NYT: Acting Att Gen Whitaker maybe have perjured himself before a US House committee by claiming Trump never tried to pressure him over the Russia probe. https://t.co/uChQKQOXz9
— John Aravosis ???? (@aravosis) February 19, 2019
If Donald Trump asked Whitaker to interfere in the Cohen investigation with the sdny, we've entered some brand new obstruction of justice territory.
It doesn't matter if Whitaker didn't do it. It matters that Trump asked.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) February 19, 2019
As federal prosecutors in Manhattan gathered evidence late last year about President Trump’s role in silencing women with hush payments during the 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump called Matthew G. Whitaker, his newly installed attorney general, with a question. He asked whether Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York and a Trump ally, could be put in charge of the widening investigation, according to several American officials with direct knowledge of the call.
Mr. Whitaker, who had privately told associates that part of his role at the Justice Department was to “jump on a grenade” for the president, knew he could not put Mr. Berman in charge because Mr. Berman had already recused himself from the investigation. The president soon soured on Mr. Whitaker, as he often does with his aides, and complained about his inability to pull levers at the Justice Department that could make the president’s many legal problems go away…
Mr. Trump’s public war on the inquiry has gone on long enough that it is no longer shocking. Mr. Trump rages almost daily to his 58 million Twitter followers that Mr. Mueller is on a “witch hunt” and has adopted the language of Mafia bosses by calling those who cooperate with the special counsel “rats.” His lawyer talks openly about a strategy to smear and discredit the special counsel investigation. The president’s allies in Congress and the conservative news media warn of an insidious plot inside the Justice Department and the F.B.I. to subvert a democratically elected president.
An examination by The New York Times reveals the extent of an even more sustained, more secretive assault by Mr. Trump on the machinery of federal law enforcement. Interviews with dozens of current and former government officials and others close to Mr. Trump, as well as a review of confidential White House documents, reveal numerous unreported episodes in a two-year drama.
White House lawyers wrote a confidential memo expressing concern about the president’s staff peddling misleading information in public about the firing of Michael T. Flynn, the Trump administration’s first national security adviser. Mr. Trump had private conversations with Republican lawmakers about a campaign to attack the Mueller investigation. And there was the episode when he asked his attorney general about putting Mr. Berman in charge of the Manhattan investigation.Mr. Whitaker, who this month told a congressional committee that Mr. Trump had never pressured him over the various investigations, is now under scrutiny by House Democrats for possible perjury…
The story of Mr. Trump’s attempts to defang the investigations has been voluminously covered in the news media, to such a degree that many Americans have lost track of how unusual his behavior is. But fusing the strands reveals an extraordinary story of a president who has attacked the law enforcement apparatus of his own government like no other president in history, and who has turned the effort into an obsession. Mr. Trump has done it with the same tactics he once used in his business empire: demanding fierce loyalty from employees, applying pressure tactics to keep people in line and protecting the brand — himself — at all costs.
It is a public relations strategy as much as a legal strategy — a campaign to create a narrative of a president hounded by his “deep state” foes. The new Democratic majority in the House, and the prospect of a wave of investigations on Capitol Hill this year, will test whether the strategy shores up Mr. Trump’s political support or puts his presidency in greater peril. The president has spent much of his time venting publicly about there being “no collusion” with Russia before the 2016 election, which has diverted attention from a growing body of evidence that he has tried to impede the various investigations…
Significant cameos from various high-profile Republican thugs:
… At a time when Mr. Trump’s lawyers were urging him to cooperate with Mr. Mueller and to tone down his Twitter feed, the president’s fiercest allies in Congress and the conservative news media were busy trying to flip the script on the federal law enforcement agencies and officials who began the inquiry into Mr. Trump’s campaign.
Mr. Gaetz and Mr. Jordan began huddling with like-minded Republicans, sometimes including Representative Mark Meadows, a press-savvy North Carolinian close to Mr. Trump, and Representative Devin Nunes of California, the head of the House Intelligence Committee.
Using Congress’s oversight powers, the Republican lawmakers succeeded in doing what Mr. Trump could not realistically do on his own: force into the open some of the government’s most sensitive investigative files — including secret wiretaps and the existence of an F.B.I. informant — that were part of the Russia inquiry.
House Republicans opened investigations into the F.B.I.’s handling of the Clinton email case and a debunked Obama-era uranium deal indirectly linked to Mrs. Clinton. The lawmakers got a big assist from the Justice Department, which gave them private texts recovered from two senior F.B.I. officials who had been on the Russia case…
DOJ is standing by Whitaker who is standing by his testimony. Statement from DOJ spokesperson Kerri Kupec: pic.twitter.com/kZzT7j35oO
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) February 19, 2019
This is not a denial that Trump asked. https://t.co/yObMMcsjVH
— Zeddy (@Zeddary) February 19, 2019
As often happens, White House was fully briefed on story’s reportage and did not choose to say anything ahead of publication. Then POTUS comments after. https://t.co/9cQZ6eL0kk
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 19, 2019
joel hanes
Lock them all up.
schrodingers_cat
T regime reminds me of the beginning of an old Indian folk tale, अंधेर नगरी चौपट राजा
Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)
As always, the president believes the federal government is his own personal property. He’ll go to his grave believing that, and he’ll never understand why so many uppity, presumptuous citizens were dead set on stopping him from using his property as he saw fit.
Villago Delenda Est
Anything that portrays the orange crybaby in an accurate light is “fake news”.
MJS
Just as we found out definitively that Trump directed Cohen to make payments to women, we will find out definitively that he asked Whitaker to get the SDNY to back off.
A Ghost To Most
I still think the under/over on Emperor Tang leaving office is August 9.
schrodingers_cat
@A Ghost To Most: Why that date
Jeffro
Can’t be much of a surprise here…if trumpov was ok with the investigation, then he’d be short about 10,000 tweets. If trumpov was ok with sessions, or had a legitimate reason to fire him, same thing. If Monumentally Unqualified Whitaker was anything but a trumpov hack put in place to try and figure out a way to kneecap the SC’s investigation, he wouldn’t be there.
(Same with Barr, btw)
I’m not sure why this is a revelation. Whitaker was always intended to help with the obstruction efforts. No other rationale makes sense.
Yarrow
Traitors, all.
Also:
Not just tax cuts. Protecting himself because he was chair of the Republican convention and knew all about the treason that was happening. I believe in today’s vernacular we call that “collusion.”
Tick tock, motherfuckers.
Radiumgirl
@MJS: We already know he asked Comey to drop the investigation into Gen. Flynn. Why wouldn’t he try the same stunt with Whitaker?
chris
Devin Nunes also, too.
rikyrah
Of course Whitaker lied??
SFAW
@schrodingers_cat:
Nixon, 8/9/74
A Ghost To Most
@schrodingers_cat: Richard Noxin’s resignation date. Historical symmetry?
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
But you see, the thing is, he wasn’t democratically elected. At least not legitimately. I hope future historians will look back on this era and see him for the treasonous, illegitimate would-be autocrat that he is.
Aleta
The links to articles referenced are all in this thread.
And today: (Vox)
CNN hires GOP operative with no journalism experience to coordinate its 2020 coverage
Sarah Isgur once referred to her new employer as the “Clinton News Network.” By Aaron Rupar @atrupar
Felanius Kootea
Why is Whitaker willing to go to jail for #45? I don’t understand the loyalty pledge that many Republicans have taken to put their allegiance to this buffoon over their allegiance to country.
Why is this new revelation not an impeachable offense? At first I was of the mind that the Senate not going along was reason not to try but now I think we need the hearings just to make it clear how warped this administration is. Otherwise, we continue with the “boiling frog” effect until #45 literally murders someone and everyone just shrugs and says “he can’t be indicted, let’s sort this out at the ballot box.”
mad citizen
Why oh why is this taking so long?
Adam L Silverman
@chris:
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.):
That makes me wonder a few things that scare the hell out of me:
1. If given the opportunity, would Trump imprison/kill his opponents? Not even just VIPs like Pelosi, but grassroots protesters and activists; average citizens who disapprove of him and try to exercise their rights.
2. Would the military/DHS follow his orders if given cover (eg “terrorist attack”, “mass rioting” etc) and shoot American civilians? It wouldn’t have to be all of them. Plenty of them are Republicans and we’ve heard lately what they think of their political opponents; that they can’t legitimately hold political power. Trump may not even directly order it; some reactionary troops deployed under martial law might shoot protesters for being “totalitarian libturds”, even without their CO’s orders/permission.
That’s how bad things I think could get if something crazy happens. Political polarization, particularly on the right, has gotten that bad imo.
Villago Delenda Est
@Aleta:
The only apology from Dean Baquet I’ll ever entertain is a Captain Needa apology
schrodingers_cat
@SFAW:@A Ghost To Most: Thanks! I didn’t know.
MagdaInBlack
@mad citizen:
Because there’s so much and it’s so bad.
Amir Khalid
@Felanius Kootea:
It seems to me that as long as the Republican party holds the US Senate and Mitch McConnell is majority leader, nothing that Trump does, however heinous and/or blatantly illegal, will be considered impeachable. Especially because impeachment is precisely what the “Democrat party” will be howling for.
raven
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: At again huh? A lot of shit “might” happen. Take a fucking walk or something.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@raven:
Sorry. If it bothers you, Adam can delete it. I wouldn’t have any problem with it. Again, I’m sorry.
Citizen Alan
@Amir Khalid:
I started back in 2005 pointing out to people that a President who has the loyalty of 34 Senators in all things is effectively a dictator in every way that matters.
patrick II
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
He Kidnaps children atthe border, and people followhis orders to do so. He treats their lives as worthless. He would have no trouble seeing someone killed if it benefitted him. So far he has been constrained by institution and law.
zhena gogolia
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
It doesn’t need to be deleted. Just try not to fantasize all the bad things that could happen. I’m prone to the same thing.
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@raven: Some things are predictable, as you know.
@zhena gogolia: Very well put; thank you.
Adam L Silverman
@Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho: You have mail.
Raven
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: I don’t give a rats ass.
chris
@mad citizen: Well, imagine that you discovered that the shitgibbon has been a Russian asset. For decades. Might take a while to roll it all up.
Raven
I’m so tired of being tired
Sure as night will follow day
Most things I worry about
Never happen anyway
T Petty
chris
@Adam L Silverman: Yup, the interview is terrifying.
Ruckus
@Amir Khalid:
Which is why the smart people like Nancy don’t talk about it. It’s more than just a waste of time it is another point on which the republicans will hold the line unless it is so obvious that shit for brains has to go that the only person not to know is shit for brains.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Raven:
I’m just trying to be nice here.
@zhena gogolia:
I’ll add it to my list of things to not do.
@Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho:
That’s a little uncalled for, don’t you think? I don’t think I worry about stuff like that any more than anybody else does around here.
A Ghost To Most
@zhena gogolia: Time to fantasize about what’s coming down on them. They took their Wile E. Coyote coup shot. Loose the Acme safe.
Patricia Kayden
@Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.): Yep.
https://twitter.com/shaneharris/status/1098033729350582272
Trump demands personal loyalty from his people. He has no concept of loyalty to the country.
Ohio Mom
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: You mean, could Kent State happen again? There are other examples too, just can’t call them up at the moment.
Yes. But hopefully they will continue to be relatively isolated events. One thing to remember is that our government is very fragmented, with not only with different branches but also all the levels, local, state and federal.
In the meantime, try to cultivate an ethic of hope — I stole that from Josh Marshall, who has said optimism is a moral posture.
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@Adam L Silverman: Heading over to the mailbox now.
Aleta
@Aleta:
Flores was:
> Political director of Texans for Ted Cruz in 2009
> A Romney 2012 advisor
> Deputy Comms director for the RNC in 2013/2014
> Carly Fiorina’s 2016 deputy campaign manager
> Spokeswoman for Jeff Sessions
And @CNN’s just putting her in charge of straight news? https://t.co/ofBv93gC07
— Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) February 19, 2019
From Vox, more about her at link
(don’t know why she’s called flores here)
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho:
Look, I don’t make a big deal of this, but I can sense a lot of hostility from you towards me. I don’t know what I said or did, but I apologize.
plato
Ruckus
I got home from work a bit ago and just opened my email to find a notice from BS that he is running for pres. As I’ve had a couple of rather shitty days, I encouraged him, in very enlisted navy language, what he could best do for the country. I have to say I feel a bit better.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Ohio Mom:
Thanks. I normally do, but sometimes Trump, despite his buffoonish nature, can be scary sometimes because he has so many people around him who are willing to carry out his agenda either because they’re true believers or they have their own agendas. Ethic of hope, huh? That’s a pretty cool turn of phrase Marshall came up with. I’ll remember that.
Mike in NC
Standing by my story that Whitaker is not a lawyer, but a pro wrestler that Trump met at a WWE event and decided to give a job to.
Aleta
@Aleta:
A: Sarah Isgur Flores was or is her name. Most outlets today are using Sarah Isgur, maybe her preference now.
MagdaInBlack
@Ohio Mom:
Funny, I was just thinking about Kent State myself.
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
If we thought about all the possible things that could go wrong each day, we’d never get out of bed. Its ok to consider the possibilities, just don’t let yourself get caught up in them.
That being said, don’t apologize. Its ok to stress out now and then. The oaf in the oval does that to people ☺️
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but I believe your sense of my hostility toward you is exaggerated.
Have you read the way I reply to my beloved raven at times, or Steve in the ATL, or especially Omnes, to whom I’m often pretty snotty? You’ll need to ask them, but I don’t get the sense that they sense hostility from me.
I apologize if I’ve troubled you.
hilts
@Aleta:
I cited that story in a previous thread. CNN is giving Fox News a serious run for the money as the most worthless name in cable news.
Ohio Mom
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: I am sure you have heard what Mr. Rogers’ mother told him about calamities: Look for the helpers.
There are always helpers, and they restore and strengthen our faith in humanity. One day, when you finish becoming a nurse, you will be one of the helpers. In the interim, you will live through more history and gain more perspective.
@Ruckus: LOL. Hearing that Sanders threw his hat in was the first thing I read this morning. Did not exactly make me excited to greet the day. Lucky you had a few extra hours of innocence.
MomSense
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
I catastrophize sometimes, too. I call them my 3:00 a.m thoughts. Try and breathe, move your body to burn up some anxiety, and build an IRL support system of people who can talk you down from the ledge.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho:
Well, I feel silly now. No problem. Sometimes, I probably read a little too much into someone’s words. It’s a flaw of mine.
Amir Khalid
@Citizen Alan:
34 Senators on the President’s side will keep 2/3 of that body voting to remove him from office, but as I understand it a Senate majority leader on the President’s side will keep impeachment proceedings from taking place at all, let alone such a vote.
Gravenstone
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Just. Stop.
Frankensteinbeck
@Felanius Kootea:
He’s not. “I won’t get caught” is an incredibly common thought process, that operates even in the face of other people getting caught all around them.
Amir Khalid
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
Please don’t start that again.
schrodingers_cat
@Felanius Kootea: Because they like what he is doing. Or he has blackmailed them.
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: No worries. Think of it as a habit, rather than a flaw. Habits are learned and new ones can be learned.
Judgment isn’t helpful to you. – I suspect we all judge ourselves worse than any one else. As Ohio Mom notes, later on you’ll be a helper, and in the meantime, catastrophizing only raises your cortisol levels and blood pressure. Ask me how I know.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@MagdaInBlack: @MomSense: @Ohio Mom:
????
Tbh, I’m not that worried about it that it causes me significant anxiety. It’s a more distant anxiety than an immediate one, if that makes sense.
MagdaInBlack
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
Here’s something to consider: you’re living through historic times. This IS history in the making.
These truly are “interesting times.”
?
(Yes, I’m a history major)
Ohio Mom
@MomSense: And they ARE 3:00 am thoughts.
Ohio Dad needed a new clock for his nightstand and for Hanukkah I gave him one full of gadgets — Ohio Dad loves gadgets. Among the things this clock does is project the time onto the ceiling in large, bright red numerals.
Now when I wake up in the middle of the night, beset with worries and anxieties, I can’t help but see the time on the celing above. It is ALWAYS sometime between three and four. Then I make myself turn over.
Like clockwork you might say.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Gravenstone:
You got it.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Amir Khalid:
Apologize and move on. That’s what I did. I don’t want this to take over the thread.
But her emails!!!
@MagdaInBlack:
I never wanted to live in interesting times. I wanted to live in boring times and read about interesting times.
Jackie
@Gravenstone: PLEASE. JUST. STOP.
MagdaInBlack
@But her emails!!!:
You made me laugh with that ☺️
Yarrow
@Mike in NC: He’s Butterbean.
Jackie
@Gravenstone: PLEASE. JUST. STOP. Meant this to Goki.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Jackie:
Got it. See my comment at 37
Ohio Mom
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Here are my last words on this topic:
It’s harder for some of us to gauge things like tone, intent
and subtext in person, let alone in pixels.
And it’s harder for some of us to cut others slack.
Now off to my evening ablution.
Yarrow
@Ohio Mom:
Oh, that’s awful. I couldn’t live with that. Every time I woke up in the middle of the night I’d feel like it was taunting me. It’s also bad for sleep hygiene, but that’s a separate issue.
If I were in your position I’d tell him it’s a right shame that the projecting part of fancy gadget clock broke. Funny how that hammer just happened to slip like that.
Amir Khalid
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
So eine Sache passiert bei Balloon Juice oft, und am besten soll man sie missachten.
Ladyraxterinok
@SFAW: That would be 45 years after Nixon! 45! 45! WOW
MomSense
@Ohio Mom:
Oh no! I wake up at that time every night and sometimes it’s really hard to get back to sleep.
You bought that go go gadget clock? Sometimes things fall off nightstands and tables when dusting. ?
hilts
@Ohio Mom:
That will become a lot easier once Trump is beaten on Election Day.
@But her emails!!!:
I second that, although I’d find it very interesting if Jared or Don Jr. were indicted.
Adam L Silverman
@Aleta: She’s married to a guy whose last name is Flores.
MomSense
@But her emails!!!:
Yes!! Me too.
sdhays
The ASSet has named a replacement for Rod Rosenstein: Jeffrey A. Rosen.
What’s going on? At first glance, this guy doesn’t look like a total hack. Did they show Trump someone else’s CV and hoped he wouldn’t notice?
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@Amir Khalid: Ausgezeichnet beraten; vielen dank.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Amir Khalid:
Du hast recht. Ich sollte nicht zulassen, dass solche kleinen Dinge mich stören. Normalerweise nicht. Soweit es mich betrifft, ist es erledigt.
Yarrow
I’d missed this earlier:
Wonder if he really is broke or if it’s a ploy to get donations.
Jay
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
Manditory reading for you,
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/books/2016/jul/15/rebecca-solnit-hope-in-the-dark-new-essay-embrace-unknown
Bookmark it, read it regularly, or buy her book.
Adam L Silverman
@Yarrow: The bigger question, given their preferences, is whether Stone’s wife is included in the lease on the place.
Jay
@Yarrow:
He’s always begging, grifting and conning.
trollhattan
@A Ghost To Most: @SFAW:
If we could bump it forward just two days it would be the most excellent birthday present my brother ever received. And he’s been a Very Good Boy.
trollhattan
@sdhays:
What, they couldn’t find a guy named Stein?
Omnes Omnibus
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Jesus fucking Christ, this shit again?
Amir Khalid
@Yarrow:
I wouldn’t necessarily rule out some kind soul (if you know what I mean) agreeing to pay Roger Stone an exorbitant rent for the place.
Yarrow
@Adam L Silverman: According to the article she sent out an email to supporters saying she was packing and they needed to move to a small apartment to save money. Oh, and she begged for money. I know that doesn’t really answer the question.
Adam L Silverman
@Omnes Omnibus: It’s a full moon!//
Adam L Silverman
@Yarrow: Since I was being a smartass, there really wasn’t a question to answer.
Yarrow
@Amir Khalid: True. Nothing like a little money laundering among Russian assets.
Another Scott
BooMan has a really, really good piece on Pat Caddell at WaMo today:
Yup.
Read the whole thing.
And don’t vote for Wilmer. ;-)
Cheers,
Scott.
Yarrow
@Adam L Silverman: They’ve stuck together throughout the years so it’s pretty clear they’re a team, no matter how they like to mix things up elsewhere.
Ladyraxterinok
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Any of you all willing to say where you learned German?
Adam L Silverman
@Another Scott: He’s locking in the important Iowa endorsements…
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Ladyraxterinok:
Google Translate : )
Omnes Omnibus
@Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho: Bitch.
Adam L Silverman
@Yarrow: At her age, it’s hard to find and train a new submissive.
Another Scott
Twitter Machine:
(via LOLGOP)
“Follow the money…” – A. Silverman.
Cheers,
Scott.
Adam L Silverman
@Another Scott: Caddell’s toupee and dye job were terrible.
Adam L Silverman
@Another Scott: That guy is constantly making me look bad…
Omnes Omnibus
@Adam L Silverman: That explains so much.
Steve in the ATL
@Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho: OMG I KNEW YOU HATED ME!
ETA: I’ll call you in the morning. Just got home.
Jay
@Adam L Silverman:
Subs are easy to train, and a bunch of the new models have more skill and less inhibition due to online pron, than the old models.
hilts
@Another Scott:
Pat Caddell had some political journey.
Eleanor Clift also had a good commentary on him
https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-pat-caddells-political-life-took-him-from-jimmy-carter-to-donald-trump?ref=scroll.
I look forward to Sanders’ campaign flaming out soon after the Iowa caucuses.
Uncle Cosmo
@Amir Khalid: You understand incorrectly. Impeachment is an activity performed by the House of Representatives alone. Articles of impeachment pertaining to a government official (doesn’t have to be & generally has not benn POTUS) are passed by majority vote of those House members present. They are then referred to the Senate, which can by a vote of 2/3 of the members present remove the official from his/her position (which IIRC also means s/he can never hold a Federal government position again).
Impeachment is equivalent to indictment by a grand jury. Removal is equivalent to conviction. Most USAns don’t understand the distinction, so don’t feel badly about the confusion.
hilts
@Adam L Silverman:
Just like his political judgment.
@Adam L Silverman:
Truly sickening. Bernie can go fuck himself.
Steve in the ATL
@Uncle Cosmo: when people say “impeachment” in casual conversations, they generally don’t mean that the House filed articles; they mean that the person was convicted and removed from office. But I suspect you knew that already.
Also, it’s “feel bad” not “feel badly”, unless you are referring to tactile dysfunction.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Aleta:
I’ve been trying to remember all day: Isn’t this an almost exact rerun of something Jeff Zucker did in the first months of the trump admin? bragging about how proud he was to hire I forget which trump flunky while his employees were roasting the hell out of him via leak ?
Yarrow
I missed this yesterday:
More of this, please!
Omnes Omnibus
@Steve in the ATL:
The preferred term is comfortably numb.
Chetan Murthy
@hilts:
Wait, what? I read the inteview (with Ezra Klein). Wilmer’s just saying “no to open borders”. That’s all. Now, I have lots of reasons for not liking Wilmer, but this isn’t one of them. Maybe he’s anti-immigrant (which would be another reason). But nobody in any serious position of influence in the Democratic Party, is for open borders — so this can’t be a reason to dislike Wilmer in particular.
Now, OTOH, Pigmuck? Gosh, why do I think he’s misrepresenting Wilmer’s position (to pretend that Wilmer is as anti-immigrant as he is)?
Yarrow
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Wonder if she’ll actually get the job given the comments today.
Amir Khalid
@Ladyraxterinok:
I am self-taught.
Jeffro
I’m still shocked that the former acting director of the FBI made all the rounds this past weekend, saying that the president* acted as a Russian asset would, and thus merited a Special Counsel…
…and (yawn) nothing’s happening. Dems, where ya at? GOP, you really wanna ride this rocket all the way down?
I’m getting tired of being the only one who is living through history, is what I’m sayin’…put McCabe and trumpov on a debate stage toe to toe, let’s hear it all, let’s see what the RWNJs say when they (finally) hear example after example of how their clown prince has put Russia (and KSA?) first ahead of American interests.
Jeffro
And now trumpov’s after Coats, too…hel-lo, writing on the wall here, GOP? Does this sound like an innocent man?
Steve in the ATL
@Omnes Omnibus: it’s good to have you back!
tobie
@Jeffro: “only one living through history”??? What does that make the rest of us on BJ? Chopped liver? Seriously, though, I’d love to see the Intelligence Committee start holding televised hearings.
A propos regulars on BJ, have Corner Stone or TenguPhule been around in the past few months? I don’t recall seeing them. Hope all is well.
Yarrow
@tobie: I haven’t seen Corner Stone and have been wondering about him. I think someone said TunguPhule was doing something. Taking some time off? I can’t remember.
I also miss efg and wonder if Subaru Diane has talked to him again, especially re: getting him a tablet or laptop.
mvr
@Raven: Good choice!
Omnes Omnibus
@Steve in the ATL: Thanks.
Adam L Silverman
@Yarrow: Tenguphule was given a hiatus by Cole.
jl
Whitiker has to choose which grenade to jump on for the president, looks like. You can only jump on so many grenades, after so many, you just can’t jump on any no more.
So, no point in jumping on an attempt to appoint a person who had already recused themselves, since it wouldn’t work. So, Whitiker jumps on the obstruction grenade. There have been so many obstruction grenades, and so many flunkies ready to jump on them. A tragic anti-heroic story. But, I can wait for the movie.
That is how I read this story.
Yarrow
@Adam L Silverman: Oh. For how long?
dww44
@Mike in NC: LOL. So vey apt.
Uncle Cosmo
@Steve in the ATL: Most USAns over the age of 30 know of at least one President who was impeached by the House but not removed from office by the Senate (in fact there were two such). I suspect you knew that – which makes their misunderstanding of the process damn near inexcusable. I suspect you know that as well.
According to Wiki, 19 Federal officials have been impeached: 8 were convicted &/or removed by the Senate, 7 were acquitted by the Senate, 3 resigned prior to Senate consideration, and 1 was expelled from the US Senate in lieu of consideration of impeachment.
(Little-known fun fact: Nixon was impeached by the House and removed by the Senate. Walter Nixon, that is: Chief Judge of the Southern District of Mississippi, in November 1989. I suspect you didn’t know that – but you could have looked it up just as fast as I did, Counselor.)
As for your note on English usage: As Richard Bruce Cheney famously said to Patrick Leahy on the floor of the Senate, Go fuck yourself.
Mike E
@Uncle Cosmo: Bravo!
Sab
@Uncle Cosmo: Andrew Johnson was elected and served as US Senator fromm Tennessee after his impeachment and renoval as President.
James E Powell
@Yarrow:
Good God, no! More letters expressing concern? What is the matter with these people? Subpoenas!
James E Powell
@Sab:
Andrew Johnson was not removed.
Uncle Cosmo
@Sab:Uh…no. Andrew Johnson avoided removal by a single vote in the Senate. He failed to secure the Presidential nomination of his Democratic Party in 1868 & left the Presidency at the end of his term as elected VPOTUS (Lincoln’s uncompleted term as POTUS) in 1869, stood for & won a US Senate seat in early 1875, and died that summer. You could look it up, y’know.