She has a book coming out on Tuesday, and this Atlantic article is an excerpt. She has nothing good to say about her opponent.
In the roughly 21 months since he took the oath of office, Trump has sunk far below the already-low bar he set for himself in his ugly campaign. Exhibit A is the unspeakable cruelty that his administration has inflicted on undocumented families arriving at the border, including separating children, some as young as eight months, from their parents. According to The New York Times, the administration continues to detain 12,800 children right now, despite all the outcry and court orders. Then there’s the president’s monstrous neglect of Puerto Rico: After Hurricane Maria ravaged the island, his administration barely responded. Some 3,000 Americans died. Now Trump flatly denies those deaths were caused by the storm. And, of course, despite the recent indictments of several Russian military intelligence officers for hacking the Democratic National Committee in 2016, he continues to dismiss a serious attack on our country by a foreign power as a “hoax.”
There’s nothing surprising in the article, not even who’s saying it. Perhaps that she’s saying it out loud and in a way that will, hopefully, get some traction.
She diagnoses five Trump attacks on the country and makes suggestions to counter them, starting with voting Democrats in this November.
Now that the fall campaign is upon us, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are speaking out again. Good to hear from them.
Ella in New Mexico
I am firmly convinced we lost the opportunity to enjoy one of history’s greatest US Presidents by not electing Hillary.
debbie
It’s not the WWC or Wall Street that’s reaped the greatest rewards from Trump’s presidency; it’s publishing! I don’t remember so many books being published so quickly!
scav
So, after a jam-packed infrastructure weekend, we immediately roll into the traditional infrastructure week.
The Dangerman
@Ella in New Mexico:
I think it would have been fascinating to see how she would have been blocked from even getting to fill Scalia’s seat for the first two years and if the Democrats would have gone nuclear if they retook the Senate in 2018.
Cheryl Rofer
@scav: I was thinking something similar. And so are others.
Millard Filmore
An Open Thread! I am surprised that the news of 65 women that signed the letter in support of Kavanaugh has not sparked jokes about Binders Of Women.
Some commenters here think that Trump has not moved against Mueller nor pardoned anyone under his microscope because of the bad political optics. That does not make sense, his only question on that would be “Its not illegal is it?” I think someone in his orbit has convinced him that a move like that would result in a legal maneuver that would result in his income tax returns becoming public.
Amir Khalid
@Ella in New Mexico:
I am convinced of this too.
Adam L Silverman
@Cheryl Rofer: It is always Infrastructure Week!
Aleta
It’s been said before, but to repeat some campaign quotes from Clinton:
“He’s taking hate groups mainstream and helping a radical fringe take over one of America’s two major political parties.”
Trump will target “millions of immigrants and kick them out of the country.”
Trump will “ban Muslims from entering the country.”
“There’s no other Donald Trump. This is it.”
Amir Khalid
@Millard Filmore:
I think the President has been made to understand that anyone he pardons in this case can then be compelled to testify against him. He does have a reason to listen if his survival is at stake.
Mary G
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mary G: I’m neither a fan of Country Music nor Texas, but I’ve always liked Willie.
Millard Filmore
@Amir Khalid: Could be, but he is President and can pass out pardons like candy, for pretty much anything. “Its not illegal is it?” I’m not sure he can take it to level 2 and consider the Forced To Testify part. And so what if they do? Pardon himself! He can do a lot of damage before it really matters for him, especially if Kavanaugh gets in.
And dang it! Someone is already on the Binders Full Of Women before I posted:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211142132#post1
BC in Illinois
My first reaction was one of amazement: “Wow! She has a new book out already!”
It’s not a new book. It’s the paperback edition of “What Happened.” The Atlantic article is an adaptation of the new afterword of the book. Well worth reading, for the clear, blunt statement of our Trump Problem:
– – assault on rule of law
– – legitimacy of elections
– – war on truth and reason
– – “Trump’s breathtaking corruption”
– – national unity (racism)
Then read what she says is needed — things that will be needed for years to come.
I admit, it’s hard for me to read what she says, however spot-on her analysis, without inwardly cringing at the inevitability of the hatefulness of the backlash against her. (Just look at the comments or tweets whenever her name comes up.) But if you read what she says and what she proposes, it’s good.
Chetan Murthy
@Amir Khalid: AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHA!
Mnemosyne
@Mary G:
You gotta love the morons who thought they could actually intimidate Willie fucking Nelson. ???
Chetan Murthy
@Mary G: Ooops, I meant to AHAHAHAHAHAHA to Willie’s great pic!
WarMunchkin
She could run again and win probably.
randy khan
@The Dangerman:
At least one Republican Senator said that the plan was to confirm Garland during the lame duck session if Hillary won, on the theory that he was better than anyone she’d nominate. But of course McConnell could have changed his mind.
And even if that happened, Clinton probably would have had at least one other seat to fill, as I would guess that RBG would have stepped down.
gene108
Demoxrats are in control of the House in 2021, the first thing they need to do is increase the number of seats above the crurrent 435.
More seats for heavily populated areas and EC are votes may fix the issue of the loser of popular vote winning the Presidency.
It would a,so up representation in more Democratic friendly areas and change equation of Democrats having to win rural districts to Republicans having to win urban districts to control the House.
Chetan Murthy
@gene108: DC and Puerto Rico admitted as states!
Frankensteinbeck
@Millard Filmore:
I think you are overestimating Trump. He is behaving like a standard toxic narcissist. He does not save other people to save himself. He does not grasp the concept. Win-win is not an exchange he understands. And even that is describing the toxic narcissist’s thought processes in a deceptively reasonable way. They’re in trouble, so he kicks them. He’s in trouble, so he throws someone else into danger. Basically, he’s a mean shit.
Rommie
Maybe a target-rich environment will overload Twitler’s little brain into exceptional stupid behavior. Obama + Hillary on top of everything else? He’ll burn his phone battery out by the end of the week.
Mike in NC
If the Senate rejects this imbecile Kavanaugh, will the rotten pumpkin sitting between Fat Bastard’s shoulders finally explode?
The Dangerman
@randy khan:
Maybe, but I’m highly doubtful; the Right was ready to fight to the end to keep the 5-4 edge.
I’ve heard rumors that the Republicans were ready to hold all seats open for all 4 years if they held the Senate. RBG might have retired, but that seat might have been left vacant. Again, the Right was ready to go to the end on the USSC.
Frankensteinbeck
@The Dangerman:
A 5-4 liberal Supreme Court would overturn gerrymandering and voter suppression. The GOP would be permanently fucked. No one knows that better than McConnell.
Kelly
Court packing. Freezing out Garland was court packing. It’s already happened. We must respond by adding more justices when we can. A bunch more at all levels. Supreme, Appeals , Districts.
Randroid
So…anyone here still upset that Franken is not on the judiciary? Anyone?
Didn’t think so. And this situation with Kavanaugh is why. The Dems now can command the high moral ground, without hesitating.
catclub
@Amir Khalid: The only crimes that paul manafort can be pardoned for were committed years ago and had nothing to do with the campaign ( so far). How can a pardon for those old crimes be used to force him to testify about more recent events, if he then says, “I refuse to testify because such testimony on these more recent events might incriminate me.”
catclub
@Kelly: I think the SC should be unpacked by temporarily lowering the size to seven justices. naturally, the most recent two, with least seniority, would go first.
Then raise the size to handle the excess workload.
Chetan Murthy
@Randroid:
Two things to add: (1) this is true, even if KavaNO! is installed on SCOTUS. (2) this is true EVEN IF Franken was in fact innocent.
Politics ain’t beanbag. If you want a friend, get a dog. Many low-information voters are also decent Americans. They need a simple message. And the message is really, really simple: the Dems are the party of women’s rights. Period.
Chetan Murthy
@catclub: As with Nixon, Shitlord would have to pardon for all crimes in a certain window of time. In Paulie The Deviant’s case, from 1978 thru 2018.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
jl
Brock Long, FEMA chief, been on TV today defending Trump’s BS and disgraceful attacks on scientific analysis of how many death in PR attributable to to hurricane. So, despite his good record, he is either has always had a bad side, or has turned bad and turned Trumpster.
I try to look on the bright side of things, and look for decent people, though people I may vigorously disagree with on a lot, who might do some good in Trump administration. So, I guess there is Mattis, and who else? Powell at the Fed, but he was always a competent moderate, following Yellen school of central banking. As I’ve mentioned before, must have been sneaked in by Cohn or somebody. I don’t know who else has any business serving in any government. But Powell really isn’t part of Trump administration.
TS (the original)
@The Dangerman:
They go to the end on everything. They have no morals, no sense of right and wrong and do not want a democracy. trump is fulfilling many of their dreams.
rikyrah
Hillary Clinton was right.
About it all.?
Kelly
@catclub: The only mechanism to reduce the size of the Court is waiting for retirements and leaving seats unfilled. Lifetime tenure is in the constitution. Adding seats requires majorities + the President a tall order but less than Constitutional amendments. I would expect alternating rounds of court packing as the parties slip in and out of power. Messy.
Amir Khalid
@catclub:
The most recent two Supremes? As of now, that would be one Trump appointee … and one Obama appointee. No one knows yet if Kavanaugh will get to join the Supremes.
Jacel
@catclub: It makes sense to remove any Supreme Court justices who were approved by the Senate by fewer than 60 votes.
Bill Arnold
@Kelly:
Or shrink the court to 7 members, retiring the most-recently-confirmed members first. :-)
Mandalay
The Dangerman
@Frankensteinbeck:
I may be way off (in more ways than one), but the GOP will be permanently fucked because of Trump; it’s just a matter of time and trigger. A contested primary might be a trigger. Not getting Kavanaugh would piss off a whole pile of people and be a trigger. Let’s not even talk demographics or actively pissing off basically every person without a package. Then, there’s Mueller.
They’re sell by date is coming and they are turning funny colors (insert orange joke here).
Bill Arnold
@catclub:
Oops, should have read thread fully first, sorry. Such a seven member court would have 3 women, which would be healthier.
Ruckus
@Mike in NC:
One can only hope.
NotMax
@Jacel
Exactly why does that make sense? And why 60? The Constitution specifies consent, not overwhelming consent.
One certain outcome would be a return to the historical norm of approval by voice vote rather than roll call vote.
JR
@Kelly: That’s pretty much what the Romans would do
Well at least until Julius Caesar
The Dangerman
@The Dangerman:
I suppose I should add this assumes “fair” elections (no significant suppression, no hacking, no meddling); of course, without fair elections, things will eventually go to shit, but I’m hopeful it won’t come to that fact.
Aleta
From what I can figure
Kav was 18, Ford 16 (He graduated in ’83 at age 18.)
or Kav was 17, Ford 15
Trayvon Martin was 17.
MagdaInBlack
@Aleta:
Here’s a man who will be party to deciding who controls a womans body.
At 17, he obviously felt he did.
Has that changed? Judging by his interference with that young pregnant immigrant, it has not.
smike
@MagdaInBlack:
And judging from a lot of his facial expressions, he comes off as a determined, spoiled “I will get my way!” brat. Unappealing in every way.
Yutsano
@NotMax: The Constitution also gives each house the right to make their own rules. So the Senate could make a vote of forty yeas a pass and no one could do boo about it. Consent doesn’t have a specific definition, so the Senate can theoretically make it anything they want.
ruemara
I have to admit, I admire the fact that she still is out there fighting and raising a ruckus. I know she knows that just poking her nose outside sends the right and the left into a tizzyfit. Good, keep them in a tizzyfit. The more agitated and angry they are, the more mistakes they’ll make, the more opportunities we can take advantage of. I connected with a friend who does GOTV postcards to red areas, so I have that to do and I’ll donate as much as I can. I mean, the housemate is having a lean booking season until his holiday acting gigs, so we’re a little tight now, but, I’ll find a way or two to donate.
In nice news, I booked a voiceover gig for motion comic based on a Dark Horse Alien comic universe story, so I made green tea brownies. They were very good. As was the oven-smoked pork & triple cheese radiatore mac & cheese I made for the celebration dinner. A full meal for 2 homecooked cost me less going out to eat something just like it at a local diner. Wild. It’s also funny that the pay is about the cost of the groceries.
lahke
Aarrggh. Cannot sleep. Usually just drop right off. Really do not want to think about Republicans now, that’s a recipe for insomnia. Can I tell you that Sweet Bird of Youth was a terrible movie? A friend and I are trying to work our way through the movie classics, but mostly they’re pretty dreadful. This was southern gothic crossed with Sunset Boulevard.
Citizen Alan
@The Dangerman:
At the time, there wasn’t a 5-4 edge. It was 4-4 which meant that if pro-liberal appellate rulings were sent up on cert, they were automatically affirmed even if none of the conservatives joined the 4 liberals. Despite their posturing, there was little benefit to blocking Hillary’s judicial nominees that outweighed the extraordinarily bad optics.
Yutsano
@ruemara:
I am so coming over for dinner…
ruemara
@Yutsano: I managed to feel like a fatass in just one meal.
The Dangerman
@Citizen Alan:
I was counting Scalia’s seat that the Right HAD to keep. Or die on that hill, bad optics or not…
lahke
@ruemara: You two sound like folks who still have their gall bladder.
The Dangerman
@Yutsano:
Count me in too (though I’m confused what a car radiator has to do with Mac and Cheese)…
smike
@ruemara:
I had no hesitation voting for Hilary. There was a chance she would fight the right wingers using their own rules, and under such a capable leader such tactics could have been productive.
And as for the price of dinners out, they are rarely worth the cost of admission. Although, good tex mex cheese enchiladas may be an exception to that.
jl
I supported BS with contributions and GTOV in the primaries. But of course supported HRC with contributions and GOTV in the general.. I’m glad that she has decided to start working on getting some big electoral victories in the future, which I think is the only remedy for the mess we’re in. I especially liked
“Third, the president is waging war on truth and reason.”
HRC, Obama, BS, and Biden all have unique but overlapping constituencies. I hope they all get out and do whatever they can to get some big electoral wins in the midterms.
sukabi
@Cheryl Rofer: infrastructure shitshow from here on out.
sukabi
@Bill Arnold: or impeach them for lying to congress during their confirmations.
Patricia Kayden
@Mnemosyne: Willie Nelson has been progressive for decades. I don’t understand why some of his fans are shocked that he’s for O’Rourke. They haven’t been paying attention.
MagdaInBlack
@Patricia Kayden:
They aren’t fans. They like a couple songs.
I like a couple Ted Nugent songs. Not a fan.
OzarkHillbilly
Karma is a beach in England:
Amir Khalid
@Patricia Kayden:
Bruce Springsteen has many Republican fans. In fact, Chris Christie, the Republican former governor of New Jersey, is Springsteen’s biggest fan by many pounds.
Citizen Alan
@Amir Khalid:
That’s because the dumb fucks hear the chorus to “Born in the USA” and think it’s a jingoistic America Fuck-Yeah song.
Gelfling 545
@Mary G: My son in law’s band is playing at a voter registration event at Babeville on Friday. I have to suggest they add a Willie Nelson cover as a tribute!