No Trump bump from Syria strikes, despite the best efforts of Zakaria/Williams et al https://t.co/CtFpRtFNLw
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) April 10, 2017
Trump Job Approval: Approve 40% (-); Disapprove 53% (-1). Get the full trend https://t.co/BjTUhf0NAM.
— GallupNews (@GallupNews) April 10, 2017
“Rally ’round the pirate flag, boyz!… Boys?”
New WaPo poll: Partisanship influences reax to Syrian strikes. But huge swing among Rs: 22% in 2013 to 86% now!https://t.co/Ydk4COPWlU pic.twitter.com/z4g6XMMTrM
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) April 10, 2017
Spicer says US goal is to "destabilize Syria – destabilize the conflict there"
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) April 10, 2017
Theory: Trump wasn’t main advocate for Syria attack; after weeks of Trump & admin blunders, staff pushed for it to make him feel better
— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) April 10, 2017
Not even the dependably Repub-loyalist Anne Applebaum!
Sorry guys, but Trump's Syria strike changes nothinghttps://t.co/thpI9FFMGW
— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) April 10, 2017
… Look again at what just happened: A president who has told us he believes military intervention happens when “poll numbers are in tailspin” has just intervened while his poll numbers are in a tailspin. A president who is famous for his abrupt pivots from one opinion to another has abruptly pivoted from one opinion to another. A president with no strategic vision makes a gesture that is not part of any strategic vision, instead taking a military decision based on pictures he saw on cable television. Why is any of that new?…
Though it’s no fun to end the party, I am afraid that this time, the neophiliacs have nothing to celebrate. It’s time to go back to the original story: a dysfunctional White House, a president who is mixing his business interests with politics, and a campaign whose relationship to Russian trolls and hackers has yet to be elucidated. Let’s get to the bottom of those stories before we move on to a new one.
Major Major Major Major
Hello Juicers. I am at Wat Pho taking a shade break, and these are the soles of the Buddha’s feet.
Mnemosyne
My recovering Republican brother’s reaction to the Syria bombing was basically, At least the dipshit finally did something right.
But, then, he hated Trump enough to vote for the Hillbeast, even in deep-blue California where he could have made a protest vote.
efgoldman
Asshole. If the fucking place was any less stable it would fall off into the ocean.
I understand that the stupidity and incompetence of these assholes is probably what will save us, but holy fuck!
Yarrow
But, hey, Russia is our ally now, so we’ve got that going for us.
Spicey’s eyes are darting around while he says that. He doesn’t look like he believes what he’s saying.
Mnemosyne
@Major Major Major Major:
?? I see scaffolding, and a fence. Nothing else is identifiable.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@efgoldman: apparently Spicey outdid himself today, established a new “red line” over barrel bombs, announced that we would be working with our “ally” Russia to resolve the Syrian situation. I couldn’t keep up with the tweets
JCJ
@Major Major Major Major:
Hope you are enjoying BKK. I wish I was there to help as a tour guide. My mother in law lives close to your hotel on Sukhumvit 23, and when I am there I stay in a condo not far from the next stop on the BTS (Phrom Phong)
Suzanne
Destabilize? DESTABILIZE!? It’s already pretty fucking unstable.
To quote Awesomely Luvvie, “LORT.”
efgoldman
@Yarrow:
He never looks like he believes what he’s saying; he’s actually an unskilled, terrible liar. Compare him to his boss, or to Granny Starver. or Yertle McTurtle, or Grandpa Walnuts. They all lie with a straight face, no darting eyes, no sweaty brow. Either they think they’re not lying, or they’ve perfected the art. Which, doesn’t matter.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I knew there was at least one more
It was 20% of their Seventh Wing of their Air Force (whatever that is). IIRC Rachel Maddow said Mattis repeated this at some point today.
Major Major Major Major
@Mnemosyne: the statue is 46m long. Beyond the chain-link fence are the abalone-inlaid soles of its feet.
Major Major Major Major
@JCJ: I have a feeling I’ll be back. Always more to see.
Villago Delenda Est
@efgoldman: Ron Ziegler could at least lie convincingly.
efgoldman
@Villago Delenda Est:
He set the bar – a very high one.
But then, look who he worked fot.
JCJ
@Major Major Major Major: I have need to BKK maybe 25 or so times. Mostly when I am there we visit my wife’s family and do a little sight seeing.
I have never gone there at this time of year – way too hot. Not that it is ever cool. December and January is the best time to go as it is not as hot. Northern Thailand is really pleasant at that time.
joel hanes
Sean Kent @seankent
Who won the Pulitzer for making people think Hillary’s emails were more dangerous than electing a fascist?
4:01 PM – 10 Apr 2017
NotMax
Something along the lines of : “They’re like flying erect dicks, only bigger and shinier and they go BOOM!”
Major Major Major Major
@NotMax: what kills me about all this is that it’s very very obvious that the president is a five-year-old boy who acts like an only child. Under that interpretation this Syria thing is easily predictable.
Pete Mack
What you mean ‘we’, orange man?
David Spikes
Report that the Chinese are massing troops on NK border. If true, what, if anything, does it mean?
Brachiator
There is so much about the Syria airstrikes reaction that is revolting. The WaPo story notes that in 2013, Obama went to Congress to get approval for military action. And yet idiot conservatives wail that Obama was a dictator defying all those white Republicans trying to restrain him.
Now I hear praise that Trump is a Caesar Reborn because he keeps the enemy off guard by not tipping his hand to anyone, and by deliberately not bothering to seek Congressional approval for his actions.
I am also revolted by the refusal to own up to what it means to have Russia as an ally. Previous news reports credibly claimed that Syria and Russian air attacks targeted hospitals. But Americans didn’t care. There were no pictures and the US was not involved. The de facto foreign policy supports regimes that commit atrocities.
NotMax
@Major Major Major MajorCopper and bronze seated Buddha, said to be the largest statue of its kind outside of Japan, is a hidden gem here on Maui. Serene oceanfront temple grounds with beautiful views, and free admission. Closer view.
John Revolta
@efgoldman: “The most important thing in show business is sincerity. Once you learn to fake that, you’ve got it made.”- Groucho
Well, they say politics is show business for ugly people………….
Brachiator
@David Spikes:
Idiot pundits were slobbering over Trump for the bold message he was sending by sending US naval elements to North Korea.
Well, the Chinese know how to send a message, too.
Millard Filmore
@JCJ:
My ex-wife said there are three seasons in Bangkok. Hot, Really Hot, and Rainy Hot. April is in the Really Hot season.
NotMax
@David Spikes
Could be regularly scheduled military exercises but more likely tit for tat for U.S. moves.
Major Major Major Major
@Millard Filmore: 95 isn’t that bad.
Millard Filmore
@Major Major Major Major: Good weather to sit in the shade with an ice cold soda (or beer).
Bess
@NotMax: Sorry, that’s not at all large when it comes to Buddha statues. Here’s the Wat Traimit image. Solid gold. Those are regular sized doors on each side which should give some perspective.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aF3nIxdlIH4/hqdefault.jpg
There are Buddha images in Thailand, Myanmar and other countries which are multiple stories tall.
scav
@Major Major Major Major: The toes on the left are what I’m able to recognize. The two toeprints per toe must be a special attribute of enormous Bhuddahood (not to mention the perfect equality of toes — no sizeism allowed). Can’t decide if the footprints are even more bizarrely divine or possibly just sandals.
NotMax
@Bess
The gold one is about the same size as the one in Lahaina.
Note that it is always said statue “of its kind.” Presumably referring to being made of copper and bronze.
The multiple story ones you mention are generally carved from stone, aren’t they?
patrick II
@efgoldman:
Ryan lies like crazy too. But he can’t wipe that smirk off of his face. The greatest lying press secretary though was Ari Fleischer, Spicer should look at tapes to see how a pro does it.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
@David Spikes:
That they like Korean take-out
Kropadope
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: That they like take out Korean?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Who doesn’t like Korean food.
(I had left over Korean chicken BBQ Sunday night.)
qwerty42
Note to Raven (Yeah, I’m the guy who recognized him on Sunday morning): If you are still having problems with the UGA Listserver, send mail to “[email protected]” … it will find me. At least until the end of the month.
Really, should have provided that the first time.
BTW, I’ll probably badger you with questions like “did you get an error message?” … I dunno. Actually, I will need to check the list log for the day you had the problem. Then I can badger you.
Patricia Kayden
@Yarrow: Spicer lies every single time he conducts a presser. I’m surprised his eyes haven’t adjusted to his constant lying by now. I guess by June, he’ll have it down pat.
qwerty42
@Patricia Kayden: David Frum tweeted this over a week ago, but …
The Spicer show is so fascinating precisely because he remembers when he used to have a conscience, and the memory troubles him.
— David Frum (@davidfrum)
Kellyanne Conway doesn’t bear this moral burden, so she’s much smoother.
low-tech cyclist
Damn. If a dummy like Anne Appplebaum can see through this shit, what’s the excuse of the rest of the press corpse?
TenguPhule
@David Spikes:
Hopefully its just a precaution and the North Koreans will not try to flee north into China.
Goku
@Brachiator: Caesar eventually became a dictator. Why would anyone think that’s a good thing?
Lurking Canadian
@Goku: Can we skip ahead to the part where he gets repeatedly stabbed on the steps of the Senate?
Enhanced Voting Techniques
Seriously, why I can’t get a job telling the American people hilariously stupid shit like this.
Glidwrith
@Lurking Canadian: Hey, there. I lurk a lot but saw you were dreading Monday. Hopefully by your presence the news wasn’t what you thought it would be? Luck to you.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
You know, that “destabilize the conflict there” has to be a quote from Trump, it’s exactly the kind of dumbass thing a salesmen trying to bullshit everyone he’s the expert would say.