Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

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

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

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

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

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

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

“More of this”, i said to the dog.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

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

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

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

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

“But what about the lurkers?”

Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.

The revolution will be supervised.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

You cannot shame the shameless.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

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

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / 2020 Elections / Vice News’ Interview with the Racists

Vice News’ Interview with the Racists

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Vice News has made their interviews with some of the leaders and participants from Saturday’s Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville online so everyone can see it, not just HBO subscribers. They describe their reporting as:

On Saturday hundreds of white nationalists, alt-righters, and neo-Nazis traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia, to participate in the “Unite the Right” rally. By Saturday evening three people were dead – one protester and two police officers – and many more injured.

“VICE News Tonight” correspondent Elle Reeve went behind the scenes with white nationalist leaders, including Christopher Cantwell, Robert Ray, David Duke, and Matthew Heimbach — as well as counterprotesters. VICE News Tonight also spoke with residents of Charlottesville, members of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the Charlottesville Police.

From the neo-Nazi protests at Emancipation Park to Cantwell’s hideaway outside Virginia, “VICE News Tonight” provides viewers with exclusive, up-close and personal access inside the unrest.

Here’s the video:

Reader Interactions

234Comments

  1. 1.

    Mary G

    You guys are bigfooting each other faster than I can type a comment.

    ETA: Adam, can you release my comment around 175 in the transcript thread where the winery in Charlottesville denies any connection with him? It went into moderation for reasons unknown.

  3. 3.

    MisterForkbeard

    I don’t know if I can actually watch this. It’s just going to make me some combination of angry/disgusted, right? Like watching Trump speak?

  4. 4.

    Major Major Major Major

    We watched this yesterday at home. My ‘favorite’ part was the march organizer being all “hurr hurr it’s so easy to misplace your AK47 when you have as many as I do and my penis is very large”.

  6. 6.

    Keith P.

    I feel kind of guilty…I’m watching the GLOW episode with the KKK Biddies vs. Welfare Queen/Junk Chain for the umpteenth time (can’t handle another hour of the same “breaking news”), and I’m literally in tears at the sight of the Biddies coming out yelling “White power! Segregation forever!” while Marc Maron on color commentary says in monotone “Helter skelter is here” and something about how it’s never too early to expose children to our country’s ugly racist history.

  7. 7.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Major Major Major Major: If you can’t account for each and every one of your firearms at all times. As in I know where it is because I’m carrying it, it is backed in the range bag, or it is secure in my home or business, then one has no business owning even one.

  8. 8.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Adam L Silverman: I’m assuming that “they’re racist idiots with a lot of guns, who also hate Obama, Jews, and liberals in general” will get me the gist of this particular video.

    Sigh. Maybe I’ll watch it later tonight. I occasionally listen to Rush or watch Fox for the exact same reason you’ve quoted – it’s better to know and understand the other side, if only to fight them better.

  10. 10.

    Adam L Silverman

    I’m taking my dogs for a walk, getting cleaned up, and going for tacos because it is Tuesday. Back later.

  12. 12.

    Baud

    Did Obama have to be that black (Vox)

    DECATUR, Alabama — Several Alabama voters blame President Barack Obama for the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville this weekend because, they say, he sowed division in American politics.

  16. 16.

    lamh36

    you notice the non-presence of Republican strategists other than the most loyal Trumpites and strategists still trying to get their checks?

  17. 17.

    efgoldman

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    These people need to be forced back under the rocks

    My assumption is that the Boston and MA State Police aren’t going to stand around and watch what happens. Three of the scheduled nazi pigshit speakers have already said they’re not coming. Also the assholes won’t be brandishing any firearms, unless they want them confiscated.
    I expect at the end of the day things will be quite different from Charlottsville.

  18. 18.

    WaterGirl

    I don’t think I can watch this. I was so angry last night that I couldn’t sleep. The horrible events and then having this piece of shit president react like this and having others excuse the bad behavior has put me over the edge again. I was with my right-wing religious sister this week for a family visit, and when I was reading some of the reports from Virginia aloud my sister brought up the “fact” that we murder 7 million babies every year. I am beside myself once again. If I didn’t love my sister, it would be so much easier. Ugh.

  19. 19.

    rikyrah

    Rev. Blackmon is ON FIRE on Chris Hayes’ show – Joy hosting.

    She asked a great question:

    Did Dolt45 even CALL HEATHER HEYER’S FAMILY?

    You know, how OTHER PRESIDENTS CALL VICTIM’S FAMILIES?

  20. 20.

    Rob

    I skipped through it, did catch the part showing the car hitting the anti-fascists, and landed at the end where Cantwell was removing his three guns and one knife strapped to his body in what appears to be a hotel room … in Roanoke Rapids not Charlottesville. Then Cantwell matter of factly calls people the car hit “animals” and insinuates that they attacked the car, says that “our rivals are a bunch of stupid animals” and couldn’t get out of the way of the car. This segment was beyond appalling.

  23. 23.

    beth

    @rikyrah: That interview needs to be shown on every news show on a continuous loop. I’m in tears listening to that woman speak the truth.

  25. 25.

    WaterGirl

    @rikyrah: If the piece of shit that is Donald Trump called me about a family member I’m not sure I would have enough bad words to convey to him what a total piece of shit he is. This disgusting creature is the president. How can the world not have ended as soon as the election was called?

  27. 27.

    WaterGirl

    @lamh36: Un-fucking-believable. They are unhinged and completely disconnected from reality. Any person or politician who spouts even one of those talking points should be run out of office and shunned in their communities until the end of time.

    What the fuck is wrong with these people?

  28. 28.

    JPL

    @lamh36: Just saw that..

    Here are the White House’s talking points:
    The President was entirely correct — both sides of the violence in Charlottesville acted inappropriately, and bear some responsibility.
    Despite the criticism, the President reaffirmed some of our most important Founding principles: We are equal in the eyes of our Creator, equal under the law, and equal under our Constitution.
    He has been a voice for unity and calm, encouraging the country to “rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that brings us together as Americans.”

    How is this for calm.. he is the f.king asshole in chief and that’s the best I can do. I hope that he keeps eating well done steak, and maybe eat it three times a day

  29. 29.

    TenguPhule

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Know your enemy and know yourself and you will be victorious in a hundred battles.

    Hence our problem trying to know what the fuck Trump is.

    Insanity is hard to follow.

  31. 31.

    TenguPhule

    @Baud:

    Several Alabama voters blame President Barack Obama for the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville this weekend because, they say, he sowed division in American politics.

    Baud 2020: Fuck you Nazis.

  33. 33.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    Unite the Right? More like Unite the Whites, amirite?

  34. 34.

    Mnemosyne

    @Baud:

    Here, I’ll translate: Obama made me realize that our country is still really racist, and rather than accepting that fact and trying to solve the problem, I blame him for making me aware that there was a problem.

    It’s not even blaming the victim. It’s blaming the oncologist who tells you that you have cancer and saying that you never would have gotten sick if it wasn’t for her.

  40. 40.

    efgoldman

    @Adam L Silverman:

    The Mayor of Boston has already preemptively cancelled the event.

    It would be just like the assholes to show up anyway, shouting about their first and second amendment rights.

  41. 41.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: ICE doesn’t do prosecutions and has nothing to do with even investigations into white supremacists. ICE has no jurisdiction except for immigration and customs enforcement. Hence the name.

  44. 44.

    rikyrah

    Dear Frontpagers…

    Please try and find Jeffery Toobin from CNN tonight
    And the MED/Krystol segment on MSNBC, along with Rev. Blackmon’s.

  46. 46.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Major Major Major Major:

    “hurr hurr it’s so easy to misplace your AK47 when you have as many as I do and my penis is very large”.

    That’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works!

  47. 47.

    What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?

    The “respectable Republicans” on my Facebook feed are already churning out the fake narrative that the “Antifa” – some new violent leftist group that probably mostly exists in their own minds is just as bad as the NAZIS and Klan… seriously, they they’re both sidesing the Klan and NAZIS. Because however bad their own side is the left is by definition worse.

  48. 48.

    Dave

    @WaterGirl: It’s sorta interesting in that either they have no idea what else to do or they still believe they can play the game in the way they have for the decades. And they are kinda right the media won’t push back as hard as they should but the media is currently activated enough that they will push back far harder than the creators of these talking points are used to. Only the dumbest and safest of Congresscritters will use these points. This entire Whitehouse is amateur hour. Look at the week thing. It reads like some half-assed MBA/marketing scheme that any mediocrity would devise. Totally divorced from the realities of the office and the realities of trying to craft a stable message around Trump. You can’t operate a White House with the same people that run the local car dealership.

  49. 49.

    bluehill

    @lamh36: Congressional repubs have already taken the bit long before this. I doubt many will spit it out now. For you history buffs, have any past administrations strayed as far away from constitutional principles as it seems like these guys are doing?

    Related question, are there any examples of democracies that have started down the path towards authoritarianism and reversed course? The only ones I can think of kept going until the bloody end.

  51. 51.

    LAO

    I found that very hard to watch. And, I didn’t think I could be angrier or more disgusted with Trump, but somehow I am.

  52. 52.

    Patricia Kayden

    @efgoldman: And then the police should pretend that they are BLM activists or Occupied protesters and treat them accordingly. We all know what would happen to people of color or leftists if they disregarded the mayor’s order. Treat Rightwingers and racists exactly the same. Equal (mis)treatment.

  54. 54.

    MisterForkbeard

    @What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?: We should ask them where the Antifa websites,news sites, and politicians are, because they’re easy to find with the AltRight and the Nazis.

    And then we should direct them to the numerous times the AltRight was caught planning to pretend to be Antifa to make the left look bad. By which i mean talk9ng about doing it on their forums.

  55. 55.

    Patricia Kayden

    @lamh36: I really just cannot with Mr. Jones. Not today, Satan. Not today.

    @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Sheriff Clarke was all in with President Trump’s initial mumblings re Charlottesville and he’s Black so perhaps alt-righters are willing to include a few Black Republicans in their midst.
    Hahahahahaha. Just joking. Clarke better watch his black behind if he thinks White Supremacists wouldn’t take him out with the rest of us POC.

  57. 57.

    Jeffro

    @What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?:

    The “respectable Republicans” on my Facebook feed are already churning out the fake narrative that the “Antifa” – some new violent leftist group that probably mostly exists in their own minds is just as bad as the NAZIS and Klan… seriously, they they’re both sidesing the Klan and NAZIS. Because however bad their own side is the left is by definition worse.

    In all fairness, “Antifa” and “ACORN” both start with “A”. As does “alt-left”. Whataboutthat, librulz?!?

    /wingnut

  58. 58.

    boatboy_srq

    @efgoldman: Turnout is likely to be depressed also because the fascists are becoming “disillusioned” with the response they get from PDs after C’ville. There was some presumption that cops thought exactly the way they did and would stand by them, and instead (at least a couple times) the LEOs simply stood by. The poor snowflakes are beginning to realise that they’ll have to actually (gasp) defend themselves and apparently they’re not quite up to that yet.

  60. 60.

    oldgold

    Do you encourage WH staff to resign?

    I think it is a tough call. If those with a moral compass do resign, who would be left to govern? Or, by staying, do they make it more likely
    this obscene malignancy will continue to afflict this republic.

  61. 61.

    TenguPhule

    @bluehill:

    For you history buffs, have any past administrations strayed as far away from constitutional principles as it seems like these guys are doing?

    Andrew Jackson. But Trump is comfortably outpacing him.

  62. 62.

    Patricia Kayden

    @rikyrah: Given his statements today, does anyone in their right mind believe that he gives a dang about Heather’s death or her family’s pain? He made it abundantly clear where his sympathies lie. Had a White Supremacist been killed, he’d probably have ordered in the National Guard to raze the entire town.

  63. 63.

    TenguPhule

    @boatboy_srq:

    The poor snowflakes are beginning to realise that they’ll have to actually (gasp) defend themselves and apparently they’re not quite up to that yet.

    And then the bullets begin to fly.

    NOT FUCKING NORMAL.

  64. 64.

    Mnemosyne

    @WaterGirl:

    First off, your sister is vastly exaggerating the number of abortions in the US — it was under one million in 2014 and has gone down every year since then.

    But she has to lie to herself, because it’s the only way she can justify killing millions of Americans who are already born by cutting off their health insurance.

    The speech I have prepared for the “pro-life” people in my life is along these lines:

    You were so focused on ending abortion that you never realized that you were making a deal with the devil. Millions of women and their babies are going to die because you decided it was more important to end abortion. You had a choice, and you chose to kill mothers and infants just in case some woman you don’t know wanted an abortion.

  65. 65.

    rikyrah

    Meachem on Joy Reid about Dolt45:

    He could have been Faubus or any Southern Governor in the 1950’s…talking about ‘outside agitators’.

  66. 66.

    Jay Noble

    It’s been a little hard to find anything about that helicopter crash with the officers but the latest I read was that this particular helicopter had crashed before, was not up on its maintenance and what maintenance that was being done was done by an unauthorized shop. Yep get rid of the regs.

    Which reminds me – While Trump was whining about all the regs he faces getting things like Trump Tower built, the number of deaths during construction is a fair amount lower than it was during the building of the Empire State Building.

  67. 67.

    BBA

    @TenguPhule: Woodrow Wilson was also down there. I will never understand why anyone who calls themselves “left” continues to hold that racist, authoritarian warmonger in high regard.

  68. 68.

    Patricia Kayden

    @What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?: Nonsense. Try looking up “Antifa”. It’s not an organized entity. Appears to be a loosely aligned set of groups which are anti-fascism, anti-racist, anti-homophobic, etc. No way is it comparable to the alt-right, which is organized, well funded and well-connected to mainstream politics. There is no “alt-left” either. Trump was just trumpeting Rightwing talking points today.

  69. 69.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Finally a Villager, someone who goes on TeeVee, even if it’s a Junior Leaguer, brings up the point I’ve been banging on about for years

    Mitt Romney‏Verified account @ MittRomney 43m43 minutes ago
    No, not the same. One side is racist, bigoted, Nazi. The other opposes racism and bigotry. Morally different universes.

    Josh Barro‏Verified account @ jbarro 36m36 minutes ago
    I don’t get why Romney doesn’t apologize for validating/sucking up to Trump in ’12. Would make his criticisms now stronger. Is he not sorry?

  70. 70.

    Patricia Kayden

    @WaterGirl: What does abortion have to do with racists beating up peaceful protesters and killing one of them? I don’t get the connection. Funny how Rightwingers are so “upset” about legal abortions when they hate living human beings if they’re the wrong race, nationality, religion, sexuality, etc. You should have asked your sister if Heather’s death was justifiable because there are legal abortions in this country. Ridiculous.

  71. 71.

    NotMax

    @Jay Noble

    Surely fewer than died during the building of the Coliseum, too.

    What’s your point?

    (Incidentally, there were 6 reported deaths during construction of the Empire State Building, which is twice the height of Trump Tower and covers a significantly larger plot of land. Source)

  74. 74.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Meanwhile…

    Jonathan Lee Krohn‏ @ JonathanLKrohn 3h3 hours ago
    Meanwhile on AL radio 101.1: “Don’t let an antifa member come take down your statue.
    I’m not sayin’ shoot anybody. Just be prepared.” #ALSen
    This was, I shit you not, a host advertising for a local tactical gear shop. Jesus Christ. #ALSen

  77. 77.

    Ruckus

    @rikyrah:
    Just got home and saw the morning thread about your sister.
    Hope that it is temporary or at least only one kidney. I have a friend with kidney cancer and while he had it rough for a while he has recovered. Hopefully your sister has as good of luck as he’s had.

  78. 78.

    germy

    According to LawNewz, Magistrate Judge James A. Hinkle of Atlanta suburb Gwinnett County was suspended on Tuesday for a Facebook post comparing anti-racist protesters who tore down a Confederate monument in Durham, NC to ISIS.

    “The nut cases tearing down Confederate monuments are equivalent to ISIS destroying history,” Hinkle, who used to be mayor of Grayson, Georgia before becoming a magistrate judge, posted on Facebook Tuesday morning.

    It wasn’t his only inappropriate post — he’d previously made a post saying those who oppose Confederate monuments should “get over” slavery.

    “In Charlottesville everyone is upset over Robert E. Lee statute [sic],” Hinkle’s post read. “It looks like all of the snowflakes have no concept of history. It is what it is. Get over it and move on. Leave history alone – those who ignore history are deemed [sic] to repeat the mistake of the past.”

  80. 80.

    lamh36

    OMG…Hey anyone seen this reporting?

    @kristinrawls 29m29 minutes ago
    More
    Okay, so they’re reporting that weapons caches were found in Charlottesville in the possession of white supremacists.

  81. 81.

    Suzanne

    @Jay Noble:

    While Trump was whining about all the regs he faces getting things like Trump Tower built, the number of deaths during construction is a fair amount lower than it was during the building of the Empire State Building.

    You are right, and construction is still dangerous. Without regulations, it would be a bloodbath.

    I cannot wait until Spawn the Elder graduates from high school. I want to GTFO of this state and maybe the country. This is crazy, CRAZY shit.

  82. 82.

    NotMax

    @Major Major Major Major

    That so much of it remains standing intact is kind of miraculous. When originally built, iron straps were used to secure the blocks of the vertical columnar elements together. Over time those were pried off to be melted down for re-use, so essentially gravity is all that keeps those blocks aligned.

  83. 83.

    TenguPhule

    When career employees of the Environmental Protection Agency are summoned to a meeting with the agency’s administrator, Scott Pruitt, at agency headquarters, they no longer can count on easy access to the floor where his office is, according to interviews with employees of the federal agency.

    Doors to the floor are now frequently locked, and employees have to have an escort to gain entrance.

    Some employees say they are also told to leave behind their cellphones when they meet with Mr. Pruitt, and are sometimes told not to take notes.

    Mr. Pruitt, according to the employees, who requested anonymity out of fear of losing their jobs, often makes important phone calls from other offices rather than use the phone in his office, and he is accompanied, even at E.P.A. headquarters, by armed guards, the first head of the agency to ever request round-the-clock security.

    Via LGM.

    Even at the EPA they fucking act as Nazis.

  86. 86.

    lamh36

    FUQ YOU MUTHA….

    And I’m sorry, but I DO NOT care if someone is related to me or not…I WILL and I DO tell them off when they stay stupid shit, be it prejudiced, homophobic or misogynistic…and I do NOT OVERTLY invite them to be in my company.

    Like this piece of shit!

    ‘I’m glad that girl died’ during Virginia protest, says NC KKK leader http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article167303682.html

  90. 90.

    Patricia Kayden

    @germy: Why don’t pro-Confederates get over slavery and take down their pro-slavery monuments? Why are the descendants of the enslaved expected to be comfortable to monuments of racism on public property?

  91. 91.

    Mike in NC

    People have nicknamed Trump’s Tacky Tower the “Tower of Terror” and “Castle Trumpula”

  94. 94.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Peale: maybe the readership of a top ten thousand political blog is enough to take both Dakotas if split into two groups

  96. 96.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Suzanne: I have friends who moved to Puerto Rico and swear by it. Still a US territory so you’re hedging your bets, but still far away enough to be largely ignored and won’t be nuked.

    Also, US dollars currently go super far there.

  100. 100.

    lamh36

    Wait, is this true?

    @ZerlinaMaxwell
    I forgot the Khans live in Charlottesville. Omg now I’m crying. What a sad day in this country.

  101. 101.

    NotMax

    @Suzanne

    Next giant ice shelf that floats off from Antarctica into international waters, maybe we can plant a flag and declare an independent country. Economy fueled by printing and selling beautiful postage stamps.

  102. 102.

    germy

    A day after protestors dragged down the statue of a Confederate soldier in Durham, North Carolina, the state’s governor said that all Confederate statues should be removed from state public land.

    In a lengthy post on the website Medium, Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, wrote that, “having served as North Carolina Attorney General for 16 years, I am all too familiar with the racism, bigotry and full-out white supremacy that exist in corners of our society. But it was shocking to watch these elements displayed so publicly  —  venom and hatred shamelessly spewed in epithets.

    “We cannot continue to glorify a war against the United States of America fought in the defense of slavery,” he continued. “These monuments should come down.”

  106. 106.

    Suzanne

    @Baud: I feel like we are losing. I vote, I make phone calls, I volunteer, I talk to people about not being a Republican asshole, I try to raise good children.

    Fuck. I don’t know how to win. It obviously isn’t enough.

  108. 108.

    beth

    Wow had no idea Khizr Khan lives in Charlottesville. He’s on CNN speaking out against Trump’s actions. It’s amazing how their paths have crossed again. Think Trump’s stupid enough to tweet attack him again?

  110. 110.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @debbie: I see you ’88 and raise you 1980: Welfare queens, the St Regis Hotel, black bucks buying T-Bone steaks and Philadelphia MS.

    I have no personal memory of Nixon but my recollection of Nixonland is that the Dick never had to resort to those kind of dogwhistles because the atmosphere was already so charged

    ETA: I hold Andrea Mitchell in minimum high regard, but she did bring up Reagan in Philadelphia to GeoWill’s face today. He maintained his mien of prim constipation.

  115. 115.

    Patricia Kayden

    @germy: Good for him. It’s sad when we have to praise someone for saying the obvious but here we are with a “President” who not only supports White Supremacy but doesn’t even have the decency to express condolences to the family of someone who lost their child at the hands of Neo Nazis.

  119. 119.

    trollhattan

    @lamh36:
    Looks like we’ve finally turned over enough rocks to find the lowest depths of humanity. These people make Buffalo Bill from “Silence of the Lambs” seem like a decent guy to have a beer with.

  121. 121.

    rikyrah

    Oliver Willis‏Verified account @owillis

    Days like this sadden me, because I love this country so much. My hands are clean though. Most of us tried to do the right thing.

  123. 123.

    germy

    @lamh36:

    Taylor‏
    @insufferabIes

    Replying to @Breaking911

    “Rushed to the hospital” lmao why are you hyping up a leg injury. He’ll be fine lol

    I wonder if he’ll be under indictment soon, and is looking for sympathy from prosecutors.

  126. 126.

    trollhattan

    @beth:
    Can’t begin to imagine what they think about how everything has turned out since last summer. He’d best take that copy of the Constitution out of his pocket because Trump’s liable to make it catch fire.

  131. 131.

    arrieve

    I hadn’t thought I could feel worse about what happened this weekend than I already did but watching that video was horrifying. That anyone could even think about in any way defending those lowlife scum (apologies to all actual scum) is automatic disqualification from the human race.

  133. 133.

    lamh36

    THIS.WAS.WHO.HE.ALWAYS.WAS… and Nikki didn’t care then…so now she gon care?

    @jeffpearlman
    I KNOW @nikkihaley is a far better person than the president she serves. But courage, honor are needed now. Ms. Haley, where is your voice?

  137. 137.

    JWR

    @debbie:

    But something about Atwater made it okay to be an asshole and to be open and public about being an asshole.

    Here’s a quick link to Atwaters infamous quote in that infamous 1981 interview.

  138. 138.

    lamh36

    @kaitlancollins
    Follow
    More
    John Kelly is frustrated with how today played out, sources tell @SaraMurray.

    Isn’t Kelly supposed to be containing leakers? And I’ll believe it when I see it. He left Homeland Security where he was in charge o his OWN destiny to be Trump’s CoS…and soon after they sending out talking points from WH…whatever.

  141. 141.

    Lapassionara

    @Suzanne: We are winning. Every day that goes by without a nuclear holocaust is a win. Then we have another day to plan for a better future. Take heart. Keep talking and calling. We are the future.

  142. 142.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @lamh36: As Trump associated generals go, I would say Flynn was the worst, Kelly is next, Mattis after ( I am not sure by how much), and then McMaster (who it seems, by the evidence available to us right now, has at best beclowned himself.).

  146. 146.

    germy

    @Suzanne:

    I want to go somewhere really cold. Really, really cold. I miss cold.

    Go to the movies. We saw the new Al Gore film this afternoon. About 80º outside. Inside the theater, I wished I had a sweater.

  147. 147.

    Mnemosyne

    @Suzanne:

    Go visit Chicago around Christmas/New Years. The city will be all decked out for the holidays and hotels will be cheap because nobody in their right mind visits Chicago in the winter.

    Plus it’s a blue state and an even bluer city, so people will voluntarily tell you that they hate Trump.

  151. 151.

    Partisan Cheese

    Hey, I know you guys love calling progressives alt-left since they won’t get on that sweet Clinton Triangulation centrist train, how do you like that Trump co-opted that alt-left term? Do you agree with him, that the alt-left is a true menace, or will you finally admit you just started using that stuff to smear other progressives in the primaries, like bernie bros, etc?

  154. 154.

    Mnemosyne

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    As you know, I hate winter, but a winter vacation in Chicago has a lot of stuff to do out of the cold (museums, theater, etc).

    And it’s hard to beat the magic of a walk down State Street when all of fhe stores are decorated for Christmas.

  157. 157.

    elm

    @oldgold: “Good Germans” staying in their jobs and doing them competently kept the Third Reich functional longer than it would have been.

    White House staff should resign before doing corrupt or evil things for Trump.

  162. 162.

    Carolina Dave

    @Mnemosyne: Sorry, don’t feed trolls. But really, #45 says the most offensive stuff and this is what “progressives” think. PALM TO FOREHEAD

  166. 166.

    Suzanne

    @NotMax:

    Shop for dairy or produce at Costco.

    I do this often. I love that cooler.
    However, I got locked in a cooler one time. It was awkward. I was wearing a dress and heels, no tights or hose. Thank FSM I was wearing a padded bra.

  176. 176.

    dmsilev

    @Mnemosyne:

    And it’s hard to beat the magic of a walk down State Street when all of fhe stores are decorated for Christmas.

    If you’re there, walk a block or two further inland to the Christmas Market. Crowded as all Hell, but lots of fun.

  179. 179.

    James Powell

    @Mnemosyne:

    It’s blaming the oncologist who tells you that you have cancer and saying that you never would have gotten sick if it wasn’t for her.

    This is exactly why a close friend of mine – college graduate – refuses to see any doctors.

  181. 181.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    a small thing, but I’ll take it. And it might just get under the skin of someone who thinks he rules social media, and who has granted a rent-free, long-term lease of a large portion of his goofy noggin to Barack Obama

    Brian Stelter‏Verified account @ brianstelter 27m27 minutes ago
    At 10:07pm ET, this @ BarackObama tweet became the most-liked tweet in Twitter history. cc: @ realDonaldTrump

    Barack ObamaVerified account @ BarackObama
    “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion…”

  183. 183.

    Adam L Silverman

    @TenguPhule: Pruitt must be seriously paranoid to do this. Career civil servants and senior executives don’t tend to get violent at work.

  185. 185.

    tobie

    @lamh36: Kelly accepted the job as CoS because he believes in Trump and/or the Trump-white grievance-cause. The talking points he circulated as White House CoS are yet another demonstration of that. He took the job to try to make the administration a leaner, meaner machine, not to change its policies or tone. I would love to be proven wrong but all evidence points in one direction.

  192. 192.

    japa21

    @Adam L Silverman: Can someone explain what the Governor said?

    ETA: Sorry Adam, if I had taken the time to look at the comment you were responding to I would already have my answer. Duh.

  194. 194.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @efgoldman: I don’t criticize anyone for using it. I have a personal thing about free speech. It means that I am willing to masochistically read a bunch of assholes. I have no expectation that others ride my hobbyhorse.

  195. 195.

    Lyrebird

    @WaterGirl: You go and take *excellent* care of yourself, hear? Not every person can or should do every job, says me… I’m grateful people like Adam and Gin and so forth can watch the bile and try to plan out stanching our social wounds, but I bet you’re contributing in other ways.

    ETA: if that sounded overly preachy, ignore away, okay? I also need to be selective about what images and words I consume or else they just play over and over again, & that leaves me in a state where I’m less able to be there for anybody.

  196. 196.

    DissidentFish

    @BBA: Does anyone still hold Wilson in high regard? Anyone who reads books (or wikipedia) at least? Though World War I did work out for the USA (and world, somewhat), Wilson is actually on my list as the worst human ever to be president*. Worse than Jackson, because with his education, he should have known much, much better. (* and yes, worse as a human than Trump, but well, Trump is only 6 months in.)

  197. 197.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    another pair of interesting tweets

    Jamelle Bouie‏Verified account @ jbouie 5h5 hours ago
    Every GOP lawmaker condemning this press conference knew this is what they were getting when they acquiesed to him last summer.

    Jamelle Bouie‏Verified account @ jbouie 6h6 hours ago
    I have always argued that Trump evoked & relied on white nationalism but I never imagined him giving a straight up David Duke-esque tirade.

    like Mr Bouie, those Republican lawmakers also never imagined he’d be so clumsy about it

  202. 202.

    Steve in the ATL

    So how are things around my favorite almost top 10,000 blog? Been busy lately with murders and executions (h/t Patrick Bateman) and the associated effects bargaining and have had little time for my imaginary internet friends. It’s strange how much I miss this place…

  203. 203.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @TS: “people who know what it means to see white men carrying torches on a hot night in the South”, that was a helluva phrase.

  204. 204.

    different-church-lady

    @Shana:

    I suspect the fine folks of Boston won’t take well to that if they show up.

    Just look at how we handle terrorists.

  206. 206.

    Suzanne

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Jamelle Bouie‏Verified account @ jbouie 6h6 hours ago
    I have always argued that Trump evoked & relied on white nationalism but I never imagined him giving a straight up David Duke-esque tirade.

    I have been criticized as naïve for being so surprised by the events of the past few days, but HOLY SHIT. Like, I knew he was a racist, but I am utterly shocked by how he doesn’t care even the slightest bit about hiding it!

  213. 213.

    Mnemosyne

    @different-church-lady:

    I think it’s because the media and conservatives had a gentlemen’s agreement that conservatives would dance right up to the line of saying openly white supremacist things, and the media would give them cover if they backed away from the line.

    Now Trump has gleefully stomped over the line and the media is in shock. They feel like there’s no Santa Claus after all.

  214. 214.

    J R in WV

    @lamh36:

    @ABC 44s44 seconds ago
    More
    Two women injured in Charlottesville violence file $3 million lawsuit against organizers of white nationalist rally. http://abcn.ws/2uNmUyQ

    The Southern Poverty Law Center has used law suits like this to put several right-wing organizations out of business by confiscating all their property after winning their law suits.

    More power to them!!

  215. 215.

    Suzanne

    @different-church-lady: He was more dog-whistle-y during the campaign.

    I thought this was a good piece by Josh Barro, essentially pointing out that a lot of people who genuinely don’t think of themselves as racist voted for Trump (of course they are), and how now they undeniably have egg on their faces. During the campaign, he was careful enough to not alienate those people. He’s not even trying anymore.

  217. 217.

    J R in WV

    @Adam L Silverman:

    @TenguPhule: Pruitt must be seriously paranoid to do this. Career civil servants and senior executives don’t tend to get violent at work.

    Yes. But Pruitt is planning to kill a lot of people, and rightly expects that survivors may come for him. EPA is all that stands between people and poisons… well, kinda.

    Better than it was, anyway. I remember in the 1950s, air that was yellow, and hurt to breathe, in what was called, proudly, Chemical Valley. Pruitt stands for yellow air that hurts, and water with lead in it. A dangerous job, probably the most dangerous in the whole Trump administration.

  219. 219.

    Adam L Silverman

    @J R in WV: I expect a whole lot of states and municipalities to keep him tied up in court for years. Several state AGs have already made it clear they will do so. Some suits have already been filed. Pruitt is going to find out that the idea of suing EPA, and getting a stay of an EPA/EPA related executive order, is not just something people named Pruitt are allowed to do.

  221. 221.

    Daddio7

    @Adam L Silverman: So if the alt-right promises to show up at a BLM march armed with urine and feces to shut it down and cause a riot the BLM march will be cancelled? I guess no more marches anywhere for anything. Or are some marchers more equal than others?

  222. 222.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Daddio7: I was just stating what’s been reported. I’m not the mayor of Boston. Also, from the reporting, my understanding is that the urine and feces were thrown by the various white supremacists not the counter-protestors.

  223. 223.

    different-church-lady

    @Daddio7:

    So if the alt-right promises to show up at a BLM march armed with urine and feces…

    You have some inside information about this?

  228. 228.

    Adam L Silverman

    @WTF: You weren’t supposed to mention that.

    That’s an interesting piece. I’m honestly not sure, as someone who has worked on these issues as both a scholar and a civilian practitioner for the Army, how one would put a percentage on something like this happening. Are we in a moment of crisis, including a constitutional crisis? Yes, without a doubt. But there are a lot of differences between where we’re at and a lot of places that have seen civil wars or violent revolutions in the past couple of decades.

  229. 229.

    WTF

    @Adam L Silverman:
    It will probably be unlike what we usually think of when we think of “war.” I am always reminded of what Clausewitz said about war being politics carried on by other means. Let’s use the parlance of the day and call it “alternate” means. Is politics war carried on by less lethal means?
    And to what extent has politics here become the ritualized combat common in other cultures?

  230. 230.

    Adam L Silverman

    @WTF: Almost every discussion of Clausewitz I’ve ever been part of has kicked the formulation around that if war is politics by other means, than politics is war by other means.

  231. 231.

    NorthLeft12

    A big bright light needs to be shined on these guys wherever they go. The fact that they feel that Deadbeat Donald has their back [he does] should be enough to get Trump bounced from office. But then as Hillary eloquently described a couple of months before the election, this is what he is and this is what you will get. Nobody can say they are surprised by his behavior and actually believe what they are saying.

  232. 232.

    WTF

    Yes, it is difficult to deny. People want to believe a stable peace is possible. But conflict seems to be ubiquitous.
    On a cheerier note, I give you etymology of the word Trump.

    trump (v.2)
    “fabricate, devise,” 1690s, from trump “deceive, cheat” (1510s), from Middle English trumpen (late 14c.), from Old French tromper “to deceive,” of uncertain origin. Apparently from se tromper de “to mock,” from Old French tromper “to blow a trumpet.” Brachet explains this as “to play the horn, alluding to quacks and mountebanks, who attracted the public by blowing a horn, and then cheated them into buying ….” The Hindley Old French dictionary has baillier la trompe “blow the trumpet” as “act the fool,” and Donkin connects it rather to trombe “waterspout,” on the notion of turning (someone) around. Connection with triumph also has been proposed. Related: Trumped; trumping. Trumped up “false, concocted” first recorded 1728.

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