Mrs. Manoffire and yours truly are volunteers at this Texas Tribune Festival. We did this about five or so years ago as well. Mrs. M is the avid reader and is in a book club or two. I am there in the spirit of family teamwork and joint political interest. My reading is curtailed this year a bit. I got a shingles infection in my eye last Christmas and it still is lingering a bit. And the cataract surgery awaits. So there’s that. I have been assigned to about 8 book and political interview events and the Mrs. about the same. We were assigned to the one on ones with Talarico and MTG. Talarico was about 100 over capacity in a space for 1600. MTG followed in the same space. She had a healthy crowd but not quite full. She was opening day keynote speaker.

Talarico performed as expected. Charming strong, he supported choice in women’s healthcare, excoriated Paxton. Got lots of applause and some laughs. This look positive. But as one commeter here at DK said a day or so ago,, the problem is that Texas is full of Texans. I will believe it when he is sworn into the Senate. Hope, but 25 times burnt kind of feelings.

Green. MTG caused onset of optical twerking syndrome in me and most of those around me. So sure the enemy of my enemy is my friend. But is she? We just couldn’t get past the first 10 years of her political career. Sure she is out of MAGA and hates Trump, OK. Credit where it’s due. She saw through the BS, the shallowness, she couldn’t get past the Epstein stuff. The was treated like sheit after Trump would let victims or a group of female Congress critters into the oval office. When she called him out on that, there was the break. I did learn something. After Pumpkin Putin called her Marjorie Traitor Green, the death threats started. But one of them broke her. She was doxxed and got calls. One of them threatened to kill her college aged son, who was not in politics and didn’t have a public profile. That got her. She told Johnson, no response, the White House no response. Party leaders, nothing Cash Patel at the FBI, he said he’d get right on it. Of course not. She was assaulted on the House floor by a Republican colleague, ge grabbed her and shook her while berating hr. Then she called Trump. He told her it was her own fault. That’s when she was done. That led her to resign. Unless you exhibit 100% loyalty, death be your companion. That’s our President. No Epstein release because “it would hurt people at Mar A Lago, it would hurt my friends.” So I am 100% not a fan, but she did walk away. But it took a knife in her back. Now at least she is several cuts in the march to Trump’s 1000. I think he’s only at about 800. But the last 200 might come in a rush.

On brighter notes, I was moved by three gentlemen Muslims that live in Texas. Fahad Ahmed ( Irving City counselman), Abdullah Antepil (President of the Rothko Chapel in Houston), and Mohamed Hussein, a Republican or maybe former Republican. He attended as an observer to the GOP convention and was villified, threatened, told to convert to Christianity or leave, and ejected from the Convention. Ahmed was at dinner with his family at a pizza place in Austin and was approached by a loud belligerent patron who threatened him his wife and daughter. The staff escorted them through the kitchen and out because the police were too far away to get there in time to bust the guy. Many stories of similar nature. They live like this in my state, but yet are positive and hopeful for the future. They ask only to talk and be listened to.

The other was Sister Norma Pimentel, from Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. Heart wrenching stories of immigrants and the t4arment they got, and the treatment they are getting. Wanna help? Support her.

Mrs. Saw Maggie Haberman. Also Bobby Pulido at the Pod Save America set with Favreau, et al. and bunches more.

Well there was lots more and most of it you can see. Just look up Texas Tribune Fest and the speaker or writer you wand and most will be available streaming or archived. Or download the Texas Tribune Fest app and you can see everyone listed and search for the videos, bunches on YouTube.

So By the By, tomorrow (oops) later today, it’s now 2:45 AM. It is the open food drink party and music in the parking lot portion of the fest frim 10 to 5. Wear a hat. How many of you are attending? Is there a meet up for DKers set up? We are local Austinites and would love to meet a DKer or two.

If anyone reads this and will not be square by being there, post a response here and we can organize a meet up during the day or a gab and glug session this evening. If one is already in the works, please let us know, ya know? I could provide suggestions for Austins best product, local music and drink.

Vote early and often and bring family and friends. I was a missionary in Colombia back in the day and I’m praying for Talarico and America in the whole.

We’ll get straight to the point: The financial hardships that Daily Kos is facing this year are tough.

We continue to be paywall-free. We continue to be supported by our readers, not billionaires or corporations. But we need to bring in more revenue. We are leaning on our community more than ever to help make ends meet.

Power matters.