.@John_Hudson scoops: we won't have Kislyak to kick around any more https://t.co/t3qHaZt699
— Ben Smith (@BuzzFeedBen) June 25, 2017
Not exactly unexpected — his cover’s been irrevocably blown — but one more tick on the timeline:
Ending one the most turbulent tenures of a Washington-based ambassador in recent memory, the Kremlin has decided to recall its ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak, three individuals familiar with the decision tell BuzzFeed News.
The decision to bring Kislyak back to Russia rather than appoint him to a senior position at the United Nations in New York, as several outlets previously reported, comes amid investigations by the FBI and Congress into the 66-year-old diplomat’s contacts with President Donald Trump’s top aides during the 2016 presidential campaign.
“He could use some time away,” said a US-based diplomat.
Though Kislyak’s departure has long been expected, Moscow would not confirm his departure date. The US-Russia Business Council, however, is hosting a going away party for the ambassador on July 11 at the St. Regis Hotel…
Kislyak was reportedly under consideration to lead a new UN counterterrorism office based in New York. However, that position has since been offered to veteran Russian diplomat Vladimir Voronkov, a UN official announced last week…
In Kislyak’s place, the Kremlin is expected to send Russian deputy foreign minister, Anatoly Antonov, according to Russian media reports. Antonov, a tough negotiator who is on the EU’s sanctions list, will need final approval by Russia’s parliament.
Waiting with interest to see how this story develops.
TenguPhule
He’s looking at teatime with Putin.
No loose ends.
Lit3Bolt
Time to (be) retire(d).
Another Scott
He appears to be grossly obese. Russian male life expectancy at birth was 65.5 years in 2015. For his own health in his remaining years, it’s probably best for him to retire to some dacha somewhere…
Cheers,
Scott.
Another Scott
Oh well, another post in the dungeon (not too long this time). Time for me to hit the sack I guess…
:-/
‘night all.
Cheers,
Scott.
TenguPhule
Help Wanted: Ambassador to Capitalist Dogs. Pays well, but Retirement plan is a real killer.
Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)
This caricature looks like the cover artist just half-assed a depiction of Corbyn as Commie Orlok. He does have some odd front teeth, but a) they don’t seem to be popularly deemed notable – in fact judging from other cartoons barely anyone’s aware of it – and b) the facial caricature is sufficient for ID purposes, so…half-assed Commie Orlok. (I also thought Peter Brookes’ Theresa May depiction suffered for this, as the triangular nose just made her look k like a cartoon witch that vaguely looked like May).
Also, is anyone aware of vampires in fiction with corvid/aegyppine (vulturelike) appearances and motifs?
RandomMonster
I’m sure Putin figures the guy now only invites speculation and draws attention to the ASSet-in-Chief, and thus has outlived his usefulness.
JWR
Speaking of retirements, has anybody been following up on the rumors of Justice Kennedy bowing out, perhaps after the current term ends?
Major Major Major Major
Off to spend a little more time with his money, one imagines.
seaboogie
Kislyak is going to need at least three suitcases to pack up his super-forgettable jowls, per Jeff Sessions.
Mike J
@seaboogie: Dave Weigel has book on prog rock out. Both he and Jeff Sessions should like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_X13P7V2x0
West of the Rockies (been a while)
@Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD):
The original Nosferatu?
Major Major Major Major
@Mike J: I saw that written up in the New Yorker, do you think it’s any good?
Mike J
@Major Major Major Major: Haven’t read it yet, but I probably will. No, I don’t trust his personal political opinion, but he’s a pretty good reporter.
jl
Off topic, but Senate GOP line seems to be wavering a little. I don’t really have much faith that the supposed GOP moderates, or the reactionaries, expressing doubt are really in serious opposition to the bill (they don’t really care all that much). They are posturing, or lining up for dibs on concessions for their state and maybe a chance at the two passes at voting yes. The only possible exception is Heller, who may sense that this vote will cook him in NV, and GOP and McConnell threats of retaliation mean less if that is true. And Trumpsters threatening to go after him right now at the slightest demur can’t help.
But what it does mean is that McConnell may end up with too many goofballs to juggle to get all of the votes in line. Fact that two factions of Senate GOPers want the bill to move in opposite directions is good for us.
So need to keep the pressure up over next week. Call if you have a GOPer Senator, or call your Dem Senator and tell them you want more fuss and attention on it if you see a news story that is bogus or biased, call up the station and complain. Be polite, and spend a few minutes to gather some facts to give them, say that they should have been reported but weren’t and ask why not. If enough people call and reduce the BS quotient of the coverage, that might make a big difference..
Major Major Major Major
@Mike J: Well, do let us know, if you do!
seaboogie
@Mike J: Like that. Seems kind of wrong that Molly Ivins and Hunter S. Thompson aren’t alive to comment on our current sitch, but maybe they can give a supernatural nudge to the proceedings.
RealityBites
I mentioned the rumors about Kennedy a few days ago. Was told not to worry about it until it happened. I would hope that, unless he has extremely serious health problems, he would love his country enough not to retire at this time of national crisis.
RealityBites
Someone on Twitter said Kislyak had been recalled. Said they were glad someone recalled him.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@RealityBites: I think it was Josh Marshall who said he knows one of Kennedy’s former clerks. They had some kind of clerks reunion at the end of the term and Kennedy gave no hint about retiring. So.. maybe, maybe not.
hellslittlestangel
Russia/USSR has always treated successful spies like heroes, so I imagine Kislyak will do okay. He might get a nice condo in a Trump building.
lumpkin
He needs to be sent to a Siberian fat farm to drop a few before he sinks into the center of the earth.
TenguPhule
@hellslittlestangel:
Successful spies don’t get caught.
Russian Jabba is a dead man.
TenguPhule
@jl:
Kabuki. They did this before with the shitty Bush tax cuts.
Keith P.
He probably had guys following him 5 feet back holding boom mics. Time to go home.
hellslittlestangel
Who are you, Donald Trump?
TenguPhule
@hellslittlestangel: There’s no call to be insulting.
Spies that get caught have very short lives.
Morzer
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-06-20/texas-is-too-windy-and-sunny-for-old-energy-companies-to-make-money
Villago Delenda Est
Anne, you left out “Adios, motherfucker.”
Also, too, “Au revoir, asshole.”
Villago Delenda Est
@Morzer: My heart bleeds petroleum for the energy sector motherfuckers who are being screwed by wind power.
hellslittlestangel
@TenguPhule: You’ve never heard of Kim Philby, for one.
TriassicSands
@jl:
Sadly, the same thing was true in the House. And we got the AHCA.
Republicans are nothing if not slimy.
BlueDWarrior
@Villago Delenda Est: Mine do as well. Although think of where we’d be if Republican voters weren’t motivated by a seething, unquenchable hatred of liberals.
Well I don’t know where we’d be, either, but I’d like to think it involves lots of wind and solar farms and a power grid that wasn’t constantly tottering on the edge of catastrophic failure; among other fantasies.
NotMax
Spy related:
Sealed Mata Hari trial records and other related documents finally scheduled to be released in October of this year, 100 years after her execution..
Elizabelle
@NotMax: Oh, that will be interesting.
Patricia Kayden
@JWR: And I cannot imagine RBG not following suit and retiring soon as well. Trump may end up filling three SCOTUS seats. Huge sigh.
Elizabelle
@Patricia Kayden: Good morning. Don’t go looking for black clouds.
With this president, RBG will be carried out feet first, and maybe she’ll take der Trump out on her way out. I sure would.
JWR
@Patricia Kayden: @Elizabelle
And yet, the BernieBro/Steiniac faction on Pacifica Radio keep prattling on about how the Dems, (never mind that they aren’t running the Russia investigation), should just let it go, and focus instead on the Economic Populism that got Bernie elected!
Oh wait…
Morzer
@RealityBites:
Well, it was certainly time that someone recalled Kislyak. I mean, after being forgotten by Flynn and Sessions (three times before the cuck crowed!) and Kushner and Trump, the poor fellow must be suffering from a severe loss of self-confidence. It’s hardly surprising that he’s turned to binge-eating as a source of happiness.
Gvg
There were rumors that Kennedy wanted to retire before Obama was elected. Also several times during. It didn’t happen, therefore rumors aren’t good at knowing anything. He is old enough that it is always a concern. Seems to me a lot of people like to start these rumors about most of the SC. It’s useful for political purposes also. Nothing we can do about it now. It is always a motivation in general for me in voting. Gets back to my reasons for being annoyed with Ginsberg. Applies to Kennedy as well.
Kay
CBS went back and re-interviewed the Carrier workers after they found out Trump’s Carrier deal was a scam. Good for CBS:
The President lies constantly, so that’s just a given, but Carrier management are also at fault. They promoted the President’s lie. You can’t believe a word any of them say either. They knew damn well what was going on and they happily went along with tricking their own employees and promoting a lie to the whole country. Take that into account when you purchase something from them- they’re as reliable and trustworthy as Donald Trump.
Morzer
https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/why-dean-hellers-career-is-over
Jon Ralston is the go-to guy for analysis of Nevada politics. He recently founded the Nevada Independent newspaper, which is where you can find the full article. If he says Heller is toast, it’s a pretty good bet.
Kay
@Morzer:
Dean Heller’s DC career may be over, but he could be an “immensely popular governor” thru supporting Democratic policies.
The popular GOP governors diverge from the the popular GOP Senators. Sam Brownback governed far Right, like Republicans in DC, and he is immensely unpopular. Kasich expanded Medicaid and while that killed him nationally, it helped him win elections in-state. The GOP base are voting for this crap for other people but in their own states (where they actually live) they want health care.
Democrats can learn something from this but they shouldn’t take is as a lesson to on how to take Congress- it’s a lesson on how to take state governments. Democratic policies are popular at the state level.
Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)
@West of the Rockies (been a while): That’s actually a rat motif.
Matt
I give Kislyak a month before he “has a heart attack” or “falls down some stairs”.
zhena gogolia
@TenguPhule:
I must say, when I saw the headline I thought it had already happened. A little slip on the stairs in the banya, donchaknow.
rikyrah
@TenguPhule:
You do not lie
Sergio Lopez-Luna
The going away party is at the St. Regis, not at a Trump property?
Uncle Cosmo
@hellslittlestangel: Or he may end up inhabiting a dirt dacha with a walk-in roach-motel basement (chelovek walk in, chelovek never walk out).
MaryRC
@Another Scott: Kislyak is only 66? He looks 20 years older than that.
Olivia
I imagine it won’t be long before he will be flinging himself out a window after stabbing himself to death.