That’s from the Idaho governor’s primary debate – and that biker dude is pretty rad.
Meanwhile, Fox News has a new poll out, and some of the questions deserve this tart riposte from Steve Benen. But it has, for me at least, some interesting data. On the economy, Obama is rebounding in the Fox poll – with an approval rating on that subject higher than at any point since October 2009. On healthcare, support for the ACA is also now the highest Fox has ever found since it became law in 2010. Then these two findings: 63 percent believe that the continuing Republican inquiry into Benghazi is for political gain, rather than seeking the truth; and a whopping 65 percent oppose intervention in the Ukraine.
On another front, a friend forwarded me an old Los Angeles Times story about the debate about marriage equality in the gay community in the mid-1990s. The first two paragraphs tell you a lot:
Elizabeth Birch, head of the Human Rights Campaign Fund in Washington, the nation’s foremost gay lobbying group, believes that the struggle to legalize gay marriage is “one whose time has not yet come. There is no reason that this battle is being played out right now, other than it fits into Republican election strategy.”
On the other hand, Andrew Sullivan, until recently editor and now senior editor at the New Republic and author of the best-selling “Virtually Normal: An Argument About Homosexuality”, says he has “really been surprised by the ferocity of support on this issue. It’s mobilizing the gay community like no other act has done.”
Just a reminder of the history HRC is busy now trying to bury.
Today, we explored the possible ramifications of the abrupt firing of Jill Abramson at the NYT. I didn’t really weigh in much on my long personal experience with Jill, so let me say this: she’s always been an inspiration to me, not least because she never tolerates bullshit, and always tells you what she thinks in that bored-as-hell drone of an accent she has. Whatever the reasons for her departure, she deserved a lot better than this shoddy kicking out the door.
Two more: Obama’s very modern Christianity; and the discovery of a gene related to intelligence.
The most popular post of the day was She Fought Against Sponsored Content. It was followed by the sad story of my losing my wedding ring in the operating room yesterday.
Our new Book Club selection is Alexandra Horowitz’s fascinating insights into the world around us, On Looking, and Maria Popova will be hosting the discussion after Memorial Day. Full details here. You can support the Dish by buying the book through this link. The public library link is here. It’s a great read as summer approaches.
Many posts today were updated with your emails – read all of them here. And you can always leave your unfiltered comments at our Facebook page and @sullydish.
Almost 200 more readers became subscribers over the last couple of days – a surge that came after I sent out a nudging email to those of you who hadn’t gotten around to renewing yet. Yes, you’re still out there. Thanks to everyone who re-upped. Though at least one Founding Member is still procrastinating:
I fucking love your site, I’m just a lazy ass. : ) I promise I’ll get around to renewing, fear not.
If not now, when? Subscribe!
And see you in the morning.
The Dish 