Crash Course: Uncle Joe believes: Behind the scenes, Democrats clearly now think they can win

A puzzling White House event this week sent a clear signal under the surface: Democratic confidence is soaring [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci81MDI0VwNzcGNCCmMiVlckYw7SYZRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Julie Bennett/Getty Images) Uncle Joe believes: Behind the scenes, Democrats clearly now think they can win The gathering on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday was billed as a celebration of the Inflation Reduction Act — a bill President Biden signed a month ago. On the very day of the event, ironically enough, the latest economic numbers make clear that inflation is still with us. Never mind: Biden plunged into the event with gusto. Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Harris spoke before Levette Jacobs, an IBEW apprentice from Boston, took the stage and introduced the president. It was a mixed-bag event with a variety of messages. Perhaps because of the news that morning, the warm-up acts celebrated organized labor, the president's accomplishments on infrastructure and his purported bipartisan appeal, and also addressed continuing problems with climate change and the continuing domestic threats against democracy. [Read the rest from Brian Karem.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvdW5jbGUtam9lLWJlbGlldmVzLWJlaGluZC10aGUtc2NlbmVzLWRlbW9jcmF0cy1jbGVhcmx5LW5vdy10aGluay10aGV5LWNhbi13aW4vVwNzcGNCCmMiVlckYw7SYZRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) (Getty Images/NASA) Promotion from Slow Moon [Find out more] Sustainable wellbeing with a passion for pattern Slow Moon eye pillows help rest tired eyes, stimulating the oculocardiac reflex and resetting your body. Handmade from organic cotton they are the perfect tool for deeper concentration. [Find out more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvd2U3YzNjbDh0elcDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) These are all the planets that the James Webb Space Telescope has observed so far When the James Webb Space Telescope revealed [its first five images to the public](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0Q3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMTIvandzdC1pbWFnZXMtZXhwbGFpbmVkL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) in July, the scientific community was amazed. The [ambitious project had involved decades of work](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0Q9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTkvamFtZXMtd2ViYi10ZWxlc2NvcGUtbGF1bmNoL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), and it had paid off with some of the most detailed images of the distant universe ever put together. Foremost among these achievements is how the telescope has allowed humans to better observe and catalog exoplanets, or planets that exist outside of our solar system. NASA [describes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0QyaHR0cHM6Ly93ZWJiLm5hc2EuZ292L2NvbnRlbnQvc2NpZW5jZS9vcmlnaW5zLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYyJWVyRjDtJhlFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) the telescope as tailor-made to study those elusive bodies — which, by virtue of their comparatively smaller size, are far harder to image than distant stars. Webb is particularly adept at observing the atmospheres of exoplanets — an exciting endeavor, as understanding their chemical composition could be the key to scientists discovering [extraterrestrial life](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RQaHR0cDovL3d3dy5zYWxvbi5jb20vMjAyMi8wMi8yNy9wb2xsdXRpb24tamFtZXMtd2ViYi10ZWxlc2NvcGUtdGVjaG5vc2lnbmF0dXJlcy9XA3NwY0IKYyJWVyRjDtJhlFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). [Read the rest from Matthew Rozsa.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvdGhlc2UtYXJlLWFsbC10aGUtcGxhbmV0cy10aGF0LXRoZS1qYW1lcy13ZWJiLXNwYWNlLXRlbGVzY29wZS1oYXMtb2JzZXJ2ZWQtc28tZmFyL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Whoopi Goldberg highlights the "brown people issue" of immigration on ["The View"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvd2hvb3BpLWdvbGRiZXJnLWhpZ2hsaWdodHMtdGhlLWJyb3duLXBlb3BsZS1pc3N1ZS1vZi1pbW1pZ3JhdGlvbi1vbi10aGUtdmlldy9XA3NwY0IKYyJWVyRjDtJhlFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "It's America's genre": Thandiwe Newton defends her land in ["God's Country,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvaXRzLWFtZXJpY2FzLWdlbnJlLXRoYW5kaXdlLW5ld3Rvbi1kZWZlbmRzLWhlci1sYW5kLWluLWdvZHMtY291bnRyeS1hLW1vZGVybi1kYXktd2VzdGVybi9XA3NwY0IKYyJWVyRjDtJhlFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) a modern-day western - No Senate moves on [same-sex marriage protection](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvbm8tc2VuYXRlLW1vdmVzLW9uLXNhbWUtbWFycmlhZ2UtcHJvdGVjdGlvbi11bnRpbC1hZnRlci1taWR0ZXJtcy9XA3NwY0IKYyJWVyRjDtJhlFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) until after midterms - Remixed "Revolver" to reveal new layers of the [Beatles](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvcmVtaXhlZC1yZXZvbHZlci10by1yZXZlYWwtbmV3LWxheWVycy1vZi10aGUtYmVhdGxlcy1leHRyYW9yZGluYXJ5LW11c2ljYWwtcG93ZXJzL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)' extraordinary musical powers - [Turkish eggs](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvdHVya2lzaC1lZ2dzLWFyZS10aGUtbW9zdC1nYXJsaWNreS1idXR0ZXJ5LXdheS1wb3NzaWJsZS10by1zdGFydC10aGUtZGF5L1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) are the most garlicky, buttery way possible to start the day - [Trump](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvb2ZmZXJlZC1qb3JkYW5zLWtpbmctY29udHJvbC1vZi10aGUtd2VzdC0tYW5kLW1vcmUtYm9ua2Vycy1jbGFpbXMtaW4tYm9tYnNoZWxsLW5ldy1ib29rL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) offered Jordan's king control of the West Bank — and more bonkers claims in bombshell new book - “Evil and inhumane”: [DeSantis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvZXZpbC1hbmQtaW5odW1hbmUtZGVzYW50aXMtbWFydGhhcy12aW5leWFyZC13aXRoLXBsYW5lcy1vZi1taWdyYW50cy0tYnV0LWxvY2Fscy1zdGVwLXVwL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) trolls Martha’s Vineyard with planes of migrants — but locals step up - [Lindsey Graham](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvbGluZHNleS1ncmFoYW0tYWJvcnRpb24tZXVyb3BlL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) would hate it if America's abortion laws really were like Europe's - There's a solution to the [labor shortage](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0R8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvdGhlcmVzLWEtc29sdXRpb24tdG8tdGhlLWxhYm9yLXNob3J0YWdlLS1hbmQtaXRzLXRoZS11bmRvY3VtZW50ZWQtd29ya2Vycy1hcmUtYWxyZWFkeS1oZXJlL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) — and it's the undocumented workers who are already here Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) Dating Leonard DiCaprio: What his history of younger girlfriends may say about him and about us In "[Dazed and Confused](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTkvMDYvMTIvcmljaGFyZC1saW5rbGF0ZXItaGFkLXRvLWZpZ2h0LXVuaXZlcnNhbC10by1tYWtlLWRhemVkLWNvbmZ1c2VkLWhpcy13YXktaS1zdGlsbC1oYXZlLXB0c2RfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYyJWVyRjDtJhlFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)," the 1993 Richard Linklater coming-of-age film set on the last day of school in 1976, [Matthew McConaughey's](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjUvbWF0dGhldy1tY2NvbmF1Z2hleS11dmFsZGUtc2Nob29sLWVwaWRlbWljL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) character has a few memorable lines. In one, McConaughey's relaxed, swoopy-haired Wooderson says, "That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older; they stay the same age." That role helped make McConaughey's career. But the line seems almost like something another breakout star of the 1990s might say: [Leonardo DiCaprio](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTkvMDcvMjUvZG9lcy1kaWNhcHJpby1uZWVkLWEtY2FyZWVyLWNoZWNrLWFjdG9yLWNhbGxlZC1vdXQtZm9yLW5vdC13b3JraW5nLXdpdGgtd29tZW4tZGlyZWN0b3JzX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmMiVlckYw7SYZRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). DiCaprio started acting as a child, rose to prominence with a recurring role on the series "Growing Pains," and became a megastar with "[Titanic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTQvdGl0YW5pYy1vbi1zY3JlZW4tLXdoeS1hLW5pZ2h0LXRvLXJlbWVtYmVyLWlzLXRoZS1kZWZpbml0aXZlLWZpbG0tb24tdGhlLXNoaXBfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYyJWVyRjDtJhlFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)." Despite an Oscar and Golden Globes, we talk about him these days most often in reference to his dating life, which is ridiculous. [Read the rest from Alison Stine.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvZGF0aW5nLWxlb25hcmQtZGljYXByaW8tZ2lnaS1oYWRpZC1hZ2UtZ2FwL1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Donut break journalism," [Popular Information](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RSaHR0cHM6Ly9wb3B1bGFyLmluZm8vcC9kb251dC1icmVhay1qb3VybmFsaXNtP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9c3Vic3RhY2smdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbFcDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "5 people injured during bomb squad training exercise in Pennsylvania, authorities say," [CBS News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2JzbmV3cy5jb20vbmV3cy9wZW5uc3lsdmFuaWEtYm9tYi1zcXVhZC10cmFpbmluZy1leGVyY2lzZS1hY2NpZGVudC1tdWx0aXBsZS1wZW9wbGUtaW5qdXJlZC9XA3NwY0IKYyJWVyRjDtJhlFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "SNL Adds Four New Cast Members for Season 48," [Vulture](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0SCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudnVsdHVyZS5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS9zbmwtYWRkcy1mb3VyLW5ldy1jYXN0LW1lbWJlcnMtZm9yLXNlYXNvbi00OC5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09czEmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT10dyZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249dnVsdHVyZVcDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Anne Heche Memoir ‘Call Me Anne’ Scheduled For January," [Huffington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP4QiAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmh1ZmZwb3N0LmNvbS9lbnRyeS9hbm5lLWhlY2hlLW1lbW9pci1jYWxsLW1lLWFubmUtc2NoZWR1bGVkLWZvci1qYW51YXJ5X25fNjMyMzYyZGRlNGIwMjdhYTQwNjNlNjQyP2RfaWQ9NDkwNzE1MSZuY2lkX3RhZz1mY2JrbG5rdXNocG1nMDAwMDAwNTAmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1Tb2NpYWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1GYWNlYm9vayZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249dXNfcXVlZXJfdm9pY2VzJmZiY2xpZD1Jd0FSMXVzckZKSVJBRzlfcndlRFFLamF4WC1XdFRycWNLN2ZZZW1lcTVDS1lUckhzaEtHaDd0OGtQYW13VwNzcGNCCmMiVlckYw7SYZRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "FBI Announces Arrest in Connection With Hoax Bomb Threat Against Boston Children's Hospital," [NBC Boston](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0SIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmJjYm9zdG9uLmNvbS9uZXdzL2xvY2FsL2ZiaS1hbm5vdW5jZXMtYXJyZXN0LWluLWNvbm5lY3Rpb24td2l0aC1ob2F4LWJvbWItdGhyZWF0LWFnYWluc3QtYm9zdG9uLWNoaWxkcmVucy1ob3NwaXRhbC8yODM1NzM5L1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Now Marjorie Taylor Greene is . . . kicking people? While in DC on Thursday to lobby for youth rights, Marianna Pecora, the Deputy Communications Director for Voters of Tomorrow was kicked in the back of the leg by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). In a video clip of the incident that began to make the rounds on Twitter Thursday evening, Pecora can be seen walking in front of Greene and then reacting in shock as she receives the kick. [Read the rest from Kelly McClure.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvbm93LW1hcmpvcmllLXRheWxvci1ncmVlbmUtaXMtLS0ta2lja2luZy1wZW9wbGUvVwNzcGNCCmMiVlckYw7SYZRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmMiVlckYw7SYZRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlBtxUP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpjIlZXJGMO0mGUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)