;)
The Conversation -- October 28, 2023
Presidential Race 2024. God Trips Up This Mike. Alex Isenstadt & Myah Ward of Politico: "Former Vice President Mike Pence announced on Saturday that he was suspending his presidential campaign in a speech before the Republican Jewish Coalition conference. 'The Bible tells us that there;s a time for every purpose under heaven. Traveling across the country over the past six months, I came here to say it's become clear to me that this is not my time. So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today,' Pence said, to audible gasps from the audience gathered at the Venetian resort on the Las Vegas strip. Attendees gave Pence a standing ovation. One person yelled, 'Thank you Mike!' At the conclusion of the speech, Pence invited his wife, Karen, onstage. 'We thank God for his amazing grace. He gave us the courage to step forward so many years ago. And the wisdom to step aside,' Pence said."
Mohar Chatterjee & Rebecca Kern of Politico: "President Joe Biden will deploy numerous federal agencies to monitor the risks of artificial intelligence and develop new uses for the technology while attempting to protect workers, according to a draft executive order.... The order, expected to be issued as soon as Monday, would streamline high-skilled immigration, create a raft of new government offices and task forces and pave the way for the use of more AI in nearly every facet of life touched by the federal government, from health care to education, trade to housing, and more."
Perhaps Not the Best-laid Plans. But They Do Gang aft a-gley." Marc Santora of the New York Times: "A Ukrainian former lawmaker whom the Kremlin had handpicked to lead a puppet administration in Kyiv, Ukraine, was shot and wounded in occupied Crimea in an apparent assassination attempt, Ukrainian and Russian officials said on Saturday. The former lawmaker, Oleg Tsaryov, 53, a pro-Russian business executive, who participated in Moscow's invasion, was shot as part of a 'special operation' carried out this week by Ukraine's domestic security agency, according to a senior Ukrainian intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.... According to Western intelligence agencies, had the Russian invasion succeeded, the Kremlin would have installed Mr. Tsaryov as Ukraine's leader."
Michigan. Ken Kolker of 8 News (Grand Rapids): "A West Michigan state legislator paid tribute Friday to two men acquitted in the failed plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, with Rep. Rachelle Smit saying she was doing so on behalf of the state.... 'This goes beyond the pale,' [Whitemer's] press secretary Stacey LaRouche wrote in an email to News 8. 'These types of actions normalize and incite violence against our political figures, and only serve to shake our faith in our values and our institutions. This tribute will further encourage and embolden radical extremists trying to sow discord and harm public officials or law enforcement.' Smit gave William and Michael Null, of Allegan County, the hometown hero treatment on the steps of the Allegan County courthouse, along with their defense attorneys." MB: This is like lionizing Al Capone & O.J. Simpson for beating murder charges.
Mohar Chatterjee & Rebecca Kern of Politico: "President Joe Biden will deploy numerous federal agencies to monitor the risks of artificial intelligence and develop new uses for the technology while attempting to protect workers, according to a draft executive order.... The order, expected to be issued as soon as Monday, would streamline high-skilled immigration, create a raft of new government offices and task forces and pave the way for the use of more AI in nearly every facet of life touched by the federal government, from health care to education, trade to housing, and more."
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Michael Crowley of the New York Times: "President Biden met with China's top diplomat on Friday to prepare for Mr. Biden's planned meeting with President Xi Jinping next month as relations remain strained between Washington and Beijing. Amid cordial talk of cooperation between the United States and China, the official, Wang Yi, wrapped up a visit to Washington. During the three-day trip, the diplomat also met twice with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and with Mr. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan. In all, the meetings lasted about 10 hours, U.S. officials said."
Family Man. Jennifer Bendery of the Huffington Post: "The wife of newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) runs a counseling business that advocates the belief that homosexuality is comparable to bestiality and incest, according to its operating documents.... [Mike & Kelly Johnson] co-host a podcast, 'Truth Be Told,' where they talk about political and social issues from a conservative Christian perspective. Their podcast is up to 69 episodes.... Kelly Johnson features the couple's podcast on the website of her company, Onward Christian Counseling Services, which promotes Bible-based pastoral counseling. Her website also includes a link to its 2017 operating agreement, which lays out the corporate bylaws for the company ― and embraces a number of socially conservative beliefs about LGBTQ+ people and women's reproductive rights."
Paul Krugman of the New York Times: "There are no moderate Republicans in the House of Representatives. Oh, no doubt some members are privately appalled by the views of Mike Johnson, the new speaker. But what ... matters is what they do -- and every single one of them went along with the selection of a radical extremist.... Johnson's extremism, and that of the party that chose him, goes beyond rejecting democracy and trying to turn back the clock on decades of social progress. He has also espoused a startlingly reactionary economic agenda.... [Johnson's policy proposals call] for the evisceration of the U.S. social safety net -- not just programs for the poor, but also policies that form the bedrock of financial stability for the American middle class.... [Under Johnson's policies,] we would become a vastly crueler and less secure nation, with far more sheer misery.... The G.O.P. has gone full-on extremist, on economic as well as social issues. The question now is whether the American public will notice." Thanks to Ken W. for the link. See also his commentary below. ~~~
~~~ Marie: We have been living for decades on the promises of the 20th century: the expansion of the social safety net, of public higher education, and of civil rights for minorities and women. But that entire time, the right has been fighting tooth-and-nail against the liberal trend that began during FDR's long presidency and expanded up through the 1960s & even 1970s. But beginning with the election of Reagan, the trend slowly reversed. It has been thanks to Democrats that the federal government and some state governments have managed to stave off -- and effectively mask -- right-wing excesses. That's why, as Krugman writes, the American people may not notice what's going on. People keep voting for Republicans either because they are selfish SOBs themselves or because they don't believe those nice Christiany Republican politicians would leave them without the rights and benefits they have enjoyed all or most of their lives. I am old enough (and white enough!) that I will probably survive the worst Republican efforts to ruin my life, but that is not true for the next generations. Those of us in my generation who wanted to leave at least our part of the world a better place have failed. ~~~
~~~ Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "The far-right extremism and open contempt for democracy that marks much of modern Republicanism is not an aberration.... And while Trump may, for either legal or political reasons, eventually leave the scene, there's no reason to think the Republican Party will revert to a state where the Mike Johnsons are back on the sidelines."
More Bad News for Jim Comer, Hunter Hunter. Betsy Swan of Politico: "The top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles confirmed to congressional investigators that he declined to bring tax charges against Hunter Biden last year, but insisted his decision did not hamper the probe into the president's son Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney for central California who made those remarks in closed-door testimony, told the investigators that the Delaware prosecutors running the Hunter Biden probe have long been able to file charges in California. In fact, Estrada said, at least two Delaware prosecutors were given special authority to operate in California long before their boss, David Weiss, was appointed a special counsel earlier this year.... 'My understanding is where an individual has not paid taxes in the first instance but later paid those taxes with penalties and interest before a prosecution is initiated or an investigation is initiated, we have never brought criminal charges,' he said in the House Judiciary interview."
Grace Ashford of the New York Times: Rep. George "Santos, Republican of New York, pleaded not guilty on Friday to 10 new federal charges, but could face a House expulsion vote as soon as next week.... At the hearing, Judge Joanna Seybert approved a litany of minor issues related to discovery and scheduling, and set a tentative trial date: Sept. 9, 2024.... The announced court date was met with audible groans from a small group of constituents in the gallery. After the hearing, the group, many of them members of Concerned Citizens of NY-03, which has been vocal in calling for Mr. Santos's resignation, said that they deserved a more immediate resolution.... The [House] resolution [to expel Mr. Santos], which mentions both the 23-count indictment against Mr. Santos and his voluminous biographical lies, is not the first attempt to remove him from the House, but it is the first to be carried by members of his own party.... The newly elected House speaker, Mike Johnson, said in a television interview on Thursday evening that he would not move to expel Mr. Santos, noting his party's slim majority in the chamber." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Yes indeedy, Mike. The best thing is to keep an (alleged!) criminal around to help you get things done.
Jennifer Haberkorn of Politico: "The Biden administration hit back Friday on Speaker Mike Johnson's recent comments that placed blame for mass shootings in the United States on Americans' 'hearts,' calling the remarks 'offensive.' In a statement, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said the administration 'absolutely' rejected 'the offensive accusation that gun crime is uniquely high in the United States because of Americans' "hearts."' 'Gun crime is uniquely high in the United States because congressional Republicans have spent decades choosing the gun industry's lobbyists over the lives of innocent Americans,' Bates added."
Jennifer Peltz of the AP: "... Donald Trump is set to testify Nov. 6 in the civil business fraud case against him, following testimony from his three eldest children, state lawyers said Friday. It was already expected that the ex-president and sons Donald Jr. and Eric would testify. The timing became clear Friday, when the judge ruled that daughter Ivanka Trump also must take the stand.... Ivanka Trump was dismissed as a defendant months ago. Defense attorneys and her lawyer contended that she shouldn't have to testify, noting that she moved out of New York and left her Trump Organization job in 2017. The state's lawyers argued that [she] ... has relevant information. Judge Arthur Engoron sided with the state, citing documents showing that Ivanka Trump continued to have ties to some businesses in New York and still owns Manhattan apartments."
Donald Trump Is Not Very, Very Smart. Michael Luciano of Mediaite: "Former Attorney General Bill Barr demeaned Donald Trump's vocabulary, stating that the former president's 'verbal skills are limited' as evidenced by his incessant use of the word 'very.' During an event at Harvard's Institute of Politics on Thursday night, Barr spoke about his former boss in largely unfavorable terms. At one point, CBS Chief Correspondent Jan Crawford asked him if he thinks Trump is losing his mind. She cited the former president's comments calling Hezbollah 'very smart.' 'That was appalling,' Crawford said. 'I mean, do you think he's -- is he losing it?' 'His verbal skills are limited,' Barr replied, prompting chuckles from the audience. 'And so he, you know, if you get him away from "very, very, very," the adjectives sort of -- they're unfamiliar to him and they sort of spill out and he goes too far. You know, he's not very disciplined when it comes to what he says.'"
Presidential Race 2024. Isabella Murray & Kelsey Walsh of ABC News: "Rep. Dean Phillips is running to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2024. The three-term Minnesota congressman will challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2024.... 'I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country. But it's not about the past. This is an election about the future. I will not sit still I will not be quiet in the face of numbers that are so clearly saying that we're going to be facing an emergency next November,' Phillips said as he announced his run on CBS News on Friday morning. He filed for the New Hampshire primary election later on Friday morning and then formally announce his candidacy at the Statehouse plaza in Concord. He'll now embark on a bus tour through New Hampshire.... Phillips, a millionaire businessman who stepped down from Democratic House leadership last month -- had engaged in a number of media interviews since July, calling for high-profile Democrats like 'moderate governors from the heartland' to jump in."
Liberals, Biden at Fault for Maine Mass Murder. Tara Suter of the Hill: "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) pointed to 'liberal, soft on crime' policies in the wake of a mass shooting in Maine that left 18 people dead earlier this week. '[Y]ou look, a lot of the guys who commit violent crime, and yes, less than what we saw in Maine, a lot of these people go in and out of the justice system because of liberal, soft on crime policies,' DeSantis, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, said in a Fox News interview Friday. 'You do a crime, you should do the time; stop cycling people back out,' DeSantis continued. 'That will make communities safer, and Biden doesn't wanna do that.'" MB: Not sure if DeSantis offered thoughts and prayers.
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Israel/Palestine
The New York Times' live updates of developments Saturday in the Israel/Hamas war are here:"Israeli forces were still on the ground in Gaza at least 12 hours after entering the territory, the military said on Saturday, in what would be their most extensive ground operation in the enclave since the Hamas attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 civilians and soldiers. On Friday evening, Israel made incursions into the Gaza Strip after launching an intense bombardment, with artillery and airstrikes, military officials said.... The Israeli military said in a statement on Saturday that its forces had hit tunnels, underground command posts and other infrastructure.... Telecommunications and internet networks went down overnight, and most people in Gaza could not be reached by phone. The widespread blackout sparked fear and panic in Gaza.... The head of the World Health Organization said on X that the blackout was 'making it impossible for ambulances to reach the injured.'..." ~~~
~~~ CNN's live updates are here.
Yasmeen Abutaleb, et al., of the Washington Post: "The Biden administration is urging Israel to rethink its plans for a major ground offensive in the Gaza Strip and instead to opt for a more 'surgical' operation using aircraft and special operations forces carrying out precise, targeted raids on high-value Hamas targets and infrastructure, according to five U.S. officials familiar with the discussions. Administration officials have become highly concerned about the potential repercussions of a full ground assault, the officials said..., and they increasingly doubt that it would achieve Israel's stated goal of eliminating Hamas. They also are concerned that it could derail negotiations to release nearly 200 hostages, particularly as diplomats think they have made 'significant' advances in recent days to free a number of them, potentially including some Americans.... The Biden administration also is worried that a ground invasion could result in numerous casualties among Palestinian civilians as well as Israeli soldiers, potentially triggering a dramatic escalation of hostilities in the region, the officials said." ~~~
~~~ Marie: No doubt the Biden administration has anonymously "leaked" this story to let nations in the region know the U.S. does not back the mass killing of Arabs.
~~~ Yeah But. Karen DeYoung & Claire Parker of the Washington Post: "David Satterfield, President Biden's special envoy to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, has been in Israel this week seeking progress on both aid and egress to Egypt. But according to U.S., United Nations, Egyptian and Israeli officials..., no substantive progress has been made. The administration's public promotion this week of humanitarian pauses came after what one U.S. official said was 'a lot of the groundwork in private communications.' But it still left the United States behind the curve of international opinion, as the U.N. General Assembly Friday overwhelmingly approved an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a complete ceasefire. Only 14 of the 193 U.N. member nations voted against the measure, including the United States, Israel and several Pacific island and eastern European states. Most close U.S. allies were in favor or abstained from the vote." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Either Satterfield & others have made progress on releasing hostages, or they haven't. Surely Israel's stepped-up attacks on Gaza, along with cutting off all Gaza's Internet service, are not helping. Particularly during the 20th century, people -- some in high places -- figured out that war is not a solution to most problems. One would think this concept was a no-brainer. Apparently not.
News Ledes
NBC News; Actor "Matthew Perry died Saturday of an apparent drowning at his Pacific Palisades home, a representative for the actor and a law enforcement source say. Perry was 54. A 911 call came in at 4:07 p.m. local time and was treated as a water rescue, according to a law enforcement source. There was no indication of foul play and no confirmed cause of death, the source said. An investigation is ongoing." A New York Times obituary is here.
New York Times: "The man suspected of killing 18 people and injuring 13 others at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday, officials said, ending a sweeping manhunt that had forced thousands of residents throughout the region to remain in their homes. The body of the man, Robert R. Card II, 40, was found at a recycling center [in Lisbon Falls, Maine,] where he used to work, according to authorities briefed on the matter...." The Washington Post story is here. BUT ~~~
~~~ CNN: "... authorities found Card's body at 7:45 p.m. Friday near the Androscoggin River in the Lisbon Falls area, some 10 miles from Lewiston, said Sauschuck, the state public safety commissioner. Card's body was found near a recycling center from which he had recently been fired, a law enforcement source told CNN. Earlier this week, authorities had found Card's vehicle abandoned after the shooting near a boat launch in the Lisbon area. The body was in a wooded area, multiple sources told CNN." ~~~
~~~ Update. Washington Post: "Maine police had twice searched and cleared a recycling center before they found the body of the 40-year-old gunman who killed 18 people and triggered an intensive police manhunt that forced thousands of people to shelter in place. The body was discovered only after the center's owner called local police to say that Army reservist Robert Card was familiar with the property, urging investigators to check the trailers in an overflow parking lot across the street from the main facility. Just before 8 p.m. Friday, a state police tactical team discovered the body near the sliding door of an unlocked trailer full of scrap plastic and metal. Card had died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound."
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Reader Comments (14)
I see where Donnie (snort, snort) Junior, Eric the Stupid, Princess Ivanka, and the Orange Monster himself are all set to testify at their Family Fraud Festival. Wow. That’ll be a master class in perjury. Either that or a seminar in Dissembling on the Stand, for fun and profit.
It’ll be like a Magic 8 Ball game:
“Oh Magic 8 Ball, did Eric lie about property evaluations?”
“Answer cloudy. Ask again later.”
“Oh Magic 8 Ball, does the Fatty Family lie to banks?”
“Not our job.”
Too bad they couldn’t sell tickets. A kind of Trump University extension class in prevarication and mendacity. Mike Johnson might want to attend. That is, unless he has no problem railing about evil gays, women, liberals, scientists, etc. from the Squeaker’s office.
“Oh Magic 8 Ball, is Mike Johnson a dangerous bigot?”
“Call forwarded to Johnson Clinic for Homosexual Imprisonment”
“Oh, Magic 8 Ball, is there any way we can escape these crooks and hate-filled demagogues?”
“Get off your asses and vote.”
Back we go…
There are four gears on the Republican Clown Car. All reverse. There is no such thing as forward progress. You guys may remember that whacko harpy, Michele Bachmann, and her (possibly gay) husband, who ran a homosexual re-education Bible service. But “praying the gay away” is a thing of the past. That was then. Now, new Squeaker Mike Johnson and his wife run a “Gays are all evil” service. To hell with praying. Lock ‘em up!
Four gears: all reverse.
I’m reminded of that old book “Flatland” which told of a world with only two dimensions, inhabited by geometric shapes, but only two dimensional shapes, squares, polygons, etc. One night the Square dreams of going to a one dimensional world. Only points in space and lines. Mr. Square, exhibiting his two dimensionality, scares the bejesus out of the lines. They decide it would be best to kill him.
This is the Party of Traitors. A party that once existed in three dimensions, morphed to two dimensions, and now is one dimensional. Time to kill anything that doesn’t correspond to their world view.
Put it into reverse. And keep it there.
A little bit about Dean Phillips. The part where his campaign manager Steve Schmidt says they are going to hammer Biden, whom Phillips has voted with 100%, every day with any negative press scares me.
Randy Rainbow - thoughts and prayers
In the early Pretender years, had my moments of liking to hear what Steve Schmidt had to say, even after his his foray into Palin land, but now?
It's clear the man is only another political tool, no better than any of them who simply (sniff, sniff) follow the money.
Jumpin’ Jim Comer might be done chasing after Hunter Biden’s penis. It’s not a good look. And besides, maybe he’s tired of all the LOSER jokes. But new Squeaker, Bible thumpin’ Mike Johnson sez “Hang on there Jimmy…” The base wants to impeach someone…anyone! . And the droolers call the shots.
“‘I know people are getting anxious and they’re getting restless and they just want somebody to be impeached,’ Johnson said, as The Washington Post‘s Philip Bump reported Friday.”
Did you get that? He says this without a trace of awareness. “They just want SOMEBODY to be impeached.” Red meat for the mob.
Bible Mike goes on to assure everyone that the Party of Traitors won’t, you know, just do crazy impeachment bullshit. They have to do it with evy-dense, and like, for real.
Oh…you mean evidence like you’ve had all along? That kind of evidence? Okay. Because I thought it’s been crazy impeachment bullshit since day one.
It’s clear that Bible Mike is not going to be content to bang his little hammer and call the House to disorder. He’s got THE POWER now. Jesus wants him to weigh in on every tiny sliver of PoT fantasy bullshit.
And he’s ready for it.
This asshole cannot crash and burn too soon for me.
RAS,
Thanks for the Randy Rainbow break.
“We’re back, and I’m joined by this fuckin’ guy…”
Randy puts it all in perspective.
@Akhilleus: Maybe God will direct Mikey to do a good job, and he will wields his gavel wisely and with fairness to all. Who knows? Devilish though I may be, my bet is that he'll make My Kevin look good.
Marie,
He already does.
Marie: nice to see that your optimism has temporarily overcome your experience, betting for the Johnson.
What kind of painkiller did your oral surgeon recommend, and where can I get some?
One thing about Mike, he doesn't have to worry about being outflanked on the right.
I don't know the New England attitude to the new C-19 shots, but Florida Surgeon Lapado will be with DeSantis on his upcoming visit to New Hampshire. https://floridapolitics.com/archives/641764-joseph-ladapo-to-campaign-with-ron-desantis-in-new-hampshire/
@ Akhilleus Flatland is one of my all-time favorite books. It has so many levels, from being a simple exploration of one- and two-dimensional geometry, to being a wicked satire on Victorian social mores, to being a deeply theological treatise. It more than anything has informed my view of what - and where - god or whatever might be “out there” might be, i.e., that they exist in some four-dimensional world that we, constrained as we are by our three-dimensional geometry, cannot conceive of, much like Mr Square couldn’t understand the concept of “up.” But, like the sphere, they occasionally visit and intersect our three-dimensional world and it is when they do that we can perceive a part of that other world.
Rockygirl,
A nice idea. Walking along, I sometimes look up and think of Stone Age tribes supposedly still active in the Amazonian rainforest. Just overhead millions of bits of information hum along on various RF signals but they have no way of picking them up. I can, of course. I can listen to podcasts, check the weather, the news, look stuff up, and make phone calls to Berlin or Buenos Aires over those same radio frequencies, all while walking the dog.
Those Amazonian rainforest tribes, having no ability to tap into those signals, go through their day unaware that a jerk named Donald Trump is flapping his lips outside a courtroom in a place called New York City. They don’t know about Travis Kelce going out with Taylor Swift, or about wars in Gaza and Ukraine. They’re not getting pissed because they read that gas prices are going up fifty cents because there was a strong breeze in the Caribbean, don’t care that Mike Johnson is fine tuning plans for a Spanish Inquisition style theocracy, and aren’t wondering why AT&T is so full of shit.
Hmmm…maybe their Flatland is a nicer place than our 3D world.