Opinion: What I’m thinking about this Memorial Day

Also: Democrats are more unified — around a populist message — than many people realize. View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Monday, May 28, 2018 [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( [David Leonhardt] David Leonhardt Op-Ed Columnist Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, a young Navy veteran in Waterloo, Iowa, named George Sullivan re-enlisted. He did so along with his four brothers — Frank, Joe, Matt and Al. They were all in their 20s. “We would appreciate it very much if you could, if possible keep us together,” George Sullivan [wrote in a letter to the Navy](. “I have qualified as a First Class Gun Captain before I left the Navy and I know I can make a first class team out of them. I thank you dearly. We had 5 buddies killed in Hawaii. Help us.” The Navy complied, and less than a year later all five Sullivan brothers were killed when the Japanese Imperial Navy sank their ship, the U.S.S. Juneau, during the Battle of Guadalcanal. The battle turned into a crucial American victory, one that gave the United States a foothold in the South Pacific. And the Sullivan tragedy became one of the [saddest, best-known]( stories of American sacrifice during World War II. I’m thinking of the Sullivan family today, because it’s the first Memorial Day since a team of researchers found the wreckage of their ship, the Juneau, on the floor of the Pacific in March. You can read about the discovery of the ship and about the Sullivan brothers in [a Washington Post story by Cleve R. Wootson Jr.]( and [a Times story by Jacey Fortin](. Also marking the holiday, [J. Kael Weston]( a former State Department official, has an Op-Ed on the Iraqi and Afghan civilians who deserve to be remembered on Memorial Day, and [Allison Jaslow]( has a piece on veterans running for office. Democrats, united around populism. I’ve spent a bunch of time over the past two weeks studying Democratic candidates around the country who are running for the House and other offices this year. The experience affected my view of the party. It left me thinking that the tensions on the political left aren’t nearly as big as they can often seem on social media, in news coverage or on Op-Ed pages. Among Democrats running for office, there is something approaching a consensus. They’re running upbeat, populist campaigns focused on economic issues. That’s true of the relative moderates in the party, like Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania, and the relative progressives, like Stacey Abrams in Georgia. [My column today]( focuses on Abrams and Lamb to make the case that Democrats aren’t as divided as the conventional wisdom suggests — and that they’re running a pretty smart campaign so far. As always, I welcome your feedback, at leonhardt@nytimes.com. If you want a quick flavor of the candidates in their own words, I recommend [Abrams’s victory speech]( after winning the nomination last week; a few of [Lamb’s ads]( such as “[Service]( and “[Entitlements]( and [the two-minute introductory video]( from Amy McGrath, a former fighter pilot who’s now the Democratic nominee for a Congressional seat in Kentucky. The full Opinion report from The Times follows. On Memorial Day [The Other Names We Must Not Forget]( By J. KAEL WESTON I had courageous American friends die in combat. But on Memorial Day I will also remember Iraqis and Afghans who died in these wars. [The Wounds Veterans Alone Can’t Heal]( By ALLISON JASLOW Many people are looking to veteran candidates to close our political divide. Isn’t it time for all citizens to join in that effort? From the Archives [The Graves of the Marines I Lost]( By J. KAEL WESTON I can’t forget them or the mistakes I made. Nor should the leaders who sent us to war. From the Archives [Forgetting Why We Remember]( By DAVID W. BLIGHT The surprising origins, and true meaning, of Memorial Day. From Our Columnists Op-Ed Columnist [Democrats Are Running a Smart, Populist Campaign]( By DAVID LEONHARDT The divide between the party’s left and its center is a lot smaller than it looks. Op-Ed Columnist [The Weasel of Oz]( By CHARLES M. BLOW Trump has an unmatched ability to retain power by deceiving the populace. [Can South Korea Save the Summit?]( By E. TAMMY KIM President Moon Jae-in may be the last chance for bringing Trump and Kim Jong-un together. [Mikie Sherrill for New Jersey Democrats]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD A former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, she is the best choice in a strong primary field in the 11th Congressional District. LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. ADVERTISEMENT Contributing Op-Ed Writer [We’re All Addicts Here]( By MARGARET RENKL With Tennesseans dying every day from opioid overdose, state Republicans’ refusal to expand Medicaid amounts to an act of cruelty. From Sunday Review Op-Ed Columnist [Grifters Gone Wild]( By MAUREEN DOWD Are we a nation of con artists and suckers grappling with a final grand con that could end our species? [A Christian Nationalist Blitz]( By KATHERINE STEWART A new legislative project seeks to impose its dominion over state lawmakers. [The Predators in the Kitchen]( By KITTY GREENWALD Beyond the shocking revelations about Mario Batali is an industry that consistently mistreats women. [How’s Life in the War Zone? Not Great]( By ALISA SOPOVA What’s life like in Ukraine’s breakaway republic? A low-profile war proceeds, and people live close to it. It’s hard to explain. More in Opinion [The North’s Jim Crow]( By ANDREW W. KAHRL ‘Quality of life’ laws passed in the early 1900s to enforce racial segregation are still doing that today. The Stone [Our Broken Trust in Public Space]( By MAVIS BISS The frequency of random violence has spread anxiety beyond its targets and into our everyday life. HOW ARE WE DOING? We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to [leonhardt@nytimes.com](mailto:leonhardt@nytimes.com?subject=Opinion%20Today%20Newsletter%20Feedback). ADVERTISEMENT Letters [The Cost of Emergency Room Care]( Readers discuss “another insult to the American health care consumer.” SIGN UP FOR THE OP-DOCS NEWSLETTER Find out about new [Op-Docs]( read discussions with filmmakers and learn more about upcoming events. FOLLOW OPINION [Facebook] [FACEBOOK]( [Twitter] [@nytopinion]( [Pinterest] [Pinterest]( Get more [NYTimes.com newsletters »](  | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps. [Subscribe »]( ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Opinion Today newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( Copyright 2018 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018