Bill Press: First, time out, then, the resistance

It’s already been a week. But I can’t get out of my head the last stanza of Ernest Lawrence Thayer’s magnificent “Casey at the Bat.”

“Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,

But there is no joy in Mudville – mighty Casey has struck out.”

Now, I don’t know about your neighborhood, but no sun is shining, no band is playing, no hearts are light, nobody’s laughing, and there’s no joy in mine. America struck out on Nov. 5. Game over. Total disaster begins.

It’s everything we feared. Not just losing the Electoral College, but also the popular vote. Not just losing the White House, but also the House and Senate. Not just seeing Donald Trump back in the Oval Office, but seeing Tulsi Gabbard nominated as director of national intelligence, Fox News host Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense and Matt Gaetz, until two days ago under investigation for rape, attorney general. And all by recess appointment?

It’s everything we feared, except worse. And those of us who correctly see Donald Trump as the vile, foul, vindictive, racist, sexist convicted felon he is are left in a state of disgust, disbelief, despair – and uncertainty about what to do next.

In the long run, there’s no doubt about what we have to do next: Get back on our feet and fight back. Build the Resistance. As President Biden reminded us last week, “Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable. We all get knocked down, but the measure of our character is how quickly we get back up. … We need to stay engaged. We need to keep going.” We need to gear up to take on Trump and MAGA in two years.

Yes, but! We also need, and deserve, some time out: time to mourn, collect our thoughts, and recharge our batteries. So my advice to all my friends who, like me, have spent the last two years doing everything we could to stop Trump Two, is simply: Drop out for a few weeks. Don’t watch the news. Don’t read the paper. Don’t get sucked into the blame game of why we lost and who’s to blame. Forget about politics. Read a good book. Go out to the movies. Take a long hike.

And, by the way, we might as well, because for now we can’t do anything about it, anyway. So pull out the plug for a while – until you’re ready to plug back in. Meanwhile, there are plenty of distractions out there to fill your time. Let me suggest a few.

Movies. Remember, pre-Covid, when we used to go to movies often? It was fun. Let’s do it again. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of good movies out there, but here’s a great one: “Conclave.” It’s the gripping story of the election of a new pope, where politics among cardinals locked in the Sistine Chapel dwarf any political gameplaying we’ve seen in Congress. Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci turn in Oscar- worthy performances.

Books. Unlike movies, there are tons of good books available. I highly recommend three of my recent favorites.

“An Unfinished Love Story,” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Not an escape from politics entirely, but a lively romp through the turbulent politics of the ’60s, as documented in the papers of her late husband, Richard Goodwin. He was a major player in the JFK and LBJ presidencies and, after reading this book, you’ll believe you were, too.

“Kingmaker,” by Sonia Purnell. Its subtitle says it all: “Pamela Harriman’s Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue.” Harriman was a true courtesan in Louis XIV style. As Winston Churchill’s daughter-in-law, she used her charms to convince American representatives of FDR to enter World War II on the side of Britain and France. After the war, by the force of her personality alone, she conquered London, Paris, New York, and Washington – where, now an American citizen, she became the Democratic Party’s top fundraiser and was named US ambassador to Paris by President Bill Clinton.

“Be Ready When the Luck Happens,” by Ina Garten. In this memoir, the “Barefoot Contessa” tells the incredible story of how she went from being a low-level White House aide to owning and running a bakery in the Hamptons and becoming America’s best-loved chef. Absolutely delicious!

Whatever escape you choose, enjoy the holidays. Take some time out. Then come back, ready to fight like hell!

(Bill Press is host of The BillPressPod, and author of 10 books, including: “From the Left: My Life in the Crossfire.” His email address is: bill@billpress.com. Readers may also follow him on Twitter @billpresspod.)