;)
The Conversation -- February 12, 2024
Richard Fausset & Danny Hakim of the New York Times: "An Atlanta judge said on Monday that he would go forward with a hearing later this week delving into a romantic relationship between the two prosecutors leading an election interference case against ... Donald J. Trump and a number of his allies.... The defense is seeking to disqualify the two prosecutors -- Fani T. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, and Nathan J. Wade, who she hired to run the case. 'It's clear that disqualification can occur if evidence is produced demonstrating an actual conflict or the appearance of one,' the judge, Scott McAfee of Fulton County Superior Court, said at a hearing on Monday afternoon."
Adam Liptak & Amy VanSickle of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump asked the Supreme Court on Monday to pause an appeals court's ruling rejecting his claim that he is absolutely immune from criminal charges based on his attempts to subvert the 2020 election. Unless the justices issue a stay while they consider whether to hear his promised appeal, proceedings in the criminal trial, which have been on hold, will resume. The filing was Mr. Trump's last-ditch effort to press his claim of total immunity, which has been rejected by two lower courts. The Supreme Court is now poised to determine whether and how fast his federal trial on charges that he tried to subvert the 2020 election will proceed. Unless the justices move quickly, the trial could be pushed into the heart of the 2024 campaign, or even past the election."
Here is some of the garbled gobbledygook the Stable Genius let fly just over this past weekend. And he had a teleprompter:
Putin's Useful Idiots. Digby in Salon: "It is no coincidence that Trump made his biggest threat against NATO right after Tucker Carlson sat with Putin[.]... As it turns out the interview ended up mostly being a twisted history lesson from Putin with Carlson sitting there like a potted plant with a feigned fascinated expression on his face. The point of Putin's tutorial was to explain why Russia has every right to invade Ukraine and anywhere else he might fancy.... I find it hard to believe that Trump slogged through that tedious conversation or understood what Putin was talking about. But you can bet that Putin heard Trump and rubbed his hands together with glee. If only the American people heard him just as clearly." ~~~
~~~ "Call and Response." Marcy Wheeler: "Over the weekend, Putin and Donald Trump seem to have come to public agreement that, if elected in November, Trump would help Putin pursue Greater Russia. In his session with Tucker Carlson, after all, Putin corrected the propagandist, informing him that, no, he didn't invade Ukraine because of concerns about NATO expansion, but because he considers Ukraine -- and much of Eastern Europe -- part of Greater Russia.... And then, within a day, Trump told a fabricated story that served to promise that not only wouldn't he honor America's commitment to defend NATO states, but would instead encourage Russia to do 'whatever they hell they want.'"
Katherine Faulders, et al., of ABC News: "... Donald Trump has arrived for a hearing Monday in his classified documents case that is being held in a special secure facility due to the sensitive nature of the materials involved. The hearing, in Fort Pierce, Florida, is being held under seal in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility or SCIF -- a specially-equipped secure room for viewing highly classified materials. Trump's co-defendants in the case, aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, are not attending the hearing as they do not have clearance to access classified information. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ... is hearing arguments from attorneys for Trump and his two co-defendants on their 'defense theories of the case' and how 'any classified information might be relevant or helpful to the defense,' according to a court filing detailing the schedule.... Judge Cannon previously ruled that Smith's team must file a cache of documents on the public docket, but in a motion last week [Jack] Smith urged Cannon to reconsider her ruling, saying that doing so would, among other things, reveal the names of potential witnesses in the case, 'exposing them to significant and immediate risks of threats, intimidation, and harassment.'" ~~~
~~~ Marie: Two questions. (1) How come Loose Lips McDonald still has security clearance? (2) And didn't Trump show up at this hearing about witness intimidation in order to intimidate Judge Aileen?
~~~~~~~~~~
The Athletic: "The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII -- just like [as!] the President jokingly claims he planned. United States President Joe Biden posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, following the conclusion of overtime: 'Just like we drew it up.' The post was a reference and contained an image from a TikTok posted earlier in the day by Biden's campaign where he joked about rigging the Super Bowl in favor of the Chiefs. In the clip, Biden was asked if he rigged the Super Bowl or if the Chiefs were just that good. He replied: 'I'd get in trouble if I told you.'" MB: The Athletic is a NYT publication and is firewalled. ~~~
~~~ Ted Johnson of Deadline: "The X/Twitter post was a reference to a Super Bowl conspiracy theory involving game-rigging and a Taylor Swift endorsement. ~~~
Just like we drew it up. pic.twitter.com/9NBvc5nVZE
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 12, 2024
Zolan Kanno-Youngs of the New York Times: "President Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday that a ground offensive in southern Gaza should not proceed without a plan to protect the more than 1.4 million Palestinians clustered there, the latest sign of frustration by the White House over rising civilian deaths from Israel's military assault. During the call on Sunday, according to a description from the White House, the two leaders also discussed ongoing negotiations with Hamas to release Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for a cease-fire and the release of Palestinians being held in Israeli jails. Last week, Mr. Netanyahu bluntly rejected as 'ludicrous' a response from Hamas in the negotiations that called for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of more than 100 Israeli hostages in Gaza. But both American and Israeli officials have said subsequently that there is still room for compromise in the negotiations."
Yasmeen Abutaleb, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Biden and his top aides are closer to a breach with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than at any time since the Gaza War began, no longer viewing him as a productive partner who can be influenced even in private, according to several people familiar with their internal discussions. The mounting frustration with Netanyahu has prompted some of Biden's aides to urge him to be more publicly critical of the prime minister over his country's military operation in Gaza, according to six people familiar with the conversations.... The president, a staunch supporter of Israel who has known Netanyahu for more than 40 years, has been largely reluctant to take his private frustrations public so far, according to the people. But he is slowly warming to the idea, they said, as Netanyahu continues to infuriate Biden officials with public humiliations and prompt rejections of basic U.S. demands." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Bibi, Joe wants you to read this "leaked" report. More on the Israel/Hamas war linked below.
Edward Wong of the New York Times: "The Pentagon announced on Sunday that Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III had been taken to a military hospital to be treated for 'symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue,' and doctors at the hospital later said it was not clear how long he would remain there. Mr. Austin was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., at 2:20 p.m., a Pentagon spokesman, Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, said in the military's initial statement. He added that the deputy defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had been notified, as well as the White House and members of Congress. In a second statement on Sunday evening, General Ryder said that Mr. Austin, 70, had 'transferred the functions and duties' of his office to the deputy defense secretary, Kathleen H. Hicks, at about 4:55 p.m. Another statement, issued late Sunday by two senior doctors at Walter Reed, said that Mr. Austin had been admitted to the hospital's critical care unit that night after a series of tests."
Karoun Demirjian of the New York Times: "The Senate on Sunday pushed a $95 billion emergency aid bill for Ukraine and Israel past a critical hurdle, with a bipartisan vote that kept it on track for passage within days. The vote was 67-27 to move forward on the package, which would dedicate $60.1 billion to helping Kyiv in its war against Russian aggression, send $14.1 billion to Israel for its war against Hamas and fund almost $10 billion in humanitarian assistance for civilians in conflict zones, while addressing threats to the Indo-Pacific region. In a rare Sunday session, 18 Republicans joined Democrats to advance the measure, which leaders hope the Senate will approve as early as Tuesday.... But steep hurdles still remain for the bill in the Republican-led House, where it faces staunch opposition fueled by the 'America First' stance of ... Donald J. Trump." ~~~
~~~ Katherine Tully-McManus & Ursula Perano of Politico: "Donald Trump spent the weekend telling senators they should not pass more unconditional U.S. foreign aid. More than a dozen Republicans ignored him Sunday, moving forward on a bill to send $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.... 'From this point forward, are you listening U.S. Senate (?),' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'No money in the form of foreign aid should be given to any country unless it is done as a loan, not just a giveaway.'... 'I know it's become quite fashionable in some circles to disregard the global interests we have as a global power. To bemoan the responsibilities of global leadership,' [Senate Republican leader Mitch] McConnell said. 'This is idle work for idle minds. And it has no place in the United States Senate.'"
The Report
In case you missed it yesterday: Andrew Weissmann & Ryan Goodman in Just Security on the "Real" Hur report: "The Special Counsel Robert Hur report has been grossly mischaracterized by the press. The report finds that the evidence of a knowing, willful violation of the criminal laws is wanting. Indeed, the report, on page 6, notes that there are 'innocent explanations' that Hur 'cannot refute.' That is but one of myriad examples we outline in great detail below of the report repeatedly finding a lack of proof. And those findings mean, in DOJ-speak, there is simply no case. Unrefuted innocent explanations is the sine qua non of not just a case that does not meet the standard for criminal prosecution -- it means innocence. Or as former Attorney General Bill Barr and his former boss would have put it, a total vindication (but here, for real)."
Marie: Contributor Patrick spent a part of his Super Bowl Sunday editing the nearly-400-page special counsel Robert Hur's report on President Biden's retention of a few classified documents. As a public service, I am republishing Patrick's entire edition of the report. Do read it in full:
There is no evidence that improper storage of these documents was not sloppy filing. We could obtain no evidence showing who did that. Case closed. -- Full Report on President Biden's Retention of Classified Documents, Patrick's edition
The most important thing to remember, though, is the president was found to have been engaged in no wrongdoing. Unlike President Trump, [who] has 91 felony counts pending against him. And, by the way, in over all the depositions that President Trump has taken in those cases, it says he doesn't remember or doesn't know, over 1,000 times. -- Mitch Landrieu, Biden campaign co-chair, Sunday on "Meet the Press"
Zolan Kanno-Youngs of the New York Times: "White House officials and Democrats fanned out to defend President Biden's mental fitness on Sunday, reflecting the rising anxiety in the president's administration over a special counsel report that fueled concern about his age. 'This is a report that went off the rails,' Bob Bauer, Mr. Biden's personal lawyer, said on CBS's 'Face the Nation.' 'A shabby work product.'... Democrats have gone on the offensive to discredit what they say is a partisan hit that potentially violated Justice Department policy, specifically taking issue with the descriptions questioning Mr. Biden's memory."
... at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. -- Robert Hur, Special Counsel
At trial, Mr. Trump would likely present himself to a jury, as he does every day, as an unsympathetic, narcissistic, vicious, elderly man with a poor memory, poor judgment, no morals, no impulse control, and as a danger to democracy and international stability. -- Marie, Special Report
Charles Pierce of Esquire: Merrick Garland "needs to be thanked for his service and then shown the door. He is not equipped to use all the tools god gave the Department of Justice to thwart the genuine threat to the Republic that is El Caudillo del Mar-A-Lago, and the dangerous political climate he has created. The former president* should have been charged federally with insurrection literally years ago.... The DOJ should have gone hammer-and-tongs after all the members of Congress who had the slightest connection with the insurrection. Somebody higher than the bear spray crowd should have been arrested and held until trial.... This business ... should have been the very first item on Garland's plate when he walked in the door.... Thursday was the end for me. Appointing a Republican hack like Robert Hur to 'investigate' the non-crimes of the president was bad enough, but then to allow Hur to pile on a political hit piece about the president's memory, thereby normalizing one of the former president*'s attack lines on DOJ stationery, is not admirably fair-minded, it's constitutionally suicidal." (Firewalled.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: And let's not forget that it is very unlikely Merrick the Unready ever would have brought charges against Trump if not for the January 6 committee, which put the DOJ to shame by gathering and presenting enough evidence to prove to most of us that Trump was guilty of fomenting and leading the insurrection. Congress embarrassed Garland into appointing a special counsel to investigate and charge Trump. And so far, there's no sign the DOJ has investigated other participants in the coup plot: Mark Meadows, Jungle Gym Jordan, etc.
Presidential Race
Marie: It is not only our democracy that is on the line in the upcoming presidential election. It's all of them. Even Peter Both-Side Baker has the sense to be alarmed: ~~~
Peter Baker of the New York Times: Donald Trump "took [his antipathy to NATO] to a whole new level over the weekend, declaring at a rally in South Carolina that not only would he not defend European countries he deemed to be in arrears from an attack by Russia, he would go so far as to 'encourage' Russia to do whatever the hell they want' against them. Never before has a president of the United States -- even a former one aspiring to reclaim the office -- suggested that he would incite an enemy to attack American allies.... Mr. Trump's rhetoric foreshadows potentially far-reaching changes in the international order if he wins the White House again in November with unpredictable consequences. What's more, Mr. Trump's riff once again raised uncomfortable questions about his taste in friends. Encouraging Russia to attack NATO allies ... is a stunning statement that highlights his odd affinity for President Vladimir V. Putin, who has already proved his willingness to invade neighboring countries that do not have the protection of NATO.... Just the suggestion that the United States could not be depended on would negate the value of [U.S.] alliances, prompt longtime friends to hedge and perhaps align with other powers and embolden the likes of Mr. Putin and Xi Jinping of China." ~~~
David Sanger of the New York Times: "Long before Donald J. Trump threatened over the weekend that he was willing to let Russia 'do whatever the hell they want' against NATO allies that do not contribute sufficiently to collective defense, European leaders were quietly discussing how they might prepare for a world in which America removes itself as the centerpiece of the 75-year-old alliance.... The larger implication of his statement is that he might invite President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to pick off a NATO nation, as a warning and a lesson to the 30 or so others about heeding Mr. Trump's demands.... [Trump's] statement stunned many in Europe, especially after three years in which President Biden, attempting to restore the confidence in the alliance lost during Mr. Trump's four years in office, has repeatedly said that the United States would 'defend every inch of NATO territory.' Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, which comprises Europe's heads of government and defines their common policies, wrote that 'reckless statements' like Mr. Trump's 'serve only Putin's interest.'... In a statement on Sunday, [outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens] Stoltenberg said, 'Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk.'" A related BBC News report is here. And another BBC News report is here. ~~~
~~~ Party of Putin. Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan of the New York Times: "Republican Party elites have become so practiced at deflecting even Mr. Trump's most outrageous statements that they quickly batted this one away.... The defense of Mr. Trump by several Republican officials such as [Sen. Lindsey] Graham reflected the trajectory of a party that the former president has largely bent to his will.... Several former national security and foreign policy officials in the Trump administration declined to speak about the anecdote that Mr. Trump told about threatening a NATO member nation's head of state with encouraging Russian aggression. But they said they recalled no such meeting actually taking place. Mr. Trump is fond of outright falsehoods in relaying stories to make himself look like a tough negotiator."
~~~~~~~~~~
Israel/Palestine, et al. The Washington Post's live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Israel's military said it rescued two hostages from the southern Gazan city of Rafah early Monday morning while carrying out a wave of strikes, which Gaza's Health Ministry said killed at least 67 people. Hamas condemned Monday's strikes as 'horrific massacres against defenseless civilians' as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would use 'continued military pressure' to return the remaining hostages.... Gazans reported violent bombardment overnight from all directions in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter to escape intense fighting. The situation is so dire that families are sleeping on streets and eating grass to survive, aid groups say. The two rescued hostages, Fernando Simon Merman, 60, and Luis Har, 70, both dual Israeli-Argentinian citizens, were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on Oct. 7. Israel's military said both were in 'good medical condition' and were taken for further medical examination in Israel." ~~~
~~~ CNN's live updates for Monday are here.
News Lede
NPR: "Bob Edwards, the veteran broadcaster and longtime host of Morning Edition who left an indelible mark on NPR's sound, has died. He was 76 years old. NPR's Susan Stamberg says Edwards' voice became part of the morning routine for millions of Americans. 'He was Bob Edwards of Morning Edition for 24 1/2 years, and his was the voice we woke up to,' she says." Edwards' New York Times obituary is here.
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Reader Comments (17)
Thinking about yesterday.
The wrong team, based on my firm geographic and political rubrics, won.
Saw Taylor's excited jumping when she looked like one of those teens at one of her concerts. Don't get either behavior now and didn't when I was a teen myself. Reminds me of the scenes of religious revival meetings that have also always made me uncomfortable. Guess I've never fit in.
And yes, I did concede...for now.... about how social and economic constraints might rein in the Pretender's destructive tendencies. Just pray I'll never have to find out if I was right or wrong about the extent of the damage another Pretender term would bring. The question is not whether it would be awful. Of course it would. Rather, just how ugly it would be. The last time we tried it, it was ugly enough.
This morning on Lincoln's birthday, I'm not sanguine. The contrast between the thoughtful, intelligent moral giant who was the Republican Party's first President and the current Republican Party leader is far too great to allow much hope.
Today in Geezerville,
Enjoyed the Super Bowl, but found the ads and musical performances utterly baffling. Couldn't understand the words, turned on captions and still had no idea what they were talking about. Most of the ads, I had no idea what they were selling, or why I should do or buy anything.
Contemporary pop culture has one upside tho... gives me reasons to be glad I'm not young.
Important information: It takes 31 hours to freeze dry a bowl of
beef stew.
I learned this from a dinner guest last evening. One of his sisters in
Indiana is in an 'end of times' cult.
They're freeze drying enough food to last until they're called up to
heaven. Guess they won't have to worry about the electric bill if
they're planning on skipping out without paying.
Maybe they'll take the trumps with them.
@D
We had the same conversation during the game. Have felt that way for a long time about any music whose lyrics cannot be readily understood; for that my diminished hearing is only partly responsible
As for the ads, I posited that one of the changes we're experiencing is also not due to our advancing age. It has to do with what the ads are selling. Where the ads used to be for cars, appliances, food, material necessities and luxuries, now they are often for software or services that exist only in the ether, or somewhere out there in some ill-defined space that in order to live well I don't need to access, explore or understand. They are also presented in 30 seconds of fast-paced, flickering images my brain cannot process, the visual equivalent of the incomprehensible sounds that accompany the ads and of the music that affects me the same way. Baffled, as you say.
Did see a beer ad, tho'. At least I understood that one.
BTW, Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon.
This is particularly significant as we have a Solar Eclipse coming up on April 8th.
As has been known in China for thousands of years, the true cause of a Solar Eclipse is that the Sun is being devoured by a Magical Dragon. It’s probably Puff.
Therefore it is necessary, during an eclipse, to set off firecrackers and dance around banging on pot lids screaming, “Go away Puff!” and he will leave the Sun intact.
I have, in my lifetime, witnessed seven Solar Eclipses. I have done this every time, and it has always worked. So let’s don’t take chances.
Marie: how does DiJiT have a security clearance? Good question. I have no idea what hoops DOJ jumped through to get him in the room, especially since DOJ does not control information security management for the feds. Some poor soul probably had to sign off on a one-time exemption. DiJiT fershur has no clearance.
1. Prezdets don't get a clearance; when they get sworn in they have access to everything, but no entity grants a clearance, much less does a Background Investigation or special access in-brief.
2. President Biden declined to allow continued classified access to DiJiT. Such access is a routine courtesy for all other ex-prezdets. President Biden publicly ruled it out for obvious reasons. The omadhaun can't control his brain or mouth.
3. I have no idea how they have arranged for Judge Cannon (and her clerks?) to have access to entire Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) documents, but DOJ has had time to perform a BI for a Top Secret clearance. If so, and if she read-in to SCI, she signed affidavits that mean she has legal jeopardy if she mishandles the information.
This whole case bends the rules. It is a SCI security violation to reveal the location of a SCIF, and here that is in print. DiJiT is a walking violation of every rule you can imagine.
If it makes you old geezers feel any better, I realized I probably had never heard a Taylor Swift performance, so I YouTubed a random Swift song, and the words were easily understandable.
I don't think today's lyrics are much harder to understand than, say, '60s & '70s rock 'n roll.
I once heard Paul Simon say the music we like best is what was popular when we were teenagers, and I know that's true of me, so I'm guessing Simon was right about that. So unless you're a teenager, don't worry if you don't get today's sounds.
@Patrick: Thanks. Maybe when the Trump docs case is over, the feds will decommission the Fort Pierce SCIF site, especially now that everybody knows where it is. And
Omadhaun! I sure had to look up that one. You might be more Irish than I. (Don't be fooled by "Burns." That was "O'Beirne" in the old country.)
The Donald is ticked that some NATO members don't pay what he considers their fair share of military spending -- and doesn't want to defend them.
Does Donny pay his fair share of US taxes? Should our taxes be paying for his Secret Service protection, pension, and other perks?
Boring Joe
Marie: As the eskimos (esquimaux?) have many words for snow, the Irish have many for disagreeable people. Today I ran across another that has fallen into disuse here in the land of golden streets, but I think it could make a comeback. Angashore.
Use it in good health, it will come in handy.
Also, yes, Burns is Irish and who would not think it so? Years ago, when I first saw your byline in the NYT comments, I had to follow up to this site because I needed to find out if you were related to "the" Marie Burns, who was my mother's best friend growing up in Poughkeepsie. From what I have learned of you here over the years, apparently you are not. Related, that is. But I'm glad I came to check you out.
@RAS: Thanks. The reporters Ioffe talked to must be omadhauns. They "loved covering Trump" because "it was a great and fascinating story"? The characters were "larger than life"?
Really? Thugs and fascists don't "fascinate" me. And the Trump crew is in no way "larger than life." At heart, they're petty criminals and con men. Useless, boring and lacking in the nuance of character that makes the rest of us interesting. If they've stolen more than the average cat burglar, it's only because their old men put nicked silver spoons in their mouths.
I resent having to think about them. I resent the dunderheads who put them in positions of power. The only pleasure I get from them is when I read or hear one of them suffered a ruinous setback, not because I enjoy seeing people suffer -- I don't -- but because these little monsters deserve any punishment they get. And more.
@Patrick: Nope. It's unlikely I'm related to anyone else named Marie Burns, since Burns is a "fake name." I don't have any first cousins named Marie, and as far as I know, I haven't any distant cousins who share my name, either. If I see a Beirne or O'Beirne, however, I'm apt to look them up to see if they might hail from County Roscommon, which would make it somewhat likely I'm related to them.
I went one summer to a graveyard in Lissonuffy, where I found the graves of my ancestors as far as seven generations back. It did give me a different sense of who I was.
Roscommon. Where some of my Whalen (maternal grandmother) ancestors lived. Then O'Faolain. Roscommon must be the reverse of that cafe in Paris. If you stand there long enough you'll see the relatives whose ancestors didn't go to Liverpool, Boston, New York, Canada or Oz. But you probably won't know them.
It is hard to imagine the uprooted feelings of those who made that trip out. For centuries almost every ancestor had been in the county, and they would have known all their neighbors' families since forever, and every inch of land and whose it was. And then ... boom. Out in the world cut off from the tribe and the ways of it. And now, here we all are, with jets to take us back if we want to touch the soil, and this fantastic internet that can help us find out what we want to know about (anything ... but here, ancestry), libraries and bookstores that are full of infinite things to learn, and a lifespan long enough to have some leisure to indulge the curiosity. But our tribe is now fractured, especially in mobile America.
Our ancestors could not have imagined how we live, just as I cannot imagine what my granddaughters' grandchildren will see.
@D in MD: (1) I doubt Donald Trump understands this, but NATO countries don't "pay" into some group fund, the way Trump expresses it. There aren't any dues. Rather, the countries agreed in 2006 to dedicate at least two percent of their GDP to defense expenditures. I'm sure this has been explained to him, ad nauseam. But he is incapable of retaining much new information and successfully resists accepting information that doesn't suit him.
(2) NATO has activated Article 5 -- the "all for one" provision --exactly once in its history. It was not for Luxembourg or Estonia. It was not for a European country at all. It was for the United States, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Since Trump boasted about having "hundreds of friends" who died in the World Trade Center (though he couldn't name any), you'd think he would know that. Either he doesn't know, or he doesn't care.
Marie: of course the Orange Plagueship doesn't know anything about anything, so he has no idea about "statesmanlike" stuff... And caring? There is no one in the world he cares about except himself. He's a psycho and no mistake, and a sad piece of armament; yes, he's dangerous.
I don't get how journos haven't noticed that the oily guy who makes up s*** (that "sir" thing is always a tell--) and rails against countries who haven't paid "their fair share" is the same piece of mucus who never pays anyone who works for him and steals and lies and acquires stolen things for a living, and so far, has made it to the finish line. And that is where he belongs: the finish. Any way possible, including jail or death.
D in MD: the only ad I saw or comprehended was one with flying football players/birds. All the rest, meh...And I enjoyed the half-time show with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra...uh, what? That was an usher? How come an usher was the featured singer? And I do think Taylor's boyfriend is a HORRIBLE singer, and a caveman...sheesh. Can we forget about them now? Nothing against Taylor-- she has a certain talent and her heart leans left, so-- I hope people can leave them alone now.
So the Pretender is asking the SCOTUS to pretty please hold that thought.
Looks like he's has given us all a good reason to run for president.
I needed one.