A day to remember | Morning Newsletter

Welcome to a new week, Philly. At long last, the region got some rain. Expect lingering clouds through this morning and high temps near 69.

Many of the Pennsylvania voters who propelled President-elect Donald Trump to victory last week say they were motivated by their belief that the Republican could lessen their bills. It’s part of why Democrats’ warning of fascism fell flat.

But first, in honor of Veterans Day, we have the story of a niece’s quest to keep alive the memory of her Korean War vet uncle. Here’s what to know today.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Korean War veteran Joseph J. Daly’s niece, Marianne Bustin, is on a quest for her uncle’s sacrifice to be remembered.

The Bronze Star Medal recipient from North Philadelphia’s Swampoodle neighborhood had been a prisoner of war. He died 20 years after being released in 1953, but in the interim decades, he rarely spoke about his time in Korea, leaving his family wondering about his service. Today, details remain scant.

Reporter Lynette Hazelton spoke to Bustin — who was so influenced by her uncle that she, too, joined the armed forces — about her efforts.

Honoring the memory: Hazelton’s latest story follows her recent report on the local veterans working to get more POW/MIA flags displayed. She also covered the 83-year-old Vietnam vet from Bensalem who got 1,700 flags closer to his goal of making sure they’re flown wherever the American flag is.

Further reading: Main Line Health’s system medical director for health equity asks in a new op-ed: What if the dormant Hahnemann University Hospital properties in Center City were repurposed into a veterans health and wellness village?

In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, voters consistently cited the economy as one of their top concerns. Yet according to metrics like the low unemployment rate, wage growth, and GDP, the American economy was actually doing quite well.

What accounts for that discrepancy? Local Trump supporters told The Inquirer they were motivated by the costs they could see, such as rising utility and grocery bills. Experts also point to Republicans’ successful — and not-without-inaccuracies — messaging connecting economic anxiety to issues like immigration.

Reporter Layla A. Jones explains how fears about inflation, along with shifting sociocultural sentiments, led to a red wave.

As the GOP pushed the idea that Trump would be better for voters’ wallets, Democrats’ message that Trump is a fascist was less likely to stick. This emphasis that his second presidency would be dangerous for democracy came after a decade of Trump on the national political stage, when enough voters had become desensitized to his outlandish or violent rhetoric.

Notable quote: “The American public has heard for so long that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy that it’s like when you put a Post-it on your desk and you’re like, ‘I have to remember this,’ but your eye glazes over it,” one political science professor said. “We’ve been overwhelmed by Trump content, so when he is literally fellating a microphone, people are like, shrug.”

Reporter Julia Terruso explains why more voters took him seriously, but not literally.

Which business near Eighth and Market Streets will close in December, just three years after it opened?

A) Burlington

B) Giant Heirloom Market

C) H&M

D) Five Below

Think you know? Check your answer.

🚢 Tracking: The SS United States’ journey to the Florida Panhandle.

🦃 Ordering: A Thanksgiving feast from these Philly-area restaurants.

🗣️ Considering: How Latinos will be impacted by another Trump presidency.

The Sixers rookie and 16th pick in June’s NBA draft

MARJ CANDICE

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Jeffrey Fields, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Jefferson Health. The nonprofit is postponing annual pay raises for more than 42,000 employees in the Philly region.

📬 Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Deb Olsen, who describes the painstaking process of procuring concert tickets some 40 years ago:

Philly is known for its concert scene, and in the early ‘80s, snagging some tickets to a Springsteen concert or the Grateful Dead involved camping out at the stadium box office and still not being guaranteed a seat.

I remember one summer desperately wanting to see the Boss and not having any luck scoring tickets. So my friend Bryan and I decided to go down to the Spectrum parking lot and try our luck with a scalper.

This could be a dodgy purchase as the seats could be counterfeit, seats behind a pole or ridiculously overpriced. The trick was to wait until just before the show to find someone who was desperate to unload their tickets.

We slowly drove up Pattison Avenue looking hopefully at random guys standing shiftily on the side of the road. Most were just selling weed or Quaaludes, which we had no interest in. We were stopped at the light at Seventh Street when a guy walked up to our car and asked us if we needed tickets. Our hearts beat excitedly as we nodded yes. Our transaction was agreed upon.

The scalper looked around and suddenly thrust his hand deep into pants, rooting around in his underwear for the said tickets. Bryan’s face screwed up in horror. After what seemed an interminable time, the pube-covered tickets were produced and thrust at us. Bryan shrieked, “Oh, hell no!” and drove off. I never laughed so hard.

We did wind up scoring tickets on the steps of the Spectrum from a couple whose friends didn’t show and had two extra seats. And we got them at face value. It was a fabulous concert, one of many I would enjoy in this great city.

👋 Have a great day — and thanks for starting it with The Inquirer.

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