Do You Know What The “Hack Gap” Is? February 22, 2024 I didn’t either, but my AI Copilot defined it as . . . . . . a situation where one side of a debate or political context has more “political hacks” than the other. In this context, a “political hack” is a pejorative term describing a person who is more loyal to a particular political party than to their own sense of ethics. . . . and Kevin Drum laments: The latest kerfuffle over Joe Biden’s age reminds me of the power of the hack gap. Cast your thoughts back over a few recent high-profile incidents: In 2016, liberals supported Hillary Clinton during her email difficulties, but hardly wholeheartedly. They constantly wrung their hands over her “admittedly poor judgment,” “adversarial communication style,” and “habit of pushing the envelope.” In 2021, liberals didn’t even waffle: they just threw themselves in with gusto over the outrage about Joe Biden’s “chaotic” withdrawal from Afghanistan. They might as well have been a wing of the Republican Party. In 2022 Biden passed the biggest climate legislation in American history. Liberals applauded, but tepidly. It didn’t have everything they wanted, you see. And anyway, Joe Manchin certainly wasn’t about to get an ovation from them. Today, liberals are all over the media lamenting Joe Biden’s elderliness. They don’t call him “President Poopy Pants,” as they do on Fox, but language aside they might as well. Meanwhile, Donald Trump says the 2020 election was stolen and conservatives are all in. House Republicans ludicrously claim that Alejandro Mayorkas has committed impeachable offenses, and conservatives are thoroughly on board. They’re equally on board with the Hunter Biden jihad. And the “persecution” of Trump. And the claim that CRT is ruining our schools. And looking the other way at Trump’s obvious cognitive decline. Now, in the long run maybe it’s good that liberals are publicly willing to say things even if they’re politically harmful. But it’s hard not to be reminded of Robert Frost’s aphorism that a liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel. After all, it turned out that Hillary Clinton did nothing wrong except get caught in the middle of a classification snit between State and CIA. The Afghanistan withdrawal was remarkably smooth under the circumstances. And Biden seems to be fully capable and competent even if he does look old. Conservatives these days are willing to defend even the most lunatic theories with total devotion. Liberals, by contrast, are barely willing to wholeheartedly defend even the things where they legitimately have the better of the argument. I’m not sure where this all ends. And speaking of hacks, I got an email last week headlined: Kellyanne Conway has been trying to reach you. Really? President Trump’s former campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, has been trying to reach you with an urgent message. Out of the 100 Republican voters she’s reached out to in your area, you are the ONLY ONE who has yet to review her message. Follow this secure link to read Kellyanne’s urgent message before it is DELETED in 10 minutes. There was even a 10-minute countdown clock. Long after my chance to see the message had expired, the “secure link” worked anyway: Friend, this is so important. Senate Republican leaders just texted me a file of our top grassroots supporters throughout the country, and you’re one of them. Needless to say, if I am indeed one of their top grassroots supporters, they are in deep trouble . . . . . . although, if I am also the “ONLY ONE of 100 in my area” not to have reviewed Kellyanne’s message, they must be doing awfully well. An email blast with a 99% open rate? Needless to say, also, the message went on to ask for money and, needless to say, I demurred. I have one more needless thing to say: Sure, our side does ridiculous solicitations, too, and I hate them (though they apparently work, which is why both sides keep doing them); but (a) I believe ours tend to be less egregious; and (b) when it comes to substance, our side rarely makes claims that aren’t true. The stock market really is at record highs; our economy really is the envy of the world; our alliances really have been restored; our administration really is scandal-and-chaos free; the ranks of the uninsured really have never been lower; we really have, finally, set about revitalizing our national infrastructure; Trump really is a widely acknowledged liar and bully who prefers opponent-murdering dictators to democratic leaders and faces 91 felony charges in four different criminal cases — who sat back doing nothing for more than three hours as he watched excitedly as his supporters stormed the United States Capitol in an attempt to overturn a free and fair election (and possibly hang the Vice President). Okay? So, as usual, listen to Lindsey Graham (60 seconds). And if you can help, click here. And/or volunteer. Thanks! BOREF . . . . . . seems to be currently un-tradeable. I called the company, who say this limbo should lift once they file their audited financial statements in the coming weeks. So at least they’re aware of it, and now you are, too.