6 new york | december 23, 2019–january 5, 2020
LSend^ correspondence^ to^ [email protected].^
Or go to nymag.com to respond to individual stories.Comments1 For^ our^ 15th^ annual^ “Reasons^ to^ Love^
New York” issue (December 9–22),
photographer Daniel Featherstone and six
New York–based novelists documented
some of the inspiringly singular people we
encounter every day on the city’s streets.
Ann-Marie Alcántara wrote, “This is my
favorite thing all year, reminding me
about everything that’s good about this
place and why I’m so lucky and happy
to call it home.” @RosalieCJonker added,
“I was at breakfast with friends this week-
end and we were all sort of moaning about
how physically, spiritually, emotionally,
mentally, financially exhausting it is to live
here but then ... it’s worth it, it’s all worth
it.” @tantrum ette tweeted, “These photo-
graphs and stories are so encouraging, how
significant our individual lives and person-
alities are, how much remains to look for-
ward to. Thanks for these.” Heidi N. Moore
wrote, “When I think of New York, I see it
like this. These characters. These expres-
sions. It’s perfect.” Commenter cathypem
wrote, “I was just in Manhattan a few
weeks ago and one of the things I loved to
see are the older women who are dressed
to perfection, like no one else ... They are
truly a part of what NYC is all about.”2 In a deeply reported profile,^ Andrew^
Rice brought to light the decades-
long agenda of Attorney General William
Barr to strengthen the power of the presi-
dency (“Donald Trump’s Other Lawyer,”
December 9– 22 ). The New York Times’
Katie Benner said the story “perfectly cap-
tures the AG.” @ErikRobson tweeted,
“This fills in the missing pieces on Barr.
Seriously, read it.” And Noah Bookbinder
of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in
Washington wrote, “Barr appears to viewhis job as defender of the president, rath-
er than defender of the rule of law. It is
not the attorney general’s job to protect
the president at all costs.” Some chal-
lenged Rice’s premise: The New Yorker’s
Isaac Chotiner wrote that the story “exhib-
its many of the problems of media cover-
age of the Trump administration. The en-
tire argument is that Barr cares deeply
about ex ecutive power, not that he is a
partisan who cares about protecting GOP
presidents.” A few readers were amused by
the photograph of Barr smiling at his desk
at Main Justice. @PhxFlying joked, “Ok
Bill, for this photo we want you to look as
corrupt as possible and happy about it.”
And @Edwardthejust wrote, “That’s a pic
of John Goodman!”3 In “Boris’s Blundering Brilliance”^
(December 9–22), Andrew Sullivan
argued that the British prime minister
has an uncanny political acumen that
might even save the West from populist
chaos. Former British ambassador to the
U.S. Christopher Meyer tweeted, “It is
the definitive, and brilliant, riposte to the
charge that Boris is Trump in miniature.”
@SamuelLoncar agreed: “A superb exam-
ple of how careful, focused study of one
context—the U.K.—can illuminate the
international political situation.” Others
rejected Sullivan’s reading. @AndyB-
Goodwin wrote, “This article is unconvinc-
ing. It describes Johnson doing terrible,
unconscionable things and getting away
with them through ‘charm.’ But that’s not a
recommendation, and it renders any de-
scription of him as a ‘liberal Tory’ meaning-
less.” After Johnson delivered a landslide
Conservative majority in the British elec-
tion, many pointed to Sullivan’s story as alens for understanding the outcome. Chris-
tian Angermayer wrote, “People used to
see [Johnson] as a ‘buffoon.’ But he has
achieved for the U.K. something that we
wish for many other countries: eliminated
the far left and the far right, including its
toxic anti-Semitism.” @80proofmedia
cautioned that Sullivan’s view gives “way
too much credit to BlunderBo and far too
little coal raking over for England’s man-
shaped porridge @jeremycorbyn.”4 Ariana Grande caught wind of Rachel^
Handler’s guide to Grande’s little-
known 2015 EP Christmas & Chill and
posted an appreciation of it to her Instagram
Story (“Remembering Ariana Grande’s
Merry, Horny Christmas Record,” Novem-
ber 25–December 8). Ari, you’re definitely
not the first person to confuse us with The
New Yorker.36 new york | december 9–22, 2019 december 9–22, 2019 | new york 37Rudy Vastly more powerful than Giuliani, Attorney General
William Barrfull force of the Justice is exercising the
Department to defend a president in crisis. By Andrew Rice
Donald Trump’sOther Lawy erPhotograph by David Williamsphotographed on at MaDecember 3 in JusticBarr e.Also: William Barr as Cheney By Andrew Rice / Boris Johnson as Churchill By Andrew Sullivan / Diplo as Pin-Up of the Year By Allison P. DavisDecember 9– 22 , (^2019) ®
15th Annual
Reasons to Love
New York
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REVISED
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6 newyork| december23,2019–january5, 2020
[email protected].
Orgotonymag.comtorespondtoindividualstories.
Comments
1 Forour15thannual“ReasonstoLove
NewYork”issue(December9–22),
photographerDanielFeatherstoneandsix
NewYork–basednovelistsdocumented
someoftheinspiringlysingularpeoplewe
encounterevery day onthecity’sstreets.
Ann-MarieAlcántara wrote,“Thisismy
favoritethingallyear,remindingme
abouteverythingthat’s goodaboutthis
placeandwhyI’msoluckyandhappy
tocallithome.”@RosalieCJonkeradded,
“I wasatbreakfastwithfriendsthisweek-
endandwewereallsort ofmoaningabout
howphysically, spiritually, emotionally,
mentally,financiallyexhaustingit is tolive
herebutthen...it’s worthit,it’s allworth
it.”@tantrumette tweeted,“Thesephoto-
graphsandstoriesare soencouraging,how
significantourindividuallivesandperson-
alitiesare,howmuchremainstolookfor-
ward to.Thanksforthese.” HeidiN. Moore
wrote,“WhenI thinkofNewYork,I seeit
likethis. Thesecharacters.Theseexpres-
sions.It’s perfect.”Commentercathypem
wrote,“IwasjustinManhattana few
weeksagoandoneofthethingsI lovedto
seearetheolderwomenwhoare dressed
toperfection,like nooneelse...Theyare
trulya partofwhat NYC is allabout.”
2 In a deeply reported profile,Andrew
Rice brought to light thedecades-
long agenda of Attorney GeneralWilliam
Barr to strengthen the power ofthepresi-
dency (“Donald Trump’s OtherLawyer,”
December 9– 22 ). The New YorkTimes’
Katie Benner said the story “perfectlycap-
tures the AG.” @ErikRobsontweeted,
“This fills in the missing piecesonBarr.
Seriously, read it.” And Noah Bookbinder
of Citizens for Responsibility andEthicsin
Washington wrote, “Barr appearstoview
hisjobasdefenderofthepresident,rath-
erthandefenderoftheruleoflaw.Itis
nottheattorneygeneral’s jobtoprotect
thepresidentatallcosts.”Somechal-
lengedRice’s premise:TheNewYorker’s
IsaacChotinerwrotethat thestory“exhib-
itsmanyoftheproblemsofmediacover-
age oftheTrumpadministration.Theen-
tire argumentisthat Barrcaresdeeply
aboutex ecutivepower, notthat heisa
partisanwhocaresaboutprotectingGOP
presidents.” A few readerswere amusedby
thephotographofBarrsmilingat hisdesk
atMainJustice.@PhxFlyingjoked,“Ok
Bill,forthisphotowewantyoutolookas
corruptaspossibleandhappyaboutit.”
And@Edwardthejust wrote,“That’sa pic
ofJohnGoodman!”
3 In “Boris’s Blundering Brilliance”
(December 9–22), AndrewSullivan
argued that the British primeminister
has an uncanny political acumenthat
might even save the West frompopulist
chaos. Former British ambassadortothe
U.S. Christopher Meyer tweeted,“Itis
the definitive, and brilliant, ripostetothe
charge that Boris is Trump in miniature.”
@SamuelLoncar agreed: “A superbexam-
ple of how careful, focused studyofone
context—the U.K.—can illuminatethe
international political situation.”Others
rejected Sullivan’s reading. @AndyB-
Goodwin wrote, “This article is unconvinc-
ing. It describes Johnson doingterrible,
unconscionable things and gettingaway
with them through ‘charm.’ But that’snota
recommendation, and it renders anyde-
scription of him as a ‘liberal Tory’ meaning-
less.” After Johnson delivered a landslide
Conservative majority in the Britishelec-
tion, many pointed to Sullivan’s storyasa
lensforunderstanding the outcome. Chris-
tianAngermayerwrote, “Peopleused to
see[Johnson]asa ‘buffoon.’ But he has
achievedfortheU.K. somethingthat we
wishformanyother countries: eliminated
thefarleftandthe far right, including its
toxicanti-Semitism.” @80proofmedia
cautionedthatSullivan’s view gives “way
toomuchcredittoBlunderBo and far too
littlecoalrakingover for England’s man-
shapedporridge@jeremycorbyn.”
4 Ariana Grande caught wind of Rachel^
Handler’s guide to Grande’s little-
known 2015 EP Christmas & Chill and
posted an appreciation of it to her Instagram
Story (“Remembering Ariana Grande’s
Merry, Horny Christmas Record,” Novem-
ber 25–December 8). Ari, you’re definitely
not the first person to confuse us with The
New Yorker.
RudyVastly more powerful than Giuliani, Attorney General
William Barrfull force of the Justice is exercising the
Department to defend a president in crisis. By Andrew Rice
Other Lawy er
Photograph by David Williams
photographed on at MaDecember 3 n JusticBarr e
Also William Barr as Cheney By Andrew Rice / Boris Johnson as Churchill By Andrew Sullivan / Diplo as PnUp of the Year By Alison P Davis
December 9 (^22 2019) ®
15thAnnul
Reasons to Love
New York