Patterico's Pontifications

10/16/2018

President Trump Fires Up Democrats Before The Midterms

Filed under: General — Dana @ 6:51 pm



[guest post by Dana]

The New York Times offers an assessment of the midterms and how the Kavanaugh hearing impacted voters, and how the subsequent polarization may help Republicans:

The fight over Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court seems to have contributed to polarizing the electorate, helping Republicans gain in red states and districts even as Democrats cement their strong position elsewhere. The trend might fade, but if it holds it will be an abrupt change from earlier polls and last year’s special election results, which indicated that Democrats were highly competitive in red areas.

Instead, the district and state polling raises the possibility of an election more like last year’s Virginia elections or the 2010 midterm elections. Both were strong results for the party out of power — but the big numbers came mainly on home turf. A similar result this year would tend to lock the Democrats into their single biggest disadvantage: the map.

National polls continue to show all of the conditions for a wave in place. The president’s approval rating is in the low 40s. It’s a midterm election year, when the president’s party usually takes big losses. Democrats lead on the generic ballot by eight to nine points. These indicators have remained relatively stable throughout the Justice Kavanaugh controversy, but the president’s approval rating has ticked up, most likely in the conservative areas where Republicans show newfound strength.

And if Republicans can take advantage of their underlying geographic advantages, they can hold down their losses and gain seats in the Senate, even in a Democratic wave.

The post-Kavanaugh polling effect could prove to be fleeting, especially if highly energized partisans are responding to polls in unusual numbers. But over the last few decades, American electoral results have generally moved toward greater polarization. It would not be a surprise if the midterms left the nation even more divided.

In spite of the important midterms being right around the corner, President Trump couldn’t resist shooting the GOP in the foot on the same day. And in doing so, he energized Democrats right before an election. This time his blunder not only comes on the heels of a federal judge tossing out the defamation lawsuit against him and ordering adult film actress Stormy Daniels to pay the his legal fees, but also comes just one day after Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “DNA gambit” went up in smoke, leaving the 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful desperate to dig her way of the hole in which she currently finds herself. Trump, who is unable to keep his damn mouth shut and recognize a positive news cycle for Republicans, chose to alienate potential voters and fire up Democrats by once again reminding Americans that he is a misogynistic lout. You tell me, who are major media outlets going to focus on: Sen. Warren, fake Indian or a POTUS publicly degrading the woman with whom he had an illicit affair? This isn’t hard. Well, except for a president who keeps throwing out the red meat, that is…

“Federal Judge throws out Stormy Danials lawsuit versus Trump. Trump is entitled to full legal fees.” @FoxNews Great, now I can go after Horseface and her 3rd rate lawyer in the Great State of Texas. She will confirm the letter she signed! She knows nothing about me, a total con!

Untitled

According to a report, “Trump’s reference to Texas apparently stems from the judge citing a Texas law in dismissing the case brought by Daniels, a Texas resident. His mention of a “letter” may be the original statement Daniels wrote and signed in January denying an affair, before she backtracked.”

During an interview today, Trump did not back down about the “horseface” insult:

Asked by the AP if it was appropriate to insult a woman’s appearance, Trump responded, “You can take it any way you want.”

We have already heard Trump demean and degrade women in the public square. Consider his attack on Carly Fiorina and “that face,” Heidi Cruz in the unflattering side-by-side photo with Melania Trump, Rosie O’Donnell and her “fat, ugly face,” Alicia Machado (Miss Universe), whom he referred to as “Miss Piggy,” the “bimbo” Megyn Kelly and his cringeworthy “blood coming out of her wherever” attack. In the aftermath of these insults, he has never showed any genuine remorse or regret for disrespecting these women. But then, when a man has been repeatedly accused of sexual assault, and is caught on tape bragging about grabbing women by their genitals, why would he? Clearly he has a woman problem. Jonah Goldberg aptly described it after the leak of that video:

Character is destiny. The man in the video is Donald Trump. Sure, it’s bawdy Trump. It’s “locker room Trump.” And I’m no prude about dirty talk in private. But that isn’t all that’s going on. This isn’t just bad language or objectifying women with your buddies. It’s a married man who is bragging about trying to bed a married woman. It’s an insecure, morally ugly, man-child who thinks boasting about how he can get away with groping women ”because you’re a star” impresses people. He’s a grotesque — as a businessman and a man full stop.

With the midterms looming, one has to believe that any number of Republicans running for office just want the president to shut-up and not mess this up for them.

In further confirmation that sleazy birds of sordid feather flock together, presidential-hopeful Michael Avenatti responded to Trump’s tweet:

“You are a disgusting misogynist and an embarrassment to the United States. Bring everything you have, because we are going to demonstrate to the world what a complete shyster and liar you are. How many other women did you cheat on your wife with while you had a baby at home?”

Untitled

Stormy Daniels got in on the act as well:

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present your president. In addition to his…umm…shortcomings, he has demonstrated his incompetence, hatred of women and lack of self control on Twitter AGAIN! And perhaps a penchant for bestiality. Game on, Tiny.

Untitled

God, these are awful people. Unbelievably, one is the sitting President of the United States, and one is already working to claim that position for himself. I can hear Trump supporters now: Trump is a fighter and this is what fighters do. Am I right? Anyway, this latest blunder also comes on the heels of Melania Trump’s recent return from a goodwill trip to Africa where she introduced her “Be Best” initiative. You know, Be Best:

When children learn positive online behaviors early-on, social media can be used in productive ways and can effect positive change. Mrs. Trump believes that children should be both seen and heard, and it is our responsibility as adults to educate and reinforce to them that when they are using their voices—whether verbally or online—they must choose their words wisely and speak with respect and compassion.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

139 Responses to “President Trump Fires Up Democrats Before The Midterms”

  1. Hello.

    Dana (023079)

  2. Sometimes all Trump needs to do is shut up and rake in the chips. But no, he has to insult the losers at the table. #classact

    Kevin M (d6cbf1)

  3. Well, I’ve lived long enough to see the President of the United States engage in a Twitter war with a woman who makes her living having sex with men on camera and grinding her crotch on the lap of men in seedy clubs for double-sawbucks, and a camera hogging pimp of a ambulance chaser whose antics would make even John Edwards say, “Buddy, aren’t you overdoing it just a little bit?”

    JVW (42615e)

  4. I have to believe his advisers are begging him to just shut up these next few weeks. But we all know that is simply beyond him to do so.

    Dana (023079)

  5. Every so often, he has to remind me why the EPA will need to dispose of the White House as hazardous waste after he’s gone. He just has to, the boy can’t help it.

    nk (dbc370)

  6. You saw the way those ghouls feasted on Cavanaugh and you think anything will matter to these bastards.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  7. Actually, I don’t think reminding Democrats of Stormy will fire them up. Most of them are decent people and don’t like her any better than we do. It’s his reminding everyone, Democrats and Republicans, what a small person he is, who should not be within 1,000 miles of the White House, that will fire up Democrats and depress Republicans.

    nk (dbc370)

  8. Dana,

    He won doing just this. Why would you expect him to change?

    Read about Churchill sometime and his attitude.

    NJRob (e5c06d)

  9. I don’t think any of us mere mortals can even begin to understand the burden that Donald Trump has lived under his entire life: being perfect in every way.

    “Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes?”
    – Donald Trump

    Dave (9664fc)

  10. He won doing just this. Why would you expect him to change?

    Trump is not on the ballot this year. Didn’t we determine that we didn’t want him to be like Obama — a guy who can get his supporters to come out and vote for him but only motivates the opponents in mid-term elections? Dana is absolutely right; Trumps needs to cut this stuff out for the next three weeks, but he just can’t help himself.

    JVW (42615e)

  11. I have to admit I laughed at Stormy’s tweet – especially the “penchant for bestiality” bit in reaction to Trump calling her “Horseface”. Trump likes him some horsefaces and the cheap, lying, gold-digging floozy sort, does he? Was Melania aware of this when she hooked up with him? But then, he doesn’t seem to realize that calling all his ex-associates “sad, pathetic losers” is a poor reflection on his ability to pick his associates, either. It’s the mentality of a two-year old on display here.

    Jerryskids (702a61)

  12. Dana,

    He won doing just this. Why would you expect him to change?

    Read about Churchill sometime and his attitude.

    Excuse me while I retch

    Patterico (115b1f)

  13. I was just about to quote the Churchill comment. I see Patterico beat me to that.

    Churchill was dealing with Hitler, other world leaders, the fate of western civilization, when he ‘never gave up’. He was not being trolled by a porn star on twitter. he was bigger than that.

    Trump did not win this matter. There was no possible outcome where he could win. You can’t punch that far down, from leader of the free world, to sleazy porn star mistress, and win, even if the punch connects… even if the legal outcome goes your way.

    Trump’s need to insult women on their appearance is incredibly stupid. Why are his fans defending this? Why not just admit he’s being a jackass? If the democrats really are being as terrible as I’m told, why is it ok to be so clumsy before the election?

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  14. Actually, I don’t think reminding Democrats of Stormy will fire them up. Most of them are decent people and don’t like her any better than we do

    nk, I agree most democrats are decent people who find Stormy to be pretty terrible. But they don’t have to agree with her or take her side to be motivated to go to the polls. Who cares who Stormy wants us to vote for? I’d have never heard of her if Trump hadn’t paid her off, hadn’t slept with her, had been honorable.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  15. Read about Churchill sometime and his attitude.

    NJRob (e5c06d) — 10/16/2018 @ 7:15 pm

    Except that Churchill’s attitude wasn’t on social media 24/7/365 for the entire world to see.

    Bill H (383c5d)

  16. “God, these are awful people. Unbelievably, one is the sitting President of the United States”…

    There are worse people out there in higher office:

    Kamala Harris Jokes about Killing Trump, Pence, Sessions

    https://www.nationalreview.com/news/kamala-harris-jokes-about-killing-trump-pence-sessions/

    harkin (adce92)

  17. My opinion is that Trump just branded the Democrats today as a sleazy lawyer (everyone hates them) and as enablers of an ugly washed up anal sex porn griftress.

    The faces of the Democrats were Warren yesterday and today Avenatti and the Rump.
    That’s a win.
    Trump is infuriating the banshees and their wailing gins up the crazies, while alienating the sane

    steveg (a9dcab)

  18. Now trump did go overboard sending Chuck harder, that’s like put thanos up against loki

    Narciso (d1f714)

  19. Excuse me while I retch

    Can you imagine if Trump had been around at the same time as Hitler? He would have made Neville Chamberlain look like … Winston Churchill.

    President Donald Trump: Look. Let it be whatever it is. I get along with him really well. I have a good energy with him. I have a good chemistry with him.(*)

    (*) Actual Trump quote about Kim Jong Un, after being reminded about his use of repression, gulags, assassinations, starvation, slave labor and public executions.

    Dave (9664fc)

  20. Just can’t help himself, and that’s a shame.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  21. NJ Rob: I’ve read a lot of Churchill, and I’ve read a lot about Churchill. What in the hell are you talking about? Are you seriously comparing Trump to Churchill, and if so, in what respect and on what evidence?

    Beldar (fa637a)

  22. Are you seriously comparing Trump to Churchill, and if so, in what respect and on what evidence?

    They were both born rich, and both loved the sound of their own voices. After that I got nothing…

    Churchill: Volunteered for the military, saw combat on two continents.
    Trump: Dodged the draft.

    Churchill: Classically educated, wrote multiple books that are considered seminal works on their subjects.
    Trump: Still brags about his vacuous, ghost-written best-seller forty years after the fact.

    Churchill: Detail freak who often took it upon himself to learn the most esoteric details of any subject he became even casually involved with.
    Trump: Might read a one page briefing if you sprinkle his name through it in enough places

    Churchill: “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.'”
    Trump: “You can do anything. Grab ’em by the p*ssy. You can do anything.”

    Dave (9664fc)

  23. Last time we saw altNeverTrump get so fired up, Jeb put a ! after his name.

    Munroe (06f934)

  24. They both had a natural citizen father and an immigrant mother.

    nk (dbc370)

  25. “Horseface?” She’s a fast filly and you rode her, Captain, Sir. But what can you be distracting us from. It’s murder dealing with world leaders these days, isn’t it, Captain, sir.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  26. No other President has been treated like Trump. Imagine what JFK’s prostitutes, Interns, and “Girlfriends” would’ve said about him – if the MSM had hated JFK like they hate Trump.

    Nope. Stormy should have abided by her NDA and kept her mouth shut. But she knew there was more $$ to be made by going public. Now, she’s fair game. Calling her “horseface” is rather generous on Trump’s part. He called Rosie a “pig”.

    But if in 2018, calling a stripper “Horseface” causes you the vapors, then go for it.

    rcocean (1a839e)

  27. The never trumpers ignore all the bilge and disgusting crap that gets thrown at Republicans and Trump 24×7, and then get all moralistic about any push-back.

    Sorry, most of us Republicans don’t want to be “Washington Generals” and “Good losers”.

    rcocean (1a839e)

  28. McCain and Romney ran such noble campaigns. The Nevertrumpers loved them. McCain seemed proud to lose to Obama. And Romney never fought back – dignity, always dignity.

    Trump is different. Attack him, and he counter-attacks. Maybe a few blows land below the belt. So what? When did the Democrats fight fair?

    rcocean (1a839e)

  29. gut·ter·snipe
    ˈɡədərˌsnīp
    noun DEROGATORY
    noun: guttersnipe; plural noun: guttersnipes
    a scruffy and badly behaved child who spends most of his time on the street.
    Trump’s crassness is off putting to decent people but resonates with his fellow gutternipes.

    nk (dbc370)

  30. I’m not going to worry about it, how about that new star wars series resistance?

    Narciso (d1f714)

  31. A long time ago on another forum, the word filter for “Sex and the City” was ‘The Horseface Chronicles’.

    It was roundly applauded as the le mot juste and never changed.

    Rest assured that Americans are going to reward active failed pr0n stars and failed pr0n lawyers posturing about dignity and respect with all the votes that they gave to Romney and McCain when they did. Even the most simple-minded of our new breed of pundits gets it:

    “Mike Cernovich
    🇺🇸
    ‏Verified account @Cernovich
    11h11 hours ago

    Trump wants to keep Avenatti in the news as he’s dragging down Democrats, hence horseface line. All of this stuff had been polled. Cocaine Mitch is loving it.

    ‘Just think of all the work we’re going to get done THIS week!’ is the smart line on Capitol Hill.

    “We have already heard Trump demean and degrade women in the public square. Consider his attack on Carly Fiorina and “that face,” Heidi Cruz in the unflattering side-by-side photo with Melania Trump, Rosie O’Donnell and her “fat, ugly face,” Alicia Machado (Miss Universe), whom he referred to as “Miss Piggy,” the “bimbo” Megyn Kelly and his cringeworthy “blood coming out of her wherever” attack.”

    Every single one of these lines was fully deserved in context and fully supported by Hillary Clinton herself. Appropriately , the sin #NeverTrumpers are committing is the same as hers, and can be expressed in the phrase “You can’t MAKE me listen to my dog of a husband and I don’t care how much experience or successes he has or how many organizations he’s been president of! I’m the VICTIM here, forever, and you’ll respect me even if we lose everything!

    Being brave enough to call lying, aggressively litigious, old, used up, and ugly women the synonyms for lying, aggressively litigious, old, used up, and ugly in an environment where a sizeable plurality of voting men would like to say such things but are prevented from doing so by a very unpopular politically correct media and managerial Matrix is in fact a great way to win friends and influence people.

    Taking Hillary Clinton’s attitude is not.

    Pencil-necked Pundit (92bfe7)

  32. I wonder if Trump will go full Elizabeth Warren and hire an expert to rebut Stormy’s allegation that he has a smaller than average wee-wee.

    nk (dbc370)

  33. How long until Trump sues Stormy for violation of her non-disclosure agreement? That’s an easy $460,000.

    Dejectedhead (cc65f5)

  34. Comments #28, 29 & 30 are the most disgusting rationalizations I’ve read this week so far. You should copy those into a text file and save them, rcocean: Trump will give you a great new opportunity to repeat those on at least a weekly basis, and conveniently for you & him, you can apply them to justify pretty much anything he does. It’s cult worship. It doesn’t give me the vapors, but it does make me nauseated.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  35. I’m glad Jeb spent millions on a 1 delegate. Can you imagine being one of those suckers that donated to that powder puff?

    mg (9e54f8)

  36. The only thing that Churchill ever said regarding prostitution was suggesting that a dinner companion was simply haggling over the price.

    One could compare Reagan to Churchill, for their clarity and resolve in different existential wars. But comparing Trump to either is missing the entire point of Trump.

    Trump is made of baser stuff than most world leaders. His secret is that he does not talk past the “regular folks”, having realized there are lots more of them than those that know which spoon to eat the soup with. He resonates with these folks, who have been generally ignored by both parties for years. He even makes inroads with non-white members of the working class. It would be wrong to ignore the strength of this approach.

    But he just isn’t a Big Picture guy, and comparing him to such is just stupid.

    Kevin M (d6cbf1)

  37. The only people who seem to think that Jeb! had a chance are

    1) Casper B Milquetoast IV and the guys at his club
    2) Trump partisans

    Kevin M (d6cbf1)

  38. Even his mother didn’t think Jeb! should run. It’s utterly laughable for folks to suggest that he would have captured the nomination if Trump had stayed out. He simply would have been 9th instead of 10th. Find a better straw man, this one’s all wet.

    Kevin M (d6cbf1)

  39. Because he cannot restrain himself, because he lacks the discipline of a moderately well-behaved four-year-old, the President of the United States is trading insults with a porn star regarding her face and his penis.

    But anyone who thinks this reflects poorly on the current occupant of the Presidency is “[t]aking Hillary Clinton’s attitude”?!? Do what now? I assure you, I condemned the Clinton’s immorality before they ever got out of Arkansas. They’ve been in the gutter continuously since he was elected to office there, which used to be a reason to oppose them, not a reason to justify bad behavior by a supposed “leader” of the GOP.

    This nonsense will hurt the GOP at the polls. This is indefensibly stupid, even for Trump or any other four-year-old. Early voting starts in days, the election’s around the corner — and this is what you want sucking up the oxygen in American political discourse?

    Beldar (fa637a)

  40. *Clintons’ [s-apostrophe, as in, plural] immorality.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  41. Perverted is putting our soldiers in a position to fail. What booosh did in Iraq was dead wrong.

    mg (9e54f8)

  42. Here is the good news 18% of voters control 52 senate seats mostly in red states. house while still favoring small mostly red states more closely follow electorate. democrats have voting majority but not electoral majority. that is why clinton won popular vote by 3 million but caried only 20 states.

    lany (909e9a)

  43. I condemned the Clinton’s immorality before they ever got out of Arkansas

    .
    And Donald Trump regarded the Clinton’s as “really good people” until the moment he decided to run for president at the same time as Hillary. Then she became “crooked.” And his devotees say he’s “telling it like it is!” Nobody before Trump ever had the guts to tell the truth about anything!!!

    Radegunda (b0ffbf)

  44. horseface is a subtle pun i think

    he’s not saying she has the face of a horse

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  45. What booosh did in Iraq was dead wrong.

    all those people died for butt-nothing

    very pathetic waste of life

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  46. But he just isn’t a Big Picture guy, and comparing him to such is just stupid.

    Any, and I repeat any, nine out of ten people, picked at random from any telephone directory except Boston’s, would be just as a good a President as Trump. If they got elected, and there’s the rub.

    nk (dbc370)

  47. 44… Clinton won 3m more popular votes because of one state: California

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  48. NJ Rob: I’ve read a lot of Churchill, and I’ve read a lot about Churchill. What in the hell are you talking about? Are you seriously comparing Trump to Churchill, and if so, in what respect and on what evidence?

    Beldar (fa637a) — 10/16/2018 @ 8:43 pm

    Just that they both loved the sound of their own voice and think they are so much smarter than everyone else.

    No where did I make a comment supporting Trump’s insults. I made an observation, nothing more.

    NJRob (e5c06d)

  49. Well the lady Astor line comes to mind,

    Narciso (d1f714)

  50. And Kevin M seems to be the only one who understood my reference.

    NJRob (e5c06d)

  51. #50. Yep, and Lincoln liked the occasional dirty joke. Just like Trump. And Washington — I mean Washington liked to chop down things, and couldn’t even be bothered to lie about it. That’s exactly a Donald Trump attitude…

    I actually think your original observation was in good faith, and not cult worship. But can you see why others are having difficulties?

    Appalled (96665e)

  52. Ot it seems mayor yulins office is in a spot of trouble, I’m not saying she’s going to face the fate of st Bernard Parrish head but I’m not saying she won’t either.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  53. horseface is a subtle pun i think

    he’s not saying she has the face of a horse

    I agree. He’s saying something else without a “w” and an apostrophe.

    nk (dbc370)

  54. But I don’t think it’s very subtle.

    nk (dbc370)

  55. — Why do you never hear a psychologist when he goes to the bathroom?
    — Because the “p” is silent.

    nk (dbc370)

  56. magic pee!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  57. Perverted is putting our soldiers in a position to fail. What booosh did in Iraq was dead wrong.

    Our soldiers did not fail in Iraq.

    Dave (9664fc)

  58. I agree that Trump is crude and childish and lacks self-control.

    But the problem is that he also has something that most Republicans recently seem to lack: spine and the fortitude to fight back.

    Imagine, for a moment, that Jeb Bush had been elected president and had nominated Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. Anyone think he would have stood behind his man? Or would he have quietly asked him to step aside and then nominated some squishy moderate like Souter?

    It is certainly possible to have a spine without descending to childish crudity. Someone here mentioned Winston Churchill, who, ironically, is a perfect example of that. Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan also come to mind.

    Trump, for all his many faults, has spine. He may even be inspiring some of that in the Republicans – see, for example, Lindsay Graham’s reaction to the Kavanaugh debacle. But until the R’s stop being afraid of being called names (racist, misogynist) and stop caring what the NY Times says about them, Trump brings something that the R’s desperately need.

    Bored Lawyer (998177)

  59. smeggy meggy’s record was just broken … by another democrat

    JB Pritzker overtakes former eBay CEO Meg Whitman’s record for most wealth committed into any self-funded candidate in US history with $146.5 million

    this is how they do

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  60. No w didn’t defend the mission against the lies that gave succor to what would become the Islamic state, Cheney did as much as he was able to.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  61. w was kind of a joke he pranced around calling himself the war president but his wars were all fiascos (military humiliate)

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  62. Clinton won 3m more popular votes because of one state: California

    … where almost 1/8 of the country lives. Your point?

    Dave (9664fc)

  63. california’s where my white balsamic vinegar comes from (racism vinegar)

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  64. Trump, for all his many faults, has spine.

    This is about as accurate as saying “Clinton, for all his/her many faults, has integrity.”

    Go re-watch his Helsinki press conference with Putin, and then tell us more about how well-endowed his “spine” is.

    Bluster and false bravado are not “spine”.

    Dave (9664fc)

  65. Clinton won 3m more popular votes because of one state: California

    … where almost 1/8 of the country lives. Your point?

    The presidential race was run based on the electoral college. So the efforts made focused on the few swing states.

    California, being a blue state, was not the focus of the election efforts. On top of that, California has a “jungle primary” system that acts to discourage minority party (i.e. Republican) voting.

    If you were a Republican in California in 2016, you had little incentive to go out to vote.

    That is why the focus on the “popular vote” is misdirected. We don’t elect presidents by one popular vote, so focusing on that distorts what happened. If we ever switched to such a system, then you would see much higher turnout in blue (or red) states from the other party.

    Bored Lawyer (998177)

  66. 50. Yep, and Lincoln liked the occasional dirty joke. Just like Trump. And Washington — I mean Washington liked to chop down things, and couldn’t even be bothered to lie about it. That’s exactly a Donald Trump attitude…

    I actually think your original observation was in good faith, and not cult worship. But can you see why others are having difficulties?

    Appalled (96665e) — 10/17/2018 @ 6:23 am

    I don’t really considering that the left recently tried to destroy Churchill’s name yet again because of his remarks said in context of the time he lived. See astronaut Scott Kelly’s apology for a good quote of Churchill.

    NJRob (1d7532)

  67. But until the R’s stop being afraid of being called names (racist, misogynist) and stop caring what the NY Times says about them, Trump brings something that the R’s desperately need.

    This^^^

    Skorcher (5b282a)

  68. Fired up Nevertrump vs. knee jerk liberal: a title bout where no one shows up.

    Munroe (ae75bf)

  69. That is why the focus on the “popular vote” is misdirected. We don’t elect presidents by one popular vote, so focusing on that distorts what happened. If we ever switched to such a system, then you would see much higher turnout in blue (or red) states from the other party.

    Misdirected or otherwise, it still has value. Certainly wrong to focus on it but it would at least shut up the Dems on this one irrelevant point and take the wind out of the budding effort to do away with the Electoral College system. See this is why many GOP voters, pro-Trump or otherwise, disgust me with their “it doesn’t matter if I vote because I’m in California, NY, etc. etc. etc. and we’re not gonna win there anyway” attitude. When I was younger it was conservatives/Republicans who impressed upon me the importance of voting. What happened to such people? Especially in today’s environment in most states where voting is soooo easy to do. Polls open for several weekends before the final election day. And it’s too much of a burden for you to vote? Pathetic.

    Skorcher (5b282a)

  70. He has to give some of that back though, happy. Im moving Rauner into the “Beats the Spread” category based on these last 2 weeks.

    Again the other JB, the one with a !, is dragged out. Only Fat Boy Christie had the audacity to go toe to toe with Jeb in his response to the legalized fantasy football gambling question at a debate. The rest wanted to hold back, hoping for his funders.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  71. Skorcher, on that note, I hate it when people use gerrymandering/living in a highly gerrymandered district (for the party opposite theirs) as an excuse for not voting – arent there down-ticket races – judges, trustees, clerks et al that could use a closer representation of your views?

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  72. Well jeb was like The last ghost busters it didn’t even work on paper.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  73. If you were a Republican in California in 2016, you had little incentive to go out to vote.

    … and the same was true if you were a Democrat in Texas, or in the other 17 uncompetitive red states that Trump won by lop-sided margins. Both Clinton and Trump exceeded their polls in “safe” states.

    Dave (9664fc)

  74. 60- you no little about how the rules of engagement were rigged in the enemies favor. running mouth lawyers set the rules.

    mg (9e54f8)

  75. If you want another pun, I’ve been practicing blowing my reed and fingering my hautbois all morning and it’s hard.

    nk (dbc370)

  76. When terroists can shoot at you in one building, come out without a weapon, we cant shoot them, terr

    mg (9e54f8)

  77. Then they go into another building and resume shooting. Ya that sounds fair. Booosh and his people were idiots.

    mg (9e54f8)

  78. Trump, for all his many faults, has spine.

    Trump “fights back” in the sense of attacking people who diminish his ego and public image. That’s a far different thing from maintaining a steady course on principles and issues. His most strongly held political belief is that he is more competent than anyone else.

    Radegunda (b0ffbf)

  79. Is your Jebby Bear ready for 2020?

    mg (9e54f8)

  80. and that makes nk a true northsider
    (a play on a remark he made about me in the torched Trump supporter’s pickup truck post from last week, so does this constitute an ad hominem?)

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  81. Que sera, sera, urbanleftbehind! Que sera, sera!

    nk (dbc370)

  82. Btw what happened to that story?

    Narciso (d1f714)

  83. “Spine and fortitude to fight back” — against porn stars.

    But not against North Korea. He loves him some Little Rocket Man, huh? What the hell kind of “spine and fortitude” is that?

    I don’t buy one bit of it. He’s heroic in no sense whatsoever. The best that can ever be said of him is he isn’t Obama or Hillary. But he’s a coward and a fool.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  84. Btw what happened to that story?

    If you mean the burned truck, I just did some googling around. Nothing new that I could find.

    Skorcher (5b282a)

  85. 38. Kevin M (d6cbf1) — 10/16/2018 @ 11:49 pm

    The only thing that Churchill ever said regarding prostitution was suggesting that a dinner companion was simply haggling over the price.

    I think that was George Bernard Shaw. That;s also been said about Chuchill

    https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/what_kind_of_woman_do_you_take_me_for_madam_weve_already_established_that_c/

    (This is a very old joke where the participants vary dramatically from each telling. It’s very unlikely though not impossible that the joke originated from Churchill.)

    The story about George Bernard Shaw – maybe that is another story – is that awoman said to him they should have achild togetehr and if so, it would have my beuaty and your brains. Shaw replied it could have your brains and my body.

    https://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/04/19/brains-beauty/

    The earliest evidence matching the template of this story located by QI was published in the Boston Globe newspaper in 1923. The two supposed participants were the Frenchman Anatole France who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1921 and the acclaimed dancer Isadora Duncan. The spelling “Isadore” was used by the paper: 1…A version of the anecdote featuring George Bernard Shaw and Isadora Duncan was in circulation during the same time period…

    [Shaw wrote a letter to a newspaper in 1926 saying] No beautiful American dancer has ever proposed marriage to me, on eugenic or any other grounds. The Italian journalist invented the dancer and her proposal; stole the witty reply from Herr Max; and chose me for the hero of his tale because newspapers always buy stories about me. 99% of these stories are flat falsehoods. 1/2% are half true. The remaining 1/2% are true, but spoilt in the telling.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  86. I condemned the Clinton’s immorality before they ever got out of Arkansas

    Hillary Clinton said the vast right wing conspiracy was already active then.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  87. I also reject absolutely the counterfactual supposition that Jeb Bush or some other hypothetical GOP president — who, by the logic of Trump supporters, must absolutely positively be a “squish” because he’s not Donald J. Trump (and only he can save us) — would have withdrawn the Kavanaugh nomination.

    The fact that Lindsey Graham, the most noted accomodationist in the U.S. Senate and at the front of any “Gang of ___” deal with the Dems, was inspired to some outraged rhetoric in a committee hearing has almost nothing to do with Trump. Trump’s public statements at the time were along the lines of “We’ll see how the nomination does in the Senate,” which is hardly “I’ll just re-submit his name if he’s voted down,” much less “We will fight on the beaches.” Graham’s outrage had everything to do with just how depraved the Democrats had become in their false, craven politics of personal destruction against an incredibly good nominee.

    I frankly would have expected any GOP president in those circumstances to let his co-partisan whose job it is to advise & consent on presidential nominations, Senate Majority Leader McConnell, to keep him apprised and to solidify the votes needed for confirmation.

    Recall that Kavanaugh was nominated for the D.C. Circuit in 2004, underwent a full confirmation hearing at which he was attacked with all the left’s brickbats over torture memos and his service for the left’s then #1 enemy, George W. Bush. Bush did not withdraw his nomination, nor that of the other circuit and district judges who were being blocked by Dem filibuster threats. He did indeed renominate Kavanaugh in 2006, and Kavanaugh was finally confirmed after a second full hearing, submitted to just so the Dems could berate him some more. He was confirmed despite the failure of backbone by the same Lindsey Graham whom you’re now applauding, when he led the Gang of 14 deal that forever legitimized the Dems’ hyperpartisanship on judicial nominations.

    But what your supposedly backboned hero did do was stage a mass political rally at which, on international TV, he mocked Dr. Ford before Murkowski or Collins made their decisions, thereby undercutting his own nominee. And he did it for no other or better reason than to exploit his cult followers, most of whom share his boorish qualities and inability to control themselves.

    Rick Perry had it right from the outset: The man is a cancer on the Republican Party.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  88. Yet it was decisive, and murkowski decision is curious in light of her former campaign co chair:

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/legalinsurrection.com/2018/10/two-gop-minnesota-candidates-assaulted-in-separate-incidents/amp/

    Narciso (d1f714)

  89. Trump’s a ridiculously disruptive force, but we’re fortunate in that this is the best possible time to have a disruptive force in Washington. In that regard Trump serves an important purpose, but let’s never kid ourselves that his eccentric methods would be good for the country in the long run. Like his three predecessors, Trump reminds us how important it is to limit the President to two terms.

    JVW (42615e)

  90. Beldar @91

    stage a mass political rally at which, on international TV, he mocked Dr. Ford before Murkowski or Collins made their decisions, thereby undercutting his own nominee. And he did it for no other or better reason than to exploit his cult followers, most of whom share his boorish qualities and inability to control themselves.

    That’s probably the reason he did it.

    Of course he waited until it was safe to do so because Christine Blasey Ford’s story had these gaps in it that didn’t look like they were going to be filled. Trump at that time may also have known that there was a contradiction between what CBF said her friend Leland did, and what Leland said:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2018/09/27/kavanaugh-hearing-transcript

    MITCHELL: OK. Do you have any particular motives to ascribe to Leland?

    FORD: I guess we could take those one at a time. Leland has significant health challenges, and I’m happy that she’s focusing on herself and getting the health treatment that she needs, and she let me know that she needed her lawyer to take care of this for her, and she texted me right afterward with an apology and good wishes, and et cetera, So I’m glad that she’s taking care of herself.

    That’s probably not what Leland Keyser told the FBI.

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/friend-of-dr-ford-felt-pressure-to-revisit-statement-1538715152

    Oct. 5, 2018 12:52 a.m. ET

    A friend of Christine Blasey Ford told FBI investigators that she felt pressured by Dr. Ford’s allies to revisit her initial statement that she knew nothing about an alleged sexual assault by a teenage Brett Kavanaugh, which she later updated to say that she believed but couldn’t corroborate Dr. Ford’s account, according to people familiar with the matter.

    Leland Keyser, who Dr. Ford has said was present at the gathering where she was allegedly assaulted in the 1980s, told investigators that Monica McLean, a retired Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and a friend of Dr. Ford’s, had urged her to clarify her statement, the people said.

    Anything there about Leland Keyser texting her “right afterward” with an apology for the statement her lawyer sent to the committee?

    I think it is quite possible that, at this point, Christine Margaret Blasey Ford committed outright perjury! Although it may still be a “she said, she said” situation.

    Trump had probably seen or been briefed about Leland Keyser’s FBI interview by that point (Monday night, October 1, 2018)

    We haven’t heard more about it, because the FBI interviews and everything in that report, confidential and it’s illegal for the president to make it public. Only members of Congress could and it would be a violation of their word to do so, and it would put Leland Keyser in a pretty difficult personal position.

    It would not be a violation of the law for Congress to make that public – or rather the law doesn’t matter because of the speech and debate clause in the constition.

    If Congressman Jerry Nadler will start an investigation of Kavanaugh this could become public. Some Democrats have got to know this. …And then there’s Dr Ford’s possible involvement in p-hacking. What she did for scientific papers doesn’t sound like anything else.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Blasey_Ford

    Ford “specializes in designing statistical models for research projects in order to make sure they come to accurate conclusions,” as summarized by Helena Chmura Kraemer, a Stanford professor emeritus in biostatistics who co-authored a book and several articles with Ford.[8]

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  91. 65… comment 44 from lanyperry was making a big deal out of the popular vote. That’s the point/deal…

    Clinton’s loss was due – among many other things – to her campaign’s lack of focus on the electoral aspects/nature of the vote. Popular Schmopular

    Hope that clears it up for you.

    Colonel Haiku (43fb26)

  92. Abolishing Harvard (and Yale, etc. etc. etc.) would make much, much more sense. This story being a good argument for doing so itself…

    https://pjmedia.com/trending/harvard-law-prof-who-wanted-to-unleash-a-liberal-supreme-court-now-wants-to-abolish-the-court/

    Skorcher (5b282a)

  93. Trump later decided to say that he turned things around, which is not really true. Any more than the idea that another Republican president would have been likely to withdraw the name. Not if he didn’t believe it. Now some possible Republican presidents could have been stupid enough to believe some of the accusations might be true.

    But the political timing of this was such it was not posisble to switch nominees.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  94. These self-proclaimed CONservatives always bring this to mind… https://youtu.be/TPMS6tGOACo

    Colonel Haiku (43fb26)

  95. it’s easy to mock Dr. Ford cause she’s a liar what pretended to get joke-raped and then talked like a baby girl

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  96. Regarding warren – if I were trump, I’d donate 1/1048th of a million dollars to the charity of her choice to keep the stupid story alive another week. I’d also get prominent republicans to take a DNA test proving them more native than she is. That could last another week. After that she’s finished.

    George Orwell's Ghost (ba96d1)

  97. Trump got one thing wrong there in his sppech, which is sometimes not quoted.

    He said “upstairs, downstairs. I don’t know.”

    As a matter of fact CBF claimed upstairs.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2018/09/27/kavanaugh-hearing-transcript

    FORD: I couldn’t hear the conversation. I was upstairs.

    MITCHELL: OK.

    Her whole story, including the part of locking herself in the bathroom until she heard noth Brett Kavanaugh and MArk Drudge stumbling down the stairs, is based on it being upstairs.

    Now you could have asked how did she know there was a bathroom upstairs?

    Trump could also have said more: Something like: Did you show the Washington Post reporter your therapist’s notes? “I don’t remember.”

    MITCHELL: OK.

    Now, you’ve talked about attending therapy. In your text to The Washington Post dated 7/6 — so that’s the very first statement we have from you — you put in there, quote, “have therapy records talking about it.”

    FORD: Yes.

    MITCHELL: I want to make sure I understand that. Did you already have your therapy records at that time?

    FORD: I had looked at them online to see if they existed, yes.

    MITCHELL: OK.

    So this was something that was available to you via a computer, like a — a patient portal?

    FORD: Actually, no, it was in the office of a provider.

    MITCHELL: OK.

    FORD: She helped me go through the record to locate whether I had had record of this conversation that I had remembered.

    MITCHELL: Did you show a full or partial set of those marriage therapy records to The Washington Post?

    FORD: I don’t remember. I remember summarizing for her what they said. So I’m not – I’m not quite sure if I actually gave her the record.

    MITCHELL: OK. So it’s possible that the reporter did not see these notes.

    We still don’t know the name of the therapist and neither the committee nor the FBI ever got the notes. I read that CBF offered to let the FBI see those notes if they interviewed her.

    Another possible thing Trump could have said:

    Did you authorize your lawyer, or anyone else, to speak to Senator Feinstein or anyone else? “I don’t remember”

    MITCHELL: Period? OK. Between your polygraph on August the 7th and your receipt of the letter from Senator Feinstein, did you or anyone on your behalf speak to any member of Congress or congressional staff about these allegations?

    FORD: I personally did not.

    MITCHELL: So my question was, did you or anybody on your behalf.

    FORD: I don’t — what do you mean, did someone speak for me?

    MITCHELL: Somebody that worked — is working with you or helping you. Did somebody at your behest on your behalf speak to somebody in Congress or staff?

    FORD: I’m not sure.

    trump could also have said: “Are you afraid of flying? Only when flying east, not west.”

    MITCHELL: It is long. [A trip to australia, where CBF said she did not fly for her job as consulting biostatistician in Sydney, Australia]

    I also saw on your C.V. that you list the following interests of surf travel, and you, in parentheses” Hawaii, Costa Rica, South Pacific islands and French Polynesia.” Have you been all to those places?

    FORD: Correct.

    MITCHELL: By airplane?

    FORD: Yes.

    MITCHELL: And your interests also include oceanography, Hawaiian and Tahitian culture. Did you travel by air as a part of those interests?

    FORD: Correct.

    MITCHELL: All right. Thank you very much.

    FORD: Easier for me to travel going that direction when it’s a vacation…

    MITCHELL: OK. You asked Senator Feinstein to maintain confidentiality “until we have had further opportunity to speak,” and then said you were available to speak further vacationing in the Mid-Atlantic until August 7th. Is that correct?

    FORD: The last line, is that what you’re — I’m — I’m now just catching up with you, sorry. I’m a little slower. My mind is getting a little tired.

    “I am available to speak further, should you wish to discuss. I am” — yes, I was in Delaware until August 7.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  98. Colonel, considering I can see but not listen to video clips at work, Michael Myers looks like a skinny Steve Bannon.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  99. Just that they both loved the sound of their own voice and think they are so much smarter than everyone else.

    Except Churchill WAS smarter.

    Kevin M (d6cbf1)

  100. 100. happyfeet (28a91b) — 10/17/2018 @ 11:35 am

    100.it’s easy to mock Dr. Ford cause she’s a liar what pretended to get joke-raped and then talked like a baby girl

    Indeed it would have been a joke-rape. Not really funny, of course, but it could maybe be that something like that took place some Halloween somewhere. (but if so, she probably knows it.)

    Talking like a baby girl was supposed to be interpreted as to how much stage fright she had.

    ALl the problems with Dr. Ford’s testimony will be emphasized if this is pursued in any kind of formal proceeding. If the Republicans have good lawyers.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  101. 103. Kevin M (d6cbf1) — 10/17/2018 @ 11:45 am

    Except Churchill WAS smarter.

    That was part of the problem. He thought other people were as smart (and not incompetent) as he was, and the result was the Gallipoli operation in 1915.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  102. I think Trump actually thought at first the accusation had a 50-50 chance of being true. he is reported to have offered that general opinion at the time when Rob Porter’s conduct came up.

    Trump was cautious at first. And I think he may have changed when he read or was told about Leland Keyser’s FBI interview, and then he went all out. Although he had already called it a con job once.

    Trump also seems to be very impressed with vehement denials. By Vladimir Putin, by Brett Kavanaugh and by Prince Mohammed bin Salman and King Salman. Trump, it seems, doesn’t know what to make of things when someone denies something vigorously. An innocent person will do that, yes, but also sometimes some guilty people, sometimes even when they know the evidence against them.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  103. Another thing: Brett Kavanaugh actually turned out to have an alibi for most dates since approximately the election of Ronald Reagan:

    KAVANAUGH: ….My dad started keeping detailed calendars of his life in 1978. He did so as both a calendar and a diary. He was a very organized guy, to put it mildly. Christmas time, we’d sit around and he regales us with old stories, old milestones, old weddings, old events from his calendars.

    In ninth grade — in ninth grade, in 1980, I started keeping calendars of my own. For me, also, it’s both a calendar and a diary. I’ve kept such calendar as diaries for the last 38 years; mine are not as good as my dad’s in some years. And when I was a kid, the calendars are about what you would expect from a kid; some goofy parts, some embarrassing parts.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  104. At almost every meal, even at the height of the unpleasantness with the Germans, Churchill ate nutritious microgreens that he purchased at his local farmers’ market for what many believed was an exorbitant price, but he was a man who knew his own mind, and he would not be dissuaded from his indulgences.

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  105. #91:

    I also reject absolutely the counterfactual supposition that Jeb Bush or some other hypothetical GOP president ….

    That sort of claim is applied liberally by Trumpistas. It isn’t enough for them that skeptics are willing to acknowledge when Trump does something right. No, it must be affirmed that no one else would or could have done it. Trumpistas fully subscribe to Trump’s “I alone can fix it” conceit.

    Recently I heard that no one but Trump would have told the truth about Democrat’s Medicare-for-all schemes. That’s just idiotic. Conservatives have been speaking against the “single-payer” model for a long time. But Trump, during the campaign, said his plan was for “the government” to “pay for” great health care for everyone — much better than we have now, at much lower cost! Because Trump can do what no one else can.

    Alas, it turned out that “no one knew” how complicated health care could be – until Donald Trump did.

    Radegunda (b0ffbf)

  106. i.e. “no one knew” until Trump figured it out. How could we do anything at all without instruction from his “great brain”?

    Radegunda (b0ffbf)

  107. Beldar … so Rick Perry thinks PDT is a cancer on the republican party ?

    Is that the same Rick Perry who is a member of Trump cabinet?

    Brave … brave … Sir Perry

    Bendover (1b807d)

  108. 109. Radegunda (b0ffbf) — 10/17/2018 @ 12:34 pm

    cently I heard that no one but Trump would have told the truth about Democrat’s Medicare-for-all schemes. That’s just idiotic. Conservatives have been speaking against the “single-payer” model for a long time.

    This is Betsy McCaughey’s column today. She may borrow a lot and is using Trump’s column – but that probably is not original with him anyway.

    http://www.creators.com/read/betsy-mccaughey

    Medicare-for-All” would plunge hospitals into financial distress, exposing patients to dangerous medical shortages, and forcing pay cuts on health care workers…


    Ad Feedback

    Four years after “Medicare-for-All” begins, all private insurance would be banned (Sec. 107), and Medicare and other government health programs would be terminated, just as Trump said. Everyone, including immigrants in this country illegally, would be enrolled in the new government program (Sec. 106). Newborns would be automatically enrolled at birth (Sec. 105).

    On paper, the new program guarantees hospital care, doctors’ visits, even dental vision and long-term care, all paid by Uncle Sam. Here’s the hitch. Hospitals would be forced to operate under conditions of extreme scarcity, with little revenue and more patients than ever…

    …But in the new scheme, hospitals would be paid at Medicare rates for all their patients, not just seniors (Sec. 611). With everyone on “Medicare-for-All,” no cost-shifting would be possible. The rates would be 40 percent less than what hospitals could get from private insurance plans. The severe short-changing would throw hospitals into crisis. ..

    …The Sanders’ bill is a labor fiasco in the making. A staggering 1.2 million New Yorkers work in health care, more than in retail or manufacturing or any other industry. When hospitals are paid less, health care workers would get cut too.

    Under “Medicare-for-All,” patients would suffer, seniors would be shunned, hospitals would fail and health care workers would lose. Who exactly is supposed to benefit, except the politicians?

    I suppose people with pre-existing conditions and without insurance.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  109. did anybody else notice that the “Mueller Ready to Deliver Key Findings…” article floating around today is all about how he’s NOT ready to deliver his findings

    this is why everyone hates CNN Jake Tapper fake news people

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  110. What could make more sense is to abolish Medicaid, not Medicare, and allow anyone to enroll in an enhanced Medicare. Anyone who did that would get a 10%, or maybe a 12% income tax surcharge (or the surcharge would be avoided by demonstrating insurance.)

    It should be prospective – for the next year – rather than retroospective. You could also charge people a certain maximum additional tax/premium and tax people also who , although they didn’t pay much if any income tax, had high soending ., If people wanted to sve money they could get into the comoplications.

    Theer are much better ideas but this is better tahn Bernie Sander’s proposal.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  111. It’s been on the radio about Mueller.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  112. It is really rich that some here call me a Trumpista, when I did not vote for him, and have written several disparaging comments about him.

    Instead of obssessing over his many faults, perhaps one should contemplate why he succeeded when McCain and Romney did not. Those two were far more honorable than him, yet they lost, because they lacked something. Call it spine, call it fire in the belly, call it what you want. There are too many Republicans who are afraid that they will be called “racist” or “sexist” or will get a bad write up in the NY Times.

    As I posted before, Trump is the middle-finger candidate, and now the middle finger president. Putting up your middle finger is rude, crude and childish, and something I would not want my children to see. But sometimes you have to do it.

    (And I stand by my hypothetical. Hard to imagine Jeb Bush not caving in light of the antics the Democrats pulled over Kavanaugh.)

    Bored Lawyer (998177)

  113. Guaranteed Jebby Bear folds. He would have nominated Garland.

    mg (da6caf)

  114. “There are too many Republicans who are afraid that they will be called “racist” or “sexist” or will get a bad write up in the NY Times.”

    Indeed.

    Colonel Haiku (43fb26)

  115. Twtter straw poll someone from National Review posted a week ago Saturday:

    https://twitter.com/jimgeraghty/status/1048596668721979392

    Poll: If the Democrats win control of the House of Representatives in November, they should impeach President Trump, Vice President Prence, and Justice Kavanaugh

    It had its ups and downs buyt ended at:

    33% agree
    67% disagree

    with 37,737 votes cast

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  116. Putting up your middle finger is rude, crude and childish, and something I would not want my children to see. But sometimes you have to do it.

    No. You don’t. I imagine you manage to avoid that in court. Try it in the rest of your life, too.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  117. I imagine you manage to avoid that in court.

    That’s the point, though. In court you have rules of behavior that are (usually) enforced on both sides. In politics you don’t.

    Bored Lawyer (998177)

  118. “Trump is the middle-finger candidate, and now the middle finger president.”

    And he won the middle finger election, when Middle America gave the middle finger to the ruling elites and their media enablers who break all the rules they insist Middle America must follow.

    harkin (adce92)

  119. The question of taking on a graceless, or worse, opponent who is demonstrably wrong (evil?), on their terms or not is enormous and ubiquitous. How important is the win?

    It is vital that the “dirty” side respect the ability and resolve of the “good.” Otherwise, they will run rampant, gaining huge advantage.

    That is what has happened with the Progressives and the Left. They have run amok and their demands are ever more disruptive and insane. We are, nonetheless, on the verge of Speaker Pelosi, II. The courts? Without huge structural reforms, justice is doomed.

    I am fine with anyone who chooses to take them on using their own tactics against them. We are well past the time reason, of itself, can prevail. They bring fists? We bring fists. They bring more? We bring more. Without apology.

    Ed from SFV (6d42fa)

  120. Off topic, but kudos for good detective work. Now, if she gets a plea deal with no jail time, that’s a different story….

    https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/senior-fincen-employee-arrested-and-charged-unlawfully-disclosing-sars

    ColoComment (8277f9)

  121. In court you have rules of behavior that are (usually) enforced on both sides. In politics you don’t.

    Is it really the bailiff and his gun that are stopping you from bad behavior in court? Or is it your own self-restraint? I suggest that it’s the latter.

    Abandoning self-restraint is a bad idea. But it would be a true tribute to our POTUS, who has none.

    You don’t want your kids seeing you shoot that finger. What is that, if not your own self-restraint trying to peep through?

    Beldar (fa637a)

  122. “Hard to imagine Jeb Bush not caving in light of the antics the Democrats pulled over Kavanaugh.”

    Just like Jeb’s wussy RINO daddy did when … oh wait? Bush 41 didn’t cave? Who would have imagined?!

    Imagination, or the lack thereof, is not a compelling argument.

    Kavanaugh worked in the administration of Jeb’s brother, who quietly lobbied to get him confirmed – and who had stuck with him through earlier difficulties. Yet it must be asserted as a religious truth, or a scientific axiom, that Jeb would definitely have abandoned Kavanaugh! After all, Trump himself told us that everyone but himself would have done so. And when Donald Trump declares his own absolute superiority over all others, who could doubt him?

    Radegunda (b0ffbf)

  123. It’s an interesting exercise to contemplate how we got to the point that civility in public discourse became an obvious liability.

    vince52 (d22525)

  124. Also, I don’t think I have called any particular person who posts here a “Trumpista.” I have only described a pattern of behavior. But anyone who recognizes him/herself in that description is welcome to wear the label proudly.

    Radegunda (b0ffbf)

  125. Instead of obssessing over his many faults, perhaps one should contemplate why he succeeded when McCain and Romney did not.

    Because he was running against Hillary Clinton instead of Barack Obama.

    Mystery solved!

    What should we contemplate next, instead of obsessing over his many faults?

    Dave (9664fc)

  126. So Jason Leopold seems to have been a recipient of miss Edwards selective info, among others

    Narciso (d1f714)

  127. “You don’t want your kids seeing you shoot that finger.”
    Beldar (fa637a) — 10/17/2018 @ 4:13 pm

    It didn’t seem to be a concern for that Portland driver accosted by Antifa.

    I raise a mug to his lack of self restraint.

    https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2018/10/portland_driver_at_center_of_v.html

    Munroe (fdb800)

  128. “Because he was running against Hillary Clinton instead of Barack Obama.”

    He’s been running against Barack Obama’s record ever since. Some better questions might be ‘why did the GOP see fit to nominate John McCain, even then a synonym for ‘RINO’ among the conservative set, as their standard-bearer against Barack Obama?”

    “It’s an interesting exercise to contemplate how we got to the point that civility in public discourse became an obvious liability.”

    The answer is ‘when rules of decorum are enforced as debate and conversation-stoppers to cover for operations against national interests and personal freedoms, usually by people whose prior actions and professions are strongly against the interests and traditions of their voters.’ If the veneer of civility is experienced more often as a cover for thieves than a common parlance, so much the worse for those keeping up the act when the victims go searching for revenge!

    ‘You don’t want your kids seeing you shoot that finger.’

    Not in court, at least. But life is not a courtroom, despite the best efforts of attorneys and judges in the Party of Criminals to make it that way.

    Kids have to learn about strong public expressions of disrespect sometime, just like they have to learn about sex, and especially how to avoid and mitigate the Stormies and Swetnicks of the world. (Spoiler: They thrive on being more willing to cross the line publicly then their more straightlaced or respectable opponents, and are utterly thrown off when someone actually does it. A culture of civility rewards the most reprehensible people from the most reprehensible professions, a culture of incivility lowers discourse but removes their ability to count on public hypocrisy to protect them.)

    “Rick Perry had it right from the outset: The man is a cancer on the Republican Party.”

    Rick Perry apparently doesn’t believe in it enough to jeapordize his current DOE job (amazing longevity for this admin, by the way!,) which is likely serving his interests and the interests of the country far better than staying in the race for President to the bitter end to make a point, a la Kasich. Kids these days watch actions more than words, and will take the lessons accordingly.

    Pencil-necked Pundit (e6f6da)

  129. Remember that time when Jim Baker had gotten Traci Lords to sign that NDA in favor of Ronald Reagan, but nevertheless she made fun of Ronald Reagan’s penis, and he called her a horseface?

    Neither do I.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  130. It is ridiculous to suppose any R president would have withdrawn Kavanaugh’s nomination. It’s ridiculous because it would have been obvious to anyone that it would do no good.

    It’s not as if nominating Kavanaugh had been shown in retrospect to have been a mistake, and Trump should instead have nominated someone with no accusations against him. At the time he was nominated Kavanaugh had no accusations against him either. The nomination caused the accusation. Had anyone else been nominated instead a substantially similar accusation would have been made against him or her.

    Therefore had the tactic worked the Dems would have had no reason not to use it again against the next nominee, and the one after that. Any R president would have understood that if s/he were to withdraw K and nominate someone else, six weeks or so later there’d be hearings, and then just before the vote an accuser would come out of the woodwork like clockwork, and we’d be back where we were, so what would be the point?

    milhouse (a81aba)

  131. Good to see you here, milhouse. 🙂

    Beldar (fa637a)

  132. Thank you. I’m getting sick of the vicious, toxic Trumpalos at Legal Insurrection, and the moderators’ refusal to do anything about them. The one thing I know they will not tolerate is prison rape jokes, because every time I report one it quietly disappears, for which I am grateful.

    milhouse (a81aba)

  133. There is no contradiction between holding the president in contempt and believing that one can best serve the country by serving him.

    milhouse (a81aba)

  134. Is it really the bailiff and his gun that are stopping you from bad behavior in court?

    This is the fundamental frame of reference problem that most legal types fail to grasp right here. The bailiff (my father worked as one for a short while) maintains order 99.999% of the time without resorting to violence only because he is willing and able to commit violence. Take away that threat or take away the bailiff entirely and the only way order can be maintained is via the threat of violence from the remaining parties. In a court room BOTH parties are under the domain of the bailiff (the bailiff of course under a higher authority himself). In politics, and especially in the most extreme form of politics…war, there is no effective controlling legal authority. The closest thing you have is a few pieces of paper, be they a constitution or signed treaties. Those pieces of paper only hold value if BOTH parties interpret it and respect them in a similar manner. Without that, things devolve first to taunts and threats and barring any viable resulting of those, ultimately violence. This is obvious to those willing to do the analysis.

    Skorcher (5b282a)


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