Taking Shots With Spike Lee and His Arsenal Fan Club: “It’s Always Electric When He Shows Up”

The Apprentice’s Rocky Release • Carville’s Counsel • Decoding the Debate [View in your browser]( | [Update your preferences](newsletter=vf) [Vanity Fair Hive logo image]( Taking Shots With Spike Lee and His Arsenal Fan Club: “It’s Always Electric When He Shows Up” Good morning. Spike Lee is best known as a fabled filmmaker, but if you stroll by the right Brooklyn watering hole at the crack of dawn, you might discover his lesser-known obsession: soccer. That’s what Tom Kludt [learned]( last week while throwing back a few with the director, as they chatted about politics, movies, and Lee’s neighborhood Arsenal FC fan club, which convenes on early mornings to watch every kickoff at FancyFree. “If you want to watch a game and you’re a Gooner,” he said of the bar, “that’s the spot.” Zooming out from sports, the Hive had a banner week of election coverage: For the latest episode of Inside the Hive, Brian Stelter [sat down]( with the legendary Democratic strategist James Carville, who doled out hard-talking campaign tips for Kamala Harris. Similarly, Chris Smith [reported]( on what the veep could learn from Bob Casey, the popular Democratic senator from Pennsylvania—a battleground state that is sure to prove pivotal for Harris’s election prospects. We’d also be remiss not to mention Eric Lutz’s [recap]( of the vice-presidential debate, where Tim Walz and JD Vance sparred about everything from the economy to abortion to January 6. Another near-election coup is, of course, the very last thing Democrats want for 2024. But, as Pablo Manríquez [reported]( this week, that might come down to which House leader ends up holding the gavel: Hakeem Jeffries or Mike Johnson. Thanks for reading, and see you next week. —Jon Skolnik, associate editor [Image may contain: Spike Lee, Face, Head, Person, Photography, Portrait, Cap, Clothing, Hat, Baseball Cap, and Accessories]( [Taking Shots With Spike Lee and His Arsenal Fan Club: “It’s Always Electric When He Shows Up”]( By [Tom Kludt]( [Vanity Fair visits the famed director at his Fort Greene studio, tours his stunning collection of movie memorabilia, and talks politics, before going full “Gooner” at a nearby bar. “I love to be in the mix,” Lee says.]( [Read more button](   [James Carville on Ramping Up the Harris Ground Game and Defeating Trump]( By [Brian Stelter]( [The Democratic strategist argued that Harris should be leaning into the “fresh versus stale” narrative and focus on winning the day—every day. “Are they in the trenches?” he asks. “Are they trying to win the news cycle?”]( [Read more button](   [What Kamala Harris Could Learn From Bob Casey About Winning in Pennsylvania]( By [Chris Smith]( [The senator is in a tight race of his own. Could his strategy for winning over moderate Republicans also work for the Democratic presidential ticket?]( [Read more button](   [JD Vance Won the Debate—if You Ignore the Facts]( By [Eric Lutz]( [The Ohio senator displayed the eloquence of a seasoned lawyer and the zeal of an annoying debate kid, while Tim Walz seemed less comfortable in the limelight. Then again, will either of their performances actually move the needle?]( [Read more button](   [Image may contain: Tie, Accessories, Accessory, Electrical Device, Microphone, Human, Person, Suit, Coat, and Clothing]( [Hakeem Jeffries on Winning the House and Defending Democracy Against Another January 6]( By [Pablo Manríquez]( [The difference between a smooth presidential transition and a calamitous repeat of 2021 might come down to who holds the gavel. And while Mike Johnson himself might seem tame, his commitment to overturning a potential Trump loss could be quite the opposite.]( [Read more button](   Get on the list Subscribe to our Hollywood newsletter for your essential industry and awards-season news, every day. [Sign Up Now](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn](   This e-mail was sent to you by The Hive. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007 Copyright © 2024 Condé Nast