Patterico's Pontifications

1/4/2020

Weekend Open Thread

Filed under: General — Dana @ 9:59 am

[guest post by Dana]

Feel free to talk about anything you think is newsworthy or might interest readers. I’m not putting up any news about the Iranian situation because JVW has it covered.

I’ll start.

First news item: Trump Brand 2024:

The survey was conducted Dec. 14-17 among 4,436 adults, including 1,854 Republicans/leaners and 1,769 Democrats/leaners. The modeled error estimate for this survey is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

Second news item: “…when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.” Not always:

A former Fox News reporter has accused President Trump of inviting her to his office for a kiss before he was president.

Courtney Friel, who now works at KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, made the claim in her forthcoming book…

“Though he said I couldn’t be a judge since I worked at a different network, he did ask me about my career goals and complimented my work at FNC,” she reportedly wrote in her book. “Then, out of nowhere, he said: ‘You should come up to my office sometime, so we can kiss.’”

The Daily News reported that Friel said she was “shocked” and later replied, “I believe we’re both married,” before ending the call.

Third news item: Pot, kettle, and I just can’t even:

President Trump took aim at 2020 contender Pete Buttigieg at a Friday rally in a Miami megachurch, claiming the South Bend, Indiana mayor was faking his faith ahead of the election. From the pulpit of Ministerio Internacional El Rey Jesús, the president said Buttigieg was “trying to pretend he’s very religious” and claimed the mayor only started talking about his faith recently. “All of a sudden, he’s become very religions… this happened about two weeks ago,” he said.

Fourth news item: Democrats sure love their millionaires and billionaires:

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg saw a 6-point bump in the latest Hill-HarrisX survey of the Democratic presidential primary.

The nationwide poll, which was released Friday, shows Bloomberg up from 5 percent to 11 percent support for the nomination nationally. The former New York City mayor is now in a dead heat for third place with top-tier candidate, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who also received 11 percent support.

Biden, meanwhile, continues to lead the Democratic field with 28 percent followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at 16 percent.

Fifth news item: Sadly having to state the obvious: Anti-semitic attacks are not the fault of those enduring them:

As evidenced by the Monsey attack, many of the anti-Semitic attacks aren’t coming from the far right, but from non-white people immersed in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that are just as baseless, virulent, and dangerous as those spread by white nationalists.

For example, in Jersey City, the attackers were part of an extremist wing of the Black Hebrew Israelites that believes Jewish people are imposters (as one acolyte put it in 2007, “Negroes are the real Jews”) and worthy of death. One attacker posted about how Jewish people controlled the government and referred to Jewish people as being part of the “synagogue of Satan,” a phrase derived from the Book of Revelation that has become an anti-Semitic calling card.

And while violence aimed at Orthodox Jews and people who are visibly Jewish (those who wear kippahs, for example) has been increasing for months, media attention and, more importantly, attention from law enforcement agencies, has been sparse. Some media outlets have even appeared to blame the rise in violence on Orthodox Jewish people themselves, arguing that growing Orthodox communities were causing “predictable sparring.”

But anti-Semitic attacks aren’t the fault of the community enduring them. While it’s almost impossible to pinpoint an exact origin for the recent spate of violence, many of the attacks are tied to long-simmering anti-Semitic attitudes based on conspiracy theories and myths that have largely gone unchecked — coupled with political inaction at best and outright anti-Semitism coming from politicians themselves at worst.

Have a good weekend.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

Comments (121)

121 Responses to “Weekend Open Thread”

A late good morning.
Dana (643cd6) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:02 am
“Anti-semitic attacks are not the fault of those enduring them“

But, anti-MAGA attacks are.

Not so long ago, these same Black Hebrew Israelites were the targets of vicious attacks from racist white supremacist Covington teen punks.
Munroe (dd6b64) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:15 am
Marco Rubio has to wonder how he is trailing Don Jr
steveg (354706) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:19 am
Marco Rubio has to wonder how he is trailing Don Jr

All I know is that at least three in ten Republicans have absolutely zero standing to complain about a Clinton Dynasty or a Bush Dynasty or a potential Obama Dynasty if they are going to happily vote for Don Jr. or Ivanka. A GOP cult of personality isn’t any more noble than a Democrat cult of personality.
JVW (54fd0b) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:25 am
I like Tim Scott personally from what I have seen, but have little to go on except Trey Gowdy really likes him.
Nikki Haley gets some hate from a couple of the farther right gossip sites like CTH which actually makes me like her more. She’s unabashedly pro-American and I like that.
For a first woman President, I’d pick Haley over any of the women the Democrats have come up with yet…. all the way back to Geraldine Ferraro
steveg (354706) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:26 am
“Then, out of nowhere, he said: ‘You should come up to my office sometime, so we can kiss.’”

I’m sure she must have misheard him. He’s a New Yorker with a fondness for Yiddish, so he probably suggested that they get together and kibitz.
JVW (54fd0b) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:28 am
Re: Rubio, I meant it in that wry long look at yourself in the mirror and wondering “how’d I get blitzed by a raw land salesman in 2016 and now am looking at the ass end of his dud son”
steveg (354706) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:30 am
Poll courtesy of “Survey Monkey”, a site for compulsive poll-takers.

Next up, a poll of National Enquirer readers.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:30 am
#7
ick
steveg (354706) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:31 am
@4. It’s ‘drift’ JVW. Trump is a bridge to somewhere – or no where.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:33 am
Right now Nikki Haley and Ted Cruz would seem to be the odds picks for 2024.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:33 am
Stupid poll. Ted Cruz not on the list. “Other” polled at 15%, tied with Marco Rubio for 5th. “Adjusted” by “experts” for demographics.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:40 am
Seeing, and it was literally seen, as how Trump was exchanging kisses with Chris Christie on national televiision, Ms. Courtney Friel flatters herself too much, I think.
nk (9651fb) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:45 am
As for Pete versus Trump, I think Pete wins on a 10 Commandment checklist, although there may be some dispute about #9, depending on the version.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:45 am
Pence will follow fellow Hoosier Quayle into skim milk history. Tedtoo and Little Marco are done; stale. Haley is the face of the future; right age, right gender; right complexion– right enough– if she doesn’t get burned by Boeing. She has Trump experience, displayed calculated loyalty and has his ear. If post impeachment the veep opportunity occurs, bail, Nikki, take the gig and run w/him.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 10:47 am
Tulsi Gabbard Volunteers Find Dozens of Signs Defaced With Hammer-and-Sickle Logos

The take-away is that she considers it “defacing”.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:01 am
Boeing’s problems are in Bangalore, not South Carolina.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:02 am
Not sure I believe the reports coming out that the US did not tell France or UK about its pending attack.
If Europe had no knowledge of the attacks, then Iran has no cover to attack European assets over this.
Its in everyone but Iran’s best interests to act like Trump went off script with outrage, indignation, gnashing of teeth ensued, so no justification to choke off oil to Europe.

Of course maybe Trump doesn’t trust diplomatic channels… the Israeli’s notified Obama Admin they were going to hit Soleimani and the Obama admin scurried off and tattled to the Iranians. Also Trumps experiences with leakers like Vindman etc would make anyone hyper aware to secrecy
steveg (354706) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:06 am
Ms. Courtney Friel flatters herself too much, I think.

I don’t know if it’s true or not, although I’m inclined to believe it because it sounds like Trump. But I think that what the real problem is, is that it really doesn’t matter whether he did it or not because we have come to expect this (and far worse) from Trump with regard to women, and because his base doesn’t care if he moves on women like a little bitch. Outside of something extreme, there is no bar of moral unacceptability for this president. His supporters will blow it off or defend him at all costs. And really, in comparison to other complaints made against him, this is really just small potatoes.
Dana (643cd6) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:10 am
@17. Boeing’s problems are on Nikki’s desk, K- she’s on Boeing’s BoD.

At some point in her tenure, she becomes part of the problem.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:10 am
@12. The ‘stupid poll’ is the one Ted Cruz climbed up into Trump’s azz after the humiliation he got.

He’s done.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:12 am
@19. Trump hits on any ‘body’ in a skirt– even Rudy Giuliani.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:15 am
Buttigieg needs to stop campaigning, and start reading some history and getting his facts straight:

“Similarly, the amendment process—they were wise enough to realize that they didn’t have all of the answers and that some things would change. A good example of this is something like slavery—or civil rights. It’s an embarrassing thing to admit, but the people who wrote the Constitution did not understand that slavery was a bad thing …”

James Madison begs to differ:

“The magnitude of this evil among us is so deeply felt, and so universally acknowledged, that no merit could be greater than that of devising a satisfactory remedy for it.”
Dana (643cd6) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:21 am
I think its “never let the facts get in the way of the narrative”
steveg (354706) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:26 am
@23. In his case, getting facts ‘straight’ could be an exciting experience.

‘Not that there’s anything wrong with that.’
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:37 am
FWIW, Brian Stelter tweeted this:

Friel’s Fox office mate at the time, @RickFolbaum, was right next to her during this alleged phone call. Folbaum tells me: “I can confirm Courtney’s account.”
Dana (643cd6) — 1/4/2020 @ 12:02 pm
“Outside of something extreme, there is no bar of moral unacceptability for this president. His supporters will blow it off or defend him at all costs.”
Dana (643cd6) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:10 am

Yeah, about that bar ….
Munroe (dd6b64) — 1/4/2020 @ 12:18 pm
First news item: Trump Brand 2024

Abbott and DeSantis are the only ones on that list I would even consider voting for, and that’s mainly because I don’t know much about them.

I will never vote for any candidate for national office who refuses to heap fulsome derision on Donald Trump.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 12:33 pm
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 12:33 pm

Then Abbott and DeSantis are definitely not your cup of tea.
Munroe (dd6b64) — 1/4/2020 @ 12:38 pm
Thank you, Dana for all the weekend open threads. Even though, as an Independent, I find the political posturing by by all who* get quoted* or cited* as an authority* quite off-putting because it seems to me that they* seek to be opinion creators rather than opinion leaders, in that their points appear to be manufactured, rather than grown. But that’s just me, what do I know?

* I do not refer to our commenters, much less our excellent posters.
felipe (023cc9) — 1/4/2020 @ 12:42 pm
Then Abbott and DeSantis are definitely not your cup of tea.

Bummer.

A couple days ago, while I was reading John Roberts’ annual report on the state of federal judiciary (which I found both interesting and edifying), I briefly smiled at the thought of his running for president.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 12:58 pm
”I briefly smiled at the thought of his running for president.”
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 12:58 pm

Yes, I would love to see President Roberts get hit with incessant injunctions as he attempts to govern.
Munroe (dd6b64) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:09 pm
DeSantis-BoneThrow to a northern state 2024.
urbanleftbehind (10dde2) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:17 pm
Yes, I would love to see President Roberts get hit with incessant injunctions as he attempts to govern.

Roberts would have an unfair advantage over Trump in that regard, since he has actually read the Constitution.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:18 pm
Abbott can white knight on some things though (most recent a rape consent law) and he shares something with JEB that some on Team might find objectionable.
urbanleftbehind (10dde2) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:19 pm
On that note, has Ken Cucinelli turned in his Redskins season tickets yet? Justice Kavanaugh would probably scoop them up once that 4th Discover c Card gets approved.
urbanleftbehind (10dde2) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:27 pm
“Roberts would have an unfair advantage over Trump in that regard, since he has actually read the Constitution.”
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:18 pm

Ah yes, as evidenced in his ACA ruling.
Munroe (dd6b64) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:28 pm
David Petraeus weighed in on Suleimani, and this part caught my attention:

PRI: General Petraeus, did you ever interact directly or indirectly with him?
Petraeus: Indirectly. He sent a message to me through the president of Iraq in late March of 2008, during the battle of Basra, when we were supporting the Iraqi army forces that were battling the Shia militias in Basra that were supported, of course, by Qasem Soleimani and the Quds Force. He sent a message through the president that said, “General Petraeus, you should know that I, Qasem Soleimani, control the policy of Iran for Iraq, and also for Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and Afghanistan.”
And the implication of that was, “If you want to deal with Iran to resolve this situation in Basra, you should deal with me, not with the Iranian diplomats.” And his power only grew from that point in time. By the way, I did not — I actually told the president to tell Qasem Soleimani to pound sand.

Good answer by the general, and this shows how important Suleimani was to Iran’s imperialist efforts.
Dexter Filkins has written in detail about Suleimani, and this is his latest:

In Iraq, Suleimani had four deputies, who helped oversee the Shiite militias who have, most recently, been leading demonstrations against the American Embassy. The leader of one of those militias, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, of Kata’ib Hezbollah, died in the same strike as Suleimani. Muhandis has a long record of attacking Americans, too, beginning with the bombing of the American and French Embassies in Kuwait, in 1983. Kata’ib Hezbollah—an organization backed, trained, armed, and directed by Suleimani—is responsible for the deaths of scores of American soldiers in Iraq. Ever since the Trump Administration walked away from the nuclear deal signed under the Obama Administration, the U.S. and Iran have engaged in a series of provocative acts. By killing Suleimani, the Trump Administration has risked a wider, more unpredictable conflict, which could flare in many places and in many ways. It’s hard to imagine that the Iranian regime won’t respond to the American strike—it will feel that it has to. But where, and how? Maguire told me that the Quds Force has long specialized in two tactics: hostage-taking and truck-bombing. But the Americans are so well fortified in Iraq (and across the Middle East), and the American military presence in Iraq is so robust, that it’s more possible that the Iranians, if they decide to retaliate, will do so elsewhere. “It’s a better bet that they will choose another place—somewhere where the Americans are not as well protected,’’ he said. Maguire told me that he is not convinced that the Iranians will respond right away, or even at all, because of the deep sense of shock of losing Suleimani. “It’s a body blow to the regime,’’ he said. The biggest danger, of course, is that the Iranians respond, and possibly miscalculate, and then the United States does the same. That’s how wars start.

I don't doubt that Trump is risking a wider conflict, but then, so did Suleimani and the Iranians with their attacks.
To clarify, it doesn't matter if Trump did it or Obama or GW Bush. The guy was a bad actor and legitimate target, and my sense is that the Mullahs were thinking Trump was something of a tweeting paper tiger, given the way he's caved to other bullying dictators. If Suleimani's death hurts the Iranian theocracy, and I believe it does, then the rest of us are the better for it.
Paul Montagu (e1b5a7) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:29 pm
The ‘stupid poll’ is the one Ted Cruz climbed up into Trump’s azz after the humiliation he got.

Yeah, DCSCA, I’m sure that you’re a great handicapper of Republicans. Oh, wait, Trump is popular among Republicans. How can that be?
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:36 pm
#23: Ben Franklin, another of the leaders at the Convention, had been an active abolitionist for almost 40 years.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:39 pm
Roberts would have an unfair advantage over Trump in that regard, since he has actually read the Constitution.

Well, he’s skimmed it anyway.

His other advantage is that he wouldn’t be represented by Moron, Moron, Moron and Clueless.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:41 pm
I don’t think that Iran is risking a major conflict as any outright war between them and the US would be lost by Iran, even if the US didn’t “win.” The mullahs would not survive, nor would the coutry’s infrastructure. Even if they had nuclear weapons they would not dare use them. They have no way to profit from such a war. Ergo, it won’t happen unless the US forces it.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:45 pm
@38. Apparently in those days Petraeus interacted more ‘directly’ w/his mistress.

@39. Someday you’ll figure out the difference between a ‘republican’ and a ‘conservative.’
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:49 pm
Ah yes, as evidenced in his ACA ruling.

What part or parts of his ACA ruling do you think suggest he has never read the Constitution?

Please be as specific as possible.

The controversy over his ruling had nothing to do with the Constitution, but rather involved very technical details of case law/precedent on statutory interpretation, where the Constitution is silent.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:56 pm
Someday you’ll figure out the difference between a ‘republican’ and a ‘conservative.’

Which one is it that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with “I have Article II where I can do whatever I want as president”?

I always forget.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 2:00 pm
Interesting watching so many who cheered taking out Osama (many gleefully saying it guaranteed Obama’s re-election) now condemning taking out Suleimani and fearing it will enrage terrorists.
harkin (d6cfee) — 1/4/2020 @ 2:09 pm
“What part or parts of his ACA ruling do you think suggest he has never read the Constitution?
Please be as specific as possible.”
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 1:56 pm

I don’t think I could improve on Scalia’s scathing dissent or our good host Mr. P’s post on the subject. It has everything to do with the Constitution, specifically Article I Section 8 enumerated powers.
Munroe (dd6b64) — 1/4/2020 @ 2:36 pm
“Interesting watching so many who cheered taking out Osama (many gleefully saying it guaranteed Obama’s re-election) now condemning taking out Suleimani and fearing it will enrage terrorists.”

1) They’re not really comparable. Despite VP Pence’s attempts to link the guy to 9/11, most people have never heard of the guy.
2) Trump lies all the time, about everything, so his reasons are suspect.
Davethulhu (fe4242) — 1/4/2020 @ 3:11 pm
Davethulhu (fe4242) — 1/4/2020 @ 3:11 pm

1) Osama got voted off the island, and Suleimani didn’t.
2) Let’s wait for Ben Rhodes’s take.
Munroe (329078) — 1/4/2020 @ 3:25 pm
We don’t need Trump’s reasons. Soleimani was head of QODS, that’s reason enough for anybody..
nk (9651fb) — 1/4/2020 @ 3:44 pm
Time to talk sports w/t U.S. Senate.

Lindsey Graham: pitcher or catcher?
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 4:21 pm
I don’t think I could improve on Scalia’s scathing dissent or our good host Mr. P’s post on the subject. It has everything to do with the Constitution, specifically Article I Section 8 enumerated powers.

Both Scalia’s dissent and Patterico’s criticism centered on how language in the ACA should be interpreted, not on what the Constitution says.

During oral argument, an exasperated Justice Scalia himself pointed out that the individual mandate would be undeniably constitutional if treated as a tax, since Congress’ power to tax is essentially unlimited:

JUSTICE SCALIA: So you’re saying that all the discussion we had earlier about how this is one big uniform scheme and the Commerce Clause, blah, blah, blah, it really doesn’t matter. This is a tax, and the Federal Government could simply have said, without all of the rest of this legislation, could simply have said everybody who doesn’t buy health insurance at a certain age will be taxed so much money, right?

GENERAL VERRILLI: It — it used its powers together to solve the problem of the market not –

JUSTICE SCALIA: Yes, but you didn’t need that.

GENERAL VERRILLI — providing affordable coverage for –

JUSTICE SCALIA: You didn’t need that. If it’s a tax, it’s only to –

GENERAL VERRILLI: It used its –

JUSTICE SCALIA: Raising money is enough.

GENERAL VERRILLI: It used its — it is justifiable under its tax power.

JUSTICE SCALIA: Okay. Extraordinary.

(the quoted exchange begins on page 53 at line 22; Scalia is basically calling the Solicitor General an idiot by explaining to him the slam-dunk argument that he *should* have made, but didn’t, for the constitutionality of the mandate)

Roberts’ opinion cited existing case law requiring the court to treat the mandate as a tax if it were necessary to give effect to the legislation.

So I will ask you again: which part of the Constitution does Roberts’ opinion suggest he hasn’t read?
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 4:49 pm
Soleimani was head of QODS, that’s reason enough for anybody”

If he desperately needed killing, why wait 3 years? Why now? Does Trump have a plan beyond posting a clip-art flag on twitter?
Davethulhu (fe4242) — 1/4/2020 @ 4:53 pm
Someday you’ll figure out the difference between a ‘republican’ and a ‘conservative.’

I’m having a hard time right now. Which is Trump?
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 5:12 pm
2) Trump lies all the time, about everything, so his reasons are suspect.

Davethulhu (fe4242) — 1/4/2020 @ 3:11 pm

Irony
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 5:14 pm
Means, opportunity, straws and camels’ backs, blind hogs and acorns, ….
nk (9651fb) — 1/4/2020 @ 5:16 pm
Dear Kevin M and nk and Dana, always: Happy New Year to you and yours. Best , best wishes.

Thank you for your comments; I appreciate them.
Simon Jester (9ac1a0) — 1/4/2020 @ 5:18 pm
Trump did this SPECIFICALLY because of the attack on our embassy by Soleiman’s tools. One act of war deserves another. Trumps instincts (and that’s what drives him) told him that doing nothing, or lobbing a few cruise missiles would be insufficient, if not terribly weak.

It takes two to escalate.

1. Iranian militias attack US base.
2. US, upset with 1, blasts several militia bases, killing dozens.
3. Iranian militias, angry about 2, invade and trash US embassy.
4. US, irate about 3, kills godfather of Iranian militias.
5. ???
6. !!!
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/4/2020 @ 5:19 pm
https://www.thepostmillennial.com/watch-california-news-anchors-get-redpilled-on-live-television/

I know California has a hygiene problem. I don’t think this is going to help.
NJRob (df2112) — 1/4/2020 @ 5:20 pm
Happy New Year, Simon.
nk (9651fb) — 1/4/2020 @ 5:40 pm
when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything

I said Trump was lying. It’s almost the only time he admitted lying because “locker room talk” means he was lying even though they don’t tell such lies in locker rooms.

Notice in the real incident it was verbal, and he asked only for a kiss – at least at first.
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/4/2020 @ 6:06 pm
The killing of Osama Bin Laden never sat right with me, nor the official story about why it was necessary to shoot him. Did he deserve it, sure, but I’d have rather seen him have a trial. At least some semblance of organized justice to show we aren’t animals. Didn’t like it, and didn’t like the gleeful celebrating by the likes of Jon Stewart and other libs.
JRH (52aed3) — 1/4/2020 @ 6:13 pm
58. Trump has announced Number 6 already: (with the goal of preventing #5)

Fifty two strikes on 52 Iranian targets (including in Iran) to match the number of hostages seized by Iran in 1979.

This doesn’t make too much sense, and may not be strictly true, but it may have been a moderate option presented to Trump which appealed to him.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593965838163968

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump

Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently….

4:52 PM · Jan 4, 2020·Twitter for iPhone

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump

Replying to
@realDonaldTrump

….hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have…..

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump

….targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!

The last one can be accessed alone at: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593975732527112
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/4/2020 @ 6:23 pm
62. I agree. It really wasn’t necessary, the way it went down, but they were taking no chances except with women and children.

Taking him prisoner and keeping him incommunicado for a while would have disrupted al Qaeda even more – and he might have told us something about who was supporting him and the chances of that were greater than you might think.
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/4/2020 @ 6:26 pm
the people who wrote the Constitution did not understand that slavery was a bad thing …”

That’s what John C. Calhoun and the southerners who followed him argued after about 1840, but it wasn’t true.

It’s not that Pete Buttigieg didn’t read history, but he didn’t read enough history. (also didn’t think, or wasn’t critical enough of what he was reading, because there’s a reason the original constitution makes no explicit reference to slavery.)
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/4/2020 @ 6:35 pm
Did he deserve it, sure, but I’d have rather seen him have a trial. At least some semblance of organized justice to show we aren’t animals.

I agree in principle, and another good reason for doing it would have been (to paraphrase Bin Laden) to regularly remind people who “the strong horse” and “the weak horse” really are.

But the difficulties such a trial (presumably under the Military Commissions Act of 2006) would present are innumerable.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 6:49 pm
The simple image of Bin Laden under guard of American soldiers would have been very effective propaganda. Also, it would have avoided the “they really didn’t kill him” circus.

Meanwhile
https://mobile.twitter.com/TamSlick/status/1213436758148485120
Kishnevi (2f2613) — 1/4/2020 @ 7:02 pm
BTW, my first thought when heard about the “52 targets” was that he was thinking of a deck of cards.
Kishnevi (2f2613) — 1/4/2020 @ 7:04 pm
It’s not that Pete Buttigieg didn’t read history, but he didn’t read enough history

Due to a convergence of economic and technological factors, slavery grew far more entrenched in the south in the years after the constitution was ratified.

Even so, Madison owned over 100 slaves, including while he served as president, and did not emancipate them in his will.

And Jefferson, who famously wrote

Those who labour in the earth are the chosen people of God, if ever he had a chosen people, whose breasts he has made his peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine virtue. It is the focus in which he keeps alive that sacred fire, which othenvise might escape from the face of the earth.

apparently wasn’t interested enough in the virtues of “laboring in the earth” to do it with his own hands, so he instead kept 600+ slaves to do it for him.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 7:22 pm
BTW, my first thought when heard about the “52 targets” was that he was thinking of a deck of cards.

Will Cadet Bonespurs hand out deathcards to Iranian cities at his rallies, like Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now?

“Hey Captain, what’s that?”

“Deathcard.”

“What?”

“Deathcard. Lets Charlie know who did this.”
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 7:32 pm
On a totally different tangent
http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com/2020/01/picture-of-day.html

The context was a very big event organized by the one of the largest Orthodox organizations in the US to celebrate the conclusion of the current Daf Yomi cyvle, held on New Year’s Day. (The actual last day was today, Saturday, and the new cycle begins tonight/tomorrow, Sunday 5 January.)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daf_Yomi
Kishnevi (2f2613) — 1/4/2020 @ 7:36 pm
So I finally had the Famous Popeye’s Classic Chicken Sandwich, and here’s how to make your own.
Ingredients:
— Frozen fully-cooked breaded chicken breast filet from your grocery store
— Cheap hamburger bun (the shiny one) from your grocery store
— Squeeze bottle tartar sauce from your grocery store
— Greaseproof paper food wrap
— Tinfoil lined envelope
— Lady with forearm tattoos and urban accent (optional)
Directions:
1. Microwave frozen fully-cooked chicken breast filet according to directions on package.
2. Squeeze a toothbrush’s worth of tartar sauce on bottom half of hamburger bun.
3. Place microwaved filet on top of tartar sauce.
4. Place top half of hamburger bun on top of filet.
5. Loosely wrap in greaseproof paper food wrap and drop into tinfoil-lined envelope.
6. Have lady with forearm tattoos and urban accent hand it to you through a window. (Optional)

I’m not kidding. WTF’s wrong with people?
nk (dbc370) — 1/4/2020 @ 8:19 pm
It’s like the snooty waiter in the fancy gourmet restaurant. The lady with the forearm tattoos and urban accent is the most important thing in the recipe.

I have to admit that, based on my youthful experience of eating fast food chicken, Popeye’s was a clear winner.
Kishnevi (2f2613) — 1/4/2020 @ 8:28 pm
Not just any window, 1 inch bulletproof plastic drivethrough window with spinning door or push-drawer. That said I prefer the gritty to the saccharine customer service schtick over at the other chicken place – I like their product too, but only buy it at airports during layovers.
urbanleftbehind (10dde2) — 1/4/2020 @ 8:50 pm
Their regular chicken is decent. Still a little on the lean, dry side, same as I remember it. Their seasoned fries are good too.
nk (dbc370) — 1/4/2020 @ 8:50 pm
The killing of Osama Bin Laden never sat right with me, nor the official story about why it was necessary to shoot him. Did he deserve it, sure, but I’d have rather seen him have a trial. At least some semblance of organized justice to show we aren’t animals. Didn’t like it, and didn’t like the gleeful celebrating by the likes of Jon Stewart and other libs.

JRH (52aed3) — 1/4/2020 @ 6:13 pm

Everything about that was shady. Even the SEAL coming out to tell us all about his shooting OBL was really weird. Obviously if that’s how it really went down, it was a tremendous screw up. What a loss of intel value! But they really did have some challenges with Pakistan… OBL didn’t hide that long without a lot of help.

Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have ….targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!

Corny as the 52 thing is, I am pleased Trump has promised such a specific retaliation. I definitely do not want to see further destruction of Persian culture, but I also do not want that state to think it can continue to be the way it has been. Would Trump follow through? I’m not dumb enough to believe anything he says, but at least he’s clear on the deterrence role he can play.

I am convinced Trump will be reelected. It’s just too easy to bankroll a third party these days, and both sides are terrible so why wouldn’t that work? I am deeply disappointed in his performance in foreign policy. Bellicose and scary is actually a huge improvement. If I get that and RBG is replaced well, that’s something at least.
Dustin (cafb36) — 1/4/2020 @ 9:32 pm
@70. ‘Charlie’ won the card game.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:08 pm
Now he’s tweeting about Iran in 1979.
Howzabout 1953, Captain, sir?!

And how many Persian rugs line the walls and floors of Trump properties, Donald?
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/4/2020 @ 11:13 pm
Democrats poll who would you like to see run for president in 2024? 90% said AOC. and their be 6 million more democratic voters + will have turned 18 by then. 6 million voters who voted for obama in 2012 ;but didn’t vote in 2016. You better hope biden wins in 2020 or AOC is your next president!
asset (a16f9d) — 1/5/2020 @ 12:27 am
During my first year in college, on the day the hostages came home in January 1981, three or four buddies and I on the hall in the dorm did a bong rotation in honor of them (one bong per hostage).

We had an issue of Time magazine or something with pictures of each of them, and checked them off one by one when it was our turn. I can’t remember (for obvious reasons) whether we made it all the way thru the list, but most of us stayed friends through college and always remembered “the hostage rotation” fondly…
Dave (1bb933) — 1/5/2020 @ 12:33 am
I’d have rather seen him have a trial.

Yeah, and then they capture a cruise liner and threaten to shoot a passenger an hour until he’s released. No, thank you.

This is what happened when the Germans imprisoned Ulrike Meinhof, one of the founders of the Baader-Meinhof terrorist gang. They kept kidnapping German businessmen and killing them to try and force her relief. This continued until she committed suicide by shooting herself 3 times in the back of the head.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/5/2020 @ 1:55 am
~~releif~~ release
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/5/2020 @ 1:55 am
But the difficulties such a trial (presumably under the Military Commissions Act of 2006) would present are innumerable.

Consider Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was the supervisor of the 9/11 attacks. He has yet to get a trial as lawyers wrangle over the shape of the table or something.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/5/2020 @ 1:59 am
Howzabout 1953, Captain, sir?!

We failed in 1979 to have the same resolute action as we did in 1953. Absolutely everything that is wrong with the mid-east today comes from not backing the Shah to the hilt. Ask any Iranian woman.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/5/2020 @ 2:01 am
80. I remember July 4th 1976, getting drunk at an SF convention with people like Jerry Pournelle and Kelly Freas. Somewhere I have a Freas sketch of my college-age self. I must find where I packed it.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/5/2020 @ 2:04 am
The point of the party was the Israeli raid on Entebbe. Or maybe just because it was the Bicentennial. Or maybe just because it was Sunday.
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/5/2020 @ 2:06 am
Absolutely everything that is wrong with the mid-east today comes from not backing the Shah to the hilt.

Because absolutely everything in the mid-east was perfect until 1979…

The Shah was terminally (and visibly) ill with cancer in 1979, and dead little more than a year after his overthrow. He had no credible successor and very little shelf life remaining, no matter what else happened.

He was receiving significant foreign aid from the US and his military and security services did not want for state-of-the-art equipment. On New Year’s Eve 1978, President Carter toasted him:

“Under the Shah’s brilliant leadership Iran is an island of stability in one of the most troublesome regions of the world. There is no other state figure whom I could appreciate and like more.”

Three and a half years after the fall of Saigon, military intervention to prop up another unpopular, repressive and corrupt regime (and unlike South Vietnam, the Pahlavi regime was under siege by its own people, not a foreign aggressor) was not in the cards. Short of that I’m not sure what “backing him to hilt” would include that we weren’t doing, or how it could have stabilized the situation.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/5/2020 @ 3:34 am
Many, many, take El, up Harrison. (sp?) (And it’s even more poignant if you know to whom Belshazzar lost his kingdom.)

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, in a conspiracy with foreign nations, deposed his father and took his throne. It was a grave sin with grave consequences for him personally and for his people.
nk (dbc370) — 1/5/2020 @ 7:03 am
“I remember July 4th 1976, getting drunk at an SF convention with people like Jerry Pournelle……..”

Drove from CA to DC for the bicentennial and to see America. By chance on the way out was at Little Bighorn and got a bonus centennial.

Great trip I’ll never forget. Worked two weeks hoeing soybean fields in Baxter IA on the way back for gas/food money.
harkin (d6cfee) — 1/5/2020 @ 7:26 am
WTF’s wrong with people?

The spicy chicken was good, but not worth a return trip. It was a good marketing campaign for a fair-to-middlin’ product.
Paul Montagu (e1b5a7) — 1/5/2020 @ 8:18 am
If you guys don’t have Raising Cane’s for chicken fingers where you live, you should move to California for them.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/5/2020 @ 8:32 am
Kevin M.: Jerry Pournelle was a hoot in person, wasn’t he? RIP.
Simon Jester (8f94e0) — 1/5/2020 @ 8:39 am
Just in case you were wondering……

Colin Kaepernick
@Kaepernick7
There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism.
_

And the black diamond wings at Wing Coop in Olympus Cove, UT are the best.
harkin (d6cfee) — 1/5/2020 @ 8:53 am
Raising Cane is from LA…the other one, Louisiana. They build them next to ChickFilA in an early Wendy’s type strategy. I find ChickFilA overrated too, but the lemonade has crack in it, I had to back off to only twice a week because it was becoming a problem.
Colonel Klink (Ret) (48e13d) — 1/5/2020 @ 9:09 am
@84. No. History doesn’t start in 1979. The Anglo-American, CIA/MI6 overthrow of Iran’s popular, democratically elected government in ’53, because corporatists sought control of their oil production through installing and backing the Shah is ‘the source of the Nile’ on this mess. Not too many ‘Iranian women’ working those oil fields. Seizing the embassy in ’79 was just a chapter. Iranians have long memories– and Persia, a much longer history.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/5/2020 @ 9:26 am
Just be grateful Donald Trump is president in January, 2020. And not October, 1962. Or you’d really have something to worry about.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/5/2020 @ 9:33 am
The narrative, or propaganda, for the rationalization of the strike on Soleimani is beginning to unravel.

https://reason.com/2020/01/04/absent-evidence-of-imminent-attack-on-americans-white-houses-justification-for-killing-iranian-general-collapses/

Trump ordered the strike, or assassination, an act of war, without congressional authorization, based on some very flimsy intelligence reports. (I thought he didn’t trust the intelligence community.) He did so for a number of reasons. 1. He didn’t like being criticized for appearing weak, after he called off the air strike on Iranian military bases in response to their downing of the US surveillance drone. 2. He wanted to appear tough to his base, the MAGA crowd. 3. He wanted to distract attention from the impending impeachment trial. In other words, he ordered the killing of an Iranian general, on Iraqi soil no less, for purely domestic political concerns.

The Middle East did now become destabilized by the fall of the Shaw of Iran, the rise of the mullahs, or the capture of the US embassy in 1979. It was destabilized a long time before that, by about 60 years. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of WWI, the allied forces, but particularly the British and French, met and carved up the region, arbitrarily designating territorial boundaries for nation states, without regard to religious and cultural differences or familial or clan loyalties. Thus, these were not real nation states, because the people themselves did not form them, but rather outside conquering forces. The entire region has been unstable since.

Matters got worse after WWII, when outside conquering forces arbitrarily created the territorial boundaries of the state of Israel. The Jews deserve a homeland, don’t get me wrong, because they had been occupying and developing Judea, called Palestine by the Romans, for thousands of years. But the Persian people, especially the Muslims, really do not like outsiders designating territorial boundaries.

Thus, there really are no Palestinian, or Iranian or Iraqi or Syrian, etc. “peoples.” There are various families and clans, with different religious beliefs and cultural mores, trapped within an arbitrarily designated “nation,” with boundaries determined by outsiders. Hence, the source of constant conflict.

That does not mean they will not fiercely defend the territories granted them. It means they want the West to get the hell out and let them organize their own nation states. That is the primary cause belli for terrorism.

I’m not much for intervention in foreign conflicts. And I do not look upon the US military as the police force of the world. We can’t even manage the police forces in our own country. What makes anyone think we can manage the police force in another?

Besides, who are we to impose our religious beliefs and cultural mores, or political organizations, on anyone else? “Vanities, all is vanities,” reads the Bible. I wonder how many Evangelical Puritans understand the book they profess to be the Word of God.

Trump has further destabilized the Middle East, and it could be argued committed a war crime, if not violation of the Constitution. This insane orange clown needs to be reigned in, before he stupidly stumbles us into a global war.
Gawain's Ghost (b25cd1) — 1/5/2020 @ 12:14 pm
Many, many, take El, up Harrison

Mene, mene tekel upharsin.

Which, btw, the Midrash says stumped Belshazzar and his wise men not because they didn’t understand the language, but because they couldn’t read the alphabet it was written in…the “Assyrian” form of letters now universal in Hebrew, but allegedly unknown at that time. Before then, the Canaanite/Phoenician forms were used. Which is why they needed a prophet to read it for them.
kishnevi (0c10d1) — 1/5/2020 @ 12:23 pm
Is the possibility of another war in the Middle East a worthwhile trade for a few more anti-abortion judges? Asking for some 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 year olds. (and possibly some kids not even a twinkle in their future parents eyes yet.)
Nic (896fdf) — 1/5/2020 @ 2:02 pm
Just be grateful Donald Trump is president in January, 2020. And not October, 1962. Or you’d really have something to worry about.

A recent book on the Cuban Missile Crisis, based on declassified info and WH tapes, says that Kennedy’s actions in the 1962 crisis were NOTHING like what is portrayed. For example, he agreed early on to swap the Jupiters in Turkey, so long as the Soviets let him do it in secret.

It also shows his support for the Civil Rights movement was tepid.

The Politics of Deception: JFK’s Secret Decisions on Vietnam, Civil Rights, and Cuba
https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Deception-Secret-Decisions-Vietnam/dp/1250030595
Kevin M (19357e) — 1/5/2020 @ 2:05 pm
Observation– funny how an image sticks with you: every time I see John Kasich blabbering on TeeVee that picture of him shoveling flapjacks into his cake hole at some IHOP comes to mind.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/5/2020 @ 2:55 pm
@100.?? Old news. Nothing new other than the threat was even greater than assessed at the time. Read the books and assorted memoirs from contemporaries and lived through the civil terror near prime targets; tapes were out long ago– have a set; and you can access much via the JFK library website. The methods and procedures in decision processes were cautious, deliberate and key in efforting to give ‘the other guy’ a way to disengage. Certainly not impulsive as w/Trump, who keeps boxing the players in w/no way out. If you-know-who was in-charge way-back-then, the skies would be glowing the same color as his hair.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/5/2020 @ 3:12 pm
@102. Postscript. Keep in mind, too, that JFK had much more credibility, domestic and international, than Trump has, yet Kennedy’s public positions regarding the crisis were still suspect what with an election approaching and in order to firm up support at home and abroad, the administation made a calculated decision to reveal some of the evidence- then considered classified material- in Stevenson’s televised presentation at the UN. The stuff looks pretty tame by today’s standards, but it was a significant public reveal in 1962.

We’ve seen no such effort by Pompeo or Trump, both of whom have less credibility than Baghdad Bob.

Expect a ‘sharpie-map’ of some sort, and a rally by next weekend.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/5/2020 @ 4:41 pm
NYTimes four days ago:

Iran now knows Trump, weakened by impeachment, is all bark and no bite so they will keep attacking.

NYTimes two days ago:

OMG he’s going to start WW3!!!!
_
harkin (d6cfee) — 1/5/2020 @ 4:47 pm
Trump 101: threatens sanctions on Iraq for vote to force America to withdrawl from their country because ‘we spent billions on an airbase’ and demands payback.

Not a tweet about the wounded and dead Americans sent to free them, supposedly ‘greeted as liberators.’
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/5/2020 @ 6:37 pm
104: And the president is still impulsive, erratic, ignorant, unwilling to learn, and cognitively impaired.
Radegunda (39c35f) — 1/5/2020 @ 6:58 pm
106: And desperate to put the impeachment out of sight and out of mind. (His own, especially, it’s roiling his bowels like a gas station vending machine burrito.) The Solemaini story left on its own was not going to do that for more than a couple or three days so he needs to keep wagging the dog.
nk (dbc370) — 1/5/2020 @ 7:14 pm
@107. It’s working, too. The cablers had their impeachment packages set to air and as they roll out they already appear out of sync w/events of the day. W/Nancy’s balk and Mitch’s stall, impeachment already has the odor of three-day-old fish and will be below the fold and on the inside pages PDQ.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/5/2020 @ 7:36 pm
https://www.worldsurfleague.com
Slater at the end kills it.
mg (8cbc69) — 1/6/2020 @ 6:56 am
Dave (1bb933) — 1/4/2020 @ 7:22 pm 69.

wasn’t interested enough in the virtues of “laboring in the earth” to do it with his own hands, so he instead kept 600+ slaves to do it for him.

That didn’t mean that Jefferson didn’t think it was wrong.

The Founding Fathers thought slavery was abad idea because they outlawed slavery in the Northwest territies (what is now Ohio, Indiana, Illlinois and some of Michigan and Wisconsin. That was in 1787, under the Articles of Confederation.

At a later point, Jefferson grew afraid of slave revolt. He wrote once that :we havea tiger by the tail and cannot hold hm or safely let him go.”
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/6/2020 @ 8:20 am
Breaking: John Bolton has now said, in a statement on his website,

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/06/us/politics/bolton-testify-impeachment-trial.html

…that if subpoenaed, he would testify.

The House Intelligence Committee had avoided subpoenaing him after his deputy went to court to it whether or not he was bound by a subpoena. The House rendered the case moot by withdrawing ts subpoena.

Bolton will tell the truth, which was probably that Trump really was concerned about Ukraine getting rid of corruption, but he linked it to Ukraine finding out the truth about what happened to him in 2016, which he supposed they had been involved in, and the cut off of aid was without other conditions, and the idea of linking it to investigations or announcements of investigations was apparently cooked up by Mulvaney and/or Sondland. And he could not persuade Trump to just realease the aid. (until he resigned?)
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/6/2020 @ 9:20 am
Donald Trump will be interviewed on the Rush Limbaugh show today at 2:30 pm Eastern Standard Time.
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/6/2020 @ 9:48 am
Bolton will tell the truth, which was probably that Trump really was concerned about Ukraine getting rid of corruption

Right, that’s why he described the whole operation as a “drug deal” … because Trump really was concerned about corruption, and why the Trump ~~administration~~ crime organization tried to gag him … because he was going to corroborate Trump’s defense.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/6/2020 @ 9:54 am
SF: Bolton will tell the truth, which was probably that Trump really was concerned about Ukraine getting rid of corruption

113. Dave (1bb933) — 1/6/2020 @ 9:54 am

Right, that’s why he described the whole operation as a “drug deal”

It wasn’t what Trump was cooking up that was a drug deal, but what Mulvaney and Sondland were cooking up that was a “drug deal.” He wanted Fiona Hall to get it on the record with NSA counsel John Eisenberg that he was not part of whatever Mulvaney and Sondland were trying to engineer. And the reason was that he, like Mulvaney and Sondland, was trying to prevent or postpone Trump havin a telephone call with Zelensky,

But he had entirely different reasons. He didn’t want Trump to blurt out something stupid, or tell Zelensky that he was holding up the military aid. because Trump really was concerned about corruption Trump wasn’t <i< cconcerned about corruption. He believed the Ukrainian government was corrupt, and didn’t deserve any money from the United States – and besides, he argued, why didn’t Germany give them the money for military aid, and we were being played for suckers (I cleaned up that last word – he said that to Senator Ron Johnson on August 31.)

and why the Trump administration crime organization tried to gag him

Ths was automatic, and all purpose.

because he was going to corroborate Trump’s defense.

No, he wasn’t. He was going to make Trump look like a stubborn fool who was believing nonsense and not properly prioritizing things.

That wasn’t his defense. His defense was he didn’t do anything wrong – Trump isn’t conceding he made a blunder.
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/6/2020 @ 10:28 am
Bolton just made it interesting.
If Pelosi were smart, she’d hand those articles over to the Senate tomorrow and put the ball in McConnell’s court.
But that said, it shouldn’t matter if Bolton testifies or not. All he has to do is go on Tapper or the like for a complete interview.
Paul Montagu (e1b5a7) — 1/6/2020 @ 10:43 am
If Pelosi were smart, she’d hand those articles over to the Senate tomorrow and put the ball in McConnell’s court.

Why not re-open hearings in the House and call Bolton?

But that said, it shouldn’t matter if Bolton testifies or not. All he has to do is go on Tapper or the like for a complete interview.

To a point. He won’t be under oath while giving tee-vee interviews.
Dave (1bb933) — 1/6/2020 @ 10:49 am
Why not re-open hearings in the House and call Bolton?

His statement was precise. He’d only testify in the Senate trial if subpoenaed, so why bother with the House.
Fair point about not being under oath in front of Tapper, Dave. He really should be under oath in the well of the Senate and given enough time to answer all relevant questions.
Paul Montagu (e1b5a7) — 1/6/2020 @ 10:54 am
He leaves a phone message?? ROFLMAO. Suggesting he’ll comply w/a subpoena? A CYA move by Walrus Gumbo. Sorta meaningless crowing ‘I’ll testify if subpoenaed!” Since when has a Trump or ex-Trump official willingly complied w/a subpoena– and the WH can imposed EP to try and/or prevent him stating anything of ‘value.’

The question you should be asking is what’s in this for Neocon Gumbo. Why now? In a phone message no less….

This is about Walrus Gumbo.

Nothing more.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/6/2020 @ 11:03 am
DCSCA (797bc0) — 1/6/2020 @ 11:03 am

Since when has a Trump or ex-Trump official willingly complied w/a subpoena

Gordon Sondland.

Bill Taylor wasn’t quote a Trump official.

George Kent, but he was a career official. And several others.

If you count people who have resigned, like Bolton, there’s Kurt Volker, Fiona Hill
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 1/6/2020 @ 11:42 am
114. I wrote:

It wasn’t what Trump was cooking up that was a drug deal, but what Mulvaney and Sondland were cooking up that was a “drug deal.” He [John Bolton] wanted Fiona Hall to get it on the record with NSA counsel John Eisenberg that he was not part of whatever Mulvaney and Sondland were trying to engineer. And the reason was that he, like Mulvaney and Sondland, was trying to prevent or postpone Trump having a telephone call with Zelensky.

Actually I read now in the long New York Times article that Bolton wanted the July 25 call to be made. But this may have been because he found out that Sondland was trying to condition it on something. I know that earlier Bolton was for postponing it and not having it take place before the Ukrainian Parliamentary election, July 21. Bolton used the words “drug deal”on July 10. And at that time he was against Trump making a call. (what I am saying is, it could look like Bolton and Mulvaney/Sondland had the same objective because Sondland was saying no meeting till investigations)

This is what the New York Times wrote about Bolton wanting that call in its long front page Monday, December 30, 2019, article

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/29/us/politics/trump-ukraine-military-aid.html

A week later came Mr. Trump’s fateful July 25 call with Mr. Zelensky. Mr. Bolton, the national security adviser, had recommended the call take place in an effort to end the “incessant lobbying” from officials like Mr. Sondland that the two leaders connect.

That sounds like a little inaccuracy. It should be “that the two leaders connect only if Ukraine agreed to investigate some things.”

In th July 25 call, Trump and Zelensky agreed to a meeting without conditions.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Unclassified09.2019.pdf

Zelensky: … I also w·anted to thank you .for your invitation to visit the United States, specifically Washington DC. On ,the other hand, I also want to ensure you that we will be very serious about the case [probably meaning Burssma] and will work on the investigation. As to the economy, there is much potential for our two countries and one of the issues that is very important for Ukraine is energy
independence. I believe we can be very successful and cooperating on energy independence with United States. We are already working on cooperation. We are buying American oil but I am very hopeful for- a future meeting. We will have more time and more opportunities to discuss these opportunities and get to know each other better. I would like to thank you very much for your support.

The President: Good. Well, thank you very much and I appreciate that. I will tell Rudy and Attorney General Barr to call. Thank you. Whenever you would like to come to the White House, feel free to call. Give us a date and we’ll work thatout. I 1ook forward to seeing you.

Of course there are sme things that need to be explained, like why didn’t Ukraine initiate an investigation of Burisma?

A. They were talked out of it on the grounds they need bipartisan support.

The reason the money was withheld had nothing to do with a Burisma or Biden investigation because Trump had an agreement from Ukraine to do it.
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 1/6/2020 @ 3:33 pm
https://pjmedia.com/trending/cnn-settles-with-maga-hat-kid-nick-sandmann/

Glad to see one media station have to pay for besmirching this young man.
NJRob (dcd795) — 1/7/2020 @ 2:36 pm

1/4/2020

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