Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Consistently wrong since 2002

We are aware of all internet traditions.

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

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

Let there be snark.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

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

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

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

I really should read my own blog.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

You are here: Home / Pants on FIRE

Pants on FIRE

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Busted outright:

There is no honor among anti-immigrant advocates and liars, I suppose. After dutifully lying on behalf of the president regarding his abhorrent language (“shithole countries”), Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) were outed by the White House. The Post reports:

Three White House officials said Perdue and Cotton told the White House that they heard “shithouse” rather than “shithole,” allowing them to deny the president’s comments on television over the weekend. The two men initially said publicly that they could not recall what the president said.

Not only did these two repeatedly lie, but Cotton also impugned the integrity of Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), who told the truth. Asked whether the accusation that Trump spoke the offending words or the sentiment was phony, Cotton lied, “Yes.” He went on to say, “Senator Durbin has misrepresented what happened in White House meetings before, and he was corrected by Obama administration officials by it.”

Anyone who quotes them in the media should note with the quote that they are blatant liars and have lied to the media before.

Reader Interactions

233Comments

  1. 1.

    amorphous

    It’s all so normalized now that there’s no way back for the Republic. Here lies the United States, 1776-2016. It was a good run, but, hey, so was Byzantium and the Ottomans, among a great many others.

  2. 2.

    Mary G

    It’s always projection with these people, like an old Kodak slide carousel that just goes around and around, ad infinitum.

  3. 3.

    WaterGirl

    I just love all this comity in the senate.

    Not only did these two repeatedly lie, but Cotton also impugned the integrity of Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), who told the truth. Asked whether the accusation that Trump spoke the offending words or the sentiment was phony, Cotton lied, “Yes.” He went on to say, “Senator Durbin has misrepresented what happened in White House meetings before, and he was corrected by Obama administration officials by it.”

    I’m very proud of Dick Durbin for sharing the shithole story. I hope none of this shit sticks to him and boomerangs back on the lying Republican assholes.

  4. 4.

    Quinerly

    Results of Trump’s physical being released. Can’t believe he only weighs 239 lbs. The SOB is in basically good physical health. His cholesterol is lower than mine.

  5. 5.

    Aimai

    @amorphous: we are watching “the magnificent century” about Suleyman the Magnificent. If we go out like the Ottoman empire when does Trump order Don Jr strangeled to pave the way for Kushner?

  7. 7.

    WaterGirl

    @amorphous: Is not Norway that has an new effort to combat lies? I think all countries are going to have to do that – this lying is no accident, it’s all part of Putin’s (very successful) disruption. He perfected it in Russia and now he’s doing to other countries like us.

  8. 8.

    WaterGirl

    @Quinerly: My vet now has a scale that is basically a mat on the floor. Somebody needs to put one of those somewhere the Illegitimate President will be standing, and record the real weight.

  9. 9.

    Ghost of Joe Lieblings Dog

    That’s asking a lot of Our Great Nation’s Only Media, though I don’t see why.

    A few repetitions of “Senator X said _____ — which is a lie, and the Senator knows it’s a lie” would be refreshing though.

    (In place of NPR’s usual “Senator X said _____ — and we’ll have to leave it there,” for instance.)

  10. 10.

    HypersphericalCow

    I can understand the psychological impulse that leads people to gaslight themselves and fall in behind a charismatic leader … but this leader?

  11. 11.

    trollhattan

    @Quinerly:
    First rule of longevity is “pick the right parents.”

    I’m surprised he didn’t use Doctor Nick from the campaign. “Bestest healthy president, ever!”

  13. 13.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    So let’s pause a moment and consider Cotton, Miller’s and the rest logic here. By discouraging immigration from “shit hole” countries this will somehow entourage immigration from top shelf countries, you know the places that are white an affluent like Sweden. Because you know how people just love to pull up roots when things are going swimmingly for them. It’s not just Trump who is out of touch and living in the 1850s, it’s a whole swath of the population.

  15. 15.

    kindness

    Asking polite Republicans to take back control of their party is useless as there are none any longer (other than Jennifer Rubin). The media is gleeful as it helps their click bait. We’re fucked until November elections.

  25. 25.

    Yutsano

    @trollhattan: After the Ottomans, after some unrest, came Ataturk. And he basically reformed the country from the bottom to the top for the better mostly. He must be being used for all the setbacks Erdogan is doing to his reforms. And the military has been awful quiet about the growing Islamicism.

  26. 26.

    Quinerly

    Very thorough physical. Not trying to argue. Everyone should tune in for the press conference from beginning to end. It’s been going on awhile…very detailed, a lot of questions.

  28. 28.

    gene108

    @Quinerly:

    Some people have lucky genes.

    There was a guy interviewed in Super Size Me, who only ate a McDonalds and he was fit, trim, good cholesterol, blood sugar levels, etc.

    Some folks are just lucky genetic freaks.

  29. 29.

    Quinerly

    Pretty sure I heard 239. That’s what made me sit down. Dr. is explaining that annoying snorting, breathing that Trump has. This dr. was also Obama’s and Bush’s dr. if I understood correctly. I walked into my den, had left the tv on. Caught me off guard.

  30. 30.

    condorcet runner-up

    I made sure to call Durbin’s offices to let them know how much I appreciated his work (and the backbone shown) not just on this issue, but in general. DC and Chicago were impossible to get through to, so I called Springfield and Carbondale. The people on the other end seemed to appreciate the calls of support. As a former staffer on the hill (well, legal fellow) ages ago, I knew that we used to tally calls for vs calls against, and how much an office appreciates supportive calls. I can confirm that at least with respect to Durbin’s office, they were very appreciative to hear nice things from a constituent.

  33. 33.

    Uncle Omar

    A thought from a century ago…”As Democracy is perfected, the office of president represents more and more closely the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts’ desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” H.L. Mencken, 1920 And so it goes.

  35. 35.

    donnah

    Chuck Schumer was on Stephen Colbert’s show last night and pulled zero punches about the liars Cotton and Perdue. He called them out for the way they spoke about Dick Durbin and went on to describe Durbin as a trusted, honest friend he’s known for many years. It was great to hear him speak so strongly about the lying Republicans.

    I have already emailed Dick Durbin’s office to thank him for his integrity and for speaking out. Time to email Schumer’s office now.

  36. 36.

    Quinerly

    @raven: Doctor sees him everyday. Has traveled with him. “Trump has incredible genes.” Direct quote. Who else is watching? I can’t continue to blog this shit. I have to pack for my trip.?

  38. 38.

    Dmbeaster

    Hey, time for the Fat Man to promote the “Trump Mar a Lago Diet” and have this doctor do infomercials for him.

  39. 39.

    Yarrow

    @Quinerly:

    Dr. is explaining that annoying snorting, breathing that Trump has.

    What is he saying is the reason?

    I can’t believe he’s 239. No way.

  40. 40.

    Corner Stone

    He said a 71 year old man will be healthy for the next 3 to 7 years in the most stressful job in the world.

  42. 42.

    Gravenstone

    @Corner Stone: I could almost see him asking what such a test was, assuming his advisors used really small words to explain why it might be important. But asking to take one, nope?

  44. 44.

    Quinerly

    @Corner Stone: Glad to see someone else watching…I’m handing this off to your able commentary. You can explain Trump’s PSA and prostate exam. I’m out of here.?

  47. 47.

    Corner Stone

    Doc explained the recent slurring of Trump’s speech as a result of the Sudafed Doc prescribed/over-prescribed.

  49. 49.

    Corner Stone

    This guy has one hand in a vat of butter. Keeping ready for when he needs to slather some on his bullshit answers.

  51. 51.

    mai naem mobile

    Watching the WH doc. He talks about cognitive testing but no psychiatric testing. I assume that means Dolt45 is in fact not suffering from Alzheimers or other dementia and is just a narcissistic asshole. Maybe with ADD.

  52. 52.

    trollhattan

    @donnah:
    Schumer has been way better/more effective as Senate minority leader than I’d ever imagined. He’s a good replacement for Harry and as a New Yorker, can torch Trump in ways non-New Yorkers can’t. I endorse him for majority leader.

  53. 53.

    Kay

    @Corner Stone:

    It’s not like people can’t find other people who are really that height and weight to compare him to. He should look somewhat the same, not hugely different.

    What a weird lie. It calls the whole thing into question.

  55. 55.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Corner Stone:

    He said a 71 year old man will be healthy for the next 3 to 7 years in the most stressful job in the world.

    That I can buy, Trump’s cheese burger diet is nothing new so if it hasn’t killed him by now, it never will. On top of it Trump only works a four our day so what stress?

  56. 56.

    MomSense

    grrr. He’s 100 + pounds heavier than I am and his cholesterol is lower?? I’m basically eating oats and avocados at this point.

  63. 63.

    Quinerly

    @mai naem mobile: And EVIL. Don’t forget EVIL. Looks like we can look forward to Trump’s colonoscopy next year. I volunteer….I’ll do it blindfolded with an instrument picked out by the top 10 Balloon Juice commenters.? We have an entire year to plan.???

  64. 64.

    Bobby Thomson

    @Kay:

    What a weird lie. It calls the whole thing into question.

    So obviously I see only three possibilities.

    1. There’s some really juicy stuff on this doctor and Trump has him by the shorts, so he’s doing this to signal all of us that he’s lying.

    2. He’s just repeating what he was told to say because that’s how he rolls, or because he was promised a promotion if he does.

    3. He’s just bad at lying.

  67. 67.

    eemom

    Oh, give the doc a break. Can you imagine having to examine THAT? Probably wasn’t even allowed to put a hazmat suit on.

  70. 70.

    Mnemosyne

    @mai naem mobile:

    I’m willing to believe that Trump isn’t showing the effects of dementia, just the effects of being a toxic narcissist who thinks the truth is whatever he says it is.

  72. 72.

    Quinerly

    @MomSense: You and I are in a similar boat. His cholesterol is lower than mine. I weigh 120 and am 5’5″. High cholesterol runs in my family.

  76. 76.

    Emerald

    @WaterGirl: I was living in Illinois when Durbin was first elected. We lost everything else that year, but I remember saying that at least we got Durbin in.

    Still thankful for that!

  77. 77.

    Corner Stone

    @Bobby Thomson: My takeaway from that is – if you’re going to lie about the weight, why not have a BMI ready? Anyone who believes 239lbs will believe 25 BMI.

  80. 80.

    Kay

    @Corner Stone:

    Jeb Bush is 6’3″ and he famously went on a diet so his weight is probably around. That would be a good comparison.

    I’m not going to look it up because it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things but Jesus, this lying gets tiresome. He’s not 10 pounds heavier than my 25 year old son. The whole girth is different.

  81. 81.

    MomSense

    @Quinerly: @Mnemosyne:

    Definitely genetic for me. I’m 5’9″ and weigh about 130-135 and have super high cholesterol. If I don’t lower it by my next appointment I have to start taking a statin.

  82. 82.

    Quinerly

    @Kay: Doctor did essentially say no girth measurements. Someone asked Trump’s dick size….no, I’m teasing….waist size.?

  83. 83.

    Another Scott

    The 239 weight strikes me as odd, because (IIRC) that’s the exact same weight that “Dr. Feelgood” said he weighed in 2016.

    Did the good doctor today mention statins? Dr. Feelgood said he took a “small dose” (or something) of a statin. Cholesterol numbers can look very good (for some people) when they’re on (the right) statin.

    Genes are a big part of this, but so is stress and lots of other things we don’t understand. My older brother weighs at least 30 pounds more than me and has lower cholesterol numbers. And he mostly eats fast food and microwave stuff. :-/

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  85. 85.

    Gin & Tonic

    @MomSense: I have a good friend, lifelong distance runner, who on his 40th wedding anniversary was able to wear his wedding tux. Cholesterol over 300. It’s a genetic lottery. I can’t get over 200 no matter what I do.

  88. 88.

    Hungry Joe

    @Corner Stone: But it’s NOT the most stressful job in the world, the way Trump is performing it. He works — well, talks at people — for a little while, sits in on a couple of meetings that he probably daydreams through, skims a few large-font, bullet-pointed, one-page summaries, and calls it a day.

  89. 89.

    Feathers

    Folks, cholesterol is largely genetic. Some of you have met me. I am a very large person. I have good cholesterol numbers. Recently the blood pressure has been a bit high, but the depression has been making it hard to make the lifestyle changes needing, so I’m taking meds in the meantime.

    It really doesn’t surprise me that Cheeto in Chief has a very strong constitution and has been doing everything he can to take advantage.

  93. 93.

    Shinobi

    1. I don’t actually see proof of lying in this article. Maybe I’m missing it? But like, it looks like they told one story, Durbin told another, is there an actual verified source that proves who is actually not lying here? I feel like I’m missing it. (Not saying they aren’t lying, but nothing here directly contradicts their claims except for Durbin’s.)

    2. Fuck everyone for making me defend Trump when it comes to his weight. If you want to dissect his bad habits, his obvious mental health issues, his physical fitness, fine, but if you just want to bloviate about a number on a scale then fuck you. Lots of people in America have a high BMI and all but one of us are not in the process of destroying the country so maybe we could focus on the important factoids here.

  94. 94.

    Shinobi

    @Quinerly: I will say my grandma was borderline crazy pants and she got 30 out of 30 on that assessment too. The doctor said she was fine, she said she was losing it. Spoiler alert, last year at Christmas she tried to open a wall.

  97. 97.

    Roger Moore

    @MomSense:

    grrr. He’s 100 + pounds heavier than I am and his cholesterol is lower??

    That’s heavily genetic. I have a coworker who’s thin as a rail and eats reasonably well but has been on statins since she was 17 because her cholesterol is over 400 without them. Another one can eat anything she wants, and her HDL is still higher than her LDL.

  98. 98.

    zhena gogolia

    @MomSense:
    Yeah, I think my 6’2″ husband once hit 230 (before I knew him). I saw a picture and he looks like a skinny guy with a pot belly. NOT LIKE TRUMP.

  99. 99.

    Kay

    @Quinerly:

    I mean, we know people who are 6’2″. We know how they look. If I look at Obama I say “about 180” because my husband is about 190 which he tells me proudly at least once a month. They’re about the same height. They’re not 150. No sir. That much I can see.

    Maybe he has hollow bones. Or a hollow head.

  100. 100.

    Bobby Thomson

    @Shinobi:

    1. Even if Trump said Shithouse his remarks are still racist. But Graham already confirmed it and the White House didn’t deny it until the next day after Trump watched Fox & Friends.
    2. The point is that the guy lies about everything and the doctor is obviously lying.

  101. 101.

    John Revolta

    Of course he’s on a statin. He’s got the best medical care in the world and he just does whatever they tell him. It’s no trick to get your numbers down that way. Doesn’t mean he’s in good physical condition.

  102. 102.

    MomSense

    @Gin & Tonic:

    I don’t even open my windows when I drive by McDonalds i’ m so afraid of the cholesterol. Maybe I should just switch to an all red wine diet. Kind of like a juice cleanse but more fun.

  103. 103.

    Bobby Thomson

    @Another Scott: the 239 was reverse engineered from a 6’3″ height (which itself is a lie because Obama, who is taller, is 6’1″) to keep his BMI under obesity. It’s just blatant.

  104. 104.

    Mike in DC

    I’m 6’3 and my weight has been all over the map. I know what I look like at 239, and Trump doesn’t look anything like that. He looks somewhere between 260 and 300, to be frank.

  105. 105.

    Turgidson

    @Corner Stone:

    Only if you’re a millennial and you’re paying 10 bucks for avocado toast at some highbrow cafe instead of buying a house with that money.

  108. 108.

    Kay

    @Corner Stone:

    Apparently he used to say he was 6′ 2″ so forgive me but unless he grew an inch at 65 all of this is suspect. I don’t care how big he is. I just want them to stop lying all the time.

  112. 112.

    Repatriated

    If anything is physically or cognitively wrong with him, that fact will almost certainly be highly classified information unless and until a majority of the Cabinet decides a 25th Amendment resolution is necessary.

    Any public statements about his health or relevant statistics will be consistent with concealing his actual condition.

  113. 113.

    Mnemosyne

    @Bobby Thomson:

    I don’t even think he was promised a promotion. It was straight-up, I am ordering you to lie about the president’s health. No bribery needed when a superior officer orders you to do something.

  114. 114.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Mnemosyne: Isn’t the great general retired? I would be careful if I were the President, Kelly gives me the Ayub Khan vibe. The first generalissimo who became the President of Pakistan after a successful coup.

  115. 115.

    joel hanes

    @Shinobi:

    I feel like I’m missing it.

    Yep, you seem to be missing one of the pieces.

    Trump called several friends after the meeting and bragged about having directed US immigration policy to prefer white people over black people; he was proud of having done so. The shithole word is not the point. The overt racism is.

  116. 116.

    Mnemosyne

    @Kay:

    Maybe he has hollow bones.

    Well, that would confirm the rumors that he’s a lizard person wearing a human suit … ?

  117. 117.

    MJS

    @Quinerly: I’m sure someone else has already said this, but Trump weighs significantly more than 239 lbs. They fucking lie about every fucking thing.

  118. 118.

    Turgidson

    @zhena gogolia:

    My father is 6’3” and his weight has ranged from 220ish to maybe 250 since I was a kid. He’s a pretty big dude and somewhat thick from top to bottom, but has never had a gut anywhere near the size of Hair Furor’s, even at his heaviest.

    My eyeball estimate of Dolt45 would be 260-270. 239 does seem obviously too low. One more probable lie to throw on the pile I guess.

  122. 122.

    Mnemosyne

    @schrodingers_cat:

    And this is a navy doctor, so technically Kelly has no sway over him since he’s from a different branch of the service.

    But I’m pretty sure Kelly could pick up a phone and get the doctor’s direct superior to order him to lie in the interest of national security.

    @Repatriated:

    Also, this. It’s not like the truth was told about JFK or FDR’s health.

  124. 124.

    Mike in NC

    Actual result of Trump’s annual physical will be filed in the same hidden safe as his federal tax returns.

  125. 125.

    Repatriated

    @Calouste: The reforms that were to have led to Turkey joining the EU stripped the Turkish Armed Forces of much of their political and formal power.

    The concern was that the military influence would thwart democracy. Ironic, no?

  126. 126.

    Mnemosyne

    @catclub:

    No, see, you have to stop eating avocado toast every day, and at the end of the year you’ll have saved up $3,650, which is totally enough to buy a house on today’s market.

  127. 127.

    Corner Stone

    @Turgidson:

    One more probable lie to throw on the pile I guess.

    The DHS head lied to Congress today when she said she could not remember what Trump said in the “shithole” meeting. Less than a week ago.
    So a Navy Dr…well…

  128. 128.

    JPL

    The president is in excellent health although he’s obese and on cholesterol lowering medication. Okay!

  131. 131.

    Corner Stone

    @JPL: What I noticed was that the Doc never once said, “For a man his age” or “For the age range category”.
    If he did, I missed it. I put it on mute a few times because it hurt my earholes.

  132. 132.

    Jeffro

    Not sure why we’re arguing about Trumpov’s physical or his choice of ‘shithole’ vs ‘shithouse’. The man lies constantly and the GOP debases itself every hour, on the hour, by enabling his madness and lies.

    Let’s make them pass a budget – they control Congress and the WH, after all. Let’s make sure they own what they’ve done (or rather, NOT done) for Puerto Rico. Let’s make sure they own the mess they’ve made of DACA. The number of uninsured = on them. All of it.

    The motto ought to be, “Everything was going quite well until Trumpov fucked it up”.

  133. 133.

    germy

    We are the hollow men
    We are the stuffed men
    Leaning together
    Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
    Our dried voices, when
    We whisper together
    Are quiet and meaningless
    As wind in dry grass
    Or rats’ feet over broken glass
    In our dry cellar

  135. 135.

    The Moar You Know

    Anyone who quotes them in the media should note with the quote that they are blatant liars and have lied to the media before.

    What planet do you live on? Not mine.

  136. 136.

    MJS

    Two possible explanations:

    1. Trump commissioned a scale that stops at 239.

    2. Trump refused to let his giant ass be included in the reported weight.

  139. 139.

    mai naem mobile

    So i googled this shit.because ita so much more important than the govt shutdown or Bannon getting subpoaened for Muellers Grand Jury. Obama was 6’1″ and 175 lbs. Bush was 6′ and 190lbs. Clinton was 6’2″ and 234 lbs. Clinton never looked as fat Donnie does and Bush looked regular size. Obama looked slim. BTW in my Google searches a FOX story comes up from 2010 about Obama lying about his weight (reported 181) and that his real weight was 120 lbs.
    Also, OT but on topic to what JC put up – Kriseen Nielsen the DHS Secretary was the one on charge of disaster preparedness during Katrina. She got several emails etc. warning about Katrina landing and the possible catastrophic damage it could do. Dolt45 really did go out and find the worst people for the job. How did this woman get any other job besides cleaning a highway Porta potty after what she was responsible for during Katrina.

  141. 141.

    Mnemosyne

    @mai naem mobile:

    Kriseen Nielsen the DHS Secretary was the one on charge of disaster preparedness during Katrina.

    Oh, holy fuck. Sadly, I’m not surprised that an incompetent asshole who helped kill Americans has resurfaced as a Trump appointee.

  142. 142.

    MJS

    @trollhattan: I didn’t watch, but did the good doctor take questions? If so, did anyone think to ask him why such a svelte physical specimen needed a golf cart when all the other world leaders were able to make a 3 block walk with no problems?

  143. 143.

    Corner Stone

    @mai naem mobile:

    So i googled this shit.because ita so much more important than the govt shutdown or Bannon getting subpoaened for Muellers Grand Jury.

    All of our talk has about as much result on any of these three topics. I never get why people here think one is the loneliest number.

  144. 144.

    RobertB

    @Quinerly: Cholesterol is pretty much determine by genetics. I can eat lard out of a tub, and my cholesterol is fine. Blood pressure is kind of genetic too (says the guy who thought it was nothing to worry about until the stroke caught up with him).

  146. 146.

    Kay

    @MJS:

    People will compare the stats to those of professional athletes because those heights and weights are available.

    Which I support. I think people should study a whole range of photographs of professional athletes and compare to Donald Trump :)

  147. 147.

    Corner Stone

    @MJS: He certainly did lie through several questions. I do not remember a golf cart one, but maybe I missed it. He probably would have answered that Trump wanted an ass imprint on the seat cushions he could sign and then auction off at Mar A Lago.

  148. 148.

    Villago Delenda Est

    There is no way in fucking hell that a man of Trump’s height weighs 239 with that torso of his.

    No fucking way.

  150. 150.

    MJS

    @Kay: I’m actually good with this lie. Late night comedians will have a field day, and Twitter will be filled with memes on Trump’s weight, both of which will drive him more insane than he already is.

  151. 151.

    Bobby Thomson

    He lied about both his height and his weight to get his BMI at 29.9, just under 30, the dividing line for obesity. At 240, you get a BMI of 30 with that height.

    In 2012 his driver license listed him as 6′ 2″. That was already an exaggeration. Barack Obama is 6′ 1″ and clearly taller in a side-by-side comparison. The extra inches give him more room to play with in the denominator.

    This is an obvious lie, all the more so when you realize where they came up with these numbers.

  152. 152.

    Corner Stone

    Chuck Todd blames the DACA break down in trust on Durbin reporting what Trump said about shithole countries.

  154. 154.

    Mike in NC

    So, Trump’s medical evaluation was “A+”, just as his (self-assigned) response to the devastation in Puerto Rico was rated “A+”. Anybody seeing a pattern here? Communist dictators are more forthright.

  156. 156.

    Bobby Thomson

    @Corner Stone: because he’s never going to report the obvious truth that Republicans don’t support DACA, never did, and want any excuse not to compromise.

  158. 158.

    Corner Stone

    @Kay: That’s not really fair, as those guys have an impressive amount of muscle. Take Antonio Gates, TE for LAC for example.
    They have him at 6’4″ and 260. Which may be a little generous as I think he probably hits the scale at more than that on gameday.

  159. 159.

    Kay

    @MJS:

    I am too. I woulda given it to him! He can keep his weight secret as far as I’m concerned. But he had to go and lie. So now he must be made fun of.

  161. 161.

    Frankensteinbeck

    Weights vary a lot, although Trump is pretty grossly fat and 239 seems weirdly low. I find it hard to swallow that he got a perfect score on a cognitive test, since Trump has demonstrated difficulties keeping track of what is said to him, and his own speech so often is incoherently wandering. There is zero chance he’s going to be exercising in the gym with Melania. None.

    On the other hand, this doctor is not a Trump flunky. Would he lie if ordered to? That seems weird, too.

  165. 165.

    Chris

    Three White House officials said Perdue and Cotton told the White House that they heard “shithouse” rather than “shithole,” allowing them to deny the president’s comments on television over the weekend. The two men initially said publicly that they could not recall what the president said.

    It’s not even that they’re lying, but that they’re lying so badly about something so ridiculously petty. They’re not even giving Trump an out, for fuck’s sake – “Haiti is a shithouse country” is hardly better than “Haiti is a shithole country.” They’re just doing the “ah, but TECHNICALLY the lying liberal media is lying and liberal.”

  167. 167.

    Jay S

    @Frankensteinbeck: A public announcement that a current president is in ill health could be seen as a security issue. So I could see outright lying, in case of severe illness or impairment. It seems less likely he would shade the truth for the president’s vanity but I understand the president has the right to limit what is released publicly.

  168. 168.

    Mnemosyne

    @schrodingers_cat:

    If it turns out that Kelly is having an affair with her and that’s why she keeps getting promoted, I will laugh my ass off.
    ???

    Yeah, I try not to go there, but when the person in question is a totally unqualified Fox News-ready blonde, that’s where my mind goes.

  173. 173.

    Mnemosyne

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Would he lie if ordered to? That seems weird, too.

    I actually could see an argument in favor of lying about this while a 25th Amendment solution is being worked on — nobody on the planet wants to hear that the President of the United States is sliding into dementia, except people who actively want to do us harm.

    The problem is that I seriously doubt the Republicans are taking steps to remove him, so IMO it’s more dangerous to just flat-out lie about it, especially since the patent falsehoods may actually embolden the people who want to do us harm.

    It’s some catch, that Catch-22.

  174. 174.

    hueyplong

    Maybe the doctor was ordered to assume the diaper weighs 75 pounds and therefore subtract that from the number that appeared on the scale.

    And all that talk of genetics is funny until we remember what his father had.

  176. 176.

    debbie

    I believe I also heard that Cotton said that Durbin used the same language, and Durbin retorted that he was quoting Trump when he said it.

    Did I mishear?

  177. 177.

    tobie

    @Mnemosyne: A propos Nielsen’s lack of qualifications: I was stunned when she said today that she had never met a DACA recipient–not as DHS chief nor in any other capacity. Here she’s making fateful decisions that will forever change (read: damage) people’s lives and she has no curiosity about who they are.

  178. 178.

    Mike in NC

    Anybody who’s been within a mile of Tom Cotton knows he has an image of himself someday sitting in the Oval Office. A likely choice to be his VP or Chief of Staff might be Steven Miller.

  179. 179.

    woodrowfan

    I have lost 80 lbs since late May. I am the same hight as trump and my waistline looked like his. I was close to 270. No way is he 239.

  182. 182.

    debbie

    Hicks’s Wiki page is a total fluff job!

    During the campaign, she played the role of gatekeeper to press members who wanted to speak with Trump, handling over 250 requests a day, and deciding which reporters would be allowed to speak with him.[14][25] Hicks also took dictation from Trump for his tweets, and then sent the text to another person in the Trump organization who actually sent out the tweets from Trump’s official account.[21][26] When in New York City, she would spend most of her day sitting in Trump’s office, handling inquiries from the press and taking dictation from him to tweet.[27] The demands of the campaign took a personal toll, as they caused a breakup between Hicks and her boyfriend of six years.

    OMG, where are all the editors?

  183. 183.

    Robert Sneddon

    @Repatriated: The Turkish military has a long and storied history of staging a coup when Islamicists try to take over the government, putting tanks on the streets, shooting a bunch of troublemakers, getting a non-religious government elected by comparatively fair democratic means and then quietly going back to their barracks. It’s part of their inheritance from Attaturk. They had to stop doing that as it was getting in the way of Turkey joining the European Union (but it wasn’t a problem for membership of NATO since it was a convenient place for the US to base nuclear missiles close to the Soviet Union).

  187. 187.

    Mnemosyne

    @tobie:

    Actually meeting people or learning about a subject would only bias her decision.

    I wish I were joking about that.

  188. 188.

    Mnemosyne

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    Don’t look at me, the closest I ever got to the Navy was having squids hit on me and my friends when we were in high school. I have no clue whether Marine generals are allowed to give orders to Navy officers.

  189. 189.

    Steeplejack

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    The doctor is himself an admiral, which is the Navy equivalent of a general, so it’s doubtful a general is ordering him to do anything, especially regarding medical matters. That demarcation is kept clear in all the services.

  190. 190.

    The Simp in the Suit

    @Corner Stone: The 30-out-of-30 bullshit test? Hell, I know at least two seniors who passed that “test” the same month they were diagnosed with dementia. I don’t know for sure, but it sure seems like some sort of buff-and-turf/GOMER thing to get oldsters out of the GPs office.

  191. 191.

    Mnemosyne

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Despite what some of the lawyers here will try to tell you, having a law degree doesn’t automatically make you qualified for every job out there. ? They’re like the engineers of the liberal arts world sometimes. Disaster planning? Of course I’m qualified to do that — I have a law degree!
    /puts on flame-proof suit ?

  192. 192.

    Quinerly

    Sure hoping Adam does a separate post on Trump’s physical and the doctor’s press conference. I would love to read his thoughts. I find myself using the word “surreal” now at least 5 times a day. Overload.

  194. 194.

    Emma

    Am I the only one who is happy with this medical result? Now I can say in all surety that he is not suffering from any diseases, mental or otherwise. His behavior is all attributable to his being a racist, misogynist ignoramus.

    Work for me.

  195. 195.

    Steeplejack

    @Steeplejack:

    ETA: That said, there are weird things in the medical report that don’t seem to add up, such as Trump’s alleged weight. But I’m saying that in the normal chain of command a general can’t just call up a military doctor and tell him what to do. Plus, John Kelly is retired, so he’s no longer technically a general.

  196. 196.

    Yarrow

    Well, the President is the Commander in Chief, so isn’t he over all the military? Can’t he order them to do whatever he wants? I know they can defy illegal orders but lying about his health isn’t illegal, is it? I can see him faking some results and ordering the military doctor to read it and answer questions about it.

    I saw Sanjay Gupta on CNN say that it was highly unusual for the doctor to have the press conference and that he’d never seen that happen before. That would lead me to believe the doctor was told to do it and make it a big show and make Trump look good.

    @Mnemosyne: I can see an argument for not confirming to the world via lab reports and doctor’s statement that the president is unhealthy and cognitively impaired. The world can see it for themselves, but confirming it could cause even more chaos.

  199. 199.

    Quinerly

    @Emma: Come hang with me. Pretty much my same thoughts. I do think he’s not too bright but there was no IQ test.

  204. 204.

    ruemara

    @Mnemosyne: No, you’re right. Much like a Phd in anything suddenly makes you expert in everything. A lifetime around VSPs has taught me even the good ones have these massive ego issues related to letters after their name.

  211. 211.

    Kay

    That’s not really fair, as those guys have an impressive amount of muscle

    There’s no fairness rules on this. Last week he was bragging about being a great athlete. I don’t make the Trump Rules, I just try to live within them. It’s easy. You can say anything. That’s the only rule.

  212. 212.

    Kay

    delrayser
    ‏

    @delrayser
    23m23 minutes ago
    More
    Fox News reporter had a source on the record before the election confirming Trump’s affair with a porn star and Fox spiked the story

    I swear to God they’re all co-conspirators and the public was the mark. What else did they hide? We didn’t know he was under criminal investigation either. Worst campaign coverage in the history of the world. They failed and failed and failed. They put him in office.

  214. 214.

    Aleta

    Frederick Douglass @gettinnoticedmo

    Just came back from a visit with Dr. Ronny Jackson, turns out I’m not dead after all.

  215. 215.

    Yarrow

    @Kay: How did they fail? The media companies’ obligation is to their stockholders. That means bringing eyeballs and clicks to their content. Trump was fantastic for that. They didn’t want to take him down and have viewers become bored. They wanted more Trump, continued Trump. They got what they wanted.

  218. 218.

    1000 flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)

    @Frankensteinbeck: For those who wonder what 239 pounds looks like on a man 6’3″ in height, here is a picture of Alexander Ovechkin, conveniently shirtless. His employers, the Washington Capitals, claim those are accurate figures, and while they may be fudging a bit, I don’t think the numbers are that far off.

  223. 223.

    Corner Stone

    Personally, if David Axelrod never said another word in public I would be pretty happy.

  230. 230.

    Corner Stone

    @Quinerly: If they want to put it out there in such a blatantly lying way then it deserves to be addressed. I, for one, do not expect him to look like an NHL player or Dak Prescott. He’s 70+ and eats multiple entrees from Mickey D’s on the regular. And rides a golf cart when he plays golf.
    It’s the fact that everything that comes into contact with Trump is corrupted. It’s an obvious lie that he weighs 239lbs. If they lie about that, right out of the crackerjack box then why listen to anything else in this report? It’s another example of a fallen institution.

  231. 231.

    Mnemosyne

    @Kathleen:

    We should demand long form Girth Certificates from the good doctor. ETA And start a “Girther” movement.

    I am on board and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

  233. 233.

    J R in WV

    @Captain C:

    Guys, I’m 67, a little under 6 ft. and 260. I was really strong and have big shoulders, enjoyed construction as one hobby, digging for minerals with pick and shovel, hammer and chisel for the other.

    I take that cognitive test with an RN once a year. It’s not hard. It’s intended to catch dementia earlier than just seeing someone start missing things, not to show that you’re actually smart or well educated.

    Trump is ignorant, not very smart, and evil. Not demented, not possessed by Lord Satan, just an ordinary stupid ignorant evil SOB.

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