For people opposed to Donald Trump, one of the hardest things to understand is how so many people can still not be opposed to Donald Trump. It's even more confusing when those supporters are deeply religious. As a journalist and the son of an evangelical minister, Tim Alberta is in a unique position to try to explain what's going on. In an article adapted from his new book, he gives us a rare inside glimpse, including some of the notes and comments he received from fellow congregants at his father's funeral. One church elder "had composed this note, on the occasion of my father’s death, to express just how disappointed he was in me. I was part of an evil plot, the man wrote, to undermine God’s ordained leader of the United States. My criticisms of President Trump were tantamount to treason—against both God and country—and I should be ashamed of myself. However, there was still hope. Jesus forgives, and so could this man. If I used my journalism skills to investigate the 'deep state,' he wrote, uncovering the shadowy cabal that was supposedly sabotaging Trump’s presidency, then I would be restored. He said he was praying for me." The Atlantic (Gift Article): My Father, My Faith, and Donald Trump. 2Triple Threat"The reason the Hamas-Israel war can be hard for outsiders to understand is that three wars are going on at the same time: a war between Israeli Jews and the Palestinians exacerbated by a terrorist group, a war within Israeli and Palestinian societies over the future, and a war between Iran and its proxies and America and its allies." So writes Tom Friedman in a great explainer about a war that can even be difficult for insiders to understand. NYT (Gift Article): Understanding the True Nature of the Hamas-Israel War. "If Netanyahu is a captive of his political right, Biden needs to be very careful not to become a captive of Bibi. That is no way to win these three wars at once." 3Race TrackingColumbia Journalism Review studied the front page coverage of the 2016 election cycle. What they found was more stories about the race and fewer about policy. They just checked the coverage leading up to the next presidential election. They found the same trend. The NYT and Washington Post "both emphasized the horse race and campaign palace intrigue, stories that functioned more to entertain readers than to educate them on essential differences between political parties." (And the papers are great compared to cable news coverage.) Warped Front Pages. 4Fat Chance"Virgin Atlantic said the test flight Tuesday from London to New York was powered only by sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, a broad category of jet fuel that creates fewer carbon emissions than standard kerosene blends." WaPo (Gift Article): A plane fueled by fat and sugar has crossed the Atlantic Ocean. (This makes me think I could cross the Atlantic Ocean.) 5Extra, ExtraThe Carter Center: "'Come hell or high water, Jimmy Carter was going to use his inner resources to be there,' presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said, adding that the former president 'has the most intense willpower of any person I’ve ever known.'" NYT (Gift Article): Americans Glimpse Jimmy Carter’s Frailty and His Resolve. 6Bottom of the News"'People always say they want to live like a king, but they don’t actually do anything about it. Well, I did,' says Silva, 59, his red cloak billowing behind him as he strides to the window, pointing out a group of fans in his front yard." WSJ (Gift Article): They Say a Man’s Home Is His Castle, but This Guy May Have Gone Too Far. "A former Brazilian shoeshine boy now calls himself His Majesty Ivan I of Cubatão and holds court near a mangrove swamp amid turrets and golden columns." (I'd like to try something like this, but maybe next to cineplex and food court instead of a mangrove swamp.) Get a copy of my 📕, Please Scream Inside Your Heart, or grab a 👕 in the Store.
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