Tim Constantine
Columns by Tim Constantine
COVID-19 pandemic is political pandemic of 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a new directive for American citizens this week. Cancel Thanksgiving! Don't travel. Don't visit friends or relatives. Published November 19, 2020
Biden’s message of hope and unity plagued by history of hypocrisy
According to the Associated Press, Fox News and other major news outlets, former Vice President Joe Biden has won the 2020 presidential election and will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States in January. Democrats are ecstatic. Republicans are in denial. Published November 10, 2020
Media malpractice in the modern age
In 1981, Dan Rather of CBS News breathlessly reported the words, "James Brady is dead." James Brady was the press secretary for President Reagan and was collateral damage in the assassination attempt on Reagan by John Hinckley. In their effort to be first, CBS got it wrong. Published October 30, 2020
Bruce Springsteen’s new album, ‘Letter to You,’ offers reflection, hope and the E Street Band
Music has an amazing capacity to transport us to another time and place, often to our youth. Published October 23, 2020
‘Banana Republic of America’
The term "banana republic" describes a politically unstable country. What often comes to mind when one hears the term is a Central American or African country in which the ruling elites run their government as their own personal enterprise, exploiting the masses to keep power and enrich themselves. Published October 20, 2020
Joe Biden’s polling paradox
Polling is a science. It depends on randomly sampled participants, but there is nothing random about the formulas used to assure the statistics are accurate and meaningful. Published October 14, 2020
Debate shows Joe Biden sows seeds of fear and little else
The first presidential debate of the 2020 election season is in the books. President Trump was at times brash and abrasive, constantly interrupting Democratic nominee Joe Biden and continually refusing to yield to either his opponent or to the moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News. In other words, he was Trump. His manner surprised no one. Published September 30, 2020
Supreme Court-Trump-Democrat controversy solved: Follow the Constitution
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died last week at age 87. She served 27 years on America's highest court and while she was the most dependable vote for the left wing, she also was genuinely liked by people of all political stripes. Her life and her service should be celebrated. Published September 25, 2020
Joe Biden town hall hinky
Four years ago, Hillary Clinton ran for president of the United States. Her nomination as the candidate for the Democratic Party was simply accepted by the media and in turn by many in the public as inevitable. Published September 18, 2020
NFL’s Black national anthem is a slap to MLK Jr.
Professional sports are finally in full swing in this, the year of the pandemic. The NBA is playing in its Disney bubble. Major League Baseball's abbreviated season is hurtling toward an expanded fall playoff picture, and the NFL season has now officially kicked off. Many athletes have proclaimed themselves the social conscience of the country. Professional basketball hardwood floors are imprinted with Black Lives Matter. Multiple sport uniforms feature phrases indicative of social causes. Politics is discussed daily on the television sports networks. This has all become commonplace. Published September 14, 2020
Is Michelle Obama a racist?
Former First Lady Michelle Obama and I have a lot in common. We were both born in 1964. We are both considered tall. We both have siblings that played college basketball. According to a recent edition of Mrs. Obama's podcast, "The Michelle Obama Podcast," we have also shared similar experiences in the city of Washington with little bits of everyday life that happen away from the cameras. Published August 29, 2020
Democrats at DNC look back not forward
There is a 1971 Bob Seger song "Looking Back" that emphatically talks about "too many people looking back." The same is true today. Principal among those peering in the rear view mirror is the 2020 Democratic Party, as evidenced not only by their nominee but by the list of speakers that has been appearing at their virtual convention all week. Published August 20, 2020
Trump complains about Fox News
In recent months, President Trump has complained repeatedly about Fox News. He told CBN, "I don't like what they're doing at Fox News ... They have people on that network that are horrible, vicious." Published August 7, 2020
International Court of Justice delivers U.S. good news amid chaos
The year 2020 can be summed up in one word: chaotic. Published July 17, 2020
Democrats, protesters rip Trump and America
Democrats loathe Donald J. Trump. They hate him. In the truest sense of the word, they hate him. We all know reasonable rational people with whom we disagree on any number of issues, from baseball to restaurants to tax policy. Despite our differences, most manage to talk, to interact, to work and even to socialize together. Mention the president however and heads explode. Published June 26, 2020
Roger Goodell hit football with political virus
Among the many coronavirus casualties of 2020 has been the world of sports. There was no NCAA basketball March Madness. The NBA season was stopped about two-thirds of the way through. Major League Baseball never made it out of spring training. The one sport that appeared as though it might escape unscathed was football. Published June 19, 2020
Ignoring American history is dangerous
On Dec. 8, 1980, a young man named Mark David Chapman approached Beatles legend John Lennon for an autograph. By Chapman's own account Lennon was very kind to him. Specifically, he said Lennon was a "very cordial and decent man." Five hours after the pleasant encounter, Chapman put four hollow point bullets into Lennon's back and killed him. The news shocked the world. Who would assassinate a universally loved musician? Published June 12, 2020
CNN wrong on George Floyd peaceful protests
CNN is wrong. What we are seeing night after night are not peaceful protests. No matter how many times the cable news outlet repeats it, we all recognize the riots are violent, dangerous and cannot be allowed to continue. Published June 2, 2020
Obama can’t help himself
It is generally accepted that the role of graduation speakers each year is to provide hope and optimism while discussing the future of those graduating. Graduates are told the conclusion of their academic career is the beginning of a new chapter in life. The speaker typically offers advice on success, an anecdotal story or two and an upbeat view of what is possible. Published May 19, 2020
Coronavirus: What if we never closed for business?
When the coronavirus began to spread all over the United States, the reaction was different from state to state. The decisions being made by governors and state legislatures were not always consistent with the message coming out of the CDC and the coronavirus task force in Washington. Different rules and restrictions applied depending on where you lived. Published May 8, 2020
