Dolt 45

Late Night Learned Helplessness Open Thread: The Mockening!

by Anne Laurie| June 12, 201812:37 am| 83 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Foreign Affairs, Open Threads, Republican Venality, All Too Normal, Assholes, Decline and Fall

Trump and Kim just allowed Singapore government TV cameras into their lunch but not WH pool. Trump said to Host TV: “Are you getting a nice photo… So we look nice and handsome and beautiful and perfect?"

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 12, 2018

Today in “pictures that clearly won’t be used for North Korean propaganda or come back to haunt the US”

(?: AP Photo/Evan Vucci) pic.twitter.com/yuJuegi0qZ

— Hayes Brown (@HayesBrown) June 12, 2018

First report was a paraphrase. The exact full Trump quote appears to be: "We'll be tremendously successful. It's my honor, and we will have a terrific relationship. I have no doubt."

— Anthony Zurcher (@awzurcher) June 12, 2018

Kim: "I brought a portable toilet!"
Trump: "I brought John Bolton and Stephen Miller!"
Kim: "I see we are on equal terms." https://t.co/SehVruNAhc

— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) June 11, 2018

The fact that I am having a meeting is a major loss for the U.S., say the haters & losers. We have our hostages, testing, research and all missle launches have stoped, and these pundits, who have called me wrong from the beginning, have nothing else they can say! We will be fine!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018

That moment when you realize that Trump will tout an agreement with Kim to "halt all missle testing" and then Kim will be all "Psych! We didn't say we'd stop developing 'missiles'!" https://t.co/F4BFD3ge5D

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) June 11, 2018

I’m not sure it’s possible to capture an entire era in one image, but Dennis Rodman running a cryptocurrency grift on live TV from the North Korea summit while wearing a MAGA is a serious nominee https://t.co/Qs7aQ4w6n8

— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) June 12, 2018

Dennis Rodman, who famously calls Kim Jong Un “a friend for life,” got emotional talking about the North Korean leader's historic meeting with Trump today: "I knew things were going to change. I knew it." pic.twitter.com/MykOCf1DD4

— POLITICO (@politico) June 12, 2018

CNN talking heads just now: look Dennis Rodman is our best resource for understanding Kim Jong Un

— Alexandra Petri (@petridishes) June 12, 2018

What makes everything so stupid is not that this is obviously false but that it is perhaps true. https://t.co/3NtVfaqbuf

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) June 12, 2018

pic.twitter.com/noIYsJUmGa

— Essential Consultant Pass Through LLC (@barricko_bama) June 12, 2018

WH Press Secretary Sarah Sanders called Dennis Rodman to thank him for his effort in Singapore and his support of President Trump, according to Rodman’s agent, Darren Prince.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 12, 2018

If you‘re Kim Jong Un and your entire experience w America is Donald Trump & Dennis Rodman, would you give up your nukes?

— Philippe Reines (@PhilippeReines) June 12, 2018

Late Night Learned Helplessness Open Thread: The Mockening!Post + Comments (83)

LIve Coverage of Trump-Kim Summit

by Cheryl Rofer| June 11, 20188:07 pm| 189 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Live Blogging, All we want is life beyond the thunderdome, Blatant Liars and the Lies They Tell

Enjoy. From Channel NewsAsia. Trump and Kim will be meeting within an hour.

LIve Coverage of Trump-Kim SummitPost + Comments (189)

Late Night Derision Open Thread: Gaping Maw at the Center of the Political… Rump

by Anne Laurie| June 9, 201811:09 pm| 93 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Foreign Affairs, Open Threads, Republican Stupidity, Clown Shoes

Merkel's team uploaded this to her Instagram, describing it only as "a spontaneous meeting between two working sessions." pic.twitter.com/ngqHCtpujs

— David Mack (@davidmackau) June 9, 2018

The incredible photo we're all sharing today was taken by Jesco Denzel, a German government photographer. He gets credited in very few of the viral tweets. Website here: https://t.co/X3hEMsEVN4 pic.twitter.com/3VfaX6ssli

— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) June 9, 2018

Anyone else reminded of the old joke that starts “One day the different parts of the body were having an argument to see which should be in charge…”?

That photo is out of Merkel’s office. Here’s almost the same moment from the Trump WH perspective. https://t.co/YWfixHkTm7 pic.twitter.com/jqWb83oPDa

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) June 9, 2018

That second pic is from Dan Scavino, Trump’s former golf caddy and current tweet-ghostwriter.

This is what it looks like when you're at the helm of a superpower. The otherwise most powerful people in world crowd around you as you sit back and field questions pic.twitter.com/hHFEsNirPQ

— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) June 9, 2018

Hmmm. My first reaction is parents pleading w the killer to tell them where he buried the bodies. https://t.co/X9iqopDVcK

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) June 9, 2018

In both cases, the woman was right. pic.twitter.com/TveQ0Hb81P

— Schooley (@Rschooley) June 9, 2018

Whomever did this, really nailed it. pic.twitter.com/xu7QmOpi3E

— Spry Guy (@SpryGuy) June 10, 2018

Late Night Derision Open Thread: Gaping Maw at the Center of the Political… RumpPost + Comments (93)

Don’t Read This Post If You’re Having A Nice Saturday

by Cheryl Rofer| June 9, 20188:36 pm| 148 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, domestic terrorists, Foreign Affairs, Open Threads, All we want is life beyond the thunderdome

Donald Trump came late to the breakfast on gender equality at the G7 meeting.

Trump just disrespected women at a gender equality breakfast, and the women’s faces say it all: https://t.co/R1g85FQ1MI qua @YouTube

— Politics US (@Moonlog34195133) June 10, 2018

Then he gave a press availability before he departed the meeting early. It was fairly long for such things. Daniel Dale covered it with his usual thoroughness.

Trump thanks Trudeau and says, "The people of Canada are wonderful, it's a great country…beautiful country, I might add."

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 9, 2018

Most notable was this question and answer.

President Trump says he thinks he’ll know “within the first minute” if North Korea is serious about peace https://t.co/MVjRocxDyj pic.twitter.com/DIf6s1ELuC

— CNN (@CNN) June 9, 2018

Angela Merkel's office has released this photo taken today at the G7, which tells you a lot about how things went. pic.twitter.com/IXX6K3ayys

— David Mack (@davidmackau) June 9, 2018

As you might imagine, any number of variants on that photo are showing up on my timeline. Justin Trudeau gave Trump a framed photo of Trump’s grandfather’s, um, hotel.

Great moment between @JustinTrudeau and @POTUS when he gave him picture of the President’s grandfather’s hotel in Canada. #G72018 pic.twitter.com/mtl5c7QPB3

— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 9, 2018

But then, once Air Force One was in the air, Trudeau said that Trump had insulted Canada and that their tariffs would go into effect July 1. I don’t know if Air Force One has wifi, or if the tweets came while they were refueling at Ramstein Air Force Base, but here they are.

Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018

PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, “US Tariffs were kind of insulting” and he “will not be pushed around.” Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018

And so on to the summit with Kim Jong Un in Singapore.

Peter Baker has a pretty good summary in the New York Times if you would prefer a narrative.

Don’t Read This Post If You’re Having A Nice SaturdayPost + Comments (148)

This Friday’s Trump-Dump Open Thread: Sucking Up to His Master, Putin… and #Failing

by Anne Laurie| June 8, 20185:22 pm| 93 Comments

This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., Dolt 45, Foreign Affairs, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Russiagate, Go Fuck Yourself, Not Normal

On South Lawn before departing for Canada, Trump calls for Russia to be reinstated in G-8 (which has been the G-7 since the annexation of Crimea)

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) June 8, 2018

President Trump says Russia should be allowed back into the G7 https://t.co/UtW5t5kYLb https://t.co/QitUSIN7Nx

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 8, 2018

This was a carefully-practiced line. He prepared for this. It was very important to him. It's obvious in how he says it; how he is visibly remembering the precise words he came up with. https://t.co/dX4sbgx2aW

— Adam Davidson (@adamdavidson) June 8, 2018

Here's the official transcript of Trump's call for Russia's inclusion. He was not asked about Russia at all — the question was something about people calling this summit a "G6 plus 1" because of the divide with him. pic.twitter.com/DUHLouVC5a

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 8, 2018

Putin’s spokesman on Trump’s G8 comments, basically thanks but no thanks. “We’re putting an accent on other formats” https://t.co/SbueGVHfIZ

— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) June 8, 2018

I will not stoop to being a member of any club that would have me as a member, you loser!

show full post on front page

What’s particularly stupid about these comments, btw, is that Russia is still a member of the G20, which is the more important forum at this point. https://t.co/V0cZgauKON

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) June 8, 2018

According to my reporting, the expulsion from the G8 upset Vladimir Putin more than economic sanctions. My question is: if you're a master deal-maker, why do you give someone who sees the world in stark, zero-sum terms the thing he wants most without getting anything in return?

— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) June 8, 2018

Clearly, in Trump's mind, "we" is he and Putin.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) June 8, 2018

Say what you will about Trump, he sure is loyal to the country that elected him. https://t.co/7Lw4gvLi3y

— Rep. John Yarmuth (@RepJohnYarmuth) June 8, 2018

Russia was kicked out of G7 because Putin invaded Ukraine & annexed Crimea. Letting Russia back in without any change in Russian behavior would Make America Look Weak Again. https://t.co/lyrBn9KCFZ

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) June 8, 2018

Canada is flatly rejecting Donald Trump's suggestion to reinstate Russia in the G7, four years after it was expelled from the group of industrialized nations for annexing Ukraine's Crimea. You can watch Trump's comments below https://t.co/ytZVt2PCf3 pic.twitter.com/UlA01vGHFj

— CBC Politics (@CBCPolitics) June 8, 2018

The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a 6 country agreement if need be. Because these 6 countries represent values, they represent an economic market which has the weight of history behind it and which is now a true international force https://t.co/UA86fcjozs

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 7, 2018

Trump's call to readmit Russia to G-7 is appalling. But shocker is that Italy's populist govt has backed Trump rather than siding with Europe, which provides its currency and stabilises its debt burden. The most imminent geoeconomic crisis may still be in the eurozone.

— Sebastian Mallaby (@scmallaby) June 8, 2018

Bill Clinton didn’t invite Russia to join G-7 because Russia was a major economy. He did it to give Yeltsin something while US was pushing NATO enlargement forward. What would be reason to go back to a G-8 other than Trump needing a friend? Bigger question now is US staying in.

— Jim Goldgeier (@JimGoldgeier) June 8, 2018

One reason Trump would want Russia back at the G7/8 table: He wouldn't have to be the biggest villain at the table anymore. https://t.co/F4AxcN2Z6i

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) June 8, 2018

So, let's see where we are.

Closest allies alienated ??
Insane trade-war underway ??
Rule of law in peril ??
North Korea rewarded with lavish fete ??
Russia offered legitimizing of military conquest ??

But Gorsuch ??
But muh tax cut ??

Take a bow, everyone https://t.co/kCRvdwtaxB

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 8, 2018

This Friday’s Trump-Dump Open Thread: Sucking Up to His Master, Putin… and #FailingPost + Comments (93)

Open Thread: I’m Objectively FOR Getting Trump Out of the White House

by Anne Laurie| June 7, 20186:57 pm| 207 Comments

This post is in: Dog Blogging, Dolt 45, Election 2018, Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat

The way my dog eats watermelon is everything ?? pic.twitter.com/DOnklK9uEP

— jenelle (@JenelleBnstr) June 5, 2018

Because some of us are capable of as much discrimination as that dog, pundits…

(scene: a restaurant somewhere)

Waiter: Ready to order?

Dem: I'll have the steak.

Pundit: You can't just be AGAINST pork! You have to be FOR something!

Dem: I'm FOR steak.

Pundit: Being ANTI-PORK isn't enough to win!

Dem: I just…

Pundit: This is why Trump won, ya know.

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) June 7, 2018

Today’s @NBCNews poll shows that running against Trump is a much better position in the fall than running with him by a huge margin. While Trump is popular among GOP primary voters, he is poisonous among general election voters.

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) June 7, 2018

So a better question the media should ask instead of what are Dems going to run on besides being against Trump, is what are Republicans going to run on besides being for Trump and his agenda? https://t.co/A35aSBeOwi

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) June 7, 2018

WsJ/NBC poll: "By a whopping 25-point margin, voters say they're more likely to back a congressional candidate who promises to serve as a check on President Donald Trump"https://t.co/zUnYuPWGQq

— Tim Mak (@timkmak) June 7, 2018

This number will only worsen for R’s.

You can sell an empty promise.

Once it’s sold and you don’t deliver though, you’re in for some major anger from the people who actually believed you… https://t.co/wegIj8rZUn

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) June 7, 2018

"Don't make it about Trump" has been dumb all along. I've been saying forever that in the end it's going to be 80-90% about Trump. Candidates would be stupid to not talk about other things. They have to. But it'll mostly be about standing up to or rolling over for Trump. https://t.co/LDCP0g0zbu

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) June 7, 2018

Open Thread: I’m Objectively *FOR* Getting Trump Out of the White HousePost + Comments (207)

Open Thread: Invertebrate Paul Ryan Indicates A Shift in the Political Tide

by Anne Laurie| June 6, 20186:43 pm| 162 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Election 2018, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Russiagate, Ryan Lyin' Weasel, Assholes

Breaking News: Paul Ryan dismissed President Trump’s charge of a spy in his campaign and warned against his pardoning himself: “No one is above the law” https://t.co/GlRE5L6PoO

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 6, 2018

Paul Ryan splits with Trump, says ‘no evidence’ FBI spied on president’s campaign, via @karoun @mikedebonis https://t.co/KicdSjZnIw

— John Wagner (@WPJohnWagner) June 6, 2018

“We don’t talk about committee business,” Nunes told me when I tried to ask him about this. He spoke this weekend on Fox about Gowdy remarks. https://t.co/DEH8EDajZ0

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 6, 2018

Cynics point out that Paulie No-Balls waited until well after Trump’s bullshite ‘spygate’ fantasies had become settled wisdom among the Deplorable Base, but I think any sign of Ryan developing an allergy to Republican lies has to be a positive for truth, justice, and the American way:

… Ryan (R-Wis.) described as “accurate” an initial assessment offered by week by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, who told Fox News that “the FBI did exactly what my fellow citizens would want them to do” in investigating information alleging certain Trump campaign advisers had suspicious ties to Russia…

Ryan was careful Wednesday not to disparage all of Nunes’s complaints with the Justice Department, a list of grievances that includes several unfulfilled demands for documents unrelated to the spying accusations. Democrats maintain Nunes is determined to undermine the law enforcement agencies and, by extension, the foundations of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation into whether Trump’s campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the election’s outcome.

Ryan’s announcement appeared to surprise some fellow Republicans pushing for release of that information. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who has floated the possibility of impeaching Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, who oversees Mueller’s probe, declined to comment on Ryan’s take until after he had spoken directly with the speaker…

“We don’t talk about committee business,” Nunes told me when I tried to ask him about this. He spoke this weekend on Fox about Gowdy remarks. https://t.co/DEH8EDajZ0

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 6, 2018

And speaking of organisms supremely sensitive to shifts in the prevailing ‘wisdom’…

I am literally dead now. Kellyanne Conway just called Trump "the Commander of Cheese" pic.twitter.com/zM9UqO0dnt

— Tommy Christopher (@tommyxtopher) June 6, 2018

Commander of Cheese pic.twitter.com/nsmjhcmULx

— Schooley (@Rschooley) June 6, 2018

Open Thread: Invertebrate Paul Ryan Indicates A Shift in the Political TidePost + Comments (162)

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

There will be lawyers.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Fuck if i know. i just get yelled at when i try it.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

This fight is for everything.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

We can agree to disagree, but i’m right.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Something seems odd about that, but i have been drinking.

Consistently wrong since 2002

Women: they get shit done

The math demands it!

How does anyone do Gilligan’s Island as trump world and not cast Jared as Gilligan?

This really is a full service blog.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

This is how realignments happen…

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

Reality always wins in the end.