140 Comments
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Sandra Kolka's avatar

It hurts me to know you feel as badly feeling and writing this as we do reading it (we’re UW -Madison Badgers through and through).

But thanks 🙏🏾 Garrison for the Dublin hospitality share. I’m half Irish and half Italian. Still American, Jim and I have extended PTSD which we’ll take to get Kamala into our Presidency.

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Tom King's avatar

The Irish have a quip near the local saloon when things get hot: They turn and say, "Is this a private fight or can anyone get in?" So goes the shoving and the swinging.

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Barbara Quick's avatar

I take comfort from your words, my wise and revered friend. I spent nearly a year living in a cottage hard by a ruined tower in West County Cork when I was 21, writing what I’ve come to call my pre-first novel. And I will never forget the warmth and kindness of the villagers toward this fly-weight American Jew. I was known among them as “the Yank in the tower.” I would return there gladly and gratefully, if need be. Maybe we will be neighbors and I’ll have the pleasure of running into you in the pub ( there was only one pub) of an evening and we can encourage everyone to sing. For now, I’m looking forward to seeing you at Town Hall in New York just before Christmas—and praying (yes, I’m praying!) that the sweet words “Madame President” will fill the air.

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Garrison Keillor's avatar

Thanks for the amen. Be sure to come and say hello at Town Hall.

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Jim Crissman's avatar

And most Republicans, the formerly Grand Old Party, have fallen into line, to the extent that the spineless can form a line.

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Marsha's avatar

Read Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Happen Here. It can, and it will.

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Dana's avatar

Unless we prevent it.

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Tyr Symank's avatar

This was such a nice reprieve, until it wasn’t.

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Dana's avatar

Check on your pets. In case you haven't heard, they're eating the dogs. They're eating the cats. They're eating other things they're not supposed to be eating. Haitian barbecue, you know.

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Luisa Mayer's avatar

Garrison! You hit all the marks again, thanks so very much! We fear for the results after the results are in Nov 6 or after (as is likely). Dublin, maybe Canada, even Mexico beckons but shouldn't we remain to witness and protest and protecr?

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KittyB's avatar

Garrison, you have described the good in people with such warmth. The question is, how do I reconcile the warmth that I encounter each day in my workplace (a public school) and in my neighborhood, with the lies ***he spews day in and day out? It's impossible because it's not true. It hurts. It insults us. It's degrading. A rising tide lifts all ships. But this cartoon character candidate is a Titanic disaster, and with him, we'll be sunk. Folks, please be smart and vote for the Harris-Walz ticket, today if you can, and let's retain control of our country.

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Bob Buntrock's avatar

Titanic? We need an iceberg.

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Lawrence Phillips's avatar

Garrison,

It seems that you and I have a similar problem.

I never say "WHAT!" But I do say "pardon me?" Or I politely say "could you please say that again?" And my wife, my kids, and my friends are very patient with me.

I wonder if it is time for me to get hearing aids. But they are kind of pricey. And my '72 Porsche 914 is not quite on the race track yet. It needs a few more parts to get her there. And then there is my new/used Golf R. Great car. It needs slicks so I can keep up with and pass the 911s and Caymans while on the track. This is soul food for an old man that no longer plays in the mountains or participates in other aerobic sports.

And so Garrison, I know how you feel about presidential candidates. How do you feel about hearing aids? I think I may look into hearing aids after the next president swears in.

I sure hope the sound system in Galveston is good!!!

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Mennedy's avatar

Buy a pair of Apple EarPods. They have new software that makes them amplify, as well as actually test hearing and calibrate the device to your hearing. $249. And nobody knows that you are wearing hearing aids. You just look cool,

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Lawrence Phillips's avatar

Still learning how to write here. I will give the Apple EarPods a try!!! Thank you so much!!!

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gene tascott's avatar

Thank you, Mennedy. I will surely look into Apple Earpods! I currently wear a set of fairly expensive hearing aids but after two years I still have problems adjusting them to different situations, ie.Retaurant, Tellevision, Auto, etc. I will take your suggestion under advisement.

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Mennedy's avatar

Also you can get a “free” audiogram at Costco with a membership. $65.

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Garrison Keillor's avatar

Good hearing aids are expensive but I'm told that you need good ones, and so I spent the money. My reason for saying "WHAT?" in Dublin, though, was the accent. And electronics doesn't help with that.

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gene tascott's avatar

Agreed! "What" is often a habit that can, and often does, annoy one's spouse!

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Nichael Cramer's avatar

The time has come for us all:

[_] I Support Donald Trump

[_] I Support America

— Pick One

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Dana's avatar

Easiest test ever!

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PoppiRowe's avatar

I am a Republican and everything you said about me is a lie…

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Oct 25
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PoppiRowe's avatar

I do not vote for baby killers

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Martin Reiter's avatar

Then just stay home. Please do not vote for the anti-Christ.

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gene tascott's avatar

And yet you imply you are voting for a person who indirectly killed countless Americans with his puffery and lack of action when the pandemic went down!?! I come here for GK's humor and insight and normally let comments such as yours go in one ear and out the other, but your comment struck a nerve! Nuff said on my part.

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PoppiRowe's avatar

Bless your heart…384,000 died from Covid in 2020 under Trump…462,000 died from Covid in 2021 under Biden and Biden had the Trump vaccine to work with…get your facts straight before you start criticizing…I come to the site for the same reason you do but Mr. Keillor wonders off in the weeds and insults good people by stereotyping far to often…we have a right to speak out when lied about…that is all I did…others waded in with insults.

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Dana's avatar

All this online bickering as your pets perish in that Haitian barbecue, bless their hearts.

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PoppiRowe's avatar

Blocked

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Danny Hoback's avatar

Did you take ivermectin? Inject Clorox?

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Bob Buntrock's avatar

Are you stating that Ds are baby killers? That's a lie. Fertilized eggs, embryos, and pre viable birth fetuses are not babies. The Draconian abortion restrictors should be sued for practicing medicine without a license, afraid to treat miscarriages, non-viable fetuses, etc. When I see the "Pray to stop abortion" signs, I call out "Pray for health of women and families", Planned Parenthood's practice.

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Annie Cross's avatar

Do you vote for those who are just fine with killing women, with forcing CHILDREN to birth babies AFTER being assaulted, with arresting doctors for practicing medicine, with "deputizing" citizens to turn in fellow citizens....do you really support a system that enjoys institutionalizing hatred for, subjugation of, dehumanizing of women AND actual children, not the embryos the cult crowd so disingenuously claim to adore.

It is a supreme irony to me that a "church" so heavily invested in subjugating and dehumanizing women, with such a monstrous history of the most horrific acts against children is the same "church" that worships one pretend mother, one imaginary woman impregnated through some magical story told annually with maudlin background music emphasizing the poverty and dire straits of the impregnated fairy tale.....and meanwhile the ones who promote the fairy tale are garbed in gold and satin, detest women, do physical, psychological and spiritual harm to actual children....that that cult of fanciful sadism has influence and power ANYWHERE, but that it has even a moment's attention of our government officials....well, it makes ya wonder, doesn't it, even just for a moment, poppi?

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PoppiRowe's avatar

Bless your heart…I will pray for you.

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Danny Hoback's avatar

Nice to hear there’s a republican out there who doesn’t fit the MAGA mold. There are many who have endorsed and will vote for Harris/ Walz. If you’re not like the republicans who have eaten the soup/ drank the kool/aid, then vote for Harris/Walz. If you vote for the republican ticket, then you are lying to yourself.

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PoppiRowe's avatar

Already did and proud of it…can not wait until Nov 6…

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Martin Reiter's avatar

Congrats- you just became a member of Christians for Satan.

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PoppiRowe's avatar

I do not know who you are but you are truly a despicable human being…bless your heart…

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Dana's avatar

When you're a star Satanic cult leader, PoppiRowe lets you do it. He lets you do anything.

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Judy Schwender's avatar

You must be from the south. If so, hi, from a born West Virginian with life stays in PA, NY, NJ, CO, MT, NE, and now KY.

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Bob Buntrock's avatar

Projection, aka back atcha.

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Annie Cross's avatar

This is in very recent Michigan and now national news about a "Christian" fellow, a "youth pastor," son of the church minister, graduate of Liberty University (you know, the one where similar "Christian" Jerry Falwell Jr. and his wife preside over hypocrisy and devious practices of every kind), a "youth pastor" who reportedly performed some kind of "Christian-MAGA" song he wrote at the CPAC event (you know, the big confab where all of the "Christian-'Republican'-now MAGA upstanding humans gather to sing and celebrate themselves and their fine characters; CPAC that describes itself this way:

"Welcome to CPAC where we are PROTECTING AMERICA NOW!

Home to the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world.")......

THIS fellow, a minister and son of a minister, is yet another "Christian" posing as someone decent as a disguise for their utter depraved evil reality. The news reports are in various online sources today, and one is:

https://www.msn.com

The news report is about Zachary Radcliff of Ypsilanti, Michigan and the photos show him wearing his MAGA regalia and the required crucifix around his neck..... and a Google search for his name will tell you what the police and prosecutors know about him and his fine "Christian" self.

Bless your own heart, PoppiRowe.

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Danny Hoback's avatar

Eat a cat’s ass

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Bob Buntrock's avatar

Sez you. Andreal Rs would say you've been conned onto the MAGA wagon.

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PoppiRowe's avatar

Bless your heart

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John Wells Warren's avatar

Ireland is calling me. A kind, welcoming, beautiful land of good people. I’ve been saying for quite some time that if Trump wins that Ireland will have me and mine. Peace and blessings, Wells+

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Kurt's avatar

A couple weeks ago, I thought you said Kamala's gonna win.

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Garrison Keillor's avatar

I pray that she does. I try to visualize the headline every evening as I lie in bed: HARRIS BEATS TRUMP. I admire her intelligence and grace in the face of his sheer unbridled vulgarity. I'm proud of my country for producing her.

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Kurt's avatar

Yeah, me too.

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Bob Buntrock's avatar

Me too.

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Eden Winter's avatar

Yes, it sounds like Dublin could be a viable place to escape to if it gets too crazy over here. I do live by the Great Lakes, which is touted as a haven for folks who need to relocate due to climate catastrophes, so there is that. Ireland has always appealed to me, maybe because of some Irish ancestry, as well as being drawn to the earth-centered spirituality of the Celtic peoples. Well, then there is the lush greenness of the “Emerald Isle.” Very attractive, indeed!

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Thomas M Cook's avatar

The five stages of Trump induced grief. Trying to figure out which one you are experiencing. Certainly not acceptance… The Kamala thing was nice while it lasted. 😂

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Danny Hoback's avatar

It is and continues to be more than nice!

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Garrison Keillor's avatar

You and I are not citizens of the same country. I wish you weren't reading my column: it makes me feel creepy.

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Thomas M Cook's avatar

Really simple. Stop treating Trump so unfairly. The second you stop doing that you will never hear from me. Still waiting on that column about that great dude Hunter Biden. If this were a son of Trump with the same credentials you would never tire of the subject. This will all be over soon (although I doubt your rantings will cease). I won't even gloat, I promise. I probably will snicker a little in private.

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gene tascott's avatar

You talk like Chump has no offspring with questionable ethics... besides what in the world does Hunter-dood have to do with the discussion? Sounds to me you've been wallowing in the dregs of the kool-ade too long.

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Bob Buntrock's avatar

Trump deserves any criticism he gets. Deflection on the Hunter Biden desperate measures. May Trumps hyperboloid and fallacious rantings cease as well as hi political viability.

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gene tascott's avatar

Perhaps YOU should forgo reading the comments, Sir. Aside from the fact I agree with your position on the Chump, I whole-heartedly respect your right to speak your mind. And thank you for sharing your 'gift' with us!

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Thomas M Cook's avatar

Gene, you seem like a decent guy. We disagree and that is fine as long as we respect our God-given right to disagree.

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Dana's avatar

If we have a God-given right to disagree, why do you so desperately want to silence Garrison Keillor about your corrupt fascist felon rapist cult leader?

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Miguel Pérez-Gibson's avatar

My Grandfather was born in County Clare, and my Mother in Puerto Rico. So, I guess, I am an Irican.

When, I am there, I find myself at ease, relaxed, knowing there are no AR-15's. Walking around Grafton Street late at night, the worst might be a punch in the nose, but that is unlikely. There is usually good craic, and I make amigos easily.

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