Richard Segal

Summer of '16 Richard Segal

Summer of '16

The summer of '16 opened with storms of biblical proportions, and this was an ominous backdrop to the June 23 referendum. However, move aside Denmark, something was rotten in a lot of places. As events transpired, Brexit proved a sideshow to a wacky season that included coups that couldn't shoot straight, no-you-don't presidential and parliamentary elections in which the real contest may have been between the virtual and the actual vote, and giving new life and meaning to the term "turducken." A populist was inaugurated in East Asia, and an impeachment cycle was completed in Brazil, neither newsworthy enough to pass the cut for this story. Apols Brazil, but you got a whole book last time. Brexit was a sideshow, but it was my sideshow, and it wasn't the only sludge I had to deal with during the summer of '16.