;)
The Conversation -- April 6, 2024
Tamara Keith & Franco Ordoñez of NPR: "The Biden reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee significantly outraised ... Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the month of March, according to new fundraising numbers released by the Biden campaign on Saturday. The Biden campaign and DNC combined to raise $90 million in March, according to figures released by the campaign. [President] Biden's reelection effort ended the month with $192 million cash on hand, a significant war chest even as the campaign is spending millions on television ads and opening field offices in key states around the country. 'The money we are raising is historic,' said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden-Harris 2024 campaign manager. 'It's a stark contrast to Trump's cash-strapped operation that is funneling the limited and billionaire-reliant funds it has to pay off his various legal fees.'"
Maureen Dowd of the New York Times on Donald Trump's obsession with bloodbaths & bloodlines.
Rachel Leingang of the Guardian: "Donald Trump’s speeches on the 2024 campaign trail so far have been focused on a laundry list of complaints, largely personal, and an increasingly menacing tone. He’s on the campaign trail less these days than he was in previous cycles.... But when he has held rallies, he speaks in dark, dehumanizing terms about migrants, promising to vanquish people crossing the border. He rails about the legal battles he faces and how they’re a sign he’s winning, actually. He tells lies and invents fictions. He calls his opponent a threat to democracy and claims this election could be the last one.... He’s also, quite frequently, rambling and incoherent, running off on tangents that would grab headlines for their oddness should any other candidate say them." ~~~
~~~ Marie: If you wonder what ails Trump when he rambles on about irrelevant matters -- like Cary Grant in a bathing suit -- and jumps from topic to topic, it turns out "it's called intelligence." Let him explain:
The fake news will say, ‘Oh, he goes from subject to subject.’ No, you have to be very smart to do that. You got to be very smart. You know what it is? It’s called spot-checking. You’re thinking about something when you’re talking about something else, and then you get back to the original. And they go, ‘Holy shit. Did you see what he did?’ It’s called intelligence.
RFK Jr. Is Still Crazy. Philip Bump of the Washington Post: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s approach to national politics is uncomplicated. Whatever the conventional wisdom — however sound it might be and no matter the scale of the evidence supporting it — he’s against it.... On Thursday, his scattershot presidential bid was ruffled (to the extent that it can be) by an assertion that people in jail for having participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol had been 'stripped of their Constitutional liberties.' The campaign quickly asserted that this presentation, one that echoes the views of ... Donald Trump, was an error introduced by 'a new marketing contractor.' Kennedy subsequently decided to clarify his position on the Capitol riot. In a statement released on Friday afternoon, he affirmed that … he broadly agreed with the position of ... Donald Trump.”
Montana. Meet Yer GOP Candidate. Liz Goodwin of the Washington Post: “Tim Sheehy, a charismatic former Navy SEAL who is the Republican candidate in a U.S. Senate race in Montana..., has cited a gunshot wound he received in combat that he said left a bullet in his right arm as evidence of his toughness. '... I have a bullet stuck in this arm still from Afghanistan,' Sheehy said in a video of a December campaign event posted on social media, pointing to his right forearm. It was one of several inconsistent accounts Sheehy has shared about being shot while deployed. And in October 2015, more than a year after he left active duty, he told a different story. After a family visit to Montana’s Glacier National Park, he told a National Park Service ranger that he accidentally shot himself in the right arm that day.... Asked this week about the citation [he received] ... for illegally discharging his weapon in a national park..., Sheehy told The Washington Post that the statement he gave the ranger was a lie. He said he made up the story about the gun going off to protect himself and his former platoonmates from facing a potential military investigation into an old bullet wound that he said he got in Afghanistan in 2012.” Read on if you'd like to know Sheehy's many tall tales about when and where and how many times he was shot.
Israel/Palestine, et al. CNN's live updates of developments Saturday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "The US is preparing for a significant Iranian attack on US or Israeli assets in the region as soon as next week, a US official told CNN, after an Israeli strike in Syria killed Iranian commanders. Israel's ongoing conflicts with Iran and its proxy groups have intensified since October 7. There were large protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Israeli cities once again on Saturday. Protesters called for Israeli hostages to be freed and slammed Netanyahu's handling of the war after six months in Gaza. World Central Kitchen and some Western leaders are calling for an independent investigation into an Israeli strike that killed seven of the group's aid workers in Gaza, after Israel said its forces made a 'grave mistake' in its preliminary report. Dozens of Democrats — including former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — called for the US to halt arms sales to Israel until a full investigation into the strike is completed." ~~~
~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Saturday are here.
~~~~~~~~~~
Erin Cox, et al. of the Washington Post: “President Biden flew over the scene of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore on Friday, surveying the wreckage as the recovery enters a pivotal new phase, 10 days after a massive container ship plowed into the span and brought it down in a jumble of twisted steel and concrete. Biden pledged federal support 'every step of the way' in a speech afterward, promising “your nation has your back” and pressing Congress to fund the cost of rebuilding the 1.6-mile bridge, which could total more than $1 billion. Officials announced plans to fully reopen the crippled Port of Baltimore by the end of May, setting a hard target for the first time.... Biden, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) and other officials leading the cleanup did two loops around the disaster site in the Marine One helicopter on Friday, before the president met with first responders and with the families of the six construction workers who perished when the bridge plunged into Patapsco on March 26.”
A'Trolling We Will Go. Filip Timotija of the Hill: “A trio of House Democrats introduced legislation to rename a Miami prison after former President Trump. Congressmen Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), and John Garamendi (D-Calif.) introduced legislation Friday to change the name of the Miami Federal Correctional Institution in Florida to 'Donald J. Trump Federal Correctional Institution.'... The bill comes in response to a measure introduced by a group of Republicans earlier to rename Washington Dulles International Airport after the former President.”
Annie Grayer of CNN: “House Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden were dealt their latest blow this week when the CIA informed them that an allegation they pushed was false, the latest example of House Republicans citing questionable information to make a serious claim.... House Oversight Chair James Comer and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan accused the CIA in a letter last month of intervening in the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden by preventing IRS and DOJ investigators from interviewing a witness in their probe, based on information they say came from a whistleblower. But the CIA has refuted that claim.... 'Without confirming or denying the existence of any associations or communications, CIA did not prevent or seek to prevent IRS or DOJ from conducting any such interview. The allegation is false,' CIA Director of Congressional Affairs James A. Catella wrote to the Republican Committee Chairs.... The witness who Republicans allege the CIA blocked from being interviewed is Kevin Morris, who serves as Hunter Biden’s lawyer and has previously testified that he cooperated with the criminal investigation by turning over documents and speaking with investigators.”
Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post: “Trump’s assault on our democracy must be viewed not 'merely' as legal infractions; the response must come not only from judges. Reducing all of Trump’s reprehensible offenses to legalities also gives Republicans an excuse to avoid condemning his behavior.... Meanwhile, the media, elected leaders and voters should not ignore that Trump’s conduct need not be illegal to be disqualifying.”
Trump Scams the Appeals Court. Robert Faturechi, et al., of ProPublica: “... Donald Trump scored a victory last week when a New York court slashed the amount he had to put up while appealing his civil fraud case to $175 million. His lawyers had told the appellate court it was a 'practical impossibility' to get a bond for the full amount of the lower court’s judgment, $464 million. All of the 30 or so firms Trump had approached balked, either refusing to take the risk or not wanting to accept real estate as collateral, they said.... But before the judges ruled..., a billionaire lender approached Trump about providing a bond for the full amount. The lawyers never filed paperwork alerting the appeals court. That failure may have violated ethics rules, legal experts say. In an interview with ProPublica, billionaire California financier Don Hankey said he reached out to Trump’s camp several days before the bond was lowered, expressing willingness to offer the full amount and to use real estate as collateral.” Hankey later revised his account to ProPublica, saying he would have needed to evaluate the assets Trump used to secure the bond.
Lisa Rubin & Dareh Gregorian of NBC News: "Lawyers for Donald Trump have again asked the judge presiding over his upcoming criminal trial to recuse himself from the former president's case, this time citing an 'unacceptable appearance of impropriety.' In a court filing made public Friday, Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove contended Judge Juan Merchan has a conflict of interest because his daughter has worked for and has equity in Authentic, which has worked with various Democratic groups, since the 2020 election cycle.... [Although Merchan expanded a gag order that precluded Trump from criticizing his daughter,] Trump has continued to share articles on his Truth Social account about the judge's alleged conflicts, including articles he shared on Friday that are critical of the judge's daughter and his wife. His campaign also sent out an email blast that includes the recusal filing and mentions the judge's daughter by name along with his lawyers' allegations against her." MB: IOW, Trump is finding ways to get around the gag order.
Huffington Post: “Rebecca Lavrenz, a 71-year-old great-grandmother from Falcon, Colorado, was convicted on all four federal misdemeanor charges for trespassing the US Capitol on 06 Jan 2021. During the rally, Rebecca Lavrenz took the microphone and spoke about the 1620 Mayflower Compact that America should be 'dedicated to the glory of God' and 'advancement of the Christian faith.'” Insurrectionists call her the “Praying Grandma.” Sweet!
Dana Milbank of the Washington Post: “Trump Media is sounding more and more like the Trump presidency.... Not for the first time, Trump has played his supporters for suckers.... In a sense, what he did with Trump Media was just a variation on what he does to his supporters every day, whether convincing them to buy Trump-endorsed Bibles and sneakers, or selling them on election lies and white nationalism.... At the heart of [his Green Bay, Wisconsin, rally] speech was his original swindle, and still his go-to scam: convincing his supporters that their lives were being destroyed by dark-skinned invaders. It was the story of how 'Crooked Joe and his migrant armies of dangerous criminals' are producing a 'bloodbath' among innocent, native-born Americans. It’s not the least bit true.” (Also linked yesterday.)
Presidential Race
“Tax Cheats, Scammers, Racists, and Extremists.” Alex Gangitano of the Hill: “President Biden’s reelection campaign hit former President Trump on Friday over the guest list for his high-dollar fundraiser in Palm Beach, Fla., this weekend. Trump is aiming to outraise Biden’s $26 million fundraiser in New York City last week with the event hosted Saturday by hedge fund founder John Paulson. The event is expected to raise $33 million.... The Biden campaign focused on the expected attendees to hit Trump on his fundraising strategy of looking to billionaires who have targeted programs such as Social Security. 'If you want to know who Donald Trump will fight for in a second term, just look at who he is having over for dinner Saturday night – tax cheats, scammers, racists, and extremists,' Biden campaign senior spokesperson Sarafina Chitika said.”
Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: “The national director of No Labels, the third-party group which on Thursday said it would not run a candidate in the US presidential election, will now vote for Joe Biden, not Donald Trump. 'Me, as a person?' Joe Cunningham told Fox News. 'I would vote for Biden over Trump.' Cunningham did not elaborate. He was also offered the chance to choose Robert F Kennedy Jr, the vaccine sceptic and conspiracy theorist running as an independent.”
Michelle Price of the AP: “As Donald Trump seeks the presidency for a third time, he is being vigorously opposed by a vocal contingent of former officials who are stridently warning against his return to power and offering dire predictions for the country and the rule of law if his campaign succeeds. It’s a striking chorus of detractors, one without precedent in the modern era, coming from those who witnessed first-hand his conduct in office and the turmoil that followed.... Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper has called him a 'threat to democracy.' Former national security adviser John Bolton has declared him 'unfit to be president.' And former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse him, citing 'profound differences.'... Yet the critics remain a distinct minority. Republican lawmakers and officials across the party have endorsed Trump’s bid....” (Also linked yesterday.)
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Israel/Palestine, et al.
Peter Baker of the New York Times: “President Biden threatened on Thursday to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, prompting Israel to commit to permitting more food and other supplies into the besieged enclave in hopes of placating him. During a tense 30-minute call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Mr. Biden for the first time leveraged U.S. aid to influence the conduct of the war against Hamas that has inflamed many Americans and others around the world. The announcement of additional aid routes hours later met some but not all of Mr. Biden’s demands.... But while the president repeated his call for a negotiated deal that would result in an 'immediate cease-fire' and the release of hostages taken by Hamas, White House officials stopped short of saying directly that he might limit U.S. arms supplies if not satisfied.” (Also linked yesterday.)
Frances Vinall of the Washington Post: “McDonald’s is buying the franchise that sparked global boycotts by offering free meals to Israeli forces shortly after the start of the Israel-Gaza war, taking ownership of its 225 stores. Alonyal, a McDonald’s franchise operating in Israel that is owned by Omri Padan, began offering free meals to troops early in the war, a move the U.S.-based umbrella company said was independent of the wider brand.... McDonald’s is among the brands that have been targeted in a boycott movement aimed at protesting Israel’s conduct in Gaza, in addition to companies such as Starbucks — which was criticized for taking its union to court over a social media post related to the war — and Disney, which plans to debut an Israeli superhero in an upcoming Marvel film.” (Also linked yesterday.)
Ukraine, et al. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post: “As Russia steps up airstrikes and once again advances on the battlefield in Ukraine more than two years into its bloody invasion, there is no end to the fighting in sight. And President Volodymyr Zelensky’s options for what to do next — much less how to win the war — range from bad to worse.”
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Reader Comments (19)
A Maine Republican has a question:
What did Nazis do that was so wrong?
Gee, I dunno.
The HOLOCAUST?!?
Laurel Libby, a Maine representative (R-natch) sez:
“‘Let’s talk about the Nazis,’ Libby says in a clip (below) posted by the Maine House Democratic Campaign Committee. ‘I would like to know what they did that was illegal. I would like to know what they did, in detail if folks would like to share, that was wrong, that infringed on another person’s right.’”
W.T.F.
Rep. Libby is upset that other state officials take exception to white nationalist Nazis setting up shop in Maine. She is “…strongly opposing a bill that would place a ban on paramilitary activity or groups working to cause civil disorder…”
I mean, they’re good people, right? Donald Trump sez so!
Earthquake? MTG screams “Repent!”
Trump fundraiser? Bobo gets stupid drunk, has to be shut off.
Nazis? What did they do that was wrong?
Traitor runs for President…again? “Sure we support him!”
J6 insurrection? No! They were nice people!
Immigrants? Shoot ‘em on sight!
Women’s rights? Wrong!
Your Republican Party, 2024.
@Akhilleus: I can explain all that, and I did actual research to come to my conclusion, as opposed to the fake check-Google/Wikipedia sort of "research" I usually do.
Decades ago, when I was digging into my genealogy, I discovered that one of my ancestors was an early Maine settler called John Libby (ca. 1610-1681). Now, Maine at the time (then part of Massachusetts) was very sparsely settled, and it was darned difficult for young people to find suitable partners to marry. So it turns out that John Libby wasn't my ancestor once, but at least six times over. Libby cousins married Libby cousins. IOW, quite a bit of incest going on there.
In the 1930s, some enterprising researchers did a study to see if they could find any of John Libby's progeny who had the sorts of genetic defects one would expect to find among the children of incest. You know, like insanity. No luck. The researchers marveled that the Libby offspring were all just fine, as far as they could determine.
Well, a few generations later, you have found an exception that proves the rule, a case study that belies the 1930s research. Laurel Libby is insane.
As for the rest of the Republicans -- Trump, MTG, Bobo, etc. -- we'll have to keep digging.
Repent!!!!
In case the MTG reference in the previous comment has you scratching your head (what MTG references don’t trigger that sort of reaction?)…
After an earthquake was registered in the northeast, that White Christian Nationalist harpy screeched “Repent! Message from God!”
No. Message from plate tectonics. But thanks, anyway.
Geez. She’s like a walking New Yorker cartoon. All she’s missing is a long beard, raggedy clothes, and the sign.
I must say, I am having a hard time holding onto a vision of reality when the former Oval Office Occupier's lawyers argue a judge should recuse himself because of an "unacceptable appearance of impropriety." That describes their client and his family members for his entire Occupation period, the campaign before, and the time since.
NiskyGuy,
To be completely accurate, at least when describing the Fat Fascist, his family, and his corrupt, incompetent, sleazy administration, you need to delete the word “appearance”. There is no semblance of impropriety, it was 100% real.
But you’re correct. More projection by this thuggish oaf and his sniveling mouthpieces. Just like when he calls Biden a corrupt tool of commies who is trying to destroy the country.
Were we better off four years ago?
A question that seems weirdly to have taken hold in MAGAstan as some kind of bizzarro world proof that things were indeed better back when a monster darkened the linens at the White House.
Okay, let’s see. Sure, there are plenty of data points we could pull up, the ruined economy, American reputation at an all time low around the world, rampant corruption, daily cascades of lies, etc., but how about the mindset of a guy in the Oval Office who, as a deadly plague began its march toward killing a million Americans, bragged about his own personal TV ratings?
“U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday bragged about the millions of people tuning in to view his daily press briefings on the coronavirus pandemic, saying on Twitter that his average ratings matched a season finale of ‘The Bachelor.’
‘Because the 'Ratings of my News Conferences etc. are so high, Bachelor finale, Monday Night Football type numbers according to the @nytimes, the Lamestream Media is going CRAZY,’ Trump tweeted.”
People are dying? So what? Check out how popular I am!
Crippling narcissistic sociopathy should never be a primary feature of a president’s mental equipment, but in Trump—and his crime family—it spills out their ears. And it’s no better now.
The other day, this horrible monster, talking about the crisis in Gaza, expressed great sorrow. Oh, not for all the loss of innocent human lives. He was having a sad because buildings were being destroyed.
“In an interview with Republican apparatchik Hugh Hewitt, Trump responds to questions about Israel by complaining, ‘They’re releasing the most heinous, most horrible tapes of buildings falling down.’
At no point in the interview does Trump refer to images of Palestinian people dying or starving. It is the damage to the buildings that unsettles him.”
A few weeks ago, his depraved, nepotistic douchebag of a son-in-law remarked on the wonderful waterfront real estate opportunities in Gaza, if only those surviving the carnage could be driven out into the desert somewhere.
Where in the actual fuck do these people come from?
Were we better four years ago when these astoundingly reprehensible reptiles were in the White House?
Was Europe better off during the Black Death?
"Praying Grandma" probably never read the "a href="https://www.mass.gov/news/the-mayflower-compact">Mayflower Compact, or the Constitution, or (use your imagination).
From the above link, "... the Mayflower Compact was an agreement that bound the signers to obey the government and legal system established in Plymouth Colony. The Mayflower Compact remained in effect until Plymouth Colony became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691."
So, all about agreeing to obey the government, because the folks on the Mayflower knew that they had a froward bunch who would put everyone at mortal hazard if they couldn't follow orders in a hostile environment.
And not about "America" -- just, temporarily, about "Plymouth Colony."
And at that time, what later became "Congregationalism" in Plymouth was all about enforcement of religion (not/not "Freedom of Religion"), exclusion of the un-elect, ascendancy of "visible saints" (the well-off) and maintenance of enforced status (if you were born a servant, you pretty much stayed a servant -- God's will).
The history of early New England is not kind to a lot of personages to whom today's "America Firsters" spout homage.
And we haven't even mentioned the Wampanoags, Pequots, etc etc yet.
Hush money
Just made an attempt to comprehend how much human awfulness will be all together in one place this weekend in Palm Beach....and I can't do it.
The mere thought makes my skin crawl.
Tom Sullivan
"But make no mistake regarding Trump’s intentions or his MAGA cult’s. If Trump retakes the White House, inhumanity will become official U.S. policy on Day 1."
Texas Justice
"Texas Supreme Court Justice John Devine is facing new questions about his impartiality after a clip went viral this week in which he implied that Democrats plan to cheat against presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
“Do you really think the Democrats are going to roll over and let Trump be president again?” Devine asked in a keynote speech at the Texas Tea Party Republican Women’s 2023 Christmas event. “You think they’re just going to go away, all of a sudden find Jesus and [there will] be an honest election? I don’t think so.”"
Little victories.
"There is a lot to love about this country that we celebrate too little while focused on its flaws, [Rebecca] Solnit believes. Sure, its founding myths are false, its founding ideal of equality for all unrealized. But we’re getting there.
Solnit adds:
And it’s funny because I think another habit people fall into is thinking that if you say not everything is bad, you must be saying everything is good. Part of the anti-Americanism within the U.S. is based on forgetting that while the U.S. has done very bad things, and it’s true, it’s also done very good things.
In closing, I’ll say for me, hope is always a sense of the possibilities and the commitment to them, which knows that the future is being determined in the present, versus optimism, which I always equate with pessimism, cynicism, and the rest, which essentially assumes that the outcome has already been determined and nothing is required of us.
We are in a fight for the future of this country and it’s extremely winnable, but we need people to commit to it, show up, and participate. Nothing’s going to happen automatically, but I do believe we’re the majority and that the job always has been — and this is contrary to what I see some people think about climate and other things — the job is not to convert our enemies. The job is to motivate our friends.
And that means getting people to understand that we don’t go into the voting booth to have a pure experience of self-affirmation by voting for our identical twin, because in a country of 300 million, you’re not going to be offered that very often, if ever. It means being strategic, keeping your eyes on the prize, understanding how we move towards our larger goals with all these forms of engagement, all these decisions, however imperfect they may seem individually."
Thanks, RAS
It appears that Judge Devine's small mind cannot grasp the simple idea that the election whose results he didn't like didn't have to be stolen because millions of people in their right minds HONESTLY detest his chosen candidate.
Akhilleus: Speaking of family traits
"Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s former White House adviser and his son-in-law, praised the “very valuable” potential of Gaza’s “waterfront property,” suggesting that Israel should remove civilians while it “cleans up” the area.
“Gaza’s waterfront property, it could be very valuable, if people would focus on building up livelihoods,” Kushner said in an interview dated Feb. 15"
Unfortunately Ken justice Devine® is typical of a lot of judges with power in Texas, state and federal, and their small minds get to decide the reality everyone else gets to live in.
Patrick,
By 1691, there weren’t many Wampanoags left. Thousands were killed by colonial militias during King Philip’s War. It seems those friendly Pilgrims who were saved from starvation and befriended by the Wampanoags had had enough of seeing natives toting around guns. A few hangings of natives didn’t exactly help relations, neither did the order that they must disarm. After a few settlements were attacked, the colonists threw the book at the native tribes (no record of whether or not it was the Trump Bible). By the time it was over, the playbook for taking land from the natives was in place. Just kill ‘em.
AK: By chance I happen to be re-reading "The First Frontier" by Scott Weidemsaul which is centered on the people, period, and territory you were discussing. It's worth a look to see if the local library has a copy.
And speaking of Plymouth Colony, I saw a pretty funny clip last week (if I can locate it again I’ll link it) in which a speaker connects the Mayflower crowd to comments by the Fat Fascist about how Mexico was sending us their undesirables.
“I hear some guys claiming that their people came over on the Mayflower, as if that’s a great thing. Who was on that boat? Can’t say for sure, but you know who wasn’t on that boat? The king. And anyone the king thought was any good. These were all people he was happy to see gone.”
Haha. So maybe not rapists and murderers, but not the best, at least from the king’s point of view.
Bobby Lee,
Sounds like a good one. I’ll check it out. Thanks.