.
Trump's lack of fundraising makes sense when you realize all the fat cat GOP donors are instead pooling their money for his go away bribe.
— Bob Schooley (@Rschooley) June 30, 2016
Talk about an embarrassment of riches — highlight on embarrassment. The Washington Post, paper of record in the company town whose major industry is politics, on “The many unknowns of the GOP convention”:
Dozens of well-known Republicans aren’t showing up. There’s no word yet on who will speak. A growing number of corporate sponsors are taking a pass. Groups of white supremacists and other agitators are on the way, while the official protest routes are frantically being redrawn after being thrown out in court. And then there’s the fight to dethrone the big star.
With less than three weeks to go, Donald Trump’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland is poised to be the most chaotic GOP gathering of the modern era…
The four-day meeting kicks off July 18 at a downtown basketball arena, with Trump scheduled to formally accept the nomination on July 21. Convention organizers denied reports that several sports figures would be speaking at the convention. There’s still no official word on who will speak or entertain the delegates. Lee Greenwood, who has performed his hit “God Bless the USA” at several GOP conventions, declined through a spokeswoman to say whether he’s attending. Singer Ted Nugent, a Trump fan, is skipping the convention despite numerous invitations to appear “due to our intensive concert touring schedule,” a spokeswoman said…
SCOOP: Trump camp lining up iconic sports figures to appear at GOP convention: Mike Tyson, Mike Ditka, Bobby Knight. https://t.co/3mfNeweat4
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) June 28, 2016
Seems like a good plan: Make the Republican National Convention as much like Celebrity Apprentice as possible https://t.co/ppAXcKB8zG
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) June 28, 2016
Ditka declines to talk at convention, says GOP has its "head up its ass," calls Republicans "a bunch of assholes" https://t.co/fLJVSCeH0j
— Dan Hinkel (@dhinkel) June 29, 2016
Team Trump yesterday: We've lined up @miketyson for convention https://t.co/h1CLtXKO9v
Tyson's rep now: "He'll be nowhere near Cleveland"
— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) June 29, 2016
… Before completely focusing on presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Trump first must quell a potential insurrection at his own convention. He’s preparing a team of 150 staffers and volunteers designed to corral votes, push potential changes to the party’s platform and, most importantly, block any attempt to unseat him.
A plan to allow convention to vote however they want, rather than follow the results of their state’s primary, has earned the support of hundreds of delegates upset by Trump’s impending nomination, according to Free the Delegates, the group pushing for the change.But a five-member Trump “study committee” is focused on quashing any effort to unbind delegates…
The pro-Trump pushback appears to be working. Free the Delegates is struggling to win votes on the 112-member rules committee, which is scheduled to consider the group’s proposal in the week before the convention. But Kendal Unruh, the leader of the group, said it is clearly succeeding if Trump feels compelled to divert resources and focus on defeating the effort.
“We’ve got a candidate who lied to everyone and said he’s going to self-fund” Unruh said, referring to Trump’s paltry campaign coffers. “I’m sure he has more staff at the convention than he does on his national campaign.”…
Woah, Ken McKay of Trump super PAC tells @LACaldwellDC that they don't actually have $32 million in donations. https://t.co/K1DELcXsAL
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) June 29, 2016
… The anticipated chaos has dissuaded several vulnerable Republicans and once-generous corporate sponsors from showing up.
Members of the Bush family, including the former presidents, are planning to skip the convention even though they essentially helped build the modern GOP. Mitt Romney, the party’s 2012 nominee, also won’t be there… Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.), the fourth-ranking Senate Republican, will be in Missouri tending to a closer-than-expected reelection campaign, a spokesman said. Several other incumbents up for reelection are also steering clear, including Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), John McCain (Ariz.), Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.) and Ron Johnson (Wis.). Two who will be there are home-state Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio) and Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), who said he is willing to speak at the convention.
Some vulnerable GOP House incumbents are also skipping, including Reps. Mia Love (Utah), Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) and Carlos Curbelo (Fla.).
In 2012, companies including Amgen, General Electric and Ford ponied up tens of thousands of dollars to officially sponsor the Republican convention in Tampa. This year they cite varying reasons for withholding support; none mention Trump…
Should be a memorable convention … https://t.co/5OtKtESFvo
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) June 29, 2016
Jim Newell, at Slate, is not at all sarcastic in calling for the GOP “grown ups” to rethink:
… It stinks for Republican politicians who are in competitive re-election fights to have Donald Trump as their presidential nominee. No one wants to be near that.
But here’s something for these dignitaries to consider: The convention’s not going to be canceled. And most people turning on the idiot box to watch it will come away from their viewing believing that whatever they just saw was the Republican Party’s pitch to them in 2016. If no one with anything resembling broad appeal speaks at the convention, then the programming will consist of the C-list celebrities Trump brings in, Newt Gingrich going on about what really grinds his gears for several hours at a time, crank politicians from deep-red districts whose constituents voted overwhelmingly for Trump, and Mikey from Staten Island offering extended commentary about the American League East. This is exactly what I want to watch at the Republican convention—this is all I want to watch at any time, any place, really—but I’m not in charge of managing the image of one of America’s two major political parties.
These respectable-type GOP politicians can flee from the convention, but they can’t prevent that (R) from appearing next to their names on the ballot. That (R) is what’s going to be defined in Cleveland, with or without their input.
So they should speak! Participate! They can say whatever they want onstage. A full-on attack on Trump by name might be too gauche for the occasion, but the convention-speech form of subtweeting Trump can’t be hard to slip in. The choice is either that or ceding full ownership of the Republican brand to Donald Trump, which is precisely what their Democratic opponents in down-ballot races want for this fall.
Hush, Jim. If Slate wasn’t a notorious hotbed of filthy hippy lie-bruls, you’d be letting our strategy slip!
Mitt Romney says his family is still asking him to mount an independent bid for presidency https://t.co/f6nx1vRGpq pic.twitter.com/wRadVjHa0c
— CNN (@CNN) June 30, 2016
Well, I guess this is better than, Ted "God told me to run" Cruz. https://t.co/AwDnrWDs8G
— Bob Schooley (@Rschooley) June 30, 2016
Baud
I hear that even empty chairs are refusing to attend this year.
Schlemazel Khan
@Baud:
Plenty of empty heads will be in attendance though. Many with press credentials.
OzarkHillbilly
My birthday is July 18. I guess I’m getting a present whether I like it or not.
raven
Woman at Rally Asks Trump About Getting ‘Rid of All These Hibeejabis They Wear at the TSA’
Yea, and make da vetrans do it!
Manyakitty
So thrilled (not) that I live 40 minutes away from Cleveland.
Central Planning
I’m just going open with FYWP because it ( or maybe the iPad) just reloaded the page and ate my comment
Anyway, this millennial song has been making the rounds at work. The ones I work with find it amusing.
Also, I heard on AP network news that a couple of anti-abortion laws were struck down, as well as a law trying to legalize marriage discrimination in Mississippi. Wins for women and the LGBTQ community is a great way to start the day.
SiubhanDuinne
Good morning, everyone! ??????
Okay, going back to bed now ??????
Brachiator
Clint Eastwood spoke to an empty chair at a GOP convention. Mike Tyson will beat up a chair.
At one time, I thought that the GOP would find a way to achieve some semblance of unity. But now, who knows if they can even fake it.
The creepy thing is that some of these dopes are trying to sell the UK Brexit vote, complete with the anti immigrant sentiment, as some kind of validation of Trump’s vision.
Central Planning
Also, did our illustrious host ever post pictures of Steve?
Gvg
What are the rules for ballot access if someone has one a GOP nomination but wants to go Independant? Could they still run in the general if they declared themselves independent so they don’t get hurt by Trump blowback? Trying to remember how it worked in 2006… I thought they had to wait till after the election but I am not sure. I suppose they could actually vote for the democratic speaker or Senate leader anyway.
NotMax
Ah, but they’re known unknowns.
/Rumsfeld
Schlemazel Khan
@Manyakitty:
Should be able to smell the pepper spray from there! Lucky ducky!
Gvg
@Brachiator: Tyson’s rep said he wasn’t going to come according to the tweets above. Nugent and Ditka also turned me down.
Brachiator
@raven:
Yeah, because there ain’t no Muslim veterans.
At least not in the addled brains of Trump supporters.
Dopes.
Central Planning
Also too, FDA recommends not eating ANY RAW DOUGH due to e.coli in flour. Thanks Obama.
OzarkHillbilly
…..
….
Math is hard.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Ditka’s excuse was unintentionally hilarious.
He said traveling from his home in Chicago to Cleveland was toooo far.
BHWAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
The flight is only 300 miles and takes only 49 minutes.
Moreover, he works for ESPN in Connecticut during football season and he has no problem flying 2 hours to Hartford every weekend for 5 months during the season..
Brachiator
@Gvg:
OK. Clint Eastwood talked to an empty chair. Chris Christie will sit on an empty chair and crush it.
BillinGlendaleCA
OT: I finally managed to get to UCLA and snap some pics. I’m pretty happy with the results and even added some comments this time around.
Baud
@BillinGlendaleCA: Nice. Sometimes I miss college.
rikyrah
Good Morning ?, Everyone ?
BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: I really loved my years at UCLA, many fond memories.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Trump was in NH yesterday and during a rally a passenger plane flew overhead, prompting him to say it’s a Mexican plane trying to attack the country (video)
He has apologists in the “Liberal Media” who say he’s not really racist he just pandering to the racist base (as if that’s any better). But reflexive racism like that doesn’t fall out of your mouth unless it’s in your DNA.
rikyrah
@raven:
But……they don’t know what we are talking about whenever we bring up the racism surrounding Trump.
Baud
I wonder if Ted Cruz will show up. I can’t imagine he would say no to speaking to a national audience.
rikyrah
@OzarkHillbilly:
Math really isn’t that hard. When the facts don’t support their vision. ..well….
rikyrah
@BillinGlendaleCA:
Great pictures
JPL
The NFL suspended Johnny Manziel for four games. Since he is not under contract will the union appeal for him?
@OzarkHillbilly: That’s my birthday also. We’ll have to celebrate.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Proof God exists and is a card carrying Democrat.
Baud
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I can’t even imagine what “formally vetting” means with Trump.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud:
@rikyrah: Thanks, I was very pleased with the results. I was disappointed in the lack of time I had on campus yesterday. There were many places that I didn’t get to(the botanical garden, the birthplace of the Internet, Pauley, the dorms…). Maybe next time.
ETA: I also took some 3d pics and some 360 degree pics that I’ll add.
OzarkHillbilly
@JPL: You know, all the best people are born in July.
BillinGlendaleCA
@OzarkHillbilly: I’m not sure about the best people since I was born in January, but my mom was born in July.
Mezz
OK – I saw yesterday that Trump’s filings to the FEC haven’t been submitted yet for his magnanimous gesture to “forgive” his campaign loans from himself. Even though they were going to be done “that day” (said ironically named Hope Hicks).
Hope says that Trumpf campaign will file for the July 21 deadline. (This I saw yesterday at TPM among others.)
SO: that’s conveniently after the Convention in Cleveland – is Trumpf going to wait until the last minute to file to see if he can get _someone else_ (Sheldon!) to cover his loans? OR (I like this one better) is that going to be his _price for dropping the nomination_??
Obviously the Sugar Daddy route seems most likely; but boy howdy wouldn’t it be sweet if Trumpf was that cheap!
JPL
@BillinGlendaleCA: The pictures are great.
OzarkHillbilly
@BillinGlendaleCA: Unlike her son, your Mom was a peach.
BillinGlendaleCA
@JPL: Thanks.
@OzarkHillbilly: You are correct good sir, I’m a prune.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
@Baud: going through Newt’s Tiffany’s charge account.
p.a.
I never watch the things, but I’ve heard the Rethug ’92 Convention was a real slimefest (for its time) that hurt the brand that year. To quote Legally Blonde “…well this will be so much better than that!”
Baud
@JPL: If he’s not under contract, what’s the point of the suspension?
hueyplong
@Baud: But Trump has all the best vetters, huge and classy vetters.
Trump/Gingrich 2016: Definers Of Nativism and Racisms Rules And Leaders (Perhaps) Of The Skinhead Forces,
Dork
@raven: “at” the TSA? Are they centrally located?
Brachiator
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
I think it involves the candidate dropping to his knees. Trump apparently likes that sort of thing.
Meanwhile, Meet is watching the season finale of Game of Thrones for tips on supplanting Trump, should an opportunity arise.
Kay
Does not want to have a beer with Donald Trump:
JPL
@Baud: The NFL wants to prove how tough they are! Actually, I think it was to discourage teams from signing him. Besides that, I don’t know.
NotMax
@Mezz
In actuality, the deadline for filing the forms related to June was midnight on June 30. The data from all those campaign filings will be released by the FEC on July 20, smack dab in the middle of the R convention.
Just One More Canuck
@BillinGlendaleCA: you’re a son of a peach
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Depression is setting in for Trump.
What I saw of his rally was low energy. Just going through the motions.
Then he went on Hate Radio for an open psych session, dejected that he can’t figure out why he’s losing and moping over his falling poll numbers.
Aimai
@Baud: well done!
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
With nobody wanting to attend or speak at Cleveland, not even Z-List celebrities, I imagine they’ll end up with talk radio hosts, Fox personalities, and his idiot kids filling the schedule.
Randy P
@Brachiator:
From the comments on the “hibeejabi” article:
So Trumpanzees know there are Muslim veterans, they’re all just terrorists, amirite?
Cat48
I guess Mitt keeps talking about running to get someone other than his family to encourage him to run. I’m still panicking about our Convention with Bernie & Friends destroying it. Yesterday there were 3 articles in the WP telling Bernie to concede & stop with the platform antics. Doubt he’ll listen.
BillinGlendaleCA
@BillinGlendaleCA: Added 2 360 degree pics.
Randy P
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I’ll bet Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin would be happy to put in appearances, at least via video. He’s a big fan of both. Trump has also expressed admiration for the Chinese handling of Tiananmen Square, so I’m sure there are people in Chinese government who’d be happy to return the admiration.
And since he is an admirer of the Brexit “Leave” campaign outcome, how about Nigel Farage? Isn’t Farage finding people rather upset at him back home? I’ll bet he could use a week in Cleveland, USA.
Brachiator
@Randy P:
That’s some hard core bigotry these dopes are spouting.
JPL
Bill Clinton leads the news again. Thanks Bill!
Baud
@JPL: Nobody puts Bill in a corner.
Brachiator
@JPL: Trump is trying to steal the lead back. From WAPO.
I think that Trump is pivoting towards chaos.
Kay
@Cat48:
But how do you think they’ll “destroy” it? The prime time aspects of conventions are so scripted. There’s not really an opportunity to do anything other than protest outside. The delegates won’t all vote for Clinton but they didn’t all vote for Obama either and they vote and count the day of for the evening tv announcement. They know exactly what’s going to happen. Illinois and NY will get prominent placement in the list-reading because they are her home states just like Hawaii and Illinois did in ’08. They know which state will put her over the top for “dramatic pause” purposes :)
Central Planning
@Brachiator:
I think Adam has called him a chaos agent multiple times. Is there a descriptive word beyond chaos (I.e. Not a modifier like more or better) that can describe trump’s chaos?
El Caganer
@JPL: They’ll let him appear at the Republican convention first. Go, Johnny Goofball!
Cermet
@JPL: Bill’s stupidity is only matched by the Attorney General’s. Can’t believe a lawyer would be that dumb just on the optics, much less the legal issues involved. Guess it was just a ‘Dumb and Dumber III’ movie promo … .
Baud
@Kay: Delegates making a scene during Hillary’s speech, for example. The way Joe Wilson yelled out “You lie” at Obama.
Patricia Kayden
Loving how ABC Good Morning America only interviewed a Trump spokesperson to discuss the Lynn/Bill Clinton “controversy”. So fair and balanced. **rolls eyes**
Brachiator
@Baud:
But somebody should have kept him off Loretta Lynch’s airplane.
OzarkHillbilly
@JPL: Like a magnet, the media can’t resist him
Micheline
@JPL: This is a nothing burger.
Baud
@Cermet:
There are none that I’m aware of. Big shots meet with each other all the time without controversy. Supreme Court justices attend social events with attorneys who have cases pending before them. No one cares as long as they don’t talk about the case.
Iowa Old Lady
At least with Gingrich or Christie, Clinton doesn’t have to scramble to put together an oppo file.
Baud
@Brachiator: No reason to unless Bill is considered a security risk.
qwerty42
@Brachiator: … Meanwhile, Meet is watching the season finale of Game of Thrones for tips on supplanting Trump, should an opportunity arise.
May involve having Lyanna Mormont speak for you.
Kay
@Brachiator:
I;m surprised there hasn’t been more commentary on this trade deal and the UK:
They’ve been negotiating the TTIP for years. They’re on the 14th round. The next round is in July. It’s huge and the US considers it a companion deal to the TPP. I know Trump won’t talk about it because he knows nothing and doesn’t care about trade anyway, but this is THE trade issue in the EU. They had the same series of events as happened with TPP- a draft was leaked and there were protests and opposition. In the EU the concern is the US has lower regulatory standards than the EU. The US is the “race to the bottom” country people are afraid of re: this deal.
debbie
I cannot wait for the tell-all book about the behind-the-scenes machinations that is sure to be published in a couple years.
OzarkHillbilly
@Cermet:
Waiting to hear a single legal issue.
Gimlet
Singer Ted Nugent, a Trump fan, is skipping the convention despite numerous invitations to appear “due to our intensive concert touring schedule,” a spokeswoman said…
http://bipartisanreport.com/2016/06/19/ted-nugent-going-down-in-flames-attendance-is-so-poor-tickets-are-5-quotes/
Nugent has long faded from the spotlight of the music scene. His “hit” “Cat Scratch Fever” is decades old. He remains relevant by making violently anti-Semitic social media posts- and claiming that concerts that saw such poor attendance that an entire festival was cancelled were blazing successes.
His show was so poorly attended that tickets dropped in price from 67 dollars to, right before the show, 5 dollars.
Nugent asserts that the most important quality in these women is being “sexy and skinny.” Trump has openly expressed that he shares Nugent’s virulent racism and misogyny.
debbie
@JPL:
Why why why why why why why? At least that’s what my niece would say.
OzarkHillbilly
@Brachiator: WHY??????
BillinGlendaleCA
OT: Added 4 360 degree pics and 1 3D(get out those red/blue glasses) pic.
hovercraft
@JPL:
Morning Joke and crew feel that the direction of the campaign has been turned around in the last 24 hours. The focus has been turned onto Hillary and this is good news for Drump, he is talking about trade and she is defending herself on the e-mails and the ‘meeting’. They are gleefully anticipating that this is going to hurt her bigly. They get to bash the big dog as undisciplined and the ‘Clintons’ as corrupt.
Baud
MoJo
Chyron HR
@Baud:
It’s not about the legal issues, it’s about the optics!It’s not about the optics, it’s about holding up the planes!It’s not about holding up the planes, it was just plain illegal!It’s about whatever hasn’t been most discredited at this point in time, subject to change on a minute-by-minute basis, so there!
Napoleon
@Baud:
My guess is to encourage him to seek help.
Baud
@Chyron HR: Where there’s smoke, there’s bullshit.
Cat48
@Kay:
I guess I believed Bernie & his xSenator campaign worker bc if they don’t get the Platform in Orlando, they’ll get it in a “huge” floor fight at the convention. The lady from Ohio always threatens & so does Bernie. Just bc u get it in a platform doesn’t mean it will ever Pass in Congress. He absolutely is not killing the TPP bc BO is still discussing it. ☹️
debbie
@Patricia Kayden:
Get used to it. This will persist for the next 8.5 years. Doesn’t matter at all that it was a nothing meeting. It’s just more ammunition for the opposition.
Baud
@debbie: No different from any other Democrat. It’s just that they’ve been doing it longer with the Clintons.
Kay
@Baud:
Maybe, but the delegates sit together (every day for days) and the state delegations stay in the same hotel. Clinton actually has (many) more delegates. They’ll be there and very supportive of their candidate. It’s different than strangers battling on Twitter. There’s very much a team energy. By the time of the vote we had one Clinton holdout in the OH delegation and she was sort of spurned by everyone except political reporters, who (literally) lined up to hear her complaints. During the voice vote reading of (totals) for Obama I got pissed because I felt the margins should have been higher- there’s that much of a push for “unity”- I was mad it wasn’t more unified.
I get a big kick out of the differences among states, so that was the best part for me. Louisiana could never follow directions. They were always milling around with the wrong signs, late responding, they were just having a private party over there :)
I went out to look at the PUMA demonstration and there were more media than demonstrators.
Cat48
@debbie:
The AG had her damn husband with her. She’s not going to discuss a case. I believe they talked about grandchildren, golf, etc. Hell, Bill even visited the maniac Ted Cruise on the Tarmac. This is a nothing burger. There will be no special prosecutor bc wingnuts have nothing to attack Hillary with.
Brachiator
@Baud:
But there was no social event involved here.
BruceFromOhio
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
(cups an ear to listen)
What’s that roaring silence?
Why, it’s the worlds tiniest violin playing Sad Music because the dumpster fire haz a sad.
BillinGlendaleCA
@debbie:
I believe that just being a Democrat is enough.
ETA: I see Baud already got there.
JPL
My idea to diffuse the situation is for Hillary to announce that if she is the nominee, Joe Biden will stay on as Vice President. I want a pony also.
OzarkHillbilly
@Chyron HR: Everybody loves to complain about the media.
“They didn’t even ask this question!”
“Did you see what they said about Hillary??”
“Where’s the context of that quote?”
“Boy they sure played footsies with Trump.”
But as soon as the media turns it’s unblinking lenses on Bill,
“They need to lock him up and throw away the key.”
“Can you believe what he said this time? They need to put a muzzle on him.”
“He is soooo stupid!”
“WHY WON’T BILL JUST SHUT UP AND DIE????”
JPL
@Cat48: The Republicans had 8 investigations into Benghazi, which was a tragedy. They used the deaths of brave men, to further their agenda, to take down the Clintons.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@p.a.: Pat Buchanan’s Culture War speech was a horrible piece of rhetoric. As Molly said, it “probably sounded better in the original German.”
Cheers,
Scott.
BillinGlendaleCA
@JPL:
What, no unicorn?
MJS
@Baud: If a team signs Manziel he will have to sit out the first four regular season games after he is signed. But there doesn’t appear to be much of a chance that a team will sign him.
BruceFromOhio
@JPL: If you go that route, why not have her pick Sen. Sanders? Ponies for everyone.
cokane
Awesome post Anne
Baud
@Brachiator: This was a social interaction from all accounts.
Brachiator
@Kay:
This is just one of a number of issues that now become uncertain because of Brexit. But you are absolutely correct to bring attention to it. The fallout from this vote is going to be an long, ongoing mess.
debbie
@Baud:
@BillinGlendaleCA:
There’s a different kind of fervor when it comes to a Clinton. I know you both know better than to think this is just a passing blip. I can already imagine the ads.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Central Planning: He’s kinda Strange Attractor, isn’t he?
Cheers,
Scott.
Kay
@Cat48:
I always felt the TPP would pass and be signed and I still do. The Obama Administration must be furious about how this is being talked about because they consider the TPP a partial renegotiation of NAFTA. There’s truth to that. Mexico and Canada are signatories and the TPP will override some parts of NAFTA as to those countries.
I think free traders themselves share responsibility for the problems with people and these trade deals. I think it was a mistake to assume no one could understand these deals so it was better left to elites to sort of scold them into accepting them. They have to sell this policy. They have to explain it honestly and sell it. A large group will still knee-jerk reject the deals but that doesn’t excuse not attempting to explain this to people.
Here’s the basic problem with trade deals thus far. This is the US Trade Rep:
The US opened markets and many other countries did not. That went on for decades. During those decades, US producers were at a disadvantage on trade. But free traders would never admit that until now. They insisted US producers were on a level playing field and other countries were just beating us because our workers make too much or they’re under-educated or coddled or whatever. The US LED on trade- they went first. That hurt US producers. That is only now being recognized. It should have been recognized decades ago, because it’s true.
Emily68
@Baud: Formally vetting means they took him to the vet for his rabies shot.
Cat48
@JPL:
I know, that’s why they have move from Benghazi to Bill & AG. This bothers me bc her husband was with her–I think Bill is lonely. Maybe he should take a World Tour. Heh
debbie
Back to the convention. Cleveland already has problems with the police being too quick to tase those who would offend them. Now comes this.
low-tech cyclist
Well, the dumpster’s on fire when the lights go out
This is what I really call a party now
Well, fear makes us really, really run around
This one’s done so where to now?
– Modest Mouse, “Lampshade’s on Fire” (with one obvious word change)
Brachiator
@Central Planning:
Well, there’s pandemonium, which was also the capital of hell in Paradise Lost.
JPL
@El Caganer: He might be the only sports figure willing to speak.
Trump said the party wanted him to speak all three nights, but he turned them down.
Cermet
@OzarkHillbilly: As attorney general who heads the agency that is tasked with investigating Hillary’s email server to determine if any criminal acts occurred this isn’t considered proper – this is equivalent to a prosecutor meeting privately with the spouse of someone they are investigating for possible crimes … wait, that is exactly what occurred – this isn’t considered proper by people who are concerned about the Sates’ case and creates a possible conflict of interest. No matter if this was just innocent meeting it was stupid by Lynn and Bill – like I said, the optics alone were bad – they aren’t close friends so exactly why did he meet her? Were there witnesses and/or a record of what was asked/said? Why in the hell would this even need to be done? Just makes the email server issue even more in the spot light. AS for refusing access that is both something that should have been done and frankly, ridiculous that it wasn’t ; Bill as a private citizen has no right to board the US Attorney Generals plane for social reasons. That is what parties are for, not offical government transports. Just stupid by both.
JPL
@BruceFromOhio: I’d prefer Biden. He still has high approval ratings, and in case the FBI indicts Hillary, he could step in.
Hal
For a second I thought this guy’s name was ruh-Roh, all Scooby-Doo like.
OzarkHillbilly
@debbie: A passing blimp? This won’t even be an inaudible sigh. Relax, the media have to talk about something, and they will. I don’t do TV, so maybe that is why the ONLY mention of this I have seen or heard anywhere is here.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Cermet: “equivalent” is doing a lot of heavy lifting there…
Cheers,
Scott.
rikyrah
@Mezz:
He has absolutely no intention of forgiving that loan.
Baud
@debbie: I disagree. The fervor against the Obamas was intense. It’s just that people — including liberals — are simply much more accepting of manufactured controversies when it comes to the Clintons.
Kay
@Cermet:
I generally agree with you- bad idea.
I also think Trump had a terrible month and political reporters like “even-steven” so they’ll flog the hell out of it to make Clinton have a bad month. It was good/bad timing.
Cat48
@Cermet:
She’s not investigating, the FBI is for the last year. She said this morning she would prosecute if they recommended it. I believe AG Lynch.
debbie
@Baud:
I wasn’t discounting what the Obamas have been through, but the sliming of the Clintons has gone on for almost 40 years now. It’s become second nature to conservatives.
Botsplainer, Neoliberal Corporatist Shill
A glorious moment of local morning news- wife hadn’t heard the news of the VP vetting yet, and they uttered the blurb. All of a sudden, she shouts “Newt FUCKING Gingrich? Or that lardass Christie? You’ve got to be fucking KIDDING me!!!”
It just made her, always a Republican registered voter borne of lifelong conservatives, viscerally angry. Of course, she was a reliable Obama voter both times, and is thus a RINO.
We may see peak wingnut roll out of Cleveland. I want to see every crazed lunatic speak.
Baud
@debbie: I agree. A lot of people have internalized the notion that it’s OK to hate on the Clintons regardless of the reality of the issue. But a lot of people have done the same thing with respect to liberals and Democrats generally. Either we fight back or we acquiesce, but I don’t think we can pick and choose.
debbie
@Kay:
Hey, Kay, if you have any influence with the Ohio Dem organization, can you get them to start running some ads for Strickland? The GOP and GOP PACs are running tons of ads for Portman that are slaughtering him (“Strickland lost enough jobs to fill the Horseshoe 3 times!!!”). They’re pulling decades-old (judging by his hairline and color) film clips of him admitting he used to make lots more money and admitting he’d made mistakes. All Strickland’s supporters have come back with is an ad comparing Portman with 17-year-old cicadas. This is getting to be embarrassing!
Joel
@JPL: The NFL is a clown show. I haven’t been following it at all this offseason. Manziel is a piece of shit, but so’s Jerry Jones.
Kay
@debbie:
I just marvel that people in law enforcement who decided dressing police like an invading army would lower the temperature of protesters. The very nature of “protesters” the kind of people they are, means it fires them up. It’s like a red flag to a bull. I suspect it’s some “show of overwhelming force” idea but that just goes back to the “invading army” idea. They have to change how they think about policing. If they do that it will have ripple effects because “bad apples” won’t be drawn to the job.
JosieJ (not Josie)
@Cat48:
I so don’t give a fck what Romney’s family thinks he should do. The man’s still an empty suit who hasn’t done nearly enough penance for sucking up to The Donald in ’12. Prick.
(Invective directed toward Romney, not you!)
Cat48
@JPL:
I want Biden, too. He’s working on the cancer cure & I would like that to continue.
Kay
@debbie:
I’m sorry to say this but Ted Strickland runs terrible campaigns. He’s weak. He won in a wave year.
My son has a new girlfriend. She’s 14 – this is his second older girlfriend :)
She was here reading the internet, just kind of providing commentary and out of nowhere she comes out with “Ted Strickland killed 600,000 jobs”. I’m thinking “that has penetrated the high school set? Great”.
OzarkHillbilly
@Cermet:
Been listening to much FOX news lately? For starters, what crime? What criminal investigation???? There is no criminal investigation. Never will be. OK?
Only in Faux news land
Quick question, you were seen talking to a police man last week. You aren’t close friends. Were there witnesses and/or a record of what was asked/said? Why in the hell would this even need to be done?
Oh for dog’s sake, the e-mail will be a serious issue as soon as they open investigations into Condi Rice and Colin Powell.
Why not?
C’mon, real world calling, Bill is not just like you or me. He has a SS security detail. He is still referred to by the honorific, “Mr President”. Ex presidents are given courtesies beyond the likes we can imagine.
No, this is nothing. This isn’t a molehill being made into a mountain, this is a grain of sand viewed thru Faux News optics.
Cat48
@Kay:
Senator Sherrod Brown said he would try to rewrite parts of it and Hillary could pass it. He didn’t say exactly what. Also, if Obama tries during lame duck the TPP might pass then. Sanders wants it blocked forever.
Cat48
@OzarkHillbilly:
I so agree with you!
debbie
@Kay:
After Redfern left, the Dems had a choice for a new chairman. They went with an establishment choice, David Pepper, rather than Denny Wojtanowski, who, aside from being a state rep in the past, was well known for bringing people with differing opinions together. Denny would have been a far, far better choice, considering how listless the last few statewide campaigns have been.
geg6
@Kay:
This is exactly right, on the ripple effects. If you view policing as the force for holding back the barbarian hordes, you attract a certain type of aggressive authoritarian. If you view policing as a community safety organization, you attract people who want to be of the community and to protect it. Do you want an occupying force or responsible members of the community committed to keeping the people there safe?
Matt McIrvin
@raven: This was in Manchester, NH. I use that airport all the time and I know a guy who used to be a TSA agent there. I can’t even figure out what she was talking about. Maybe there was a brown person working security there at some point.
Matt McIrvin
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Oh, yeah, the Manchester airport is also the headquarters for the Mexican anti-Trump aerial strike force.
Cat48
@JosieJ (not Josie):
Romney & his family should just keep doing hat rich people do & leave us alone. :)
Cermet
@OzarkHillbilly: You are welcome to your view but when you say it isn’t a criminal investigation exactly who do you know inside the FBI that leaked that? Sorry, but until they rule it as non-criminal no one knows (either way.)
Finally, having a SS detail does not mean you can run up to any government official and the absolute right to force them to see you. Yes, he is an ex-President but still a private citizen.
Finally, say all you want but the that does not change the fact it looks bad – she just announced that she will accept the recommendations of the FBI for whether this should be pursued criminally or dropped. Right after meeting with Bill; no that looks normal and is typical of all investigations – first meet with a spouse before deciding what to do on a case …lol.
Not a fake news viewer but not willing to turn a blind eye to stupid actions by anyone – the last thing Hillary needs is more fuel on the e-mail fire.
Citizen_X
So,Ted Nugent is avoiding a fight? Boy, am I ever surprised!
JMG
Actually, it is my opinion that Lynch played Bill very neatly. She then got to say she’ll follow the FBI recommendation come what may, passing the buck down the line to director Comey. Disavowing responsibility for the most important decision of your Cabinet tenure and getting away with it is some Grade A bureaucratizing.
Kay
@geg6:
We have a really good police officer here – I’m somewhat biased because his wife works for us but I have seen him in action with mentally ill and juveniles and he’s good with people. However. I think the culture in the police department works against him, because he is always battling authoritarians and he’s tired after 20 years. It has changed him for the worse. He started the bike patrol here- a community policing idea. He’s so cynical now I can’t imagine him starting anything. I think the culture changes the best of them.
Brachiator
@OzarkHillbilly:
Actually, it’s whatever voters want to make of it. And you can’t lay it at the feet of Faux News optics.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@BillinGlendaleCA: Thanks for those terrific pictures.
Kay
@Citizen_X:
Republicans are all about winning. There’s a segment of the GOP who will abandon Trump if he looks like he’s losing. That’s the danger of the “winner!” mentality, right, and Trump played that for all it was worth. Perception matters more for Trump because he’s ALL perception. There’s nothing else there.
This is a guy who won a primary because he told the GOP base they lost elections because they picked weak losers. Poll numbers are everything to him.
Percysowner
@Gvg: Ballot access is governed by state law which varies. In Ohio the boat has sailed for getting on the ballot this year as an independent or write in candidate. From Ballotpedia
Since the Libertarians and the Green Parties have both nominated their candidates, there is no room for anyone to run other than the Republican nominee.
Applejinx
@Baud: The usual: being up to your shoulder in a cow’s ass :)
Gin & Tonic
@JMG:
Which is *exactly what she should do* and is certainly what she would have done whether or not she’d chatted with Bill Clinton or Pope Francis or LeBron James or anyone else.
Even having been inured by decades of anti-Clinton media hysteria, I am still surprised that this nothingburger is being made into something.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Just One More Canuck: Years ago, Mr. Q knew a guy from Russia who said he really liked “it a pitch” a lot. It took some questions but with answers and from context he figured out that the guy liked the Allman Brothers record.
catclub
@BillinGlendaleCA: How about IR camera pics?
Those are always neat. The purple sky is usually my favorite.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@OzarkHillbilly:
Thank you thank you thank you for using optics in a phrase with its actual meaning. Optics are glass, people – not PR images.
Thank you.
/pedant in action
MomSense
@BillinGlendaleCA:
Those are wonderful. Thanks for sharing them. I want to go to UCLA now.
rikyrah
@Cermet:
Yep. Yep.
You not only should avoid impropriety, but the APPEARANCE of impropriety.
Another unforced error by Camp Clinton.
Botsplainer, Neoliberal Corporatist Shill
@Baud:
They read the term in an action adventure book series (probably Clancy, Brown or Thor), and think it makes them look all “spy agency executive” or something.
God, I hate these people.
gvg
@Percysowner: i wasn’t talking about an Independent running for President, I was talking about the GOP congressmen running for reelection who are afraid of Trumps impact on their chances.
rikyrah
@Baud:
Disagree with you. We absolutely can pick and choose. Unforced errors?
Naw, don’t have to lift a finger for those.
rikyrah
@Kay:
Ooh…he likes older women, Kay.?
So disappointed about Strickland ?
Portman is so beatable.
gvg
@rikyrah: that is impossible for the Clintons. GOP and the press are always viewing something as bad. this is a nothing burger. I find that I have resumed my 90’s attitude of assuming anything purported to be scandalous about the Clintos’s, is nothing or a lie and I don’t have enough time to bother figuring out what the mistaken understanding is behind it. As far as I can tell, all they republican pundits have to do is tell it in a hysterical or shocked tone of voice or use inflamatory language to describe anything, and people will run with it and never seem to notice that there is no there there.
Bill is by nature friendly and talks to everyone. Politicians running for high office need to schmooze with a lot of people or they might offend someone. they both HAVE to meet with lots of people. if there is a real issue, we will need a lot more supporting evidence. we can’t have hysterics everytime they meet someone important.
Corner Stone
@Gin & Tonic:
And yet the media get to continuously prattle on about HRC’s “sky high” unfavorables while quietly eliding the 100’s of millions of dollars spent against her for 30 years.
Now Bill could not even pick up someone’s dropped handkerchief and hand it to them without some fucking fool tirelessly telling us about optics and proper and crime and shit.
“It just looks bad!” Yeah, to morons who are like whipped puppies reflexively crouching anytime someone raises their voice around them.
Miss Bianca
@rikyrah: Good morning! Working on my first cup of coffee in the misty mountains here.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@gvg: People are talking about it! There must be something to it!!11
I admit I went a little John Cole on the first revelation that Hillary was running a non-State e-mail system, but it soon became clear that it, like everything else, was a nothing-burger.
Every time we express outrage or disillusionment about something Bill or Hillary did is time that we’ll never get back. We need to be beating up on the Teabaggers and make their brand so toxic that even Strickland can win again. ;-)
If we want things to change for the better, we’ve got to throw the Teabaggers out of office up and down the ticket. “Eyes on the prize”.
Cheers,
Scott.
Kay
@rikyrah:
they’re adorable. they both play the electric guitar. We have a public ice skating rink that is empty in the summer. They went there and played together yesterday and traded guitars. I bet it’s echo-ey a big empty room with a roof. He came home with her guitar. Hers is much nicer so I’m making him trade back. They’re big on “trading” that whole group of young ‘uns and they;re not good at it. He loses on these “trades” constantly too. They don’t know what anything costs :)
SgrAstar
@BillinGlendaleCA: nice! I love UCLA…it’s almost as beautiful as Berkeley. Go Bears!
Chris T.
@rikyrah:
True—but to our Press Corpse, Bill himself is “the appearance of impropriety”.
Emma
It seems to me that there’s a branch of the Democratic party that delights in adopting Republican talking points about the Clintons. We need a name for them. Clinton Republicans? Anti-Clinton Democrats?
(added) I wish to God we were as fierce in defending our bastards as the Republicans are at defending theirs.
EriktheRed
@Central Planning: He’s got heavier stuff to deal with ATM.
Chip Daniels
@Baud:
It means Newt and Christie strutting past Trump in Speedos.
Ruckus
@OzarkHillbilly:
This is very true!
Paul in KY
@gvg: If he hadn’t ever met/seen/visited LL then they couldn’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
Agree that they’ll do/say something else, but they couldn’t gin this one up if the 2 hadn’t met. Att Gen should have refused to meet, IMO.
Paul in KY
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: I see your point, but they (the Clintons) need to help us out by trying to be purer than Caesar’s Wife (at least in public, for public consumption). They HAVE TO KNOW there are different (unfair) standards for them.
Paul in KY
@Kay: Sounds like he didn’t lose on the guitar trade (until his Debbie Downer mom made him trade back) ;-)
J R in WV
As far as I’m concerned, President William Jefferson Clinton can speak to anyone in the world he wishes to speak with, anywhere, at any time. For 8 years President Clinton was the very successful leader of this nation, trusted with the doomsday keys on a 24-hour basis. While he had some personal issues, none of those issues had anything to do with the security of the nation, or our economy, or his fiscal honesty.
He never appeared corrupt, as in taking bribes to make decisions, and IIRC not even the hot flushed conservatives accused him of stealing public funds. Running cocaine, murdering partners in the cocaine business, sure. Having State Troopers kidnap young virgins to bring to the state house where he would ritually deflower them before sacrificing them to Baal, sure.
Those (crazed and ludicrous) accusations, which were made on a daily basis, served to convince me that Mr Clinton was actually as pure as driven snow during a blizzard in the North Country. Meeting with an AG in as public a manner as could possibly be arranged is so far from corrupt that I can only laugh at those who hold it up as an example of corruption.
And who says they aren’t close personal friends? I don’t know, and I don’t think any republican office holders or “operatives” could possibly have any idea. Maybe they have met in NYC at concerts and cocktail parties and such for years. Maybe the two couples go out dancing together at the Rainbow Room? In any case, I think it is none of anyone’s business who meets with whom at various private air terminals in broad daylight. The world of private jets and running into friends at the terminal is obviously different but similar to running into your favorite cousin at the Trader Joe’s, no?
I mean, I know the Republican operatives will never stop accusing the Clintons of absurdities, it’s how they earn their living, after all. But taking it seriously as opposed to laughing at them for being absurd is just silly.
Paul in KY
@Emma: How about ‘Cross Your T’s and Dot Your I’s Democrats’? We’re running a Presidential Campaign against a party that loves to gin up outrage out of little things. Don’t give them the little things!!!
IMO, he didn’t have to meet with her. Doesn’t he have any aides to keep him on the prize?!
Paul in KY
@Chip Daniels: Yeegads!!! Should have had a trigger warning on that one.
Randy P
@rikyrah: EVERYTHING is the appearance of impropriety when there is a Clinton involved. There is no point in our getting on the “appearance of impropriety” train. None.
Remember when it was controversial and un-American that Obama had OJ for breakfast on the campaign trail? Should we have said, “Yeah but he should have avoided the appearance of impropriety or snootiness by not drinking OJ”.?
wenchacha
@Baud:
Probably allowing Trump to monitor all your incoming/outgoing calls, emails, tweets, etc. For starters.
Emma
@Paul in KY: So we continue to cower under the fist of the Murdoch press. Your perfect candidate is a middle aged virginal orphan living in a trappist monastery who doesn’t speak to anyone except about “his mission”. Christ, even the saints weren’t that saintly!
PaulWartenberg2016
@Baud:
You win.
PaulWartenberg2016
How bad is it going to get when even TED NUGENT refuses to show up?
PaulWartenberg2016
@Baud:
It means whoever shows up first with a SuperPAC filled to $500 million by now gets the Veep pick.
(minus the commission fee, of course)
Paul in KY
@Emma: Emma, how would this mini ‘scandal’ or a fake one have happened/been reported if he did not meet with her?
How could they prattle on about this if they did not meet? All he had to do (her too, because she could have declined) is not to meet. Every other thing he did that day he could have done, her too. Just don’t do this 1 thing & they would be talking about something even more BS….or maybe, they’d have to talk about the Combover Caligula.
Just a thought….
Edit: Anyone who doesn’t factor in the ‘Murdoch Press’ when they are running for President is a bit foolish/cavalier, IMO.
PaulWartenberg2016
@rikyrah:
If Hillary so much as sneezes, the Far Right are screaming about how she’s spreading bacteria and diseases.
EVERYTHING is an unforced error for the Clintons because the goddamn Far Right Noise Machine makes it that way. One of the reasons why I’m livid with the BernieBro factions among the Democrats/Progressives is that they’re relying on that biased BS from the Rush/Drudge/Breitbart crowd to justify their hatred for HER.
Doug R
Assuming the meeting was wrong assumes there is a case against Hillary. The rules about servers were guidelines that changed during and after her tenure at State.
gwangung
@Paul in KY:
Thus, ceding control of their lives to their opponents.
Giving cover to Trump’s probable bribery of two state governments.
THAT kind of optics suck, too.
Corner Stone
@J R in WV:
Or, if we wanted to use actual icky facts, we could factually state that President Bill Clinton nominated LL to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York in 1999.
Now, that might not make someone lifelong friends but I am guessing it doesn’t fucking hurt a relationship. So yeah, a probably 20 year relationship of knowing a little something about each other but this fucking plane meeting! God dammit, it’s just too damned much!
Now if you’ll excuse me, my fainting couch has been lonely.
*Not aimed at JR just ranting in general at how foolish this is.
Emma
@Paul in KY: I am tired, tired, tired, of Democrats cowering every time somebody brings up Bill Clinton. I do not like him much at a personal level but damn I hate mobs and bullies and we allow the mobs and bullies to attack him, in fact, we join them because we are so afraid of being “tainted.” William Jefferson Clinton was one of the bloody best presidents the United States has ever had, and we turn away with our tail between our legs every time some goddamned Republican spits at him.
dogwood
@Emma:
I agree, but would add that if we decide to circle the wagons and defend Bill Clinton, it might be nice if we supported Lynch as well. If anyone ends up hurt in this deal, it will undoubtedly be her.
Paul in KY
@gwangung: Hillary is running for President. A campaign is going on. If you can’t be in CAMPAIGN MODE for 24/7 until it is won or lost, then maybe you don’t really want it or deserve it.
This is the equivalent of NBA finals. You must be on and do whatever you can to help or not hinder campaign.
You know they gin this shit up? Why give them one for free?
Emma
@dogwood: Agreed. We should punch back each time they attack. For any reason except someone actually caught committing a crime.
Paul in KY
@Emma: It’s not about Bill, it’s about the Hillary Clinton campaign. They use this non-scandal to not talk about Trump. You didn’t answer my questions, did you?
You may be tired, etc. etc. but ‘tired’ does not win Presidential campaigns. Being on your toes 24/7 wins these campaigns.
I would assume Hillary is not happy.
Edit: I’m not cowering. I assume this is a nothingburger. But just because it is a nothingburger, doesn’t mean that your enemies cannot make some hay out of it. Don’t make it easy for them!!!
feckless
Is it too conspiracy theory to wonder if after Les Moonves said that Syria was good for ratings, he then proposed the Producers script re Trump?
Looks like springtime for hitler in cleveland.
Emma
@Paul in KY: Oh I did. You just didn’t want to hear them. Good luck finding your perfect candidate that the Republicans won’t find anything bad to say about. Or better yet your perfectly robotic candidate with no history for them to drag through the mud.
gvg
@Paul in KY: I disagree. I don’t even see what the supposed appearance of impropriety is. there is no there there. No democratic office holder can do their jobs nor remain sane living “up” to the imaginary changing minute by minute stupid dishonest hysterical standards of the GOP idiots.Its impossible to predict what one of them will have a cow about so there is no sense in trying. Laughter would be an appropriate response. Please TRY not to be manipulated by the nuts OK?
The meeting was in public for pete’s sake.
The Other Chuck
@Emma:
Cowards.
Paul in KY
@Emma: So your answer is that if they had not met, then they still would be flogging this story about Bill & LL scheming on a plane. Uh, ok….
Paul in KY
@gvg: You know it’s nothing, I know it’s nothing, etc. etc. It doesn’t matter, it gives them something they can yap about & turn into a mountain.
I feel you can minimize these things…by not doing em. Yes, that means changes to how you do things, while you are in a campaign. Once we win, he can go back to doing whatever the fuck he wants to. It’s all about staying on your toes when the other side is looking for anything to detract from the Trump Shitshow ™.
dogwood
@Paul in KY:
Bill Clinton has always been a talented, but undisciplined pol. That will never change; it’s who he is. I’m surprised this is the first time he’s really surfaced in this election. He’s aged a lot and seems to be slowing down. When she becomes president, he’ll probably do and say some things that will give her some grief as well. Which is another reason why we were smart to go with Obama first and Hillary second. He would have given her more trouble 8 years ago.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Paul in KY:
You realize you’ve made this same point about a dozen times in this thread, right? Who’s the them you’re worried about?
;-)
Cheers,
Scott.
Paul in KY
@The Other Chuck: If you’re calling me a coward Democrat, you can go DIAF. I have seen many Presidential campaigns (3 involving Clintons) and I know how they are supposed to work. You don’t give your enemies extra ammo to lob stupid shit at you that you have to spend days defusing & answering for. As I told Emma, if it doesn’t happen, they can’t talk about it.
They will talk about other things, but those things will be older, more ludicrous, etc. IMO, it is egotism on Bill’s part to think that he will be treated like Dwight Eisenhower or Jimmy Carter or someone like that.
Paul in KY
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: The nattering FOX spokesbots and the Villagers. Who the fuck did you think I was talking about? Who the fuck is yapping about it on TV?
Thought you were smarter than that, Scott.
Paul in KY
@dogwood: Once she’s President, then that’s all gravy. Right now is a completely different matter. She needs to put a minder on him, IMO.
The Other Chuck
@Paul in KY: Spittle-flecked rage is unbecoming.
germy
@Paul in KY:
A young intern?
[ducks]
Bill
@Cermet:
Unless the spouse is represented by counsel, there is nothing improper about a prosecutor talking to him. In fact it may be a key part of the prosecutor’s job. That conversation could span any number of important topics related to the case. Everything from investigating facts to discussing a possible plea deal, to – brace yourself for this – a discussion about how the case lacks merit and should be dismissed. There is nothing wrong with having that conversation. The prosecutor has an ethical duty to do her job and not be improperly influenced, but merely having a discussion with the spouse of the accused hardly rises to undue influence.
This whole thing is a tempest in a teapot. Show me something that indicates Bill tried to bribe Lynch and I’ll listen. Until that evidence comes to light this is just more unwarranted Clinton hate.
The Other Chuck
I’m tired of the toxic atmosphere here. Bye.
Paul in KY
@The Other Chuck: Don’t care. Calling someone a ‘coward’ is unbecoming, IMO.
Paul in KY
@germy: LOLing!!!
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@The Other Chuck: I hear there’s some sort of add-on for popular web browsers that allow one to “disappear” posts by authors of the reader’s choice. Some guy named “The Other Chuck” wrote a good one. ;-)
(Don’t go.)
Cheers,
Scott.
Paul in KY
@Bill: It is a ‘tempest in a teapot’ in that I’m sure nothing happened like they (the villagers et al) say. However, they are talking about it and tut tutting & all that other stuff they do.
All I’m saying is I wish Bill had thought for 2 secs (what would those assholes yap about this meeting with the current AG, who has been overseeing an investigation of my spouse, who happens to be running for President) and then emailed her later & said he was sorry they couldn’t chat, etc. etc..
Thus, less time to talk about the Combover Caligula.
Paul in KY
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: Guess you won’t be reading this one, but if you can’t take the heat of someone with another opinion than you, who defends that opinion, then you need to get out of the kitchen.
Bill
@Paul in KY: The only way the Clintons could stop the Villagers from “tut tutting” is to completely drop out of public life. Even then we’d probably see a few pieces titled “What Are The Clinton’s Hiding?”
You’re way to worried about what the talking heads are saying about this. It’s going to have zero impact on this race.
Miss Bianca
@hovercraft: and we seem to be going out of our way to help them along by meeping about “optics”.
@Kay: Were you a national delegate in ’08?
Central Planning
@EriktheRed: I was aware. I was asking in case it was posted prior to that and I missed it.
Gin & Tonic
@The Other Chuck: Hey, I think a GBCW post needs more drama.
karen marie
@raven: I was stunned by this. Why do Republicans think veterans – who already put their lives on the line – should be forced to stand on a miserably hot border to satisfy paranoics?
Joel
@Bill: seconded.
Tilda Swinton's Bald Cap
Well, well, look at this will ya. Surprised, not at all.
Miss Bianca
@Kay: I’ve shared this with others here, but my elderly English friend who was all “Brexit yeah!” is now going “wait a minute” because he’s starting to see the very politicians who were advocating for Brexit back away – scramble away, really – from it. Of course, that merely indicates the perfidy of politicians, not the general disaster area of the entire scheme. I have tried to sympathize with him on the former point, and have bitten my tongue on the latter, because I want to preserve cordial relations with him, but I have wanted to howl out, “how can you not see *why* the politicians are backing away from this?! It’s because of trade deals like this one, that’s why!”
But he’s quoting that odious jingoist George McDonald Frazer at me and going all “Little England”, so there’s going to be no awakening for him but a rude one, I fear…
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Paul in KY: You’d guess wrong. ;-)
I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to read every comment by every person who might have an opinion about something.
Cheers,
Scott.
karen marie
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Really? How come no one’s posted audio. “Dejected Trump” is my favorite.
Miss Bianca
@Cermet: Oh, FFS they met “in private” on an AIRPORT TARMAC. Not at a duck-huntng camp!
germy
open thread? Okay, there’s something I need to vent about. After 200+comments, nobody will probably see it. But here goes:
I want to support local businesses. I really do. But why do they make it so fucking hard?
A ceiling light burned out. Installed by previous owners. It’s a round fluorescent. My wife offers to drive to the mall. Big box hardware store. I won’t say the name. Starts with an “L”. I reply “No, there’s a lighting/electric supply place right around the corner. I’ll take a walk. Healthier for me and I get to support our local business friends.”
So I walk in there, it’s a lovely place full of lamps. I show them the round fluorescent; tell them I need a replacement. Guy stares at it, takes it into the back room. I stand there for five minutes. Finally, he emerges with a second guy. They put on a big dramatic show: “Where the hell did you get THIS? I’ve never seen anything like it!!” (Goes on his computer to look it up.) “Nope!”
I ask him “Do you think [big box hardware “L”] would have it?”
“Nope!! I’ve never seen anything LIKE it! Maybe Amazon dot com!”
So I get home and I’m thinking it’s some weird discontinued or European thing, impossible to replace.
Later that day, wife and I go for a walk. I decide to check with our local hardware place, also just a few blocks away. Again, they’re totally baffled. “I’ve never seen anything like this. I’m sorry!”
By now I’m mentally figuring how much it would cost to rip out the entire ceiling outlet and replace with something else.
Today my wife drove to the mall for something else, and decided to take a chance to see if the big “L” would carry it. I was skeptical. I knew she’d come home empty-handed. I mean, if a store that specializes in lighting has never heard of it…
She just walked in. The big box had a bunch of them. No problem.
Why couldn’t the assholes in the first store just say “no, we don’t carry it. We can order for you, or maybe the big box has it.”
Instead they have to put on a big fucking show for my benefit. I’ve got enough bullshit in my life without these idiots.
Okay, I’m done.
Ruckus
@J R in WV:
Perfect.
People like the Clintons run in political circles. They talk to both their friends and enemies. It is the way the world works. And as you say he was a pretty good president and he did this in broad daylight. No back rooms, no arranged private meeting, it was a chance thing in an airport.
Kay
@Miss Bianca:
I was. It was fun. I had never been to Denver. It’s lovely. My husband developed a close personal relationship with one of the cops they brought in for the convention. He was a Righty, the cop, but a very funny person. I thought their police had the right attitude, which was “watch all these zany liberals cavort and collect tons of overtime”.
Ruckus
@gwangung:
And in my mind they suck far worse because it’s our side doing it to each other. That’s the definition of doing the oppositions job for them.
Paul in KY
@Bill: It (the meeting kerfluffle) advances an anti-Clinton meme (IMO). Even against Der Trumpenfuhrer, this election is going to be a dogfight. Those jerkwads in the media want a dogfight, so they are going to lap up anything that helps their preferred story.arc.
I’m just lamenting a self-inflicted ding.
Mnemosyne
@Kay:
In 2008, one of the things that made me admire Hillary was that she stood up as
the spokesperson for the New York delegation and nominated Barack Obama with absolutely no hesitation or lack of enthusiasm. She was excited about it!
Miss Bianca
@Kay: that’s Denver for ya! : )
PaulW
Look, I’m as much a TEBOW fan as anybody who went to the University of Florida (GO GATORS), but even I wouldn’t waste other people’s money for a signed helmet and jersey.
Dear GOD, Trump could have bought those with his OWN money if he were truly a billionaire. But he didn’t, so clearly he is NOT a billionaire.
He’s a con man wasting other people’s money.
I hope Tebow teams up with Wu Tang to steal his helmet and jersey back.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@germy: I often check the big-box stores to see if they have what I’m looking for in stock before I think about ordering it from Amazon (or elsewhere). Too often if they do have it in stock, one can’t find it on the shelf because the bins are all jumbled or people returned it broken or …
We used to have a great hardware store in NoVA – Fishers Hardware – but it changed hands then went under shortly thereafter. It was amazing all the different kinds of stuff they had there, and incredibly knowledgeable staff, too, who had been there for decades.
If I were king and had a hardware store, it would have staff behind a counter for small parts and specialty items, and let people wander around for standard pre-packaged stuff. Letting people off the street rummage through bins of small parts just invites frustration.
Yeah, it hurts when local stores don’t even seem to try to know what they’re doing. :-(
Cheers,
Scott.
karen marie
@rikyrah: Anything the Clintons do could be twisted into looking bad. If you think you, or “voters,” would be concerned about this meeting without the rightwing noise machine screaming about it, over a background of BENGHAZI! VINCE FOSTER! EMAIL SERVER! WHITEWATER! BLOWJOBS! RAPE!, I don’t know what to tell you.
Ruckus
@The Other Chuck:
I am also tired of this. I have enough shit going on in my life to cover all my needs for crapola. I don’t need supposed friends shooting in the wrong direction.
And yet I keep coming back because we also need to build on the good parts, discuss the stupid stuff but keep a perspective. Some people can’t do that. It takes all kinds. And we have that here. Call them out and move on or just ignore them. But don’t go away. We need all the help we can get.
Paul in KY
You know, we slag ole Bernie left and right when he makes what we think are political mistakes. I’ve sure tore into him, as have many of you.
However, when the Big Dog does something not savvy, everyone is like ‘won’t you leave poor Bill alone, can’t a man talk to a colleague in peace!!’
What’s good for the Bern is good for the Bill, I say.
Any of you who think the tarmac talk was a positive political thing are mistaken, IMO. Hopefully, it will be a nothing blip on the merry crushing of Trump. You know I hope so, as I want to see him completely humiliated.
EBT
@Central Planning: It’s the Max Power way.
germy
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet:
I’m not sure if it was so much that. The second store, the local hardware guy was polite and simply didn’t carry it. But the first store, the lighting place, I think they were being sarcastic assholes. I have a sensitive vibe-o-meter, and I got bad vibes from the first place. They could have made an attempt to be helpful; instead they decided to put on a show. Now I know I won’t be back.
It turns out to be a fairly common replacement bulb, there was no reason for them to act like I’d brought it in from another planet.
I agree about the big box places with the jumbled bins. They employ underpaid teenagers for the most part.
Paul in KY
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: Glad you read it. I read all of your comments, that are in a particular thread I’m reading/ranting about.
germy
@Emma:
Fox News: “Do we really want an onanist in the White House?”
Rand Careaga
@Paul in KY:
You give “them” too much credit. HRC never had an affair with Vince Foster, or murdered him; Bill was never recruited by the KGB in 1969; Obama wasn’t born in Kenya. That hasn’t stopped some loud and lengthy tirades over the years on all of those imaginary episodes. But I agree that the Big Dog has long been careless about leaving sharp objects around for his foes to pick up.
germy
@Rand Careaga: Next you’ll be telling me there’s no Whitey Tape.
Omnes Omnibus
@Rand Careaga: Headlines if he didn’t pop in to see Lynch: “Clinton snubs AG Lynch. HRC indictment imminent.”
@germy: That’s the trick. It’s a DVD.
Paul in KY
@Omnes Omnibus: Good point on the headline.
Corner Stone
@Omnes Omnibus:
“Their planes were *right there* on the tarmac beside one another! What is he hiding he didn’t want her to see?!”
Ruckus
@Rand Careaga:
Most of those sharp objects were not even close to sharp or dangerous or even objects. But the liars of the right made them that way and it’s been going on for so long that many are just accepting that at least some of them must be true. So Paul in KY wants the Clintons to just be perfect so that no one can say anything about them. But as you pointed out even if they were perfect the liars would just make up shit anyway. As they always do. It’s all they have. OK lies and bullshit. Lots of bullshit. And lies. Bill and Hillary Clinton are not perfect, never have been and never will be. Along with every other human on the fucking planet. They are better than most and that’s a big and damn fine thing. Why can’t people on their side of the aisle accept that?
Mnemosyne
@Paul in KY:
Let’s say you’re watching your favorite game of sportsball. A player on your home team makes a minor error, and the ref blows his whistle and throws that player out of the game (or whatever out-of-proportion penalty applies to your favorite sportsball).
Do you scream and yell at the ref who overreacted to a minor error? Or do you shrug and say, Hey, if the team can’t play completely error-free at all times, they deserve any punishment the ref decides to give them.
In other words, which team are you rooting for here?
Mnemosyne
@Ruckus:
This. Can’t anybody here play this game?
How are you doing? Do we need another Pasadena meetup?
Paul in KY
@Mnemosyne: Not a good analogy, IMO. In politics the 2 protagonists don’t directly combat each other. The winner is determined by 3rd parties (the people voting), who get influenced by the yappers.
When the yappers are yapping about you in a bad way, that’s not good for you. Want to stop them as much as possible, from having semi-credible stuff to yap about. You can see it in John’s post above, here the Combover Caligula has been lighting his dick on fire & they’re all talking about this BS.
Now as Omnes said, then they might come at it from a different angle.
Miss Bianca
@Paul in KY: Gee, the fact that Combover Caligula has been lighting his dick on fire, as you put it, and the press are *still* choosing to focus on Clinton! (non)Scandal! should tell you something, eh?
“Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny.”
And God forbid you should be *anything less*, because not only will your political enemies, but also your erstwhile allies and supporters, get on your case about it. Case in point.
Sandia Blanca
Heard a British reporter this morning on NPR who pointed out that Boris Johnson was born in New York. Now I know who Trump should choose for his running mate!
Paul in KY
@Miss Bianca: So they will never talk about Trump? Never. No matter what we do or don’t do or say or don’t say, they will never talk about Trump?
You see, that sounds defeatist, to me. Guess we shouldn’t try to do anything or make any strategic decisions, because they’ll just keep talking about Vince…ho hum, nothing can be done.
Miss Bianca
@Paul in KY: I didn’t say “they would never talk about Trump”, but hey – nice job moving those goalposts! That didn’t take you very long at all!//
What *I’m* saying is that “it doesn’t MATTER what the Clintons do or don’t do” – given a choice between saying something negative about a Clinton or negative about a Trump, the media are going to pivot for the “negative on a Clinton” every.damn.time. That being the case, why should *we* rush to do so? Every time we clutch our pearls over “optics, oh noes!!” we’ve essentially internalized the vast right-wing conspiracy’s message. We love Big Brother’s Media.
Ruckus
@Mnemosyne:
Always need meetups! I’m in.
Mnemosyne
@Paul in KY:
I know plenty of people whose opinion of sports teams or athletes is based solely on media coverage because they’re not fans of either team. That doesn’t mean that team fans don’t exist, only that non-fans are probably more numerous.
If you’re not a Democrat, then say so, and we’ll explain why this is a nothingburger. If you are a Democrat, you’re letting the team down. Man up and defend it against the other side.
Paul in KY
@Mnemosyne: Yeah, God knows I’ve never slagged various Republicans in this or other online sites. Heh.
Doug R
@germy: I bought a cheap lamp at IKEA that had one of those weird European in-between sizes. The Lighting store didn’t stock it either, but IKEA did in a CFL. I found a LED bulb that fit my burned out fridge bulb at the Orange Store that shall not be named. (I bought it before the founder came out for Drumpf-orange is as orange does I guess). I showed one of the employees and he asked me where I found it, I think they might be recommending this bulb to other customers.
They are also starting to sell again products with the Made in Canada and Made in USA labels.
germy
@Doug R: I think I have one of those lamps. Takes a weird little fluorescent that I’m certain I’ll never be able to replace unless I order it online. Which I’d rather not do. (I inherited the lamp from the previous owner, for some reason. Not sure why they left it behind when they moved)
Doug R
@germy: I think IKEA still has it: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/categories/departments/living_room/10744/
Groucho48
@Cermet:
There are probably 3-4 functions a week in Washington where justices and other folks who are responsible for judging issues come in contact with folks who are involved in those issues. It was a dumb thing to do by Clinton, mainly because it gives the right and the MSM another opportunity to bash Hillary, but, no one with the tiniest bit of objectivity would think some kind of deal was made.
On the other hand, Clinton also met with Ted Cruz at an airport and, shortly thereafter, Cruz dropped out of the race. Maybe Clinton has some kind of magical powers that only work in airports.
Matt
@OzarkHillbilly: For bonus revulsion, keep in mind that there’s a sizable overlap between forced-birth terror groups like Operation Rescue and people who think the NRA are wishy-washy on guns. Apparently there’s literally NO number of ambulances carrying off victims of gun violence that motivates them…
Scapegoat
Odds are that Bill knew exactly what he was doing.
Wonder why he felt it necessary to plan an unplanned encounter? Previously believed Hillz email was a giant nothingburger. Now I’m actually intrigued.
I can’t wait for these two to be back in the Whitehouse! There will be 0 days after inauguration that they labor under false pretenses of the prospect of “partisan support”. With NFLTG they’re going to get shit done by any means possible — and it’s going to be a rollicking adventure.