@amprog. Forever @OpenSociety Former Amb South Africa. Obama alum. UNION! Owner of views. “I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.” - Whitman
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I took this photo in Cape Town when I hosted Cong John Lewis on his return to South Africa. He and Archbishop Tutu couldn’t wait to embrace one another. Brothers in struggle. Benders of the arc of justice. Joined in eternity. They’ve done the hard work and leave the rest to us
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I’m just blown away by the outpouring of solidarity from the good people of Ohio for Haitian TPS holders in Springfield who have been subject to the worst cruelties. Thank you @BulwarkOnline for walking the walk.
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I’m so proud to join the Springfield community and my friends at @BulwarkOnline live in Ohio tomorrow night for this critical act of solidarity. I hope that you’ll tune in and contribute. All donations will support humanitarian relief for those impacted by this cruel policy
The Bulwark to show solidarity for Springfield’s Haitian community with live podcast in Dayton.
“Democrats don’t want to focus on this issue around election season because it may not be as potent as high gas prices… But you need to continue to change the public narrative and response to get the politicians to change their actions.”
springfieldnewssun.com/tncms…
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Netanyahu is raining bombs on innocents and yet yelling from the podium at the UN like he’s a poor vulnerable civil society activist speaking truth to power.
Can’t believe that team Biden gave unflinching support to this cynical, noxious, corrupt man.
Netanyahu says Mamdani has "Hamas buddies" who wanted to kill all Jews in his remarks at the UN.
"Shame on you for distorting the facts, for inverting victim & aggressor... Mr. Mamdani, you try to stop me from coming here, you try to silence me. Well, you can't silence me."
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Scoop: Inside the tumult in the @nytimes that’s discovered that Mary Peltola has scandalously asked staffers to help feed pets while she travels thousands of miles - oh and she sends texts that read like 90% of the men in Congress!
With weeks to go before a make or break election against a corrupt regime, this is now what passes for urgent political reporting from the most important media platform in America. I don’t want to single out anyone, but if they write stories about the toughness of people like Rahm Emanuel it’s with a kind of admiration for the combativeness with his friends and foes alike.
This just isn’t serious.
SCOOP: Inside the tumult of Mary Peltola's Senate campaign in Alaska and her time on Capitol Hill.
Peltola is known publicly as kind and affable. But aides recall angry outbursts, slurs and a shove. (She also required staff to feed a pet chameleon.)
nytimes.com/2026/09/23/us/po…
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Newk lives!
Inspired to be one of the Thousands at the Cathedral of St John the Divine, packed to overflow in celebration of the legend @sonnyrollins whose special African and American genius was part of an art that changed the world. Newk lives forever!
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The only thing more irrelevant than Hasan Piker is the online debate about him. Meanwhile we have a VP with real power who went to Germany to campaign for actual Nazis. Far less frenzy in the U.S. about that.
We have a govt that’s abducting people from our streets and delivering 2,000 lb bombs to be used on civilians.
But Hasan Piker!!!
Now that he won’t stop talking, the folks who told us Hasan Piker is a serious voice who should be listened to ought to let us know which of these positions we’re supposed to take seriously:
1. That “pound for pound,” America is worse than al-Qaeda - a ridiculous statement on a normal day, but particularly vile the same week we’re reflecting on the loss of 3,000 Americans on the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
2. That Communist China’s repressive regime is the “model” for America.
3. That Mao was “a great man of history” while the collapse of the Soviet Union was "one of the greatest catastrophes of the 20th century."
The great thing about America is that everyone is entitled to their opinions and free to express them, however dumb or immoral. That includes ‘Comrade’ Piker. The rest of us are just as free - obligated even - to call out this vile, hateful speech that only divides America.
axios.com/2026/09/17/hasan-p…
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If this is real (and it’s hard to know with this guy) every serious news outlet has to boycott the briefing room. This is a historic threat and danger to all.
Trump Says He Has Banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico From White House nytimes.com/2026/09/18/busin… via @NYTimes
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Patrick Gaspard retweeted
New Yorkers should be proud of the character and sensitivity with which their mayor represented them today and during the days leading up to the 9/11 commemoration. He kept the focus where it belonged.
nytimes.com/2026/09/11/nyreg… via @NYTimes
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25 years so soon.
“I can think of no more stirring symbol of man’s humanity to man than a fire engine.”
– Kurt Vonnegut.
Rest in Remembrance
My 9-11 memories center on two fallen firefighters I knew at different points in life. Michael Carroll went to school in Yorkville with me. Fantastic athlete. David Fontana was my neighbor in Bklyn. Gentle giant who was a gifted sculptor. Our sons played together.
Heroes both
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As Americans digest the implications of the massive 9/11 document release by Mayor Mamdani, It’s important to recognize the efforts of @JerryNadler who has been unrelenting in getting at truths that other covered up for 25 years
nytimes.com/2026/09/07/nyreg… via @NYTimes
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I’m always here for a McKinsey pile on
That @matthewstoller needs to be paid or oriented to hate McKinsey is one of the dumbest conspiracy theories the NYT has ever published.
In the 15 years I've known Matt: if he's awake he's spouting venom toward the McKinseys of the world. Sometimes even when he's not awake.
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The way our politics work, we will spend more time talking about the price of a gallon of gas than we will on the reality that our government is bombing innocent people with our tax dollars.
NYT Visual Investigation: U.S. airstrike turned a wedding in a small coastal town in Iran into a deadly tragedy. The bomb that hit the residential area was American, it killed five people and wounded 67 others, the Iranian authorities said. Details & witness accounts: w/ @ErikaSolomon @trbrtc @malachybrowne
nytimes.com/2026/09/02/video…
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Patrick Gaspard retweeted
I don't get the outrage at @NYCMayor's comms operation. Some coverage scandalizes basic shit like a press list or sending talking points, but mostly its bitterness about including influencers. But if your comms operation isn't talking to influencers in 2026, you suck at the job!
Anyone who thinks @matthewstoller and @AlexSJacquez need a signal group, a memo, and some draft tweet copy to dunk on McKinsey doesn’t know Matt or Alex. nytimes.com/2026/09/04/nyreg…
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Patrick Gaspard retweeted
Gloria Steinem will go down in history as one of the most important activists of all time, leading a movement for the equality of half the world: its women.
She lived a long and passionate life dedicated to this vital and basic cause.
She did it with intellectual precision, emotional awareness, humour and beauty. May she rest in peace and may the cause thrive.
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I don’t know the value of posting on these platforms anymore but I still do when I have a moment of joy or extreme grief. Yesterday, while our politicos were fighting over influencers, this news from Ohio hit as hard as history. I teared up for this beautiful Haitian kid who died in pain over the cruelty of our State. I teared up at the horror of his death and at the impotence of leadership. The debates we’re having are small, petty, and utterly disconnected from the inhumanity of the moment.
abcnews.com/US/haitian-gradu…
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What he said
I love primaries. It’s where we define the values of our Party. Ed Markey actually has the combo of vision and empathy that appeals to our voters. Age can’t be your only selling point.
Was Seth Moulton a good ideological fit for the Massachusetts Dem primary electorate? No.
Did he make a compelling case to voters beyond “I’m younger”? No.
Did he convince voters that he actually cared about trans people? No.
Was he at all likable or charismatic? Also no.
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Patrick Gaspard retweeted
I have to say something there. There is a clip circulating WILDLY among conservative commentators and right-wing pundits of a woman who spoke this morning at a press conference with myself and Abdul.
She had never spoken at a press conference before. Beforehand, she shared with me that she was really nervous. But she told me it was important for her to be there as a UAW member because she believed in using her voice for her fellow members and for working families.
Doing something new is HARD. And scary.
She started speaking and got stage fright. What you can't see in the video is that under the podium, she reached back. When I saw it, I grabbed her hand. Abdul did as well. We both stepped forward to stand with her.
But the way you all are tearing her apart. God forbid anyone ever step out of their comfort zone. God forbid anyone ever try.
It's callous, cruel, and it's no wonder why so many people absolutely despise this moment that we're in. Because God forbid you're not perfect. God forbid you show fear. God forbid you mess up.
I am always proud to stand with people using their voice even when they're scared, for trying something new, for stepping out of their comfort zones.
We need a lot more of her - people wanting to use their voice even when it shakes - and a lot less keyboard warriors who could care less about how needlessly cruel they are if it means getting a like or a retweet or some views.
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This frame by @scott_colom is what Rep Clyburn’s response should have been! The media will always be about inane, empty beauty contest. The fault lies with us if we go on these platforms and play into these lame questions without a pivot to a vision for the needs of average folks
Hate that so much of the media fixates on the celebrity of politics. Why aren’t they asking him about the at least 10 million Americans about to lose health insurance next year????
Maybe because the tax cuts…nevermind.
This November, healthcare & hospitals are on the ballot. Choose wisely, my friends.
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The people who are promising us AI utopias today will be settling far greater lawsuits in the future. Remember when those of us who were skeptics about these platforms a decade ago were told by our political leaders that our kids had to adapt or be left behind? It’s all about to be put on steroids - and a decade from now they’ll all say that they had no idea of the harm it would all cause.
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims nytimes.com/2026/08/26/techn… via @NYTimes
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