Suzy Weiss on why the French—not Christians—should be offended by the Olympics opening ceremony. Cat ladies pounce! And much more. But first, our lead story. The country—pounded by Iranian proxies from all directions—now faces one of the most perilous moments in recent history. On Saturday evening a Hezbollah rocket killed 12 children on a soccer field in the town of Majdal Shams, on the Golan Heights in northern Israel.
Polling shows Trump and Harris are neck-and-neck. Still, Harris faces some disadvantages. One is authenticity: Only 30 percent of voters think Harris says what she believes, compared with 46 percent for Trump. A majority of registered voters say there was a cover-up, 68 percent of whom say Harris is implicated. One of the many twists in the presidential race is that both Trump and Harris have seen big jumps in their favorability ratings in recent weeks. Washington Post.
Allan Ripp always felt safe as a Jew in New York. That changed on July Ripp protested. Danean MacAndrews went to jail after taking part in protests inside the Capitol on January 6. Her experience behind bars has turned her into an advocate for criminal justice reform, reports Zaid Jilani on his new Substack, which is worth subscribing to.
The American Saga. A specter has haunted Kamala Harris—the specter of Veep. Dave Weigel talks to the showrunner of the Washington, D. A 2,year-old dispute over the flute is the key to understanding our culture today, argues Ted Gioia.
The Honest Broker. The Olympic opening ceremony is an opportunity to showcase the best of the host country: their inventions and innovations, their proudest achievements and their physical prowess. Back in Beijing in , China subbed in a cuter 7-year old girl to lip-synch a song that was really being sung behind the curtain by a more talented 9-year-old because the older girl had crooked teeth.
