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Monday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 12:43:21 PM EST
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It's a beautiful fall day here, but hard to enjoy when our nation is like a rudderless ship flailing about in the ocean with a drunken captain at the helm. Trump may not drink alcohol, but he's drunk with his own vision of power and self-entitlement. I hope he is gone as soon as possible. The only fitting legacy for him is that he not be allowed to finish out his term.

Where are the sane Republicans who competed with him for the 2016 nomination? Can't one of them step up to challenge him in 2020?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

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    Monday Open Thread | 210 comments (210 topical)
    Stanford Law Prof Pamela Karlan (5.00 / 3) (#57)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 08:11:11 PM EST
    and ACLU Legal Director David Cole did an absolutely spectacular job this morning arguing before the Supreme Court that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by prohibiting employment discrimination "on the basis of sex," serves to protect both gay men (and Lesbians) and transgender persons from discrimination (in the 15% of U.S. workplaces covered by that law, that is, employers of more than 15 employees). After reading the transcripts of the arguments, it seems to me they might get five or even six votes.

    Yes, both (none / 0) (#64)
    by KeysDan on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 01:28:49 PM EST
    Ms. Karlan and Mr. Cole provided excellent and, hopefully, persuasive arguments.  Ms. Karlan stated it clearly with the instructive example:  if two employees told their boss they married "Bill" over the past weekend, and the male employee was fired but the female employee was celebrated and given time off for a honeymoon, that would be discrimination because of sex. (Paraphrased).  

    Not necessarily predictive based on their questions, but of the conservative justices, my office guess is that we can rule out for the plaintiffs Alito, Roberts, and Thomas (not present, but his history is).  Gorsuch seemed to get it, but may place his visions of "social upheaval" ahead of the injustice of discrimination.  Kavanaugh was pretty quiet, but my hope is that he holds to the reading of the law, as Justice Kagan aptly reminded.  And, maybe can relate by some experience, such as Squi or other fellow kegger being fired  because of discrimination.

    Parent

    A Fox News-inspired Thought for the Day: (5.00 / 1) (#60)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 03:22:01 AM EST
    "An old crackpot lawyer named Rudy
    Says it is his God-given duty
    To protect Donald Trump,
    And he thinks you're a chump
    While he flings $chi+ from A.G. Barr's booty."
    Sincerely,
    A malicious Captain Kangaroo

    FOX poll 51% (5.00 / 1) (#72)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 06:51:10 PM EST
    Fox News Poll Shows 51% Want Trump Removed (6:25 p.m.)

    A Fox News poll shows that 51% of voters want Trump impeached and removed from office, up from 42% in July.

    According to the Fox poll published online Wednesday, 4% want him impeached but not removed, and 40% don't want him impeached. In addition, 51% of voters said they think the Trump administration is more corrupt than previous administrations, up from 46% in September.
    Just now (5.00 / 1) (#80)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 10:27:55 AM EST
    Cleaning, I found my favorite roach clip.  Lost for years.

    This is a promising omen.

    Sorry (5.00 / 1) (#83)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 11:14:50 AM EST
    Over share

    Parent
    I love this (5.00 / 2) (#119)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 11:06:14 AM EST
    MAGA

    Making Attorneys Get Attorneys

     

    Some other ones I like (5.00 / 1) (#125)
    by vml68 on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 08:28:09 PM EST
    Morons Are Governing America
    McDonalds And Golf Again
    My Attorney Got Arrested  (Ghouliani, up next?)

    Parent
    Fox unfriends. (5.00 / 1) (#122)
    by KeysDan on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 11:41:56 AM EST
    Shep Smith, reportedly a sane Fox anchor, abruptly left midway through his multi-million dollar contract. Smith claims it was his decision.

    Attorney General Barr, just 36 hours before, made a call on Rupert Murdock at his NY home.  Probably a coincidence, and not a suggestion to keep Fox in line.  Besides, there was no sightings of Barr carrying a severed horse head.

    SNL Cold Open (5.00 / 1) (#128)
    by Chuck0 on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 10:27:15 AM EST
    Kind of a dud. Wanted to see if they do something other than orange jesus. Which they did, but it kinda fell flat IMO.

    Ditto (none / 0) (#129)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 10:33:40 AM EST
    Trying to hard to be fair and balanced.

    But Weekend Update was good.

    I loved Pete on STDs

    He so totally nailed it.  WTF, you can just get a shot for this stuff!!

    Parent

    Ft Woman killed through bedroom window (5.00 / 1) (#141)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 11:09:44 AM EST
    of own home. What the hell is wrong with this country where murder is the go to action of police? Reading this story yesterday made me sick to my stomach. There is a serious problem with policing this country. This woman should not be dead under ANY circumstances.

    Very sad but way too early (none / 0) (#143)
    by McBain on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 01:04:12 PM EST
    to jump to a murder conclusion.  I know it seems like there's a "serious problem with policing this country" but I don't know if the actual numbers back that up.  

    When there is a tragic shooting like this, I tend to think of a couple things...

    • Cops aren't perfect. They're not necessarily the best and brightest.  Although they make a good living they aren't paid enough to encourage the best, quick decision makers to join the force.

    • We need better, non lethal options for when police aren't sure what situation they are in.  Tasers often aren't effective enough.


    Parent
    Gee. (5.00 / 1) (#144)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 01:14:27 PM EST
    Ya think knocking on the front door might have been a better alternative to creeping around the backyard?

    Parent
    You can call it what you want. (5.00 / 4) (#146)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 02:35:26 PM EST
    But for me, being killed in your home, while breaking no laws, committing no violence, threatening no one, is murder. See Jean, Botham (Dallas,Texas). Raw body cam footage at Simply Justice.

    Officer has resigned.

    Parent

    Here's a little more info (none / 0) (#149)
    by McBain on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 03:24:15 PM EST
    Link
    The video included images of a gun inside a bedroom. The police chief said that he did not know whether Jefferson was holding the weapon when the officers approached in the backyard but that the gun was found near the window.

    Kraus said that, in hindsight, releasing the images of the weapon was "a bad thing to do," noting that many Texas homeowners keep guns nearby for self-defense.

    "We're homeowners in Texas," he said. "Most of us, if we thought we had somebody outside our house that shouldn't be and we had access to a firearm, we would be acting very similarly to how she was acting."

    Obviously, if Jefferson was holding the gun it doesn't automatically mean she should be shot, but it might explain why the officer perceived a threat. If she wasn't holding the gun or something else that looked like a gun, I don't see much of a defense.

    Parent

    Please stop trying to defend the indefensible. (none / 0) (#153)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 04:31:16 PM EST
    There is a Texas state law called the "Castle Doctrine" (Sec. 9.32, Texas Penal Code), which was strongly supported by the NRA and GOP to enhance gun rights, and which asserts the rights of state residents to defend themselves in their own homes by whatever means necessary.

    Officer Aaron Dean never once identified himself as a police officer before opening fire through a bedroom window and killing Atatiana Jefferson in front of her 8-year-old nephew. Therefore, that she may have been holding a gun is likely immaterial in that respect because in due accordance with the aforementioned Texas law, she had every right to not only possess that firearm but to use it in self-defense against an unannounced and perceived intruder, which Officer Dean clearly was per his own bodycam video.

    There is no excuse whatsoever for Dean's recklessly aggressive actions. This was supposed to be a neighbor-requested non-911 welfare check on a single woman's residence, not a SWAT raid on a meth lab. Yet it appears that neither he nor his fellow officers ever properly announced themselves to Ms. Jefferson as they should have. Instead, Dean chose to trespass on her property and surreptitiously enter her backyard with his weapon drawn.

    Even the Fort Worth Police Department is conceding that Officer Dean likely broke the law when he killed Ms. Jefferson, by demanding and accepting his resignation from the department in lieu of seeking his immediate termination with cause.

    That said, this unspeakable tragedy speaks to the urgent necessity for police departments across the country to thoroughly re-examine their training procedures and firearms policies, in order to minimize to the extent possible any possibilities for such regrettable encounters to occur in the future.

    Clearly, some police departments have proved themselves to be way too trigger-happy when patrolling minority (and poor white) communities. This de facto and odious law enforcement practice of behaving as a hostile occupying force that's ferreting out trouble, real or perceived, rather than a beneficent public service that's protecting the community, needed to be curtailed yesterday.

    Look, most everyone who's actually sane recognizes that police work is an often thankless, mundane and unglamorous occupation, punctuated with occasional serious moments of very real hazard. But those persons who freely choose this particular line of employment need to understand that any subsequent invocation of personal fear as their rationale to shoot someone is not necessarily a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.

    Pulling and discharging one's weapon at someone should be an officer's last resort, and not his or her first choice. And if some officers can't handle the situational pressure emotionally, then they need to find another and safer line of work for themselves, like town librarian or bank clerk.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    You are right, it is way too early to jump (5.00 / 1) (#148)
    by vml68 on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 03:18:32 PM EST
    to a murder conclusion.
    Afterall, the "officer" did not identify himself as the police, shouted through a window and shot the lady before he had even finished barking out his orders.

    If you are at home, minding your own business and someone shines a light through your bedroom window at 2:30am and yells commands at you that you don't obey that very second, it is your own fault for getting shot.
    How can that possibly be called murder?

    I had no idea this is how welfare checks are supposed to be conducted.

    Parent

    Who said anything about Jefferson (none / 0) (#151)
    by McBain on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 03:30:19 PM EST
    being at "fault".  Sometimes people who haven't broken any laws get shot and it's not murder or even a lesser charge. Sometimes it is.  

    I just hope that any charges/verdicts are based on facts not public pressure.

    Parent

    You're absolutely right (5.00 / 1) (#158)
    by Yman on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 07:32:29 PM EST
    I just hope that any charges/verdicts are based on facts not public pressure.

    We can only hope that the police and prosecutors don't bow to the pressure of the police apologists who contort themselves trying to excuse every wrongful shooting by a police officer.

    Glad you agree.

    Parent

    You're absolutely right (none / 0) (#159)
    by Yman on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 07:32:41 PM EST
    I just hope that any charges/verdicts are based on facts not public pressure.

    We can only hope that the police and prosecutors don't bow to the pressure of the police apologists who contort themselves trying to excuse every wrongful shooting by a police officer.

    Glad you agree.

    Parent

    From The Guardian: (5.00 / 1) (#161)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 07:45:18 PM EST
    "As police officers are transferred or sent to prison, new ones replace them, but the job description does not change. Thus, organizing around a single cop's conviction misses the point that policing is problematic, and one officer's punishment is a job opening for a future officer to inflict more harm and violence on communities of color."

    (Emphasis is mine.)

    Parent

    BS (none / 0) (#150)
    by FlJoe on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 03:28:58 PM EST
    if a fkng bus driver driving his route showed this wanton disregard for human life they would surely be charged.

    Bus drivers aren't perfect, is a lame argument, as is yours.

    Better non-lethal options?? How about backing the fk up and assess the situation. Which should be lesson number one in their training.

    Parent

    Not a good comparison (none / 0) (#152)
    by McBain on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 03:35:12 PM EST
    a bus driver wouldn't be responding to a potential break in/ home invasion.

    Better non-lethal options?? How about backing the fk up and assess the situation. Which should be lesson number one in their training.

    Depends on the situation of course.  The only justification I can think of for pulling the trigger is the officer thought Jefferson was about to shoot him or someone else.

    Parent
    I (none / 0) (#155)
    by FlJoe on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 04:44:56 PM EST
    don't care if I'm running bad analogy theater, your arguments are still lame.

    Parent
    Jefferson (none / 0) (#156)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 05:38:16 PM EST
    at that point in time, had more right to shoot him.

    Parent
    Looks like he's been charged with murder (none / 0) (#160)
    by McBain on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 07:40:27 PM EST


    Parent
    Here's a link (none / 0) (#164)
    by McBain on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 09:44:35 AM EST
    from NBC News
    The Fort Worth, Texas, police officer who fatally shot a woman babysitting her nephew over the weekend has been charged with murder...

    ...Aaron Dean was booked into the Tarrant County Correction Center and later released on a $200,000 bond, according to jail officials.

    Dean, who joined the department in April 2018, still faces possible civil rights violations, Kraus said.

    "Had the officer not resigned, I would have fired him for violations for several policies, including our use of force policy, our de-escalation policy and unprofessional conduct," Kraus added.

    Dean was initially placed on administrative leave after he shot Jefferson to death. He has not been cooperating with investigators in the case, Kraus said.

    It wasn't clear if Dean has a lawyer. The Fort Worth Police Officers Association did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

     

    Parent

    Seems the Tarrant County DA (none / 0) (#162)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 07:57:13 PM EST
    thinks it is murder. Aaron Dean was charged today with murder and is currently a resident of the Tarrant County Jail.

    To be perfectly honest, I am surprised this happened this soon. I did expect an investigation by an outside agency before any charges. However, it also seems the evidence against him is a bit overwhelming. This woman was at home. It was a wellness check. Not even called into 911, but a non-emergency number. This cop's handling of this call was all kinds of wrong. Maybe police shouldn't just go creeping around people's backyards unannounced. In other neighborhoods of Fort Worth, (like my old neighborhood of Riverside) the cop more than likely would have ended up shot for creeping around someone's backyard like that, shining a flashlight in someone's bedroom window.

    Texans own guns. Even the Democrats. And they don't take kindly to peeping toms and the the like. This whole incident incredibly stupid and incredibly tragic.

    Parent

    I agree with the charge. (none / 0) (#163)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 08:48:27 PM EST
    At best, Aaron Dean conducted himself with a reckless indifference to the consequences of his actions. Good for the Tarrant County authorities for moving quickly and decisively in this matter.

    Parent
    This'll muddy the waters for some (none / 0) (#167)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 12:29:34 PM EST
    The murder arrest warrant for a white officer who shot and killed a black woman on Saturday says that the victim was holding a gun after she heard noises outside her window.

    A witness, the woman's 8-year-old nephew, told a police investigator that after Atatiana Jefferson heard noises outside their home and thought there might be a prowler in the back yard, she reached into her purse, grabbed a handgun and pointed it toward the window, the warrant said.

    That's when Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean shot Jefferson through the window and she fell to the ground, according to the warrant charging Dean with murder.



    Parent
    I don't know why it would. (none / 0) (#170)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 03:58:56 PM EST
    Unless, of course, one is casting about for some sort of excuse, no matter how threadbare, to exonerate Officer Dean of any culpability in Ms. Jefferson's tragic death.

    The primary problem for Dean is that he apparently entered Jefferson's property without ever once identifying himself to her as law enforcement, and then he shot her through her own bedroom window from her backyard, again without first identifying himself as a police officer.

    And further, as I noted above, Texas's "Castle Doctrine" law grants Jefferson the right to protect herself inside her own home from a perceived threat which, at least from her perspective, Dean clearly was.

    So, Dean's in a pretty tough spot legally, and any "black people are scary so I was afraid" argument offered by the defense isn't likely to go over very well in criminal court, never mind in the court of public opinion. But what other card does the defense have to play at this point, other than offer a thinly-veiled race-based appeal for white solidarity with white jurors?

    Of course, Dean could save everyone a lot of trouble by pleading guilty and doing his best to display a lot of remorse for his actions but honestly, how likely is that to happen in Texas?

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Police officers have been cleared of shooting (none / 0) (#182)
    by McBain on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 05:33:50 PM EST
    people who were holding guns or even toy guns. I'm trying to figure out what makes this case different?  Why was this cop charged with murder and charged so soon? Is it simply because Jefferson was in her home and Dean didn't identify himself as police?

    For now, I'm going to give Dean the presumption of innocence. I'm also trying to assume the murder charge was based on facts, not the fear of public opinion but I'm at least somewhat skeptical.    
     

    Parent

    There's a shocker n/t (none / 0) (#183)
    by Yman on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 06:15:36 PM EST


    Parent
    Who? (none / 0) (#184)
    by Yman on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 06:20:03 PM EST
    Those waters are crystal clear.

    Also, you ommitted a section in the middle of your "quote".

    " ... gun after she heard noises outside her window.

    But holding a gun inside your home is not illegal in Texas, and the former police officer who shot her was arrested on Monday.

    Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said on Monday that the gun was irrelevant to the investigation. In Texas, homeowners have a right to be armed on their own property, Price said.

    A witness ..."

    Almost like someone is trying to "muddy the waters".

    Parent

    You really are clueless. (none / 0) (#190)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 11:35:52 AM EST
    And not very wise.

    My quote was a direct quote. Nothing added, nothing omitted.

    This'll muddy the waters for some (none / 0) (#167)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 09:29:34 AM PST

    Murder warrant for ex-officer says victim was holding gun, but that's legal in Texas

    By Mitch Mitchell

    October 15, 2019 10:59 AM, Updated October 15, 2019 06:32 PM

    Who? (none / 0) (#184)
    by Yman on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 03:20:03 PM PST

    But you do have an aggressive fetish for pounding table, since table is all you have...

    Parent

    Donald. How you feeling? (none / 0) (#168)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 02:03:49 PM EST


    Parent
    Much better today, thank you. (5.00 / 1) (#169)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 03:42:14 PM EST
    Later today, I'm seeing the orthopedist who treated me at Queen's Medical Center last Friday, and if he says I'm good to go, I'll fly home to Hilo tomorrow in the company of my elder daughter. (She'll spend the night and then fly back to Honolulu on Thursday.) I'm presently on crutches but I've also been fitted with a walking cast, with the expectation that in a few days, I'll be a lot more mobile and won't need the crutches. So if all goes according to plan, I should be able to return to work as early as next week.

    Parent
    Good for you. (none / 0) (#171)
    by desertswine on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 04:34:17 PM EST


    Parent
    According to Merritt, the child said (none / 0) (#157)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 06:40:38 PM EST
    According to Merritt, the child said his aunt wouldn't let him go to the window to investigate, instead going herself. That's when he saw her fall to the ground.

    Horrible.

    Parent

    Yes. (none / 0) (#174)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 06:42:54 PM EST
    That sort of emotional trauma is not something an 8-year-old needs in his or her life.

    Parent
    Speaking of "clueless" (5.00 / 1) (#203)
    by Yman on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 05:31:03 PM EST
    You really are clueless. (none / 0) (#190)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 11:35:52 AM EST
    And not very wise.
    My quote was a direct quote. Nothing added, nothing omitted.

    That's a lie - look at your own link.  But you have an aggressive fetish for lying, since that's all you can do.

    Fish (5.00 / 1) (#210)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 19, 2019 at 09:18:11 AM EST
    I just watched a PPV thinking of you.  It's called

    CRAWL

    Mostly takes place in the crawl space of an old house filled with big hungry gators and rising flood waters.

    Just thinkin of ya.

    It's the 1st Monday in Oct (none / 0) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 01:01:31 PM EST
    And Clarence Thomas has the flu.  

    Very early for the flu.

    AP (none / 0) (#6)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 04:57:51 PM EST
    In remarks from the bench before the first argument, Chief Justice John Roberts said Thomas was "indisposed" due to illness but would participate in deciding the cases argued on Monday. A court spokeswoman said Thomas, 71, likely has the flu. One of the nine-member court's most conservative justices, Thomas has served since 1991.



    Parent
    While wishing Clarence well (none / 0) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 05:01:26 PM EST
    Pause a moment and imagine what would happen if he had to be replaced.

    Now.

    Parent

    Finally (none / 0) (#8)
    by FlJoe on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 05:02:58 PM EST
    a real job for Rudy.

    Parent
    I did not need that (none / 0) (#10)
    by MKS on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 06:41:18 PM EST
    Talk about ick....

    Parent
    I wonder if they could stop (none / 0) (#11)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 07:04:11 PM EST
    A president in the process of being impeached from nominating a justice.

    On a different subject, I don't understand why the whistle blower needs to testify.  If they are so worried about their identity why even bother forcing them to make a public appearance.  

    Parent

    The whistleblower (none / 0) (#37)
    by MKS on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 02:03:03 PM EST
    may not have first hand knowledge....which is a requirement for live witness testimony.

    Trump confessed and we have a summary of the telephone conversation and the text messages, which apparently can be authenticated without the testimony of the whistleblower.

    Whistleblower may end up just being the catalyst without be an actual witness.....

    Parent

    Maybe Clarence (none / 0) (#16)
    by desertswine on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 09:46:34 PM EST
    is an anti-vaxxer.  I got my shot 2 weeks ago.

    Parent
    A bad flu season ahead (none / 0) (#51)
    by Towanda on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 06:48:36 PM EST
    is forecast, I read, because Australia is just winding down from a bad flu season, and the CDC and others have seen before that what happens with flu in Australis first then happens here.

    We are getting our shots next week, having waited because some our physicians said that the mix would be improved by October. Also, flu shots last about six months, which was a probl m last year with a second, late spike. Our son-in-law, who had the shot in September, almost was hospitalized from complications of flu in April, as bis shot had almost worn off.

    We get the shots not only for our aging selves but also because we have two grandchildren already endangered, because their mother aka my daughter is a teacher -- and there are more than firty children in her school whose parents are anti-vaxxers.

    That was terrifying last year, when she was pregnant -- initially with triplets, and they lost two, so the survival of the third was worrisome. And teachers only are told the number of unvaccinated children in a school but never know if any are in their classrooms, coughing and sneezing and -- as she teaches first through third- graders -- not covering their mouths and needing their noses wiped . . .  and worse.

    Parent

    I got my industrial strength (5.00 / 1) (#52)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 06:54:34 PM EST
    "Senior" shot about a week ago.  

    Parent
    The "Deep State" strikes back. (none / 0) (#2)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 01:40:56 PM EST
    Per James Bruno and the Washington Monthly, "Trump has spent three years maligning career civil servants. Now, they are honorably exposing his corruption":

    "[W]hat Trump seems incapable of comprehending is that the public servants he has savaged over the past three years are, unlike him, not driven by revenge. They are there out of a devotion to American principles and the U.S. Constitution. As such, they provide an added check and balance on executive power. Only an amoral egocentric bombast who wallows in a fantasy world of conspiracy theories would fail to grasp that."

    Word came down this weekend that there are a number of people willing to support the complaint filed by the first whistleblower. Given the news that Trump is abandoning our country's Syrian Kurdish allies and leaving them to the tender mercies of a hostile Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who's never met a Kurd he felt didn't deserve to be labeled a terrorist and killed, there needs to be a full-court press against this lawless (and clueless) administration.

    Aloha.

    Oopsie (none / 0) (#3)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 04:37:15 PM EST

    Right Wing Watch
    @RightWingWatch
    Pat Robertson is "appalled" by Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria: "The President of the United States is in great danger of losing the mandate of Heaven if he permits this to happen."
    Oh (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by FlJoe on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 04:50:35 PM EST
    no, not the Mandate of Heaven. What's next, the Orb of Power?

    Parent
    Republicans feel that they'll be okay, ... (none / 0) (#9)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 05:46:14 PM EST
    ... so long as they don't lose the Balls of Chutzpah.

    Parent
    Jeralyn (none / 0) (#4)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 04:45:17 PM EST
    Love to hear any thoughts you have about the Kurds.

    Of course soldiers coming home is good but .........

    And Lindsey screaming the Trump administrations biggest lie was is Isis was defeated.  

    As far as biggest lie, we might need categories.

    It all very disorienting

    well, I don't think (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 07:22:00 PM EST
    that it's our job to protect the Syrian Kurds. Neither the Kurds nor the U.S. defeated ISIS -- ISIS is alive and growing in Africa and Asia and making a return in the Middle East. It may no longer have territory, but it's an insurgency that remains alive and kicking.

    Turkey and the Kurds at war is perpetual, although not constant. has been trying to stop the Kurds in Turkey from getting enough power to ask for autonomy. One of my Turkish friends did his military service fighting the kurds a few decades ago. I've heard many stories from my several Turkish friends about the terrible things the Kurds did when it was at war with Turkey. (I have no doubt the Kurds would say the same about Turkey, and indeed, Turkey has been condemmed for human rights violations during its war with the Kurds.)

    I don't believe the Syrian Kurds helped the U.S. tackle ISIS because of their good nature. It just so happened that our interests lined up with theirs for a period of time. I am never in favor of war, so I have no problem with us not staying in the region to protect the Kurds. I have a problem, as always, with Trump going his own peculiar way and deciding global issues contrary to advice he is given.

    Parent

    I read (none / 0) (#13)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 07:27:45 PM EST
    The Kurds as part of some agreement with the US and Turkey weakened their defenses in that area because we promised to help them.

    I agree with everything you said but no one is ever going to trust the US again.  But maybe that ship had already sailed.

    Parent

    Night of the long knives. (none / 0) (#17)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 10:40:32 PM EST
    The US just keeps stabbing its former friends in the back.

    I said on this forum BEFORE the inauguration that this clown was clear and present danger to the safety and security of all Americans and probably most of the world. I'm frigging psychic.

    If there is ever another 9/11 type incident on US soil, I very much see the rest of the world saying "oh well, tough $hit. You'll figure it out." Then they will turn their backs on move on. And who could fault them?

    Parent

    Witness in Guyger case killed in shooting (none / 0) (#14)
    by McBain on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 08:25:17 PM EST
    Link
    On Friday night, an assailant shot and killed Brown in the parking lot of the Atera Apartments.
    Witnesses told police they saw a silver, four-door sedan speeding out of the parking lot right after the shooting.

    Apparently, Joshua Brown had survived a shooting about a year ago.  

    As for the Guyger trial, two jurors spoke to the media recently...
    Some people have been critical of the 10 year sentence.  I'm more interested in how they decided on murder.  According to the link, when the jurors learned Guyger intended to kill Jean, that was all they needed to hear.

    Ya I heard something like when she saw (none / 0) (#31)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 10:52:04 AM EST
    that the apartment door she thought was hers was open, she said that she made a decision right then to shoot the intruder, if the intruder was still inside.

    Lotsa a theories about the neighbor/witness getting killed.

    Some say Dallas PD retaliated against him for testifying, as his testimony was mainly beneficial to the prosecution against the (now ex) Dallas PD defendant. Or retaliation for apparently agreeing to testify in the Jean family lawsuit against the DPD.

    He was previously shot and wounded in the foot after getting into a fight outside a party at a strip club about a year ago, and he told his attorney that he thought the shooter was probably someone he knew from when he was younger and that he was concerned that that person would continue to try to find him and finish the job.

    Parent

    I don't remember Guyger (none / 0) (#33)
    by McBain on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 12:01:56 PM EST
    saying she made a decision to shoot Jean as soon as she noticed the door was open.  She testified that she told Jean to "Show me your hands!" and when he didn't do that and made, what she interpreted as, a movement towards her, she fired her weapon.  

    What's interesting is Guyger did say she intended to kill Jean when she shot him.  I thought she would have said she intended to stop the threat not kill.  Perhaps that word choice did her in?  If she really wanted to kill Jean, she would have continued to shoot him and not call 911 as quickly as she did.

    Parent

    Some Questions About the Evidence (none / 0) (#34)
    by RickyJim on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 12:31:25 PM EST
    I hope somebody followed the trial closely enough to answer.

    1. How far was Guyger from Jean when she started shooting?
    2. Was the TV Jean was watching in the same spot Guyger's TV was located in her apartment?
    3. What other differences were there in the furniture layout of the two apartments?
    4. What explanation was given for Jean's door being open?
    5. Was Guyger looking at her cellphone constantly before pushing Jean's door in?


    Parent
    I don't know. (none / 0) (#35)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 12:37:28 PM EST
    I guess the trial transcript would answer a lot of your questions.

    Parent
    ...and there ya go. (none / 0) (#82)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 11:04:26 AM EST
    Brown, 28, was shot dead Friday in what cops are calling a botched drug deal -- rejecting any suspicions that the slaying was related to the testimony.

    [...]

    The Friday shootout happened in the parking lot of an apartment complex about 5 miles from where Guyger fatally shot 26-year-old Botham Jean last year.

    Michael Mitchell, 32, a 20-year-old relative named Jacquerious Mitchell, and Thaddeous Green, 22, all came from Louisiana to buy drugs from Brown, Chief Avery Moore of the Dallas Police Department's Criminal Investigation Unit said earlier this week.

    An argument ensued in which Brown first shot Jacquerious, wounding him, and Green squeezed off two rounds at Brown, Moore said.



    Parent
    Romney won't run (none / 0) (#15)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Oct 07, 2019 at 08:49:45 PM EST

    "ROMNEY IS THE PRESSURE POINT IN THE IMPEACHMENT PROCESS": MITT WON'T PRIMARY TRUMP--BUT HE'S TRYING TO BRING HIM DOWN

    Yow (none / 0) (#18)
    by FlJoe on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 05:48:46 AM EST
    New WP poll shows 58% support for impeachment inquiry, 49% support removal from office.

    Huge shift over the last few weeks, even among Republicans.

    21 point swing (none / 0) (#19)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 06:50:34 AM EST
    Since July

    Parent
    Maybe (none / 0) (#20)
    by FlJoe on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 06:56:17 AM EST
    Nancy was right all along.

    Parent
    Maybe (none / 0) (#23)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 08:57:30 AM EST
    She is, as they say, "giving them enough rope"

    Trump and all are harping on this business of taking a floor vote.  Trump has basically said have the vote and you can have everything.  Not to suggest that would prevent him from denying it.  But they are pushing this vote thing.

    The reason for that, supposedly, is that that would give Trump and House Republican a bigger role.  Like subpoenaing Hunter Biden. And other ways to muck it up.

    But I read yesterday that in fact she could under these newer house rules have a floor vote and still stop them from doing all that.

    If thats true I would be expecting a floor vote on Monday.  

    I was looking for where I read that but I can't find it.

    Parent

    Per House rules, the minority's subpoena power ... (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 10:08:10 AM EST
    ... in an impeachment inquiry is subject to approval of the House majority. In any event, it was the House Republicans themselves under former Majority Leader Tom DeLay who, in the wake of the Clinton impeachment debacle, proposed and adopted the rule change that would allow the Speaker to open an impeachment inquiry without a majority vote. And has so often the case, they've once again been subsequently hoisted on their own petard.

    Parent
    Right (none / 0) (#27)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 10:10:15 AM EST
    But I just heard CNN talking about how this is the republican plan.

    If we know it they know it, right?

    I become more impressed

    Parent

    AND (none / 0) (#28)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 10:12:02 AM EST
    That it was a good and logical plan.  That just might work.

    Parent
    20+ years ago when Bill Clinton ... (5.00 / 2) (#36)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 01:51:35 PM EST
    ... was impeached, House committee chairs needed the approval of the entire House to authorize their subpoena power, which is why the respective decisions to launch a formal impeachment inquiry in 1974 and 1998 needed an affirmative majority floor vote.

    But in the wake of their unsuccessful attempt to oust Clinton, the then-GOP House majority changed House rules to waive that subpoena requirement in order to allow chairs to continue subjecting the administration to scrutiny / harassment on their own. (It's richly ironic that vainglorious Tom DeLay & Co. likely never envisioned that their own rule might one day be used against one of their own in the White House.)

    So, Speaker Pelosi was right all along that the House majority already possessed the necessary tools to investigate Trump, thanks to DeLay's shortsighted vitriolic moment in 1999. She really doesn't have to listen to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on this matter, and I seriously doubt that she will unless she has something really special in mind for him.

    And given McCarthy's public statements and actions of late, he's stupid enough to play Charlie Brown to Pelosi's Lucy and rush in to kick that football, if and when she tees it up and invites him to try and do so.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    UPDATE: It looks like ... (none / 0) (#175)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 06:55:27 PM EST
    ... Speaker Pelosi might indeed have something really special in mind for Kevin and the Repubs -- like, say, getting them on the record defending Trump, before she opens up the bomb-bay doors and rains down all the evidence of Trump's culpability and guilt upon their heads in public, the political equivalent of the great Tokyo fire raid of 1945.

    Parent
    Oops. Never mind. (none / 0) (#176)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 07:06:28 PM EST
    "Pelosi said she would not be calling for a vote to formalize the impeachment inquiry. 'We are not here to call bluffs,' she said. 'We are on a path that is taking us to a path to truth, a timetable that respects our consitition.'"

    LINK.

    Parent

    Can't find it (none / 0) (#26)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 10:08:18 AM EST
    but another thing said was, the thing is, it's never been done before.

    Yeah, it's never been done before.  Welcome to our world.

    Parent

    'Maybe, Nancy was right (none / 0) (#43)
    by KeysDan on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 04:02:34 PM EST
    all along.'

    Maybe, she wasn't.  Maybe, we would have been in this place shortly after the Mueller Report and Barr's misrepresentation of it---if the Speaker recognized the danger in not acting and put her estimable power into building support, both in the Democratic caucus and with the American people.

    But, she was right in that Trump may self-impeach..sort of. Self-impeach in that he was emboldened in his lawlessnes by not being impeached after Mueller, and many Democrats underestimated Trump's limitless corruption and extensive corrosion of democratic principles.

    After all, no need to act, he only had a year or so left in his term, we will get him at the ballot box.  And, too, there is a risk, remember the Clinton impeachment blow back.

    Trump set the table for impeachment.  A table setting so gaudy that it could not go unnoticed. Thanks to the whistle-blower and the ICIG.  And, importantly, the confession of Trump via his abridged readout of the Zelensky shakedown and his doubled down chopper talk, calling for more perfect election meddling by China, too.

    But, if, if, if.  If my uncle were a woman he would be my aunt. We are now where the country needs to be. It is now clear that Trump will be impeached, and conviction is not as remote a possibility as it once seemed.  And, the articles of impeachment can include an umbrella (Trump is not good at these newfangled things) of obstruction/witness intimidation--a lengthy article it will need to be. And with a side order of Barr and Pompeo to boot.

    It may well take the 2020 election, and our best Democratic candidate, to complete the existential campaign to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic (i.e. Trump and the Republican Party).

    Parent

    Impeachment would have failed ... (5.00 / 2) (#45)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 04:47:50 PM EST
    ... after the Mueller hearing. It was polling publicly at anywhere between 35-37%. It didn't even enjoy the support of a majority of House Democrats. I don't know how many times I have to say that Speaker Pelosi didn't have the votes this summer, but she didn't have the votes this summer.

    In terms of legislative process, you don't bring a proposal to the floor if you don't have the votes, unless your true purpose is to kill the idea definitively and publicly. Because once you do that and the motion is dead, you have to start the entire process over from scratch -- public hearings, testimony, evidence gathering and all -- if you want to take up the subject again.

    And if Pelosi had done what you wanted in June, where do you think the public appetite would be now for resurrecting impeachment only a couple of short months after it got shot down during the summer? Impeachment is simply too gut-wrenching an issue, politically speaking, to keep bringing it up over and again. That's just not the way the system works or is even designed to operate.

    Whether you care to acknowledge it or not, House Democrats were always only going to get one shot at doing this. Nancy Pelosi held their fire until she was sure that the shot would be a clear one, and only then did she finally pull the trigger.

    And even then, I'd lay better than even odds that in order to get that clear shot, she likely baited Trump with her earlier comments this past spring that he simply wasn't worth impeaching, just to tempt him to overreach. She constantly needled him in the ego and he responded with his usual impunity, completely underestimating just how formidable of an opponent she really is. And now, both he and his GOP congressional allies have found themselves painted into a corner.

    Getting rid of Trump was always going to be a heavy lift, regardless of the array of evidence against him and even now with his hand caught in the cookie jar, the odds of his removal are less than 50-50 because we don't control the Senate. But if he does somehow finally fall, future historians will likely credit a very wily and sanguine Nancy Pelosi for marshaling the sum total of her entire political experience in order to bring it about.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    State Department has blocked (none / 0) (#21)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 07:38:21 AM EST
    Sondland from testifying today.

    I cannot fathom on what legitimate grounds (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 08:54:22 AM EST
    a Cabinet secretary can bar an Executive Branch official under their jurisdiction from responding to a Congressional subpoena issued in aid of the impeachment power. I read the WaPo story, and it offers no hint of any basis for the order to Sondland not to testify. Sounds like another potential Article of Impeachment to me, for obstruction of the investigation.

    Parent
    In a morning (none / 0) (#29)
    by KeysDan on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 10:36:59 AM EST
    tweet (9:23 am) Trump indicates that he stopped The EU ambassador from appearing.  Something about loving to let him testify, but not before a kangaroo court.  

    Parent
    So (none / 0) (#30)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 10:39:33 AM EST
    Interesting it was repeatedly reported as the State Department

    Which included a video of Pompeo scurrying away from reporters like a roach in fluorescent

    Parent

    This Presidential Pretender wouldn't know (none / 0) (#32)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 11:55:14 AM EST
    the U.S. Konstitution from a kangaroo. If Pompeo ordered the ambassador not to testify at the direction of the "President," that's another Article (obstruction) for the Bill of Impeachment. And the tweet is a confession.

    Parent
    Not only that, ... (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 02:05:50 PM EST
    ... Secretary Pompeo's order to State Dept. personnel to not cooperate can be used as evidence against him, should the House choose to pursue a separate impeachment inquiry against him. Given what's transpired, I'd be very hard-pressed at this point to argue why the House shouldn't also impeach Pompeo -- and Bill Barr, too, for that matter.

    Here's a bit of trivia: On May 4, 1876, Secretary of War William Belknap became the only senior cabinet official to ever be impeached by the House, which approved five articles against him for the secret kickback payments he received from a tradership contract he authorized between Caleb P. Marsh and sutler John S. Evans at Fort Sill in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). A majority of senators subsequently voted to convict him at his Senate trial, but it fell short of the required two-thirds majority.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    And speaking of kangaroos, ... (5.00 / 3) (#39)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 02:21:49 PM EST
    ... Rep. Matthew Gaetz (R-FL) apparently believes the late children's TV show host Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) is the source of the term "kangaroo court," a term which actually predates the arrival of Captain Kangaroo in American living rooms by a full 100 years. Moreover, he's getting paid six figures to express these deep thoughts.

    Parent
    The Washington Post in on the case (5.00 / 1) (#59)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 09:19:07 PM EST
    I had forgotten that before he was Captain Kangaroo, Bob Keeshan played Clarabelle on the Howdy Doody Show. The article makes a good case that the original "kangaroo courts" were rump meetings that accused Australian gold-hunters of "claim jumping" during the California Gold Rush, sometimes leading to lynchings.

    Parent
    Well, that made me laugh. (none / 0) (#40)
    by desertswine on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 03:15:57 PM EST
    Whadda jerk.

    Parent
    Yeah, I laughed, too - ruefully, of course. (none / 0) (#41)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 03:31:41 PM EST
    You know, up until a few weeks ago, I was thinking that we've been trapped in a Fellini film. But I've since changed my mind, and now believe that we've instead been ensnared in the deep web of a Farrelly Brothers comedy written by Seth MacFarlane, one which will initially bomb at the box office only to eventually become a cinema cult classic that's beloved by the French.

    Parent
    Gordon (5.00 / 1) (#46)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 04:58:04 PM EST
    Has been served.  

    Parent
    TV escape a little (none / 0) (#24)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 09:33:41 AM EST
    New animated series PRIMAL.  On AdultSwim.  It's just great.  Like Hayao Miyazaki meets FANTASTIC PLANET in DEXTERS LABORATORY

    Genndy Tartakovsky's dinosaur epic Primal turns compassion into a survival tool

    The first episode probably streams

    Peaky Blinders (none / 0) (#105)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 10:47:24 PM EST
    Season 5 is up on Netflix

    Parent
    And, it is (none / 0) (#106)
    by KeysDan on Fri Oct 11, 2019 at 08:52:18 AM EST
    better than ever.  Hard not to binge watch.

    Parent
    Per Crazy Uncle Rudy ... (none / 0) (#42)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 03:53:37 PM EST
    ... via NYT stenographer Maggie Haberman, the Trump White House intends to throw the gauntlet down to House Democrats this afternoon, basically refusing to comply with congressional subpoenas, period. Apparently they believe that they stand a better chance in federal court. I can't see how this is going to end well for Trump.

    Oops, the White House's letter to Speaker Pelosi just arrived and the media's already termed it "an elaborate nine-page press release."

    Stay tuned.

    See something? (none / 0) (#44)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 04:07:32 PM EST
    say something

    Something strange is going on in eastern Oregon. Over the past four decades, ranchers have been finding a slow but steady stream of their cattle dead with neatly severed genitals and other clear signs of mutilation.

    After a brief hiatus, it now looks like the problem is back. The Oregon Cattlemen's Association released a statement on August 5 announcing that five bulls had recently been found dead at Silvies Valley Ranch in Oregon. The bulls had "several organs" removed, although there was no sign they had been shot, poisoned, or attacked by a predator.

    Just a reminder to never say, well it can't get any more weird

    NPR (none / 0) (#53)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 06:56:39 PM EST
    I love this.  There are photos

    Not One Drop of Blood

    Coming upon one of the dead bulls is an eerie scene. The forest is hot and still, apart from a raven's repeating caw. The bull looks like a giant, deflated plush toy. It smells. Weirdly, there are no signs of buzzards, coyotes or other scavengers. His red coat is as shiny as if he were going to the fair, but he's bloodless and his tongue and genitals have been surgically cut out.



    Parent
    Is there some cultural group that believes (none / 0) (#54)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 07:12:14 PM EST
    bulls' testicles and/or tongues have medicinal properties?

    Parent
    Although that sounds like (none / 0) (#55)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 07:19:44 PM EST
    Something I might know, I got no idea.

    Parent
    But even if there was (none / 0) (#56)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 07:31:45 PM EST
    So many odd things.  No bullets or bullet holes.  No poison.  They could find no reason for death.  Except the missing organs

    And how would they do this and drain the blood without leaving any blood.

    And why won't scavengers eat them.

    Parent

    Rudy Giuliani. (5.00 / 1) (#58)
    by desertswine on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 09:13:31 PM EST


    Parent
    Warren is now ahead (none / 0) (#47)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 05:24:01 PM EST
    in RCPs poll of polls

    Bernie (5.00 / 2) (#61)
    by FlJoe on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 05:24:34 AM EST
    is now "scaling back his campaign", he is toast.

    Ideologically, one would think Warren would get all of his remaining support. However I suspect some of the hard core Bernie bros might have a gender problem, if you know what I mean.

    Parent

    It would make a huge difference (none / 0) (#62)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 06:43:29 AM EST
    If he was man enough to endorse her

    I will reserve judgement but endorsing is not his forte

    Parent

    What's amazing (none / 0) (#65)
    by CST on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 03:22:12 PM EST
    Is that she's caught Biden without it.

    For the first time I'm beginning to feel like she has a real shot at this.

    The hits have just started coming, but thus far they seem to be doing a decent job of hitting back. I don't  know how much they get paid but her staff deserves a raise.

    Parent

    She (5.00 / 2) (#68)
    by FlJoe on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 04:14:37 PM EST
    has been quite adept at the game so far.

    She has proven to be a very good retail politician and by all accounts she has built a solid campaign infrastructure. She has stayed relentlessly on message and seems mostly devoid of serious baggage.

    I always liked Warren but I doubted her has a viable candidate, my mind has been changed.

    Parent

    Her coverage is going to change now (none / 0) (#73)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 08:49:20 PM EST
    The rich and powerful do not want President Warren.  They are fine with President Biden

    Cable networks and their owners are rich and powerful.

    Misogyny will only be the excuse.

    Parent

    This is true. (5.00 / 1) (#75)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 05:22:14 AM EST
    You can see the coverage already starting to change.

    Parent
    Absolutely (none / 0) (#76)
    by FlJoe on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 05:48:09 AM EST
    to be expected, I'm sure she has a plan for that.

    IMO, it's going to be hard for them to get some kind of killer narrative going, no real political baggage there (it's hard to become "crooked" or corrupt as Harvard professor).

    Parent

    Salon (5.00 / 1) (#77)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 08:06:39 AM EST
    Washington Post goes after Elizabeth Warren with posse of establishment sources
    Until recently, mainstream media treated Warren gently, especially compared to Bernie Sanders. That's all changed

    OCTOBER 10, 2019 10:00AM (UTC)

    Right now I'm watched the librul media swoon over Biden because he managed to look up from the paper he was reading when discussing this.  And his bold call for impeachment being the last candidate and a year after Warren.

    We need to push back on this shi+ as hard as we can

    Parent

    It is an (none / 0) (#78)
    by KeysDan on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 08:57:34 AM EST
    attack by "radical centrists", as argued by Paul Krugman.  What could be more extreme than for Democrats to select one of  the "Tim Ryan's" as standard bearer.  It is, of course, the more left of the party, it is claimed, that are extreme and impractical with those far out ideas such as universal health care, based on the successful. Medicare program around since 1965.

    Never Trumpers and those sensible centrists know just what is needed.  But Democrats need to stay away from these radicals.


    Parent

    Maybe not (none / 0) (#74)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 08:49:54 PM EST
    only

    Parent
    Judging (none / 0) (#66)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 03:37:53 PM EST
    by what I see on social media she has picked up a good number of former Hillary voters, mostly white women. She seems to be having a hard time getting African American voters so far.

    Parent
    Yup (none / 0) (#67)
    by CST on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 03:51:32 PM EST
    It's a bit like Bernie's problem in 2016.  The difference is that Biden is only getting about 50% of them vs Hillary who was pushing 70-80%.

    There's still a ton of undecideds out there.  I don't think that she'll ever win that demographic outright but if she closes the gap enough she might not have to.

    Parent

    Her problem (none / 0) (#69)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 05:21:45 PM EST
    with African American voters may only be a problem in the general election. It might not matter if their votes get split between a couple of candidates.

    Parent
    Did you see (none / 0) (#48)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 06:22:12 PM EST
    where the people who run the RCP site have a secret Facebook group which basically pushes white nationalism?

    Parent
    I did (none / 0) (#49)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 06:44:24 PM EST


    Parent
    Right wing stuff (none / 0) (#50)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 08, 2019 at 06:46:46 PM EST
    Turns up on that sight regularly.  It was not such a surprise

    Still a good collection of poll data.

    Parent

    T-shirt PSA (none / 0) (#63)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 11:08:36 AM EST
    this T-shirt has become the best investment of my life

    When I ordered it for my 50th class reunion last month, which seems like ages, I was not sure enough people would "get it"
    Some would, I thought.  Enough.
    But you know what
    Everyone gets it now

    If you are in a red area order one now.  Or two.  I'm considering another order just to make sure I have a clean one.

    i still have my t-shirt from 1973 (5.00 / 1) (#88)
    by Peter G on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 03:46:05 PM EST
    (quite raggedy, however) that looks just like that except it says, "Nixon Now, Less than Ever."

    Parent
    Hahahahaha! (none / 0) (#71)
    by Zorba on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 06:03:42 PM EST
    😆🤣😆🤣

    Parent
    Got to see two movies recently (none / 0) (#70)
    by McBain on Wed Oct 09, 2019 at 06:03:03 PM EST
    Ad Astra and Joker.

    Both are worth seeing but I preferred Ad Astra, a slow, moody sci-fi film that's a basically a combo of Apocalypse Now, Gravity and the George Clooney version of Solaris. I liked the twist at the end.

    Joker does have a great lead performance by Joaquin Phoenix and it's lack of CGI is a refreshing break from other super hero related movies. Plenty of Taxi Driver and King of Comedy in this one.

    I'm not sure anyone needs to see either film in the theater but both are better than average.  Anything else out there  halfway decent?  

    Rudy Rudy Rudy (none / 0) (#79)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 09:49:02 AM EST
    You had one job

    Giuliani's Ukrainian `Clients' Arrested Two Weeks After He Said the Problem Was `Resolved'
    by Colin Kalmbacher | 10:49 am, October 10th, 2019

    These two (none / 0) (#81)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 10:45:28 AM EST
    Are going to sing the best duet ever.

    Parent
    FYL (none / 0) (#89)
    by Peter G on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 03:51:41 PM EST
    TGE

    Parent
    It's bad - I mean REALLY bad. (none / 0) (#85)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 12:33:04 PM EST
    Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman were arrested last night at Washington-Dulles Int'l Airport as they tried to flee the country in advance of Congressional subpoenas for their testimony in the House impeachment inquiry.

    Further, it appears that no-former Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) is "Congressman 1" in SDNY's Parnas-Fruman federal indictment, alleging that he received $3 million from a pro-Trump PAC controlled at least in part by Parnas and Fruman in exchange for his assistance in effecting the recall of U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch from Ukraine last spring. An unnamed Russian oligarch is also mentioned in the indictment.

    Still further, NBC News' Pete Williams is reporting that Attorney General William Barr has been aware of SDNY's investigation into Parnas and Fruman since last February, the sort of prior knowledge which may well render his subsequent efforts in August to suppress the whistleblower's complaint legally problematic. He may need to recuse and lawyer up.

    It's pretty clear that the State Dept.'s recall of Ambassador Yovanovitch from Kiev is a potential lynchpin to this mess. If you include the Parnas-Fruman indictment and the White House call transcript, we're nearing the point of convergence where Trump himself is likely implicated in a conspiracy to defraud the United States, if today's charges by SDNY are any indication.

    And just like that, our attention returns to the longstanding and vexing issue of Russian influence peddling in GOP World, and its murky connection with both Donald Trump and various Republican congressmen like Pete Sessions. Who is the unnamed "foreign national Russian citizen and businessman" mentioned in the indictment? The nexus of Russian money and the Republican Party as a whole never has been fully investigated -- until, perhaps, now.

    Fasten your seat belts. We may be teetering on the brink of a spectacular political train wreck unlike any our country has ever experienced. I better make some more popcorn.

    Parent

    Oops, big typo. Sorry. (none / 0) (#90)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 04:02:57 PM EST
    As far as I can tell, Pete Sessions received $20,000, not $3 million, for that May 2018 letter to Secretary Pompeo urging the recall of Ambassador Yovanovitch from Kiev. My bad. Exorbitant sums like the latter are reserved for special people -- like "Moscow Mitch" McConnell.

    Parent
    Here is Session's May 2018 letter to Pompeo. (none / 0) (#91)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 04:10:35 PM EST
    LINK.

    Parent
    Charles Pierce (none / 0) (#92)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 04:52:05 PM EST

    And, by the way, have you ever seen any two guys who look more like HENCHMEN than these two jamokes?



    Parent

    Bail was granted for (none / 0) (#93)
    by KeysDan on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 05:10:40 PM EST
    Lev and Igor.  $l million each plus GPS,and geographic restrictions (south Florida and south NY).

    These guys are the epitome pf a flight risk.  Arrested at Dulles Airport, purchased a one-way international ticket, sort of the first flight out, either to Vienna or Frankfurt (hubs for easy transfer to places like Moscow), and with carry-ons.

    Wonder if they bought their tickets before or after the nice lunch with Rudy at Trump Hotel in DC? And, were they tipped off to the imminent arrests.  Barr was in NYC yesterday and today, visiting the SDNY.

    Parent

    Supposedly (none / 0) (#94)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 05:36:38 PM EST
    Barr also paid a visit to Rupert Murdoch

    Oh to be a fly on the wall

    Parent

    Free advice for Lev and Igor: (5.00 / 3) (#99)
    by KeysDan on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 06:15:14 PM EST
    If offered the Epstein suite, decline.  If you spot a couple of guys walking toward you with a pointy umbrella, cross the street. Avoid tea that sets off metal detectors.

    Parent
    I have had clients arrested in the same way (none / 0) (#101)
    by Peter G on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 08:20:11 PM EST
    That is, at the airport after purchasing next-out one-way international tickets, and with a hastily packed carry-on bag. Generally after a federal agent has dropped a hint about "not being arrested at this time, but after we examine the evidence we have collected, I cannot predict." Then the suspect is surveilled, and followed later to the airport and arrested, with the govt having created by this trick compelling evidence of consciousness of guilt that was used against the suspect to prove guilt and then to enhance the sentence. Not one of these clients was granted bail following the arrest.

    Parent
    I have had clients arrested in the same way (none / 0) (#102)
    by Peter G on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 08:22:14 PM EST
    That is, at the airport after purchasing next-flight-out one-way international tickets, and with a hastily packed carry-on bag. Generally after a federal agent has dropped a hint about the suspect "not being arrested at this time, but after we examine the evidence we have collected, I cannot predict." Then the suspect is surveilled, and followed later to the airport and arrested, with the govt having created by this trick compelling evidence of "consciousness of guilt" that was used  as evidence against the suspect to prove the charges and then to enhance the sentence. Not one of these clients was granted bail following the arrest.

    Parent
    Sorry about the double post (none / 0) (#103)
    by Peter G on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 08:26:24 PM EST
    Disregard #101.

    Parent
    Straight (none / 0) (#95)
    by FlJoe on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 05:39:34 PM EST
    out of central casting, if you ask me. This deep state hoax is starting to have a cast of thousands, it's getting hard to find fresh faces.

    Parent
    Lev and Igor (none / 0) (#96)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 05:47:29 PM EST
    Pfft

    According to Donald you will have to ask Rudy.  

    Never a good sign.

    Parent

    Stormy Daniels? (none / 0) (#97)
    by FlJoe on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 06:00:40 PM EST
    "Go ask Michel Cohen" wasn't a good sign for Mikey or individual one.

    Parent
    Because apparently (none / 0) (#98)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 06:09:23 PM EST
    Rudy has a lot of clients. When was the last time Rudy practiced law? The 80s? I guess he has a different kind of client these days.

    Parent
    There is (none / 0) (#100)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 06:34:42 PM EST
    tape and the tape is everything you would ever believe about a Russian mobster. It's Rudy talking to the guys straight out of the Sopranos.

    Parent
    Yovanovitch (none / 0) (#84)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 11:25:31 AM EST
    Is still testifying tomorrow

    As far as we know

    FL Stand Your Ground - 20 Yr Conviction (none / 0) (#86)
    by vicndabx on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 02:33:26 PM EST
    The Florida man who shot and killed an unarmed black man in a convenience store parking lot, reigniting the debate over the state's controversial "stand your ground" law, will serve a 20-year prison sentence, a judge ruled Thursday.

    ...and, wow:

    "In the Bible, it is said that in order to get into heaven, we must forgive those who trespass against us," he continued. "At this point in my life, I'm not there yet. If it just so happens that the lord chooses to take me before I come to terms with this, I will see you in hell, where you and I will finish this."
    dayum (none / 0) (#87)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 02:52:58 PM EST
    and this:
    Drejka did not seem remorseful at all in the interview, the judge said, and acted like a "wannabe police officer" who harassed people who parked illegally.

    "The most ironic thing about this case is [Drejka] parked illegally, not even in a parking space, to confront [McGlockton's girlfriend] about parking illegally," Bulone said.



    Parent
    One of these days the media will figure out (none / 0) (#104)
    by McBain on Thu Oct 10, 2019 at 10:06:08 PM EST
    stand your ground. Until then it will be confused for regular self defense, especially in Florida.


    Parent
    Little Shop of Horrors (none / 0) (#107)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 11, 2019 at 04:33:35 PM EST
    This sounds amazing


    Today, Collider has revealed the first potential casting rumors for the project. The first is that "Pose" star Billy Porter is allegedly being eyed to voice the man-eating plant Audrey II. At the same time albeit less concrete, Lady Gaga is rumored to be taking on the role of Seymour's love interest Audrey.

    Former "Captain America" actor Chris Evans has also apparently lobbied for the role of the sadistic dentist whom Steve Martin played in the 1986 Frank Oz-directed film which itself was an adaptation of the 1982 stage musical which was based on Roger Corman's original 1960 film.

    This new take will also be a musical and is said to be based on an original idea from James Corden, who is producing.
    I kind sorta knew Roger Corman (5.00 / 1) (#108)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Oct 11, 2019 at 05:13:04 PM EST
    way back when

    Parent
    Is (none / 0) (#109)
    by FlJoe on Fri Oct 11, 2019 at 06:01:31 PM EST
    it just me or is this weeks Friday news dump particularly heavy?
     

    Definitely seems turned up (none / 0) (#110)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 11, 2019 at 06:46:12 PM EST
    To 11

    I totally missed the Homeland Security guy resigned

    Parent

    Easy to miss Howdy, (none / 0) (#111)
    by fishcamp on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 08:26:32 AM EST
    they go as fast as Trump's lies.

    Parent
    Fish (5.00 / 1) (#112)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 10:07:22 AM EST
    When the two new characters are Lev who has a company called Fraud Guarantee and Igor who has a club called Mafia Rave, it's time to fire the writers.

    Parent
    As Maher says (none / 0) (#113)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 10:14:53 AM EST
    It seems like yesterday they were chasing Macaulay Culkin around his house.

    Maher was good this week.

    Trump is sniffing more at his rallies (he is) because he has tresonal allergies.

    Parent

    For a man (none / 0) (#114)
    by CST on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 10:21:03 AM EST
    Who supposedly doesn't do drugs he sure looks and acts like a cokehead.

    Parent
    I agree with (5.00 / 2) (#115)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 10:26:42 AM EST
    The adderall theory

    Trump was, from the point of diagnosis, born for adderall.

    I know cause i has a script for years too.

    Parent

    Tin foil adderall theory (none / 0) (#116)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 10:35:44 AM EST
    Have a good friend who had taker adderall in much higher doses than me for many years and her doctor cut her off because she had a stroke.  She pretty much lost it.  Started snorting street meth, which is different from adderall only in purity,

    She crashed and had another health crisis

    Not saying this is what's happening but any fan of meth, I'm raising my hand, recognizes the out of control behavior in the last 2 rallies.

    The rally's will get worse.

    Parent

    Jus sayin (none / 0) (#117)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 11:01:16 AM EST
    here

    Adderall is a prescription CNS stimulant ADHD medication used to treat inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, lack of focus, disorganization, forgetfulness, or fidgeting in children and adults.



    Parent
    And then (none / 0) (#118)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 11:04:42 AM EST
    Raise yer hand if you think he could not get all the adderall he wants.  When he wants and needs it.

    Parent
    Which leaves us (5.00 / 1) (#120)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 11:28:58 AM EST
    .....hoping for a stroke?

    Yeah.  A stroke would be be good.  Thanks.


    Parent

    At least that might make him (none / 0) (#132)
    by leap on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 04:01:32 PM EST
    STFU. Or even harder to understand.

    Parent
    Dr. Ronnie Jackson (none / 0) (#121)
    by KeysDan on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 11:29:57 AM EST
    Is still with the White House medical unit, although not Trump's physician.  So there is that.  Wonder if Trump continues to be a patient of Dr. Harold Bornstein?   And, if all of Trump's lab values are still positive.

    Parent
    Cocaine grandiosity.. (none / 0) (#123)
    by jondee on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 12:57:47 PM EST
    is definately a thing.

    An odd phenomenon in which a person becomes stupider while simultaneously finding oneself and one's ideas to be awe-inspiring.

    It's been responsible for decades of bad movies and music and a lot of the worst reckless machinations on Wall Street.

    Parent

    The thing is (5.00 / 1) (#124)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 03:35:05 PM EST
    Trump, with his sanctimonious attitude toward "drugs and alcohol", would consider coke a drug.

    He would consider adderall a prescription.

    Parent

    Yeah he's sanctimonious.. (5.00 / 1) (#126)
    by jondee on Sat Oct 12, 2019 at 10:36:36 PM EST
    just like he's sanctimonious about quoting "Two Corinthians".

    How about he's just monumentally fos - in his great, unmatched wisdom?

    From all indications, he could be snorting eight balls while having peyote tea enemas administered with a fire hose.

    Or maybe he's just another deeply damaged person who's in over his head and wildly churning up the water, who also happens to be President.

    Parent

    Midsommar (none / 0) (#127)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 10:23:24 AM EST
    Is on PPV

    So good.  So great to be able to slo mo through the trippy parts.

    The very subtle BG effects,the sort of stuff I might have done, is just extraordinary.

    It does help to actually have a history with psychedelics

    I'm out of commission for a while. (none / 0) (#130)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 02:06:36 PM EST
    I was in downtown Honolulu on a short business day-trip last Friday and was crossing the street as a pedestrian at the corner of King Street and Punchbowl Street by Honolulu Hale (City Hall) in a marked crosswalk, when I got hit by a car making an illegal right turn from a through lane. He knocked me a good 10 feet before I hit the pavement.

    Anyway, I was hospitalized overnight at The Queen's Medical Center with a fractured right leg, lots of scrapes and bruises, and some seriously jarred-up insides. They were holding me for observation to make sure there was no internal bleeding. My wife flew over here Friday evening, and we're presently holed up at Elder Daughter's place until I get medical clearance to travel back home to Hilo, hopefully by Tuesday or Wednesday. Suffice to say, I no feel so good right now.

    Aloha.

    Feel Better (5.00 / 3) (#131)
    by jmacWA on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 02:48:44 PM EST
    Sending good Karma your way

    Parent
    Donald, (5.00 / 3) (#133)
    by KeysDan on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 04:24:48 PM EST
    Get well soon. Don't rush your return, you have had a lot of trauma.

    Parent
    I hope you (5.00 / 1) (#134)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 04:30:47 PM EST
    get well soon Donald and I'm glad it wasn't worse. As someone who has been in property and casualty insurance for quite a while, I can tell you that unfortunately this happens more than you think.

    Parent
    I'm so sorry, Donald! (5.00 / 2) (#135)
    by Zorba on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 04:47:33 PM EST
    Sending healing thoughts and prayers your way.
    Namaste.

    Parent
    OMG!!! (none / 0) (#136)
    by desertswine on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 05:28:41 PM EST
    Get better fast!  Relax and catch up on your reading.

    Parent
    I hope you have (none / 0) (#137)
    by Chuck0 on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 05:39:22 PM EST
    a speedy recovery. Sorry to hear of this unfortunate incident.

    Parent
    ohmydog! (none / 0) (#138)
    by leap on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 05:48:49 PM EST
    That is so horrible. Intersections/crosswalks are so scary for pedestrians. Take care of yourself, get whole again, and be careful. I hope that car gets nailed with a huge fine. Usually they don't. Just a simple traffic infraction, dontacha know.

    I walk a lot. When I cross streets, I now make sure I get eye-contact with the person operating the turning or passing car, after I almost got hit at a certain busy intersection, for the third time! That third time was a sheriff's deputy. I called the city and the sheriff's office.

    Parent

    Very sorry to hear that, Donald (none / 0) (#139)
    by McBain on Sun Oct 13, 2019 at 07:53:31 PM EST
    I wish you the best recovery!

    Parent
    Ouch. I hope you heal quickly. (none / 0) (#140)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 10:58:49 AM EST
    I was in a motorcycle accident just before Christmas last year and I'm still seeing MDs and going to PT. Hopefully your recovery will go quicker.

    Parent
    Dare (none / 0) (#145)
    by FlJoe on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 02:21:43 PM EST
    I say sending thoughts and prayers?

    Parent
    Well, now that you mention sending something ... (none / 0) (#154)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 04:40:07 PM EST
    "You say you haven't been the same since you had your little crash,
    But you might feel better if they gave you some cash."
    - The Eagles, Get Over It ("Hell Freezes Over," 1994)

    ;-D

    Parent

    Vidoe of a Donald Trump (none / 0) (#142)
    by KeysDan on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 12:41:10 PM EST
    character as a mass murder in a church (Church of Fake News) was played at a conference held by the pro-Trump group, American Priority, at Trump National Doral Miami.  

    Several of Trump's top surrogates, including Don Jr,  Sarah Huckabee S. and the Republican governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, were scheduled to be speakers at the three-day conference.

    Although the video bears the Trump Campaign logo and was shown as a part of a "meme exhibit" of the conference, nobody knows nothing about anything.  

    The video depicts Trump inside the Church where parishioners faces have been replaced with the logos of news media organizations, such as The Washington Post, NBC, BuzzFeed, and PBS. And, Black Lives Matter. Trump pulls a gun out of his jacket pocket and begins a graphically violent rampage. As parishioners try to flee, Trump fires and kills and maims them.

    He wrestles a Vice-logo person to the ground and shoots him at point blank range.  And, then moves on, hitting the already deceased John McCain, stabs Rosie in the face and head, strikes Maxine Waters and throws her threw a church window, lights the head of Bernie on fire, throws President Obama against a wall, and goes after Adam Schiff.

    Of course, Trump kills Hillary and Bill Clinton as part of the grand finale. The video is simply horrific--beyond the pale.  But, it should be seen, best on an empty stomach, so as to fully understand the thuggish inciting of violence of Republican fascism.

    I didn't (5.00 / 1) (#147)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Oct 14, 2019 at 02:44:10 PM EST
    see him killing Bill but I certainly saw the graphic murder of Hillary in that video. Her murder seemed to be the grand finale for these people. And these are the same people who had a screeching meltdown with Kathy Griffin and Trump's severed head.

    Desantis is really going to take a hit on this. The others do not matter I would think. Most people in Gaetz's district probably think the video is great.

    Parent

    Tonight's debate (none / 0) (#165)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 11:16:53 AM EST
    Could be interesting.  I will record and FF on delay.

    Bernie has to show he is not dead.  And so do about a half dozen others.

    I expect Tulsie to be featured foot stomper.  Bu bye Tuls.

    Other will attack Warren for being better than them.  

    I will be very curious if any candidate tries to make points off Hunter Biden.  IMO if they do they are dead.

    I would be surprised (none / 0) (#172)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 04:46:42 PM EST
    if anyone even brings Hunter Biden up. However, I think it was a mistake for him to an interview. It reminded me of Warren and the DNA test.

    Parent
    I would not be that surprised (none / 0) (#173)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 05:25:55 PM EST
    And I disagree.

    Parent
    The Hunter Biden interview (none / 0) (#166)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Oct 15, 2019 at 11:22:30 AM EST
    is worth a watch

    What bothers me about this storyline ... (5.00 / 1) (#179)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 03:26:47 PM EST
    ... is the media's pointless focus on Hunter Biden, which plays right into Trump's misleading and disingenuous narrative even though most everyone agrees that neither Hunter nor his father Joe ever did anything wrong. Meanwhile, Daddy's favorite little Princess Ivanka and her hubby Prince Valiant have scooped up tens of millions of dollars while cashing in on her father's tenure as president, and there's barely a fckn peep about their ethical lapses in the very same media.

    Parent
    As far as I can tell, young Hunter B (none / 0) (#180)
    by Peter G on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 04:52:50 PM EST
    didn't do anything illegal. But that is far (in my mind) from saying he didn't do anything "wrong." It was wrong of him - ethically - to take tens of thousands per month for a do-nothing position on a foreign corporate board of an energy company, for which he was unqualified, just because he could get away with it due to his father being vice president.

    Parent
    Yes (none / 0) (#181)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 05:08:46 PM EST
    The nepotists are very upset about the nepotism.

    That said, I thought the interview was not terrible.

    Parent

    It was ok, because he admitted he exercised (none / 0) (#187)
    by Peter G on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 07:17:52 PM EST
    poor judgment. So it's not true that he did nothing wrong, as his father idiotically stated. It is wrong to exercise poor judgment.

    Parent
    Human beings are basically opportunistic. (none / 0) (#186)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 07:16:25 PM EST
    I'm not excusing Hunter Biden's decisions, but regardless of our disapproval, political opportunism is not illegal and I refuse to carry Trump's water for him on this matter.

    The fact here is that while the media is focused on one Democratic faux pas, they are ignoring the fact that some of the biggest public complainers about Hunter Biden outside of President Trump include GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel (niece of Sen. Mitt Romney), Donald Trump Jr. (son of President No. 2-for-Brains), and Rep. Liz Cheney (daughter of former Vice President Darth Vader).

    Oh, and speaking of "All in the Family," Brady Toensing -- the son of Victoria Toensing and stepson of Joe DiGenova, who are just two of the key figures in Trump's Ukraine scandal -- has departed his mother's and stepfather's law firm after being hired as a senior counsel at the Bill Barr-run U.S. Dept. of Justice. But that's another story.

    We should all take a dim view of those persons who would treat the public domain as their own private reserve by exploiting their personal political connections. But that said, it's both ludicrous and hypocritical for opportunistic Republican beneficiaries of this corrosive practice to denounce its existence in Democratic circles, just as it would be were the shoe on the other foot.

    I wish I had an answer for stopping it, but I don't. The reason children of politicians tend to travel in the parents' circles as adults is that just as it is for the rest of us, their parents are their primary role models. They grow up in the life, and they're most comfortable in it.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    How is this different (none / 0) (#189)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 11:09:33 AM EST
    than all the congress critters, cabinet secretaries, and various high muckety muck government officials who leave govt employ and take seats on boards of US corporations for which many are unqualified? For which they are paid handsome sums of money.

    My own company is suspect in this regard. But at least they put generals on the board and since we make war toys, the generals may have some qualifications. Though I was none too happy when Michael Chertoff was on the board (he's gone).

    Parent

    And now, (none / 0) (#177)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 02:35:58 PM EST
    THIS

    "It's not good, for sure, but things have been bad for a while now," he added.

    In effect, Kim has just announced -- in the most North Korean style possible -- America needs to make an agreement with us or we'll go back to the worst of times. But to his citizens, the dictator promises they'll survive economically despite the sanctions.

    That's bad news for anyone hoping the US and North Korea might find a peaceful way forward. It portends a very rocky, dangerous 2020.

    At least we'll have amusing photos to lift our spirits.
    LOL! Here's your Quote of the Day: (none / 0) (#178)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 03:16:13 PM EST
    Lest we forget, the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Boris "Step on his Own" Johnson is having its own serious problems with a looming Brexit deadline of October 31 and no agreement with the European Union yet in hand. I've been following the coverage in British media and I came upon this particularly scathing description of Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, which really made me chuckle:

    "Calming to the point of comatose, each word more meaningless than the one before. By the end of a sentence you are far worse informed than if he had said nothing."
    - John Crace, "Stephen Barclay, a pointless secretary for a pointless Brexit." The Guardian (Oct. 16, 2019)

    ;-D

    They appear (none / 0) (#185)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 06:56:44 PM EST
    to have put themselves in the worst possible position. with Brexit the UK was going to suffer but now they are going to suffer because they have given the UK the upper hand it seems. I don't know if I've ever seen anything as botched.

    Parent
    If Brexit is approved, ... (5.00 / 2) (#188)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 07:22:34 PM EST
    ... the next crisis to envelop the UK will be a renewed effort by Scotland to seek independence. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP tried and failed once earlier, back in 2014. This time, with Bresxit as law, I think they would succeed.

    Parent
    Trifecta.. (none / 0) (#191)
    by desertswine on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 01:34:08 PM EST
    TV this morning.  First Mulvaney, then Pounce, and finally Trump himself..  All incredibly sickening.  I had to turn off the tv.  I wish it was Friday.

    Another article of impeachment (none / 0) (#192)
    by Peter G on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 02:46:03 PM EST
    Awarding the G7 hosting contract for spring 2020 to the financially struggling Trump Doral golf resort in Florida. A textbook violation of the Emoluments Clause.

    And in the same appearance (none / 0) (#193)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 02:54:16 PM EST
    Mulvaney admits, yeah, of course there was a quid pro quo.

    Parent
    A year (none / 0) (#194)
    by FlJoe on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 02:57:50 PM EST
    from now, "yeah, of course we canceled the election".

    Parent
    The G7 thing is (none / 0) (#195)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 03:08:41 PM EST
    Great.  Trump really thinks this thing he does where he says ,oh, you think that's bad?  Well, check THIS out will keep working forever

    I do not think he can endlessly pile outrage on outrage fast enough that no objection can be raised to any of it.

    I think the wheels ARE coming off.

    Mulvaney just torpedoed what Trump has been saying almost as many times as no collusion.

    Parent

    And I think Mulvaney did it (none / 0) (#196)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 03:10:52 PM EST
    Because he knows the wheel situation.  And he sees how much of this was being pointed at him.

    Parent
    Some breaking (none / 0) (#197)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 03:13:37 PM EST
    Perry is leaving.  Soon.  Real soon.

    So he can avoid executive privilege?

    Parent

    No, not that (none / 0) (#198)
    by Peter G on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 03:24:29 PM EST
    If a claim of Executive Privilege is valid, it remains binding after the official leaves office. Thing is, most of their E.P. claims are entirely bogus.

    Parent
    Politico (none / 0) (#199)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 03:25:18 PM EST
    Donald Trump's top aide on Thursday acknowledged that the administration held up military aid to Ukraine over the president's desire for a political probe, undermining past denials of any quid pro quo and blowing up weeks of White House messaging amid an escalating impeachment inquiry.

    In a whirlwind 40-minute news conference, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told reporters the U.S. funds were withheld at least in part because of a request to have Ukraine investigate unfounded allegations that foreign countries assisted Democrats in the 2016 election.

    "Did he also mention to me in [the] past the corruption related to the DNC server? Absolutely," Mulvaney said of a conversation he had Trump. "No question about that. But that's it, and that's why we held up the money."
    Story Continued Below

    He added: "The look-back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing that he was worried about in corruption with that nation."

    The explosive remarks from the West Wing senior staffer seemed to equally alarm congressional lawmakers and Trump's allies.

    "I'm starting to get worried for POTUS now," a person close to the Trump campaign said in a text message of Mulvaney's performance. "Total disaster unless there's some strategy I'm not seeing."

    "I thought it was really remarkable," said one former White House official, "because it was either a huge unforced error or a calculated concession."



    Parent
    FOX (none / 0) (#200)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 03:38:51 PM EST
    Fox News chief intelligence correspondent Catherine Herridge said that the comment has sparked "strong and quick reaction" from officials at the Justice Department.

    "They have been sending out guidance to us over the last 15 minutes," she said. "We are told that the Justice Department was `utterly confused and angry' about Mulvaney's comments that linked the suspension of foreign aid with the cooperation from Ukraine into the Justice Department investigation that's being led by the U.S. Attorney in Connecticut, John Durham."



    Parent
    Just gets better (none / 0) (#201)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 04:01:33 PM EST

    "Mulvaney's performance blindsided the president's outside legal team, as the president's lead attorney, Jay Sekulow, said on the record to CNN, the legal team was not involved in the acting chief of staff's press briefing," said White House correspondent Jim Acosta. "That is pretty telling when the chief counselor to the president is saying, we did not have anything to do with this."
    Quid Pro Quo. (none / 0) (#202)
    by KeysDan on Thu Oct 17, 2019 at 04:15:59 PM EST
    No complaints about Trump Doral Emoluments Golf Club for the G-7 meeting, in exchange for using the Doral Ballroom for Trump's Impeachment Trial and an assured conviction.

    As I said above, my quote was a direct quote. (none / 0) (#204)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Oct 18, 2019 at 12:33:44 AM EST
    Nothing added, nothing omitted.

    The article I linked to was "updated" by the author after I quoted it and before you read it, as I clearly outlined above. The update was, in the least, the insertion of what your ego has decided is the smoking gun of my super crafty "muddying."

    The part I love the most is that you think you're the only genius of entire the TL readership smart enough to read. Seriously. Ego much?

    Pro tip: Any number of TL peeps went to the linked article on the day I posted and linked to it, before it was "updated" about 6 hours or so after I linked to it, and none of them found your literally blatant discrepancy.

    Huh. Wonder why that is.

    But then you go the linked article about 30 hours after I posted and linked to it, a couple dozen hours after the article was "updated," and you tell yourself you are the only one smart enough to bust the dastardly case wide open. That no one else was smart enough to see. Cuz yer a genius. Lol.

    The cop murdered the woman. In cold blood. Some will cling to the fact that she had a gun as though that makes a difference. it does not.

    You are a fool.

    In a number of ways.

    ...and ftr... (none / 0) (#205)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Oct 18, 2019 at 11:32:00 AM EST
    Some news website called MSN.com is carrying the same Star Telegram article I linked to.

    Guess MSN copy-n-pasted it before the original article was updated, and never updated it after the Star Telegram did, because it has the same quote that I presented:

    FORT WORTH, Texas -- The murder arrest warrant for a white officer who shot and killed a black woman on Saturday says that the victim was holding a gun after she heard noises outside her window.

    A witness, the woman's 8-year-old nephew, told a police investigator that after Atatiana Jefferson heard noises outside her window and thought there might be a prowler outside, she reached into her purse, grabbed a handgun and pointed it toward the window, the warrant said.

    That's when Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean shot Jefferson through the window and she fell to the ground, the warrant said.

    And the same at this site.

    And this one.

    And this one.

    And this one...

    Right, and Sherlock Holmes, you are not.

    In Any Case (none / 0) (#206)
    by RickyJim on Fri Oct 18, 2019 at 12:21:35 PM EST
    Pointing a gun at a window, on a dark night when you can't see outside, makes no sense to me.  I suppose it makes as much sense as a person outside shooting the holder of the gun instead of getting out of gun's line of sight.

    Guess you should've linked ... (none / 0) (#207)
    by Yman on Fri Oct 18, 2019 at 05:45:18 PM EST
    .. to one of those other articles that didn't include the part you "omitted", since the article you chose was updated several times and doesn't indicate what information was updated.

    BTW - You never said why this was supposed to "muddy the waters" or for whom it would "muddy the waters".  Why?  Because it doesn't, Sherlock. The only people this "muddies the waters" for is wingnut, apologists who try to justify the unjustifiable.

    You are the absolute last person that should call anyone a "fool".

    But, hey ... congrats on finally figuring out (and stating) the obvious, rather than your usual passive-aggressive, obtuse, bu//$hit.

    The cop murdered the woman. In cold blood. Some will cling to the fact that she had a gun as though that makes a difference. it does not.
    Heh. Oh, I linked to the primary article. (none / 0) (#208)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Oct 18, 2019 at 06:15:23 PM EST
    You know, on the website that wrote and published it. Soon after they published it.

    You are funny, though probably not intentionally.

    In my comment just above I linked to multiple websites that published copies of the original article. You are certainly free to peruse them and compare them to the updated article to see "what information was updated."

    This is only thing you've been right about so far:

    The only people this "muddies the waters" for is wingnut, apologists who try to justify the unjustifiable.

    Congrats. Even a stopped clock...

    Go Ducks... (none / 0) (#209)
    by fishcamp on Sat Oct 19, 2019 at 09:02:14 AM EST


    Monday Open Thread | 210 comments (210 topical)