Tributes

Georgians salute their native son and President Jimmy Carter along the motorcade route to Atlanta and The Carter Center. Meanwhile, a billboard rises in South Carolina. We cats PURR.

Six Days To Say Goodbye

By Zamboni

Today is the beginning of the six-day funeral and celebration of the life of President Jimmy Carter. The President's casket left Plains, Georgia, this morning on a three-hour trip to The Carter Center in Atlanta. People will be able to pay their respects to him there until Tuesday, when he heads to Washington to lie in state.

To honor Carter, President Biden ordered flags on federal buildings to fly at half-staff for 30 days, a period that includes Inauguration Day and beyond. Benedict Donald has already made noises of displeasure about this. Because Trump is a sociopath and a liar, you never know whether to take his bleatings seriously. But there's no doubt in our minds that he would not only raise the flags at 12:01 PM on January 20, but later demand a weeks-long, months-long — or heck, even year-long — national memorial when he himself checks out.

In reality, he would probably need to be buried at sea, like Osama bin Laden, or shot into space, to keep people from defiling his grave. Maybe President Musk can help with that latter option. We cats PURR.

JEC3, PET, & PMJT

"There are multiple entries in my personal White House diaries that refer to Pierre Trudeau, almost every one ending with 'I like him very much,' or words to that effect. My first visit with him was in January 1977, when I had been in office only a few days. It was a state visit, and his beautiful young wife, Margaret, came with him.

"The subsequent big news story in The Washington Post the following day was that she had worn a very short skirt to a formal banquet. I agreed with Rosalynn and Pierre that it was very attractive. To ease any mutual discomfort, he and I agreed that we would approve of Margaret's dress if Canadians would approve of our daughter, Amy, reading a book during the Prime Minister's official toast at the banquet."

—Jimmy Carter, 2005

"As a leader, President, and humanitarian, Jimmy Carter left the world a better place. From your 41 million Canadian neighbours: Merci."

—Justin Trudeau, 2025

Ben There, Done That

By Baxter

We cats received a Christmas card the other day from Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, recently re-elected to the Senate by a whisker. Now, we were only small-dollar donors to Baldwin's campaign, so it's worth noting that she snail-mails holiday greetings to, we presume, everyone. That's simple but good political organizing.

In addition to Baldwin's victory, Wisconsin offered some glimmers of light to Democrats in November. Vice President Harris lost the state, but by the smallest margin in the battlegrounds, and the state party flipped 14 legislative seats blue. The 2024 gains were part of a long slog back from Republican dominance and perfidy, and a lot of it had to do with the fact that Democrats in the Badger State never stopped being in campaign mode. They organized 24/7/365. They're still doing it today.

For that reason, we think Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler deserves to head the Democratic National Committee. As Senator Chuck Schumer said in his endorsement of Wikler today, "He’s a tenacious organizer — one of the best organizers in the country — a proven fundraiser, a sharp communicator, and able to reach out to all segments of the Democratic Party. Most importantly, he knows how to win."

We're in the mood to win. The DNC chair election is February 1, so there's plenty of time between now and then for more endorsements to roll in. If former Vermont Governor and DNC Chair Howard Dean throws his support behind Wikler, that's a lock for us. We cats PURR.

Thought For The New Year

"Now more than ever, instead of obsessing about what isn't working, it's important to focus on what is, so we can recalibrate. What's possible for the future, what makes us happy, what has us feeling hopeful in our personal and professional lives, and in our own little communities.

"Tear up your aspirations into manageable, bite-size chunks and chase after what brings you joy. Your family, your friends, your travels, the causes you hold dear, that first cup of coffee, your dog blissfully rolling around in the snow, your mom's cookie recipe, the way Leonard Cohen sang 'I’m standing by the window where the light is strong.'

"Joy — not always, but often — is a decision. If you're feeling a little disenchanted with your city, your country, this world, even your own life, this is a good time to refocus. Stand by the window."

—Toula Drimonis, The Montreal Gazette, December 27, 2024