The Commentariat -- March 12, 2021

Afternoon Update:

New York. Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) late Friday called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign amid growing sexual harassment allegations against him. In a joint statement, the two senators, who had come under pressure themselves to call on Cuomo to resign after other state officials and House lawmakers from New York had done so, said it would be difficult for him to continue to govern given the controversies."

President Biden & Vice President Harris will speak at 2:30 pm ET at a White House ceremony celebrating passage of the American Rescue Plan.

Jill Filipovic in a Washington Post op-ed: "Senate Republicans are suddenly social media critics, particularly fussy about what they consider out of bounds for the raucous public square of Twitter. They sank Neera Tanden, President Biden's first choice to run the Office of Management and Budget, over what they deemed to be mean tweets.... Republicans are recycling the mean-tweets attack on Biden nominees whose tweets aren't even mean -- they're just harsh truths.... For example, Sens. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have criticized Vanita Gupta, Biden's nominee for associate attorney general, for tweeting her reaction to the 2020 GOP convention: 'Don't know if I can take three more nights of racism, xenophobia, and outrageous lies.' But her tweet was right on the merits, and the language appropriate.... Let's face it: Tweets aren't the issue. This is about the mirror being held up to Republican failures."

Minnesota. Shaquille Brewster & Janelle Griffith of NBC News: "The city of Minneapolis has reached a $27 million settlement with George Floyd's family just weeks before the trial is scheduled to begin for the former officer charged with murder in his death. The City Council unanimously approved the settlement Friday after adding the matter to its agenda for a closed session[.] Floyd's family filed a federal lawsuit in July against the city and the four officers involved in the arrest that led to his death. The lawsuit took issue with neck restraints and police policies and training, among other things."

New York. Brian M. Rosenthal & Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: "In interviews over the past week, more than 35 people who have worked in [Gov. Andrew] Cuomo's executive chamber described the office as deeply chaotic, unprofessional and toxic, especially for young women. It is a workplace, the current and former employees said, where tasks are assigned not based on job titles, but on who is liked by Mr. Cuomo and his top aides. Those interviewed described an environment where the senior executive staff regularly deride junior workers, test their dedication to the governor and make them compete to earn his affection and avoid his wrath.... Many said they believed that Mr. Cuomo and other officials seemed to focus on how employees looked and how they dressed. Twelve young women said they felt pressured to wear makeup, dresses and heels, because, it was rumored, that was what the governor liked.... Mr. Cuomo's office denied many of the issues raised by the employees...." ~~~

~~~ Get Out! Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Jesse McKinley of the New York Times: "A raft of powerful Democratic members of New York's congressional delegation, including Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jerrold Nadler, called on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to resign on Friday, saying Mr. Cuomo had lost the capacity to govern amid a series of multiplying scandals. In a cascade of separate and joint statements, at least 12 House members said Mr. Cuomo should leave office following a string of sexual harassment allegations and controversy over his administration's handling of nursing homes during the pandemic. 'Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of the people of New York,' said Mr. Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and one of the highest-ranking members of Congress. 'Governor Cuomo must resign.'" A Politico story is here. ~~~

~~~ Zoe Richards of TPM: "Aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called former employees to glean information about potential conversations they had with Lindsey Boylan a former aide who first accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in December, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. 'I felt intimidated, and I felt bewildered,' Ana Liss, a former aide to the governor who received one of the calls in December, told WSJ. The governor's office made calls to Liss and at least five other former employees either to find out if they had heard from Boylan or to gather information about her in conversations that some said they saw as attempts to intimidate them, WSJ said.... One said a caller encouraged them to give reporters any information that would discredit the former aide, who worked for the Cuomo administration between 2015 and 2018 and alleged in tweets that he 'sexually harassed me for years,' and that 'many saw it, and watched.'"

Russia. Reuters: "Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has been moved from a jail where he had been held in quarantine for the past several weeks, and the TASS news agency said he was now at the penal colony where he is meant to serve out a two-and-a-half year sentence. One of Navalny's lawyers confirmed that Navalny was no longer being held at the Kolchugino jail in the Vladimir region northeast of Moscow, but said the legal team had not been told where he had been taken."

~~~~~~~~~~

Brett Samuels & Morgan Chalfant of the Hill: "President Biden on Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of pandemic restrictions, urging Americans to come together, do their part and remain vigilant against the coronavirus in order to return to a semblance of normalcy by summer. In his first primetime address as president, Biden made an emotional appeal to Americans who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 and those grappling with economic and personal hardships after a year of isolation. The president balanced his look back at the grim year by offering a sense of optimism. He outlined steps his administration is taking to ramp up vaccine distribution, including a call for states to make all adults eligible to receive a shot by May 1." ~~~

     ~~~ Sean Sullivan of the Washington Post: "President Biden on Thursday directed states to ensure that all adults are eligible for the coronavirus vaccine by May 1, and he declared a goal of allowing small celebrations on July 4, setting up significant landmarks in the effort to return to normalcy after the devastating pandemic. Speaking from the East Room of the White House in his first prime-time address, Biden sought to hit hopeful notes as he ticked through a series of new actions he intends to take to combat the virus in the spring and summer, including creating a new 'find a vaccination' website and allowing dentists, veterinarians and other health professionals to administer doses." ~~~

     ~~~ Here's a full transcript of President Biden's remarks. Not sure if this is as-delivered or as-prepared.

Kate Sullivan of CNN: "President Joe Biden signed his sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid-19 economic relief package into law on Thursday afternoon.... Biden had originally been expected to sign the bill on Friday. White House chief of staff Ron Klain said the enrolled bill arrived at the White House on Wednesday night, 'so @POTUS is signing it today -- we want to move as fast as possible.' Klain added: 'We will hold our celebration of the signing on Friday, as planned, with Congressional leaders!'" ~~~

Dan Balz of the Washington Post: "The first 50 days of Biden's presidency have offered examples of his leadership style -- and how it differs so dramatically from that of... Donald Trump. Thursday's speech from the White House provided another revealing glimpse. Instead of a president saying, 'I alone can fix it,' Biden said he can only succeed with the help of others.... Mixing empathy with hard realities, he provided a blueprint for returning the country to some sense of normalcy by summer, while appealing to all Americans to help him make it happen."

Alyssa Fowers, et al., of the Washington Post: "In contrast with the emergency bills passed last year, the Democratic [Covid-19 stimulus] bill focuses the vast majority of aid on households, states and cities, and vaccine distribution. There is little money directed this time toward businesses.... Over half the money -- 54 percent -- in the bill goes toward households. In addition to the popular $1,400 checks, there is also funding for extra unemployment insurance through Labor Day, expanded tax credits, and various programs to make rent, food and health insurance more affordable.... Economists say low- and moderate-income Americans will benefit the most from this aid, especially individuals earning $75,000 or less and couples earning $150,000 or less. The number of Americans living in poverty is predicted to drop in 2021 by as much as a third because of this legislation." (Also linked yesterday.)

The Washington Post's live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here. The New York Times' live updates for Friday are here.

Dareh Gregorian of NBC News: "States with Democratic governors had the highest incidence and death rates from Covid-19 in the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, but states with Republican governors surpassed those rates as the crisis dragged on, a study released Tuesday found.... The researchers theorized that one reason for the change is that Democrats were in charge of states where people who had the virus first arrived in the country -- but Republicans were less stringent about safeguards, which could have contributed to their states' ultimately higher incidence and death rates."

Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: Joe "Biden telegraphed his F.D.R.-size ambition throughout [2020]. And the first major bill of his administration is in fact an F.D.R-size piece of legislation.... I would even say that the American Rescue Plan compares favorably with the signature legislation of F.D.R.'s first 100 days, in that its $1.9 trillion price tag dwarfs the mere tens of billions (in inflation-adjusted dollars) spent by Congress during the earliest period of the New Deal.... Indeed, the story of this bill may be the story of how Biden has repudiated the austerity politics of much of the last decade, as well as the anti-assistance paradigm he himself helped forge when, as a senator, he warned in 1988 of 'welfare mothers driving luxury cars' and voted, in 1996, to make so-called welfare reform a reality."

"Joe Biden Is a Transformational President." David Brooks, Facebook Salesman & Occasional New York Times Columnist: "This has been one of the most quietly consequential weeks in recent American politics. The Covid-19 relief law that was just enacted is one of the most important pieces of legislation of our lifetimes. As Eric Levitz writes in New York magazine, the poorest fifth of households will see their income rise by 20 percent; a family of four with one working and one unemployed parent will receive $12,460 in benefits. Child poverty will be cut in half.... There's a billion for national service programs. Black farmers will receive over $4 billion in what looks like a step toward reparations. There's a huge expansion of health insurance subsidies. Many of these changes, like the child tax credit, may well become permanent.... It's not just that government is heading in a new direction, it's that the whole paradigm of the role of government in American life is shifting. Biden is not causing these tectonic plates to shift, but he is riding them.... Income inequality, widespread child poverty and economic precarity are the problems of our time. It's worth taking a risk to tackle all this."

** The Former Guy. Trump's Defense Secretary Says Trump Instigated Insurrection. Seb Walker of Vice: "... Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller has told VICE on Showtime that he believes the speech made by ... Donald Trump on the morning of January 6 was responsible for causing the mob to violently attack the Capitol later that day. Trump installed Miller after firing his predecessor Mark Esper in the days after the election. Speaking exclusively to VICE on Showtime, Miller said, 'Would anybody have marched on the Capitol, and tried to overrun the Capitol, without the president's speech? I think it's pretty much definitive that wouldn't have happened.'... 'It seems cause-and-effect,' Miller said, referring to Trump's speech and the violent riot that left five people dead. 'The question is, did he know he was enraging people to do that? I don't know.' As the acting defense secretary that day, Miller was ultimately in charge of the military's response. His comments are significant in that they tie directly to the incitement of insurrection charge that former President Trump was acquitted of at his second impeachment trial in February.... The response is currently under intense scrutiny, with Senate committees examining the timeline of decisions taken by Trump administration officials." ~~~

~~~ Marie: One thing I did not notice because the CNN report I linked didn't mention it and because I couldn't bring myself to listen to Six Minutes of Donald Trump, is that in his late December phone call to urge Georgia investigator Frances Watson, Trump further implicated himself in the January 6 insurrection. As this NPR report by Stephen Fowler details, "Trump also asked whether the audit would run through Christmas, noting the upcoming Electoral College tally in Congress on Jan. 6 as a 'very important date.'"

Devlin Barrett, et al., of the Washington Post: "The Justice Department and FBI are gathering evidence to try to build a large conspiracy indictment against members of the Oath Keepers for their roles in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to people familiar with the matter, but the group's sometimes fractious and fantasy-laden internal workings may complicate efforts to bring such a case.... The Oath Keepers is the most high-profile self-styled militia group in the country. While members use the jargon and trappings of a paramilitary organization, in daily practice the group is often more akin to a collection of local chapters with a similar, conspiracy-theory-fueled ideology about what they view as the inevitable collapse of the U.S. government.... The Oath Keepers group is a major target of the sprawling FBI investigation into the riot at the U.S. Capitol, along with another militant group, the Proud Boys, according to the people familiar with the matter.... Twelve alleged Oath Keepers members or associates have already been arrested on charges related to the Jan. 6 riot. In court documents, the group's founder, Stewart Rhodes, is usually referred to not by name but as 'Person One.' The people familiar with the case said agents are working to see if a conspiracy case can be made against Rhodes and other senior members of the group."

Chutzpah! Jacob Bogage of the Washington Post: "Postmaster General Louis DeJoy asked congressional appropriators for more money Thursday to support his still-unreleased strategic plan for the nation's mail agency and tried to reset expectations for slower but more consistent service. Testifying before the House Appropriations subcommittee on financial service, DeJoy said the U.S. Postal Service needs to 'recast that expectation of what it is that we're able to do' to stem financial losses." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: DeJoy is accustomed to rolling the feds, so it's no surprise he has the audacity to tell Congress he needs more money to do a lousier job.

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "The House approved a pair of bills on Thursday aimed at expanding and strengthening background checks for gun buyers, as Democrats pushed past Republican opposition to advance major gun safety measures after decades of congressional inaction. In two votes that fell largely along party lines, the House passed legislation that would require background checks for all gun buyers, and extend the time the F.B.I. has to vet those flagged by the national instant check system. Despite being widely popular with voters, the measures face what is expected to be insurmountable opposition in the Senate, where Republicans have resisted imposing any limits on guns, including stricter background check requirements. The House voted 227 to 203 to approve the expansion of background checks, and 219 to 210 to give federal law enforcement more time to vet gun buyers."

Dear Americans: Republicans Despise You. Amy Gardner, et al., of the Washington Post: "The GOP's national push to enact hundreds of new election restrictions could strain every available method of voting for tens of millions of Americans, potentially amounting to the most sweeping contraction of ballot access in the United States since the end of Reconstruction, when Southern states curtailed the voting rights of formerly enslaved Black men, a Washington Post analysis has found. In 43 states across the country, Republican lawmakers have proposed at least 250 laws that would limit mail, early in-person and Election Day voting with such constraints as stricter ID requirements, limited hours or narrower eligibility to vote absentee, according to data compiled as of Feb. 19 by the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice. Even more proposals have been introduced since then." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Arizona. "Everybody Shouldn't Be Voting." Eric Bradner & Dianne Gallagher of CNN: "Months after ... Donald Trump and his allies in Congress attempted to overturn Arizona's election results, Republicans in the state's legislature are trying to make it harder for some residents to vote, targeting different elements of the system with almost two dozen separate measures. A handful of the bills -- including two that would impose new restrictions on Arizona's popular vote-by-mail system and one that would limit its narrow voting window -- have gained momentum and could pass.... Rep. John Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican who chairs the Government and Elections Committee..., [said,] 'There's a fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans.... Democrats value as many people as possible voting, and they're willing to risk fraud. Republicans are more concerned about fraud, so we don't mind putting security measures in that won't let everybody vote -- but everybody shouldn't be voting.'"

Ezra Klein of the New York Times lays out the main components of two voting rights bills, the For the People Act & the John Lewis Voting Rights Act (both of which I think have passed the House).... Neither is a budget bill, and so -- unlike the American Rescue Plan -- neither can use budget reconciliation to pass with 51 votes.... I've always been partial to the proposal of former Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who would have ratcheted the votes required to end the filibuster down every few days: It would start at 60, then fall, after a few days of debate, to 57, and then, after a few more, to 54, and finally, after eight days of deliberation, to 51. I'd pair it with reforms to guarantee that senators of all parties could offer amendments on all bills and weaken the majority leader's control of the floor schedule.... It would be obscene to let the Republican Party use the language of minority rights to deprive actual minorities of the right to vote." (Also linked yesterday.)

Amazon Makes It Harder to Buy Bigot Books. Jeffrey Trachtenberg of the Wall Street Journal: "Amazon . com Inc. said it recently removed a three-year-old book about transgender issues from its platforms because it decided not to sell books that frame transgender and other sexual identities as mental illnesses. The company explained its decision in a letter Thursday to Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Mike Braun of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The senators had written last month to Chief Executive Jeff Bezos requesting an explanation of why 'When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment' was no longer available on Amazon nor on its Kindle and Audible platforms." The article is firewalled, but non-subscribers can read the first several grafs at the link. Funny how GOP senators are so upset about not being able to get hold of copies of their favorite "literature."

Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha. Tucker Leans into His Misogyny; Pentagon Hits Back. Oliver Darcy & Barbara Starr of CNN: "In an extraordinary rebuke, the Pentagon and several senior members of the US military called out Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Thursday for a sexist segment in which he mocked women serving in the armed forces. Carlson, who is effectively the face of Fox and hosts the top show on the right-wing channel, ridiculed President Joe Biden Tuesday for saying that the US military had created uniforms to fit women properly, created maternity flight suits for those who are pregnant, and updated requirements for hairstyles. 'So we've got new hairstyles and maternity flight suits,' Carlson snarked. 'Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It's a mockery of the US military.' Carlson's comments have prompted severe backlash from some of the most senior members of the US military who took to Twitter on Wednesday and Thursday to call Carlson out for what they described as harmful and divisive rhetoric. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin shared the same 'revulsion' that many military leaders have expressed about the comments Carlson made." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In furtherance of its defense of women serving in the military, the Pentagon even put out a "news report"/press release touting Kirby's response to Carlson. (It's possible these releases are common, but it's the first one I recall seeing and is certainly the first calling out a Fox "News" personality.) Update: See also Akhilleus' commentary below.

Beyond the Beltway

California. Vivian Ho of the Guardian & Agencies: "The Los Angeles police department has been criticised over its handling of the widespread protests that broke out over the summer after the death of George Floyd, with an independent review finding that poor planning led to chaos and mass arrests. The review, commissioned by the city council following nationwide demonstrations last year, was released on Thursday as the trial opens in Minneapolis for Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with killing Floyd on 25 May 2020.... The review, headed by the criminal defense attorney Gerald Chaleff, found that LAPD commanders failed to establish a clear command structure for directing its response to the outbreak of violence, leading to a 'chaos of command' that left officers unsure of who was in charge as events unfolded." The New York Times' report is here.

Minnesota. Holly Bailey of the Washington Post: "The judge overseeing the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd reinstated a third-degree murder charge in the case Thursday, paving the way for the trial to proceed as scheduled. The decision was a victory for prosecutors who had sought to reinstate the charge against Derek Chauvin, the White officer filmed with his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during a police investigation last May. He is already charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the Black man's death. On Wednesday, the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to take up the appeal filed by Eric Nelson, Chauvin's attorney, seeking to overturn a state Court of Appeals ruling that ordered [Judge Peter] Cahill to reconsider a third-degree murder charge in the case. The appellate court issued a final judgment in the case and then sent the issue back to ... Judge ... Cahill, who is overseeing the trial and heard arguments on the issue Thursday morning." (Also linked yesterday.)

** New York. Jonah Bromwich of the New York Times: "Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, announced on Friday that he would not run for re-election, setting off a wide-open race to lead one of the most important crime-fighting offices in the country and making it highly likely that any potential case against ... Donald J. Trump will be left in a newcomer's hands. Mr. Vance made the long-expected announcement in a memo to his staff early Friday morning, just weeks before the filing deadline for the race. The many candidates clamoring to replace him are, with few exceptions, seeking to fundamentally reshape the office." CNN's story is here. Dear Manhattan Voters: Please choose the person most likely to lock up Donald Trump. -- Your friend & former neighbor, Marie

New York. Jesse McKinley & Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: "Albany Police Department officials said on Thursday that they had been notified by the New York State Police and the governor's office about an alleged incident at the Executive Mansion involving Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and a female aide that may have risen 'to the level of a crime.'... This does not mean, [police spokesperson Steve] Smith said, that the department has opened a criminal investigation, but it has offered its services to the alleged victim, 'as we would do with any other report or incident.'"

~~~ Luis Ferré-Sadurní, et al., of the New York Times"New York State lawmakers on Thursday opened an impeachment inquiry into Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, the surest sign yet that the governor was seeing his party turn against him amid growing scrutiny of a recent series of sexual harassment accusations. After a three-hour emergency meeting, the State Assembly announced that it would give its judiciary committee broad jurisdiction to investigate allegations of misconduct against Mr. Cuomo, including the sexual harassment claims and his administration's handling of virus-related deaths of nursing home patients. The decision set the stage for what could be the state's first impeachment effort in more than a century." ~~~

~~~ Marina Villeneuve of the AP: "New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's grip on power appeared increasingly threatened Thursday as a majority of state legislators called for his resignation, Democrats launched an impeachment investigation and police in the state capital said they stood ready to investigate a groping allegation."

Texas. Michael Levenson of the New York Times: "An arrest warrant has been issued charging a police officer in Austin, Texas, with murder in the shooting death of a man last year that touched off protests against police violence in the state capital, the authorities said on Wednesday. The Travis County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a warrant had been issued for the officer, Christopher Taylor [in the shooting death of Michael Ramos]...." The story reports the details of the incident, which was complicated. (Also linked yesterday.)

Way Beyond

U.K. Isabella Kwai of the New York Times: "Prince William on Thursday denied that Britain's royal family was racist, in his first public comments after his brother, Prince Harry, and Harry's wife, Meghan, alleged in a bombshell interview that a family member had raised concerns about their child's skin tone and shared revelations about a rift in the usually tight-lipped institution." MB: A reporter asked William if the family was racist, and he said no. This is one of those dumb reporter questions where there's only one possible answer. (Also linked yesterday.)

Comments

[Ken Winkes]

On DeMisery's request for more money to pay for...er, something???

That would be buying a pig in a poke....from a pig.

[Akhilleus]

Manly man Tucky-Tuck Sez Military not as manly man as him. Or Chinese military. Has big sad when kicked in Tucky tuchus. Waaah.

So (*sigh*), here we go again with winger dread of women.

Manly he-man, little Tucky Carlson, ripped recent minor modifications made by the Pentagon to adjust certain rules for women in the military such as for allowing for short ponytails. Little Tucky-Tuck screams that this is Joe Biden’s way of diminishing military preparedness by “feminizing” America’s armed forces. He yelps that we should take a lesson from the Chinese and kick ass like manly he-men.

Jesus Christ in a scrunchy. Do these idiots really have nothing better to worry about? They are more obsessed with not being considered “unmanly”, or “looking feminine” than a bus load of booger flicking 12 year olds.

Anyway about several hundred members of the military from enlisted men and women to top brass responded to this sad little twerp saying that one thing the military will not do is take personnel advice from a talk show host who never served a day in uniform, or from China.

Well, this really got little manly Tuck-Tuck’s panties in a wedgie-ready twist. “I’m being ATTACKED!!! By the military! HELLLLPPP!

So here’s the standard line of right wing insult dogs like Carlson and Trump and Ron Johnson and Proud Boy snowflakes. They can all toss out barbs and spit out astoundingly uninformed opinions, but if someone responds to their idiocy, it’s a horrible, unprovoked attack on them personally, their constitutional right to be a big mouth dickhead, and their incredibly delicate fee-fees. He’s the victim here! Don’t they realize that? Waaaaahhhh!

But to get back to this business of how women aren’t tough, and men who put up with them are just not manly like little Tuck-Tuck, who at present is hiding under the bed because some women told him to shut up, take his little pee-pee, and go away. This idiot has obviously never seen a woman give birth. You want tough? If any of these weenie boys had to go through that, they’d demand a medal and a lifetime pension. He should talk to Tammy Duckworth about tough. She did have a few words for him as I now recall “Fuck Tucker Carlson”.

Every time one of these tough boys tries to flex their manly man muscles, they come out looking like Creampuff Caspar Milquetoast instead of the supermen they see themselves as.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tucker-carlson-women-military/

[Patrick]

Tucker wears make-up. Every day.

[Marie Burns]

@Patrick: Good point. And you can bet he gets his hair "styled," not just trimmed at the corner barbershop. Plus, since he's no long encircling his neck with a "girly" bowtie, there's a good chance he has a wardrobe advisor, too.

I wouldn't begrudge any public figure -- or anyone, really -- getting assistance from professional stylists, unless they go around picking on pregnant women who, till now, couldn't dress in appropriately-fitted maternity uniforms.

[PD Pepe]

Jesus Christ in a scrunchy ––always a beguiling look––says Tucker's pee-pee is teeny-tiny and is responsible for his misogyny but reasons for his blatant ignorance is anybody's guess.

I yearn for a time when this sniffling, supercilious, snot nosed Fox-bot is fired or just leaves on his own because he can't take the rotten eggs thrown his way.

But hey! Great speech last night by our new president who addresses this country like a sage Uncle–-reminiscent of F.D.R.'s fireside chats and somewhere people, when asked if they know Joe Biden, they can say, no, not directly, but "HE knows ME."

[Jeanne]

I would definitely upgrade Tammy's comment as "Tuck Fucker Carlson" if I were quoting her for Huffpost or another rag always worried about words being flagged. Is a noun (Fucker) better than a verb (Fuck) and will it escape the smugly proud wingers who are always up for a censorship or a cancellation of anything important to nonwingers? At least he gets his daily wish of being noticed.

Yesterday was summer in the northeast, and today it is gray and summer is elusive once again. But it was nice for a shot of it!

[citizen625]

Marie: might I suggest a more demonstrative Republican spelling for Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to use for the word "potato" would be "potatoe". This spelling indicates the review and rigor that passes for intellect in Republican circles.

[Marie Burns]

On the upside, the reason Tucker is maligning the military for accommodating women who serve is that that's all they've got: women who are defending their sorry asses, Mr. Potato (or Potatoe, as citizen625 prefers) Head, Dr. Seuss, & "Everybody shouldn't be voting." Meanwhile, I wonder if Mr. Fat Ass got his mail-in ballot in on time.

[Forrest Morris]

Hunters came across human remains in the woods
outside of town this past week. The sheriff has no
reports of missing persons so is asking if anyone knows
of a friend or neighbor who might be missing.
I have two lists for him:
1. Here's a list of fifty or so friends I haven't seen since
Feb of 2020, my birthday party.
2. Here's a list of those I'm hoping it turns out to be.

[Ken Winkes]

What do the political winds say?

Does Marco think that maybe his best political path forward is to be more like a Biden and not so much like a Pretender?

https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/12/22327091/marco-rubio-amazon-union-endorse-bessemer-alabama-bezos

[Akhilleus]

Marie,

Yeah. Really, they got nothin’. Biden’s dog isn’t presidential enough, Jill isn’t a “real doctor”, Jen Psaki is mean to Trump’s space cadets, it wasn’t Trump brownshirts who stormed the Capitol, it was Antifa playing dress up, there’s the pure batshit stuff, Trump testicle cozy Lindsey Graham characterizing Fatty as a Mystical Magic Man.

Nothing about policy, no plans or ideas for fixing the systems they’ve tried mightily to tear down, no thoughts about how to govern responsibly or how to make life better for those who aren’t billionaires. Oh, but, Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head? They got you covered there, baby. They’re all over that shit.

Yeah, there’s plenty of attempts to retcon the Trump years of horror and lies, and the usual winger stabs at rewriting history to blame their enemies for the atrocities they committed, absolving themselves of all responsibility and guilt, but even those sorry sorties into ham-handed cozenage point to the essential vacuousness of their home position, a broken down empty house with busted out windows and misspelled fascist slogans spray painted on the walls, a backed up gold painted toilet, no running water, no power, lacking a single stick of usable furniture, not a prayer of warmth or basic humanity.

They got nothin’. No ideas worth the definition, no standards except skeezy mendacity, no morality, no ethical foundations...nothing but supercilious twits braying about their victimhood at the hands of those they’ve hated all their miserable lives.

Zip, zero. Nada.

[Marie Burns]

@Akhilleus: Thanks for reminding us of all the other horrible Biden scandals.

@Ken Winkes: Yeah, I think that's Marco trying out a version of fake "populism" to see if it works for him the way it did for Trump -- who, as you may recall, hated Jeff Bezos so much that he made Bezos a billionaire many more times over with that big ole tax cut for billionaires. And if you expect any consistency from Marco or any follow-through, I've got a bridge across Biscayne Bay to sell you. I hope the Amazon employees aren't waiting for Marco to join them on the picket line. As Akhilleus points out, Marco is just another Republican floundering around for an "issue" with more staying power than the Jen Psaki space farce.

[Ken Winkes]

Akhilleus,

To me, the Republican dereliction is very basic.

Over the last fifty or so years, not only did the Republican Party have no interest in identifying and treating the nation's real problems like economic inequality, racism, idiotic healthcare and retirement systems, environmental damage, mass murders, and our headlong rush toward autocracy, but the policies they have followed in that period either created or exacerbated them all.

In short, it's difficult to distinguish the Republican Party, its leadership at least, from a criminal enterprise.