Ken Burns Suspends Neutrality, Utterly Torches Trump

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Filmmaker Ken Burns ditched his trademark political neutrality during an undergraduate commencement address at Massachusetts' Brandies University to warn what will happen to the U.S. if former President Donald Trump wins back the White House. "We are at an existential crossroads in our political and civic lives. This is a choice that could not be clearer."

Posted by tonyroma at 02:31 PM | 31 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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"There is only the perpetuation, however flawed and feeble you might perceive it, of our fragile 249-year-old experiment or the entropy that will engulf and destroy us if we take the other route," the historian warned.

Trump, the quadruply-indicted presumptive GOP presidential nominee, is "the opioid of all opioids, an easy cure for what some believe is the solution to our myriad pains and problems," Burns said.

But with Trump in office "you end up re-enslaved with an even bigger problem, a worse affliction and addiction," he predicted.

"Do not be seduced by easy equalization. There is nothing equal about this equation." said Burns. "We are at an existential crossroads in our political and civic lives. This is a choice that could not be clearer."

There are probably few people alive who've spent more of their lives uncovering and illuminating America's vast and complicated history than Ken Burns. Hopefully his words will resonate with some that don't have the depth of historical knowledge and perspective that he possesses.

#1 | Posted by tonyroma at 2024-05-29 09:01 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 9

Burns interview yesterday with Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House:

Ken Burns: There is no real choice this November'

www.yahoo.com

#2 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2024-05-29 09:06 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

I agree. There is no real choice. I wish Biden wasn't running against Trump but in this day and age we can't seem to come up with any actual good candidates. To say the least I have been underwhelmed by what both parties put forth as potential candidates since 2008. Hillary I think would have made a good President but was very divisive among "swing" voters. I think it was really a fear of a woman. Not to mention just dumb things happening during her run outside stupid FBI moves. Bernie Sanders I think would have been fantastic for the country but he was too old last cycle - just like Biden. GOP candidates? Something about a box of rocks? They haven't had anyone run that has any sense or is appealing outside the 30% base. So we end up with Biden vs Schmuck round 2.

#3 | Posted by GalaxiePete at 2024-05-29 03:21 PM | Reply

As imperfect as Biden may be, Trump is the obvious Greater Evil.... and it's not even close.

Anyone who can't see that is willfully blind. Or has handed their will over to a Cult.

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2024-05-29 04:05 PM | Reply

Ken just flushed his credibility down the toilet and cast shade on the faithfulness to the truth of his collective works.

#5 | Posted by visitor_ at 2024-05-29 04:37 PM | Reply | Funny: 6

Ken just flushed his credibility down the toilet and cast shade on the faithfulness to the truth of his collective works.

POSTED BY VISITOR_ AT 2024-05-29 04:37 PM | REPLY

Go eff yourself.

#6 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2024-05-29 04:38 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

Woof Woof.

#7 | Posted by visitor_ at 2024-05-29 04:54 PM | Reply

Anyone with half a brain knows Fat Donnie Loser is poison.

#8 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-05-29 05:06 PM | Reply

The one thing that perplexes me most about ------- is his obvious bad nature. From his jazz hands performance, to his childish nicknames, to his bullying behavior, to his clown face, to his beyond parody performances, he is so OBVIOUS a conman. Hitler, for all his evil, seemed to at least care about Germany at first. ------- doesn't even have that, he is so blatantly, obviously a ------ human being who should not be anywhere near the levers of power.

In 2008, I supported Obama, but I would have accepted McCain, he obviously was a man of character. I would likely have opposed his policies, but he wasn't evil like Reagan or Dubya. ------- though is a whole other level of wrong.

And the problem is that the low information voter will look back on 2016-2020 as him being funny and OUTRAGEOUS, but they fail to understand that ------- was terrified of the power he wielded and was restrained by adults in the room. Now all of his worst inclinations will have no bounds. And the scarier part is that he will surround himself with true lunatics who will have specific horrifying agendas that they will push from day one and ------- won't give two ----- as he just wants the accolades. It's like his restricting contraception comment the other day. He has no policy, he hasn't thought about contraception AT ALL. So, he gave a rote answer about he is coming out with a policy and it will be a great policy. (his team had to immediately walk that back) But it is evidence he just doesn't care AT ALL. If the people around him push for NO CONTRACEPTION for anyone he will push that and say it is the greatest contraception policy that everyone wants. If the people around him push for free contraception for everyone including babies he will push THAT and say it is the greatest contraception policy that everyone wants.

He just doesn't care and he will be surrounded by fringe white nationalist whackos who will destroy voter rights, reproductive freedom, the non-partisan federal government, contraception, marriage equality, fetal personhood, he will send the military into blue cities, he will deport MILLIONS, he will respond violently to any and all protests etc. etc. who will be pushing these fringe agendas with no adults in the room stopping them.

#9 | Posted by truthhurts at 2024-05-29 05:25 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 5

Ken just flushed his credibility down the toilet and cast shade on the faithfulness to the truth of his collective works.
#5 | POSTED BY VISITOR_

All because of muh Trump.

Damn you dumb AND a hack. Enjoy your cult while it lasts, sporto.

Swallow it.

#10 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2024-05-29 05:45 PM | Reply

@#5 ... Ken just flushed his credibility down the toilet and cast shade on the faithfulness to the truth of his collective works. ...

What did he say that was a lie?

#11 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-05-29 06:24 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

That there Burns feller don't know nuthin' bout Jazz, ner baseball, ner Vietnam, ner nuthin' cuz he done said bad stuff bout Trump.

#12 | Posted by anton at 2024-05-29 06:30 PM | Reply

There's nothing partisan about saying we have to save democracy from the person who already attempted to destroy it.

It's asinine to pretend that's partisan, and just plays into the mass maga mind trick of erasing his coup and corruption from history.

#13 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2024-05-29 06:31 PM | Reply

Ken just flushed his credibility down the toilet and cast shade on the faithfulness to the truth of his collective works.

#5 | Posted by visitor_

Yes we know how much trump's cult cares about CREDIBILITY.

#14 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2024-05-29 06:32 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#4 | POSTED BY CORKY

I agree with you. I only wish that Biden had stuck to his promise of one term, so that the nation had a better choice this time around.

#15 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2024-05-29 06:33 PM | Reply

#5 it's not that Ken lost his credibility. It's that Trump never had any, a fact that has been revealed incontrovertibly after 9 years of being exposed to Trump's lies and threats of retribution.

#16 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2024-05-29 07:04 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

@#16 ... it's not that Ken lost his credibility. It's that Trump never had any ...

Worth a repeat, in bold.

it's not that Ken lost his credibility. It's that Trump never had any

My comments about fmr Pres Trump's credibility here on this most august site have actually drawn responses from Trump supporters telling me that he lies a lot, but that I should not pay attention to what he says, but what he does.

That was back in the discussions fmr Pres Trump's handling the COVID crisis.

Now those same Trump supporters seem to have fully joined the cult of Trump.

I don't get those types of replies anymore.

How things change.

#17 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-05-29 07:49 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

@#1 ... Now those same Trump supporters seem to have fully joined the cult of Trump. ...

New Order - True Faith (1987)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt...

genius.com

...
I feel so extraordinary
Something's got a hold on me
I get this feeling I'm in motion
A certain sense of liberty
...

#18 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-05-29 08:13 PM | Reply

"Ken just flushed his credibility down the toilet and cast shade on the faithfulness to the truth of his collective works."

Admit it. You've never ever even watched one of his "collective works".

They contain to many actual facts too much actual history and too much "left-wing indoctrination."

#19 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-05-30 12:32 AM | Reply

I don't get those types of replies anymore.

How things change.
#17 | POSTED BY LAMPLIGHTER

You are lucky.

If they knew where you lived (or the moderator would allow it here) they would have switched to death threats by now.

#20 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-05-30 12:35 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

it's not that Ken lost his credibility. It's that Trump never had any

Tangerine jesus defined his presidency when he sent Spicy out for the very first press conference where he said the crowd gathered at the 2017 inauguration was "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe."

From that moment on you just knew that the sh*tshow was just beginning and that Biff Tannen was going to be the single worst president in history.

#21 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-05-30 08:22 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

The only thing I can't understand is how any adult can actually say this country is better off now than 4 years ago. I'm not trashing Biden or Dems or any specific party or group. Circumstances have changed drastically and not for the better. The ONLY thing one can even say is better year-over-year is social aspects of equality, and that is due to liberals so good job. The problem is, social issues like pronouns do nothing to make the country better from a survival/progressive standpoint. Yay, we have good pronouns!!!!!!!...that's going to stop inflation, stop illegal immigration, stop crime from rising, stop food costs from rising, stop foreign wars, etc. etc. etc. Oh wait, no IT FREAKING WILL NOT! America's priorities suck today.

#22 | Posted by humtake at 2024-05-30 11:52 AM | Reply

"The only thing I can't understand is how any adult can actually say this country is better off now than 4 years ago."

Is there a "Didn't buy NVidia" flag?

#23 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-30 11:53 AM | Reply

The only thing I can't understand is how any adult can actually say this country is better off now than 4 years ago.

Humtrig is a fan of 15% unemployment and Covid killing 3500 Americans every day.

#24 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2024-05-30 11:56 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

"Circumstances have changed drastically and not for the better."

What's on your mind?

#25 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-30 12:09 PM | Reply

"The only thing I can't understand is how any adult can actually say this country is better off now than 4 years ago."

Four years ago Tom Hanks just tested positive for Covid and the world had just begun to shut down.

You should probably get that dementia treated. .

#26 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-05-30 12:21 PM | Reply

"The only thing I can't understand is how any adult can actually say this country is better off now than 4 years ago."

APR 15, 2020

We've all seen the images, a stunning visual representation of the double whammy punch landed by an unprecedented public health pandemic and resulting record unemployment.

Miles-long lines of cars with thousands of people waiting to enter food banks in California, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and elsewhere in the country. Some food relief organizations, such as Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, responded by providing their first pop-up, drive-through food distribution for people in need. So did a similar effort in Inglewood, California in partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

Demand for food aid has increased as much as eightfold in some areas, according to an investigation by The Guardian. With 16 million and counting joining the unemployed ranks across the U.S. within weeks of the COVID-19 crisis, food insecurity is a major concern for many Americans right now. That's especially the case for employees in the retail, restaurant, and hospitality service industries, where thousands of workers " who often live paycheck to paycheck " have been laid off, with little or no buffer as yet against the abrupt loss of income.

www.careinnovations.org

#27 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-05-30 12:25 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"The only thing I can't understand is how any adult can actually say this country is better off now than 4 years ago."

#22 | POSTED BY HUMTAKE

I'm doing great.

Have you considered the possibility that you're an incompetent and a failure?

Donald Trump won't fix you for you, Bozo.

#28 | Posted by Zed at 2024-05-30 12:41 PM | Reply

Sometimes you just have to hold your nose and vote
for the 'lesser of two evils'.

I don't think that at all w Biden v. Trump.
Trump is clearly the evil one in this match up.
And Biden to me, is largely only at fault for being old,
less on his game, and (in part) for his stance on
Israel.

He has managed Russia and China brilliantly so far.

#29 | Posted by earthmuse at 2024-05-30 02:26 PM | Reply

"The only thing I can't understand is how any adult can actually say this country is better off now than 4 years ago."
#22 | POSTED BY HUMTAKE AT 2024-05-30 11:52 AM

Did Biden lie to the country that Covid would disappear by magic?
Who was president when they were digging mass graves in the Northeast to bury Covid victims?
Who was the Covid-infected president who infected his own followers and Secret Service detail so he could go on a self-promotion drive for his cult followers?
Did Biden tank BOTH the stock market and the oil market? No, that was four years ago.
Did Biden get laughed off the stage at the United Nations? No, that was Trump.
Did Biden threaten to burn the country down if he didn't get re-elected?
Did Biden have a laughingstock of a cabinet, that were not only outrageously incompetent, but served only to genuflect to him regularly on camera?
Did Trump actually achieve "energy independence"?
Did Trump even do ANYTHING that he campaigned on?
Did Biden ever profit from his trips and vacations, having billed the taxpayers to stay at his own properties?
What countries in the world want Trump to be President?
Did Biden ever publicly suck up to the world's worst dictators, openly praising them and saying he wanted to be like them?
Did Biden order the Army/National Guard to beat peaceful protestors near the White Houser?

I laugh at your ignorance and impotence.

#30 | Posted by e1g1 at 2024-05-30 08:09 PM | Reply

If Ken Burns told anyone that there's "no choice" this election, that should be interpreted as Biden is the only acceptable option as the election is shaping up.

Trump offers the world Hell for the duration if given another bite at the apple. His pro-facist nature and promise to avenge his enemies (read that as anyone who doesn't love him unconditionally) will destroy America's polity, bolster autocracies worldwide and promote chaos everywhere.

#31 | Posted by Augustine at 2024-05-31 09:02 AM | Reply