Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

People are complicated. Love is not.

In my day, never was longer.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Consistently wrong since 2002

You cannot shame the shameless.

All your base are belong to Tunch.

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

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Peak wingnut was a lie.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

“More of this”, i said to the dog.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Usually wrong but never in doubt

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Reader Interactions

131Comments

  1. 1.

    opiejeanne

    In California, Issa’s seat is up this year but instead of support for Col. Applegate Im seeing a lot of tweets pushing a guy named Levin. Does anyone know something about this? I know someone here worked for Applegate’s last campaign against Issa.

  4. 4.

    Jeffro

    @Omnes Omnibus: Love that song and so does my daughter!

    Been listening to a lot of Audioslave these past couple of weeks w/ Chris Cornell’s passing…appreciating it more…

    Also found an interesting new band: Red Light Distraction. They’re playing at the Black Cat tomorrow and if I can muster the energy (and I think I can) after the #MarchForTruth, I’ll be there. Even the opening bands sound pretty good.

  8. 8.

    Adam L Silverman

    Given last night’s premiere, here you all go. Also, tried to take the nephews to see the movie today. Clone 1 got nauseated because of the IMAX sound, so we had to leave after about 20 minutes. The 20 minutes I did see was excellent.

  10. 10.

    SFAW

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Is that before or after Sessions, Bannon, and Pruitt have had a chat with Shitgibbon?

    Also, if Macron or Merkel says anything like “You’re too much of a candy-ass to invoke ExecPriv,” all bets are off.

  11. 11.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    Paper cone speaker… looxury!

    Oh we used to dreeaam of a “paper cone speaker”.

  12. 12.

    Mary G

    @opiejeanne: Levin is the party establishment’s choice. I asked him why I should vote for him instead of Applegate and got no answer. He is an environmental lawyer and shows up to Issa’s events and gets in shouting matches with him. He’s also really aggressive on Twitter, which I think is wrong for the district, at least in the Orange County part where I live. So far I’m sticking with Applegate, because he got no support at all until President Obama came out here at the end of the campaign and did a lot of retail stuff like knocking on doors himself, which worked well. I have no actual knowledge to back up my hunch that the party regulars got their panties in a twist when Applegate did so well and he was not bothering to be too humble either.

    My fondest hope is that Levin and Applegate come in 1/2 in the jungle primary and Darrell get shut out before the general even happens. But that’s fantasy. I would advise Juicers to give to swing left, who will dole it out to whichever Democrat ends up in the main bout.

  13. 13.

    Jeffro

    @Adam L Silverman: Clearly someone smarter than Trump (and boy, what a low bar to clear) recognized that they’re better off, relatively speaking, letting Comey testify and then knocking the results in their own special way via Fox, Breitbart, and worse. Claim “executive privilege” and you may as well claim the 5th, with all the public’s understanding that entails.

    Is it too soon to get a Bob Mueller tattoo? Asking for a friend.

  16. 16.

    Anne Laurie

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Since nobody paid attention to this a few threads down, I’ll repost it here.

    Well, I was gonna use it for the Saturday-morning Open Thread — but I didn’t email right away, cuz I never know what hellish breaking news will ensue!

  17. 17.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Adam L Silverman:
    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Apologies, upon rereading my comment I realise I unintentionally came off whiny and petulant, which was certainly not my intention. I just thought it might have been buried in a busier thread. Thanks, and glad you enjoyed it!

  18. 18.

    Lyrebird

    @SiubhanDuinne: THank you, I enjoyed it but was as usual very late to that thread… glad to get to report in!

    And no I’m not a big opera fan, and I still thought what they put together was, uh, belissimo!

  20. 20.

    Corner Stone

    @Jeffro: Bob Mueller is going to 9/11 Special Commission the fuck out of this investigation.
    He’s being sold as the straightest straight arrow that ever arrowed. Or should I say, oversold? Just like everyone fell in line when Obama nominated Comey for FBI. Wonder how that turned out?

  24. 24.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    Can I just say by the way after hearing all the pundits even on MSNBC carefully parsing their words about how Donald Trump admitted that “he was thinking of the Russian investigation when he fired Comey” — you don’t have to dance around carefully like that, Trump’s press spokesperson around the same time said as plain as day that Trump fired him to end the investigation:

    “We want this to come to its conclusion, we want it to come to its conclusion with integrity,” she said, referring to the FBI’s probe into Moscow’s interference in last year’s election. “And we think that we’ve actually, by removing Director Comey, taken steps to make that happen.”

    That was the purpose of firing Comey, to stop the investigation. They admit it. Go from there. You’re welcome.

  27. 27.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Corner Stone: Mueller actually is. He was the only senior elected/appointed official in the Bush 43 Administration who didn’t panic in the aftermath of 9-11 (he’d only been in office for about a week). Obama was so impressed with him he sought, and received, a Congressional waiver to keep him as FBI Director for three additional years. During Vietnam he led his Marines into enemy fire to rescue an injured service member. He’s human like everyone else, but he has a well earned reputation for integrity and professionalism.

  28. 28.

    Mary G

    @SiubhanDuinne: I was outside with plumbers most of the day and I missed it then, so I’m glad you reposted it. I especially liked the card with “Stand By – We are Experiencing Impotent Rage” between the first two singers.

  29. 29.

    Jeffro

    @Bill E Pilgrim: It’s hard to figure out, isn’t it? Normally an investigator has to work for motive, means, and opportunity. Served up on a silver platter like this, it almost makes one pause…

  32. 32.

    Jeffro

    @Adam L Silverman:

    He was the only senior elected/appointed official in the Bush 43 Administration who didn’t panic in the aftermath of 9-11 (he’d only been in office for about a week). Obama was so impressed with him he sought, and received, a Congressional waiver to keep him as FBI Director for three additional years. During Vietnam he led his Marines into enemy fire to rescue an injured service member. He’s human like everyone else, but he has a well earned reputation for integrity and professionalism.

    So…a pretty big tattoo then, huh?

    That’s ok, it’s for the cause…

  35. 35.

    Corner Stone

    @Adam L Silverman:

    but he has a well earned reputation for integrity and professionalism.

    Yep, just like one Colin Powell, I am sure.

    ETA, And sorry, but being appointed or requested to stay by Obama don’t mean shit to me.

  37. 37.

    Corner Stone

    well earned reputation for integrity and professionalism

    McMaster
    Mattis
    Kelly

  38. 38.

    Jeffro

    @Corner Stone: I got that part covered…I’m still agonizing over whether to go with a profile pic or silhouette, a shot of Mueller being sworn in as director, or something more abstract like a SWIFT SWORD OF JUSTICE SLASHING EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH (with ‘RSM’ engraved on the hilt)

    And then Adam threw all that other stuff in…this could take up a whole shoulder and bicep if we don’t pare it down a bit…

  39. 39.

    lamh36

    Sigh…

    Newsflash white people…doesn’t matter how many “Black friends” you have or in Bill Maher’s case, how many Black women you’ve banged…it doesn’t mean you can use the n-word willy nilly…

    @yashar
    Bill Maher just said the n word, @BenSasse didn’t look horrified, and the audience applauded.

    And the audience just laughing right along

    Honestly, I’m NOT surprised that Maher did use the word, I’m more surprised that he hasn’t used the word on the air before…

  40. 40.

    efgoldman

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Clone 1 got nauseated because of the IMAX sound

    I can’t handle IMAX visually for big action scenes. Everything just blurs. I’m OK with the stuff they’ve done for museums and aquariums, because it moves more slowly.

  43. 43.

    efgoldman

    @SFAW:

    I’d rather hear Lawrence Tibbett sing it.

    He hasn’t sung too well for the last 57 years.

  45. 45.

    efgoldman

    @Mary G:

    I was outside with plumbers most of the day

    Liddy, Hunt and McCord? Thought they were all dead, retired, or polluting the airwaves.

  47. 47.

    SFAW

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    There’s a wonderful version on YouTube with Thomas Hampson, too.

    Well, I realize that it’s a little tough to get Tibbett these days. I think Ramey and Milnes have retired, or are close to it, so I guess Hampson is better than nothing. (Just kidding re: snark on Hampson.)

    PS: For some reason, I thought Hampson was a (relative) kid. I googled him, he’s older than I am. But not by much.

  49. 49.

    Lyrebird

    @Adam L Silverman:
    No fun for little-soon-to-be-very-big guy. Could just be the screen; having a disconnect between inner-ear and screen updating is rough on some people… I’m one of ’em. No future in testing virtual reality systems for Clone 1.

    Different topic:
    Here is a medical link for the amusement and possible use of any sinus sufferers.

  54. 54.

    SFAW

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Unrelated to your comment, but: do you read any Josh Marshall? (I assume you do, just trying to confirm.)

    Whether you do, he had an interesting comment/analysis re: a dossier that Michael Cohen was delivering to the White House (just before Flynn was fired), that seems to have disappeared.

    You may also have discussed that here already, and I missed it, of course. In any event, one wonders how many more witnesses (Russian or otherwise) will turn up … um … “indisposed.”

  55. 55.

    OGLiberal

    @Adam L Silverman: Adam, you know more than I do. But I read McMaster’s book years ago. Looked into his history and background.
    Thought he was bright and principled. Thought he always put country before party or man. Breathed a sigh of relief when he was named NSA. But since then?

    This child-man seems to have a magical ability to reduce people of honor, or even just basic human decency or the ability to breathe, to shills for his inflated ego. I’d love for Mueller to be an honest broker but since he a) took the job a b) knows that Trump can fire him at anytime, color me skeptical until proven otherwise. Our waiting for the great, honorable person from the right to take a stand for country despite potential for personal injury seems a fools errand. Mark Felt seems to have done what he did only because Nixon didn’t give him Hoover’s job, which he felt he deserved. I hate relying on disgruntled emoloyees for justice. How about just simple love for country above a party, or a man, or personal success?

  57. 57.

    VFX Lurker

    @lamh36:

    Honestly, I’m NOT surprised that Maher did use the word, I’m more surprised that he hasn’t used the word on the air before…

    Blech. I couldn’t stand Bill Maher before, but this REALLY makes me want to avoid him.

  59. 59.

    efgoldman

    @OGLiberal:

    This child-man seems to have a magical ability to reduce people of honor, or even just basic human decency or the ability to breathe, to shills for his inflated ego.

    Shorter: Everyone and everything he touches turns to shit.
    It’s quite magical, really.

  60. 60.

    lamh36

    @JoyAnnReid 14s15 seconds ago
    More
    Two things we keep re-learning:
    1. There is no n-word pass. (They are all imaginary);
    2. Race is still the #1 source of American discomfort.

  62. 62.

    opiejeanne

    @Mary G: Thanks. I read a little bit about Levin on HuffPo but didn’t find the details you just provided. I didn’t know Levin was the party’s choice. He was saying he’s the better choice because in the last election Issa and Applebaum were slinging mud at each other, and he feels he’s so far above reproach that no mud can possibly stick to him. That sounded pretty fat-headed and naive.

  63. 63.

    frosty

    @Mary G:

    I have no actual knowledge to back up my hunch that the party regulars got their panties in a twist when Applegate did so well and he was not bothering to be too humble either.

    SSDD in PA. Fetterman, a tattooed activist mayor from a recovering steel town near Pittsburgh, ran against Katie McGinty, who I thought was a cipher. The PA Dem establishment wanted her, she won the primary, and got beat by Toomey. Toomey!! I think Fetterman might have attracted some of those infrequent Trump voters that came out of the woodwork. But who knows, that’s not the choice that was on the ballot.

  65. 65.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    I don’t even think Trump is a billionaire at all, I think the most he has is minions.

  66. 66.

    Morzer

    @frosty:

    McGinty struck me as one of those candidates that the party establishment loves because they are reliable, loyal to their patrons, and won’t say anything new or interesting. Of course, the inconvenient voters dislike such candidates for exactly the same reasons.

  67. 67.

    Mary G

    @opiejeanne: Here’s a couple of tweets, one I liked & one I didn’t

    Today, @DarrellIssa told me he read Climate Change for Beginners and that it was sophomoric. I read his book, Watchdog. It was pathetic.— Mike Levin (@MikeLevinCA) June 3, 2017

    Today, face-to-face, @DarrellIssa repeated his position to me and others that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.— Mike Levin (@MikeLevinCA) June 3, 2017

    Adam Schiff, who I greatly admire, has already endorsed Levin, so there’s that. So far both Applegate & Levin have attacked only Darrell. That’s a relief.

  68. 68.

    The Dangerman

    @Felonius Monk:

    And if you don’t know who Pokey LaFarge…

    I didn’t until I researched CF a little bit when I saw her in Eureka; she was amazing (she was part of a quartet that did a jam session set with another group that was just stunning). And PL is good stuff, too.

    There was an after hours set at a bar done by Gino and the Lone Gunmen that was some of the best musicianship I’ve seen in a while; I’ve been waiting for it to hit Youtube but not yet that I’ve seen.

  69. 69.

    Adam L Silverman

    @SFAW: I’m familiar with the dossier and may have referenced it in a post. I’m in general agreement with Marshall that at the core of all of this is going to be money, which I’ve written about here.

  70. 70.

    Morzer

    @Mary G:

    I would think that Applegate was the better bet for the district, especially with Issa being dragged ever deeper into the Trump shitvortex.

  72. 72.

    OGLiberal

    @Bill E Pilgrim: Very familiar with the Dignity Wraiths theory. Agree with it. And agree that getting-up-the-ladder third-raters like Spicer or Priebus would fall victim, despite what they leak to the press – anonymously – to save face. But nothing in McMaster’s history would have led me to believe he’d fall victim. He did. Why not just not accept or quit? Which is why, and you likely agree, I will doubt Mueller’s objectiveness until proven otherwise…he still falls under the exec branch…Nixon fired them, so can Trump. A moment in the sun, whatever the outcome, can be a strong aprhodisiac and one that is hard to let go of, even if you have to compromise your principles…or the truth.

  73. 73.

    Adam L Silverman

    @OGLiberal: I don’t really know what is going on with LTG McMaster other than what we’re seeing. There is speculation that he has decided that it is worth it to sacrifice his reputation to try to serve as a shield/buffer against the worst impulses of the administration. But that is solely speculation.

    As for Mueller – he is largely walled off from the President. The DOJ, via Deputy AG Rosenstein, has issued him and the staff he’s brought on board both the necessary waivers and a position description that is broad enough to allow him to do what he needs to do. Mueller reports to Rosenstein and only as a result that he has to report to someone as we no longer have the ability to appoint an independent prosecutor. Would I put it past these folks to try to wrong foot Mueller? No. Do I think they’ll be successful if they try? Not based on what I know of Mueller. Only time will tell though.

  76. 76.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @lamh36: So Ivy-league PhD, college prof and president Ben Sasse cloyingly and smarmily pretends to be a farm boy from the pages of Cather (or a clip from Little House on the Prairie), and Maher recognizes the hacky ploy, but goes… that’s fucked up. He’s been increasingly drunk on his opinion of himself for the last few years, I guess he finally got wet-brain from it.

  77. 77.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    @OGLiberal: Well I guess the hope is that he’s not actually in the wraithing circle of dissolution or whatever because he’s actually an adversary at this point, at least I bet that’s how Tr and co see him. Time will tell.

    @Adam L Silverman: Owe me a coke. Just read yours. Yep.

  78. 78.

    frosty

    @Morzer:

    they are reliable, loyal to their patrons, and won’t say anything new or interesting.

    ‘zactly. You defined what I meant by a cipher. Thanks! I’ll vote for her ’cause I’m a Yellow Dog Democrat. But why would anyone else?

  80. 80.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Bill E Pilgrim: Someone within the administration keeps pushing hit piece material on him to Cernovich. That whack then self publishes it, woven into anti-Trump conspiracy theories, on his Medium pages and twitter. From there it moves to the Rage Furby and then to Dim Jim, Drudge, etc. So far, because he’s a serving 3 star, I haven’t seen it move much farther than that, but eventually it will be pushed all the way into Fox and Limbaugh and the Weekly Standard.

    The Daily Beast has reported that Stephen Miller, who runs the Domestic Policy Council, has used his position and it to warp the NSC’s Interagency process.
    http://www.thedailybeast.com/white-house-muslim-ban-man-pushes-for-even-more-power

  81. 81.

    lamh36

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: now imagine for a minute if Maher had said “house slave”…still woulda been shit, but the blowback wouldn’t be the same, but why didn’t he?

    1) because even if he hadn’t said it on air before, I’d put even money, he’s likely said in off air…

    2)he banged a few Black chick (likely fetishism of the Black female sexual stereotype), so he feels he’s got that pass to say the word…

    3) I mean this isn’t the first time Bill Maher has show his bigotry, disdain, xenophobia, whatever…each time he crosses line more and more

    I mean 7 years ago Maher in critic of Obama said

    “I thought when we elected a black president, we were going to get a black president. You know, this [BP oil spill] is where I want a real black president. I want him in a meeting with the BP CEOs, you know, where he lifts up his shirt where you can see the gun in his pants. That’s — (in black man voice) ‘we’ve got a motherfu**ing problem here?’ Shoot somebody in the foot.

    Hahah, isn’t that just so funny…NOT

  83. 83.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @lamh36: I thought of the same thing, and the last time I watched his show, after the election, when he was smugly droning about how he’d been warning Democrats about “political correctness” and Muslims for years.

  84. 84.

    lamh36

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: When Joe Walsh is coming to your defense, then you really don’t have much defense ground to stand…

    Joe Walsh tweeted “Bill Maher is not a Racist. Kathy Griffin is not a Victim”….

    HARD EYEROLL….

    Fuq off Joe

  85. 85.

    Morzer

    @lamh36:

    Maher and Sullivan are basically the same type: outwardly educated, intelligent, somewhat enlightened, possible allies for liberals – and yet somehow it always gets to a point where they have to remind the world of the racist, ignorant creep who occupies part of their headspace. Maher has to say the n-word or buddy-buddy up to anti-vaxxers or Coulter, Sullivan has peddle his Charles Murray fetish in tones of disbelief that anyone would be offended by “science” and “truth-telling”.

  86. 86.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Ben Sasse responds (“Jeff” posted one of those screen grabs of his enthusiastic review, “Jeff” thought it was great political TV. Bill and Ben talked like adults)

    Ben Sasse‏Verified account @ BenSasse 2h2 hours ago
    Ben Sasse Retweeted Jeff ⚡️
    your tweet was too long (but then you just cheated by taking a picture of the overage words. Crafty)
    Jeff ⚡️ @Jeff5482
    What a great interview on @ RealTimers with @ BenSasse.

  87. 87.

    OGLiberal

    @Adam L Silverman: Thanks, Adam. My concern with McMaster is that he got shafted (wrongfully, as far as I can tell) from moving up because he told it like it is and he paid tbe price for that. This is his way of sticking it back to those folks and telling it like it isn’t. Nothing in his previous history leads me to believe that but his current behavior is questionable and a man scorned…

    As for Mueller, I worry less about his integrity than the ability for Trump to shut him down. Trump gets ticked at McMasters for being not fully onboard and fires hi….usual staff turnover. Trump fires special counsel? Big difference. But what confidence do we have in historical Exec branch norms and Congressional checks and balances that this won’t happen when things really heat up? I’m pretty certain that Trump can fire him or whomever the replacement is for Rothenstein or Sessions (if they do the same) can do the same. Bob Bork has passed on but sure they could find somebody willing to do it.

    Just seem normal checks and balances don’t apply here because our founders and many of their predecessors never envisisioned a scenario this effed up.

    Could be nothing, of course, but pure stupidity, but even that can be dsngerous..even more than blatant perifidy.

  88. 88.

    lgerard

    The most interesting thing is how this has unfolded like a Greek Tragedy:

    Sessions pisses trump off by recusing himself and handing the problem to Rosenstein

    trump pisses off Rosenstein by making him the fall guy in the Comey thing

    Rosenstein pisses off trump (and Sessions) by bringing in Mueller instead of some partisan hack who can be relied upon to soft pedal the problem

  91. 91.

    efgoldman

    @OGLiberal:

    Nixon fired them, so can Trump

    And what was the result of Nixon’s actions? Oh, yeah, he was driven from office and probably would have been convicted of at least obstruction if Ford hadn’t pardoned him.

  92. 92.

    Morzer

    @efgoldman:

    Two differences:

    1) We now have hyper-partisanship
    2) The RWNJs now have a complete echo chamber populated by Fox/Breitbart memes

  97. 97.

    NotMax

    @Morzer

    Read this marvelous sentence in a magazine only recently and committed it to memory:

    Social media make it possible to surround oneself with noise and insulate oneself from sense.

  98. 98.

    TenguPhule

    @lgerard:

    The most interesting thing is how this has unfolded like a Greek Tragedy:

    You do know those end up with almost everyone unhappy and often dead, right?

    Perhaps a more hopeful example?

  101. 101.

    efgoldman

    @Morzer:

    The RWNJs now have a complete echo chamber populated by Fox/Breitbart memes

    There’s way more of us than of them. Persimmon Pustule’s popularity continues to drop.
    I don’t see impeachment because the numbers aren’t there. Even if the house RWNJs are scared of getting swamped next year (and even in normal times the “president’s” party loses seats in midterms) the senate won’t bother.
    But a bunch of indictments of those close to him, maybe his own indictment from Schneiderman’s gramd jury? At some point it has to ruin his health, or he’s there in the WH all by his onesies.

  102. 102.

    CaseyL

    Per Dan Drezner on Twitter, Megyn Kelly – former Fox token “smart” bimbo, now hired by NBC – interviewed Putin at a Russian economic summit, and led a round of applause for him. Our media are learning to hug the bear; in short order, they’ll be assuring us that being a Russian puppet is no big deal, maybe even a good thing. (FSM knows the RWNJs have already been thanking Putin for helping elect Trump.)

    It’s hard not to think the US is just circling the drain at this point.

  103. 103.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Matt Pearce‏Verified account @ mattdpearce 1h1 hour ago
    man, Maher didn’t even come up with a joke. His joke literally was: I’m the N-word

    Jamil Smith‏Verified account @ JamilSmith 20m20 minutes ago
    It isn’t just that @ billmaher said “house n****r” on the air. It’s that he used it as a punchline. Are you laughing?

    it was the phrase “working in the fields” in contemporary Nebraska that sent Maher’s mind to the antebellum south

  105. 105.

    lgerard

    @TenguPhule:

    well the audience generally survives, it is only the players who die

    the plot is driven by that combination of ignorance and arrogance they called hubris…a quality not in short supply in this administration

  106. 106.

    jl

    @lgerard: For once TenguPhule is overly optimistic. In Greek tragedies, at the end, the lucky ones end up dead, and the slaughter is the happiest part of the ending.

  107. 107.

    lgerard

    @NotMax:

    And should anything surface from that rumored hooker tape, Pissistrata

    That’s a comedy
    and we will be laughing

  108. 108.

    Matt McIrvin

    @efgoldman: By this point in Bill Clinton’s first term, his popularity had cratered and he was less popular than Trump is now. That didn’t last. But he was in Trump-like territory when the Democrats got clobbered in the midterm.

  110. 110.

    jl

    @lgerard: Some of the commenters here seem to expect Roman tragedy. They needed a couple of barrels of sheep guts for special effect at the end of the show.

  111. 111.

    NotMax

    @lgerard (et al.)

    Old joke semi-updated for new times.

    Dolt 45 is touring a primary school and visits one of the classes. They are in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asks the President if he would like to lead the discussion of the word “tragedy.”

    He asks the class for an example of a tragedy. One tyke stands up and offers: “If my best friend crosses the street and a runaway car knocks him dead, that would be a tragedy.”

    “No,” says Dolt 45, “that would be an accident. Sad!”

    Another pupil raises a hand: “If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy.”

    “Loser! That’s a great loss. Sit down and shut up.”

    The room goes silent. No other children volunteer. Dolt 45 purses his lips and searches the room. “This is an example of everything wrong with our public schools! Isn’t there anyone who can give me an example of a tragedy?”

    At the back of the room, a hand slowly goes up. “If Air Force One carrying you was struck by a missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy.”

    “That’s bigly right! Now, to get a hat, tell me why that would be a tragedy.”

    “Because it sure as hell wouldn’t be a great loss and it wouldn’t be an accident either.”

  112. 112.

    lgerard

    @NotMax:

    Old jokes are the best because, as we know, history repeats itself.

    i was looking at a book of Herblocks cartoons the other day and the ones of Nixon are fantastic.

    There was one of Nixon right after he received the subpoena for the tapes. He is in his office with the desks and file cabinets overturned and pushed up against the doors. He is crouching on the floor below a window like Jimmy Cagney yelling ‘I’m in here copper!”

    i can see trump doing this, but he would be tweeting instead of yelling of course.

  114. 114.

    J R in WV

    A little bit OT, but as others have mentioned, Miley Cyrus really has the pipes and can put that together with style and good taste to make a great song. Her PR presence is a little weird, but I am really an old for her set, and she is cute enough to pull it off. I can see her wanting to distance herself from the Disney work in her very early career, and it certainly worked for that

    Hope she develops a long and well known career!

  117. 117.

    raven

    I was looking through my basic training yearbook (a real rip, 90% of the pictures were stock shots with about 5 pages of our actual unit) and the award for the best soldier was a transistor radio! With that I give you Nanci Griffith with Mary Chapin Carpenter and the Indigo Girls. “Listen to the Radio”. “When you can’t find a friend you still got the radio”.

  118. 118.

    lowtechcyclist

    @NotMax: Herblock was a national treasure, up to and through Watergate.

    But he never came up with a single new thought after Watergate. So we WaPo readers were treated to three decades of really mediocre editorial cartoons that were basically retreads of cartoons he’d done back during the LBJ and pre-Watergate Nixon years. Quite frankly, it was a relief when he died (apparently it was the only way he’d retire) and I could stop cringing when I saw his daily cartoon.

  119. 119.

    Yoda Dog

    Fuck maher.. Its really sad because his show has great guests and discussions sometimes. But Bill’s just the fucking worst. They should can his ass and let John Oliver have two shows.

  124. 124.

    Laura

    This is the song I can’t get enough of. It’s included in the soundtrack for T2 Trainspotting.
    https://youtu.be/wTsN7uugtfg
    It’s time for a summer mix tape, but no time to actually do the work of making a summer mix tape. That’s the 1st world problem I’m grappling with.

  125. 125.

    SFAW

    @lgerard:

    He is crouching on the floor below a window like Jimmy Cagney yelling ‘I’m in here copper!”

    “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!!”

  126. 126.

    Larry Dickman

    “Malibu” uses the Seinfeld show about nothing M.O. “What did you do today?” “I got up and came to work” “That’s a show, that’s a show?” “How is that a show?”

    “What did you do today?” “I went to Malibu and walked on the beach.” “That’s a song!” “How is that a song?”

    Don’t mind me, I’m an old fart who loved this first person tune:

    I woke up in a Soho doorway
    A policeman knew my name
    He said you can go sleep at home tonight
    If you can get up and walk away
    I staggered back to the underground
    And the breeze blew back my hair
    I remember throwin’ punches around
    And preachin’ from my chair
    Well, who are you?

  127. 127.

    burnspbesq

    @Corner Stone:

    Bob Mueller is going to 9/11 Special Commission the fuck out of this investigation.

    Do you understand that there is not a scintilla of evidence to support that assertion? Do you care?

    Fuck off. You’re an ignorant blowhard in love with the sound of your own voice.

  130. 130.

    Spikester

    @burnspbesq: The early-release songs from this are stellar. Hope the High Road includes this killer verse:

    Last year was a son of a bitch
    For nearly everyone we know
    But I ain’t fightin’ with you down in the ditch
    I’ll meet you up here on the road

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