MENU

Sections

  • Home
  • About
    • The Chestertown Spy
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising & Underwriting
      • Advertising Terms & Conditions
    • Editors & Writers
    • Dedication & Acknowledgements
    • Code of Ethics
    • Chestertown Spy Terms of Service
    • Technical FAQ
    • Privacy
  • The Arts and Design
  • Local Life and Culture
  • Public Affairs
    • Ecosystem
    • Education
    • Health
  • Community Opinion
  • Donate to the Chestertown Spy
  • Free Subscription
  • Talbot Spy
  • Cambridge Spy

More

  • Support the Spy
  • About Spy Community Media
  • Advertising with the Spy
  • Subscribe
May 8, 2025

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

  • Home
  • About
    • The Chestertown Spy
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising & Underwriting
      • Advertising Terms & Conditions
    • Editors & Writers
    • Dedication & Acknowledgements
    • Code of Ethics
    • Chestertown Spy Terms of Service
    • Technical FAQ
    • Privacy
  • The Arts and Design
  • Local Life and Culture
  • Public Affairs
    • Ecosystem
    • Education
    • Health
  • Community Opinion
  • Donate to the Chestertown Spy
  • Free Subscription
  • Talbot Spy
  • Cambridge Spy
Point of View From and Fuller Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: Are the Courts Strong Enough to Push Back Trump and the End of JFK Conspiracies?

March 20, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller 3 Comments

Share

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller assess whether or not the judicial branch of the Federal government is strong enough to repel a Trump DOGE takeover. Al and Craig also discuss the future of JFK conspiracy theories in the aftermath of President Trump’s decision to release once-secret files on the assassination.

This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed, through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

Spy Theater Review: ‘Never the Sinner,’ Leopold and Loeb by Steve Parks

March 15, 2025 by Steve Parks Leave a Comment

Share

Max Brennan as Loeb and Roegan Bell as Leopold

If a whodunnit is your murder-mystery cup of tea, “Never the Sinner” may not be up your alley. But if the psychology of a pair or murderous lovers who kill a teenage boy just for the thrill of it – for sport if you will – will always beg the question: “Why?”
The senseless murder of 14-year-old Bobby Franks by a pair of intellectual and amoral snobs – “supermen” they thought of themselves – Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold Jr. – shocked and appalled the nation just over 100 years ago. It was widely considered the “Crime of the Century” in 1924. Today, I fear, we are beyond being shocked by anything or anyone. Which makes an excellent argument for why now – why now does this 1985 play by John Logan seem so strikingly relevant? As directed by E.T. Wilford for The Factory Arts Project at the Waterfowl building in Easton, “Never the Sinner,” makes us wonder how some people – men mostly – with power and sheer chutzpah get away with anything. Not that Loeb and Leopold got off scot free for murder. But they did not hang as public fury and a zealous prosecutor demanded.
 The sinister pair, played by Max Brennan as Loeb and Roegan Bell as Leopold, are almost sympathetically charming, aside from their hideous crime and “supermen” arrogance that seems to absolve them of any sense of guilt. The other two principals in this true-story drama are the opposing counsels, prosecutor Robert Crowe, played with convincingly judgmental outrage by Alex Greenlee, and Ray Nissen as the famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow, takes on the bold strategy of pleading his clients guilty at the outset of the trial with a daring strategy of sparing them the noose. The legal back-and-forth between the two makes for a morality play on its own merits quite aside from the guilty clients.

As Loeb, the one who actually struck the murderous blows on the defenseless teen, Brennan effusively appears to lack any sense of remorse, while Bell as the more introspective Leopold tries to hide his regrets, perhaps even from himself. As gay lovers, their homosexuality is underplayed except near the end of the trial and the verdict that is never revealed.  Only then does their affection for each other become vividly apparent.

Their dress-alike earth-tone suits chosen by producer/costumer Cecile Storm and matching bright red tennis shoes set them apart from the rest of the cast, although each player also wears tennis shoes of more muted tones – even Clarence Darrow.

The set and lighting design by director Wilford is a rather busy shuffling of chairs and tables between scenes on a slightly raised stage on the floor of the huge Waterfowl space with seating on three sides, making for a relatively intimate setting. Depending on where you were seated, especially front and center as I was, the too-bright lighting was at times quite distracting – a condition that can easily be corrected in upcoming performances this weekend.
Loeb and Leopold were only about five or six years older than their victim – a fact that Darrow deployed in his argument for leniency by calling them “kids.” As a juror, I’m not sure I would’ve fallen for that, even though in general, I don’t favor the death penalty.
‘NEVER THE SINNER’ 
By John Logan, performed by The Factory at the Waterfowl building in downtown Easton through Sunday, March 16. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. thefactoryartsproject.org
Steve Parks is a retired New York arts critic now living in Easton.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: The Politics of a Government Shutdown and Trade War Impact

March 13, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller 1 Comment

Share

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the politics surrounding a possible government shutdown if Senate Democrats do not support the Republican-led House funding bill by Friday. Both Al and Craig also talk about when voters will begin feeling the impact of President Trump’s trade war with Canada, Mexico, Europe, and China.

This video is approximately 16 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: Ukraine Meets Trump 2.0 and Reviewing the State of the Union

March 6, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller 1 Comment

Share

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the Trump administration’s approach to Ukraine and the United States’ position to NATO.  Al and Craig also review President Trump’s first State of the Union address on Tuesday evening.

This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed, through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: The State of Resistance – Is Washington the New Moscow?

February 27, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller Leave a Comment

Share

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the muted resistance in Washington as the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency  (DOGE) make sweeping policy changes in the federal government. This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights, Spy Journal

From and Fuller: A Trump Honeymoon without Checks and Balances

February 20, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller Leave a Comment

Share

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the radical policy changes the new Trump administration made in its first three weeks in office and the disappearance of the traditional checks and balances that once impacted what a president could achieve during the “honeymoon” phase of a four-year term.

This video podcast is approximately 20 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: The Real Impact of DOGE

February 13, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller 2 Comments

Share

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the political and financial impact of the Trump Administration’s use of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by billionaire Elon Musk.

This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

 

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights, Spy Journal

From and Fuller: Trump Gazaland and the Muse DOGE Peeks into Federal Payment Systems

February 6, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller Leave a Comment

Share

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss President Trump’s idea of having the United States take over the Gaza Strip and develop the region for waterfront development. Is this a strategy of distraction? Al and Craig also talk about Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency gaining access to the IRS, Medicare, and Medicaid software payment systems.

This video podcast is approximately 22 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

r

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: Trump chaos and RFK Jr. confusion

January 30, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller Leave a Comment

Share

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the return of Donald Trump’s brand of chaos with the most recent example of the administration putting on hold on federal grants and loans only to rescind the order less than 48 hours later. Al and Craig also discuss Robert F. Kennedy’s confusing testimony on his historic anti-vaccine positions and current views at his Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

This video podcast is approximately 20 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

r

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

Have another? By Roger Vaughan 

January 29, 2025 by Spy Daybook 1 Comment

Share

The surgeon general cautioned the public that even light or moderate drinking is harmful.
New York Times 1-3-25

There have been a lot of scary headlines recently. The US has resigned from the Paris Agreements, a coalition of countries that promotes cohesive efforts to suppress climate chaos. Sixteen hundred convicted January 6 insurrectionists have been pardoned. Birthright citizenship has been challenged. A slew of seemingly unqualified people have been given cabinet positions in the new administration. It’s a long, ongoing list. But none of them struck quite so comprehensively at the heart of our cultural habitat as the series of articles reporting that consuming any amount of alcohol is bad for us. Verboten! First, tobacco. Now, booze? 

It started the middle of last year with the headline, HOW BAD IS DRINKING FOR YOU, REALLY? It went on, with the research increasingly convincing: ALCOHOL IS RISKIER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT; MODERATE DRINKING RAISES HEATH RISKS; ALCOHOL CARRIES NEW RISKS IN MIDDLE AGE; WHAT, EXACTLY, IS MODERATE DRINKING?, until the Surgeon General laid it on the line, suggesting a cancer warning should be printed on all alcoholic beverages. 

This is a shocking development. The consumption of alcoholic beverages in America is right up there with motherhood and apple pie as a commonality. Alongside sex, drinking is perhaps the primary indulgence of our culture that knows not religion, race, sexuality, or (unfortunately) age. There are teetotalers who don’t drink any alcohol. The Pew Research Center reports they represent 38% of the population, leaving nearly twice that many drinkers among us. 

World-wide – “Skàl! Salud! Prost! Salute!” — the alcoholic beverage business is valued at nearly $2 trillion. In the US – “Cheers!” — the business reached $2,313 billion in 2023. That’s a lot of drinks served by some 63,000 bars and clubs in our 19,500 incorporated towns and cities, in addition to what is purchased from 46,000 liquor stores and consumed at home. 

Drinking is nearly as integral a part of our culture as cell phones and guns. When is the last time you watched a movie or TV series that didn’t show some character having a drink? We toast engagements, marriages, job promotions, and we enjoy meals with wine. Watching sports we dutifully consume beer. We drink spirits to celebrate or forget, or to bury relatives and friends. 

Overindulgence is common. For way too many people the use of alcohol is a disease. There are a reported 30 million alcoholics (ages 12 and older) in the United States; roughly 10% of our population. And now the surgeon general has reported any alcohol is bad for us. That’s almost like finding out toothpaste is toxic in the long run. 

This development, the flurry of scary headlines, caused me to review my own history of drinking, which peaked in college (a long time ago). I drank too much despite the thoughtful approach to alcohol that had been practiced by my parents. They were of a generation that was thoroughly engaged in drinking. My father was probably an alcoholic, but a small-town family doctor of his stature would not have been considered so. In those days, alcoholism, which was then not yet understood to be a disease, and the lower classes were mistakenly, yet firmly linked. Middle class professionals were simply not considered alcoholics. But two drinks and my father was a goner. A struggling golfer, he always birdied the 19th hole. He had given me a miniature, two-ounce mug when I was seven years old. When my father opened a beer, he would pour a dollop into my mug. 

My parents suggested I sample liquor at home so I would know what effect it had on me. Despite undergoing such a proper orientation, I drank excessively and irresponsibly in college. I joined a fraternity of lushes and went enthusiastically along with their frequent, three-day-weekend blow outs. I was focused on skiing and drinking, sailing and drinking, and just drinking to the point my grades suffered. A dean ordered me to take a semester off. That got my attention. I returned to college with new purpose. 

Working for a big magazine in Manhattan, I was often lured into my bosses’ two-martini lunches, which caused afternoons to blur. Then I just stopped drinking for many years. Blame it on my introduction to marijuana, a more benign way (we thought, and as it turns out) to achieve an enhanced perspective. 

Over the last ten years, I started having a couple ounces of rum with a dash of orange juice before dinner. I find this habit relaxing, and I savor the taste of rum. Exploring brands from different countries has become an engaging study. The one drink has little more than a calming effect on me, and there is no morning head at all. I do this four or five evenings a week. I don’t “need” it. I don’t miss it on the days I pass.

The current Surgeon General’s report on the danger of alcohol prompted me to consider quitting altogether, but I have decided to continue my one drink program for several reasons. First of all, as a senior citizen, long term effects of anything are no longer taken as seriously. And having a rum is one of the few pleasures left. Second, the older I get the more regard I have for moderation as a useful life guide. In younger days we teased each other for being moderate. Use it up, get more! Point those skis downhill! But moderation has repeatedly proved its worth. It has outlasted the competition. Having one drink is definitely moderate behavior. For me. 

Finally, there is consistency. That involves one’s awareness of self. One two-ounce drink that proves right for me might not suit someone else. Despite what our various catalogs and manufacturing processes now frequently promise, one size does not often fit all. I just published a biography of a woman who rarely has fewer than three drinks every evening. Enthusiastic drinking has been lifelong for her. She’s 81 now and still going strong. 

Cheers! 

Roger Vaughan, a Massachusetts native, began writing, photographing, playing music, and sailing at a young age, pursuits that shaped his lifelong career. After earning a BA in English from Brown University, he worked as an editor and writer for Saturday Evening Post and Life magazines, covering major cultural events of the 1960s and 70s. His first book, The Grand Gesture (1973), launched a prolific freelance writing career. He’s written more than 20 books, including numerous biographies, films, and many videos. Since 1980, Vaughan has lived on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where he continues his work documenting remarkable individuals and events.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Copyright © 2025

Affiliated News

  • The Cambridge Spy
  • The Talbot Spy

Sections

  • Arts
  • Culture
  • Ecosystem
  • Education
  • Health
  • Local Life and Culture
  • Spy Senior Nation

Spy Community Media

  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising & Underwriting

Copyright © 2025 · Spy Community Media Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in