{"id":1801143,"date":"2023-01-10T11:50:15","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T16:50:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1801143"},"modified":"2023-01-10T11:54:13","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T16:54:13","slug":"marc-siegel-a-tale-of-two-fights-damar-hamlin-shows-the-best-of-us-congress-not-so-much","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/marc-siegel-a-tale-of-two-fights-damar-hamlin-shows-the-best-of-us-congress-not-so-much\/","title":{"rendered":"Marc Siegel: A Tale of Two Fights: Damar Hamlin Shows the Best of Us, Congress Not So Much"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmarc-siegel-a-tale-of-two-fights-damar-hamlin-shows-the-best-of-us-congress-not-so-much%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1801143&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><br \/>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>In the news business, reporters track stories independently and don\u2019t generally see common ground, except in retrospect. Two major stories of the week were the US House speakership battle and sudden cardiac arrest in the Bills-Bengals NFL safety 24-year-old game of Buffalo. <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/01\/08\/giants-eagles-has-different-meaning-in-backdrop-of-damar-hamlin-situation\/\">Damar Hamlin<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>I covered the latter story during the week, and not the former. <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/01\/07\/kevin-mccarthy-credits-donald-trump-for-house-speaker-victory\/\">Rep. Kevin McCarthy<\/a> Hamlin was fighting for his physical survival, while Hamlin fought for political survival.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, it wasn\u2019t until <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/01\/08\/damar-hamlin-did-we-win-shirts-to-raise-money-for-first-responders-hospital\/\">Hamlin<\/a> In defiance of all expectations, she woke up on a ventilator in University of Cincinnati Medical Center ICU. She then wrote the famed words to the doctors. \u201cDid we win?\u201d This story was a feel-good story that I linked to the House&#8217;s ferocious battle. Also, for a win. <\/p>\n<p>But while McCarthy was fighting for his political life, Hamlin was fighting for his actual life \u2014 and in fact his doctors responded to his question with \u201cYes, Damar, you won. You\u2019ve won the game of life.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/GettyImages-1433216067-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/GettyImages-1433216067-1.jpg\" alt=\"DAMAR HAMLIN\" class=\"wp-image-25287429\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/GettyImages-1433216067-1.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/GettyImages-1433216067-1.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/GettyImages-1433216067-1.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/GettyImages-1433216067-1.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=512 512w\"   style=\"display:none\"><\/a><figcaption>Hamlin is currently in recovery from his cardiac arrest.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images\/Bryan Bennett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_NFL_Browns_Steelers_Pittsburg_13702633ac.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1014\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_NFL_Browns_Steelers_Pittsburg_13702633ac.jpg\" alt=\"DAMAR HAMLIN\" class=\"wp-image-25287431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_NFL_Browns_Steelers_Pittsburg_13702633ac.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=2028 2028w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_NFL_Browns_Steelers_Pittsburg_13702633ac.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1520 1521w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_NFL_Browns_Steelers_Pittsburg_13702633ac.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1014 1014w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_NFL_Browns_Steelers_Pittsburg_13702633ac.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=507 507w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_NFL_Browns_Steelers_Pittsburg_13702633ac.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Hamlin\u2019s critical condition brought many people together, showing support for the player\u2019s recovery.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Archie Carpenter\/UPI\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This was because no matter how rapid and expert the intervention on the football field with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the automated external defibrillator to shock him back into a regular rhythm \u2014 the blow to his chest appeared to incite a potentially lethal arrhythmia, a rare happening known as commotio cordis \u2014 there was still a great deal of concern over whether the oxygen flow to Hamlin\u2019s brain had been jeopardized enough to lead to any brain damage. <\/p>\n<p>His doctors have not yet given a definitive answer, but they continue to state that he is neurologically sound and can breathe on his own.<\/p>\n<p>McCarthy is also doing well after being elected speaker. However, this is not the end of the comparison. Whereas Hamlin brought the country together, as we all rooted for his recovery \u2014 Democrats and Republicans alike, football fans as well as those who loathe the sport \u2014 the McCarthy debacle was just the latest example of DC meanness and divisiveness.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701978a.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"721\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701978a.jpg\" alt=\"Kevin McCarthy battled for political survival\" class=\"wp-image-25287438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701978a.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701978a.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701978a.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701978a.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=512 512w\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Rep. Kevin McCarthy celebrates being elected Speaker at the US Capitol<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Pat Benic\/UPI\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701977a.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"766\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701977a.jpg\" alt=\"kevin McCarthy\" class=\"wp-image-25287440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701977a.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701977a.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701977a.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_editorial_118th_Congress_Washington_D_C_13701977a.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=512 512w\" \/><\/a><figcaption>McCarthy was faced with difficult challenges to claim his new role. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Ken Cedeno\/UPI\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Exhibit B: Just before the final votes, Rep. Mike Rogers (R.Ala.) almost came to blows. <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/01\/07\/what-happened-between-matt-gaetz-and-mike-rogers-in-the-house\/\">Rep. Matt Gaetz<\/a> (R. Fla.) at the House Floor. All the dealing and confusion, the chaos and disruption, the nastiness, and pettiness showed once more why Congress is so unpopular. It didn\u2019t matter whether you were for McCarthy or against him; what mattered was the unseemliness of the process.<\/p>\n<p>Damar Hamlin, by contrast, is a much higher-class story, and he\u2019s widely popular. This is not an accident. It is not an accident that he is obsessed with winning. He loves competition and overcomes obstacles but does so in a way which brings out the best of us. Many Americans can relate and admire the efforts of doctors at the University of Cincinnati and staff of the Buffalo Bills to overcome sudden illnesses.<\/p>\n<p>We love to hear the story about Hamlin\u2019s personal courage, about his being a role model for his younger brother as he rose from a blue-collar childhood in the town of McKees Rocks, Pa., where more than 30% live in poverty. It is no surprise that Damar\u2019s Chasing M\u2019s GoFundMe campaign has now raised more than $8.5 million for kids\u2019 toys in his hometown, as Americans across the country contribute even as they root for Damar\u2019s full recovery.<\/p>\n<p>His story reminds us of the potential for improvement as a nation, and that we can all come together to overcome bitterness and bickering within our government. We can also relate to our strength, courage, and kindness once more.<\/p>\n<p>This is what makes America great \u2014 not who represents us but the tenets we stand for. Hamlin tweeted it, \u201cThe love is felt, &#038; extremely real. No matter race or religion everybody coming together in prayer!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Marc Siegel MD is a medical doctor and medical director at NYU Langone Health. He also serves as a Fox News medical analyst.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the news business, reporters track stories independently and don\u2019t generally see common ground, except in retrospect. Two major stories of the week were the US House speakership battle and sudden cardiac arrest in the Bills-Bengals NFL safety 24-year-old game of Buffalo. Damar Hamlin. I covered the latter story during the week, and not the &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1801146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[5458,4402,12958,12499,12977,14240,3819,14241,5867,9029],"class_list":["post-1801143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report","tag-bongino","tag-congress","tag-damar","tag-fights","tag-hamlin","tag-marc","tag-report","tag-siegel","tag-tale","tag-us"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1801143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801143\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1801146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1801143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1801143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1801143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}