Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Disagreements are healthy; personal attacks are not.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

So very ready.

Their shamelessness is their super power.

Mediocre white men think RFK Jr’s pathetic midlife crisis is inspirational. The bar is set so low for them, it’s subterranean.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you do not.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. do not congratulate. this is not business as usual.

You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / Wednesday Evening Open Thread: Oh Joy

Wednesday Evening Open Thread: Oh Joy

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Dana Milbank’s original article here.

Honestly, yeah, I’m a lot less worried that the Russians might’ve hacked Hillary’s emails than I am about Michael J. Fox’s Evil Twin deliberately selling them new information. Possibly with a small finders’ fee to his current employer, Deadbeat Donald.

***********
Apart from such heartening news, what’s on the agenda for the evening?

Reader Interactions

348Comments

  3. 3.

    JPL

    I saw this earlier at Crooks and Liars and although it could happen, there is no proof of it now. I thought the suggestion was poorly sourced. imo
    follow the tweets

  6. 6.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @srv:

    Breitbart News Daily

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    Issa

    OH GOD HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA GASP CHOKE HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    Knock it off, srv, you’re killin me here.

  7. 7.

    Matt McIrvin

    Classic Republican playbook: get your “tu quoque” out in advance. They’re demanding that Clinton be barred from the intelligence briefings before the worry about Trump having access to them can become an issue.

  10. 10.

    japa21

    @srv: Boy, your sauce is getting weaker and weaker every day. Really reaching down deep. Perhaps you are having a twinge of a guilty conscience, like any normal person would, for supporting Trump. Nah, who am I kidding.

  11. 11.

    Mnemosyne

    If Comey was hoping to avoid having to testify in the House by being a jackass during his press conference, he definitely failed. They should make him testify for a minimum of 11 hours so he can try to beat Hillary’s record.

  13. 13.

    trollhattan

    Issa’s experience as a car thief entitles him to an opinion, yo.

    What a hump. Is his seat in play?

  14. 14.

    Quinerly

    Bernie’s Tad Devine and Paul Manafort have had at least one client in common. Just saying….

  15. 15.

    hovercraft

    @srv:
    Yes Darrell Issa is going to get Hillary this time, he did such a bang uo job last time round getting her on Benghazi. Oh right I forgot Elijah Cummings ate his lunch and dinner. I’m sure democrats on the hill are just quaking in their boots. He might want to focus on his own re-election cause that’s not looking all that secure.
    As for the independent prosecutor statute, no democratic is going to sign any legislation bringing that back because the last time there was one, the gop as usual overplayed their hand. Bill lied about getting a blow job. No normal person finds it surprising that a married man caught literally with his pants down would lie about what he was doing. That is why while few people approved of what he did only the republicans felt it was a hanging offense.
    Living in an echo chamber gives you the false impression that there are a lot more of you than there really are. You are not the silent majority.

  16. 16.

    germy

    @MomSense:

    Trump and Manafort remind me of a Bond villain and his #2.

    And at the end of the movie when Trump makes his getaway, he pushes his #2 off the helicopter.

  17. 17.

    lamh36

    Lesson one for publication…the “hot take” isn’t always the right take…think before you publish.

    So Marvel’s news today that the next IronMan will in fact be a Black teenager name RiRi Williams. Here’s her pic: Exclusive: Marvel’s New Iron Man Is a Black Woman

    Here are the list of actresses EW quickly posted: Marvel’s new Iron Man is a black, female science prodigy: Who should play her?

    Le sigh…Hollywood has always had a problem when it came to the skin tone of Black actresses…”lighter” has always been deemed better..smh…the fact that after seeing the drawing of the new IronMan that at least 5 out of the 7 woman they went with are all mixed-race & light skinned actresses…and other than maybe 1 or 2, the rest of them aren’t even teenager…le sigh…folks are, rightly IMHO, dinging EW for the “Hot take” list…smh

    Diversity in the workplace people…it helps…it really does…smh

  20. 20.

    Lolis

    I know two people I consider smart who voted for Trump. I have another friend who will vote for him in the general to oppose Hillary. Being raised Republican is hard to wear off on some people. I just got back from yoga and headed to dinner with a friend. I have zero fear Trump will win so I can enjoy my life.

  22. 22.

    NotMax

    My, my, my, that’s harsh.

    What the bloody hell did Michael J. Fox ever do to you?

    (If by chance – and that’s not at all clear – you mean the fictional character Alex P. Keaton, then say so.)

  25. 25.

    Major Major Major Major

    Shameless plug time!

    I’ve just finished part 1 of overhauling the novel I’m working on, and was wondering if any of the esteemed commentariat would be interested in providing feedback, no matter how small. It’s about 20,000 words, 50 pages or so.

    It’s about the days after all of the world’s fish vanish, following the (mis?)adventures of an eel fisherman, a marine biologist, a sushi chef, and the eccentric billionaire that brings them all together.

    Shoot me an email at theworldbeyondeels at gmail dotcom if you’re interested, or follow my nym and drop a comment on the most recent post.

    Thanks!

  27. 27.

    Quinerly

    @Lolis:
    I have yet to actually meet a Trump supporter…or at least anyone who admits to it. How did I get so lucky?

  31. 31.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Quinerly: I’ve got at least half a dozen relatives I’m pretty sure will vote for Trump, and even more who will probably vote Johnson or even write in Cruz, Bush or Rubio. Fortunately, we usually manage to avoid politics. One reason may be that having a big family means there’s always family politics to gossip about

  33. 33.

    lamh36

    UGH…enough…MSM…ENOUGH WITH THE LOOP OF THAT VIDEO OF THE MURDER OF ALTON STERLING

    Why is the killing of Black bodies can be plastered all over social media and the news media, yet, the same entities refuse to let you post similar types of videos. They are almost always banned immediately.

    But the killing of Black bodies as they run away, as they play in park, as they stand outside…is universally shared and reposted and re-broadcast every damn where? Do our live not matter as much as say that damn gorilla they shot at that zoo?

    I initially posted it late last night to my FB page, but almost immediately deleted it and since today, I’ve been asking folks PLEASE DO NOT POST THAT VIDEO OF THE MURDER OF ALTON STERLIN and to I’ve been unfollowing or outright deleting folks who do including family…sick of the bullshit

    Oh and folks talking about we need to show the video to prove to “certain” groups what exactly?

    @ReignOfApril 2h2 hours ago
    ☔️ April ☔️ Retweeted
    We should experience the mental trauma of seeing our people killed so that MAYBE white folks will wake up. Huh.

    jesseWilliams. @iJesseWilliams

    1) In the interest of time, would ye noble patriots please provide a list of infractions punishable by spontaneous public execution? Thanks!
    2) Upon receipt of this list, we’ll return to our quarters and study up, eager to enjoy freedoms of white mass murders. #LIFEHACK
    9 hours ago
    3) You chumps will NEVER provide this list… We see through you.

  35. 35.

    germy

    from bloomberg news:

    If elected, Clinton would implement a three-month moratorium on federal student loan payments. The Education Department would use that time to help borrowers learn how to consolidate their loans, sign up for income-based repayment plans, and find ways to reduce their interest payments and fees, the campaign said.

    Clinton would also use the period as an opportunity to crack down on for-profit colleges and loan servicers, the campaign said.

  44. 44.

    germy

    Jason Weisberger:
    @Baud:

    The fractured Democratic Party is turning to rapper and outspoken video game/marijunana enthusiast Snoop Dogg to reunite them! Snoop will be performing at their post-convention unity party.

    No wonder people fought so hard to become delegates!

    Via Politico:

    The rapper is set to headline a “unity party” following the last night of the Democratic National Convention on July 28 in Philadelphia co-hosted by the super PACs Priorities USA, the Senate Majority PAC and the House Majority PAC, the groups announced Tuesday.
    Snoop Dogg, also known as Calvin Broadus, announced that he would be supporting Hillary Clinton less than a month after she declared her candidacy in May 2015.

    “You know I like to be politically correct, but sometimes I’m politically incorrect,” he said on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live.” “But I’ll say that I would love to see a woman in office because I feel like we’re at that stage in life to where we need a perspective other than the male’s train of thought. And just to have a woman speaking from a global perspective as far as representing America, I’d love to see that. So I’ll be voting for Ms. Clinton.”

  45. 45.

    Iowa Old Lady

    The thought of sex with Roger Ailes makes me so nauseated that I am actually feeling some sympathy for Gretchen Carlson. I have to lie down.

  48. 48.

    Quinerly

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    I’m an only… born of two only children. So no family, really. Large circle of friends and acquaintances but no Trump fans, the best I can tell. The big thorns in my side re politics have been the delusional Bern Feelers who are still holding out hope daily on their Face Book pages. I’m so sick of it….some bridges are being “berned.”

  49. 49.

    Brachiator

    @Mnemosyne: Will this be interesting, or a whole bunch of nothing?

    A long-accepted story about one of America’s founding fathers is about to be debunked, according to a New Jersey university.

    Kean University says the author of a recent self-published book about Alexander Hamilton will present evidence at an event on campus Thursday that “completely refutes” a story embraced as fact by most Hamilton historians.

    While the university is tight-lipped about the announcement, Michael Newton, a self-published author, told NJ Advance Media his revelation will correct an error repeated in almost every Hamilton biography as well as the popular Broadway musical.

    The US political news is mainly unimportant until we get into the conventions. Lots of posturing and gnashing of teeth. But Hamilton mania is starting to rival Richard III obsession levels of madness.

  52. 52.

    Baud

    @srv: Yes, I conceded, albeit somewhat silently. The Democrats aren’t ready yet for a virtual nominee. But that glass ceiling now has 18 million cracks in it…. Well, not so much 18 million, more like a handful. And not really “cracks” per se. “Smudges” might be a more accurate term, like bugs on a windshield.

    Anywho, we’ll probably get impeachment proceedings either way, so that’s not really going to help Donald.

  53. 53.

    Frankensteinbeck

    I honestly think the intelligence community will feed Trump some fake information with his briefings, and see what gets back to Moscow. It’s an old and well established strategy. Hell, it’s used to fight plagiarism.

    @Major Major Major Major:
    Good luck, sir-or-madame-or-neuter-as-the-case-may-be! Authoring is wonderful.

    @Mnemosyne:
    I think Comey just doesn’t like Clinton and was doing his best to hamstring her without completely abdicating his job duties. There’s plenty of reason to think he would want to hurt her.

  57. 57.

    germy

    Outside the building, Representative Darrell Issa, a combative conservative ideologue from California, found his path blocked by several dozen activists from United We Dream, which advocates on behalf of undocumented young people. Some held makeshift signs calling Trump a racist or associating him with the Ku Klux Klan or the Confederacy, but many held up professionally produced placards reading, “The G.O.P.: Party of Trump.” Issa hopped a fence and raced up the street as if he were fleeing a crime scene. When a reporter ran after him, he ducked into a building.

  59. 59.

    Andy

    The Eight Laws That Hillary Broke

    1.) 18 U.S. Code § 793 – Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information
    18 U.S. Code § 798 – Disclosure of classified information

    A federal prosecutor would naturally focus first on the most serious allegations: willfully transmitting or willfully retaining Top Secret and Compartmented (TS/SCI) material using a private server system. The individual who transmits and the individual who receives and retains TS/SCI information on a private server jointly share the culpability for risking the compromise and exploitation of the information by hostile intelligence services. The prosecutor’s charging document would likely include felony counts under 18 U.S. Code § 793 and under 18 U.S. Code § 798 against each transmitting individual as well as separate counts against each receiving and retaining individual. Violation of either provision of the U.S. Code cited above is a felony with a maximum prison term of ten years.

    The prohibited conduct is the insecure transmission of highly classified information, as well as the receipt and retention of highly classified information in an unapproved manner. The requisite mens rea is the willful commission of the prohibited conduct and the knowledge that compromised information could result in prejudice or injury to the United States or advantage to any foreign nation. Proof of intent to disclose the classified information is not required.

    2.) U.S. Code § 1924 – Unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material

    If the federal prosecutors are of a charitable disposition and an accused person has been cooperative, the felony charges under 18 U.S. Code § 793 and 18 U.S. Code § 798 may be “pled-down” to a single or to multiple misdemeanor counts under 18 U.S. Code § 1924. A misdemeanor conviction would probably result in a period of probation and a less significant fine. The prohibited conduct is the unauthorized removal of classified information from government control or its retention in an unauthorized location. The mens rea required is the intent to remove from government control or the intent to store the classified information in an unauthorized location.

    3.) 18 U.S. Code § 2071(b) — Concealment, removal, or mutilation generally

    To sustain a charge under 18 U.S. Code § 2071(b), a federal prosecutor need only prove that the accused transferred and held the only copies of official government records (whether classified or not), the very existence of which was concealed from government records custodians. The mens rea required is that an accused knows that official government records were transferred or removed from the control of government records custodians. Violation of 18 U.S. Code § 2071(b) is a felony with a maximum prison term of three years.

    4.) 18 U.S. Code § 641 – Public money, property or records

    Again, if the federal prosecutors are of a charitable disposition and accused has been cooperative, the felony charges under 18 U.S. Code § 2071(b) can be “pled down” to a misdemeanor under 18 U.S. Code § 641. The prohibited conduct is the conversion of official records (whether classified or not) to the accused’s exclusive use and the mens rea is simply the intent to do so. Conviction on the lesser misdemeanor charge would likely result in a period of probation and the imposition of a fine.

    5.) 18 U.S. Code § 1505 – Obstruction of proceedings before departments, agencies, and committees

    If it can be proven that an accused destroyed, withheld, or concealed the existence of official records being sought under subpoena by a committee of Congress, the accused can be convicted of obstruction under 18 U.S. Code § 1505. The prohibited conduct includes destruction, concealment and withholding of documents, thereby impeding or obstructing the committee’s rightful pursuit of information. The mens rea is knowledge of the committee’s interest in obtaining the official records in the accused’s custody or control. Violation of 18 U.S. Code § 1505 is a felony with a maximum prison term of five years.

    6.) 18 U.S. Code § 1519 — Destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations

    If it can be proven that an accused knowingly concealed the existence of official records being sought by the Department of State Inspector General (DOS/IG) or by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), such accused can be convicted of obstruction. The prohibited conduct is the concealment and withholding of documents that impede or obstruct an investigation. The mens rea is the intent to conceal or withhold. Violation of 18 U.S. Code § 1519 is a felony with a maximum prison term of twenty years.

    7.) 18 U.S. Code § 1031 — Fraud against the United States
    18 U.S. Code § 1343 – Fraud by wire, radio or television
    18 U.S. Code § 1346 — Definition of “scheme or artifice to defraud”
    18 U.S. Code § 371 – Conspiracy to defraud the United States

    If it can be proven that an accused arranged for the Department of State to hire an Information Technology (IT) specialist to primarily administer and maintain a private server system owned by the accused, then the accused can be convicted of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and probably wire fraud. The prohibited conduct is having the United States pay an employee salary and/or official travel funds for performing private services on behalf of accused. The mens rea is simply the knowledge of the employee’s status as a public servant and that the government was not fully reimbursed for the costs to the government of such services. The wire fraud conviction can be sought if it can be proven that accused used electronic means of communication in undertaking such scheme or artifice to defraud.

    8.) 18 U.S. Code § 371 – Conspiracy to commit a federal offense

    If any accused and any third party can be proven to have colluded in any violation of federal, criminal law, then all involved can be charged with criminal conspiracy as well as being charged with the underlying offense.

  60. 60.

    NotMax

    So discovered the series White Collar on Netflix.

    It’s fun. A light diversion and buddy flick condensed to a TV show. The two leads play off one another very well.

    One could develop a drinking game for every scene in which a svelte young lady wearing a short, tight cocktail dress is crammed in, whether it makes sense of not.

  62. 62.

    hovercraft

    @Iowa Old Lady:
    No one should have to contemplate sex with that man ugh!! God bless Jerry Hall, I’m sorry nothing is worth having to wake up to him everyday, nothing.

  64. 64.

    inventor

    I was thinking this year will be a wave election and the Democrats will certainly gain seats, maybe even enough to take control depending on turnout.

    But then, how to get turnout in ’18 to prevent a backslide in the House? Then it hit me: impeachment!

  70. 70.

    germy

    @hovercraft: Jerry Hall is married to Murdoch. And the offspring of Murdoch are losing patience with Ailes. Have they commented yet on the sexual harassment lawsuit?

  71. 71.

    redshirt

    @inventor: That’s brilliant and true. Even something less than impeachment, but some other Republican dramafest gets Dems motivated to vote in 2018.

    Jeez, it’s almost 2018. FUTURE!

  72. 72.

    Baud

    @amk: They bought a lot of booze for the trial and they’ve decided to drink it all in one night.

  73. 73.

    AnotherBruce

    @srv: Five congressional committees! That will go over well with the taxpayers. Fucking Republicans, always overplay their hand.

    I’m sure the FBI will just love this process.

  74. 74.

    Quinerly

    @Frankensteinbeck:
    Of course he doesn’t like her…he’s a lifelong Repug who donated to both McCain and Romney…and he cut his teeth as an underling in the Whitewater nothing burger 20 years. You can believe if he could have pinned anything on her yesterday, he would have. He just made a 20 minute attack ad on the tax payers dime. That’s what yesterday was about. What he didn’t bargain for was the rabid House Repugs wanting to put him under oath and grilling him. And the Dems asking questions too.

  75. 75.

    lamh36

    Ya’ll…ya’ll…come on…

    @realDonaldTrump
    Where is the outrage for this Disney book? Is this the ‘Star of David’ also?
    Dishonest media! #Frozen

    and he tweeted a pic of a Frozen coloring book!!!!

    Ya’ll…is this real life….

    this is for whoever is running HRC’s twitter acct! applause

    @HillaryClinton Hillary Clinton Retweeted
    Do you want to build a strawman?

  76. 76.

    germy

    @NotMax:

    One could develop a drinking game for every scene in which a svelte young lady wearing a short, tight cocktail dress is crammed in, whether it makes sense of not.

    For a minute I thought you were talking about Roger Ailes and his foxnews shows…

  90. 90.

    patroclus

    @Andy: That reminds me of when I first started talking politics on the internets back in ’97. I would say things like “I think gays and lesbians should have equal rights, be able to get married and join the military.” And the response from posters like you would be the complete text of Romans or Corinthians (as if that had anything to do with what Jesus said) with no other point whatsoever. Can you list another statute please? And this time, maybe an explanation as to how you think it applies? The fact is that Hillz wasn’t sharing confidential classified info with the world – she may have been sharing it with others who were authorized to receive classified info on an unsecure server. That’s it – there has never been any criminal charges for anything like that. Try again.

  92. 92.

    Quinerly

    @hovercraft:
    Jerry is married to Murdoch. Murdoch’s ex wife (Wendy) is rumored to be involved with Putin. Ailes is married to a woman 20 years younger…one child. He married for the first and only time in 1998.

  93. 93.

    NG

    Trump/Gingrich is going to be fucking dynamite. Clinton already from +6.8 avg to +4. And Emailgaye isn’t over yet: get ready for the investigation of the investigation . Time for a nice, loooooooooong fishing expedition to find another tangent to keep this in the news.

    House Republicans won’t stop until there’s a A new Independent Counsel and Federal Grand Jury!

  95. 95.

    Felonius Monk

    @Andy: Did you buy yourself a new law book today?
    Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with the Balloon-Juice Code of Blog Law, Section 12, para. 19: Thou shalt neither be an incoherent fool nor exhibit any tendency toward being one.

  98. 98.

    Cat48

    But, wouldn’t this be double jeopardy for Clinton? She’s already cleared by the FBI and the Attorney General. I wouldn’t agree to any do-overs by the wankers in Congress.

  109. 109.

    burnspbesq

    @trollhattan:

    Is his seat in play?

    We’re working on it. The dem is a relatively young ex-Marine, which isn’t a bad place to start in northern San Diego County, home of a shit-ton of current and former jarheads.

  110. 110.

    inventor

    @trollhattan: Imagine if the Obama….by then the Obama/Clinton coalition turns out for a mid-term. Stuff would get done like crazy! New Deal type majorities.

  112. 112.

    hovercraft

    @germy:
    You’re right I mixed them up. Still do not want to contemplate sex with either. Much like the Trump kids the Murdoch kids have to accept the bad with the good, they get the money but it comes with some thorny strings. Poor little rich kids.

  114. 114.

    dogwood

    @Iowa Old Lady:
    In reading about Carlson today I clicked on a link to an article she penned for Huff. Post a couple of years ago. She didn’t name names, but she was pretty clear about the sexual harassment she endured from her Miss America days to the present. She must have a case because going after Ailes won’t be easy. She’s been at Fox for 10 years, but has years of experience in local tv journalism. An attractive woman with a Stanford degree and years of experience turns 50 and says fuck it. Hope she gives the bastards hell.

  118. 118.

    germy

    @dogwood:

    “Be more opinionated,” he told Crier in one meeting. “The guests are there as a foil for you.” He also disagreed with her dress. “He had admiration for her legs,” a senior executive said. In one meeting, Ailes barked, “Tell Catherine I did not spend x-number of dollars on a glass desk for her to wear pant suits.” [The Loudest Voice in the Room, pg 238]

  119. 119.

    hovercraft

    If this is true, the man is not fit to be in charge of a lemonade stand. He is obsessed with optics. Bit the again this is from Bill Always Wrong Kristol.

    I’m told Trump’s VP will be @GovPenceIN or @GenFlynn. One among several reasons: Trump is convinced one-syllable last names convey strength.

    — Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) July 2, 2016

  123. 123.

    dogwood

    @NotMax:
    White Collar was a guilty pleasure of mine. It doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a fairly pleasant diversion.

  125. 125.

    redshirt

    @NG:

    Damn skippy! Investigate the investigation! Straight from the ’90s playbook!

    Sad.

    If you want to troll this blog, you’re gonna have to change up your game. You’re too obviously recognizable now.

  128. 128.

    NG

    @AnotherBruce:

    For the corrupt conspiracy to strong arm the FBI in to not issuing an indictment: check out the timeline–

    Billy meets with Loretta Lynch
    Obama hints Lynch will be kept on as AG if Clinton wins
    FBI interviewed Clinton
    Clinton plans rally with Obama
    11:00, day of rally, Comey lays out a damning case in his statement and inexplicably declined to indict
    Rally at 1:00

    Something smells here and a House Committee needs to get to the bottom of it

  129. 129.

    lamh36

    MSM surprised by Trump only speaking like a conspiracy theorist instead of a realist? Why should he? It’s what got him those primary votes

  131. 131.

    Dmbeaster

    @germy: And srv thinks Issa is the tough guy taking on Clinton. Actually, his duck and run is a lot like srv, who disappears when it comes to talking about Trump’s utter nonsense.

  133. 133.

    Feebog

    @Andy:

    Too bad those statues weren’t around when it was discovered that numerous Bush staffers were using RNC accounts on a server housed in RNC headquarters. Oh wait…

  134. 134.

    Mary G

    Darrell Issa’s race got downgraded from safe Republican to leans Republican by the Cooke Report! Remember when Boehner took the Benghazi investigation away from him because he’s an idiot, gave it to Gowdy, then Darrell tried to come into Gowdy’s hearing room and Gowdy threw him out? I smell blood in the water.

  135. 135.

    burnspbesq

    @Andy:

    Well, hooray for you, asshole. Being able to copy and paste from Title !8 is a useful skill, but it’s an imperfect substitute for understanding what the law actually is.

    Protip: IT’S ABOUT THE MENTAL STATE, WHICH CAN’T BE PROVEN CUZ IT AIN’T THERE.

    Now go sit down.

  137. 137.

    Adam L Silverman

    Digby, the Doyenne of the Progressive Blogoshphere, reminds us that both Congressman Chaffetz and his predecessor Congressman Issa have both released classified information, and in Chaffetz’s case very publicly in a hearing with State Department officials providing the Oversight Committee with an Unclassified briefing on Benghazi. AG Lynch and FBI Director Comey will not be dealing with the brain trust tomorrow:
    digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-gop-scandalmongers-line-up-in-front.html
    washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/homeland-security-to-chaffetz-stop-the-leaks-of-sensitive-…
    washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-letting-us-in-on-a-secret/2012/10/10/ba3136ca-132b-11e2-ba8…

    Through their outbursts, cryptic language and boneheaded questioning of State Department officials, the committee members left little doubt that one of the two compounds at which the Americans were killed, described by the administration as a “consulate” and a nearby “annex,” was a CIA base. They did this, helpfully, in a televised public hearing.

    Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) was the first to unmask the spooks. “Point of order! Point of order!” he called out as a State Department security official, seated in front of an aerial photo of the U.S. facilities in Benghazi, described the chaotic night of the attack. “We’re getting into classified issues that deal with sources and methods that would be totally inappropriate in an open forum such as this.”

    A State Department official assured him that the material was “entirely unclassified” and that the photo was from a commercial satellite. “I totally object to the use of that photo,” Chaffetz continued. He went on to say that “I was told specifically while I was in Libya I could not and should not ever talk about what you’re showing here today.”

    foreignpolicy.com/2012/10/19/issas-benghazi-document-dump-exposes-several-libyans-working-with-the-u…

  143. 143.

    AnotherBruce

    @NG: Yes, right, the Clintons had a tight schedule that day, So what in the fuck does strong arming the FBI have to do with it? You do know that the Obama Clinton rally was planned weeks in advance, don’t you? Unfortunately for Clinton haters such as yourself, Comey didn’t lay out a case that would include criminal prosecution. Go find something else to stroke yourself with.

  144. 144.

    dogwood

    The numerous congressional investigations are the Republicans’ attempt at a presidential campaign. Also gives them lots of excuses for not appearing or talking about Trump.

  145. 145.

    Mnemosyne

    @lamh36:

    FWIW, I couldn’t even stand to listen to the press conference where the victim’s oldest son was sobbing his heart out. I *really* don’t need to see the man killed.

  148. 148.

    Tilda Swinton's Bald Cap

    @NG: Read and weep shithead: From Bloomberg Politics.

    For decades, white voters with at least a bachelor’s degree have favored the Republican nominee over the Democrat in U.S. presidential elections, although not by as much as working-class whites.

    The 2016 presidential election is turning that dynamic on its head. Polling shows that while presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump is the clear choice among white voters without a college education, whites who’ve completed college prefer Clinton. It’s a trend analysts say is especially apparent among women, and may become more pronounced between now and November…

    Recent national polls of registered voters show Clinton, 68, leading with college-educated whites, a group that President Barack Obama lost by 14 percentage points nationally in 2012 and by 4 points in 2008. The size of her advantage in late June varied from just 1 point in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey, to an 8-point edge in a Washington Post/ABC News poll, to 10 points in a Quinnipiac University survey.

  149. 149.

    Miss Bianca

    @Adam L Silverman:

    “I totally object to the use of that photo,” Chaffetz continued. He went on to say that “I was told specifically while I was in Libya I could not and should not ever talk about what you’re showing here today.”

    “OOPS! Did I say OOPS? That thing I wasn’t supposed to talk about that I’m talking about right now? What do you mean, ‘I don’t think we can be having this conversation’? We’re HAVING it! Right here on the floor of the House! I mean – OOPS! I said it again!”

  153. 153.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: I don’t know if there was a model for the artist, and I realize that the depiction is of a teenager, but if that drawing was a real person, that would be a stunning young woman.

  155. 155.

    lamh36

    I’ve commended the NY Daily News covers in the past, not all of them, but a few recent ones. But I happened to glimpse the next cover and HELL NAW…

    Seriously, I’m BLOCKING ANYONE who retweets that NY Daily News pic on my TL…It’s a still of Alton Sterling on the ground with blood on his chest … more tragedy porns with Black bodies as the prize…

    Ugh…

  157. 157.

    hovercraft

    Someone needs to tell drump to stop digging. This is from tonight.

    Where is the outrage for this Disney book? Is this the ‘Star of David’ also?
    Dishonest media! #Frozen pic.

    — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 7, 2016

    lahm you beat me to it.

  158. 158.

    NotMax

    @opiejeanne

    One of those people graced with the ability to successfully pull off wearing anything; he could make sackcloth and ashes look good.

  159. 159.

    Mnemosyne

    @Brachiator:

    I’ll be curious to know what it is but (with apologies to our local authors), the fact that the guy is self-published doesn’t give me a whole lot of confidence.

    I did run across a weird reference to a Jefferson historian who swore in the 1970s that the Reynolds affair was a sham and Hamilton really had been engaging in financial speculation, but he never seems to have been able to come up with proof. Maybe this shmoe thinks he’s found it.

  162. 162.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Mnemosyne:

    I heard the audio of that, once, this afternoon, and it was absolutely heartrending. Have not seen or heard either of the execution videos, nor do I want to, and if that press conference comes on again, I’m changing stations over to Symphony Hall or the Met Opera channel right quick.

    I have also blocked, without watching, at least three different feeds of it on FB. Do. Not. Need. To. See. That. In. Order. To. Be. Horrified.

  164. 164.

    Miss Bianca

    @Baud: may I just say that you have been cracking me up *so* badly lately? Or would that be ‘Baud!ly’?

    You’d make a remarkably entertaining virtual VP – a worthy successor to Handsome Joe!

  165. 165.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Brachiator: This guy had better be prepared to have this “revelation” meticulously documented, or he’ll go the way of Clifford Irving.

  169. 169.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Mnemosyne: OT, but if you’re still here, you’ll want to give this a look:
    io9.gizmodo.com/confront-your-darkest-fears-and-desires-at-this-giallo-1783242354

    There’s going to be a Giallo exhibition in LA through 30 July:
    sloanfineart.com/16Giallo/pr.html
    “My Blood Runs Yellow: A Tribute to Giallos”
    curated by Alix Sloan and Drew Fitzpatrick
    with works by Aaron Smith, Barnaby Whitfield, Eric Finzi, Jacyln Dooner, Jean-Pierre Roy, Jessicka Addams, John Jacobsmeyer, Jonathan Viner, Kristen Schiele, Marco Mazzoni, Owen Smith, Peter Drake, Valerie Pobjoy

    Reception: Saturday, July 9th, 7 to 10pm
    Exhibition: Through July 30, 2016
    Location: Project Gallery, 961 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, CA
    Gallery Hours: Friday and Saturday, 1 to 6 pm and by appointment.
    As a literary genre, the ‘giallo’ first appeared in Italy in the years prior to World War II courtesy of the Mondadori publishing company. What began as simple Italian translations of popular English-language crime and mystery novels were made distinct with gloriously lurid cover artwork on a bright yellow background. When film adaptations followed, the rest of the world began calling them by their Italian name, ‘giallo’ meaning, you guessed it, yellow. Though Mario Bava’s orgasmically colorful 1965 murder-mystery “Blood and Black Lace” wasn’t the first film of the genre, it laid the foundation for the form: a chic setting, gorgeous victims and a black-clad (preferably in leather) killer. Five years later when young filmmaker Dario Argento unleashed his worldwide smash “The Bird with the Crystal Plumage” American audiences got their first taste of yellow blood. While the cultural penetration of Giallo aesthetics might seem subtle to the casual observer, the impact on subsequent artists working in all mediums – including film, music, literature and fine art – is undeniable and appreciation of their contribution continues. In 2016, composer Ennio Morricone, known for scoring countless Giallos, won an Academy Award for his work on Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” and a remake of Argento’s 1977 masterpiece “Suspiria” is currently in pre-production.

    For the exhibition “My Blood Runs Yellow: A Tribute to Giallos” co-curators Alix Sloan and Drew Fitzpatrick have hand-picked a select group of thirteen extraordinary fine artists – Aaron Smith, Barnaby Whitfield, Eric Finzi, Jaclyn Dooner, Jean-Pierre Roy, Jessicka Addams, John Jacobsmeyer, Jonathan Viner, Kristen Schiele, Marco Mazzoni, Owen Smith, Peter Drake, and Valerie Pobjoy – to present work influenced by the genre.

    With a background in film journalism, co-curator Drew Fitzpatrick has written for Video Watchdog, Cinefantastique and Ain’t it Cool News. He brings his unique vision and in-depth knowledge of all things Giallo to the project. Giallo fan Alix Sloan is the owner and director of Sloan Fine Art, one of the founding contemporary galleries of New York City’s Lower East Side arts district and a pioneer of the now popular nomadic gallery format.

    “My Blood Runs Yellow: A Tribute to Giallos” takes place at Project Gallery, 961 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, CA. The opening reception, on Saturday, July 9th, from 7 to 10 pm, is free and all are welcome. The curators and several artists will be present. The exhibition runs through July 30th. Gallery hours are Friday and Saturday, 1 to 6 pm and by appointment.

    Click here to view the exhibition online.

  170. 170.

    cmorenc

    @Major Major Major Major:

    It’s about the days after all of the world’s fish vanish, following the (mis?)adventures of an eel fisherman, a marine biologist, a sushi chef, and the eccentric billionaire that brings them all together.

    Here’s a challenge for your creative skills Major^4: add a Urologist as a significant character in that mix. Extra points if you can convincingly tie the Urologist and the sushi chef together in the plot. Doing so with the eel fisherman would be too cheesy and obvious to deserve credit.
    :=)

  172. 172.

    lamh36

    @Adam L Silverman: the first young actress I thought of was this young lady named YaYa DaCosta. If you’re a reality show person, you may know her for America’s Next Top Model and a few side parts in a good bit of movies and tv movies.

    Here’s a pic of YaYa: YaYa DaCosa

  173. 173.

    Miss Bianca

    @Major Major Major Major: You’d take advantage of my terrible phobia – my terribly, MERCILESSLY EXPOSED phobia – to force me to read a funny story?? You…you BEAST. You CREATURE.

    @Mnemosyne: I read that as “Comedy”, not “Comey”, having to testify in the House. I was terribly confused.

  176. 176.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: Its now been reported that the cops went back and took, as in stole – no warrant, no permission to take it – the store’s CC TV footage while they had the store’s owner at the station being interviewed. The DOJ is going to have a field day with this one.

  177. 177.

    Felonius Monk

    Josh Marshall ✔ @joshtpm
    Proper response to Ryan’s call for Clinton to be denied access to classified briefings is to note Ryan Wants Donald Trump to be President.

    I disagree with Josh on this, I think Ryan should be charged with impersonating a Congressman.

  178. 178.

    Major Major Major Major

    @cmorenc: Billionaire has a run-in with a candiru during an Amazonian fishing expedition, back in the day. Meets a urologist. Since they’re as close as can be after that harrowing incident, they become travel buddies, go to Japan together.

  179. 179.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Adam L Silverman: It’s bad enough that they murdered a man in cold blood, but then they go back and compound the crime establishing premeditation beyond any doubt with their actions here.

  182. 182.

    dogwood

    I remember in ’04 when Republicans were scrambling to find some someone to run against Obama, one Republican who was rumored to be a possibility likened taking on Obama to volunteering to be infected with terminal cancer. That’s pretty much the situation Trump’s in with this veep search.

  183. 183.

    NotMax

    @Felonius Monk

    The proper response is that the decision is solely and completely an executive, not a legislative, one and totally outside the purview of the Speaker.

  184. 184.

    Vhh

    @Andy:so let’s see…..it’s documented that NSA refused HRC’s staff request for secured Blackberries because the mandated secure facilities for classified docs are absurd (guards, doors) for a SecState who has to travel. It’s documented that Confirm and Powell used private mail for same reason. Also documented that Bush admin unlawfully erased an estimated 22M emails on non govt servers, and a fair few sensitive ones on Plame on govt servers. Classification (much of ex post facto) touches less than 0.5% of HRC 50K emails, and errors were not deliberate. So go ahead, and be prepared for an avalanche.

  186. 186.

    Emma

    @SiubhanDuinne: Try this. I don’t know if it works, but if it doesn’t, go to @hillaryclinton and scroll down.

    (added) brought to our combined attention by lamb36 earlier.

  187. 187.

    Comrade Scrutinizer

    @srv: OH MY GOD! THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!!1!!!11!!!

    Srv, you’re a fuckin’ wanker, you know that?

  188. 188.

    lamh36

    @gex: she def looks the part, except she at least 30 and the new rendering is a teenager…but the drawing def looks like a younger YaYa

  189. 189.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @srv: “I’m shocked, shocked, that gambling is going on at the Trump Taj Mahal!”

    “Your chapter 11 filing, sir.”

  192. 192.

    scav

    Oh, looky what sort of misdeeds by cops do get some sort of internal self-policing and investigation and such? Without mass demonstations even. Certainly reveals internal weighting of preferences and priorities. Ex-Georgia Officer Investigated in Deaths of 3 Dogs. Resignation, excavations, forensic vetrinarians, charges, bonds, the works! They “want closure”.

  193. 193.

    Felonius Monk

    @NotMax: That has always been my understanding. And one would think that the Speaker of the House would not be ignorant of that fact. So I think my assertion stands: he is impersonating a Congressman. (And not a very good impersonation, at that.)

  198. 198.

    lamh36

    @Adam L Silverman: I saw that. I’m no lawyer but I do watch alot of SVU and they always make it a point to get the suspect to say “ya got a warrant” for security footage and the like…

    Also too, did you see this…apparently the video being circulated, was filmed by an activist group called “Stop the Killing Inc…” They listen to PD scanner and when there seems a possibility of a volative situation involving police and suspect, they go to the scene and commit to filming the interaction if they can.

    ‏@WesleyLowery 7h7 hours ago
    the backstory behind the bystander video of #AltonSterling’s shooting

    Imagine if they had not been there and filmed the incident would we even have a story to tell…smh

  199. 199.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Miss Bianca: He’s very avaricious, he’s turned on everyone who’s ever mentored him or served as his patron, and he’s amassed power without intelligence. He’ll also say or do or be whatever is needed to be for him to amass more power.

  201. 201.

    . scav

    Oh looky what the police can rather manage when they decide to go all self-policing and shit: Ex-Georgia Officer Investigated in Deaths of 3 Dogs. Tips, investigations, resignation, exhumation, charges, forensic vetrinarians, the works! Does rather throw a light on their internal relative rankings of populations and priorities, but hey. They “want closure”.

  203. 203.

    scav

    Oh looky what the police can rather manage when they decide to go all self-policing and shit: Ex-Georgia Officer Investigated in Deaths of 3 Dogs. Tips, investigations, resignation, exhumation, charges, forensic vetrinarians, the works! Does rather throw a light on their internal relative rankings of populations and priorities, but hey. They “want closure”.

  206. 206.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: Makes you wonder if she was the artist’s actual inspiration – even if he just pulled a photo of her off the net. Stunning young woman.

  208. 208.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Villago Delenda Est: Governor Edwards made the right call by immediately asking the DOJ to take over. When this is done he’ll have the top cover to call for the new “Blue Lives Matter” Law, which makes attacking a law enforcement officer in Louisiana a hate crime, repealed. He should never have signed the damn thing to begin with as assaulting, battering, and/or killing a cop already came with enhanced penalties.

  210. 210.

    SiubhanDuinne

    This is going to sound sexist, and lookist, and all kinds of other -ists, and I don’t care.

    Forget Donald and Newt trying to replace Barack and Joe. Imagine if you will:

    Today, we have Michelle and Jill.

    Tomorrow, we could have Melania and Callista.

    Do not want.

  211. 211.

    NotMax

    That’s 2 comments gone to aetherland.

    Adam, if they’re stuck, please to release.

    Thanks in advance.

  212. 212.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Mnemosyne: You’re welcome. I saw it and thought I knew who’d want to know about it. Now if it was a Giallo/Hamilton mashup we’d probably have to send you to the Betty Ford Clinic.

  220. 220.

    The Dangerman

    @hovercraft:

    Someone needs to tell drump to stop digging.

    If I was a bett1ng man, I’d drop a few bills that Trump doesn’t get nominated in Cleveland. I’m not sure if it’s because he has a breakdown or gets whacked by the delagates, but today was the Daily Double (Hussein, shouldn’t have deleted the tweet) and I don’t think they can let him have the nomination. He’ll drop his pants and ask for someone to kiss it before this thing is over.

  222. 222.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @lamh36: I’ll try this again. Heads up for you: Dirty Dancing just started on Oxygen a few minutes ago.

  223. 223.

    scav

    And Oh Looky, what police forces can do when they go all self-policing and concerned and shit: Ex-Georgia Officer Investigated in Deaths of 3 Dogs. Investigations, tip-offs, resignations, exhumations, charges, forensic veterinarians, the works! How sweet. They “want closure”. (Interesting light on their apparent revealed preferences for populations deemed worthy of protection, bien sur.)

  227. 227.

    The Dangerman

    I can’t believe FYWP ate the whole thing; plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a pisser it is.

  228. 228.

    scav

    @SiubhanDuinne: I’m losing one repeatedly on different machines even.

    I’m going to try just the title of the rant subject, just to see if anything set off here. Ex-Georgia Officer Investigated in Deaths of 3 Dogs because hey, interesting light on revealed preferences for populations deemed worthy of police protection and all.

  234. 234.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Adam L Silverman: I am just trying to let lamh36 know that that movie about dancing at a club in the Catskills in the early ’60s recently started on TV. There, I think I avoided any weird trigger words.

  237. 237.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Oh well. FYWP doesn’t want lamh36 to know that Dirty Dancing is on TeeVee.

  242. 242.

    scav

    Oh looky what the police can rather manage when they decide to go all self-policing and shit: Ex-Georgia Officer Investigated in Deaths of 3 Dogs. Tips, investigations, resignation, exhumation, charges, forensic vetrinarians, the works! Does rather throw a light on their internal relative rankings of populations and priorities, but hey. They “want closure”.

  249. 249.

    seaboogie

    Is it possible that our government is intelligent enough to feed Manafort and Trump bad intel? It’s not like they’d know the difference.

  250. 250.

    scav

    Oh looky what the police can rather manage when they decide to go all self-policing and shit: Ex-Georgia Officer Investigated in Deaths of 3 Dogs. Tips, investigations, resignation, exhumation, charges, forensic vetrinarians, the works! Does rather throw a light on their internal relative rankings of populations and priorities, but hey. They “want closure”.

  251. 251.

    Kay

    Where is the outrage for this Disney book? Is this the ‘Star of David’ also?
    Dishonest media! #Frozen

    Oh, God. Imagine him like this every day for 4 years.

  254. 254.

    scav

    we’ve developed a system apparently capable of only letting content-free trst statements through.

  258. 258.

    Adam L Silverman

    @seaboogie: The President will make the determination, after consulting the Director of National Intelligence (GEN ret James Clapper), what will and will not be in each of the candidates’ briefings.

  260. 260.

    hovercraft

    @efgoldman:
    He must be laughing his head off because he doesn’t own a farm and therefore has no use for a strawman, Hillary is so dumb.

  261. 261.

    scav

    It’s searching for signs of intelligent contribution and deleting them, leaving only a random set of test comments though. Fascinating demonstration of possible machine intelligence.

  264. 264.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Miss Bianca: It made it through, but even if it didn’t, there’s nothing I can do. Unless it goes into moderation, there’s nothing I can do to find a lost comment.

  271. 271.

    danielx

    If there’s one thing of which I am tolerably certain in this uncertain world, it’s that the Russians already know everything they need to know about Combover Caligula, and then some.

  274. 274.

    Quinerly

    As seen on the Twitter Machine: “Disciplined Trump speech in Ohio tonight focused on Star of David, Saddam Hussein, Scotland trip, Chuck Todd, and mosquitoes.” Yep, that pretty much sums it up…throw in his love of Newt and you have the full picture.

  275. 275.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Hunh. Judging by my own experience and what I’m seeing from others, I guess if all the lost comments had managed to get through, we’d already be approaching T-Bogg levels of activity.

  277. 277.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Hunh. Judging by my own experience and what I’m seeing from others, I guess if all the lost comments had managed to get through, we’d already be approaching T-Bogg levels of activity.

  279. 279.

    rikyrah

    @Quinerly:
    This is sounding like Tiger Woods. Remember, for a couple of weeks we got a sank a day. The thought of TEN Women saying that they have had similar experiences?????

  283. 283.

    hovercraft

    Is 5 times a charm?
    You guys need to feed the gremlins more often so they stop eating all the words.

  302. 302.

    hovercraft

    Please give us a new thread, hopefully with no gremlins to eat all the words.

  309. 309.

    Omnes Omnibus

    It seems that that the placement of the letter n next to the letter g is a killer

  311. 311.

    Emma

    Guys, I can read all your messages…. At least the ones complaining about missing messages…

  312. 312.

    Aleta

    @Adam L Silverman: do you have ideas about which hidden universal forces are at work when a comment disappears over and over ? I can ‘t think of what else to change …. Happened all day long no matter what. So mysterious.

  322. 322.

    Mike in NC

    OT: Netflix is now streaming the first two seasons of Penny Dreadful, a Showtime horror anthology series set in Victorian London that was recently cancelled. Watched a few episodes on our flight to Germany in December and found it to be very good. Stars Eva Greene, Timothy Dalton, and Josh Hartnett.

  328. 328.

    gex

    I think I may have a couple stuck in moderation, only one would need to be released as they are essentially dupes.

  329. 329.

    Adam L Silverman

    Fixed it!

    I found the controls for this and took care of it. You all should be good to go. Give me a couple of minutes to get everyone’s comments out of the hole.

  330. 330.

    Adam L Silverman

    We should now be good to go. And everyone’s missing comments should have been reclaimed.

  331. 331.

    Miss Bianca

    @Adam L Silverman: I addressed it to you because the original remark had been addressed to you. Now I see they have suddenly all appeared, even the stoopid test message – that one first, actually.

  334. 334.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Miss Bianca: I had no idea that 1) there was a tool to modify a blacklist and 2) that I had the ability to do it. Please remember no one provided any instruction on how to use the site when I came aboard. Just set my user name and password and post what I like, when I feel like it. Otherwise I try not to mess around with the controls, but now I know how to fix this particular problem if it should ever reoccur.

  336. 336.

    Miss Bianca

    @Adam L Silverman: Errr…OK. I had no expectation that you fix. I just wandered away and came back to find everything all ahoo but Fixed Now.

    i’m obviously too whupped to make any sense.

  343. 343.

    Formerly disgruntled Clinton supporter

    Yay my eaten post is back (with all the others) – thanks Adam et al. ♡

  344. 344.

    Quinerly

    @Omnes Omnibus:
    Kinda my point? Bernie always looks like he needs a cookie, though. Perhaps it’s a blood sugar “thang.” I just don’t know….or care.

  347. 347.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Heads up for you: Dirty Dancing just started on Oxygen a few minutes ago.

    Well no shit, Sherlock, the damn flick’s almost as long in the tooth as me, & if I tried dirty dancing right now I’d sure as hell need oxygen, & lots of it. :^p

Comments are closed.