Until the #SyriaStrikes were announced, Friday's news was dominated by scandal https://t.co/SNvgiwhSV6
— CNN (@CNN) April 14, 2018
The kicker to my story: By 11:45pm Friday, MSNBC had resumed discussion of the investigations into Trump and his associates… https://t.co/uTpSNDUTHW
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 14, 2018
Trump was only partially successful in wagging the dog. Pre-strike he was drowning in scandal, so the strike provided temporary high ground. Nixon used natl security temporarily (repeatedly) to escape Watergate but it only worked for a few days. Mueller and SDNY have much more. https://t.co/ywXl2QW4Uq
— John Dean (@JohnWDean) April 14, 2018
Not that the Repubs won’t keep trying…
the efforts by people like @AriFleischer to lie about the bush years in every way – every year he writes a bs tweetstorm lying about how bush leapt to action on 9/11 – are precisely why we got trump. the bush-trump line is strong.
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) April 14, 2018
But unlike professional ratfvckers such as Ari Fleischer, Trump is an old-school grifter:
Corruption is an overused word, so if you’re not sure what it really means, it’s this: https://t.co/PIp7NS9Gbt
— Seth Masket (@smotus) April 15, 2018
Meanwhile, inbox from nrcc victory pic.twitter.com/oUve5QSRAL
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 14, 2018
Major Major Major Major
Hate these fuckers and their enablers.
MoCA Ace
All expenses paid!!!
Does not include transportation,meals, drinks and housekeeping fees… hot water, bed linens, and pillows are extra. Wine tour and tasting room available to donors at the “crime syndicate” level.
OzarkHillbilly
If the NYT had any respect…. Never mind.
Lapassionara
@Major Major Major Major: me too. I saw “Hamilton” this afternoon at the Fox Theater in St Louis. What great talent, what great genius, what a moving experience. Then to compare our times to those. What a travesty.
efgoldman
There was no intartoobz/social media in Watergate days. It was anticipated only in some scifi. So All the President’s Men had much tighter control over the message, even with WaPo and the two committees digging and digging.
Now we have pervasive social media, and not only are they available to any keyboard kommando, but Weasel Face and his minions not only pay attention, they misuse it religiously against their own interest.
Compared to this WH, Tricksie was the Fort Knox of ideas.
Major Major Major Major
@MoCA Ace: don’t forget the leaving fee.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Major Major Major Major: “You can checkout anytime you like, but you can never leave”.
Villago Delenda Est
@Major Major Major Major: You can check out any time you like…
Corner Stone
@OzarkHillbilly: Who let you stay up this late?
Mr Stagger Lee
But his own side did not like the fact he attacked Syria, did you see the Alex Jones meltdown?
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
As a guy who likes decent wine, even if I didn’t despise Deadbeat Donnie, the notion of Trump Winery being “famous” is laughable.
MoCA Ace
Who’s going to play the part of Jack Nicholson in the Shining!
REDRUM, REDRUM, REDRUM…
I’m picturing Kelly Ann Conway
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Corner Stone: Hillbillies never sleep.
Lapassionara
@efgoldman: True this.
Mnemosyne
I guarantee you that the right wing is going to bring up the fact that the Democrats did contests where you could win a trip to meet President Obama. But there’s a big difference between “meet the president” and “visit the president’s for-profit business.”
Mnemosyne
@Lapassionara:
Another convert to the cult! ?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mnemosyne:
Not in Trumpworld, they are one and the same.
@Mnemosyne: Still not joining your cult, I’m immune.
OzarkHillbilly
@Corner Stone: Mama OHB. It’s her b-day and I am in the process of making baby back ribs for her.
Lapassionara
@Mnemosyne: Yes. Proud to say.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mnemosyne: I hate you fuckers with the fire of 1000 suns. You know what you did.
Jager
VP: I actively dislike this wine. You know when you walk through the department store and they’re spraying perfume and you accidentally walk through it?
Victoria: Pungent. Like cheap perfume.
From tasting/review of Trump Wines, https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/we-tried-some-bottles-from-donald-trumps-virginia-winery/
Lapassionara
@OzarkHillbilly: The best birthday dinner evah!
Steeplejack
JPL
@OzarkHillbilly: A day late, and a dollar short, but they do respond
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/04/15/opinion/editorials/president-above-rule-law.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-top-region®ion=opinion-c-col-top-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-top-region
raven
@Lapassionara: I saw the Dead there in 72!
OzarkHillbilly
@?BillinGlendaleCA: This hillbilly generally sleeps from 8 PM to 3-4 AM.
Gin & Tonic
As I sit here listening to the sleet against the windows, I’m thinking of all those poor suckers who spent years training, and a small fortune in expenses to get their one chance to run the Boston Marathon tomorrow, when it may approach 40 degrees, in pouring rain with a 30+mph headwind.
efgoldman
@MoCA Ace:
Gakk! Why?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Gin & Tonic: So you don’t think they’re going to set any records tomorrow.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: Good point.
Ruckus
@efgoldman:
My guess at a distance would be too much 2 buck chuck. It has been known to bring on nightmares, even while awake.
Steeplejack
@Gin & Tonic:
Nelson Muntz “Ha-ha!”
Gin & Tonic
@?BillinGlendaleCA: At least they won’t have to worry about people overheating.
raven
@Gin & Tonic: A friend of mine is there for it and she was nervous about the weather. Did you see the piece about the guy who had cervical surgery and it running it in a HALO?
Shana
@Lapassionara: I tried twice for tickets in DC and failed. Such an amazing show. So jealous. Bask in it for a while.
Mnemosyne
@Omnes Omnibus:
The Leader is good, the Leader is great!
Gin & Tonic
@raven: No, I didn’t. But your friend is right to be nervous – the weather is going to suck bigly.
PsiFighter37
Maggie probably didn’t even bet $1k to drink colored piss.
raven
@Gin & Tonic: It’s the Times so don’t click on if it’s a problem
BOULDER, Colo. — The world-record holder in the Ironman triathlon had what is known as a hangman’s fracture, a broken C2 vertebra, like that found in someone who has died by hanging.
had what is known as a hangman’s fracture, a broken C2 vertebra, like that found in someone who has died by hanging.
His doctor laid out his options: A hard collar would let the bones mend on their own, but was inadvisable because of the fracture’s severity. Surgery would fuse the vertebrae, promising a quick fix and a comfortable recovery, but it would limit his neck’s range of motion, ending his athletic career. Or he could have a halo.
Major Major Major Major
@raven: jesus christ.
Gin & Tonic
@raven: Interesting story, thanks. But sounds like he’s out of the halo now.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@Jager:
efgoldman
@Gin & Tonic:
Cliche reporting says cool weather is better for the elite runners.
But not like this!
raven
@Major Major Major Major: I know! I broke my back in 75 and had rods installed on T-6. Near the endow the 9 months in plaster cast I played a little softball but a marathon!
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@Gin & Tonic:
In the morning as you’re sitting down to a nice hot cup of coffee with your breakfast in your thick robe, just think about the poor clods out there…
raven
@Gin & Tonic: Damn, I misread it!
magurakurin
@MoCA Ace: I pictured a different, briefer scene in the Shining for her…I think you know the one I mean…
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@efgoldman:
…naked…in a bathtub full of lime jello with cabbage slaw…
Lapassionara
@raven: darn! Great venue, and I am jealous.
raven
@Lapassionara: We were high as the cost of living!
magurakurin
@raven: that must have been a pretty damn good concert. That’s like when they were at their prime.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@magurakurin:
Oh! We weren’t far off. See above…
raven
@magurakurin: From what I recall it was! The biggest revelation in my life came when I got sober 25 years ago and found out what I’l been missing all those years a getting totally fucked up for music.
magurakurin
Hey Major Major
How’s Japan treating you? It’s about to treat one of my fillings in my molar. I’m off to see the dentist. One good thing about Japan, though…we all got dental…
Baud
@raven: Now I’m inspired to do 30 minutes on the elliptical tomorrow.
Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)
It’s snowing here. I give up.
I’m tired after our long drive. I may not be able to stay awake long enough to watch the Comey interview.
magurakurin
@raven: I can relate to that. I saw the Talking Heads in the Robin Hood Dell in Philly in 82? I remember it was awesome, but remember isn’t the right word. That was before I was sober as well. Being sober improves listening for sure.
Corner Stone
@Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady):
Here, let me summarize it for you. “Loyalty…blah blah blah…integrity…blah blah blah…Hillary Clinton is the Devil…blah blah blah…I had no choice…blah blah blah…Trump has tiny hands and is a moron.”
Major Major Major Major
@magurakurin: it’s good! Finally getting to Tokyo today.
efgoldman
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:
I grew up in Coolidge Corner, literally a one minute stroll to the course; watch the lead runners go by, and go get a coke.
It was not at all the big deal it is today, They didn’t even close the streets in Newton and Brookline. If you wanted, you could buy walk-up tickets for the morning ball game at Fenway.No live broadcast, no choppers. Jerry Nason of the Globe was the king of the marathon reporters.
And that’s the way it was, and we liked it.
Major Major Major Major
@efgoldman: but did nickels have bees on them, was there an onion on your belt?
magurakurin
@Major Major Major Major: cool. Have fun.
efgoldman
@Major Major Major Major:
I was much too young to be trusted with my own onion.
Mike in NC
@Steeplejack: That is genius.
Major Major Major Major
@efgoldman: touché.
Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)
@Corner Stone: I keep thinking about Kay’s comments on how Comey violated procedure and procedure is there to guide and protect you in confusing situations. She’s right. But then, she always is.
1000 flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)
For those jackals interested in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Minnesota Wild have just finished their first home game against the Winnipeg Jets, beating them 6-2. Patrik Laine may wish he had saved his violin solos for the end of the series. Who knew hockey players were such savage music critics?
Corner Stone
Here comes Big Douche.
Corner Stone
@Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady): I hate that fucking fucker. If you’ll excuse my fucking French.
Corner Stone
“We” didn’t you fucking fuck. “You” fucking did it. You god damn coward motherfucker.
Corner Stone
This fucking asshole. Jesus.
Omnes Omnibus
@Corner Stone: I take it that you are watching the interview.
mad citizen
Listening to the Comey interview. What I don’t understand–and I’m guessing you all here covered it at the time–was why the FBI couldn’t have a taken a couple of days to check out the Huma/Hillary emails before he sent his letter to Congress. WTF? Why would one think there were new revelations in emails Huma kept when they had already gone through, what? thousands of Hillary’s emails.
Right now they’re talking about the pee tape.
Elizabelle
FTF NYTImes just sent out this email alert:
BREAKING NEWS
James Comey says President Trump is a serial liar, treats women like “meat” and is a “stain” on all who work for him, in an ABC News interview
Here are “annotated” excerpts from the ABC interview. (5 hours, with 1 hour broadcast)
SiubhanDuinne
@Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady):
Kay is a treasure. Nobody better at cutting through all the bullshit obfuscation and getting to the heart of the matter.
Elizabelle
From Vichy Times article:
SgrAstar
@Shana: jsyk, Hamilfans. Salt Lake City production didn’t sell out…so, there are tickets available, expensive, at arttix.org, for performances between now and May 6.
Elizabelle
If Republicans treasure these values so much, why was Trump their nominee?
I am all for impeachment. After the midterms.
Omnes Omnibus
@SiubhanDuinne: She has bothered me a bit since the election. She complains that no one talks about the corruption, etc., yet she has keys to the front page of this blog and she doesn’t use them.
Elizabelle
Comey don’t think much of the average American, does he?
efgoldman
@Elizabelle:
Well, DUHH!
Spine of finest mushy scrambled eggs, our James.
Christ what an asshole
Fuckem
Elizabelle
Gretchen
@Jager: « I’ve had worse wine. It could actually be much more offensive. ». Thanks for the Trump wine review.
Another Scott
@Elizabelle: “And yet,” Comey continued, “I did everything in my power to make sure he was elected President. I am an honorable man, and I regret nothing, because it’s important for honorable men to break department procedures and traditions and act against the advice of important colleagues to stick their nose into political business whenever they feel it’s important.”
“Please buy my book and hire my consulting firm to gain further insights into my honor and leadership qualities.”
Grrr…
Cheers,
Scott.
(“Who is having fun doing his federal taxes – more fun than watching Comey.”)
Elizabelle
Incidentally, these are from the FTF NYTimes story alert; will go through the interview excerpts next.
Elizabelle
@Another Scott: Yeah. Pretty much.
Gin & Tonic
@Elizabelle: Do you?
Corner Stone
I hope this motherfucker finds his way under a dumptruck.
Elizabelle
@Corner Stone: Shall we call them Douche and Louche?
Corner Stone
IT’S NOT BOTH SIDES YOU MOTHERFUCKER!
efgoldman
@Corner Stone:
Too quick
Corner Stone
Comey may be a worse human being than Trump.
Omnes Omnibus
@Corner Stone: Come on now….
Corner Stone
I honestly don’t think Comey really gets how bad he is going to be pilloried by the entire nation for his actions, his book and this interview. It’s almost like he really thinks what he did was right and honorable.
debbie
@Elizabelle:
The surest proof he was peed on is Trump’s insistence it never happened. Comey should just come out and say it.
Corner Stone
@Omnes Omnibus: Trump is who he is. Comey keeps trying to lie about it. And look where we are due to his sense of who he thinks he is.
Elizabelle
@Corner Stone: This must be some interview.
===
The NYTimes story is pretty much all old stuff, as you’ve seen. Albeit, the end crystallizes a lot:
[But not one fucking word here about Trump’s campaign also being under investigation. And someone assuring the FTF NYTimes that he was not. Crickets.]
Have to say, I have to laugh at Trump’s tweet, which is — for him — on the truthful side. Even accurate.
efgoldman
When, oh when, are NHL players going to learn not to clear the puck out of the rink, late in close games.
Two minute delay penalty, power play, tying goal. Fuck.
Corner Stone
Comey and Stormy Daniels are a hell of a lot alike. They both find themselves alone with Trump. And they both think to themselves, “Well it’s too late to say no now.”
tobie
@Corner Stone: Thanks for screaming on my behalf. I’m recovering from pneumonia so I can’t yell at the TV…but, man, I want to. The first twenty minutes of this interview have been by turns infuriating and excruciating.
MomSense
I decided to skip the interview with the tall turd and then I started getting texts from my kids about what an arrogant asshole he is. Decided to check here for the hot jackal take. I’m pleased to see he is getting dragged here as well.
I’m not feeling great so I’m going to go back to Howard’s End.
Elizabelle
@MomSense: Ah. So Comey is not going over well. Very interesting. Glad to hear it.
I think Team Mueller are far more disciplined and discerning.
PS: wish you were feeling much better. Nurse Korra will help.
efgoldman
@tobie:
mrs efg does that all the time. It seems to have little or no effect, except to raise her blood pressure.
Corner Stone
Maybe a woodchipper can be conveniently located in the proximate vicinity of this garbage ass human being. Right by a patch of ice.
Amir Khalid
The kindest interpretation that occurs to me of Comey’s conduct re Hillary is that he somehow got confused over what professional and ethical duty required him to do. So, despite instructions from Obama and Lynch pointing out what to do, he did the wrong thing: stupidity, rather than malice
Corner Stone
@Amir Khalid: Comey hates the Clintons. He got off at long last. Fuck him.
Major Major Major Major
@Amir Khalid: I think this is Silverman’s interpretation.
1000 flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)
@efgoldman: At least I can say that wasn’t Alexei Emelin’s fault, since the Predators don’t play until tomorrow night.
trollhattan
@Elizabelle:
Welp, tonight’s TwitterSturm should be a doozy.
Steve on St. Simons Island
@Another Scott:
Is your CPA in a Brazilian prison? No? Then don’t complain about doing your taxes!
SiubhanDuinne
@Omnes Omnibus:
For whatever reasons, she prefers to participate as a commenter than a front pager. I won’t fault her for making the choice that works best for her (although I would rejoice if she decided to do FP posting again).
Another Scott
@Steve on St. Simons Island: I’m not complaining. It’s fun!
;-)
Actually, I’m still waiting on the Mac that I use for our taxes (for historical reasons) to finish updating. I haven’t actually started on the forms yet…
Hope Mrs. in the ATL is doing well.
Cheers,
Scott.
Steve in the ATL
@Another Scott: she is improving, thank you!
Omnes Omnibus
@SiubhanDuinne: I don’t fault her for choosing to remain a commenter. My objection is that she complains about something she can fix.
Omnes Omnibus
@SiubhanDuinne: @Omnes Omnibus: FWIW, I have said it to her directly on several occasions and she has never responded.
dopey-o
@Lapassionara: I also saw “Hamilton” yesterday. what an incredible act of patriotism from the son of ‘shithole’ immigrants.
please send more.
debbie
@Omnes Omnibus:
Maybe I’ve read her wrong, but I think Kay’s complaints are directed at journalists and are rhetorical. But then, I’m still waking up when I read them.
Omnes Omnibus
@Steve in the ATL: The Mrs is poorly? My condolences.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Steve in the ATL: Good to hear. Wait, you’re back in the ATL? That was fast!
Fair Economist
@Gin & Tonic:
In all seriousness, people can die in that kind of weather, of hypothermia.
J R in WV
@raven:
I have a cousin, 6 months older than I, who used to do the Ironman every year in Hawai’i and trained year-round for it. Lived there in order to work out there. One year after he finished he was hospitalized for bleeding from his orifices, orifices you do NOT want to be bleeding from.
Then, the next year, there he was, qualified and starting again. Smart, too, except about the Ironman Triathlon. And Apple hardware, that too.
We stay in touch, I visited him out there some years back, he was a gracious host.
Omnes Omnibus
@debbie: Fine. Her voice and her complaints would have a greater reach if she FPed. That is my point. She is in a position to potentially affect the dialogue in even a minor way and yet she chooses to remain like you and me – and still complains about the dialogue.
Villago Delenda Est
Comey is as much a traitor as Donald.
Corner Stone
@Villago Delenda Est:
Every fucking inch of him.
Gvg
@Corner Stone: no I don’t think he falls as low as Trump. He is infuriating because he actually seems almost admirable, whereas most of us have known how bad Trump is for decades.
Trump was obstructing Justice by firing Comey, no matter that Comey wasn’t perfect. Rosenstein hasn ‘t recused because by appointing the independent counsel and taking a lot of heat from Trump minions, he more than made up for the letter used for cover. I suspect he hasn’t been encouraged to recuse because he has already proven he won’t knuckle under and we’d have to wait in see if someone else took over kind of funny the way it’s been working out..
Matt McIrvin
So he’s gonna keep doing it. More splashy little military strikes, every one of them getting him a little cookie from the media and making the neocons and never-Trumpers fall in line a little more. Then maybe a really big war, just in time for him to win some election or other. The question is just whether he can hold off on that one until it can get him reelected or if he wastes it on a possibly ungrateful Congress.
The Other Chuck
@Mr Stagger Lee:
Pretty sure Alex Jones’ resting state is melted.