Lincoln and Douglas Longtime Hartford Courant reporter Chris Keating pops the question in a front page, above the fold story: “Where are the debates?” and he notes, what all of us always knew, that long-term incumbent politicians tend to be debate-shy because – my opinion, not Keating’s – they regard continuance in office as an affirmation that successful incumbents need not present themselves to voter consideration during elections. Longtime State Democratic Party chairwoman Nancy DiNardo says it without blushing: “Himes, DeLauro, Larson, and Courtney, too, [multi-term Democrats] tend to be strong candidates. I would think the Republicans have a hard time getting candidates who really want to run. … I have no doubts that whoever they debate that they would be able to beat them. Why, and this is just my opinion, give them any publicity so that people can see them? I don’t see the need for doing that.” Also, Democrat incumbents do not wish to appear on stage with “Republican
Columbus statue in New Haven removed Very little was known about Christopher Columbus when in 1892 President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation encouraging Americans to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage. History tells us: “Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492, and Columbus Day 2024 occurs on Monday, October 14. It was unofficially celebrated in a number of cities and states as early as the 18th century, but did not become a federal holiday until 1937… The first Columbus Day celebration took place in 1792, when New York’s Columbian Order—better known as Tammany Hall—held an event to commemorate the historic landing’s 300th anniversary. Taking pride in Columbus’ birthplace and faith, Italian and Catholic communities in various parts of the country began organizing annual religious ceremonies and parades in his honor… In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation encouraging Ameri