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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

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

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

“woke” is the new caravan.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

I wonder if trump will be tried as an adult.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

He really is that stupid.

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

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

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You are here: Home / Once More Into the Breach

Once More Into the Breach

by John Cole|  February 25, 201710:56 am| 131 Comments

This post is in: Green Balloons

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All I have to do is pick up chairs and a coat rack.

I can do this.

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Previous Post: « Vicious and Bitter Because the Stakes Are So Low
Next Post: Afternoon Open Thread (And Writing Group Note) »

Reader Interactions

131Comments

  1. 1.

    WereBear

    February 25, 2017 at 10:58 am

    Oh, John. So many of your stories start out this way…

  2. 2.

    Baud

    February 25, 2017 at 10:58 am

    I just want to tell you good luck. We’re all counting on you.

  3. 3.

    Major Major Major Major

    February 25, 2017 at 10:59 am

    I left the house one time. Bad move, Cole.

  4. 4.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 11:01 am

    Alert the Paramedics! Disaster looms!

  5. 5.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 11:01 am

    @Baud: Good luck. We’re all counting on you.

  6. 6.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    February 25, 2017 at 11:01 am

    I’m going to do up a batch of popcorn and get some decent beer for the denouement.

  7. 7.

    Baud

    February 25, 2017 at 11:02 am

    Why do I have the feeling that John’s next post will be from a prison in Botswana?

  8. 8.

    DAVID ANDERSON

    February 25, 2017 at 11:10 am

    Any luck with the wallet?

  9. 9.

    Corner Stone

    February 25, 2017 at 11:10 am

    How many damn chairs do you need? It sounds to me like you are setting yourself up for a late night fall after Steve “accidentally” rearranges a chair or two from where they should be.

  10. 10.

    Corner Stone

    February 25, 2017 at 11:11 am

    @DAVID ANDERSON: WHY DO YOU ASK?

    Oh, sorry.

  11. 11.

    greennotGreen

    February 25, 2017 at 11:11 am

    @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: I like my popcorn fresh from the microwave. Should I wait till the next Cole post to put in the bag?

  12. 12.

    Thoroughly Pizzled

    February 25, 2017 at 11:12 am

    Posting this guarantees that you’ll end up naked in Alabama, or something.

  13. 13.

    Keith P.

    February 25, 2017 at 11:15 am

    All I have to do is pick up chairs and a coat rack.
    I can do this.

    At the same time? As long as you’re not trying to balance the chairs on top of the coat rack, you’re probably OK. Otherwise, just stay focused and believe in yourself.

  14. 14.

    David Anderson

    February 25, 2017 at 11:17 am

    @Keith P.: he thinks he can, he thinks he can, he thought he could…

  15. 15.

    mouse tolliver

    February 25, 2017 at 11:18 am

    Muhammad Ali Jr., a US citizen who was born in Philadelphia, was detained at a Florida airport when he tried to re-enter the U.S. During his interrogation he was asked how he got the name Muhammad and whether or not he was Muslim.

    He’s named Muhammad because his dad is Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Muhammad Ali. Derp!

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/son-boxer-muhammad-ali-detained-florida-airport-072918305.html

  16. 16.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 11:19 am

    @Baud: Stranded in Honduras. I’m a desperate man. Send lawyers, guns and money. The shit has hit the fan.

  17. 17.

    greennotGreen

    February 25, 2017 at 11:19 am

    OTOH, we could try to prevent disaster and alert Highway Patrol to be on the lookout for a Subaru with chairs strapped to the roof – maybe in a field?

  18. 18.

    Comrade Mary

    February 25, 2017 at 11:19 am

    http://iwastesomuchtime.com/91927

  19. 19.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 11:21 am

    @mouse tolliver: “Ve haff vays in Mar-A-Lago to make you talk that are most unpleasant, I assure you!”

  20. 20.

    RoonieRoo

    February 25, 2017 at 11:21 am

    Oh my. Well, at least I can count on an entertaining post to read tonight.

  21. 21.

    low-tech cyclist

    February 25, 2017 at 11:29 am

    I can do this.

    Good Lord willing and the car don’t die.

  22. 22.

    WereBear

    February 25, 2017 at 11:32 am

    He might find an abandoned wildebeest for Steve to chase around the house.

  23. 23.

    low-tech cyclist

    February 25, 2017 at 11:32 am

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    Stranded in Honduras. I’m a desperate man. Send lawyers, guns and money. The shit has hit the fan.

    Here ya go. ;^)

  24. 24.

    WereBear

    February 25, 2017 at 11:33 am

    @WereBear: Here’s an explanation:

    Why cats sound like a herd of wildebeest

  25. 25.

    humboldtblue

    February 25, 2017 at 11:37 am

    Guarantee you he either hurts his ankle, a bird shits on him as he’s carrying the chairs to the car or a tree branch falls across the road on the way home and he gets stuck helping out the old lady in the car in front for two hours.

  26. 26.

    Ripley (Whiskey Fire version)

    February 25, 2017 at 11:37 am

    No one goes out for two things and comes back with only two things. Not in ‘Merica.

    May I vent? I’m going to vent. I’ve been working at a dream job for the past ~1.5 years. I have a coworker who is one of those people who just insists upon herself. She’s not all that bright, and her alleged technical acumen is fairly suspect most of the time, but she just won’t stop the damned Mary Beth* show. Yesterday, our team leader announced that she’s leaving after 8+ years at this organization, and I’m pretty god damned sure it’s because of the Mary Beth* show.

    I’m pissed because I’m losing a colleague, I’m losing a buffer between Mary Beth* and myself, and the org is losing a highly dedicated, super motivated employee. I mean absolutely, stayed up until 4:30AM drinking and cursing to myself, pissed off. I want to beg my team leader to change her mind and stay because we need her 100 times more than we need the blissfully unaware ignorance and arrogance of my coworker. And no one appreciates the Mary Beth* show – not one person in the dept. Seriously, if I tried to describe how she co-works, you’d think I was making it up.

    I’m also feeling guilty – was I part of the team leader’s decision to leave? I can be a handful to work with, but I’m hoping it wasn’t my attitude/behavior that pushed her to walk away from a great job. I’m so mentally dragged out right now, I don’t feel like I can even make a mature, comment or decision about any of this. First world problems…

  27. 27.

    max

    February 25, 2017 at 11:40 am

    I can do this.

    Remember – don’t pull your chute until 10 seconds after you’ve jumped, and try to keep quiet on the ground until you’ve hooked up with your stick! They’ll be lots of American paratroopers running around down there, and you don’t want to be shooting at each other instead of Germans.

    Good luck!

    max
    [‘Hope you brought your nylons and candy bars!’]

  28. 28.

    CarolDuhart2

    February 25, 2017 at 11:44 am

    Could there be a surprise trip to Niagara Falls here? IHave you met her family yet, and are they nice people? Hopefully there are no Trumpers to deal with, if so, , Mazel Tov. If it’s really chairs? You can really never have too many if you have guests. It never fails that the good one breaks…

  29. 29.

    Aleta

    February 25, 2017 at 11:51 am

    Chairs are such kind simple things, until you start to load them in a car.

  30. 30.

    lollipopguild

    February 25, 2017 at 11:52 am

    @Thoroughly Pizzled: Oh yee of little faith.

  31. 31.

    WereBear

    February 25, 2017 at 11:54 am

    @Aleta: They hate traveling.

  32. 32.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 11:54 am

    @low-tech cyclist: Thank you. Top story I knew about from yesterday, of course, but still, the LGM take on it warmed the cockles of my heart.

    As for the Gorka story below, yup, that too, even though I knew about it as well. Our own Adam “Best friend of Sarah” Silverman knows about it as well.

  33. 33.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 11:58 am

    @Ripley (Whiskey Fire version): Ripley, sorry to hear about this. My question is why isn’t Mary Beth* getting the heave ho? She seems to be the constant in the misery equation here. Oh, no, let me guess: insulated via blood relation or sexual liaison from consequences?

  34. 34.

    bystander

    February 25, 2017 at 12:06 pm

    OT, but I want cast Leslie Jordan to play Jeff Sessions. He could bring a lot of Beverly Leslie to the role.

  35. 35.

    cosima

    February 25, 2017 at 12:14 pm

    @Ripley (Whiskey Fire version): You should beg your team lead to stay. If you don’t you will regret it. Maybe they’ll stay, maybe not, but it’s worth a shot.

  36. 36.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 25, 2017 at 12:15 pm

    Taking bets on how many new rescue pets John will have by the end of the day.

  37. 37.

    CaseyL

    February 25, 2017 at 12:17 pm

    Be careful out there! Coat racks are treacherous beasts, all those hooks just looking for something to snare. I can just see you sailing down the highway with the rack on the roof amassing a fine collection of birds, stray plastic bags, and a coat that flew out of someone’s open car window.

    Is anyone going with you??

  38. 38.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    @CarolDuhart2:

    The ladyfriend commented on one of the threads last night, and provided a link to her Twitter feed. She seems Balloon-Juice nice, meaning that she’s willing to post profanity-laced rants against Trump and say “bite me” to John Cole. She’ll fit right in.

  39. 39.

    Feathers

    February 25, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    @Ripley (Whiskey Fire version): There was an article in the Harvard Business Review a few years back about how much toxic low level employees can cost a company, through lowered employee satisfaction, reduced productivity and increased turnover.

    At one former workplace of the nasty variety we used to have a running joke about what animal(s) certain employees had photos of our boss enjoying carnal knowledge of. It was useful, because you could just mutter “goat,” and the people in on the joke would nod knowingly.

  40. 40.

    different-church-lady

    February 25, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    @Ripley (Whiskey Fire version): a) most likely neither you nor Mary Beth were responible for team leader’s decision.

    B) odds are overwheming everyone else has the same problem with Mary Beth.

    C) if you can, ask team leader for advice about mary beth before she/he leaves. Perhaps team leader knows someone else in the org the team can talk to

  41. 41.

    chopper

    February 25, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    john, it helps to dial 9 and 1 ahead of time, so all you have to do is dial one more number.

  42. 42.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 12:31 pm

    Also, too, I did not go on a hike with my work friends this morning, because I only got 5 hours of sleep by the time my alarm went off, and my asthma was acting up, too. Instead, I’m going to take a really long (6 mile or so) walk on level ground, stopping off at the post office, Panera Bread, and possibly the used bookstore.

  43. 43.

    Aleta

    February 25, 2017 at 12:32 pm

    @WereBear: They remind me of certain cats who hook onto and push against the sides of the carrier door.

  44. 44.

    Shell

    February 25, 2017 at 12:32 pm

    My moneys on the coat rack.

  45. 45.

    Gravenstone

    February 25, 2017 at 12:40 pm

    Did you ever find out why the majority of your spark plugs went tits up all together? Because if you haven’t, another road trip would not be high on my to do list until the cause is identified and a repeat occurrence prevented.

  46. 46.

    WereBear

    February 25, 2017 at 12:46 pm

    Taking odds on him winding up pantsless at some point.

  47. 47.

    debit

    February 25, 2017 at 12:49 pm

    @Gravenstone: I wonder if this will end with yet another Subaru in a field.

  48. 48.

    lollipopguild

    February 25, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    @WereBear: With or without a mop?

  49. 49.

    WereBear

    February 25, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    @lollipopguild: That would be a side bet. I’m open to a trifecta situation, also.

  50. 50.

    JPL

    February 25, 2017 at 12:53 pm

    @debit: I wouldn’t bet against that possibility.

  51. 51.

    lgerard

    February 25, 2017 at 12:54 pm

    Hannity’s voice here made me laugh like an idiot

    White House tour

  52. 52.

    West of the Rockies (been a while)

    February 25, 2017 at 1:05 pm

    @lgerard:

    I hate him too much to laugh. Just want the smug chunk o’ poo to expire in a fitting fashion.

  53. 53.

    Tenar Arha

    February 25, 2017 at 1:06 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Thinking of you & others here this afternoon: Did you knit hats for the Women’s March? Someone is studying you!
    Woohoo, my research on #pussyhat makers is approved! If you made hats for #PussyhatProject, take the 20-min survey!

    Survey link: https://goo.gl/forms/Q2nxh2RIX9ofBpUw2

    (This is all so know about the project though).

  54. 54.

    ruemara

    February 25, 2017 at 1:21 pm

    Writing up my End of Life/Pallitive care directives and finalizing my power of attorney paperwork. Surgery on Monday! And so over the DNC chair race. It’s Bernie versus Hillary lite, as if we didn’t just lose the presidency, the Senate, the House and are barely hanging onto enough governorships to prevent a constitutional convention. Nuts

  55. 55.

    LurkerNoLonger

    February 25, 2017 at 1:26 pm

    OT: Senator Dick Durbin just came into the store where I work. I’m in Upstate New York, he’s a long way from Illinois. I wonder what he’s doing here? Anyway, it was cool to see a politician in the wild.

  56. 56.

    rikyrah

    February 25, 2017 at 1:27 pm

    You can do it, Cole…but, I’m with others…it’s you…it will NEVER be that simple..LOL

  57. 57.

    Sarah

    February 25, 2017 at 1:31 pm

    You’ve got this!!!

  58. 58.

    Kristine

    February 25, 2017 at 1:32 pm

    @Aleta:

    Chairs are such kind simple things, until you start to load them in a car.

    I know, right? The legs double in number and length.

  59. 59.

    SFBayAreaGal

    February 25, 2017 at 1:37 pm

    I love your optimisn. Yes you got this

  60. 60.

    Another Scott

    February 25, 2017 at 1:43 pm

    @ruemara: Best of luck!

    It’s good to have those things prepared, but here’s hoping you don’t need them any time soon!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.
    (Who also can’t wait for the DNC Chair election to be over, but it has kept the Party in the news off and on, so there’s that…)

  61. 61.

    Ruckus

    February 25, 2017 at 1:43 pm

    @mouse tolliver:
    It’s kind of right in the name, in the suffix at the end, Jr.
    The real problem is that Ali was a man who stood up for his principals, was willing to lose everything for them, something no republican understands at all, the only thing they stand up for is a paycheck under the table.

  62. 62.

    Achrachno

    February 25, 2017 at 1:54 pm

    It’s been 3 hours since Cole set off on his mission. Has anyone heard from him? I’m getting concerned.

  63. 63.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 1:56 pm

    @Tenar Arha:

    Commenter MomSense is actually selling them at cost on her Etsy site — you should track her down in the comments some evening.

  64. 64.

    ? Martin

    February 25, 2017 at 2:01 pm

    Heh. HRC is running ads on Grindr around the CPAC conference saying “You can’t be with us in the bedroom and against us in the CPAC ballroom.” They wouldn’t be running the ads if they didn’t know there was an audience for them.

  65. 65.

    Schlemazel

    February 25, 2017 at 2:04 pm

    first vote for DNC chair is currently being counted

  66. 66.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 2:06 pm

    @ruemara:

    Good luck! I hope all goes smoothly and you are happy with the results.

  67. 67.

    Another Scott

    February 25, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I’ve checked her Etsy store multiple times, but none are listed there (it doesn’t look like her Etsy store has been updated since she sold out of her initial batch).

    :-(

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  68. 68.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 2:09 pm

    @Another Scott:

    She’s knitting as fast as she can! Give the poor woman a break! ?

    I don’t think she wants to post more until she has a decent-sized batch, so I would keep checking back.

  69. 69.

    The Lodger

    February 25, 2017 at 2:10 pm

    @? Martin: HRC? I thought she was keeping a lower profile these days. Unless you meant Hood River County or Holy Roller Cucks.

  70. 70.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    February 25, 2017 at 2:12 pm

    @Tenar Arha: Thanks for the link! I took the survey. I made hats for myself and several friends for the San Francisco march.

    Also, I never got around to saying it here, but I make fleece (sewn, not knitted) pu55yhats and would be happy to send one to anyone who asks.

    ETA: I don’t have an Etsy shop and I’m reluctant to put even disguised email info online – perhaps a frontpager could serve as go-between? Anyway, I’ll check this thread for a bit and take suggestions on how people can reach me if they want hats.

  71. 71.

    debbie

    February 25, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    @ruemara:

    No idea what’s going on (and that’s fine), but I hope all goes well and your recovery is short and uneventful.

  72. 72.

    chopper

    February 25, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    @CaseyL:

    we’re talking about a guy who can’t eat corn without breaking his jaw. he doesn’t need a person, he needs a whole medivac team.

  73. 73.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    February 25, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    @The Lodger: Human Rights Campaign. It’s a gay rights group.

  74. 74.

    Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)

    February 25, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    @CarolDuhart2: Slowly he turned…

  75. 75.

    Woodrowfan

    February 25, 2017 at 2:20 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: wrong blog. ;)

  76. 76.

    different-church-lady

    February 25, 2017 at 2:27 pm

    All I have to do is pick up chairs and a coat rack.

    Bend at the knees, not the back.

  77. 77.

    different-church-lady

    February 25, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    @Ruckus:

    …Ali was a man who stood up for his principals, was willing to lose everything for them, something no republican understands…

    He also knew how to take a punch — something else no republican understands.

  78. 78.

    Chet Murthy

    February 25, 2017 at 2:44 pm

    OT comment-bleg (for the CA voters out there)?

    I’m not a fool who thinks we need to primary Heitkamp & Manchin. But I do think that Dems in safe seats who aren’t 100% with the party, need to fear for their political careers. And as I look around, I see that Feinstein’s “trumpscore” is much, much worse than predicted (from her electoral margin). That is, if we predict what level of agreement with trump somebody in her job (CA-Sen) ought to have, and compare it with what she actually does, she’s much worse. Like: the worst of the Dems.

    Then ISTR that she’s been a bit of a squish for years. But I was never paying attention to that sort of politics before (I was always thinking about “gotta vote those damn Rs out”). I am now, and I think that part of pulling the party to the left, is pulling Dems in safe seats to the left.

    Is Feinstein a Dem we ought to be primarying? Does anybody know where I could read about her record with a critical eye to this subject? Or even a well-written overview of her recent career in the Senate? I’m saying I’m convinced that she should be primaried. But I’m open to the idea, let’s say.

  79. 79.

    mai naem mobile

    February 25, 2017 at 2:46 pm

    @humboldtblue: you forgot the flea bitten ticked on dog with a gimpy leg that smells of racoon shit that he finds shivering and hiding under the tree branches that he absolutely has to bring home.

  80. 80.

    PIGL

    February 25, 2017 at 2:47 pm

    @Kristine: Chairs are a lot like bicycles that way.

  81. 81.

    mai naem mobile

    February 25, 2017 at 2:48 pm

    @? Martin: are you for real? Shit, Hilz has bigger balls than I thought and it’s not like I didn’t think she had balls or something .

  82. 82.

    Another Scott

    February 25, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    @mai naem mobile: She’s got big brass ones, but that’s not the HRC we’re talking about here. See #73. ;-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  83. 83.

    Chet Murthy

    February 25, 2017 at 2:53 pm

    @mai naem mobile: [I might have told this joke before]

    [from 1993]
    Q: what’s the difference between Bill Clinton and GHWB?
    A: GHWB didn’t marry Hillary Clinton.

    Even back then, it was clear that Hillary was the smart one, the one with fire and ambition and drive.

  84. 84.

    MomSense

    February 25, 2017 at 2:59 pm

    Holy shit the knitters are fired up, sharpening their needles against 45. Just splurged and bought some handspun cashmere from a woman owned cooperative in Afghanistan. Need to take a nap before we all start drinking while stitching and bitching.

    Oh and a bunch of us are sharing info on how to protect people from ICE. Never piss of middle aged women who play with sharp sticks.

  85. 85.

    Ruckus

    February 25, 2017 at 3:03 pm

    @Chet Murthy:
    Feinstein is a Dem. But she is also 8000 yrs old and her huby has made a small pile, in with government contracts. If it hadn’t been for the twits running against her the last two times, she should have been primaried. She needs to be gone but we haven’t had anyone to run against her and able to sort of insure a win in the jungle primary. BTW, she isn’t the worst dem senator that we’ve ever seen, not by a long shot. She’s far from the best though.

  86. 86.

    Ruckus

    February 25, 2017 at 3:05 pm

    @MomSense:

    Never piss of middle aged women who play with sharp sticks.

    Seems like such wise advice.

  87. 87.

    humboldtblue

    February 25, 2017 at 3:08 pm

    @Chet Murthy:

    Is Feinstein a Dem we ought to be primarying?

    Yes, but it will prove fruitless. I was hoping she would do the right thing and not run but she’s got huge seniority in the Senate and I don’t think Dems want to give that up yet.

    @mai naem mobile:

    Yup

  88. 88.

    ? Martin

    February 25, 2017 at 3:09 pm

    @Chet Murthy: I don’t think Feinstein should be primaried. The Trumpscore was mainly generated around cabinet votes, which she’s had more of due to her committee assignments (which are plum as shit, btw – and CA losing those would be a big loss). Keep in mind that the early Dem strategy was to not filibuster every single thing – to try and establish that Dems were reasonable and bipartisan where it made sense, and so on. They thought that by showing support for qualified candidates like Kelly and Chao that it would help them peel off Trump independents. Feinstein being a committee minority chair was expected to lead that strategy which she did. However, that strategy didn’t survive McConnell’s procedural tactics, and Schumer signaled that they were going to change approach so they switched to a much more solid no vote across the board. Her Trumpscore reflects a lot of those early votes.

    Give it some time and see where things go. Feinstein will likely turn out to be incredibly important in the next year. We have her as ranking member of Judiciary and she and Harris are on Intelligence. She’s also on Immigration subcommittee and on appropriations. Harris is also on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Environment and Public Works, and Budget.

    We are really, really well situated right now.

  89. 89.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 3:10 pm

    @MomSense: And have been known to wield them at the Place de la Concorde.

  90. 90.

    Major Major Major Major

    February 25, 2017 at 3:14 pm

    Reading #DNCchair on twitter is exhausting. I’m gonna go get pho.

  91. 91.

    Another Scott

    February 25, 2017 at 3:14 pm

    ObOpenThread?

    One for raven: Mark K. Updegrove at the NY Times – Lyndon Johnson’s Vietnam:

    On the morning of May 27, 1964, a little more than two months before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution sailed through the House and Senate, allowing the White House the military authority to do what was needed in Southeast Asia, President Lyndon B. Johnson made two phone calls.

    The first, which phone logs show he made at 10:55, was with Senator Richard B. Russell, the Georgia Democrat who headed the Armed Services Committee. “What do you think about this Vietnam thing?” Johnson asked the senator, a longtime friend and mentor. “I’d like to hear you talk a little.”

    “Frankly, Mr. President,” Russell replied, “if you were to tell me that I was authorized to settle it as I saw fit, I would respectfully decline to undertake it. It’s the damned worst mess I ever saw.”

    […]

    What’s that old saying? Oh yeah…

    “Explanations exist; they have existed for all time; there is always a well-known solution to every human problem — neat, plausible, and wrong.” – H.L. Mencken.

    You know who else thinks there’s no such thing as a complex problem that can’t be solved simply?

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  92. 92.

    sharl

    February 25, 2017 at 3:16 pm

    OT, but a tornado spotted in La Plata, MD at 3:03 ET, headed northeast at 50mph. Be careful my fellow Terps.

    In the general DC area we’re under a severe weather warning until 8pm. Make the usual preparations, etc.

  93. 93.

    MomSense

    February 25, 2017 at 3:17 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    When you roll out the guillotines we’ll be ready.

  94. 94.

    ? Martin

    February 25, 2017 at 3:19 pm

    @humboldtblue: What matters is that California have influence where it matters to us. VA is an important committee, but it’s not like California has unique needs in that area. We can trust any Democrat from any state to do well by us.

    Judiciary and Homeland Security both cover immigration, and having two senators there is really good for us. Ranking on judiciary means that we’ll have some influence on supreme court fights, which is good for a strongly pro-choice state. Having one on climate change and infrastructure is really good for us. Budget and appropriations are good for the largest state recipient of federal dollars. Intelligence isn’t particularly critical to California, but it’s going to be in the spotlight because of Trump dicking around with Russians. That puts our two senators in the spotlight, which is awesome if you want one of them to be president in 2020.

  95. 95.

    NotMax

    February 25, 2017 at 3:19 pm

    Well, did he ever return? No, he never returned and his fate is still unlearned.
    He may ride forever on the streets of Pittsburgh. He’s the man who never returned.

  96. 96.

    trollhattan

    February 25, 2017 at 3:20 pm

    @Chet Murthy:
    Not, you don’t primary Feinstein, at least not unless you are assured of locking up the second slot in the top-two for the general, under the current system. Otherwise it’s a dangerous gambit with zero payoff.

    DiFi is playing it close WRT running, my hope is she’s retiring.

  97. 97.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 3:25 pm

    @MomSense:

    I need to sit down and start my summer-weight protest hat knitting, but my neck/shoulder issue that makes knitting painful has been acting up again. ? I have a big box of cotton-blend yarn from KnitPicks just waiting to be turned into hats.

  98. 98.

    Yutsano

    February 25, 2017 at 3:27 pm

    Perez in as DNC chair.

  99. 99.

    MomSense

    February 25, 2017 at 3:28 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    Sorry about the shoulder. My wrist was acting up so I had to slow down for a couple days. Did you see the lace/ribbing pattern I linked to the other day? I think you could knit it in the round for the whole hat and then do a three needle bind off at the end. The lace looks a bit like cats, too which is kind of fun.

  100. 100.

    humboldtblue

    February 25, 2017 at 3:28 pm

    @? Martin: Well said, Thank you.

    @trollhattan: What Troll said too

  101. 101.

    hovercraft

    February 25, 2017 at 3:29 pm

    @Yutsano:
    In the end he won comfortably. 235 to 200

  102. 102.

    MomSense

    February 25, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    @MomSense:

    Here it is again. lace rib 4

  103. 103.

    ? Martin

    February 25, 2017 at 3:31 pm

    @trollhattan: The challenge here is the timing with both the Senate and Governor races up for grabs. I’d feel better if we weren’t splitting our bench between them. Putting up 4 really solid Dems concerns me.

  104. 104.

    Yutsano

    February 25, 2017 at 3:31 pm

    @hovercraft: There’s gonna be massive rending of garments from the purity trolls but fuck em.

  105. 105.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    @Yutsano: I’m not upset at all. I wouldn’t be upset with Ellison, or that dark horse guy from Indiana who sounds like a guy to watch in the future.

    The intense desire for a fucking horse race anywhere at anytime for something that has the potential to profoundly affect the lives of hundreds of millions, unlike an actual horse race, is what disturbs me.

  106. 106.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    @MomSense:

    I don’t think I saw that — do you still have the link? My other pink hats were knitted in the round with a 3-needle BO and they formed quite nice ears when on.

    I was leaning towards knitting flat, using a simple mesh lace pattern, and seaming up the sides for a little more structure. I have bulky, worsted/heavy worsted, and sport weights, so lots of options!

  107. 107.

    MomSense

    February 25, 2017 at 3:34 pm

    Woohoo Perez wins!

  108. 108.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 3:34 pm

    @MomSense:

    Nice! That would probably work well with the lighter weights.

  109. 109.

    Gelfling 545

    February 25, 2017 at 3:34 pm

    Saw this today regarding NY-3. Looks like a primer for how town halls should be run.
    Link.

  110. 110.

    MomSense

    February 25, 2017 at 3:35 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    See comment 102. Meant to reply to you.

  111. 111.

    Major Major Major Major

    February 25, 2017 at 3:36 pm

    Go Perez! The Ellison supporters get four days of tantrums then they can leave the party or get with the program.

  112. 112.

    efgoldman

    February 25, 2017 at 3:36 pm

    @WereBear:

    He might find an abandoned wildebeest for Steve to chase around the house.

    Well, THAT would be something gnu!

  113. 113.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 3:36 pm

    @? Martin:

    I would LOVE for my former rep Adam Schiff to run for Senator. He would be a solidly liberal choice, with a lot of foreign policy experience.

    But the purity ponies would hate him because he’s tied in with Big Entertainment and is on the wrong side of the copyright argument.

  114. 114.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 3:38 pm

    @MomSense:

    I would have typed faster, but Charlotte decided to tackle Keaton while G is on a conference call for school and I had to put her in the other room.

  115. 115.

    hovercraft

    February 25, 2017 at 3:40 pm

    @Yutsano:
    Perez immediately nominated him as deputy chair, and he was voted in, so maybe that’s enough a bone for the sane ones. As too the rest, so long as we don’t jump when they tell us to, they will wail.

  116. 116.

    Major Major Major Major

    February 25, 2017 at 3:41 pm

    @hovercraft Ellison accepted? What a sellout. SHAME!!!1

  117. 117.

    trollhattan

    February 25, 2017 at 3:42 pm

    @? Martin:
    Agree, plus I don’t discount the potential of strong runs from Swearengin and Olsen.

  118. 118.

    Sarah, Proud and Tall

    February 25, 2017 at 3:43 pm

    “Unto” the breach, god dammit.

  119. 119.

    humboldtblue

    February 25, 2017 at 3:49 pm

    The packaging on this Trader Joe’s snack is subtly amazing.

    The product is known as “Chicago Mix” (although caramel and cheddar sounds disgusting) and the graphic designer has a brilliant way to highlight the connection to Chicago (and it’s not what you will immediately think)

  120. 120.

    Mnemosyne

    February 25, 2017 at 3:54 pm

    @humboldtblue:

    I’ve had it, and it’s delicious. The two flavors together work better than you’d think.

  121. 121.

    japa21

    February 25, 2017 at 3:56 pm

    @humboldtblue: Chicago mix is really good s long as the popcorn is done right. Some people put too much caramel on and the cheese ones are overly dusted. But when done right, and Trader Joe’s is one of the few done right, it is fantastic.

  122. 122.

    efgoldman

    February 25, 2017 at 3:56 pm

    @Yutsano:

    Perez in as DNC chair.

    Cue Wilmerbots whining and threatening to leave the party in 3… 2…
    [As a practical matter, I didn’t and don’t think it makes any damned difference]

  123. 123.

    humboldtblue

    February 25, 2017 at 4:00 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    @japa21:

    Huh, I can see the sharp and the sweet being good, does sound odd, though.

    Now why am I so enamored with the packaging? (I am easily entertained)

  124. 124.

    glaukopis

    February 25, 2017 at 4:01 pm

    @MomSense: I like the lace rib. I too have shoulder and neck issues of late but do have an available pussyhat. Anne Laurie has forwarded requests to me before, so if anyone wants it you can try through her.

  125. 125.

    MomSense

    February 25, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    @glaukopis:

    I think Mike J and Schrodingers Cat want them. I’ll try to post some more tomorrow night.

  126. 126.

    Francis

    February 25, 2017 at 4:20 pm

    @Chet Murthy: DiFi is immensely powerful, wealthy, popular and connected. Launching a successful primary challenge from her left would require a truly extraordinary candidate, whose efforts are probably better spent elsewhere.

    In all seriousness, who do you think could beat her, or even launch a serious challenge, in a primary?

  127. 127.

    ? Martin

    February 25, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    From the ‘no shit, sherlock’ files:

    A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that the legalization of same-sex marriage is associated with a reduction in the proportion of high school students who reported making a suicide attempt. This study indicates that governmental policies regarding non-normative sexuality may have an influence on mental health outcomes for adolescents.

  128. 128.

    ET

    February 25, 2017 at 5:18 pm

    You say that John but………

  129. 129.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 25, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    @glaukopis:

    As a recipient of one of your delightful pink pussyhats, I can attest to your workmanship. Mine fits beautifully and is so cute with the little ears. Can’t wait to wear it at an upcoming march, protest, or rally!

  130. 130.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 25, 2017 at 8:13 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: Clearly Ellison needs a shame walk.

  131. 131.

    No One You Know

    February 25, 2017 at 9:38 pm

    @Sarah, Proud and Tall: Henry V, by way of the Bard, would disagree. He didn’t just go up to the breach, amirite? Once more into the breach, dear friends, and every man wearing a leek is a good friend o’ mine.

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