REICH COMMUNICATIONS

Whither the king's ratings?

 

The opening night of the Republican National Convention was down in the ratings by nearly 30 percent compared to 2016, according to The Hollywood Reporter, with nearly 3 million fewer viewers than the audience of the first night of the Democrats’ national convention a week ago.

Across the six major commercial networks carrying coverage at 10 p.m. ET — ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News and MSNBC — the Republican convention averaged 15.84 million viewers. The RNC's opening night four years ago drew 22.53 million.

The first night of the Democratic gathering a week ago drew 18.69 million people across the six channels, down 28 percent compared to 2016.

Are some Republicans tiring of the president’s negative and hateful rhetoric? 

Three Years...

Pride

 

I love this country.  I am so thankful that my grandparents, as teenagers around the turn of the 20th Century left their families back in Hungary, Russia and Poland to come here to try to make a better life for their children and grandchildren.

 

I've always been proud to be American, although it saddens me to admit I haven't been quite as proud these past four years.  The president has diminished our stature as a world leader that represents fairness, inclusion and democracy.  Our president has squandered that hard-earned reputation and, in fact, has made this great country an object of pity and derision by many around the world.  And he has sowed division among ourselves, rather than bringing us together.

 

But my feeling of pride has been rekindled as I've been watching the Democrats' virtual convention.  It shows how this wonderful country is not monolithic, but is comprised of a beautiful mosaic of races, beliefs and national heritages, uniquely blended together.  It's reaffirmed my feeling that we are, in fact, our brothers' keeper, building a better life for ourselves and our children, yet working together to make life better for those among us who are less fortunate.

 

So I'm proud to be an American -- even now -- and also proud to be part of a party that pushes for fairness, inclusion, compassion and all the things that make us better people and better collectively as a nation.

 

I hope right-minded people will come out strong in November to bring this 4-year nightmare to an end. It's got to happen if we are to make America great again... great the way it was before Jan. 20, 2016.  And from there, even greater still.

Pete Hamill - Newspaperman

When you think of old-style newspapermen, a few names come to mind...  in New York, those would be Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill.

Pete Hamill, who died today at 85, was more than a newspaper reporter and columnist.  He wrote several books -- fiction and non-fiction, as well as screenplays.

I only recently discovered his non-newspaper writing when I picked up a copy of "Downtown: My Manhattan," an ode to New York that combines history and personal recollections to lovingly describe New York now and years ago.  It was a great read, so I looked for other books by him.

I found and loved "Snow in August," just finished last week "Tabloid City," a murder-mystery set largely in a newsroom, and I'm now almost done with "Loving Women," a 1989 novel about a sailor who returns to the base where he was stationed in the early '50s as an 18-year old kid and where he found the love of his life.  I wonder how much of it is autobiographical, as he did serve in the Navy as young man and was based in Pensacola, where the book is set.

I love his way with words.  They paint pictures that take you into the heart and soul of his characters, even in a non-fiction piece like "Downtown: My Manhattan," where the lead character is New York City.

I look forward to reading more of his books.  I'm sorry he won't be writing more, but thankful for the legacy of words that he's left behind.

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