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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

The rest of the comments were smacking Boebert like she was a piñata.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

At some point, the ability to learn is a factor of character, not IQ.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Not loving this new fraud based economy.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Giving up is unforgivable.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

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You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / Tuesday Morning Open Thread

Tuesday Morning Open Thread

by Anne Laurie|  May 24, 20164:21 am| 209 Comments

This post is in: Cat Blogging, Foreign Affairs, Open Threads

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emily s 1972 1 Lenny

From commentor Emily S:

Here are two shots of Lenny. My French teacher in the 9th grade, Miss Ellard, had kittens to be adopted and that’s how I got Lenny. She was a wonderful cat who purred any time you picked her up and loved to be petted and combed with a metal comb.

emily s 1970 1 Lenny
***********
My biggest laugh of the day was this David Letterman tale, as reported by NYMag:

…[A] few weeks ago, I got very excited because the Obamas invited myself and my wife to a state dinner, and I said, “Oh my god, Regina, we’ve been invited to a state dinner!” And she says, “Oh, I love steak.” I said, “No.”… So we go to the steak, state dinner, and it’s for the heads of the Nordic states, and President Obama was giving remarks before he introduced the heads of state. And he was talking about how cooperative their union was, the Nordic states. Yes, they have differences, but by and large, they all felt and had the same beliefs, and they were good for mankind, and believed in the right thing, and they were strong allies for the United States. He said, “Don’t misunderstand me, they do argue. They do have … as a matter of fact, there is still an ongoing fight in the Nordic States about which country is happiest.” And then the prime minister of Iceland got up, and he said, “We are working on a defensive weapons system right now.” And this gets everybody’s attention! Like, Iceland, really? Working on a defensive weapons system? And he said, “Yes, volcanoes. We just haven’t figured out how to aim them yet.” So I’m seated at dinner next to a man who is the assistant chief of staff to the prime minister of Norway. And I’m feeling like a big shot. And we’re chatting, and we’re chatting, and we’re chatting. And when it comes about dessert time, and the guy says to me, “Excuse me. Why are you here?” And I said, You know what? I think I picked up somebody else’s mail. And he said, “So you’re here by mistake?” And I said, Yeah. And he said, “Oh.” So there you go — you get invited to the state dinner, nobody knows why. That’s the sum total of being retired…

From my admittedly parochial viewpoint (among other factors, my mother-in-law is Norwegian), one should keep firmly in mind that Scandinavians have a sense of humor so dry it could be used as a dessicant in designer sneaker boxes…

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Reader Interactions

209Comments

  1. 1.

    Mustang Bobby

    May 24, 2016 at 4:32 am

    Lenny was a beauty. And that stare — borrowed, it seems, from a Great Horned Owl — is hypnotic.

  2. 2.

    Big R

    May 24, 2016 at 4:41 am

    Good morning, rikyrah.

  3. 3.

    Major Major Major Major

    May 24, 2016 at 4:44 am

    @Big R: I see what you did there.

    Night y’all!

  4. 4.

    Applejinx

    May 24, 2016 at 5:34 am

    I just ran across this one on Facebook. http://sourceplanet.net/politics/bernie-sanders-write-in-states-what-you-need-to-know/

    My Facebook bernfeelers consider that useful information but I think they’re a leetle scared to actually look into the abyss. Bitter old buzzkill me, I couldn’t help but start with a ‘battleground states’ map, give away the states guaranteed to go R in this scenario, and see what we’d end up having to deal with should Bernie be getting written in. I’ll assume doing that means having him split the D vote and lose states in which he’s not write-inable but would be campaigning anyway, because he couldn’t be running such a campaign without running against Hillary nationwide.

    So this is BEST case scenario if you’re a bern-or-buster.

    So, start with the 2016 battleground states, give away California and Nevada and Illinois and Hawaii and New Mexico and Georgia and North Carolina at which point the Republicans start with 296 electoral votes already and can win just holding states expected to go Republican already plus states in which Bernie can’t run.

    Add to Bernie’s write-in slate everything expected to go Democratic and we get Oregon and Minnesota and Michigan. We’re at 133 electoral votes and have to win literally everything that’s up for grabs: Colorado, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Virginia, New Hampshire (which are all contested: all of them) and then have to flip a state such as Texas or a combination like Alabama, Tennessee AND Kentucky plus something else (big chunks of the South we can’t even have and we can’t have California).

    http://www.270towin.com/maps/MmZEB

    I don’t know what the hell’s supposed to happen if Hillary runs, loses everywhere that’s safely Democratic and write-in-able but wins states like California and Illinois to keep them out of the paws of the Republicans. Is that supposed to combine with the Bernie-write-ins or something? Because if it just removes those states from contention that leaves the mighty Bernie write in revolution at 242 electoral votes after winning LITERALLY EVERY BATTLEGROUND STATE. What happens if nobody gets 270 electoral votes?

    Also, do that and lose Florida, Ohio and just about anything else in contention like Wisconsin or Virginia, and boom, done.

    Let’s not mkay? D:

  5. 5.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    May 24, 2016 at 5:49 am

    Top Conservative Cat ‎@TeaPartyCat

    I’m confused. How is the NRA still meeting? Didn’t Obama take all their guns in 2009? And again in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015?

    1:18 PM – 20 May 2016

    1,144 Retweets
    1,424 Favorites

  6. 6.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    May 24, 2016 at 5:50 am

    David Brooks wrote a column on “why is Hillary so disliked”.

    I actually nearly threw my phone at the wall, and I just had paid $230 to replace its cracked screen on Sunday. It was that fact only that led me to not destroy it….

  7. 7.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    May 24, 2016 at 5:51 am

    ‎Dan Pfeiffer ✔
    @danpfeiffer

    If the Dem primary system was rigged, Obama wouldn’t have defeated a former first lady (Clinton), a former VP nominee (Edwards), & a bunch of long time Senators (Dodd, Biden)
    3:19 PM – 23 May 2016

    675 Retweets
    969 Favorites

  8. 8.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 5:54 am

    @Mustang Bobby:

    And that stare — borrowed, it seems, from a Great Horned Owl — is hypnotic.

    More like stolen from Kaa:
    “I have seen all the dead seasons,” Kaa said at last, “and the great trees and the old elephants, and the rocks that were bare and sharp-pointed ere the moss grew. Art thou still alive, Manling?”

  9. 9.

    rikyrah

    May 24, 2016 at 6:06 am

    Good Morning ?, Everyone ?

  10. 10.

    satby

    May 24, 2016 at 6:06 am

    Lenny was (is?) majestic! Beautiful boy!

    Good morning everyone. Promises to be a lovely day for yard work here, so I guess I’m out of excuses.

  11. 11.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    May 24, 2016 at 6:08 am

    44 years to day Nixon terror bombed Hanoi, Vietnam is in the grips of Obama-mania.

    Obama mobbed by local crowds in Hanoi downpour ~ Bloomberg News

    Thousands of students watch President Obama give his speech to the nation of Vietnam ~ McClatchy Newspapers

    calvin godfrey ‏@calvintgodfrey
    The whole city [Saigon] is standing in the rain to get a glimpse of Obama

    The crowds are staggering. It’s like those photos of Kennedy at the Berlin Wall.

    Crowd Photo #1

    Crowd Photo #2

    Crowd Photo #3

  12. 12.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    May 24, 2016 at 6:12 am

    Small Rabbit ‏@nguyenthao47

    President Obama live in Vietnam’s hearts.

    Selfie Mania (photo)

    Walking in the rainy streets of Hanoi with Anthony Bourdain (photo)

    Here’s an amazing clip of Obama being mobbed in the streets by the Vietnamese. (Video)

    I’m so proud to have supported him from day one.

  13. 13.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 6:15 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Obama stops off for $6 dinner at streetside restaurant in Vietnam

  14. 14.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    May 24, 2016 at 6:15 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    Unlike George W Bush, Richard Bruce Cheney, H Rush Limbaugh, Mitt Romney, Frank Gaffney, Donald Trump, and a legion of tough talking RWNJ pundits, Obama has now actually gotten Vietnamese dirt on his shoes…

  15. 15.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 6:15 am

    I’m watching Morning Joe and just took a hit of my vape thingie, Mark Haperin is making sense. What is in the fucking juice* I put in this thing!

    (Allegedly it’s ‘Red Hots'(cinnamon).)

    ETA: Halperin said that the media needed to not say ‘both sides’ and quit acting ‘theater critics’.

  16. 16.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    May 24, 2016 at 6:16 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    What is amazing about those photos is that the other diners are minding their own business.

  17. 17.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    May 24, 2016 at 6:17 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    Call your doc. If Halperin is making sense, you may have had a stroke or mental breakdown.

  18. 18.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    May 24, 2016 at 6:19 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    On your edit, that sounds like the desperate plea of an obtuse man who is finally becoming aware of the scorn, disdain and mockery he is treated with in the wider world, and is looking to restore lost credibility.

  19. 19.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 6:21 am

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class: That’s because of his arrogance, he thinks he’s better than everybody else and it pushes them away.

  20. 20.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 6:24 am

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class: The whole Morning Joe crowd is ragging on Trump(Mika’s in the ‘South of France’).

  21. 21.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    May 24, 2016 at 6:25 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    And he is clingy and narcissistic, needing attention all the time…

    Just like he is conniving and brilliant, coming up with plans to enslave white Christian conservatives, all while being feckless, imbecilic and weak…

  22. 22.

    JPL

    May 24, 2016 at 6:25 am

    That was a beautiful cat.

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Turn the tv off and enjoy the moment.

  23. 23.

    NotMax

    May 24, 2016 at 6:32 am

    Top Ten reasons Letterman requires writers:

    #10 – NYMag excerpt.

  24. 24.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 6:32 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    Halperin said that the media needed to not say ‘both sides’ and quit acting ‘theater critics’.

    I assume he means the media hasn’t been hard enough on Hillary.

  25. 25.

    Patricia Kayden

    May 24, 2016 at 6:35 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: All those photos/videos of President Obama in Vietnam are heartwarming. He dies such a great job of representing us abroad and he’s still a rockstar.

    When I look at Lenny’s photos, all I can think of is Fat Tuesday. That’s one big cat.

  26. 26.

    PurpleGirl

    May 24, 2016 at 6:36 am

    Awwwww, that is one floofy cat. His ruff is magnificant.

  27. 27.

    NotMax

    May 24, 2016 at 6:38 am

    @PurpleGirl

    Took your advice and sent Mom an Alvar bag for Mother’s Day (although not in purple).

    Awaiting her reviews.

  28. 28.

    JPL

    May 24, 2016 at 6:41 am

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class: Actual headline at the NYTimes Kenneth Starr, Who Tried to Bury Bill Clinton, Now Only Praises Him link
    Maybe it’s April first, again.

  29. 29.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 6:41 am

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class: I’ve always been a little puzzled by the ‘arrogance’ charge, and not just because I can’t see it in any way shape or form. It finally occurred to me that what Republicans call arrogance, the rest of the world calls ‘being correct’ on whatever issue is in discussion. He is supposed to respect their very wrong opinions just because they hold them.

    Kind of like Paul Ryan is a policy wonk because he uses numbers. Never mind that they don’t add up, NUMBERS!

  30. 30.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 6:43 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: arrogance=uppity

  31. 31.

    NotMax

    May 24, 2016 at 6:46 am

    @Applejinx

    Silliness.

    No way is Hawaii going into the R column this election. Not under any circumstances.

    Ditto California. Not no way, not no how.

  32. 32.

    NotMax

    May 24, 2016 at 6:48 am

    @Baud

    Yup and yup again, as in being allowed to work in the Massa’s big house and acting like it’s his.

  33. 33.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 6:50 am

    @Baud: How dare that ni**er be right. We gotta show him!

  34. 34.

    LAO

    May 24, 2016 at 6:53 am

    @PurpleGirl: morning Purplegirl, it was very nice to meet you last week.

    Good morning to everyone else, too

  35. 35.

    sm*t cl*de

    May 24, 2016 at 6:55 am

    Scandinavians have a sense of humor so dry it could be used as a dessicant in designer sneaker boxes…

    “It was a joke. Do you have them in Sweden?”

  36. 36.

    MomSense

    May 24, 2016 at 7:01 am

    Lenny is an impressive cat.

    Loving the photos of our Pres in Vietnam.

  37. 37.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 7:02 am

    @NotMax: If Trump wins CA, we’re FUCKED!

  38. 38.

    Lounger

    May 24, 2016 at 7:04 am

    This is going to make some heads explode. Actually, even as a Hillary supporter I find this surprising, and somewhat disappointing in that the study indicates that the youngs are actually to the right of the olds.

  39. 39.

    Princess

    May 24, 2016 at 7:11 am

    Donald J. Trump ✔‎@realDonaldTrump
    I promise you that I’m much smarter than Jonathan Leibowitz – I mean Jon Stewart @TheDailyShow. Who, by the way, is totally overrated.
    10:09 AM – 24 Apr 2013
    1,111 1,111 Retweets 1,025 1,025 likes

  40. 40.

    bemused

    May 24, 2016 at 7:12 am

    I miss Letterman. Letterman has a pretty dry sense of humor but he’s no match for Scandinavians. This I am very familiar with. All my grandparents were immigrants from Finland and I grew up in NE MN with a large percentage of immigrants and descendants of Finns, Swedes and Norwegians. Reserve, dry humor and understatements were the norm and still noticeable.

    Conan O’Brien did running jokes about his resemblance to then Finland female red-haired president Halonen. Conan filmed his visit to Finland and featured some hilarious examples of the Finnish reserved personality.

    Finns are crazy about Tango dancing and have many Tango halls and ballrooms to prove it. 60 Minutes did a segment on the Finnish Tango obsession and I was not surprised to see these Tango lovers thoroughly enjoying themselves but with very serious straight faces, not one smile among them.

  41. 41.

    rikyrah

    May 24, 2016 at 7:12 am

    The cat creeps me out?

  42. 42.

    Mustang Bobby

    May 24, 2016 at 7:13 am

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class: I wrote a comment to Brooks’ piece suggesting that twenty-five years of relentless demonization by the right-wing noise machine plus the endless sexism, misogyny, and blatant snobbery might have something to do with it. Just a guess.

  43. 43.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 7:13 am

    Who is Matthew Dowd? He’s a putz.

  44. 44.

    Iowa Old Lady

    May 24, 2016 at 7:14 am

    @Princess: My first reaction to that tweet was it had to be fake, but no. What an unselfaware buffoon.

  45. 45.

    amk

    May 24, 2016 at 7:16 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: The bernbots’ concern trolling is just that.

  46. 46.

    Princess

    May 24, 2016 at 7:17 am

    @Iowa Old Lady: What an anti-semitic racist (note: spellcheck wanted to correct that to “fascist.” Why not both?). I am surprised though — I thought it would take him a few months more to let the anti-semitism out of the bag.

  47. 47.

    Iowa Old Lady

    May 24, 2016 at 7:22 am

    @Princess: He’s perfectly willing to be himself in public. After all, what’s not to love?

  48. 48.

    rikyrah

    May 24, 2016 at 7:22 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
    The pictures are wonderful ?

  49. 49.

    debbie

    May 24, 2016 at 7:26 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    The whole Morning Joe crowd is ragging on Trump

    What, what? All I’ve heard the past couple of days is how unified the Republicans have become.

  50. 50.

    Iowa Old Lady

    May 24, 2016 at 7:27 am

    I just went back and read the overnight thread. Who are these pleasant, interesting people? Where’s the spittle flecked rancor I was looking for?

  51. 51.

    rikyrah

    May 24, 2016 at 7:28 am

    @Applejinx:
    In what world does Donald Trump win California ?

  52. 52.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 7:29 am

    @Iowa Old Lady: Which blog were you on?

  53. 53.

    debbie

    May 24, 2016 at 7:30 am

    @Princess:

    “I love the Jews!”

  54. 54.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 7:31 am

    @rikyrah: Bernie and Hillary spilt the vote due to him going third party or a lot of people writing him in.

  55. 55.

    Iowa Old Lady

    May 24, 2016 at 7:31 am

    @Baud: I know!

  56. 56.

    Matt McIrvin

    May 24, 2016 at 7:32 am

    @Iowa Old Lady: Unselfaware? I think he knows exactly what he’s doing there.

  57. 57.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 7:33 am

    @debbie: Trump’s tweets and the instagram video set Joe and Co off. They don’t think that going back to the 90’s is an effective strategy.

  58. 58.

    Princess

    May 24, 2016 at 7:33 am

    @Princess: Oops, the date. But still.

  59. 59.

    debbie

    May 24, 2016 at 7:33 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    Because they’ve been advocating for the 80’s?

  60. 60.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 7:34 am

    @Iowa Old Lady: I called srv a dickhead, hope that helps.

  61. 61.

    Princess

    May 24, 2016 at 7:34 am

    @debbie: “Watch me eat a blueberry bagel!”

  62. 62.

    debbie

    May 24, 2016 at 7:35 am

    @bemused:

    I miss him too. His interviews were far superior to anything I’m seeing now on late night.

  63. 63.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 7:35 am

    @debbie: No, bringing up conspiracy theories from the 90’s won’t be effective.

  64. 64.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 7:35 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: I went to bed, so I’m sure that helped limit the rancor.

  65. 65.

    BGinCHI

    May 24, 2016 at 7:36 am

    As a current resident of the fair (in all ways) country of Norway, I’ll acknowledge this to be the truth.

    Norwegians are extremely friendly and warm, but you have to jostle them a bit. They are like those glow stick things: they don’t really light up unless you bend them a bit.

    Less than a month to go before we return to the states. Mixed feelings. I’m ready to get back as I miss many things, but I’m also not looking forward to the political atmosphere and the tension, in the US generally and specifically in toxic IL.

    It’s been a great year. Many, many things to recommend living in Scandinavia for a year.

  66. 66.

    debbie

    May 24, 2016 at 7:36 am

    @Baud:

    You are a polarizing presence…

  67. 67.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 7:37 am

    @debbie: “Jews love me!”

  68. 68.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 7:39 am

    @debbie: It’s a byproduct of the rough and tumble world of presidential politics.

  69. 69.

    bemused

    May 24, 2016 at 7:42 am

    @debbie:

    I enjoyed watching his subtle, dry style of devil’s advocate interviewing.

  70. 70.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 7:44 am

    @Matt McIrvin: So you think he is showing off his yoooooge latent insecurity on purpose?

  71. 71.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 7:45 am

    @Baud: srv was going off about Katy Perry evicting some nuns so she’d have a new place here in LA. The facts were in fact quite different: the nuns had left the estate in Los Feliz at least a decade ago and moved to Hollywood, and it was basically a fight between the nun’s order and the archdioceses concerning who could sell the property.

  72. 72.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 7:46 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    The facts were in fact quite different:

    That was clear when you said “srv.”

  73. 73.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 7:48 am

    @Baud: True, but I started my reply by referring to srv as Dickhead.

  74. 74.

    MattF

    May 24, 2016 at 7:50 am

    @Mustang Bobby: Yeah, somehow Brooks managed to not notice the 25-year right-wing campaign against HRC. Grr.

  75. 75.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 7:51 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    referring to srv as Dickhead.

    Also clear when you said “srv.”

  76. 76.

    Patricia Kayden

    May 24, 2016 at 7:54 am

    @Princess: Is that an anti-Semitic joke? He can just say anything and get away with it because much of the media is rooting for him. Shame.

  77. 77.

    Patricia Kayden

    May 24, 2016 at 7:55 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Are we supposed to be shocked that srv misstated facts? That’s par for the course in the Conservative/Republican/Tea Bagger World.

  78. 78.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    May 24, 2016 at 7:58 am

    @Baud: I’ll leave you all with a bit of a walk around Glendale(360 degree YouTube).

    ETA: That’s on Brand from Harvard Street to Broadway.

  79. 79.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 8:04 am

    My Norwegian mother-in-law’s sense of humor is so dry that it is non-existent. It did not matter how bad the joke was, it was always funny because Ruth did not get it. In fact she did not even recognize it as a joke. Fortunately the rest of her side of the family knew a good laugh when they saw it.

  80. 80.

    bemused

    May 24, 2016 at 8:05 am

    I read Lenny’s expression and stance in top photo as a cat who knows he is a spectacular being who stands out from the crowd.

    Our two long-haired rescue cats have issues with puking due to hair in their stomachs, especially one and I give them laxatone regularly. Sigh. We rarely had this problem with our other long-hairs, even those who appeared to be part Maine coon. They are due for annual checkup/shots so will discuss with the vet then.

  81. 81.

    sherparick

    May 24, 2016 at 8:09 am

    @Applejinx: I am afraid there are not enough young, bitter, misogynistic white male voters out there to make up a plurality in most states when compared to all the old, white, male, misogynistic voters, who will be voting for Trump along with the 50% of white female voters who vote Republican out of tribal loyalty. Really, these folks need to be talked off the ledge, starting with Bernie.

    By the way, since Bernie’s way to outreach to the Black community is to feature Cornell West, whose ticket to fame and guess appearances on Fox the last six years is to trash President Obama, the guy whose picture you can find in 90% of Black households as a role model and hero, I have been wondering who he has been using to reach out the Hispanic community in California and New Mexico, a community that recognizes in Trump an existential threat to their rights and status as Americans, with all this Trump may be better than Hilary nonsense. http://abc7.com/politics/poll-clinton-poised-to-defeat-sanders-in-california-primary/1351808/

    One problem for Bernie and his campaign is that he continues to draw large crowds of young voters to his events. Also, the bubble he and they are in means that he thinks large crowds and “new voters” in California’s Presidential Primary will give him a vote. However, the parents and older brothers and sisters of these young people, Black, Hispanic, and Asian, working class and middle class, are going to vote for the party and candidate they see looking out for their interests.

  82. 82.

    Josie

    May 24, 2016 at 8:10 am

    Gorgeous kitty.

  83. 83.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 8:10 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I’ve always been a little puzzled by the ‘arrogance’ charge…

    He’s a black man who dares to act like a full-fledged human being. That drives them nuts.

  84. 84.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 8:13 am

    @debbie: Let’s be fair: Baud is also a polarizing absence.

  85. 85.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 8:15 am

    @Applejinx: The problem with Bernie-or-Busters is that they don’t seem to understand that “bust” is one of the possible results.

  86. 86.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 8:22 am

    @different-church-lady:

    They understand. They just don’t care.

  87. 87.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 8:23 am

    @different-church-lady: at least I’m consistent.

  88. 88.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 8:23 am

    @different-church-lady: Oh, I get that, I’ve always gotten that, but in what way did ‘arrogance’ fit him? That was what puzzled me.

  89. 89.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 8:28 am

    @Baud: No, I’ve seen you say nice things about people from time to time.

  90. 90.

    Uncle Cosmo

    May 24, 2016 at 8:28 am

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class: Which I guess makes Halperin sort of the pundit equivalent of Rasmussen’s pushme-pullyu polling,no? In the tank for Rethug talking points in hopes of twisting the narrative to the right, then returning to a modicum of sanity to preserve a figleaf of credibility. Another bozo that ought to be tossed into the septic tank of history.

  91. 91.

    Germy Shoemangler

    May 24, 2016 at 8:29 am

    Baud is the only authentic candidate in this race.

  92. 92.

    amk

    May 24, 2016 at 8:30 am

    the vietnamese hate the kenyan.

  93. 93.

    amk

    May 24, 2016 at 8:32 am

    @Germy Shoemangler: baud is so last week.

  94. 94.

    rikyrah

    May 24, 2016 at 8:34 am

    @different-church-lady:
    Tell that truth

  95. 95.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 8:35 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: I’ll try to do better.

  96. 96.

    Uncle Cosmo

    May 24, 2016 at 8:36 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Most actual heads of actual penises are more intelligent than the Shithead Rethuglican Vulture, despite the fact that they contain no brain cells.

  97. 97.

    Germy Shoemangler

    May 24, 2016 at 8:37 am

    @amk: I was paraphrasing Cornell West’s quote about Sanders.

    I agree Baud is last week, but I’m optimistic the year 2020 will be the Year Of Baud.

  98. 98.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 8:38 am

    @Baud: You would have done better if you had replied with a simple “Fvck you”. You really need to up your game.

  99. 99.

    Baud

    May 24, 2016 at 8:43 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Well, fvck me….

    I mean you.
    .
    .

    Maybe I should take a class.

  100. 100.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 8:44 am

    Can we now officially stop pretending Cornel West has anything of value to say to the world?

  101. 101.

    Uncle Cosmo

    May 24, 2016 at 8:50 am

    @sm*t cl*de:

    “It was a joke. Do you have them in Sweden?”

    Bjorn the Swede & Ole the Norwegian were neighbors on a small lake in northern Minnesota; with piers right next to one another.

    One afternoon Ole walked out on his pier & saw Bjorn in his motorboat putt-putting home with his fishing rods up. “Hey Bjorn!” he called. “How many fish you catch today?”

    “Well, I tell ya, Ole, if you can guess how many fish I caught today, you can have them both.”

    “That’s so generous of you, neighbor! I guess five.”

    (NB this story was related to me by a resident of Denmark…;^D)

    In response to a steadily diminishing number of requests, here’s another:

    A small town in northern Minnesota was mostly Swedish, with a few Norwegians mixed in. Their small number didn’t keep the latter from forming their own Sons Of Norway chapter, but it did keep them meeting in one another’s rec room because they couldn’t raise enough money to buy or build a dedicated hall. And, as one might imagine, the main order of business in every monthly meeting was trying to figure out how to assemble the cash.

    One evening Ole leaps to his feet. “I have it! I know how we can afford our own hall!”

    “Yeah sure Ole,” the group mutters. “How do we do that?”

    “All we have to do is change the name of our organization!”

    “And how’s that going to help?”

    “If we just change our name from ‘Sons of Norway’ to ‘Sons of Bitches’, all the Swedes will rush to join & we’ll collect enough dues for a hall!”

    (I don’t recall, but that might have come from the Danish resident as well…:D)

  102. 102.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 8:51 am

    @Baud: I offer very reasonably priced** correspondence courses. I suggest “Remedial Assholish” for you as you have the basics down but seem to be slipping. After completing that we can go to more advanced courses.

    **starting at as low as $250 for a 2 week webinar

    ETA too much coffee

  103. 103.

    WereBear

    May 24, 2016 at 8:51 am

    I love Lenny!

    Long haired cats need regular grooming, depending on their kinds of fur. Our two Maine Coon mixes have guard hairs mixed in with their floofy fur, which keeps it from getting tangled and makes our job easier.

    The lone short hair will come around at grooming time, gets a few strokes on his behind, and he’s done. But he doesn’t want to be left out! And, if he had different fur, it might make all the difference in the world.

    I recommend kitty grass (oat grass in a sunny windowsill) for all kinds of needs, and helping get rid of hair balls is one of them.

  104. 104.

    Patricia Kayden

    May 24, 2016 at 8:54 am

    @different-church-lady: I’m not even shocked that he would call Donald “The Bigot” Trump his Brother. West hates President Obama to the point where it has driven him bonkers. Not sure why Senator Sanders felt that West would be a good advocate for him.

  105. 105.

    WereBear

    May 24, 2016 at 8:55 am

    @NotMax: I adore mine!

  106. 106.

    sm*t cl*de

    May 24, 2016 at 9:01 am

    @Uncle Cosmo:

    (NB this story was related to me by a resident of Denmark…;^D)

    My understanding is that Danish humour consists largely of telling Ole-and-Bjorn jokes about the Norwegians. This is by way of revenge, since Swedish humour consists largely of telling the same jokes about the Danes.
    The Weegies in turn tell the same jokes about Finns (pausing only to change the names). The Finns mull over it for a while, and finally tell the same jokes about Estonians.
    Then Estonians tell the same jokes about themselves.
    No-one bothers telling jokes about the Icelanders because they’re too far away, or about the Feroese because those poor miserable bastards have enough problems already.

  107. 107.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 24, 2016 at 9:04 am

    @Uncle Cosmo: My Norwegian friend (she is from Norway and married a Mainer) hates Swedes and everything Swedish including IKEA. She calls it Sweden’s Walmart.

  108. 108.

    OzarkHillbilly

    May 24, 2016 at 9:04 am

    @Patricia Kayden: I think Bernie, like most white people(and that includes me)-especially those living in a white bubble, is really pretty clueless about people of color.

  109. 109.

    MattF

    May 24, 2016 at 9:07 am

    @sm*t cl*de: Danes (apparently) also tell jokes about Danes.

  110. 110.

    Kathleen

    May 24, 2016 at 9:32 am

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class: Shorter NPR at 5AM thismorning: Should Hillarry try
    y be more authentic like Donald Trump? Question from NPR bot to Ted Crux handler, who responded with, “If she knows what that is” and went unchallenged. One of many almost drove off the road while listening to NPR moments. I have to stop listening. to NPR.

  111. 111.

    Gin & Tonic

    May 24, 2016 at 9:36 am

    A very interesting Andrew Ross Sorkin article about the Hulk Hogan v Gawker lawsuit and where the money to run it might (or might not) come from.

  112. 112.

    Kay

    May 24, 2016 at 9:40 am

    I feel like all our creative energy is now channeled into ripping people off.

    According to Legacy Business School’s founders—that would be Jenner and CEO Alessandro Nomellini—it is a brand new institution, set to launch in New York in September, with a satellite campus opening in Dubai shortly thereafter.
    But Legacy Business School may be new in name only. In fact, a Daily Beast investigation has revealed claims by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) that the school is actually the rebranded European School of Economics (ESE)—a for-profit organization that has been sued a dozen times in the U.S. alone since 2006 for failing to make good on their debts, and one that the department had been trying for years to stop from operating without legal approval.

    In addition to its Trump Tower presence, Legacy Business School is also operating a campus in Dubai, which kicked off with a fêted press conference last month, featuring Jenner, Nomellini, and Kardashian reality show producer Carla DiBello.
    “As someone who always expects the best, I was drawn to Alessandro’s concept of a white-glove business school, offering the finest amenities, with luxuries that you’d expect from a school created for the global elite,” Jenner said at the event. And soon after, the school released a glowing statement from Jenner: “My passion for entertainment and fashion in particular is what had led me to the institution… in my role, I look forward to supporting the executive team in expanding Legacy Business School’s connections across the industries.”

    You can’t keep up with the edu-scams. It’s a full time job. When reality tv started did anyone anticipate it could bring down the country? They’re all absolutely horrible people on every level. This industry self-selects for greed and bad behavior. There are too many of them for this to be one-offs.

  113. 113.

    WaterGirl

    May 24, 2016 at 9:43 am

    @Baud: I think you forgot the third part of that equation: arrogance=uppity=n*gger

    In fairness to Baud, that last part is understood, which I guess makes it optional.

  114. 114.

    NotMax

    May 24, 2016 at 9:53 am

    @Kay

    When reality tv started did anyone anticipate it could bring down the country?

    What it did to the Loud family (wow, it really has been over 40 years since that aired) was the first warning sign.

  115. 115.

    MattF

    May 24, 2016 at 9:54 am

    @Kay: Gosh. Trump, Jenner, and Kardashian– who could resist that? Where does the line form?

  116. 116.

    liberal

    May 24, 2016 at 9:57 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    I’m so proud to have supported him from day one.

    Me, too. He’s doing a bang-up job helping the Saudis destroy Yemen.

  117. 117.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 9:57 am

    @Patricia Kayden:

    Not sure why Senator Sanders felt that West would be a good advocate for him.

    WEST: “I like you.”
    SANDERS: “Okay, you’re in.”

  118. 118.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 24, 2016 at 9:59 am

    @liberal: You keep on keepin’ it real. Man. The way you anonymously post fractional truth to power is truly inspiring.

    @different-church-lady: WEST: “I like you.”

    I think you grossly underestimate West’s capacity for hyperbole and Bernie!’s susceptibility to flattery, but yeah.

  119. 119.

    Kay

    May 24, 2016 at 10:05 am

    @NotMax:

    I try not to judge parents but Christ almighty, mine acted differently when they were being photographed and that wasn’t anything near the intrusion of reality tv in their homes. People change when you’re recording their actions. They’re not hostages, children. They’re complete people themselves. You can’t just pile stuff on them because you need family income. It’s an ethics-free zone.

  120. 120.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 10:05 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Oh, I’m sure West went his typical high-degree-of-difficulty, but I haven’t had full-caf yet, so I slacked with the simplified version.

  121. 121.

    Kay

    May 24, 2016 at 10:08 am

    @MattF:

    Raising grifting to “work” is probably a bad idea.

  122. 122.

    Kay

    May 24, 2016 at 10:12 am

    @NotMax:

    I don’t know if it’s still on but the juvenile justice system show on MSNBC shocked me as a new low. What a great idea! Take a 16 year who is in trouble and put that on tv just to make sure it follows him the rest of his life.

    They’re idiots. There’s a whole elaborate legal scheme to protect their records and the greed-crazed morons on “reality tv” exploit them. This is acceptable.

  123. 123.

    Bartholomew

    May 24, 2016 at 10:13 am

    LOL: “One problem for Bernie and his campaign is that he continues to draw large crowds of young voters to his events.”

    Come get your groupthink here, carnies! Selfish insanity delivered with a ball of mind-spittle.

    I’m sorry to have rattled this cage and poked it with truth (the ultimate provocation to the corrupt) … it was necessary to reveal your not-so-inner monkeyshines in order that decent liberal-minded folks could see what bolshies you really are. To be fair though, you all ARE on my side of the aisle, calling yourself ‘liberal’ … as if.

    But really, folks. Even the ignorant and very stupid righties know better than to attack their allied supporters. All that is really inside the “Big Tent” is fear and loathing. Well, you’ve (over)done the loathing, now I guess what’s left is fear.

    I do hope Cole isn’t a mole. I used to admire his clear writing, so I guess I’m a victim too.

  124. 124.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 24, 2016 at 10:14 am

    Haley Barbour is A Very Serious Man

    Josh Marshall ‏@ joshtpm 40m40 minutes ago
    Wow, Haley Barbour has “no idea” whether Hillary Clinton murdered Vince Foster. LOL. Good job, Republicans.
    Josh Marshall ‏@ joshtpm 43m43 minutes ago
    “I’ve never felt this sense of energy in our movement,” opening remarks re Trump at White Nationalist conference

  125. 125.

    Chyron HR

    May 24, 2016 at 10:18 am

    @Bartholomew:

    Even the ignorant and very stupid righties know better than to attack their allied supporters.

    So how does that relate to your incessant rants about how much you hate black voters?

  126. 126.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 10:22 am

    @Chyron HR: Not only that, but Bart appears to not understand that a carnie is someone who works at a carnival, not one that attends.

  127. 127.

    The Thin Black Duke

    May 24, 2016 at 10:22 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Nothing like staring into the abyss while standing on a banana peel, is there?

  128. 128.

    NotMax

    May 24, 2016 at 10:23 am

    @Kay

    “Television ate my family.”
      – Lance Loud

    It’s too late, Diana. There’s nothing left in you that I can live with. You’re one of Howard’s humanoids. If I stay with you, I’ll be destroyed. Like Howard Beale was destroyed. Like Laureen Hobbs was destroyed. Like everything you and the institution of television touch is destroyed. You’re television incarnate, Diana: Indifferent to suffering; insensitive to joy. All of life is reduced to the common rubble of banality. War, murder, death are all the same to you as bottles of beer. And the daily business of life is a corrupt comedy. You even shatter the sensations of time and space into split seconds and instant replays. You’re madness, Diana. Virulent madness. And everything you touch dies with you. But not me. Not as long as I can feel pleasure, and pain… and love.

      – Network

  129. 129.

    MattF

    May 24, 2016 at 10:24 am

    @The Thin Black Duke: Bouncing on a pogo stick is optional, though.

  130. 130.

    ruemara

    May 24, 2016 at 10:25 am

    @Applejinx: Congrats on discovering math. Why do you want to believe Dems won’t vote for the Dem? I don’t really care about your answer, I just think you may want to question your worst case scenario that you want to share with everyone so we can join in this fear fun.

  131. 131.

    Another Holocene Human

    May 24, 2016 at 10:27 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: I f*cking love this president!

  132. 132.

    Bartholomew

    May 24, 2016 at 10:29 am

    WTF???: “So how does that relate to your incessant rants about how much you hate black voters?”

    You must have confused me with someone else, or else you’re just making something up to hate with. I try not to hate anyone–okay, Kissinger and the neocons are difficult, but I especially do not hate black voters. Why would I? I’d be over on the rightie side if I was a bigot.

    Good grief you people are conceited, smug, insipid fools. YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ALLIES (emphasis on ‘were’). I know, hey, why don’t you get someone to spit on me and everyone else here can join in: you seem to think that makes a convincing argument.

  133. 133.

    Chyron HR

    May 24, 2016 at 10:32 am

    @Bartholomew:

    You could at least change your name if you’re going to play the “Nothing I said in the past can be held against me” game.

  134. 134.

    burnspbesq

    May 24, 2016 at 10:35 am

    Just made my first campaign contribution of the 2016 cycle. Had to have one of those goofy Cooper t-shirts.

  135. 135.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 10:35 am

    @Chyron HR: Advantage: Chyron HR.

  136. 136.

    burnspbesq

    May 24, 2016 at 10:38 am

    @Bartholomew:

    Who are you, and how did you come to mistakenly believe you have something useful to say?

  137. 137.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 10:39 am

    @Applejinx: what! A write in campaign? That is in some other universe. The line I liked was

    If Bernie won every Write-In State, he would receive 368 electoral votes when only 270 are needed.

    And If I was Brad Pitt I could marry Angelina Jolie. This folks are dreaming

  138. 138.

    MattF

    May 24, 2016 at 10:39 am

    @Chyron HR: But… that was two months ago. ‘Way past the short-attention-span limit.

  139. 139.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 24, 2016 at 10:40 am

    @Bartholomew: you just make sure you finish that book report and take out the garbage before you do anymore saving democracy today

  140. 140.

    Betty Cracker

    May 24, 2016 at 10:40 am

    @Bartholomew: Didn’t you show up here quite some time ago to announce that you weren’t going to vote for the Democratic nominee for president unless it was Bernie Sanders, which it won’t be? If so, you’re no ally of mine. Allies are the folks who are going to work with me to keep a racist, sexist, narcissistic lunatic out of the White House.

  141. 141.

    StellaB

    May 24, 2016 at 10:40 am

    @rikyrah: Donald Trump winning California would be as impossible as a famous movie star winning the governorship. Four times.

  142. 142.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 24, 2016 at 10:42 am

    @D58826: I don’t read that one’s drivel. Are there write-in rules in the Southern states that count, like West Virginia, or only in the ones that don’t, like Florida and Virginia?

  143. 143.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 10:44 am

    And this one falls into the ‘could not happen to a better person’ and the’mills of the gods gfrind slowly but exceedingly fine ‘
    From Twitter today – The Baylor Univ. board of regents reportedly is planning on removing the university President Ken. Starr over poor handling of a sexual assault scandal involving an athlete . YES THAT Ken Starr. He was a sniveling little pervert in 1998 and nothing has changed

  144. 144.

    burnspbesq

    May 24, 2016 at 10:44 am

    @different-church-lady:

    Can we now officially stop pretending Cornel West has anything of value to say to the world?

    Didn’t that happen in about 2003?

  145. 145.

    MattF

    May 24, 2016 at 10:46 am

    @D58826: Regrets, he’s got a few.

  146. 146.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 24, 2016 at 10:48 am

    @burnspbesq: Listening to the Stephanie Miller show (cause I like Charlie Pierce), and she’s got Joe Madison in the studio, and she said he rolls his eyes when West is mentioned. Also interesting, he says West was for HRC in ’08. So was Thom Hartmann, of all sanctimonious purity blowhards.

  147. 147.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 10:57 am

    @MattF: Better late than never I guess. But if his inquisition helps give Trump ammo to beat Hillary in Nov., then one more GOOPER with blood up to their shoulders.

    I can’t believe that we are talking about Vince Foster. Both because it is 2016 and not 1994 and because it’s only May 2016. If we have hit Vince Foster level already what depth is left to plumb between now and Nov.

  148. 148.

    CONGRATULATIONS!

    May 24, 2016 at 10:58 am

    Yeah, somehow Brooks managed to not notice the 25-year right-wing campaign against HRC.

    @MattF: Remember in 94 when Hillary went off on the “great right-wing conspiracy” and everyone laughed at her?

    Yeah, she had those fuckers dead to rights. It was one even back then. It’s much larger and stronger now.

  149. 149.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 11:00 am

    @CONGRATULATIONS!:

    “great right-wing conspiracy”

    I think she used the term ‘vast’. At the time my only quibble was I thought ‘vast’ was an overstatement. Obviously, based on the past 25 years, it was an understatement.

  150. 150.

    Face

    May 24, 2016 at 11:01 am

    @D58826: Baylor is a complete dumpster fire of sex assault allegys and general football-related train wrecks. Briles will keep his gig because the team is winning but it must be strange knowing you’re coaching anywhere between 10 and 30 likely rapists and other criminals.

  151. 151.

    Another Holocene Human

    May 24, 2016 at 11:01 am

    @different-church-lady: Another Great Mind brought low by narcissism.

    A veritable Lord Kelvin, as it were.

  152. 152.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 11:07 am

    @Face: There is a certain sadistic pleasure in all of this. Not only do we have the chief inquisitor from 1998 involved but Trey Gowdy the JV inquisitor is an alumni. And as they never fail to tell us – Baylor University is a private Baptist university in Waco, Texas. Lets hear it for those good old bible based Christian family values.

  153. 153.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 24, 2016 at 11:12 am

    @Another Holocene Human: AHH, how have you been? Seeing you after a long time!

  154. 154.

    The Thin Black Duke

    May 24, 2016 at 11:18 am

    @Bartholomew: Do you want fries with that word salad?

  155. 155.

    Feathers

    May 24, 2016 at 11:30 am

    @Patricia Kayden: Bernie reminds me of people I’ve known who only take into consideration what people say to their face and what happens right in front of them. That this only covers about one billionth of what happened in the world that day only brings the reaction “Why would you say something like that to me?”

  156. 156.

    different-church-lady

    May 24, 2016 at 11:32 am

    @D58826: Bottom-feeders gotta bottom-feed.

  157. 157.

    rikyrah

    May 24, 2016 at 11:46 am

    Fueled By Young Voters, Asian-Americans Increasingly Identify As Democrats
    May 24, 20168:00 AM ET

    Asian-Americans are shifting toward the Democratic Party in record numbers, according to a new poll conducted by a consortium of Asian-American organizations — AAPI Data, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote and Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

    In fact, since 2012, there’s been a 12 point increase in the percent of Asian-Americans who identify as Democrat — from 35 percent to 47 percent.

    Asian-Americans overwhelmingly supported Barack Obama in 2012 — 73 percent to 26 percent — so these latest poll numbers suggest a crystallization of party ID among people who perhaps already lean Democrat.

  158. 158.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 11:48 am

    And the pro-life, family-values are sacred, the zygote rulkes all are still playing games with the Zika virus funding, i.e. they havn’t passed anything.

    But also true to form – its a national emergency if it happens in my state/district –

    Best of all, we have Marco Rubio. It’s amazing how quickly a guy can regain his sanity after escaping the Republican fever swamp.
    Freed of the need to pander, the lame duck senator – mindful of Zika’s threat to Florida – is clanging the alarm. He’s the sole Senate Republican to support the Obama/CDC/NIH money request; in fact, he says it’s probably not enough. He says, “Do we (spend) now before it becomes a crisis, or do we wait for it to become a crisis?….Congress is going to have to explain to the people why it is we sat around and did nothing on something of this magnitude.”

    and

    But, a la Rubio, a few rare Republicans prefer to be rational. Earlier this month, House member Vern Buchanan – mindful of the virus threatening his Florida district – announced his support for Obama’s money request, and cited medical research which shows that Zika “eats away” at the brain and “destroys the ability to think.”

    And Polman already made to obvious connection between the GOP and thinking:

    Destroys the ability to think….
    Sounds like a Zika mutation has already infected his colleagues

    While The Donald has said much on Zika he did have a choice comment or two about Ebola

    Two years ago, in the early days of the Ebola crisis, Republicans said that Obama wasn’t doing enough to keep the disease away from American shores. For instance, Obama allowed an American doctor to treat Ebola patients in West Africa. One Republican idiot tweeted that if the doctor got sick, “Obama should apologize to the American people & resign!” (Naturally, that troll was Donald Trump.)

    I’ve always thought that most of the GOP had crawled out from under some rock. But I think I’m wrong on that. They didn’t ‘crawl’ out they were kicked out by what ever higher life form that was living there already.

    http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/national-interest/item/93991-whiffing-on-zika-take-a-wild-guess-whos-imperiling-babies

  159. 159.

    Applejinx

    May 24, 2016 at 12:01 pm

    @D58826: That was my contention, and that’s why I replied to the fellow with the reply I shared here.

    _I_ will not be writing in Bernie’s name, thank you, even if I am ‘that one’ (wtf, man, are you literally John McCain?)

    Good to hear California is not going to go into the R column under any circumstances, it’s more about ‘making arguments to alarm dead-enders’. Dead-enders who think all they have to do is run Bernie third party and that will flip Texas. Those people aren’t listening to me either but they’re listening to me a fuck of a lot more than they’re listening to YOU capitalist scum :D

  160. 160.

    Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism

    May 24, 2016 at 12:02 pm

    @Applejinx:

    What happens if nobody gets 270 electoral votes?

    If you were a Hamilfan, you’d know this.

    The House of Representatives decides.

  161. 161.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 12:06 pm

    @Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism:

    What happens if nobody gets 270 electoral votes?

    I think that was a rhetorical question on @Applejinx’s part. As to the Bernie Bros pushing this pipe dream it will take more than a Broadway play to make them see what would happen

  162. 162.

    Geoduck

    May 24, 2016 at 12:09 pm

    If you see a picture of what Letterman looks like anymore, it’s quite possible the guy didn’t recognize Dave. (He looks kind of like a thin Santa Claus..)

  163. 163.

    gogol's wife

    May 24, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class:

    Same here except I don’t have a phone so had to crush my head against a brick wall.

  164. 164.

    gogol's wife

    May 24, 2016 at 12:16 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    I’ve got something in my eye!

  165. 165.

    Brachiator

    May 24, 2016 at 12:20 pm

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class:

    David Brooks wrote a column on “why is Hillary so disliked”.

    I’m just getting started on a morning break and there are already a ton of comments here. Wow.

    Brooks is one of those pundits who so rarely writes anything interesting or substantive that I stopped reading him long ago, and only look in when someone calls an op-ed piece to my attention. Brooks is incapable of understanding human emotions and motivations, so can I safely assume that his musings on Hillary’s lack of popularity are totally asinine?

  166. 166.

    glory b

    May 24, 2016 at 12:22 pm

    @different-church-lady: Most black people did that a long time ago.

    We were just waiting for the rest of you to catch up.

  167. 167.

    Miss Bianca

    May 24, 2016 at 12:23 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Such awesome photos, thanks for sharing them!

  168. 168.

    les

    May 24, 2016 at 12:31 pm

    @Bartholomew:

    I know, hey, why don’t you get someone to spit on me and everyone else here can join in: you seem to think that makes a convincing argument.

    Christ on a zipline, these people raise self pity to an art form. “Hey, I’m incoherent, you must befriend me!”

  169. 169.

    rikyrah

    May 24, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    Oh No…,..Luvvie’s done it again…

    Another baby post.

    Another LYAO, get stomach cramps baby post.

    …………………………

    Whose Precious Giant Newborn is This?

    Awesomely Luvvie — May 24, 2016

    All babies are precious and beautiful and all that good stuff. Let me state that out the gate. So yesterday, I was scrolling through Facebook when I came upon the picture of a newborn who came out the womb at 15 pounds. FIFTEEN POUNDS. Look:

    Jesus be a fence around this baby’s mother’s Love Pocket. May it recover, in His MIGHTY name. I IMMEJATELY started doing kegels upon seeing the picture because I got stressed by proxy. Goodness. I mean.

  170. 170.

    Brachiator

    May 24, 2016 at 12:36 pm

    @Kathleen:

    Shorter NPR at 5AM thismorning: Should Hillarry try [to] be more authentic like Donald Trump? Question from NPR bot to Ted Crux handler, who responded with, “If she knows what that is” and went unchallenged.

    Sweet boneless Jebus! Talk about Morning Idiocy Edition.

  171. 171.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 12:36 pm

    a bit more on the topic that it’s hard to get to single payer:
    http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/05/medicare-for-all-isnt-as-easy-as-it-sounds.html

    and from the vox explainer
    http://www.vox.com/2016/5/23/11703190/single-payer-questions
    This is the line I loved

    Sanders and his supporters rightly note that a well-implemented single-payer system would likely be cheaper, more disciplined, and more humane than our current health system

    Our system cannot even agree to help people floating out to sea after Superstorm Sandy or agree on 1.9billion to combat Zika. What makes any one think that

    that a well-implemented single-payer system

    is even remotely possible

  172. 172.

    glory b

    May 24, 2016 at 12:52 pm

    @Chyron HR: I wish I could remember where I heard/read it, but polling shows that southern black voters are just as liberal as other dems.

  173. 173.

    Matt McIrvin

    May 24, 2016 at 12:52 pm

    @OzarkHillbilly: I think he’s dog-whistling to Klansmen and neo-Nazis on purpose, in a quasi-deniable fashion.

  174. 174.

    liberal

    May 24, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    You keep on keepin’ it real. Man. The way you anonymously post fractional truth to power is truly inspiring.

    Fractional, dumb fuck? Tell me what’s wrong about the claim.

    Oh, right—apologetics for destroying another country are only out of bounds when it’s GW Bush doing it.

  175. 175.

    Jacel

    May 24, 2016 at 12:59 pm

    @bemused: When news of the state dinner invitation
    came up in an online Letterman fan group, everyone was puzzled as to why he was invited
    to a Nordic event. All we could think of was that Letterman’s Late Show had aired in Sweden
    some years ago, and he had received a Swedish newspaper’s man-of-the-year sort of award.
    And years before that, Letterman used to send a crew combing Manhattan streets, Looking For Swedes.

  176. 176.

    glory b

    May 24, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    @rikyrah: I know, I loooove luvvie!

  177. 177.

    rikyrah

    May 24, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    @StellaB:
    Once again, how does Trump, with his approval rate with Latinos in the low double digits, win California?

  178. 178.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    May 24, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Some people are just a little dumb, some stubbornly so. With Brooks, he’s just plain stupid and it goes bone deep.

    He’s incapable of introspection. I think even Halperin is more self-aware.

  179. 179.

    liberal

    May 24, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    @burnspbesq: That’s rich, coming from the blithering, drooling, sub-moron who thinks that treaties like the TPP need 2/3 of the Senate for approval, even after having been corrected on that matter numerous times.

  180. 180.

    EuniceCycle

    May 24, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    @Kathleen: I heard that, too, and had the same reaction! I started listening in the middle so didn’t know who was being interviewed. It made sense once I heard it was Ted Cruz’s communications director. He also stated that Trumpster is OVERPERFORMING with non-white voters, and that he only needs to get 3% more of white male voters than Mitt did and he will win! Yeah, good luck with that!

  181. 181.

    liberal

    May 24, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    @glory b: It ain’t the South, and it’s then, not now, but it is true that African Americans voted 70% in favor of Prop. 8.

  182. 182.

    glory b

    May 24, 2016 at 1:10 pm

    @les: Kiss me while I kick you.

    Okay…

  183. 183.

    glory b

    May 24, 2016 at 1:13 pm

    @liberal: Yeah, and then they saw the light.

    Like Ari Rabin-Havt said, “What part of “win!” don’t you understand?” You try to convince someone to take your side, then they take your side, and then you criticize them for not taking your side earlier.

  184. 184.

    Major Major Major Major

    May 24, 2016 at 1:13 pm

    @rikyrah: Bu-but I heard that Asian-Americans were a natural Republican consistency because they like things like whatever “family values” means and education!

    You know, just like Jewish people, that other well-known source of Republican votes!

    Remember after 2012 when the right wing was scratching their heads over why these brown immigrants/children of immigrants might not find the GOP message appealing?

  185. 185.

    Chyron HR

    May 24, 2016 at 1:15 pm

    @liberal:

    blithering, drooling, sub-moron

    Why oh why can’t people here be good allies to the Bernie boosters? :^(

  186. 186.

    Germy Shoemangler

    May 24, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: Remember after 2012 when the right wing was scratching their heads over why these brown immigrants/children of immigrants might not find the GOP message appealing?

    What part of lowered taxes and regulations for the wealthy and corporations don’t they like??

  187. 187.

    amk

    May 24, 2016 at 1:23 pm

    berniebots are particularly nasty today. did any poll turn up today showing bs losing big in CA?

  188. 188.

    gwangung

    May 24, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Bu-but I heard that Asian-Americans were a natural Republican consistency because they like things like whatever “family values” means and education!

    We WERE a natural constituency. The split was 50/50 a few years back

    But the Republicans fucked it up. They refused to “pander”….meaning they totally ignored them as a bloc with some unique needs that their party could have solutions for. They essentially just wished they were white (that’s something a lot of progressives do with POCs).

  189. 189.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    May 24, 2016 at 1:25 pm

    Zoe Tillman ‏@ ZoeTillman 1h1 hour ago
    (1/3) Scene: Potbelly at 11th and F, just now
    Me, waiting for my sandwich, doing nothing
    Man next to me, to me: Smile
    (2/3)
    Me: Excuse me?
    Man: Smile!
    Me: It’s really not your business if I smile or not.
    Man: Ohh, you’re one of them.
    Me: I’m a human being, waiting to get a sandwich.
    Man: This is why we gotta put Donald Trump in office.
    (End scene.)
    71 retweets 49 likes

  190. 190.

    Major Major Major Major

    May 24, 2016 at 1:27 pm

    @Germy Shoemangler: My favorite was, you saw some variations of the argument “But they [the Vietnamese diaspora] were fleeing communism! They of all people should know the dangers of [mumbo-jumbo about subsidized health insurance being communism] and the importance of free markets!”

    Yeah, these are people fleeing re-education camps. They know what communism is.

    They also tried to draw parallels to the Cubans in Florida being Republicans. They managed to forget the facts of which Cubans ended up forming the basis of the modern Floridian population…

    @gwangung: 50/50 is not a natural constituency.

  191. 191.

    scav

    May 24, 2016 at 1:27 pm

    Just to add to topics of glee and/or rancor and trolling, BBC is reporting that Crosby is to stand trial. ETA Guard has it too in one of those red unlinkable things.

    ETA: Add talk like a Pirate Day Spelling :)

  192. 192.

    Chyron HR

    May 24, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    @scav:

    BBC is reporting that Crosby is to stand trial.

    I thought he had cleaned up his life.

    Oh, COSBY.

  193. 193.

    scav

    May 24, 2016 at 1:30 pm

    @Chyron HR: Ohh dear, this isn’t talk like a Pirate day. My bad!

  194. 194.

    Matt McIrvin

    May 24, 2016 at 1:31 pm

    @gwangung: In 2000, George W. Bush got a huge majority of the Muslim vote and was making a serious play for Hispanics. It’s amazing to think how completely they threw that all away.

  195. 195.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 1:33 pm

    @liberal: ok. I’ll bite.

    article II Section 2, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution, includes the Treaty Clause, which empowers the President of the United States to propose and chiefly negotiate agreements, which must be confirmed by the Senate, between the United States and other countries, which become treaties between the United States and other countries after the advice and consent of a supermajority (i.e. 2/3rds) of the United States Senate.

    So why doesn’t TPP require 2/3rds of the Senate to approve? or is TPP

    Congressional agreement
    This is the most common type of executive agreement. The Congressional agreement requires approval by the Senate and the House of Representatives. This procedure is taken when a two-thirds vote in the Senate seems unlikely.

  196. 196.

    hovercraft

    May 24, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    @amk:
    Yesterday Survey/USA had the race at Clinton 57 Sanders 39

  197. 197.

    Major Major Major Major

    May 24, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    @D58826: You blithering, drooling, sub-moron. Fuck you.

    Now coddle me or I won’t vote for that whore $hitlery in November.

  198. 198.

    Germy Shoemangler

    May 24, 2016 at 1:38 pm

    @Matt McIrvin:

    I once held her in my arms
    She said she would always stay
    But I was cruel
    I treated her like a fool
    I threw it all away.

    Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand
    And rivers that ran through ev’ry day
    I must have been mad
    I never knew what I had
    Until I threw it all away.

    Love is all there is, it makes the world go around
    Love and only love it can’t be denied
    No matter what you think about it
    You just won’t be able to do without it
    Take a tip from one who’s tried.

    So if you find someone that gives you all of her love
    Take it to your heart, don’t let it stray
    For one thing that’s certain
    You will surely be a-hurtin’
    If you throw it all away.

    Bob Dylan

    sung by Elvis:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncXjZ3UDyW8

  199. 199.

    Gene108

    May 24, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    @D58826:

    Rubio is funny. Republicans will not fund it before Zika becomes a crisis. They will not fund it after Zika becomes a crisis.

    Republicans are good at not funding or caring about things. We’ve seen this with AIDS, VA funding, 9/11 rescue worker funding, etc

  200. 200.

    Major Major Major Major

    May 24, 2016 at 1:42 pm

    @gwangung: For the record, I’m white, so this is all “It is my understanding that…”-style.

    I’ll agree with the wishing-they-were-white thing. Interestingly, the left seems to be doing the wishing-AA’s-were-white, or at least monolithic, thing as well right now in regards to things like affirmative action. But it does make sense that some AA’s would be a natural consistency for the business wing of the GOP, back before the party went completely insane and much of the non-sociopathic business community threw their lot in with the Democrats. My anecdata shows that the suit-and-tie, MBA AA crowd would be a natural constituency for Republicans of old, which is probably what the NRO types were confused by in 2012.

  201. 201.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    @amk: Can’t imagine why they are grumpy today after all

    Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign requested a recanvass in Kentucky’s presidential primary Tuesday, where he trails Hillary Clinton by less than one-half of 1 percent of the vote.
    The Sanders campaign said it has asked the Kentucky secretary of state to have election officials review electronic voting machines and absentee ballots from last week’s primary in each of the state’s 120 counties.

    Bernie could pick up one whole delegate and that surely would open the gates for the super delegates to join the Bernie Band wagon and send Hillary packing.

  202. 202.

    Mike J

    May 24, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    @amk:

    berniebots are particularly nasty today. did any poll turn up today showing bs losing big in CA?

    They want a review of every voting machine and every mail in ballot in Kentucky, and the law is going to make his broke-ass campaign pay for it.

  203. 203.

    hovercraft

    May 24, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    This morning on the Today show said that following the belief of Hillary supporters that she will in fact be the nominee, we may as well become a monarchy and forgo elections. Apparently using math and logic demonstrates authoritarian tendencies.

  204. 204.

    Major Major Major Major

    May 24, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    @Mike J: Help! Help! My vote’s being suppressed!

  205. 205.

    gwangung

    May 24, 2016 at 1:52 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: Well, that’s why they had an in with a lot of Asian Americans….their economics appealed to business types (there are a lot of MBA types in the Asian communities).

    But I think their inherent biases led them to dismiss the very natural concerns of immigrant groups and racial minorities, and their view on education et al balances off the appeal of economic planks in their platforms. Gotta take into account ALL the issues a person might be involved with.

  206. 206.

    D58826

    May 24, 2016 at 2:08 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: I take that personally. I don’t drool. I slobber. But what does any of that have to do with how Congress votes on TPP. (other than Congress is made up of blithering, drooling, slobbering, knuckle-dragging sub-morons)

  207. 207.

    Elie

    May 24, 2016 at 2:48 pm

    I dunno what happens to logic but had an argument (stupid I know), with my voice teacher yesterday afternoon about how she thinks Bernie has been screwed… that he had no responsibility for knowing the rules about super delegates and according to her, he said that he would have never run if he had known. She is totally unable to see that he had access to all the rules an made his decision and too bad if he didn’t think that the rules either applied to him or he misinterpreted them… She could only identify one time when superdelegates went against the primary voters and that was in ’84 when Mondale was given the nomination over Gary Hart by the supers. She argued but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t now. I reminded her that Hillary is ahead in primary votes, but she said she had sources that said that Bernie actually was ahead in primary votes …
    I tell you, this is no different than the right wing view point — There are no objective facts — Or you can have your own facts. I was pretty surprised because she seems and otherwise rational and normal person. There is no way to counter this kind of thing… you just have to walk away and let events eventually convince them — if ever…

  208. 208.

    Brachiator

    May 24, 2016 at 3:00 pm

    @Elie:

    I dunno what happens to logic but had an argument (stupid I know), with my voice teacher yesterday afternoon about how she thinks Bernie has been screwed… that he had no responsibility for knowing the rules about super delegates and according to her, he said that he would have never run if he had known.

    Damn. So this individual transforms Bernie into an innocent victim of the malignant Democrats. Even as Bernie makes angry demands of a political party of which he is not a formal member.

  209. 209.

    Frankensteinbeck

    May 24, 2016 at 3:36 pm

    @amk:
    It’s not that. The remaining berniebots are just the folks who show up for the sole purpose of shitting all over Democrats anyway. BiP, liberal, and NR are fine examples. Kropadope and Applejinx throw up the occasional conspiracy theory, but they do know the score and that Trump is the real enemy, and should not be treated like the Democrats-Suck-Worse-Than-Republicans Brigade.

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