;)
The Conversation -- November 14, 2024
Yes, yes, almost everything is terrible beyond our worst nightmares. But here comes a glimmer: ~~~
~~~ Benjamin Mullin of the New York Times: “The Onion, a satirical publication that skewers newsmakers and current events, said on Thursday that it had won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Infowars, a website founded and operated by the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The Onion said that the bid was sanctioned by the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who in 2022 won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Mr. Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems. Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence that was founded in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, will advertise on a relaunched version of the site under The Onion. The publication plans to reintroduce Infowars in January as a parody of itself, mocking 'weird internet personalities' like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements, Ben Collins, the chief executive of The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, said in an interview.” ~~~
~~~ Anna Merlan of Mother Jones: “On Thursday morning, Jones broadcast a flabbergasted and defiant monologue, calling the news 'insane' saying he wouldn’t go off air until someone came in and forced him out with a court order. 'They’re in the control room,' Jones said on air. 'Imperial Troops are through the glass.' 'It is a distinct honor to be here in defiance of the tyrants,' Jones declared at one point.” Apparently a team from the Onion entered the studio during the broadcast, & an Infowars producer told Jones these people were “shutting it down momentarily.” “Jones then called Steve Bannon on speakerphone, who released a string of audible profanity before Jones cut him off. Bannon implored Jones’ crew to film the supposed raid.”
Amanda Marcotte of Salon: “The goal [in choosing Hegseth, Gaetz & Gabbard] seems to be finding people who are uniquely unfit for these jobs, both to rile up liberals and to flush out any Republicans with remaining loyalties to the concept of responsible governance. But while being handsome and totally unqualified got Hegseth the job, it's unfair to say those are the only things he brings to the table. He also embodies the type of masculinity Trump and the MAGA movement loves: One that desperately wants to appear strong, but reveals itself to be weak and brittle given a moment's investigation. Hegseth is the ultimate in cubic zirconia manhood. Reporting suggests that Trump was especially enamored with Hegseth's skill at whining, and especially about how easily threatened he is by women, people who are different, and any demands that he learn stuff or reckon with new ideas.”
Patrick Kingsley & Ronen Bergman of the New York Times: “On the morning that Hamas raided Israel last year, a top Israeli general called his prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to tell him that hundreds of militants appeared to be preparing to invade. Now, aides to the prime minister are under investigation for altering details about that call in the official record of Mr. Netanyahu’s activities that day, according to four officials.... The investigation is seen as deeply sensitive in Israel, where the question of what Mr. Netanyahu knew in advance of Hamas’s invasion, and when he was told, could prove crucial to his political future.... While Mr. Netanyahu himself is not a subject of a police inquiry, officials in his office are under investigation for trying to bolster his reputation throughout Israel’s war with Hamas by leaking classified military documents, altering official transcripts of his conversations and intimidating people who controlled access to those records.”
Here is a gift link from laura h. to Tom Nichols' essay in the Atlantic in which he assails Tulsi Gabbard as being "stunningly unqualified" to be director of national intelligence. "Her appointment would be a threat to the security of the United States," Nichols writes. In today's Comments, laura also has give us links to two other, related, Atlantic articles.
~~~~~~~~~~
We are living in a dystopian nation.
Matt Viser & Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post: “President Joe Biden and ... Donald Trump met face-to-face on Wednesday morning in the Oval Office, an extraordinary moment for two men who have repeatedly expressed public disdain for one another as they go through one of the most unusual transfers of power in American history.... For Biden, the meeting meant welcoming and legitimizing a man he has condemned as an authoritarian and an existential threat to American democracy.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Michael Shear of the New York Times: “Politics always involves a measure of performance. And on that score, few moments rival the one on Wednesday morning at the White House, when President Biden and ... Donald J. Trump pretended in public to like and respect each other — for a total of 29 seconds.... It was a remarkable half minute, followed by a closed-door meeting of the two men, along with their chiefs of staff, that lasted almost two hours.... Following the meeting, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said the discussion between the two men had been 'cordial,' 'gracious' and 'substantive.' She said a number of topics had been discussed, including national security and domestic policy. She said Mr. Trump had come with a detailed set of questions for Mr. Biden.... [Mr. Trump later told the New York Post] that 'we got to know each other again' while discussing issues like the war in Ukraine. 'I wanted — I asked for his views and he gave them to me,' Mr. Trump said, according to The Post. 'Also, we talked very much about the Middle East, likewise. I wanted to know his views on where we are and what he thinks. And he gave them to me, he was very gracious.'”
Everything Bad You Imagined Could Happen Is Beginning to Happen.
All the Best People:
⭐No, This is Not the Onion. This Is Real. Glenn Thrush & Devlin Barrett of the New York Times: “... Donald J. Trump on Wednesday named Representative Matt Gaetz, the firebrand Republican from Florida, as his nominee for attorney general, a provocative move to install a compliant ally at the helm of the Justice Department as he seeks retribution against those who prosecuted him. The pick reflected Mr. Trump’s determination to choose as the nation’s top law enforcement official a fierce defender who would not resist his directives or question his claims.... If Mr. Gaetz is confirmed by the Senate — no sure thing given the widespread bipartisan animosity toward him — his ascension to a powerful cabinet post would represent a remarkable turnabout that mirrors Mr. Trump’s own whipsaw political comeback. Mr. Gaetz, 42, was the focus of a three-year federal sex-trafficking investigation that ended in 2023 when the Justice Department under President Biden declined to bring charges. He was the subject of a House Ethics Committee inquiry into his conduct until he resigned from his seat late Wednesday, effectively ending the investigation.” an ABC News story is here. ~~~
~~~ Marie: No, fellas, this is “what reflects” a short, fat middle finger to the nation, a declaration of lawlessness. ~~~
~~~ Olivia Beavers & Jordain Carney of Politico look at the ramifications of Gaetz's resignation from the House: why he suddenly quit, whether or not Gov. Ron DeSantis can name a replacement before January 3, etc. ~~~
~~~ Marc Caputo of the Bulwark: “As Trump began formulating the type of individual he wanted atop the DOJ, he was drawn ... to the idea that Gaetz would help him investigate the investigators. 'The hunters have become the hunted,' a Gaetz confidant said. 'This is not your grandfather’s party. This is MAGA.'... Sources ... say that Gaetz was among the Trump advisers who advocated for him to pressure those vying to be Senate majority leader into agreeing to allow recess appointments for Trump’s picks.... 'Gaetz is a tough son of a bitch. He’s my son of a bitch,' Trump recently told a confidant.” ~~~
I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for the attorney general. -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) ~~~
~~~ Robert Draper, et al., of the New York Times: “The House Ethics Committee, which has been investigating allegations that Representative Matt Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, was prepared to vote to release a highly critical report about Mr. Gaetz on Friday, according to a Republican official familiar with the matter. The release would have come two days after ... Donald J. Trump selected Mr. Gaetz to be attorney general. Mr. Gaetz, a Florida Republican, abruptly resigned from his House seat late Wednesday, effectively ending the ethics investigation that has hung over his head for years. Mr. Gaetz, the official said, had repeatedly offered combative replies to questions posed by the committee, effectively delaying the fact-finding process for months. The publication of the committee’s findings was additionally delayed, the official said, because of a House rule that forbids releasing a negative report close to an election.... Now, with Mr. Gaetz’s departure from Congress, the committee no longer has jurisdiction to investigate him. It was not immediately clear whether it would still release its findings.” ~~~
~~~ Ryan Reilly, et al., of NBC News: “... Donald Trump's choice of Matt Gaetz ... to be the next attorney general of the United States sent shock waves through the Justice Department on Wednesday. 'OMG,' a current senior Justice Department official said. A second department official called the selection 'truly stunning,' and a third labeled it 'insane.'... 'What the f--- is happening?!' asked a senior Justice Department official.... Said another former senior Justice Department official: 'He is the least qualified person ever nominated for a position in the Department of Justice.'... Within the halls of Justice Department headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue on Wednesday, the mood was somber, as some employees sat and processed what impact Gaetz might have on the institution, which has operated under a set of post-Watergate norms designed to prevent political bias from affecting criminal investigations....
“On the night of Jan. 6, after the mob had been cleared from the building, Gaetz spread the conspiracy theory on the House floor that the attack had actually been orchestrated by the left-leaning group antifa. In the years after the attack, he spread conspiracy theories about Ray Epps, a Trump supporter and Jan. 6 defendant who was falsely portrayed as a government agent, as well as about the pipe bombs that were left outside the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee on the eve of the attack.”
Karoon Demirjian of the New York Times: “Senate Republicans reacted with alarm and dismay to ... Donald J. Trump’s decision to nominate Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, for attorney general, and several said they were skeptical that he would be able to secure enough votes for confirmation. 'He’s got his work really cut out for him,' Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, said, chuckling as she spoke.... 'I was shocked by the announcement — that shows why the advice and consent process is so important,' said Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican.... 'I’m sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing.'... Mr. Gaetz, who was just re-elected to a fifth term, remains under ethics investigation for his conduct, which includes allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use; sharing inappropriate images or videos on the House floor; misusing state identification records; converting campaign funds to personal use; and accepting impermissible gifts under House rules. Mr. Gaetz has denied the allegations as political payback and said they are built on lies.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: Yes, Susan Collins has amped up her usual “concern” to “shock.” However, as Marc Caputo of the Bulwark notes in the piece linked above: “But in the Trump era, immediate shock and awe often has a way of morphing into awkwardly-rationalized acceptance by Republicans.”
Demanding Senate Republicans back Gaetz as attorney general and Hegseth as Defense Secretary is the 2024 version of forcing Sean Spicer to say it was the largest inauguration crowd ever. These aren't just appointments. They're loyalty tests. The absurdity is the point. -- Ezra Klein of the New York Times, in a tweet ~~~
~~~ Ian Millhiser of Vox: “Gaetz is a reckless pick, even by Trump standards.... Gaetz would have enormous authority over who is prosecuted, who is allowed to get away with committing federal crimes, and who might be targeted for politically motivated prosecutions in an authoritarian administration. Trump has repeatedly promised 'retribution' against his Democratic rivals. And his fellow Republicans on the Supreme Court ruled last July that he can order the Justice Department to bring politically motivated prosecutions without consequence.” ~~~
~~~ Andrew Solender, et al., of Axios: "Republican reaction to even Trump's most controversial nominations has been muted so far, but placing the scandal-prone right-winger in the nation's highest law enforcement role is a step too far for many.... Trump's announcement was met with audible gasps by House Republicans during a conference meeting on Wednesday afternoon, multiple sources in the room told Axios. One House Republican in the meeting described the conference's response as 'stunned and disgusted.'... 'We wanted him out of the House ... this isn't what we were thinking,' quipped one House Republican.... 'Gaetz has a better shot at having dinner with Queen Elizabeth II than being confirmed by the senate,' said Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), referring to the British monarch who died in 2022." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I see some contributors picked up on Gaetz's appointment last night when I was watching something on PBS & pretending all was right with the world. See the comments at the end of yesterday's thread.
Kelsey Walsh of ABC News: "Tulsi Gabbard -- a military veteran and honorary co-chair of ... Donald Trump's transition team -- has been chosen by Trump to be his director of national intelligence. Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 after representing Hawaii in Congress for eight years and running for the party's 2020 presidential nomination. She was seen as an unusual ally with the Trump campaign, emerging as an adviser during his prep for his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, who Gabbard had debated in 2020 Democratic primaries." MB: What with the tight House majority, Marjorie Taylor Greene was not available. ~~~
~~~ Dan De Luce of NBC News: “... Donald Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, former Democratic lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, has been accused of amplifying Russian propaganda and would come to the job having never worked in the intelligence world or served on a congressional intelligence committee. Gabbard ... has long criticized U.S. foreign policy as imperial and heavy-handed. She also has sharply criticized Trump in the past over his approach to the Middle East during his first presidential term, portraying him as dangerous.... In her public statements, Gabbard has often been at odds with the U.S. intelligence community’s assessments.... Outraged lawmakers accused Gabbard two years ago of echoing Russian propaganda after Gabbard posted a video on social media asserting 'the undeniable fact' of purported bio labs funded by the U.S. across Ukraine. Ukraine’s government, the U.S. government, news organizations and independent researchers have all said there is no evidence for the claim, which originated from Moscow. Then-Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said Gabbard had embraced 'actual Russian propaganda' and called it 'traitorous.' Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said Gabbard was 'parroting fake Russian propaganda.'” ~~~
~~~ Isaac Arnsdorf & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: “Trump’s decision to choose Gabbard, Gaetz and Hegseth stunned senators and some of his own advisers, setting up multiple uphill confirmation battles that will test the incoming president’s political clout in the Senate, where his party is expected to hold 53 seats.... The president-elect conveyed his expectation for unchallenged command by insisting the next Senate majority leader agree to fast-track his nominees through recess appointments, which would allow his picks to bypass the usual Senate hearings and vote — a path that might await Gaetz.” ~~~
~~~ Matthew Chapman of the Raw Story: “Anti-Trump conservative and former Naval War College professor Tom Nichols urged the Senate to reject Donald Trump's pick of former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence in a scathing article for The Atlantic. Gabbard ... has no qualification for the role, he warned — and has radical anti-American views that would completely undermine the intelligence community. 'Gabbard is stunningly unqualified for almost any Cabinet post ... but especially for ODNI,' wrote Nichols. 'She has no qualifications as an intelligence professional — literally none.... She has no significant experience directing or managing much of anything.'”
Matt Shuham of the Huffington Post: “The Fox News host who ... Donald Trump just announced would be his nominee for secretary of defense was not allowed to work security at President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration, supposedly because of a tattoo that military higher-ups believed might have been an extremist symbol. According to Pete Hegseth, the 'Fox & Friends Weekend' host and potential future defense secretary, the tattoo was a large Jerusalem cross on his chest. The Jerusalem cross originated with the Christian Crusades nearly a millennium ago. These days, it can be a simple marker of Christian beliefs ― or, in some settings, a symbol for the conquest and domination of Muslims or non-white minorities.” Hegseth was a member of a National Guard unit in Washington, D.C. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Curious? Here are shots of Hegseth's naked torso. Scroll down the page a bit.
Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: “... Donald J. Trump addressed jubilant House Republicans on Wednesday morning, delivering triumphant remarks centered around his own electoral victory and drawing laughter when he hinted that they could pave the way for him to serve a third term in office.... 'I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, “He’s so good we’ve got to figure something else out.’” (The Constitution limits presidents to two terms, though Mr. Trump has mused before about circumventing that restriction.)” MB: Trump is not “drawing my laughter.” If he isn't comatose in January 2029, he will not voluntarily leave the White House. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: In the selection of Gaetz as attorney general, you see a new & stunning example of why Trump is not “drawing my laughter.”
Rhian Lubin of the Independent: “Melania Trump is likely to spend most of her time away from the White House as first lady – but she is still 'a constant voice' in her husband’s ear. nstead, Melania will spend most of her time between New York City, where 18-year-old Barron is studying at NYU, and Palm Beach, Florida, sources familiar with her plans told CNN.... On Wednesday she snubbed tea with Jill Biden while the president-elect and President Joe Biden met in the Oval Office to discuss the transition schedule.” (The CNN story is firewalled.) MB: So I guess this means she'll be farming out the Christmas-decorating chores. What a shame. (Also linked yesterday.)
Alanna Richer of the AP: “Special counsel Jack Smith asked a court Wednesday to pause prosecutors’ appeal seeking to revive the classified documents case against ... Donald Trump in light of the Republican’s presidential victory.... Prosecutors asked the 11th Circuit in a court filing Wednesday to pause the appeal to 'afford the Government time to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.' Smith’s team said it would 'inform the Court of the result of its deliberations” no later than Dec. 2.'” ~~~
~~~ Devlin Barrett & Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: “Jack Smith, the special counsel who pursued two federal prosecutions of Donald J. Trump, plans to finish his work and resign along with other members of his team before Mr. Trump takes office in January, people familiar with his plans said. Mr. Smith’s goal, they said, is to not leave any significant part of his work for others to complete and to get ahead of the president-elect’s promise to fire him within 'two seconds' of being sworn in.... Department regulations call for him to file a report summarizing his investigation and decisions — a document that may stand as the final accounting from a prosecutor who filed extensive charges against a former president but never got his cases to trial.” An NBC News story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Jeff Stein, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump’s aides are readying unconventional strategies to implement at least some recommendations from a new government spending commission with or without congressional approval, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.... Although changes to government spending typically require an act of Congress, Trump aides are exploring plans to challenge a 1974 budget law in a way that would give the White House the power to unilaterally adopt the Musk[-Ramaswamy] commission’s proposals, one of the people said. It is unclear if Trump will ask Congress to approve changes to the budget law or first appeal to the courts to do so.... Ramaswamy, a former pharmaceutical executive who has said he would 'stop funding agencies that waste money' and don’t operate on meritocratic principles, has publicly called on Congress to repeal the law and has suggested workarounds if it is not repealed.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: “Readying unconventional strategies” is a turn of phrase the journalists use here to whitewash reality: “planning to flout the law.”
The AP has caught up with the Hill's prediction: ~~~
⭐~~~ Stephen Groves & Lisa Mascaro of the AP: “Republicans have won enough seats to control the U.S. House, completing the party’s sweep into power and securing their hold on U.S. government alongside ... Donald Trump. A House Republican victory in Arizona, alongside a win in slow-counting California earlier Wednesday, gave the GOP the 218 House victories that make up the majority. Republicans earlier gained control of the Senate from Democrats. With hard-fought yet thin majorities, Republican leaders are envisioning a mandate to upend the federal government and swiftly implement Trump’s vision for the country.... When he returns to the White House, Trump will be working with a Republican Party that has been completely transformed by his 'Make America Great Again' movement and a Supreme Court dominated by conservative justices, including three that he appointed.” Ditto the NBC News projection, which is here. ~~~
~~~ No Price for Failure. Annie Karni of the New York Times: “For almost two years, House Republicans have barely been able to overcome their own intraparty feuding to keep the government functioning. But despite it all, they emerged on Wednesday night, when The Associated Press declared that Republicans had effectively won control of the House, with a wafer-thin majority almost identical to the one they have now. The apparent success of their battle to keep control of the House of Representatives suggests that they paid little political price for the chaos and dysfunction they presided over, a period when Congress struggled to carry out even the basics of governing. And it suggests that members of both parties overestimated how much voters would judge them by their job performance.”
Annie Karni of the New York Times: “When ... Donald J. Trump met with House Republicans on Wednesday morning, he suggested he might need their help to try to circumvent the Constitution and run for a third term in the future.... Representative Dan Goldman of New York [D] plans on Thursday to introduce a resolution clarifying that the Constitution’s two-term limit for presidents applies even if the terms are not consecutive. It asserts that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which states that a person who has been elected president twice cannot run again, 'applies to two terms in the aggregate' and leaves no loophole.... There is little chance that Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, would bring such a resolution to the floor for a vote.”
Alice Herman of the Guardian: “A bill that would have allowed the government to strip tax-exempt status from any non-profit it deemed to be supporting 'terrorism' was narrowly blocked in the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening. The bill was widely feared as a tool that Donald Trump could use to punish dissent, and critics argued the measure could have disproportionately targeted groups that criticize Israel and support Palestinian causes – and that it was designed to do just that. The vote failed with 145 votes against it, falling short of the two-thirds required to circumvent regular House rules. Fifty-two Democrats voted in support of the bill. The bill, called Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, or HR 9495, joined two measures together – one allowing the treasury department to withhold tax-exempt status from any non-profit it decides is a 'terrorist-supporting organization' and another, less controversial measure, which would offer tax relief to Americans imprisoned unjustly abroad or held by terrorist groups.”
Liz Goodwin, et al., of the Washington Post: “Senate Republicans chose Sen. John Thune of South Dakota to be their new leader, rejecting an outside pressure campaign from Donald Trump’s allies to break with the establishment in the secret-ballot election, according to two people familiar with the vote. Thune, a close ally of retiring leader Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), has been critical of Trump in the past but has worked to repair that relationship in recent months. He reassured senators in a closed-door meeting that he would work hand in glove with the new administration and would not butt heads with Trump even on issues such as continuing U.S. aid for Ukraine, which Trump opposes, senators said.... Trump himself avoided weighing in on the race directly so far, despite his allies going all in on Scott.” The NBC News story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Mark Levy of the AP: “The U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick is headed for a statewide recount, as counties continued Wednesday to sort through outstanding ballots and the campaigns jousted over which ones should count. The Associated Press called the race for McCormick last week, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. A noon deadline passed Wednesday for Casey to waive his right to a statewide recount and Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s top election official, Secretary of State Al Schmidt, a Republican, announced that preliminary results had triggered a legally required statewide recount. As of Wednesday, McCormick led by about 28,000 votes out of more than 6.9 million ballots counted — inside the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law.”
Adam Goldman & Seamus Hughes of the New York Times: “A C.I.A. official has been charged with disclosing classified documents that appeared to show Israel’s plans to retaliate against Iran for a missile attack earlier this year, according to court documents and people familiar with the matter. The official, Asif W. Rahman, was indicted last week in federal court in Virginia with two counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information. He was arrested by the F.B.I. on Tuesday in Cambodia and brought to federal court in Guam to face charges.” (Also linked yesterday.)
Shia Kapos of Politico: “Two blue state governors are behind a new organization working to fend off efforts to dismantle or undermine state government agencies, elections and state courts. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis will lead the Governors Safeguarding Democracy initiative in response to Donald Trump’s reelection — though they didn’t mention him by name as they announced the effort. 'What we’re doing is pushing back against increasing threats of autocracy and fortifying the institutions of democracy that our country and our states depend upon,' Pritzker said in a press briefing.”
Guardian: “We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X.... We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere. This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism. The US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse. X users will still be able to share our articles, and the nature of live news reporting means we will still occasionally embed content from X within our article pages.” (Also linked yesterday.)
Clay Risen of the New York Times: “Theodore B. Olson, a leading Supreme Court litigator who built a sturdy reputation as a conservative power lawyer during the 1980s and ’90s, and then surprised colleagues and foes alike when he took up traditionally liberal causes like gay marriage and the children of undocumented immigrants, died on Wednesday in Fairfax, Va. He was 84.”
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Israel/Palestine, et al.
Marie: Several weeks back, Akhilleus & I agreed that Bibi was holding back on agreeing to the Biden administration's months of efforts to end the war(s) in order to affect the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. I'll admit our discussion smacked a bit of daffy conspiracy theory. But no, it's daffy only if it's false. ~~~
~~~ Friends Like This. Look What Country Interfered in the U.S. Presidential Election. Shira Rubin, et al., of the Washington Post: “A close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Donald Trump and Jared Kushner this week that Israel is rushing to advance a cease-fire deal in Lebanon, according to three current and former Israeli officials briefed on the meeting, with the aim of delivering an early foreign policy win to the president-elect.... 'There is an understanding that Israel would gift something to Trump … that in January there will be an understanding about Lebanon,' an Israeli official said.... Ron Dermer, Netanyahu’s minister of strategic affairs, made Mar-a-Lago the first stop on his U.S. tour Sunday before traveling to the White House to update Biden administration officials on the state of Lebanon talks, a sign of how swiftly America’s political center of gravity has shifted after Trump’s electoral victory.”
19 Comments
Reader Comments (19)
I guess it's true then, we will get the government "we" "deserve" after all. Can't wait for January /s.
Financial advisor is claiming all kinds of goodness in the markets under both "Democrat and Republican presidents". So even professionals are playing down the autocratic/fascist warnings blaring across the land.
Willful ignorance?
So it seems America is well and truly screwed given Orange Julius (not going to say his name) nominations. Just a hint of the goodness to come. I see a lot of comments about how there is no way back from this, but of course history is our guide.
If, if the democrats ever find their way back into power, it seems that a Nuremburg style tribunal would be in order and everyone in government that assisted in the chaos would be eligible for front row seats.
Assumes a heartier defense of the realm than we have ever seen before though.
I was so sure that Matt Gaetz would be appointed Secretary of
Procurement. Now who's going to be in charge of securing
teenage girls and drugs for fatso's friends (and enemies)?
Gonzo,
Nuremberg trials would be appropriate, but Democrats don’t do that stuff.
After Reagan sold arms to terrorists then lied about it, we became little republicans so as not to piss off Newt Gingrich and his band of bomb throwing propagandists. We spent our political capital cleaning up that mess and left the next bunch of assholes an economy in the black.
Then, after the Decider Debacle we just wanted everyone to get along. No consequences for liars getting us into a conflict still going on 22 years later. No consequences for overseeing the collapse of world economies, just kumbaya, and now let’s spend OUR political capital cleaning up their mess. Oh and remember that economy we left them in the black? Hahaha! Soooory…we fucked you. Again. Clean up on aisle America. We’re going home to paint pictures of our piggy toes in the bath. Have fun!
Then…we get a conniving, lying, grifting monster who oversees another economic collapse. Whoopsie! Oh yeah, and a million Americans dead because “Drink some Clorox!” And also…insurrection! Guv’mint overthrow! Dead bodies in the Capitol building! Again, no consequences! Nada.
So…we spend our political capital cleaning up after a wrecked economy, an attempted overthrow of the government, and a worldwide Covid pandemic which we were attacked for every step of the way.
Now…AGAIN!! We hand over the best economy in the world. And what do we get?
Concentration camps. A child molester as Attorney General, a Fox News liar in charge of the Pentagon, and a fat, revenge seeking dementia patient in the White House.
If we survive THIS TIME, it’ll be more of the same. Let’s not look back…let’s let bygones be bygones. No consequences.
Consequences are only for Democrats. They do the show trials, the grifting, the dictator criming, the white supremacy-theocratizing.
We pay the bill.
Again.
Forrest,
You ain’t far off, brother.
These appointments are all about Fat Hitler, a choleric, vindictive adolescent owning the libtards by picking the worst of the worst. Had Jeffrey Epstein still been around, Trump would have named him special advisor to the president* on nubile young women in America.
We should all know by now that the Gaetz nomination is a game of political three card Monty. While throwing the spotlight on Gaetz, beware of what's waiting in the wings.
Dan,
That sounds entirely plausible but maybe too sophisticated for Fatty. A slicker asshole might put Gaetz up there (who, like an idiot, already resigned) then slip in someone like Leonard Leo. The problem with that is that Leo is a lot smarter than Trump. Trump will never put up with that. He wants a corrupt monkey like Gaetz who’ll peel whatever banana he’s handed. Like Trump, he’s a creepy grifter. Leo has an agenda that goes beyond Trump. Trump is just a means to some other goal for Leo. Maybe this is a feint, but Trump will never pick someone he can’t control, or easily fire.
I think we need to put out to pasture a lot of the Democrats of the past. Biden did a great job of guiding this nation through uncertain times, but he still wants to act like a statesman from the 1970s. David Axelrod wants us to go back to Rahm Emanuel to lead the DNC. We need to move forward and Axelrods want to live in a world that no long exists, if it ever did. I don't understand why idiots like him are given so much attention. I remember flipping by CNN the day of or day after Trump's inauguration and seeing a panel discussing Sean Spicer's presser lying about Trump's crowd size. Axelrod was talking about how he had known Spicer for a long time and that they were friends. He said that the lying POS standing behind a White House podium lying about Donnie's tiny crowd wasn't the person he knew. That comment made me think back to the presidential campaign where I routinely saw Spicer on different shows lying his ass off praising Trump or attacking Clinton. Most, if not all, of the times I saw Spicer speaking he told some kind of lie or lies. But somehow these political geniuses like Axelrod couldn't recognize that or call it out until it was too late and after it would no longer do any good. The idea that these hasbeens know the way forward is a joke. Part of the problem is that too many Democrats have been sanewashing and making endless excuses for Republicans for decades. We need people who recognize that just because someone is polite to you and asks how your family is it does not excuse their abusing people or taking away their rights. Awful is awful and needs to be called out again and again.
Tulsi Gabbard is a grifter. I know that makes her typical in the Trump orbit, but being in charge of national intelligence and a grifter are an incredibly dangerous combination. She has echoed Russian propaganda and is a defender of Bashar Al-Assad's war crimes. Such mercenary people are a danger even beyond our borders. We already saw what son in law Kushner did with his access to state secrets. This clown car is already looking as dangerous and scary as it was imagined to be.
RAS: yup yup yup. I was fussing about Axelrod yesterday-- he must be the poster child for sanewashing. I guess after you are instrumental on any campaign, you then "graduate" to CNN. I never sit down and watch or listen, because of their hires. I guess we should all get used to everything now: hirings, appointments, elections, happenstance, all being sanewashed and put in place. I guess the best thing would be if we would all sit down and shut up. We are all angry and upset, and want to pull in our horns and hide, but I guess we can't. And "sitting down and shutting up" is not in my DNA. As meek as Democrats can be, I hope a new generation takes up the sword-- these people in the winners' circle are evil, plain and simple. But a lot of them are old-- we can hope they disappear. Because if they don't, the lesser evils (Meghan Kelly and others who used to have a brain, supposedly--) will just turn into other monsters like Hitler.
BBC
"The Onion buys Alex Jones's Infowars at auction"
Here is The Onion's statement on their new purchase.
I'm giving up drinking until Christmas.
That didn't come out right. My punctuation was off. Should have been:
I'm giving up. Drinking until Christmas.
This is the full piece by Tom Nichols in The Atlantic
Tulsi Gabbard’s Nomination Is a National-Security Risk
And Tom Nichols, in The Atlantic, from two days ago (before the most outrageous of his picks were announced):
The Loyalists Are Collecting Their Rewards in Trump’s Cabinet
And David A. Graham, in The Atlantic on
The Thing That Binds Gabbard, Gaetz, and Hegseth to Trump
Robert Costa
"What I’m hearing privately from a few key GOP senators: yes, they’d prefer to not have a messy fight over Gaetz. Not their favorite. But they also don’t have a lot of energy for pushing back. Trump runs the show, they say. If Gaetz can reassure them, they’re open to backing him."
That didn't take long for the Republicans to begin their capitulating to Donald J Rapist.
Jeff Tiedrich
"elect a clown, get a circus
history repeats the shit out of itself with Donny’s new cabinet"
When I saw the blurb pop up on my phone reporting that the Onion had bought Infowars, I thought it was a, well, an Onion story.
Infowars (like Asshole Jones) has been a joke for decades. Cruel, inhuman, and despicable, but still a joke. At least now it has a chance of being a joke that’s actually funny.
Re: PoT “outrage” over the Gaetz nomination.
Puh-lease. These hacks, grifters, and incompetents will do what they’re told. The House, run by these charlatans was an inept kindergarten of whiny babies who peed their pants on a daily basis. What makes anyone think the Senate, run by a bunch of preening traitors, will be any different?