Infantino is doing by dramatically altering the game between the USMNT and Belgium.”
I will wholeheartedly root for the US but the removal of the suspension was wrong. Bad or questionable calls are part of the game in every sport and you roll with it or appeal according to standard procedures if warranted. This reeks of corruption and actually damages the team's standing through no fault of their own.
It's the right call but the process is so stupidly bad. FIFA have no one else to blame but themselves though for this. There's a reason why you have a full blown appeals process for athlete suspension which FIFA does not have and here we are.
As far as Trump actually moving the needle? I doubt it. Man doesn't have as much power as people think he has. Nevertheless, it's extremely bad optics and that's the real concern.
For what it's worth, USSF has been in discussions with FIFA since Thursday about this, and while I don't trust the NY Post they reported that the USSF may have threatened to take this to CAS, and FIFA has been in the crosshairs of US lawyers before, and it didn't end well for them. That to me is more believable as the driving factor. Of course, the irony being that now Belgium and UEFA are threatening to take this to CAS.
that being said, I'm hoping for the best vs Belgium.
The discussion with Stuart Stevens was excellent! I especially liked his attitude toward the Dem’s internal angst and his recommendation to stay on the attack relentlessly against the Reeps who offer up so much material. People are hungry to see candidates who are prepared to hold them all accountable. The first part of the discussion focused on Ukraine and is excellent; the second part is a past-republican operative’s advice to the Dems. Well worth a listen.
Simon, As usual, that was a great Conversation with the Two of You! I wish it was more than once a month!
I hear Trump and Mike Johnson are calling Us Communists!?? Who loves Putin, more than Trump? We have to Attack Him and Everyone else who thinks they can get away with it!!
Enough is Enough! We have to Stop "Pussyfooting" around!! I hope Tons of Campaign Signs are being put up now, and showing what "ICE" has been Doing to Our Country! We have to take the Advantage NOW! We are Right and they are Wrong!
No bottom for this bunch of thugs occupying the White House. Providing misleading wiring instructions, so that donors who thought they were giving to the legitimate "250" group were actually giving to the shady "250" group, is quite literally a blatantly dishonest crime. From the Dem report on Freedom 250 shared in the post above:
"Most troubling, Committee Democrats have received confidential disclosures that America250 donors were affirmatively misled by fundraisers, including the President’s lead fundraiser, Meredith O’Rourke. According to sources interviewed by Committee Democrats, donors who intended to donate to America250 were instead given wire instructions with Freedom 250’s banking information—including its routing number and account number—so that contributions would instead flow to Freedom 250. A gift solicited in the name of the nation’s nonpartisan birthday commission could thus be redirected without the donor’s knowledge, by an entity created to serve the President’s priorities. If true, such actions could constitute violations of several laws, ranging from potential wire fraud and charitable solicitation fraud under federal law to charitable solicitation violations under the laws of the District of Columbia, where Freedom 250 is registered and operates as an LLC."
I just called my R's and read them our important messages. And, I really don't believe anything is going to wind up on Trump's desk to sign now, or in the future! But, I could be wrong.
The only thing I'm looking forward to now, is the United States/ Belgium game tonight! Good Luck to All Our Great Guy's!
Live Updates: Platner Will Take Time to ‘Reflect’ on Campaign After Sexual Assault Accusation
Graham Platner, the Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, called the allegation “false.” He did not say if he would continue his campaign.
"It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Platner intended to continue his campaign against Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican. He has until July 13 to withdraw from the race, and if he does the state Democratic Party has until July 27 to replace him on the ticket, according to Maine state law."
It's time for him to terminate his campaign. That way, the Maine Democratic Party can nominate Janet Mills instead. Platner's campaign is a textbook example of why voters need to support and vote for vetted candidates rather than candidates who, simply by happenstance, align with the emotional tenor of a moment. All of this just makes the necessary work of winning that Senate seat harder.
Thank you for the follow up. I thought Stuart was originally billed to be on with Simon at 2:00. Then it was 1:00 and now it's 12:00. Oy...I hope to catch live, as Simon and Stuart are my favorite duo. I need to hear them today after this July 4 weekend that was like no other, especially given the Patriot Front (or whatever the hell they call themselves) all over downtown, crowding the Metro and marching ....marching as if they were the KKK with those disgusting masks.
Too bad about McMorrow. I thought she was the best candidate. I really appreciated her coming out early and saying she would not support Schumer for Leader. I wish more were doing so. Dems re-electing him as Leader in early 2025 really stole any enthusiasm I had about the party being a party looking towards the future.
Josh, suggest taking 45-50 minutes to check out these interviews: Mary Peltola, James Talarico, Jon Ossoff. If you only have 15-20 hard for me to pick on but maybe Sen. Ossoff (the "allow yourselves to feel hope" one). If these candidates can't rekindle any of your enthusiasm, I don't think anything I can say will. I hope you can "steal it back" because we need to win in November.
[edit, p.s. If you only have two minutes then please watch minutes 12-14 of the Ossoff interview. "[T]he stakes are so high in these midterms that the time for self-pity and self-doubt is over. It is time to win. . . . Allow yourselves to feel hope. . . . The only way we don't win these elections is if we lose faith in ourselves and our ability to shape this country's future as citizens."]
https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/another-good-night-for-dems-nc-dems
https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/allow-yourselves-to-feel-hope-an?utm_source=publication-search
https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/meet-mary-peltola-our-great-candidate?utm_source=publication-search
Whatever happens in Michigan, I think it will be fine. I have a personal primary preference, but I am of the belief Rogers' baggage will be too much for him either way. Anyone I know in Michigan will get the oppo I did on Mike from 2024, and some for 2026.
There is opportunity, and the key to those opportunities is to bring the momentum of those Senate and House races to the state and local levels. The surge of enthusiasm in those races can make a huge impact on state legislatures just on voting rights and redistricting alone: never mind union support, healthcare, school meals, childcare, public education, inequality, taxes, or an environmentally and economically sustainable energy policy.
That is all at stake in the legislatures, including in Wisconsin, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, and Alaska; several of those very important for redistricting.
Likewise in Indiana and Missouri, it's very hard to see those State House chambers flipping. But since some Republicans did vote against mid-decade redrawing in both states, if Democrats can flip 10-15 state legislative seats in both situations, if not more, that can be enough to derail any plans for 2028 with anti-redistricting majorities. In Kansas, alongside a Democratic governor, only 5 House pickups are needed to break the GOP supermajority there. And just 1 or 2 seats in Nebraska for the unicameral legislature filibuster.
Which makes rural voters so important in this process. If anyone finds the newest rural post below to be useful, feel free to forward it to people who would most need it:
https://michaelsalzillo17.substack.com/p/the-2026-wild-card-grassroots-organizing
Hey John, I have watched them all. I am encouraged by the potential class of Senate candidates coming forward. They have spirt and offer some hope I do not disagree.
But when the current group of sitting democratic senators re-elected Chuck Schumer as leader in January 2025 it fundamentally broke my belief they knew how to win. Schumer was doing a book tour at the time because he wanted to reach Gen Z.
Why didn't he just paint a picture for the blind or play a flute solo for the deaf. How at least 25 senators saw that and said yep this guy has his finger on the pulse of the nation I will never know. Until a majority of the Senate Caucus can say yep we screwed up on that it is time for an immediate change I will not fully get it back. I am volunteering for Sherrod Brown but until he is saying he would not support Schumer I just cannot get my hopes up.
Sherrod Brown knows how to fight! It’s also a possibility that the Senate Dems who voted for Schumer have since come to understand that they need to fight. At least some of them. Their base has spoken loudly, and some of them are stepping up.
Sherrod Brown’s campaign needs a lot of money, so I think it is smart to focus just on winning - and not denigrating any Dems.
I'll listen, but only if Stuart is going to say that he reads you because he never knows what you're going to say.
Thank you, Simon.
Keep working everyone!! All hands on deck.
(this is a copy of my comments from yesterday on Mallory McMorrow dropping out of the race https://substack.com/@vindiesel9876/note/c-288849844?r=a36n2&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web)
Mallory McMorrow has dropped out of the Michigan Senate Race. I supported her and am sad to see her drop out but nonetheless I think this was the right decision, as it will allow a fair 1 on 1 contest between the top two candidates.
Now that Mallory has dropped out, I am supporting Haley Stevens. I appreciate Dr. El-Sayed’s powerful background and his charismatic leadership, but I am concerned about some of his positions (defund the police, abolish ICE, medicare for all) that are not well suited for a swing state like Michigan. Also, I consider his active campaigning with Hasan Piker in this campaign as an example of really bad judgment and evidence that he doesn’t understand what it takes to win in a state like Michigan.
Finally, I wish both Haley and Dr. El-Sayed the best and I expect that whoever wins the primary that we all come together and focus on defeating Mike Rogers in the general election and winning the Senate.
M'kay - well this got buried, so I'm reposting this great series of voter reg trainings that the DNC is conducting starting tomorrow:
Training One - The Registration Strategy
Tuesday, July 7, at 8 p.m. ET
The first training will focus on how to effectively register Democratic voters through messaging and persuasion. We will share the best practices the DNC has refined through the When We Count program
Sign up here: https://platform.winnable.app/events/the-registration-strategy-hcg8lcxp
Training Two - Registering in Third Spaces: Meeting Voters Where They Are
Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET
This training will dive into the core tactic of high traffic canvassing at events and third spaces where people naturally gather.
Sign up here: https://platform.winnable.app/events/registering-in-third-spaces-juoblgqw
Training Three - Registering Your Networks: Digital & Relational Voter Registrations
Tuesday, July 14, at 8 p.m. ET
This training will explore how to effectively register voters online and via relational organizing.
Sign up here: https://platform.winnable.app/events/registering-your-networks-rd6g2pg2
Training Four - From Registration to Turnout: Building Long-Term Democratic Power
Thursday, July 16, at 8 p.m. ET
This training will cover how to sustain relationships with new voters that you register to increase the likelihood that they actually turn out to vote on Election Day for Democrats.
Sign up here: https://platform.winnable.app/events/from-registration-to-turnout-tlhmy7br
Amazing Lisa, thank you. I can make at least a few of these. Will there be recordings?
In my experience, if you sign up for an event they typically send you the recording the next day. I signed up for all 4 even though I already have Tuesday calls.
Thanks for re-sending Lisa!!
Abandoning Ukraine to Russian aggression will be another dark stain upon our blemished past.
Lifting Balogun's suspension would be fine if there was a process, and if Trump hadn't apparently called the FIFA president. "Perception of corruption" doesn't even enter into consideration for these guys. I was hoping FIFA would've gotten its house in order after the last corrupt group left, but it looks just about the same. The sport is great but it's like a mafia-run event.
That likely rapist Ronaldo also said nice things about Trump, went to the White House with Infante for a black tie dinner, and then had a 3 game suspension for elbowing an Irish player reduced to 2 games so he could start for Portugal. That looked pretty corrupt to me too. Why is the President of FIFA at the White House with a player like that?
Nevertheless, I can still enjoy the game. Go USA!
As Dave Zirin wrote: “ Dave Zirin: The New York Times, among other outlets, has reported that the White House reached out to Infantino regarding the suspension. Then Infantino and FIFA waited until after the Independence Day festivities to drop the news on the soccer world. Trump immediately put himself at the center of it, posting, “Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice.” Trump has practiced sleazy backroom corruption his entire life, but now in his senescence, he wants to be valorized for it—to be treated like a statesman for the behavior of a sleazy mobster.
Trump put the screws to Infantino and then FIFA discovered Article 27 of the disciplinary code, which allows the ruling body to step in for any decision other than match-fixing and reverse the decisions of referees and replay officials. Ironically, “match-fixing” is exactly what Infantino is doing by dramatically altering the game between the USMNT and Belgium.”
I will wholeheartedly root for the US but the removal of the suspension was wrong. Bad or questionable calls are part of the game in every sport and you roll with it or appeal according to standard procedures if warranted. This reeks of corruption and actually damages the team's standing through no fault of their own.
It's the right call but the process is so stupidly bad. FIFA have no one else to blame but themselves though for this. There's a reason why you have a full blown appeals process for athlete suspension which FIFA does not have and here we are.
As far as Trump actually moving the needle? I doubt it. Man doesn't have as much power as people think he has. Nevertheless, it's extremely bad optics and that's the real concern.
For what it's worth, USSF has been in discussions with FIFA since Thursday about this, and while I don't trust the NY Post they reported that the USSF may have threatened to take this to CAS, and FIFA has been in the crosshairs of US lawyers before, and it didn't end well for them. That to me is more believable as the driving factor. Of course, the irony being that now Belgium and UEFA are threatening to take this to CAS.
that being said, I'm hoping for the best vs Belgium.
Don’t make Trump powerful, yall.
I highly doubt he had any effect on the decision.
It’s the right call, we have similar processes in American sports (college football reviews suspensions for targeting).
Enjoy the game.
The discussion with Stuart Stevens was excellent! I especially liked his attitude toward the Dem’s internal angst and his recommendation to stay on the attack relentlessly against the Reeps who offer up so much material. People are hungry to see candidates who are prepared to hold them all accountable. The first part of the discussion focused on Ukraine and is excellent; the second part is a past-republican operative’s advice to the Dems. Well worth a listen.
Simon, As usual, that was a great Conversation with the Two of You! I wish it was more than once a month!
I hear Trump and Mike Johnson are calling Us Communists!?? Who loves Putin, more than Trump? We have to Attack Him and Everyone else who thinks they can get away with it!!
Enough is Enough! We have to Stop "Pussyfooting" around!! I hope Tons of Campaign Signs are being put up now, and showing what "ICE" has been Doing to Our Country! We have to take the Advantage NOW! We are Right and they are Wrong!
Stuart said it best. "We are right, they are wrong. There are more of us than there are of them."
Good on The Atlantic for republishing Vance's story. My sides ache from laughing at it.
No bottom for this bunch of thugs occupying the White House. Providing misleading wiring instructions, so that donors who thought they were giving to the legitimate "250" group were actually giving to the shady "250" group, is quite literally a blatantly dishonest crime. From the Dem report on Freedom 250 shared in the post above:
"Most troubling, Committee Democrats have received confidential disclosures that America250 donors were affirmatively misled by fundraisers, including the President’s lead fundraiser, Meredith O’Rourke. According to sources interviewed by Committee Democrats, donors who intended to donate to America250 were instead given wire instructions with Freedom 250’s banking information—including its routing number and account number—so that contributions would instead flow to Freedom 250. A gift solicited in the name of the nation’s nonpartisan birthday commission could thus be redirected without the donor’s knowledge, by an entity created to serve the President’s priorities. If true, such actions could constitute violations of several laws, ranging from potential wire fraud and charitable solicitation fraud under federal law to charitable solicitation violations under the laws of the District of Columbia, where Freedom 250 is registered and operates as an LLC."
I just called my R's and read them our important messages. And, I really don't believe anything is going to wind up on Trump's desk to sign now, or in the future! But, I could be wrong.
The only thing I'm looking forward to now, is the United States/ Belgium game tonight! Good Luck to All Our Great Guy's!
I had a boss once tell me that the only people that don’t make mistakes are the people that aren’t working. I enjoy your substack immensely.
Well…Platner. What now?
Hum, it sounds like Platner could possibly withdraw from the race and a new candidate would be chosen. NYT gift article https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/07/06/us/platner-campaign-accusation?unlocked_article_code=1.vlA.L11e.8cpkqNHO1LHs&smid=url-share
Live Updates: Platner Will Take Time to ‘Reflect’ on Campaign After Sexual Assault Accusation
Graham Platner, the Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, called the allegation “false.” He did not say if he would continue his campaign.
"It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Platner intended to continue his campaign against Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican. He has until July 13 to withdraw from the race, and if he does the state Democratic Party has until July 27 to replace him on the ticket, according to Maine state law."
It's time for him to terminate his campaign. That way, the Maine Democratic Party can nominate Janet Mills instead. Platner's campaign is a textbook example of why voters need to support and vote for vetted candidates rather than candidates who, simply by happenstance, align with the emotional tenor of a moment. All of this just makes the necessary work of winning that Senate seat harder.