;)
The Commentariat -- May 19, 2020
Late Morning Update:
The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Tuesday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Tuesday are here.
Here's the memo, via CNN, from Sean Conley, Trump's White House physician, regarding Trump's claim that he's taking hydroxychloroquine. Nowhere does he say he has prescribed hydroxychloroquine for Trump. Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post has some thoughts on that. Mrs. McC: While Conley may have carefully-worded his letter to help perpetrate another Trump lie, many Trumpbots will follow the apparent "advice" of Trump's doctor and try this at home. For a public servant (Conley is a Navy commander), he should apply "first, do no harm" to all Americans, not just Trump. It's occurred to me that there's another possibility that no one seems to have mentioned: Trump is taking "the hydroxy," but Conley refused to prescribe it, so Trump found another source.
Erica Werner & Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: "Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defended the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak Tuesday at a hearing where senators pressed him to move faster on hundreds of billions in lending to businesses, cities and states and others.... Also testifying along with Mnuchin was Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome H. Powell." The New York Times is live-updating the hearing here.
Shane Harris of the Washington Post: "Texas congressman John Ratcliffe (R) took a step closer to becoming President Trump's top intelligence adviser on Tuesday, after the Senate Intelligence Committee voted along party lines to move his nomination to the full Senate. Committee members voted 8 to 7 in favor of Ratcliffe as the next director of national intelligence, following an extraordinary hearing earlier this month held under social distancing guidelines. Ratcliffe sat far back from masked senators who questioned him on his credentials and whether he was capable of acting independently of his political allegiance to the president. The committee vote was held behind closed doors in a secure facility in the Capitol. Ratcliffe is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate in a vote likely to be held after Memorial Day, according to congressional aides." A Hill story is here.
Alexander Bolton & Laura Kelly of the Hill: "Senate Republicans are demanding a fuller explanation from President Trump about his firing of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, the fourth inspector general to be removed or targeted for removal by the president in the past three months." Among those requiring more answers are John Thune, Lisa Murkowski, Rob Portman, & John Risch, along with Chuck Grassley.
~~~~~~~~~~
The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
** Jane Timm of NBC News: "... Donald Trump on Monday said he has been taking hydroxychloroquine, an unproven treatment for COVID-19 that he has vigorously promoted. 'A lot of good things have come out about the hydroxy.... You'd be surprised at how many people are taking it,' Trump said at the White House. ... I'm taking it hydroxychloroquine, right now.' The president said he has been taking the drug for 'a couple weeks' and that it was prescribed by the White House doctor. The FDA has warned against its use for COVID-19 outside of a hospital setting due to a risk of serious heart problems." Mrs. McC: He also is imbibing prodigious gulps of bleach, doctor-presribed, of course. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
~~~ Zeke Miller, et al., of the AP: "The White House physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said in a statement released through the White House press office that, after 'numerous discussions' with Trump about the evidence for and against using hydroxychloroquine, 'we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.'" ~~~
~~~ Justin Baragona & Adam Rawnsley of the Daily Beast: "Trump claimed he received a letter the other day from a New York doctor who alleged he has successfully treated hundreds of COVID-19 patients with a combo of the drug and azithromycin. He also complained about 'phony reports' that showed the lack of efficacy of the drug in treating the coronavirus.... Immediately after Trump made his stunning disclosure, Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto [said on-air,] 'The fact of the matter is, though, when Trump said what do you got to lose, in a number of studies the vulnerable population have one thing to lose, their lives,' Cavuto somberly said during his Fox News broadcast. 'I cannot stress enough: This will kill you!'" ~~~
He's our president, and I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group and his, shall we say, weight group ... morbidly obese, they say. -- Nancy Pelosi, on CNN Monday night
~~~ First, Do No Harm. Steve M. has a few theories about this, all of them reasonable: "Washington is talking about Mike Pompeo and the inspector general who was fired for investigating him, so President Trump decided to regain control of the news cycle[.]... Trump might simply be lying about this -- he knows that the announcement will be headline-grabbing, and he knows that advocating hydroxychloroquine is an effective way of needling the libs." Also, hydroxychloroquine is popular with Foxbots.... Trump's doctors haven't been honest and forthcoming about his health, but it was revealed in 2018 that he has cardiovascular issues.... Under those circumstances, if you were one of the president's doctors, would you give him a drug that can disturb heart rhythms? I think you'd give him a placebo and let him think it's hydroxychloroquine."
Brett Samuels of the Hill: "President Trump on Monday threatened to permanently halt U.S. funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) if the body does not commit to 'major substantive improvements' in the next 30 days. The president, in a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, levied a series of allegations that the global health entity overlooked or ignored various warning signs about the coronavirus and criticized its stance toward China during the pandemic." ~~~
~~~ Andrew Jacobs, et al., of the New York Times: "A meeting of the World Health Organization that was supposed to chart a path for the world to combat the coronavirus pandemic instead on Monday turned into a showcase for the escalating tensions between China and the United States over the virus. President Xi Jinping of China announced at the start of the forum that Beijing would donate $2 billion toward fighting the coronavirus and dispatch doctors and medical supplies to Africa and other countries in the developing world. The contribution, to be spent over two years, amounts to more than twice what the United States had been giving the global health agency before President Trump cut off American funding last month.... Mr. Trump declined to address the two-day gathering, providing the Chinese president an opening to be one of the first world leaders to address the 194 member states.... In videotaped remarks to the assembly after Mr. Xi spoke, Alex M. Azar II, the U.S. secretary of health and human services, countered wit sharp criticism of both the W.H.O. and China, saying their handling of the coronavirus outbreak led to unnecessary deaths." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: I didn't bother to read this piece in Sunday's Washington Post by Ashley Parker & Phil Rucker, but I should have. I might think Rucker took my criticism to heart: "President Trump has proclaimed the latest phase of pandemic response the 'transition to greatness.' But Trump appears poised to preside over the eventual transition more as a salesman and marketer than a decider. The United States under Trump has also retreated from its historic position of global leadership, declining, for instance, to participate in a coronavirus summit with other nations earlier this month. Amid a once-in-a-century deadly pandemic, Trump has inserted his ego squarely into the U.S. response while simultaneously minimizing his own role -- deferring critical decisions to others, undermining his credibility with confusion and misinformation, and shirking responsibility in what some see as a shrinking of the America presidency." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Trump Is So Corrupt He Doesn't Know He's Corrupt. Timothy Bella of the Washington Post: "After former top vaccine official Rick Bright maintained Sunday that the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic has been slow and chaotic, President Trump responded in a late-night tweetstorm, saying that whistleblowers like Bright are 'causing great injustice and harm' to the nation. In an interview with '60 Minutes,' Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, criticized the government for failing to have a clear plan in place to address the totality of the American outbreak.... Shortly after the program aired, Trump took to Twitter to again describe the concerns of Bright, who led BARDA for four years, as complaints from a 'disgruntled employee,' and he reiterated his long-standing call to undo protections for whistleblowers." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: That is, when someone points to wrongdoing and/or incompetence in the Trump administration, it causes "great harm to the nation." That doesn't even make any sense. Most taxpayers want their tax dollars to be used effectively, and if someone is screwing up, they expect others to call attention to it & correct the errors. But Trump thinks the malfeasance is not the corruption or incompetence but the act of reporting corruption or malfeasance.
** Erica Werner of the Washington Post: "President Trump on Monday intensified his push for businesses to reopen as quickly as possible, but companies and cities continued to wait for the disbursement of unspent bailout funds and remain unsure what to expect as rules and programs continue to shift.... The Congressional Oversight Commission, a new body, released a report on Monday finding that the Treasury Department had spent very little from a $500 billion fund created by the Cares Act in March to help businesses and local governments, even though many of these entities have asked for immediate help. Senators are expected to press Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell about this during a hearing Tuesday morning."
Nick Valencia of CNN: "A senior official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday offered a pointed rebuke of White House trade adviser Peter Navarro's scathing criticism of the top health agency in the latest sign of growing tension between the CDC and the White House. 'We should remind Mr. Navarro that the CDC is a federal agency part of the administration. The CDC director is an appointed position, and Dr. (Robert) Redfield was appointed by President (Donald) Trump,' the official told CNN. 'If there is criticism of the CDC, ultimately Mr. Navarro is being critical of the President and the man who President Trump placed to lead the agency.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Jeff Cox of CNBC: "The U.S. economy could shrink by upwards of 30% in the second quarter but will avoid a Depression-like economic plunge over the longer term, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told '60 Minutes in an interview aired Sunday. The central bank chief also conceded that jobless numbers will look a lot like they did during the 1930s, when the rate peaked out at close to 25%[.]" The full transcript & a video of Powell's "60 Minutes" appearance is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Greg Sargent of the Washington Post: "President Trump's abrupt decision to remove the inspector general of the State Department [Steven Linick] constitutes the latest in a string of corrupt efforts to remove public servants who prioritize real oversight and accountability over protecting Trump at all costs.... House Democrats have discovered that the fired IG had mostly completed an investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's widely criticized decision to skirt Congress with an emergency declaration to approve billions of dollars in arms sales to Saudi Arabia last year, aides on the Foreign Affairs Committee tell me.... 'We don't have the full picture yet, but it's troubling that Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed,' [Rep. Eliot] Engel [D-N.Y.] said in the statement to me.... The [arms sale to Saudis] was condemned by lawmakers in both parties who have increasingly been turning on continued U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which stretches back to the last administration and has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe. Congress subsequently voted to block the arms sales, with some Republican support, but Trump vetoed the effort." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ A related CNN report, by Zachary Cohen, is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Trump Says the Dog Ate Mike's Homework or Something. John Bowdon of the Hill: "Speaking with reporters at the White House, Trump defended Pompeo as a 'high-quality person' and a 'brilliant guy,' while suggesting that the nation's top diplomat had assigned government employees to perform household tasks because his wife or children were not around. '[N]ow I have you telling me about dog walking, washing dishes and you know what, I'd rather have him on the phone with some world leader than have him wash dishes because maybe his wife isn't there or his kids aren't ... you know,' Trump said. ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Needless to say, there's nothing wrong with Pompeo & his family's hiring help to wash the dishes & walk the dog. What's wrong, and against the law, is asking or ordering federal employees -- who have other jobs -- to carry out his & his wife's personal errands. As for Pompeo's being a "brilliant guy," for a brilliant guy, he sure is clueless -- or claims to be -- about what's going on under his nose. ~~~
~~~ Carol Morello of the Washington Post: "In a telephone interview, Pompeo said the decision was not an act of political retaliation, because he did not know beforehand that the official, Steve Linick, was investigating allegations that he had an aide run personal errands for him." ~~~
~~~ John Hudson & Carol Morello of the Washington Post: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aides blasted the State Department's ousted internal watchdog on Monday, accusing him of mishandling leaks to the media and failing to promote Pompeo's mission statement to employees. The remarks attempted to fill in the gaps in the mysterious firing of Steve Linick by President Trump late Friday night, but they also raised new questions about the dismissal and exposed a sharp divide among State Department employees.... Pompeo told The Washington Post that he advised Trump to fire Linick because he was not 'performing a function' that was 'additive for the State Department.' One of Pompeo's top aides, Brian Bulatao..., said the secretary was frustrated with Linick's indifference to an 'ethos statement' Pompeo formulated for employees last year that includes mottos such as 'I am a champion of American diplomacy.'" ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: It sounds as if Pompeo was upset because Linick wouldn't join all the other girls & boys in raising their right hands & pledging in unison, "I am a champion of American diplomacy," like a troop of Cub Scouts. ~~~
~~~ Alexander Bolton of the Hill: "Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the most senior Republican in the Senate, is pressing President Trump to explain why he fired the State Department inspector general, noting that Trump's notice on Friday that he would remove Steve Linick after 30 days did not include an explanation as required by law. Grassley in a letter to Trump Monday warned inspectors general 'should be free from partisan political interference, from either the Executive or Legislative branch.' He is asking Trump to 'provide a detailed reasonin' for the removal of Linick no later than June 1.'" Mrs. McC: June 1? Really?
Morgant Chalfant of the Hill: "Attorney General William Barr said Monday that he does not expect a criminal investigation of former President Obama or former Vice President Joe Biden to result from the probe undertaken by U.S Attorney John Durham. 'Based on the information I have today, I don't expect Mr. Durham's work will lead to a criminal investigation of either man,' Barr told reporters at the Justice Department. 'Our concern over potential criminality is focused on others.' Barr was asked about President Trump's recent remarks encouraging investigations into Obama and other officials from the previous administration. The president suggested they were involved in criminal wrongdoing in connection with the FBI's investigation into Russian interference.... 'What happened to the president [Trump] in the 2016 election and throughout the first two years of his administration was abhorrent,' Barr told reporters Monday. 'It was a grave injustice and it was unprecedented in American history.'" A Washington Post report is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: So, at least so far, Barr has decided fake "Obamagate' is a bridge too far. We'll see if he changes his mind in the weeks before the November election.
** Bill Barr Exonerates Russia. Sonam Sheth of Business Insider: "The Justice Department on Monday moved to drop its case against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities who were indicted as part of the former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 US election.... Notably, the filing continued to say that based on consideration of these circumstances, 'and particularly in light of recent events and a change in the balance of the government's proof due to a classification determination,' and other details outlined in a classified addendum to the filing, the Justice Department decided to drop its case." (Emphasis mine) --safari: How did this go under the radar in MSM? ~~~
~~~ Mary Ilyushina and Marshall Cohen of CNN: "Russian oligarch Yevegeny Prigozhin, who bankrolled the troll farm that meddled in the 2016 presidential election, took a victory lap on Tuesday after the US Justice Department dropped charges against two of his companies, weeks before a scheduled trial.... President Donald Trump also trumpeted the development, even though it was a setback for his own Justice Department.... One of the tweets read, 'How embarrassing for Team Mueller.' The criminal case against Prigozhin and his companies, including Concord Management and Consulting, was initiated by Mueller in 2018 and was slated to go to trial next month. But prosecutors abruptly announced Monday that they were scrapping the charges." --s
Lindsey Will Have His Witch Hunt Anyway. Kyle Cheney of Politico: "Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham is preparing to ask his colleagues on the panel for blanket permission to subpoena dozens of Obama and Trump administration officials connected to the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election -- and contacts between ... Donald Trump's team and Russians. His proposal would permit the South Carolina Republican to demand testimony and documents from figures involved in the intelligence associated with the launch of the Russia investigation, including Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former national intelligence director James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey." Mrs. McC: They should all refuse to show up until Trump releases every person Congressional Democrats have called to testify on everything.
Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "A retired federal judge [John Gleeson] appointed to oppose the Justice Department's bid to dismiss former national security adviser Michael Flynn's guilty plea to lying to the FBI requested on Monday a hearing for oral arguments after he briefs the court. The request for a hearing sets the stage for a pitched legal and political battle triggered by Attorney General William P. Barr's April 30 move to undo the conviction of the highest-ranking adviser to President Trump convicted in special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's Russia investigation.... Also Monday, in one of the first publicly released draft filings to advise the court, more than 960 former Justice Department prosecutors accused Barr of appearing to serve the president's personal political interests. The prosecutors ... said in the filing that Barr violated his oath to faithfully execute the law and helped Trump undermine the Constitution by giving an aide impunity to lie to government investigators." ~~~
~~~ MEANWHILE. Rebecca Klar of the Hill: "Fifteen Republican state attorneys general are urging the judge ruling over the
Katie Benner & Adam Goldman of the New York Times: "Federal investigators found cellphone evidence that links Al Qaeda to last year's deadly shooting at a United States military base in Pensacola, Fla., according to two American officials briefed on the investigation. The F.B.I. found that the gunman, Second Lt. Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a Saudi Air Force cadet training with the American military, had communicated with a Qaeda operative who had encouraged the attacks, according to the two officials, who were not authorized to speak about it publicly ahead of an 11 a.m. news conference by Attorney General William P. Barr. The F.B.I. uncovered the links after recently bypassing the security features on at least one of Mr. Alshamrani's two iPhones without help from Apple, according to the officials." A CNN report is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Donna Cassata of the Washington Post: "Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will serve as the acting chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, replacing Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who stepped aside last week after FBI agents seized his cellphone, seeking evidence related to stock sales he made before the coronavirus pandemic crashed global markets..., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said...."
Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Eric Boehlert of Press Run: "When CBS News last year hired a Fox News reporter [Catherine Herridge] who had been aggressively wrong about the Benghazi story for three straight years, it was not a good sign.... She basically ran an ongoing misinformation campaign on behalf of the GOP. (Her Twitter feed still serves as one.)... Herridge has emerged in recent days as a media point person as the White House tries frantically to smear former President Barack Obama with the hollow claims of a 'Obamagate' scandal.... Herridge recently treated Attorney General Bill Barr to a softball interview after he ... dropped charges against ... Michael Flynn.... Then Herridge was handed a Republicans 'scoop,' which peddled the absurd claim that Obama and Vice President Biden were part of this vast, left-wing, Deep State conspiracy to ensnare the Trump presidency.... Somehow, CBS looked at her resume and decided they needed Herridge on their team." --s
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Reader Comments (25)
Does anyone really believe that Fuckface is taking a potentially dangerous drug with little evidence that it will either cure or prevent Covid-19 infections? I certainly don’t.
This asshole lies a dozen times before getting out bed in the morning (or afternoon, or whenever the hell he decides to get up). And don’t give me any crap about the note from that doctor. Doctors treating Trump, or whatever they do, don’t have the greatest track record for truthful assertions.
This is another attempt by Fatty to “prove” that his incessant yelping about “the hydroxy”, as he calls it (although he could be talking about a brand of chocolate cookies), Has some tiny sliver of truth. My other question would be has he tested positive. The FDA guidelines state that prescriptions for this drug are typically only given to severely ill patients who are battling malaria or a Covid-19 viral infection. So, is he that sick?
There is no clinical proof, or reasonably clear indication of a prophylactic effect in taking this drug either. Trump is the kind of embarrassing liar who would try to sell you the story that he’s been to Mars “many times” in order to support something stupid he had said about the red planet. “Absolutely there are golf courses on Mars. I’ve been there!”
So, no. I don’t believe this latest Fatty Fable. “The hydroxy”...Jesus.
But if he really is going this route, he’s even stupider than I already think he is. So maybe, as Marie suggests, he is gargling with Drano.
@Akhilleus: It's so-o-o-o disturbing that you persist in calling Drano Man "Fatty" when Nancy Pelosi makes clear that his polite name is "Morbidly Obese."
Trevor Noah nails it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XjuPV8HtU8&feature=youtu.be
Oh, Ak, rubbing the salt into the wound of this fat, fleshy, beast of burden is, as you suggested, shows us that yes, he may indeed be "stupider" then we thought but we know his "stupid" is all calculated for his advantage ––let us count the ways. If he's lying about taking that drug it means his doctor is also lying––not that it would be shocking since that word is no longer relevant given our present condition which an old poet once described as "Things fall apart, the center cannot hold." We are literally on the brink here. When Wilson had a stroke and the missus took over covertly the country chugged on; now we have a sick, demented man who continues to corrupt and there's apparently no one or nothing to stop him except maybe that drug.
@Bea, I think that Donny deserves to be given his own unique nickname. How about something like - MOOM? An acronym of Morbidly Obese Orange Menace, that also happens to be an anagram. All caps too!
@unwashed: I like it. Sorta like "Moops."
Sorry for my senior moment. It's a palindrome, not an anagram.
I wanted to be helpful to all the REALITYCHEXers so I checked
Amazon for hydroxychloroquine and sad to report, they're sold out.
Looks like the MOOM worshippers have cornered the market. I
dislike the bleach fragrance so that's out for me. Bourbon has worked
so far. I'll stick with that.
Palindrome -- isn't that an ice hockey rink in Wasilla?
PD,
You and that old Irishman certainly have it right.
The center cannot possible hold when there is nothing to hold onto.
When anything means nothing and nothing anything. When up is down and good is bad. Not science, not numbers, not justice, not the law, all dismissed, all unmoored from reality.
I'm detecting a similarity between narcissism and nihilism deeper than the sound of the words.
Maybe nihilism is the natural result of placing selfish, ignorant children who are all urge and no sense in charge of a polity.
There was a book about that, too, wasn't there? Something to do with Lords and Flies...
Husband was out with the dog while I listened to Sherrod Brown (he would make a fantastic president--)grill that worm that "heads" the Treasury-- It was wonderful. But then comes our "illustrious" senator, Pat Toomey, and really, all they want is for us all to stop whining and complaining about how the people on the front lines aren't paid enough, and realize what a shining glorious thing the Lump administration is and how it does exceptional work. They do exceptional work, all right, but it ain't what they claim... They lie and deceive and make up answers to uncomfortable questions that people like Brown ask, and my hatred for these monsters increases tenfold. Apparently, the common good doesn't exist. It's "take care of me first" and if there is any left over, I will spread out the largess amongst the peons. Maybe.
And no, not a chance in hell the Lumpy Obese Germaphobe is taking a dangerous drug all on his own volition. If I thought he WAS, I would write him a prescription myself, doubling the dose...
Marie,
Apologies for my politically incorrect nomenclature, the cognomen de corpulence, as it were, of the dear leader. I’m assuming, given your silence on the subject, that “Fuckface” is perfectly acceptable. Thank you for your guidance in proper behavior during these hard times. That’s a dang sight more than we get from Fat..er, Fuckface.
As for MOOM (the all caps is perfect), I’m thinking this appellation suggests some apropos musical accompaniments to the daily bleatings of the bloated one.
Getting up in the morning: Bad MOOM Rising. (CCR)
Press conferences designed to send thousands more to their eternal reward: The Killing MOOM. (Echo and the Bunnymen)
Theme for when he comes out with ever stupider ideas: “How High the MOOM”. (Many artists)
What we should avoid: MOOMshadow” (Cat Stevens...as in “I’m being followed by a..”
What I’d like to do with my iron boots: Walking on the MOOM (The Police)
What Foxbots sing day and night: Fly Me to the MOOM. (Many)
What everyone should do more of: Bark at the MOOM. (Ozzy Osbourne)
Finally, what the rest of the world sings: Shame on the MOOM” (Bob Seger)
Feel free to add your own.
PD,
The same poet, in the same poem, presciently prepared the world for 2016 and beyond:
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
That thing has already been born. And the nightmare surrounds us.
Patrick,
“Palindrome”, good one. Stupid coming and going.
Hang on, the full import of PD’s reminding us of the fallout from President Wilson’s incapacity just hit me:
President Melanie? Gulp. The New Deal, the New Frontier, the Great Society, Yes We Can, and now...I Really Don’t Care.
Pretty perfect, if horrifying. Instead of “Let them eat cake”, we’d get “Let them wear Jimmy Choos”.
@AK: Just came back from my walk which is pretty solitary––only the birds, the bushes, the woods and the occasional man with dog do I encounter. So––lots of time for thinking––and I was–-of those last lines of Yeat's and was once again stirred by how true the words–-how they describe exactly where we are in this moment of time. I was going to post them but you beat me to it. As for the missus taking over for that sick "rough beast" we'd be in for more than fancy feet wear–-we'd be Not Best, but bludgeoned to death.
Here is an excellent interview with Joel Brenner–-a former NSI general who gives a scathing rundown of the politicization of government watchdogs: (with video and transcript):
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trumps-highly-unusual-politicization-of-government-watchdogs
Just a note that the poet mentioned and quoted above, William Butler Yeats, was Irish. As we Irish are fond of noting, England's best poets were Irish.
@Akhilleus: Thanks for the playlist. And, yes, "Fuckface" is good. Don't see why anyone would object.
Here's one: The Dark Side of the MOOM (Pink Floyd), which means all of them.
“Sail To The MOOM” - Radiohead
(Oh, how I wish he and his would do.)
Ok, last one: when he really needs to pee he does the MOOMdance (Van Morrison).
Oh, Sincerity, where are you?
https://www.thedailybeast.com/jane-roe-confesses-anti-abortion-conversion-all-an-act-paid-for-by-the-christian-right
Ken W -
Thank you for posting re: “AKA Jane Roe”.
I can readily “get” the duplicity from one so hideously abused and abandoned by both individuals and society.
Ever seen “Citizen Ruth” with the incomparable Laura Dern? (The rest of the cast ain’t none too shabby neither.)
“Citizen Ruth” (1996)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115906/
Hattie,
And I get your "getting."
But very much in line with the Right's modus o. isn't it?
Take advantage of the weak and helpless--and never look back.
Possessed by a religion but absent a conscience must make life so much easier.
Ken W -
Re: “And I get your "getting."
:)
And your following words, precisely!