“President Biden said at the end of our meeting, ‘I hope it’s a quiet time,’” Donnelly recalled.
It was not unlike the experience of another former U.S. senator from Indiana — Dan Coats — who arrived as America’s chief diplomat to Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 10, 2001, just hours before the al-Qaida terror attacks changed everything.
By the time Donnelly arrived in Rome, Russia had invaded Ukraine. Then last October came the Hamas attacks in Israel, igniting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that is still shaking worldwide politics.
“It turned out to be the exact opposite because I was actually sworn in in South Bend on Feb. 15 so they could start giving me the intelligence as to what was going on in Ukraine and Russia,” Donnelly told State Affairs in an exclusive Howey Politics Indiana interview at the Fairmont hotel in Chicago, where he chairs the Indiana delegation to the Democratic National Convention.
When he arrived at the Vatican, Ambassador Donnelly discovered that Pope Francis believed NATO had played a role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Pope Francis is an incredible leader and an incredible person, but NATO had nothing to do with this,” Donnelly said he told the Holy See. “This was Vladimir Putin deciding he wanted to take Ukraine because he is a fascist. He’s a modern-day Hitler. That’s who he is. So we were deeply involved in Ukraine from the beginning.”
Donnelly was able to convince the pope otherwise. “I was really pleased that, shortly after that, the official position of the Vatican became, ‘This was an invasion of Ukraine by Russia.’ We were able to get on the same page almost the entire time.”
“The first meeting with the pope was about 45 minutes, and about 40 of it was about Ukraine,” Donnelly said. “He was incredibly well versed as well. His natural goal is peace and to achieve peace, and to try to do it the right way. My job was to say, ‘Here’s how we think that can be done.’”
Read the full interview with Donnelly in Thursday’s Howey Politics Indiana weekly edition.
Approaching age 80, James Carville — the Democratic Party’s own Ragin’ Cajun — is preparing for the release of a documentary about his life’s work, reflecting on his decision to ask President Joe Biden to step down and embracing an age where he can “say anything I want.”
CHICAGO (Aug. 19, 2024) — Here comes James Carville.
Tall and thin. An unmissable head attached to an unstoppable mouth. Animated and kinetic. All worthy of lampoon on “Saturday Night Live.”
He moves up the street like someone who was reared in a place where grilled alligator is a tailgate staple at football games and Mardi Gras is a school holiday. Where redfish and catfish are caught with patience and coolers of beer are chased with stories that are at best downright lies, or at worst entertaining.
The man moves without care. Paid speeches, bestselling books, successful campaigns and a never-ending string of television and podcast appearances all pad his footing. The critics who call him out of touch or desperate for attention further float his stride.
Clad in his United States Marine Corps Semper Fi baseball cap and a purple-and-gold Louisiana State University hoodie, he has two old friends in tow. The destination is an Italian restaurant, Rosebud on Rush. That’s where the crush of political celebrity begins.
James Carville fields calls at Rosebud in Chicago. (Credit: Jeremy Alford)
From passersby on East Superior Street to those already seated inside, there are nods of recognition and outstretched hands and remarks about forgotten campaigns. Carville has certainly come a long way since forging floor passes at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. (We’ll get to that later.)
The Ragin’ Cajun is clearly in his element, among his people. It’s the first day of the 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago on Aug. 19, which also happens to be the birthday of former President Bill Clinton. Carville served as the lead strategist for Clinton’s unforgettable 1992 White House run, and ever since their respective stories have been intertwined. Later that night, Carville was planning to attend a reunion of the ’92 team.
One of the major storylines of this convention, however, is Carville’s relationship with President Joe Biden. Months ago, before the chorus grew louder, Carville called for Biden to step aside. From the moment he was standing practically alone on this appeal to the day Biden announced he wouldn’t seek reelection, Carville has enjoyed a resurgence of media impressions.
A 79-year-old resident of New Orleans, Carville books what he can. The New York Times, Fox News, The Guardian and The Washington Post have all knocked, among many others. Even when he’s on his own podcast, “Politics War Room,” Carville is making headlines. (He recently suggested certain Republicans “describe themselves as pro-Israel … because the Jews are whiter than the Palestinians.”) He also told CNN over the weekend that “[Donald] Trump don’t taste the same” since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race.
With yet another interview to sit for, Carville asks for a table outside.
“Let’s get a bottle of red,” he says while taking a seat that faces the corner of North Rush and East Superior streets.
He’s still riding the high of that morning’s appearance on “Morning Joe” alongside Baton Rouge native Bradley Beychok, formerly of American Bridge 21st Century and now a founding partner of Lafayette Advisors.
“What an act!” Carville exclaimed upon sitting down, throwing his hands in the air. “What a Looziana act!”
The conversation turns to the newspaper business and small bayou towns before Carville mentions he’s entering a new season of his life, described plainly as “getting older.” His fortunes are no longer tied to the fates of others, and he only takes the work he wants.
“I ain’t got no boss,” Carville says, tipping his baseball cap back a bit. “I can say anything I want.”
Our interview with Carville has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q. State Affairs: When you were on MSNBC this morning, you said Vice President Kamala Harris needed to tell her own story when she addresses the convention this week. What did you mean by that, and how should she go about accomplishing this goal?
“She needs to put her life and experience in context. You can’t go into one of these things assuming people know. Because generally they do not. If she can just get her life story across, it’s a success. You can’t expect too much out of these things. I’m really colored by the Clinton experience. In the spring of ’92, people thought he was a rich kid, a dilettante, a summers-in-the-south-of-France kind of guy. Once they found out he was raised in an ordinary place with a single mother and an abusive dad, that changed the room temperature. That was critical. Biography is a big part of this.”
Q. Do Democrats have a plan to win?
“It’s easy to have a plan. It’s harder to execute said plan. Anybody can come up with a path to victory, but how do you stay disciplined? How do you not get distracted? How do you stay focused? That’s the difference.”
Q. What kind of role should President Joe Biden play in this campaign after his convention speech?
“Pretty limited. So much of her message, by necessity, has to be forward looking. But I think it’ll be fine for him to make a few appearances and say there’s a record to build on, not sit on. I’ve said before the most thundering sound in all of politics is the sound of a turning page. That makes more racket than an August thunderstorm in New Orleans.”
Q. You asked Biden to drop out and not long after you discussed how it made you uncomfortable and you didn’t necessarily want to be out on that limb. As we sit here on the first day of the convention, how do you feel about it now?
“I’ll be honest. I felt like I did my duty. I was in a position most people are not. Most people have something to lose. The big advantage for me is no one can fire me. I don’t think I could have done this even 10 years ago.”
Q. Prior to 1992, had you attended a party convention?
“I went in ’84 in San Francisco, and then in ’88 in Atlanta. That’s when I was working for the governor of Pennsylvania and we had a printer just print up about a thousand floor passes. [Laughing]”
The crush of political celebrity again finds Carville.
“Oh my God! Hey!” said a man making his way to a nearby table with a group of enthusiastic Democrats, based on their T-shirts and buttons.
“How y’all doing?” Carville responded, happy to see them even if he didn’t know them.
“I’m sorry to interrupt. Are you doing an interview? My first campaign was Bill Clinton.”
“Alright!” Carville let out. “Okay!”
Others in the group quickly injected stories about campaigns from the 1990s and knocking on doors for Hillary Clinton.
“This is my guy!” the man says, clapping Carville’s back. “Harris needs to hire you!”
As the group disperses, the Ragin’ Cajun refocuses on his interview. These certainly weren’t the Democrats leaning into Carville when he first asked Biden to step aside.
“You think they mad at me?” he asks, laughing.
Q. You were telling me in ’88 you had a printer forge floor passes?
“Yeah! We cranked ’em out! They didn’t have all that detection stuff. We even made sure they all had the union bug!”
Q. What about the ’84 convention, your first convention? Where does your mind go when you think about that?
“I think about Mario Cuomo practicing his keynote in an empty hall. There were about 25 other people there and he didn’t care. He was practicing his lines and his pitch. He was practicing his timing. That taught me a lesson I told all my candidates. When you’re in front of the mirror, practice. When you’re in a car with what we call a body man, have him ask questions and practice. Practice, practice, practice. Timing is huge. Pauses are huge. For 45 minutes I watched this master orator practice his speech over and over and literally not give a shit.”
Q. Here you are 40 years later at your latest convention. What’s on your mind today?
“These things have become a form of security theater. There’s a lot of rigmarole, more rigmarole than anything else. I guess it’s the way we live now. It’s necessary. I’ve always kind of wondered how much longer these conventions are gonna last.”
Q. Why is that?
“There are so many crazy people out there who want to ruin things for everyone else. It’s just trouble. Right now we can do some good here, but the city has to raise money, it costs so much to get here and it’s a logistical nightmare. I don’t think we’ll see another convention in New Orleans or Florida in August because of the hurricanes. I could see a crapshoot in July, maybe.”
Q. As for next acts, I understand there’s a documentary about you coming out soon. What can you tell me about it?
“Frankly, it’s about me. The name is ‘Carville.’ We’re going to have an invitation-only screening in New Orleans at the Prytania on the 22nd of October. We open Labor Day weekend at a film festival that, all I can say, is in western Colorado. But it’s prestigious. We’ve also been accepted to a Middleburg, Virginia, festival and a Savannah festival. I haven’t seen it, but I’ll watch it in Colorado. Those who have seen it call it a postcard for the city of New Orleans. I think people are going to love the cinematography in it.”
Carville takes a break from the interview to order his food.
“I want a chopped salad to start and a bowl of minestrone with no cheese for the entree,” he says.
“You want me to bring out the soup and then the salad, sir?”
“No,” Carville says. “The salad, then the soup. Cold then hot.”
There’s time for one more question.
Q. Turning back to politics, if the DNC gave you five minutes on stage, what would you use that time for?
“No whining. No complaining. Stay focused. Don’t get ahead of yourself. We could lose this thing easily.”
Approaching age 80, James Carville — the Democratic Party’s own Ragin’ Cajun — is preparing for the release of a documentary about his life’s work, reflecting on his decision to ask President Joe Biden to step down and embracing an age where he can “say anything I want.”
CHICAGO (Aug. 19, 2024) — Here comes James Carville.
Tall and thin. An unmissable head attached to an unstoppable mouth. Animated and kinetic. All worthy of lampoon on “Saturday Night Live.”
He moves up the street like someone who was reared in a place where grilled alligator is a tailgate staple at football games and Mardi Gras is a school holiday. Where redfish and catfish are caught with patience and coolers of beer are chased with stories that are at best downright lies, or at worst entertaining.
The man moves without care. Paid speeches, bestselling books, successful campaigns and a never-ending string of television and podcast appearances all pad his footing. The critics who call him out of touch or desperate for attention further float his stride.
Clad in his United States Marine Corps Semper Fi baseball cap and a purple-and-gold Louisiana State University hoodie, he has two old friends in tow. The destination is an Italian restaurant, Rosebud on Rush. That’s where the crush of political celebrity begins.
James Carville fields calls at Rosebud in Chicago. (Credit: Jeremy Alford)
From passersby on East Superior Street to those already seated inside, there are nods of recognition and outstretched hands and remarks about forgotten campaigns. Carville has certainly come a long way since forging floor passes at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. (We’ll get to that later.)
The Ragin’ Cajun is clearly in his element, among his people. It’s the first day of the 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago on Aug. 19, which also happens to be the birthday of former President Bill Clinton. Carville served as the lead strategist for Clinton’s unforgettable 1992 White House run, and ever since their respective stories have been intertwined. Later that night, Carville was planning to attend a reunion of the ’92 team.
One of the major storylines of this convention, however, is Carville’s relationship with President Joe Biden. Months ago, before the chorus grew louder, Carville called for Biden to step aside. From the moment he was standing practically alone on this appeal to the day Biden announced he wouldn’t seek reelection, Carville has enjoyed a resurgence of media impressions.
A 79-year-old resident of New Orleans, Carville books what he can. The New York Times, Fox News, The Guardian and The Washington Post have all knocked, among many others. Even when he’s on his own podcast, “Politics War Room,” Carville is making headlines. (He recently suggested certain Republicans “describe themselves as pro-Israel … because the Jews are whiter than the Palestinians.”) He also told CNN over the weekend that “[Donald] Trump don’t taste the same” since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race.
With yet another interview to sit for, Carville asks for a table outside.
“Let’s get a bottle of red,” he says while taking a seat that faces the corner of North Rush and East Superior streets.
He’s still riding the high of that morning’s appearance on “Morning Joe” alongside Baton Rouge native Bradley Beychok, formerly of American Bridge 21st Century and now a founding partner of Lafayette Advisors.
“What an act!” Carville exclaimed upon sitting down, throwing his hands in the air. “What a Looziana act!”
The conversation turns to the newspaper business and small bayou towns before Carville mentions he’s entering a new season of his life, described plainly as “getting older.” His fortunes are no longer tied to the fates of others, and he only takes the work he wants.
“I ain’t got no boss,” Carville says, tipping his baseball cap back a bit. “I can say anything I want.”
Our interview with Carville has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q. State Affairs: When you were on MSNBC this morning, you said Vice President Kamala Harris needed to tell her own story when she addresses the convention this week. What did you mean by that, and how should she go about accomplishing this goal?
“She needs to put her life and experience in context. You can’t go into one of these things assuming people know. Because generally they do not. If she can just get her life story across, it’s a success. You can’t expect too much out of these things. I’m really colored by the Clinton experience. In the spring of ’92, people thought he was a rich kid, a dilettante, a summers-in-the-south-of-France kind of guy. Once they found out he was raised in an ordinary place with a single mother and an abusive dad, that changed the room temperature. That was critical. Biography is a big part of this.”
Q. Do Democrats have a plan to win?
“It’s easy to have a plan. It’s harder to execute said plan. Anybody can come up with a path to victory, but how do you stay disciplined? How do you not get distracted? How do you stay focused? That’s the difference.”
Q. What kind of role should President Joe Biden play in this campaign after his convention speech?
“Pretty limited. So much of her message, by necessity, has to be forward looking. But I think it’ll be fine for him to make a few appearances and say there’s a record to build on, not sit on. I’ve said before the most thundering sound in all of politics is the sound of a turning page. That makes more racket than an August thunderstorm in New Orleans.”
Q. You asked Biden to drop out and not long after you discussed how it made you uncomfortable and you didn’t necessarily want to be out on that limb. As we sit here on the first day of the convention, how do you feel about it now?
“I’ll be honest. I felt like I did my duty. I was in a position most people are not. Most people have something to lose. The big advantage for me is no one can fire me. I don’t think I could have done this even 10 years ago.”
Q. Prior to 1992, had you attended a party convention?
“I went in ’84 in San Francisco, and then in ’88 in Atlanta. That’s when I was working for the governor of Pennsylvania and we had a printer just print up about a thousand floor passes. [Laughing]”
The crush of political celebrity again finds Carville.
“Oh my God! Hey!” said a man making his way to a nearby table with a group of enthusiastic Democrats, based on their T-shirts and buttons.
“How y’all doing?” Carville responded, happy to see them even if he didn’t know them.
“I’m sorry to interrupt. Are you doing an interview? My first campaign was Bill Clinton.”
“Alright!” Carville let out. “Okay!”
Others in the group quickly injected stories about campaigns from the 1990s and knocking on doors for Hillary Clinton.
“This is my guy!” the man says, clapping Carville’s back. “Harris needs to hire you!”
As the group disperses, the Ragin’ Cajun refocuses on his interview. These certainly weren’t the Democrats leaning into Carville when he first asked Biden to step aside.
“You think they mad at me?” he asks, laughing.
Q. You were telling me in ’88 you had a printer forge floor passes?
“Yeah! We cranked ’em out! They didn’t have all that detection stuff. We even made sure they all had the union bug!”
Q. What about the ’84 convention, your first convention? Where does your mind go when you think about that?
“I think about Mario Cuomo practicing his keynote in an empty hall. There were about 25 other people there and he didn’t care. He was practicing his lines and his pitch. He was practicing his timing. That taught me a lesson I told all my candidates. When you’re in front of the mirror, practice. When you’re in a car with what we call a body man, have him ask questions and practice. Practice, practice, practice. Timing is huge. Pauses are huge. For 45 minutes I watched this master orator practice his speech over and over and literally not give a shit.”
Q. Here you are 40 years later at your latest convention. What’s on your mind today?
“These things have become a form of security theater. There’s a lot of rigmarole, more rigmarole than anything else. I guess it’s the way we live now. It’s necessary. I’ve always kind of wondered how much longer these conventions are gonna last.”
Q. Why is that?
“There are so many crazy people out there who want to ruin things for everyone else. It’s just trouble. Right now we can do some good here, but the city has to raise money, it costs so much to get here and it’s a logistical nightmare. I don’t think we’ll see another convention in New Orleans or Florida in August because of the hurricanes. I could see a crapshoot in July, maybe.”
Q. As for next acts, I understand there’s a documentary about you coming out soon. What can you tell me about it?
“Frankly, it’s about me. The name is ‘Carville.’ We’re going to have an invitation-only screening in New Orleans at the Prytania on the 22nd of October. We open Labor Day weekend at a film festival that, all I can say, is in western Colorado. But it’s prestigious. We’ve also been accepted to a Middleburg, Virginia, festival and a Savannah festival. I haven’t seen it, but I’ll watch it in Colorado. Those who have seen it call it a postcard for the city of New Orleans. I think people are going to love the cinematography in it.”
Carville takes a break from the interview to order his food.
“I want a chopped salad to start and a bowl of minestrone with no cheese for the entree,” he says.
“You want me to bring out the soup and then the salad, sir?”
“No,” Carville says. “The salad, then the soup. Cold then hot.”
There’s time for one more question.
Q. Turning back to politics, if the DNC gave you five minutes on stage, what would you use that time for?
“No whining. No complaining. Stay focused. Don’t get ahead of yourself. We could lose this thing easily.”
Republican Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance is scheduled be in Nashville on Tuesday for a fundraiser hosted by a group of top Tennessee Republican business executives and donors.
Billed as “An Evening Reception with the Next Vice President of the United States,” the event lists U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood and Bill Hagerty of Nashville as featured guests. Vance is a U.S. senator from Ohio.
Host committee members have agreed to contribute or raise $50,000 per couple. Given the number named on the invite, that alone will bring in $600,000 for Donald Trump’s presidential bid.
Other categories of giving or fundraising are $25,000, $15,000 and $2,500. The $50,000 category as well as the $15,000 category are already filled, according to the invite.
Hosts include Adam Boehler, CEO of Rubicon Founders, an entrepreneurial health care investment; former auto dealer Lee Beaman; CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger (a potential 2026 gubernatorial candidate); short term lenders Tina and Mike Hodges of Advance Financial in Nashville; and Alan Jones of Cleveland, the chairman and CEO of Check Into Cash, who is often credited as pioneering the short-term loan industry.
Other co-hosts are Dan Crockett, CEO of American Mortgage Co. and Brad Smith, founder and CEO of Russell Street Ventures which is involved in building healthcare companies. Smith was deputy director of the Trump White House’s Domestic Policy Council and a senior advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Another co-host is Gary Cooper, chairman at Cooper Steel Inc.
Approaching age 80, James Carville — the Democratic Party’s own Ragin’ Cajun — is preparing for the release of a documentary about his life’s work, reflecting on his decision to ask President Joe Biden to step down and embracing an age where he can “say anything I want.”
CHICAGO (Aug. 19, 2024) — Here comes James Carville.
Tall and thin. An unmissable head attached to an unstoppable mouth. Animated and kinetic. All worthy of lampoon on “Saturday Night Live.”
He moves up the street like someone who was reared in a place where grilled alligator is a tailgate staple at football games and Mardi Gras is a school holiday. Where redfish and catfish are caught with patience and coolers of beer are chased with stories that are at best downright lies, or at worst entertaining.
The man moves without care. Paid speeches, bestselling books, successful campaigns and a never-ending string of television and podcast appearances all pad his footing. The critics who call him out of touch or desperate for attention further float his stride.
Clad in his United States Marine Corps Semper Fi baseball cap and a purple-and-gold Louisiana State University hoodie, he has two old friends in tow. The destination is an Italian restaurant, Rosebud on Rush. That’s where the crush of political celebrity begins.
James Carville fields calls at Rosebud in Chicago. (Credit: Jeremy Alford)
From passersby on East Superior Street to those already seated inside, there are nods of recognition and outstretched hands and remarks about forgotten campaigns. Carville has certainly come a long way since forging floor passes at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. (We’ll get to that later.)
The Ragin’ Cajun is clearly in his element, among his people. It’s the first day of the 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago on Aug. 19, which also happens to be the birthday of former President Bill Clinton. Carville served as the lead strategist for Clinton’s unforgettable 1992 White House run, and ever since their respective stories have been intertwined. Later that night, Carville was planning to attend a reunion of the ’92 team.
One of the major storylines of this convention, however, is Carville’s relationship with President Joe Biden. Months ago, before the chorus grew louder, Carville called for Biden to step aside. From the moment he was standing practically alone on this appeal to the day Biden announced he wouldn’t seek reelection, Carville has enjoyed a resurgence of media impressions.
County election officials now have greater scrutiny to investigate and delay ballot counts before certifying election results.
The Republican-controlled State Election Board passed a rule Monday granting the additional authority to county election boards. The 3-2 vote enables local election officials to do a hand recount of votes to make sure the number of ballots cast does not exceed the number of people who voted.
State Election Board Chair John Fervier, who voted against the ruling, said the certification process needs “guardrails” which the new rule does not have. Fervier is concerned that the ruling allows for “unlimited search for documents” during the certification process that could delay election results.
“I’ve always believed there needs to be guardrails around that process,” Fervier, a vice president at Waffle House, said. “I’ve stated that many times, and this rule does not provide any guardrails for that process.”
Tall and thin. An unmissable head attached to an unstoppable mouth. Animated and kinetic. All worthy of lampoon on “Saturday Night Live.”
He moves up the street like someone who was reared in a place where grilled alligator is a tailgate staple at football games and Mardi Gras is a school holiday. Where redfish and catfish are caught with patience and coolers of beer are chased with stories that are at best downright lies, or at worst entertaining.
The man moves without care. Paid speeches, bestselling books, successful campaigns and a never-ending string of television and podcast appearances all pad his footing. The critics who call him out of touch or desperate for attention further float his stride.
Clad in his United States Marine Corps Semper Fi baseball cap and a purple-and-gold Louisiana State University hoodie, he has two old friends in tow. The destination is an Italian restaurant, Rosebud on Rush. That’s where the crush of political celebrity begins.
From passersby on East Superior Street to those already seated inside, there are nods of recognition and outstretched hands and remarks about forgotten campaigns. Carville has certainly come a long way since forging floor passes at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. (We’ll get to that later.)
The Ragin’ Cajun is clearly in his element, among his people. It’s the first day of the 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago on Aug. 19, which also happens to be the birthday of former President Bill Clinton. Carville served as the lead strategist for Clinton’s unforgettable 1992 White House run, and ever since their respective stories have been intertwined. Later that night, Carville was planning to attend a reunion of the ’92 team.
One of the major storylines of this convention, however, is Carville’s relationship with President Joe Biden. Months ago, before the chorus grew louder, Carville called for Biden to step aside. From the moment he was standing practically alone on this appeal to the day Biden announced he wouldn’t seek reelection, Carville has enjoyed a resurgence of media impressions.
A 79-year-old resident of New Orleans, Carville books what he can. The New York Times, Fox News, The Guardian and The Washington Post have all knocked, among many others. Even when he’s on his own podcast, “Politics War Room,” Carville is making headlines. (He recently suggested certain Republicans “describe themselves as pro-Israel … because the Jews are whiter than the Palestinians.”) He also told CNN over the weekend that “[Donald] Trump don’t taste the same” since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race.
With yet another interview to sit for, Carville asks for a table outside.
“Let’s get a bottle of red,” he says while taking a seat that faces the corner of North Rush and East Superior streets.
He’s still riding the high of that morning’s appearance on “Morning Joe” alongside Baton Rouge native Bradley Beychok, formerly of American Bridge 21st Century and now a founding partner of Lafayette Advisors.
“What an act!” Carville exclaimed upon sitting down, throwing his hands in the air. “What a Looziana act!”
The conversation turns to the newspaper business and small bayou towns before Carville mentions he’s entering a new season of his life, described plainly as “getting older.” His fortunes are no longer tied to the fates of others, and he only takes the work he wants.
“I ain’t got no boss,” Carville says, tipping his baseball cap back a bit. “I can say anything I want.”
Our interview with Carville has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q. State Affairs: When you were on MSNBC this morning, you said Vice President Kamala Harris needed to tell her own story when she addresses the convention this week. What did you mean by that, and how should she go about accomplishing this goal?
“She needs to put her life and experience in context. You can’t go into one of these things assuming people know. Because generally they do not. If she can just get her life story across, it’s a success. You can’t expect too much out of these things. I’m really colored by the Clinton experience. In the spring of ’92, people thought he was a rich kid, a dilettante, a summers-in-the-south-of-France kind of guy. Once they found out he was raised in an ordinary place with a single mother and an abusive dad, that changed the room temperature. That was critical. Biography is a big part of this.”
Q. Do Democrats have a plan to win?
“It’s easy to have a plan. It’s harder to execute said plan. Anybody can come up with a path to victory, but how do you stay disciplined? How do you not get distracted? How do you stay focused? That’s the difference.”
Q. What kind of role should President Joe Biden play in this campaign after his convention speech?
“Pretty limited. So much of her message, by necessity, has to be forward looking. But I think it’ll be fine for him to make a few appearances and say there’s a record to build on, not sit on. I’ve said before the most thundering sound in all of politics is the sound of a turning page. That makes more racket than an August thunderstorm in New Orleans.”
Q. You asked Biden to drop out and not long after you discussed how it made you uncomfortable and you didn’t necessarily want to be out on that limb. As we sit here on the first day of the convention, how do you feel about it now?
“I’ll be honest. I felt like I did my duty. I was in a position most people are not. Most people have something to lose. The big advantage for me is no one can fire me. I don’t think I could have done this even 10 years ago.”
Q. Prior to 1992, had you attended a party convention?
“I went in ’84 in San Francisco, and then in ’88 in Atlanta. That’s when I was working for the governor of Pennsylvania and we had a printer just print up about a thousand floor passes. [Laughing]”
The crush of political celebrity again finds Carville.
“Oh my God! Hey!” said a man making his way to a nearby table with a group of enthusiastic Democrats, based on their T-shirts and buttons.
“How y’all doing?” Carville responded, happy to see them even if he didn’t know them.
“I’m sorry to interrupt. Are you doing an interview? My first campaign was Bill Clinton.”
“Alright!” Carville let out. “Okay!”
Others in the group quickly injected stories about campaigns from the 1990s and knocking on doors for Hillary Clinton.
“This is my guy!” the man says, clapping Carville’s back. “Harris needs to hire you!”
As the group disperses, the Ragin’ Cajun refocuses on his interview. These certainly weren’t the Democrats leaning into Carville when he first asked Biden to step aside.
“You think they mad at me?” he asks, laughing.
Q. You were telling me in ’88 you had a printer forge floor passes?
“Yeah! We cranked ’em out! They didn’t have all that detection stuff. We even made sure they all had the union bug!”
Q. What about the ’84 convention, your first convention? Where does your mind go when you think about that?
“I think about Mario Cuomo practicing his keynote in an empty hall. There were about 25 other people there and he didn’t care. He was practicing his lines and his pitch. He was practicing his timing. That taught me a lesson I told all my candidates. When you’re in front of the mirror, practice. When you’re in a car with what we call a body man, have him ask questions and practice. Practice, practice, practice. Timing is huge. Pauses are huge. For 45 minutes I watched this master orator practice his speech over and over and literally not give a shit.”
Q. Here you are 40 years later at your latest convention. What’s on your mind today?
“These things have become a form of security theater. There’s a lot of rigmarole, more rigmarole than anything else. I guess it’s the way we live now. It’s necessary. I’ve always kind of wondered how much longer these conventions are gonna last.”
Q. Why is that?
“There are so many crazy people out there who want to ruin things for everyone else. It’s just trouble. Right now we can do some good here, but the city has to raise money, it costs so much to get here and it’s a logistical nightmare. I don’t think we’ll see another convention in New Orleans or Florida in August because of the hurricanes. I could see a crapshoot in July, maybe.”
Q. As for next acts, I understand there’s a documentary about you coming out soon. What can you tell me about it?
“Frankly, it’s about me. The name is ‘Carville.’ We’re going to have an invitation-only screening in New Orleans at the Prytania on the 22nd of October. We open Labor Day weekend at a film festival that, all I can say, is in western Colorado. But it’s prestigious. We’ve also been accepted to a Middleburg, Virginia, festival and a Savannah festival. I haven’t seen it, but I’ll watch it in Colorado. Those who have seen it call it a postcard for the city of New Orleans. I think people are going to love the cinematography in it.”
Carville takes a break from the interview to order his food.
“I want a chopped salad to start and a bowl of minestrone with no cheese for the entree,” he says.
“You want me to bring out the soup and then the salad, sir?”
“No,” Carville says. “The salad, then the soup. Cold then hot.”
There’s time for one more question.
Q. Turning back to politics, if the DNC gave you five minutes on stage, what would you use that time for?
“No whining. No complaining. Stay focused. Don’t get ahead of yourself. We could lose this thing easily.”
CHICAGO — The torch was passed to a new generation of Democrats Monday night.
Four years after the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a little less than two years after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team stepped down from leadership, America watched another generational transformation at the Democratic National Convention.
President Joe Biden’s shocking decision less than a month ago to step away from a reelection bid that had gathered 14 million primary votes has transformed the presidential race. Biden stunned the nation by not only announcing on July 21 that he was leaving the race but also, 20 minutes later, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. This convention, thus, becomes only the second time since 1968 that a Democratic nominee did not participate in the primary process.
On Monday, President Biden made his political farewell address to an emotional throng at the United Center.
“Are you ready for freedom, democracy and America?” Biden asked. “Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?”
Biden then talked about the Jan. 6 insurrection that occurred just days before his 2021 inauguration.
“Nearly four years ago in winter, on the steps of the Capitol, I raised my hand to swear an oath to you and God to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution,” Biden said. “In front of me was a city surrounded by the National Guard. Behind me, a Capitol that had been overrun by a violent mob.
“You cannot say you love your country only when you win,” he continued. “At that moment I wasn’t looking to the past; I was looking into the future. I will report, democracy has prevailed, democracy has delivered and now democracy must be preserved.”
He called the November election “a battle for the very soul of America,” adding, “I love my job, but I love my country even more.”
The calculus at the White House essentially was this: Continuing a grueling reelection bid against former President Donald J. Trump by the 81-year-old chief executive was the same type of risk that occurred when Justice Ginsburg died in September 2020. It gave Trump and conservative congressional Republicans the opportunity to overhaul the high court, resulting in the termination of abortion rights in June 2022 and an unprecedented expansion of presidential immunity earlier this summer.
In November 2022, Pelosi made the same decision and then subtly pressed Biden to follow suit.
“With great confidence in our caucus, I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said on the House floor. “For me the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect. I’m grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility.”
After Biden’s disastrous debate with Trump on June 27, it was Pelosi who suggested on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that the president should reevaluate.
“It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run,” she said. “We’re all encouraging him to make that decision, because time is running short.”
In the early afternoon of July 21, Biden announced on X: “My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”
Biden quickly pivoted, saying he was endorsing Harris for the nomination.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” Biden said. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
In his farewell address, he made an impassioned appeal for Harris to be elected his successor.
“During the pandemic, Kamala and I helped keep schools open. We got teachers a raise. We beat the NRA and passed the first common-sense gun law in 30 years.”
As for Trump, Biden assailed the former president for calling the United States “a failing nation.”
America is winning. He’s the loser,” Biden said. “Let’s elect a former prosecutor and not a convicted felon. Donald Trump is going to understand the power of women in 2024. She will soon be the 47th president of the United States.”
Harris made a surprise appearance at the DNC Monday night, saying, “Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation. We are forever grateful to you. When we fight, we win.”
UAW’s Fain raises the heat
UAW President Shawn Fain, a Kokomo native who used his career as a Chrysler electrician to take down the leadership of America’s biggest auto union in 2023, told the DNC audience: “Good evening to the people who make this world move, the American working class. I want to say thank you to Joe Biden for making history by walking the picket line for the UAW.
‘This election comes down to one question: Which side are you on?” Fain asked. “On one side, we have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the working class. On the other side, we have Trump and Vance, two lap dogs for the billionaire class who only serve themselves. So, for us in the labor movement, it’s simple. Kamala is one of us. She’s a fighter for the working class, and Donald Trump is a scab.”
The crowd responded, chanting, “Trump’s a scab! Trump’s a scab!”
“In 2019, you know who was on the picket line with auto workers? I’ll give you a clue. Her initials were Kamala Harris,” Fain said. “That’s the difference. Donald Trump is all talk, and Kamala Harris walks the walk. This is our generation’s defining moment. We need a defender of the working class in the White House, and that fighter is the next president of the United States, Kamala Harris.”
Raskin channels Pence
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin invoked the Jan. 6 insurrectionists overtaking the Capitol by saying, “They wanted to hang Mike Pence.” Raskin, who served on the House Jan. 6 committee, then said Pence is the only former veep not to back his former boss. “Someone should have told Donald Trump that the president’s job under Article II of the Constitution is to take care that the laws are faithfully executed, not execute your vice president. JD Vance, do you understand why there was a job opening at the top of the ticket?” Raskin asked. “They tried to kill your predecessor.”
Amanda Zurawski speaks
Josh and Amanda Zurawski, a former Fort Wayne couple who moved to Texas and learned that her pregnancy with a daughter to be named Willow collided with abortion restrictions, addressed the DNC audience. “I was punished for three days because I had to wait for either my baby to die or me to die or both,” Amanda Zurowski said. “I was stuck in this horrific hell of wanting to hear her heartbeat and also hoping I wouldn’t. I almost died because doctors were forced to follow Donald Trump’s abortion ban. Every time I share this story my heart breaks. But I was lucky. I lived. I will continue to share my story. We need to vote as if lives depend on it, because they do.”
A federal judge’s recent decision to allow parts of a civil rights lawsuit involving Black high school students in northwest Georgia to go to trial over their right to wear Black Lives Matter shirts is a warning to school administrators nationwide, the students’ attorney said on Monday.
“The case we have is pretty big. It’s a landmark case,” Atlanta attorney Harry M. Daniels told State Affairs. “Because it puts a lot of people on notice, especially across the United States, as well as the state of Georgia and other states in the South, that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”
Daniels is representing the parents of five Black Coosa High School students who two years ago sued the Floyd County School district. Four of the five students have since graduated.
Justice explains why she won’t recuse herself from retention case
Arizona Capitol TimesShe says she can’t speak for anyone else on the Supreme Court. But Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer told Capitol Media Services there’s a good reason she hasn’t recused herself from a case the court is expected to decide this week that could affect whether she and her colleagues must face voters again. She said any impact on her if the court allows Proposition 137 to go forward is “rather attenuated and speculative.”Republicans scrambled to get Cornel West on the Arizona ballot. The left-wing academic is OK with it
Associated PressA group of lawyers with deep ties to the Republican Party scrambled over the weekend to rescue an effort to get independent presidential candidate Cornel West on the Arizona ballot, offering one of the clearest examples yet of the GOP’s extensive involvement in furthering the left-wing academic’s long-shot bid.House Republican from Arizona doesn't actually live in the district he represents… here's why it could become a problem
Daily MailEli Crane represents the largest mass of land in Arizona at over 20,000 square miles. But records show he lives in a home an hour outside of that district. Here's when Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly will speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago
12NewsArizona Sen. Mark Kelly will have a primetime speaking role on Thursday’s final night of the Democratic National Convention, ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech as the party’s presidential nominee, 12News has learned.Biden DOJ Asks SCOTUS To Keep Arizona From Requiring Proof Of Citizenship For 2024 Election
The FederalistThe Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday requested the U.S. Supreme Court “deny” Republicans’ bid to enforce an Arizona law requiring individuals to prove they’re U.S. citizens when registering and voting in elections.Arizona Attorney General issues warning about Bitcoin and cryptocurrency scams
KTARArizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued another warning about cryptocurrency scams on Monday. Mayes said vulnerable individuals, including senior citizens, are at a higher risk of being targeted by scammers.California continues to lose residents to Arizona, Nevada
Fox BusinessElection swing states, Arizona and Nevada, have seen an influx of new residents, particularly from California, according to Redfin.How a grieving Arizona widow found her new happily-ever-after in Africa
Arizona RepublicTami Loehrs had been living what she called “the perfect life.” She was married to her soulmate, Dave. She had a wildly successful career as a nationally known expert in digital forensics, based in Tucson. She and her husband traveled all over the world, living out their dreams and their wildest adventures.The media has definitely turned on Kamala Harris, and for good reason
Arizona RepublicWith so many eyes on this week’s Democratic National Convention, a lot of Americans didn’t notice on Friday that the 2024 presidential election took a significant turn against Democrats. The honeymoon is over.Heat and mental illness are a dangerous combination
Hartford CourantEarlier this summer, the child actor from ‘ALF’, Benji Gregory, age 46, was found dead along with his service dog in a parked car in the Arizona heat.
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