What’s happening in Hong Kong right now — the protests, the crackdowns, the tear gas, the clashes in the streets, the surprising police response — is a very big deal. Hong King citizens are worried that the promises made to them nearly 20 years ago about democratic rights by the central government in Beijing are being broken. How the confrontation is resolved may foretell Hong Kong’s future. And China’s. Vox.com explains.
EJ Dionne on Eric Holder and Bobby Kennedy: “Kennedy, who spoke of those who braved ‘the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society,’ would understand the risks that Holder ran.” Via the Washington Post.
Obama concedes that U.S. underestimated Islamic State, no longer the JV team. Via the New York Times.
Sheriffs disgruntled by the costs of added security and road closures resulting from VP Joe Biden’s less-than-24-hour visit to Aspen are to be reimbursed by organizers of the panel event he attended Friday. During his brief visit to the Centennial State, Biden also found time to appear at a fundraiser in Denver to plug for Andrew Romanoff, running for Congress in the airtight 6th. Via the Gazette.
Who is the mystery candidate that is shaking up Kansas politics? He’s the millionaire who’s making a surprisingly successful pitch for bipartisanship. Could he possibly be for real? The Atlantic’s Molly Ball takes a long look.
Jeffrey Rosen: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the NOTORIOUS R.B.G., is an American hero. Via the New Republic.
What happened to all the cults? And why does Ross Douthat think the disappearing cult might be a problem?
“What’s up with these punks?” asked Fox News host Gretchen Carlson on Friday in reference to the hundreds of JeffCo kids protesting the proposed injection of patriotism into their history curriculum. Another day, not any closer to a mutual understanding between high school punks and Gretchen Carlson. Via FOX31 Denver.
The state Economic Development Commission approved a $5 million incentive package to entice director Quentin Tarantino to shoot his next film at a ranch outside of Telluride. Shooting is expected to start in early December. Brace yourself, Colorado. Via the Denver Post.
ESPN and Bill Simmons. Whatever happened, it wasn’t journalism. Via Amy Davidson in the New Yorker.
Compiled by Nat Stein, Mike Littwin, John Tomasic.
