Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Chutkan laughs. Lauro sits back down.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Republicans can’t even be trusted with their own money.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

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

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Battle won, war still ongoing.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

You are here: Home / John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House" / I’m In A Foul Mood So Here Is Something Positive

I’m In A Foul Mood So Here Is Something Positive

by | 258 Comments

This post is in: ,

I am in a really dark mood right now. Kavanaugh is going to be confirmed, and I think Democrats are overestimating their turnout and underestimating Republican turnout, and we are not going to take back the House and will lose Senate seats (Nelson, Manchin, and Heitkamp). I don’t think people realize how awful so many of their fellow citizens are. They like this shit. They think everything is going great. Best ever.

Here is something positive. One of my favorite decisions in the new house is to use these reclaimed blue and white tiles in the kitchen:

I like that they are hand made and thus imperfect- each one is slightly different in size and shape, so they don’t line up perfectly:

That’s it. That’s my best shot at positivity.

Reader Interactions

258Comments

  2. 2.

    West of the Rockies

    Can’t get too excited about your tile selection after that Eeyore bit to start.

  3. 3.

    NotMax

    Deep breaths.

    And maybe a small bowl of ice cream.

    Don’t think have ever seen an unbranded stove before.

  4. 4.

    lamh36

    I like the tile!

    Oh, and my two cents…if the FBI report is imminent without interviewing Kavanaugh or Ford.

    SMH…my money says, if the report shows nothing…there will be quiet from the Dems, and Turtle will immediately schedule a vote…no leaks.

    If the report shows something…but Turtle has the votes, he’ll schedule the vote…but the report WILL leak.

    If the report shows something…and the Turtle doesn’t have the votes…Kavanaugh will withdraw or Chump will withdraw him, or Turtle will pull the nom…and the report WILL leak.

  5. 5.

    Mary G

    I’m sorry, I just know too many pissed off women to believe that the Democrats won’t win the house at least.

  6. 6.

    Mary G

    @lamh36: I’ve already emailed, called, and postcarded both Kamala Harris and DiFi to bring their cell phones in and take pictures if they have to, then release it.

  10. 10.

    eemom

    Oh come the fuck ON, Cole. What does that whiny ass drama queening accomplish?

    I’m fucking desperate for Kav not to be confirmed. Like, jumping out of a falling airplane with a parachute desperate. And if I were in that actual situation, you know what I WOULDN’T say? Shit, this thing’s not gonna work.

  11. 11.

    NotMax

    Take a few minutes to think reflect on the turnout and partisan churn in the special elections since 2016.

  13. 13.

    ArchTeryx

    Their base is bigger than ours, that I admit. Liberals are the red-headed stepchild of voting blocs in this country, made worse by the fact that a nontrivial portion of ’em throw their votes away to virtue signalling and empty posturing.

    But they won’t determine the outcome. It’s going to be, as it is with every election in the U.S., the mushy middle that determines the outcome. A few extra percentage points of them show up and vote D, and suddenly you get a 40 seat rout in the House and keep your red state Senate seats.

  14. 14.

    Marcopolo

    In all honesty, and I say this as a fifty-something white male, the vast majority of awful folks in this country look pretty much like me. Unfortunately, they do not think or act like me.

    I also tend to agree with your sentiments about K and D turnout in Nov., but as I told my mom over dinner, I have no control over the confirmation so I will not allow myself to lose my sanity over it. In the meantime (or at least the next 34 days), I will do the most I can to have a positive affect on turnout.

    Screw despair, I embrace productively focused rage. To that point here’s a few paragraphs from a piece by local writer Sarah Kendzior:

    The resistance to Donald Trump is not what you think

    From the moment Mr. Trump took office in January, 2017, immediately prompting the largest protest in U.S. history, the resistance has been an object of derision, with the term co-opted by politicians and propagandists soon after it emerged as a popular hashtag. In the past few months, Mr. Trump has slammed the resistance as a creation of Senate Democrats, an anonymous alleged White House official claimed in a New York Times op-ed to be a member of an internal resistance carrying out its own autocratic coup and so-called alt-right imposters have claimed the resistance mantle along with countless bots.

    This cynical portrayal of the resistance is unrecognizable to the Americans organizing for change on the ground. Most people are too busy protecting their fellow Americans to engage with smarmy pontification on what the resistance is. This dichotomy between media caricature and lived reality often reflects the gulf between the U.S. pundits (mostly white, wealthy conservative men based on the coasts) and Americans who disapprove of Mr. Trump, which currently comprises 60 per cent of the population and whose broadly dispersed activism is dominated by women.

    There is not, and has never been, a unified, hierarchical resistance in the United States – nor should there be. There are simply millions of Americans who know they deserve better. It is less a resistance than an insistence that privileged impunity will no longer stand. If there is a unifying theme, it is against corruption – a rallying cry for white-collar crime to finally be punished, a repudiation of policies that steal from the poor to line the pockets of predators. There are those who rage at senators who wish to promote a man repeatedly accused of sexual assault to the highest court in the country. That is not normal, and the resistance – regular people who ask for simple checks and balances on power – won’t stop fighting against it.

  15. 15.

    NotMax

    @NotMax
    Silly fingers love redundancy. Fix.

    Take a few minutes to reflect on the turnout and partisan churn in the special elections since 2016.

  16. 16.

    smedley the uncertain

    And a a good shot it was. Especially appreciated by this owner of a pre-civil war home in which we attempted to re use every bit of the ‘old stuff’ we could. Wavy window glass, tiles, siding, replica lighting… Fun. Oh and, striped wallpaper in a room without a proper right angle it.

  17. 17.

    satby

    Cook report is still saying blue wave, moving more formerly leans R to tossup, including Ted Cruz’s seat. So… cautious optimism. I think so many more women talking about the kinds of harassment and assaults they’ve endured may be opening some previously closed minds too.
    I have to hope so anyway.

  20. 20.

    ruemara

    As with everything, I have no faith in humanity, but I do have faith in doing work and seeing where it goes.

    To brighter matters, the housemate sent me pics of chicken he got on sale and said he’s making me bbq chicken, jalapeno cornbread, roasted veg & gravy. Then he asked if he can have 2 eggs and cheese from my supply stash. You have to respect a man who asks consent for your cheese stash. I let him use the truffled cheddar. Now I have to go work out extra hard since it would be rude to not eat delicious homemade cornbread. Those are the problems I like.

  23. 23.

    Procopius

    From what I’ve been seeing, Manchin is almost sure to win. I don’t see how that’s a cause for joy, though. Given how often she votes Republican I’m really ambivalent about Heitkamp. I think she’s almost sure to vote to confirm Kavanaugh, while there’s a small chance Manchin won’t. He’s so far ahead in the polls he could afford to go with the party, but Schumer doesn’t seem to be whipping the party much. Maybe it’s just that the media are suppressing his statements. The Democrats seem to be trying to direct attention exclusively to the sexual assault allegations instead of everything else, I suppose to give cover to the Blue Dogs who are going to vote for confirmation. I need coffee.

  24. 24.

    Rand Careaga

    Getting the vapors—going all PTSD—is just helping the other side. Goddamnit, charge that hill as though you’re going to take it.

  25. 25.

    MisterForkbeard

    Paradoxically, I think if Kavanaugh is shoved through despite obvious lies, bad faith investigations and a metric ton of bullshit then Republicans won’t turn out but Dems WILL.

    Republicans will feel all smugly satisfied, Democrats will be outraged. Probably still won’t retake the Senate, but we’ll get the House.

  27. 27.

    Ladyraxterinok

    @Major Major Major Major: Again, IMHO the polls are to soften us for vote rigging.

    There are warning signs for GA–where else–with the R gov candidate being the guy who oversees the elections. Is the same thing happening in KS? And I read that problems are showing up in OH.

  28. 28.

    bluehill

    Well according to 538 the current polling shows a 75% chance for Ds to win the house. Down a bit from a month ago. 24% chance for the senate, which is also down a bit. The senate sounds like it was always going to be a long shot.

    The house looks pretty good right now. I guess we’ll see how much Kavanaugh fires up the R base in a week or so.

    Of course, can’t forget Russian influence operations. I’m guessing there will be some close races where a little nudge could make a big difference. 80k votes was all it took for Trump.

  29. 29.

    AThornton

    All the signs are the Dems will take the House and things are shaping for a real possibility of flipping the Senate as well.

  30. 30.

    maura

    of course he is going to be confirmed. trump was elected, the do nothing congress and senate keep getting relected. this is a given.

  31. 31.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @Mary G: This

    I’m sorry, I just know too many pissed off women to believe that the Democrats won’t win the house at least.

    I’m tired of hearing all that meta stuff about how doing or saying X will damage enthusiasm on our side or increase it on the other. Just get the truth out and a vision for the future. We’ll do fine.

  32. 32.

    Humdog

    I may be deluding myself, but do keep in mind the imminent shift to “likely voters” in polling. If people who do not usually vote in midterms are going to show up to vote, it will not be noted in polls that use historical turnout models.
    I know, unskewing polls is weak sauce, but the special election results should support some hopefulness.

    Your tiles are cool. I bet they look artistic after making spaghetti sauce with splatters.

  33. 33.

    schrodingers_cat

    @ruemara: Thanks for your feedback about the camera. For starters I want it to make short (up to 20 min) teaching videos. I am thinking of getting an external microphone as well. I may use it to make cooking videos and do interviews in the future.
    Have you ever used an ipad to shoot a video?

  36. 36.

    NotMax

    @bluehill

    The Senate was always a steep climb due to the particular mix of seats up for election this year. Come 2020, the mix then is tilted heavily to favor Democrats.

  37. 37.

    AThornton

    Cook Political Repot

    House Rating Changes: Eight More GOP Seats Move Towards Democrats

    After today’s ratings changes, there are 15 GOP-held seats in Lean or Likely Democratic (including seven incumbents) and Democrats would only need to win 11 of the 31 races in the Toss Up column to flip the majority. There’s still time for political conditions to change, but today the likeliest outcome appears to be a Democratic gain of between 25 and 40 seats (they need 23 for House control).

  38. 38.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    Listen Cole, the president’s party historically gets beaten up in midterms, so don’t prematurely freak out. It’s not locked in but don’t go eeyore

  41. 41.

    AThornton

    @NotMax:

    The battle ground sucks but historical voting patterns go out the window in a wave election. We have a decent chance of keeping our seats and winning some number of Nevada, Arizona, Texas, or even Tennessee.

  42. 42.

    Barbara

    I simply point out that polls showed a tightening race in Virginia last year. I left my office early to do last minute calling. Keep working.

  43. 43.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Procopius: Unsurprisingly, you’ve got a weird interpretation that makes Democrats look bad instead of the most obvious reasoning for focusing on the allegations and Kavanaugh’s response to them: It’s the only one of the objections the media has cared about, and large parts of the Democratic base (women) want attention on the allegations.

  44. 44.

    chopper

    oh, we’re winning the house. senate? i dunno, at this point it’s 60/40 in our favor. for the first time in a while i’m not bleak. trump is tossing more red meat than a seasick tiger but that only goes so far, we’re bigger and we’re more pissed. he can make all the jokes he wants about rape and sexual assault, the rest of us know the score.

  47. 47.

    Ohio Mom

    They are cute tiles and your dad installed them for you, so they are a token of his love, always. That’s a nice thing to see everyday. I sometimes wonder how your parents coped with your wild years.

    I vacillate between being sure there will be a thrilling blue wave, and being sure that things will turn around but maybe not in my lifetime (the next twenty-five or so years).

  48. 48.

    NotMax

    Perhaps subconsciously you’re extrapolating West Virginia as a simulacrum of the nation.

    @AThornton

    I didn’t say it was an impossible climb.

  49. 49.

    debbie

    I like finding the small variations in the hand painting on the tiles. Bird is also pretty.

  50. 50.

    AThornton

    RE: Tennessee

    GOP turns to Trump to rescue Tennessee Senate seat

    Donald Trump stumped in East Tennessee on Monday night to headline a rally and fundraise for Rep. Marsha Blackburn. But his mission was broader: preventing the massive upset brewing in the state’s open Senate race.

    With Trump’s approval numbers this is a desperate move, as likely to backfire as help.

  51. 51.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    It would be nice if the GOTV campaign did more outreach to the Latinx community, which I heard is being under served.

  52. 52.

    lamh36

    @NateSilver538
    Follow Follow @NateSilver538
    More
    One thing that *may* be going on re: Kavanaugh is that the GOP base voters are becoming more enthusiastic, but high-turnout-propensity swing voters (e.g. wealthy suburbanites) are turned off by him. So there are effects working in opposite directions.

    5:34 PM – 3 Oct 2018

  53. 53.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Ohio Mom: At least where I live the white women I know are pissed off. This includes my ex landlady, the real estate agent who helped us buy the house and the solar panel company rep who helped us with the installation.

  54. 54.

    Omnes Omnibus

    The ACA isn’t going to pass. We are going to invade Libya. The ACA will be overturned. We are going to invade Syria. Just a few off the top of my head.

  57. 57.

    Yutsano

    @MisterForkbeard: I’m not so sure about the Senate being a loss. McCaskill is crafty and her opponent isn’t doing very well because of the Obamacare lawsuit. Heitkamp has had tight races since she won and still pulls it off and she does hang with us when it matters. Donnelly is ahead. Manchin is way ahead. Plus we look good in Arizona, Nevada, and Tennessee. And if we get Beto in Texas…all bets are off. Hell who knows there might even be a surprise in there.

  58. 58.

    mad citizen

    Here is a positive: On November 7 we’ll have a further data point on the question “Is this nation a lost cause?” Plus it will be my birthday.

  64. 64.

    Cookie Monster

    @Yutsano: I will admit to being a little worried over Nelson. I still can’t believe FLA elected that crook twice as it is…

  65. 65.

    lamh36

    @Yutsano: Someone mentioned Heitkamps small margins…but I have to think that if she votes YES on Kavanaugh…she’ll piss on the Dem voters she needs to keep within the marginal wins, and she may STILL lose anyway…and if she doesn’t pull through, you can’t take back the vote to put that bastard on the SCOTUS, AND we lose a Dem Senate seat!

  67. 67.

    bluehill

    538 noting that NJ race is closer than one might expect. From what I’ve read, Menendez has some baggage.

  68. 68.

    Mary G

    And it’s not just the House and Senate. Ed Kilgore in NY Mag has a piece up today called “Heartland Heartburn Grows for GOP in Gubernatorial Races”

    Democrats could pick up six net governorships in the Midwest in November. They are strongly favored in Michigan, where outgoing two-term Republican governorRick Snyder is very unpopular, and Democratic former state legislative leader Gretchen Whitmer has maintained about a ten-point lead over Attorney General Bill Schuette. They have an even bigger lead in Illinois, where Democrat J.B. Pritzker is outspending the deep-pocketed Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner. In Wisconsin, the steady survivor of many challenges Scott Walker may have finally run out of luck; he’s trailing Democrat Tony Evers by a steadily growing margin. And Democrats have been recently pulling even with initially favored Republicans in Ohio (where Richard Cordray has caught and maybe passed Mike DeWine in recent polling), Iowa (self-financed Fred Hubbell now leads steadily fading incumbent Kim Reynolds), and even Kansas (Democratic legislator Laura Kelly is dead even with Kris Kobach as a divided Republican Party splinters even further).

    He closes with:

    Looking forward, trends in these heartland states could also tell us a lot about the shape of the 2020 presidential contest. Aside from Michigan and Wisconsin, where Trump famously won by an eyelash in 2016, he won large victories in Ohio (by eight points) and Iowa (nearly ten points). If those states are turning against Trump’s party so quickly, his path to reelection could be treacherous indeed.

    The favored governatorial candidates may give a burst to the House and Senate, too.

  69. 69.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Trust me John, the mf’ers out here don’t even know there is an election coming up.

  70. 70.

    Juju

    The tiles are beautiful and a good find. I don’t have a backsplash for my cooktop, but if I did I would want it to look like yours, with interesting, eye catching tile. I’m tired of white subway tile. Bleh.

    We need to continue to work and donate to at least take the house, if not the senate as well. As a woman I am pissed at the Kavanaugh situation, and I know I’m not the only one. So there’s that. Sounds like you need to take a break and reset. Go hug some dogs. That helps me.

  73. 73.

    NotMax

    @lamh36

    Don’t for a second discount the Native American vote in Montana, or that they are unaware of Kavanaugh’s stance on native populations. As always, turnout is the key.

  75. 75.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Yutsano: Oh, it’s possible. I definitely think it’s more likely than it might look now – but I’m not going to predict we get it. Not yet, anyway. :)

  76. 76.

    MazeDancer

    Few men can know the deep, seething anger of a sexually abused child or woman.

    She may have pretended, especially to herself, for so long, since the hideous times it all happened, that she is okay. But she knows she is not. Even if she cannot save herself, she will do whatever it takes to save others.

    But it’s all out now. Even if she isn’t able to speak of her own abuse, she will not let some weeny, whiney piece of scum like Trump stand.

    We will win. We will trounce. Maybe the GOP will steal enough votes to keep the Senate, maybe not. But next January, Chairman Nadler will be gavelilng in the Kavanaugh impeachment hearings.

    And Speaker Pelosi will be one step closer to being Pelosi 46.

    (And knocking wood of course. And writing PostCards.)

  77. 77.

    TenguPhule

    @Mary G:

    I’m sorry, I just know too many pissed off women to believe that the Democrats won’t win the house at least.

    Voter Suppression.

    A reminder that Roberts didn’t give a shit about the SC’s reputation when he voted to gut its enforcement.

  80. 80.

    MazeDancer

    @NotMax:

    Don’t for a second discount the Native American vote in Montana, or that they are unaware of Kavanaugh’s stance on native populations. As always, turnout is the key

    Good point.

    Native population also why Alaska Senator unlikely to vote for Native Rights squelching nominee.

  81. 81.

    TenguPhule

    @MisterForkbeard:

    Paradoxically, I think if Kavanaugh is shoved through despite obvious lies, bad faith investigations and a metric ton of bullshit then Republicans won’t turn out but Dems WILL.

    If manchin or Heidi votes for Kav’s confirmation, we will lose their seats. Bank on it.

  84. 84.

    Roger Moore

    @NotMax:

    The only expressed opinions which count are clustered around Applebee’s salad bar.

    The only expressed opinions that count are the ones that make it onto ballots.

  90. 90.

    TenguPhule

    @NotMax:

    not even in an infinite number of monkeys scenario.

    But we’re in the infinite number of shitweasels universe. So possible. Not probable.

  91. 91.

    MazeDancer

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    It would be nice if the GOTV campaign did more outreach to the Latinx community, which I heard is being under served.

    You can write PostCards to GOTV for the dynamic and exciting Xochitl Torres Small in New Mexico-2. Fresh from the Balloon-Juice Top 40.

    (Still have 520 names left.) (Her campaign sent over twice what I asked for. Gave out 80 name today)

  93. 93.

    Yutsano

    @lamh36: I’m thinking she’s hoping she won’t have to take the vote in the first place. Or if Flake is still a no then that’s her cover there. But yes her voting yes would absolutely take the woman vote in North Dakota away from her. She has to know that.

  101. 101.

    Doug R

    John G. Cole since you’re an older white guy like me, I can understand how you feel that way BUT I think you underestimate how women feel. The special elections have been running D+8 to D+26 and I don’t think the Republicans are going to find the votes.
    Not ruling out chicanery but any legit election will get that House flip and the Senate is pretty close to 50/50.

  102. 102.

    MazeDancer

    Apologies for lousy link to Xochitl Torres Small PostCards. Haven’t been able to edit at BJ for a while.

    Go to PostCardPatriots.com. Click on “Campaigns to Join”. You’ll see her first in line.

  103. 103.

    TS (the original)

    So today is 1 day in the last 73 that appears to be a no drama day – this should be a good day – rather than give one pause to panic about all that might not happen. I remember the despair on the ACA and John McCain flying in and voting NO. I wasn’t expecting that – don’t know who was.

  106. 106.

    TenguPhule

    @Omnes Omnibus: As FBI background check of Kavanaugh nears its end, probe appears to have been highly curtailed

    The FBI background check of Brett M. Kavanaugh appeared to remain curtailed in its scope Wednesday even as agents neared the end of their work, opening up the possibility that the bureau would again face criticism over what some will view as a lackluster investigation.

    Though complete details of the FBI’s findings had yet to be released Wednesday evening, the bureau’s inquiry seems to have focused mostly on an allegation by a California professor who claims Kavanaugh assaulted her decades ago at a party in Maryland, when both were high school students.

    The Washington Post has been able to confirm interviews with only six witnesses, five of whom have a connection to the professor or her allegation.

    The investigation was always unlikely to answer definitively whether Kavanaugh was guilty of sexual misconduct decades ago. But the probe’s limited scope — which was dictated by the White House, along with a Friday deadline — is likely to exacerbate the partisan tensions surrounding Kavanaugh’s nomination.

    I have reasons to be upset.

    Trump has insisted publicly he was not curtailing the FBI probe. But privately, the White House restricted the FBI from delving deeply into Kavanaugh’s youthful drinking and exploring whether he had lied to Congress about his alcohol use, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter.

  109. 109.

    TS (the original)

    @bluehill:

    From what I’ve read, Menendez has some baggage.

    Funny how baggage hits the dems but not the GOP. Not believing all the media has to say about this one.

  112. 112.

    Mnemosyne

    Stayed home from work sick again today, but actually managed to get some decent sleep. Now I’m waiting for our Chinese food delivery to arrive.

    Women — mostly women of color — will carry the blue wave to victory. You’re welcome, whiny white dudes. ?

  113. 113.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    I think what I find most disturbing about the US ripping up the 1955 Iran treaty is this:

    Bolton, who last month unleashed a torrent of criticism against the International Criminal Court, noted that previous Republican administrations had pulled out of various international agreements and bodies over “politicized cases.” He said the administration would review all accords that might subject the U.S. to prosecution by international courts or panels.

    What the fuck are they planning? I know FP is largely the executive’s purview but I can’t imagine a potentially Democratic Congress is going to be receptive to this

  116. 116.

    TenguPhule

    Trump allies in House say interview with ex-FBI official reinforced belief that Russia probe may be biased

    Without offering specifics, two conservative Republicans said former FBI general counsel James Baker had offered “explosive” testimony during a closed-door interview.

    Trump’s closest congressional allies said Wednesday that a four-hour interview with former FBI general counsel James Baker had “fundamentally changed” their understanding of the Justice Department’s Russia investigation, confirming and furthering their previous convictions that federal law enforcement agencies were biased in their scrutiny of Trump’s campaign.

    Reps. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), both leaders in the conservative House Freedom Caucus, called the closed-door meeting the “most informative” interview they have had in the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees’ nearly year-long probe into the FBI’s investigations of the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

  118. 118.

    MomSense

    I decided to go out tonight to hear some local musicians. And now someone is doing a mini poetry reading – and she’s good!

    Being around musicians and artists is the cure for this ugly bullshit we are enduring. Wish you were here, Cole.

  122. 122.

    MoxieM

    I agree with the “don’t let your local geography color your perspective too much on national races” suggestions. I was just watching road signs regarding a MA ballot issue, and had to remind myself to do more research and not do road signs. Although I live in a place that is so blue it is tie-dyed.

    But, nice tiles! really nice.

    I tried medicating with store bought chocolate cake today, and it just made me feel kind of sick*, but paradoxically somewhat better.

    *Did not eat the whole thing!

  123. 123.

    bluehill

    @TS (the original): Via wikipedia, Menendez was indicted on corruption charges, but case ended in mistrial and later charges were dropped. So who knows.

    As for Rs, this NYT story about Duncan Hunter reminds me of someone else making headlines.

    In Washington, Mr. Hunter was a fixture on the bar scene, and spent lavishly — over $400 for 30 tequila shots at a bachelor party, and countless fancy dinners. He visited one of his favorite bars sometimes multiple times a day, piling up thousands of dollars in tabs. On occasion, he would get into loud arguments with patrons, once over the choice of music on the jukebox (he hated Celine Dion).

  124. 124.

    tobie

    The mood seems to have changed to despair on left-leaning sites literally overnight. Is it that a spate of bad polls came out today that destroyed all the exuberance present two days ago? Or is it the realization that Trump and McConnell have managed to push through a sham FBI investigation of Kavanaugh (with assists from Chris Wray and Rod Rosenstein)? I dunno. But I do think we should put all our energy into letting Manchin and Heitkamp know that if they vote ‘no’ we’ll support them in their reelections bid, and if they vote yes, they’ll lose not only us but likely a significant chunk of Democrats in their state. Fighting the Republican menace is the most important thing do right now. If there’s no contested race in your own area, phonebank for a candidate in another state. Keep your chin up…this is a marathon, not a sprint.,

  127. 127.

    oldgold

    Could be pure BS, but there are some rumblings that Mark Judge may have provided the FBI with some damning testimony concerning Kavanaugh.

  132. 132.

    TenguPhule

    @tobie:

    Or is it the realization that Trump and McConnell have managed to push through a sham FBI investigation of Kavanaugh (with assists from Chris Wray and Rod Rosenstein)?

    This. McConnell apparently was not bluffing about that Friday vote.

  134. 134.

    Steve in the ATL

    Just now reading the thread. I am *bargaining* with unions, not busting them!

    Note: limited time offer. Expires October 12.

  136. 136.

    guachi

    Cole pouts on a day Cook moves 8 seats towards the Ds and 0 towards the Rs. Cook is cautious.

    The net effect of these 8 seats moving is an expected 2 seat pick up by the Ds. That should put the Ds at about 224 seats with no “wave”. It’s not quite a lock. But It’s getting close.

  137. 137.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Baud: We should try to be स्तिथ्प्रदन्य निष्काम कर्मयोगी, do what we are supposed to do and not be swayed by emotions or pride or whether our actions will generate rewards or not.

  140. 140.

    Juju

    @NotMax: I think I can see an infinite number of monkeys typing Pelosi 46.

    Is my iPhone the only phone that gets really warm when I am on reading things here?

  142. 142.

    Kay

    Dave Weigel
    ‏Verified account
    @daveweigel
    5h5 hours ago
    More
    The “Dems panic about Menendez losing” news cycle ended just in time for a “Dems panic about enthusiasm gap” news cycle.
    You can make your own news cycle at home. Just start with “Dems panic about,” then add some words.

    I laughed because it’s so true. I do it too!

  143. 143.

    El Caganer

    @NotMax: Are you by any chance making reference to David Fucking Brooks, the original explorer on the Cletus Safari?

  153. 153.

    JoyceH

    Hey, are there any Juicers here from Mississippi or with relatives in MS? Because here’s what I’d like to see happen. Those men standing behind Trump, laughing and clapping at his mockery of Dr. Ford? I want those men identified, I want them named and shamed.

    Some folks might say, doesn’t matter, it’s Mississippi. But even the reddest states aren’t 100% Republican! Heck, Clinton got 40% of the vote in MS. Say one of the guys owns a store. And after he’s named and shamed, he doesn’t lose 40% of his customers, he only loses 20%. How many stores could survive that kind of drop in revenue? Say another guy works for a corporation, a national corporation that’s suddenly getting inundated with tweets, emails and calls about ‘hey, can we talk about what a pig you have as your Regional Manager in Mississippi?’ How long do you think his job would remain safe?

    These people think they’re safe, they’re perfectly secure in following their Pig Lord into the sewer. Can’t we show them they’re not? That there are consequences for being so far outside the bounds of civilization? Please?!

  154. 154.

    MomSense

    Haha one of the kids just did an original song with ukulele about trump tweeting stumping shit on the toilet.

  158. 158.

    Kay

    I always end up at the same place- it’s not like if they start polling better you’re all going to change your minds- whether sexual assault and lying are popular or unpopular wasn’t what you were basing your evaluation on anyway. You just have to carry on, because what’s the alternative?

  159. 159.

    tobie

    @Major Major Major Major: I’ve been paying attention to polls for about a month now and it just seems like there were an avalanche of them today. This and the fix for Kavanaugh are infuriating and depressing at the same time. But there really is nothing to do right now but fight on. Everything will come down to motivating others to go to the polls, which is why I feel like I have to put on a good face and maintain some cheer, even if I’m scared shitless. Deep breaths.

  160. 160.

    Mnemosyne

    @JoyceH: p

    Even Mississippi couldn’t get a “feral heartbeat” referendum that basically banned abortion passed, because women voters said, “HELL NO!”

    I am on board with your naming-and-shaming protocol. And I hope all of those assholes are currently sleeping on the couch at home, with their teenage daughters refusing to acknowledge that they exist.

  166. 166.

    guachi

    In a worse case scenario – that is there is a wave but it’s a Republican wave – Democrats should expect an average of 216.9 seats. With no wave it’d be 223.7. With a D wave it’d be 230.4. That is, if seats fall based on historical patterns.

    The movement of seats today by Cook, again they are only one outlet but a cautious one, is a good sign that things really are trending towards Democrats at this stage. Only for a short period with uncertainty about the California primaries has Cook ever moved things towards the Republicans on a net basis (that is, there might be seats moved towards the Rs in some update but it’s offset by seats moving towards Ds).

    216.9 in a Republican wave should have Democrats enthused and ready to go.

  168. 168.

    The Dangerman

    I’ll go halfway as the two are obviously related.

    I think Kavanaugh goes down; the FBI report will produce something to give cover to Collins, maybe Flake. Murkowski has been a no since last week.

    When he goes down, the RIght will lose their shit and a large population will also crawl over broken glass to get to the polls (which will help in making it east for BK to do down). Right now, it’s just the Left that is that inspired. How does that play out? Best guess, I’d say Senate stays Red, House flips. Senate was always a tall order.

  169. 169.

    eemom

    Hey Cole, if you wanna despair about something that everybody can relate to, how ’bout the loss of the edit function??

  170. 170.

    J R in WV

    Well, I’ve had a headache of varying intensity for the past couple of days, so ouch. Chocolate doesn’t appear to help with it, sad!

    I will be voting for Unca Joe Manchin, even though I don’t like him, to put it mildly, but he isn’t currently a Republican, so there you go. I continue to contribute to people like Xochitl Torres Small, MJ Hagar (USAF Major ret.) in TX, Richard Ojeda (USArmy Major Ret.) Amy McGrath (Marine Lt Col ret) in KY, the former CIA person over in VA, some Arizona candidates, etc.

    I’ll be doing phone banking every other day until the election if my heath holds up. It’s harder than you might think.

  171. 171.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @TenguPhule: At you, you fucking black cloud. You couldn’t be more negative if you were paid. Cole panics. You wallow in misery. Try stopping.

  172. 172.

    Kay

    The only thing I’ll regret about the Kavanaugh opposition is no one had time to delve into how far Right he is because he lied so much and then the allegations. The public didn’t find out how bad his work is because he’s of such poor character :)

    There aren’t enough hours in the day, I’ll tell ya.

  174. 174.

    Mnemosyne

    @TenguPhule:

    Wait, you thought that members of the House Freedom Caucus would suddenly change their minds about Trump? What were you smoking?

    @NotMax:

    Only if said corporation had no retail customers who are women. The bottom line doesn’t lie.

  177. 177.

    Amir Khalid

    For 1MDB fans, some news on my former neighbour Najib:
    His wife Rosmah Mansor was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. She is currently in court being charged with offences related to money laundering, specifics of charges TBA.

  178. 178.

    tobie

    @The Dangerman: If Special K goes down, the Repugs stay home–disheartened, discouraged, and disgusted that their White Man’s Insurrection turned to nothing and drowning their sorrows in beer and 151 (??). That’s my prediction and I’m sticking to it.

  180. 180.

    J R in WV

    @oldgold:

    I’m not a smart man….but I know what pie is.

    …and how smart do you need to be to know about pie? Not very!

    Thank Dawg for the pie filter, and M^4 and Alain and Cleek!!!

  184. 184.

    Jeffro

    Sorta OT but also funny: Has Max Boot Been Reading Balloon Juice? No? He Sure Is Channeling It, Then!!

    Donald Trump is the Worst Person Ever to Be President

    These Terrible Tuesday news items [the blockbuster NYT story on Fred Trump and his kids evading taxes for years, costing US taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars + Trumpov mocking Dr. Ford in Mississippi] confirm what we already know about Trump: that he is a liar, a cheat and a bully without an ounce of dignity, empathy or decency. In place of his soul he has a black hole. The only way he can make himself feel better — to fill the emptiness inside — is to abuse those weaker than himself. He is a monster.

    I am old enough to remember when Republicans would have been scandalized. Back in 1998, in “The Death of Outrage,” arch-scold Bill Bennett wrote about Bill Clinton that “a president whose character manifested itself in patterns of reckless personal conduct, deceit, abuse of power and contempt for the rule of law cannot be a good president. … The values-free standard ‘effectiveness in office’ cannot — it must not — trump everything else.”

    Trump is far less effective a president than Bill Clinton, who banned assault weapons, reformed welfare and balanced the federal budget. Yet Republicans are willing to forgive him far more than Democrats ever forgave Clinton. For the GOP, loyalty to its odious leader trumps everything else, even the most basic dictates of humanity. Trump has forfeited our trust, and his Republican enablers have forfeited their right to rule.

    “He is a monster”? Max, you crazy #NeverTrumper you! Also, please keep reading BJ, it’s teh greatest!

  185. 185.

    TenguPhule

    @Mnemosyne:

    Wait, you thought that members of the House Freedom Caucus would suddenly change their minds about Trump? What were you smoking?

    i’d hoped they weren’t going to do what I now suspect they will.

  186. 186.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @J R in WV: og offered positive rumblings not a Pelosi slam or criticism of Mueller’s timing. It’s why I don’t pie people.

  189. 189.

    Doug R

    It’s becoming harder and harder to see Republicans’ path to holding the majority. In the past few days, multiple Democrats challengers have announced staggering fundraising totals of more than $3 million during the third quarter of the year, exceeding what many predecessors have raised for an entire cycle. One high-ranking Republican worries his party could be “buried under an avalanche” of Democratic money that GOP outside groups can’t match.

    House Rating Changes: Eight More GOP Seats Move Towards Democrats

  191. 191.

    Bill Arnold

    @Major Major Major Major:
    I wonder if they’re pentachromats like ordinary pigeons (Columba livia) (warning pdfs):
    Wavelength Discrimination in the ‘Visible’ and Ultraviolet Spectrum by Pigeons (1980) and
    Categories in the pigeon brain: A reverse engineering approach (2016; I haven’t read this one, looks interesting)
    Guessing not; sexual selection over a long time by regular pigeons means that the shimmering grays we see are almost certainly spectactularly beautiful to a pigeon that can see 5 colours.
    From the second paper, fun first paragraph:

    Rochon-Duvigneaud (1943) defined pigeons as animals that are nothing else but two eyes with wings. Indeed, humans have only 40% of the retinal axons of pigeons (Binggeli & Paule, 1969), discern fewer colors (Emmerton & Delius, 1980), and fail to discriminate subtle luminance differences that are easily distinguished by pigeons (Hodos, Bessette, Macko, & Weiss, 1985). Pigeons are also well known for their ability to categorize all kinds of diverse objects like “humans” (Herrnstein & Loveland, 1964; Yamazaki, Aust, Huber, Hausmann, & G€unt€urk€un, 2007), man-made objects (Lubow, 1974), impressionist versus cubist paintings (Watanabe, Sakamoto, & Wakita, 1995), and “good” versus “bad” children’s drawings (Watanabe, 2011). Pigeons are also able to differentially categorize pictures according to 16 different categories in parallel (Wasserman, Brooks, &McMurray, 2015)

  192. 192.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @TenguPhule: Neither did I. Can I ask you a personal question? Were you in the military? And, if you were, what did you do? No criticism if you weren’t.

  193. 193.

    Emma

    You know, the Republicans stand up and cheer, no matter how foul. Democrats panic, wring their hands, and discourage each other with “reality”. Hell, no wonder we lose.

  195. 195.

    Mnemosyne

    @tobie:

    When there’s a sudden overnight shift, I suspect bots and trolls making trouble. Particularly since the polls are still showing that the Democrats will take the House.

    Some people are probably despairing that Rapey Kavanaugh will get rammed through by McConnell and Trump, but I seriously doubt these allegations are going away. I still think there are more women out there who have been holding back because they’re hoping he won’t get through.

    It may be hard to impeach a Supreme Court justice, but they can still be pressured to resign.

  197. 197.

    Kay

    @AliceBlue:

    It’s worse now because of ’16. That’s rational! A rational fear. Not that it matters. Even without ’16 we would be panicky :)

  198. 198.

    J R in WV

    I’ve sure had my down days, no, that isn’t a Yoga posture! But I’m a little better today.

    Even if “Judge” Kavanaugh is comfirmed, he will never be accepted the way he has been in the future. He will be rejected, chanted out of restaurants, hurled upon and hated by women. It will drive his family beyond crazy. He is probably already being rejected by people he formerly regarded as friends, many of them women he actually thought would support him.

    I would imagine no woman will be willing to be alone with him behind a closed door for the rest of his pathetic life.

    We have a neighbor who actually works for important environmental causes, an engineer who testifies in court cases to protect the Earth from Republican Earth rapists. He was a friend until his social circle learned that his former wife left him, divorced him after he choked her in a violent attack. Needless to say, we don’t invite him over any more, ever, and don’t associate with him at all, ever. I don’t see him ever having a relationship with a woman who knows his past, ever.

    Think about “Judge” Kavanaugh — who won’t know his past? What woman not related to him will even speak to him going forward? How close to him will his daughters feel once they look up the data on his past? How long will Mrs Kavanaugh stick with him? Will he ever have a chance to father another child? Nope! Separate bedrooms going forward! So Sorry….. not.

  199. 199.

    TS (the original)

    @bluehill: I know about Menendez

    but as Mary G says above (which I had not seen)

    A new Quinnipiac poll finds Senator Robert Menendez leading in New Jersey by 11 points, which would seem to suggest all that hand-wringing the other day about Menendez might have been a bit premature.

    As I said the media likes to highlight problems with dem candidates.

  200. 200.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Mnemosyne: I really appreciate you ladies: Mnem, Mary G, ruemara, Elizabelle, Miss Bianca, lamh36, rikyrah, s_c, etc, who are pushing for a positive view. My fight with Kay was over this subject, but, the way it went, I can’t say a lot about it on this forum. Thanks for doing it.

  202. 202.

    Eljai

    @Major Major Major Major: That poll has me slightly skeptical. It shows more Democratic men believe this election is very important compared to Democratic women. Really? After this past week? I’m also not sure that the question posed by the pollster is the best one for gauging enthusiasm. Lastly, there are more of us that identify as Democrats so we have the numbers on our side, especially if we peel off some independents. In any case, I take nothing for granted and I’m doing everything I can do to GOTV between now and election day.

  203. 203.

    MomSense

    @zhena gogolia:

    All of Connecticut is, except Bridgewater, according to Mainers. I have a kid who lives in chi chi central (Greenwich) and he is teased mercilessly.

  205. 205.

    Kay

    @J R in WV:

    I’m still betting they don’t confirm him. It’s just a bet- I could absolutely be wrong but a big part of Republicans bowing down to Trump is they’re deluding themselves into thinking they will get what they can out of him and then move on.

    There’s no moving on from a lifetime appointment. He was a bad pick. They could have had all the shitty far Right decisions with 1/10th of the risk with anyone else.

  210. 210.

    J R in WV

    I just read that tweet thread from Noah Smith, three polls showing Rs up and Ds down.

    I’ve been phone banking my self the past two weeks. We start around 4 pm, and I can stand to go til about 7 pm. Before 5 or 5:30 most people who answer are really Republican. I talk to a very few, most are curt about being Rs and not willing to talk about politics — I think most Republicans are actually somewhat guilty about the hate and hostility of Trump and the party in general.

    But by 5:30 or so, people who work are getting home and answering their phone. The consensus of folks turns around, and I get people who are enthused about the Democratic party and ready to vote.

    One lady yesterday started out with “Me and my husband are for sure voting for Democrats!” then as we chatted, her son and daughter-in-law got included, and then her daughter and son-in-law also got included. So she was joyous about having six Democratic voters in that one household! I laughed and told her just make sure everyone either votes early or gets to their polling place on Election Day!

    Then I told the organizer in the office that I thought the first people we talked to from 4 to 5 didn’t work, and so were Republicans. Then come 5:30 or so, working people started getting home and they were all Democrats, and that was the difference we were seeing. We all laughed, but I think that was actually the true case, and very revealing.

    I don’ t work because I’m 68 and retired… I’ve worked since I was 14 and entitled to stop now and do other things, like working to elect Democratic candidates.

    These polls are the same — the people they talk to all afternoon are not working because they are all rich Republicans. That skews the polling!

  212. 212.

    tobie

    McConnell has filed for cloture. The report is supposed to be in tonight. Senators will have to file in to see it one-by-one starting tomorrow. Hit the phones folks and leave messages for Heitkamp and Manchin even if you’re from out of state.

  215. 215.

    Elizabelle

    @Kay: I don’t think Kavanaugh will be confirmed either.

    Getting up at O Dark Hundred to drive up to DC and protest at the Capitol tomorrow. Whole bunch of us fed up Richmond area women.

  218. 218.

    debbie

    @schrodingers_cat:

    I was surprised at how many people at work mocked Trump after getting that FEMA text. I don’t live in ProgressiveVille, after all. Most of them are football-obsessed.

  227. 227.

    Elizabelle

    @tobie: I know. I am in the mood to riot, but I think we are behaving.

    Like very determined women who don’t black out.

  229. 229.

    Kay

    @Elizabelle:

    If they’re gonna do it they should get it over with. Pretending they’re undecided, that they’re “studying the issue” is patronizing and insulting to the public. If they confirm him I just hope we don’t get a speech from him. He made his speech. We saw the real Kavanaugh. I have no interest in hearing from the phony “image” he wasn’t even able to maintain for the three weeks he was in the public eye. Let’s hear another nasty, bitter, entitled rant. That;s the real Kavanaugh, People should know what they’re getting.

    No matter what happens I don’t regret a word of it. He should have been opposed and he was, passionately. There’s no shame in that. It’s the first time in his life he wasn’t handed what he wanted. Good.

  230. 230.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Omnes Omnibus: je suis desolee, but I only cheer for blue state teams! Except, of course, for the Braves and Dawgs.

    Don’t care about the Falcons. Have given up on the NFL after the Kaepernick debacle.

  235. 235.

    Mnemosyne

    The fucking website decided to crash just when I was making a long reply to Major^4 and NotMax, so I’ll post this instead:

    Dick Durbin’s office posted a letter saying that it is not, in fact, true that Kavanaugh’s previous background checks did not turn up any information about his drinking habits or possible sexual misbehavior. It’s that the information was not considered disqualifying at the time because it was sketchy.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/seungminkim/status/1047601056157507586

  237. 237.

    MoxieM

    @zhena gogolia: Aw hell no. Neither is Meriden.
    Cheshire used to have a few swanky spots, when I was a kid, but I think it’s been overrun. Fairfield Co., Madison, Guilford, more of Middlesex Co. (Essex, Ivoryton) & a bit more of the coast. Some of the Hartford suburbs. A lot of ignorant rich people in a teeny tiny place. And then you have what is not so fondly called Connectitucky.

    Am now a Masshole, but born a Nutmegger (CT native).

  238. 238.

    zhena gogolia

    @MoxieM:

    Waterbury
    Shelton
    Bridgeport
    Willimantic

    and on and on. They have their charms, but chi chi they are emphatically not.

  239. 239.

    seaboogie

    Interesting post given that as I was checking out your group photo of the reunion, I noticed the sliver of tiles in the pic, and was all “yeah, I remember – they are cool tiles!”

    Don’t get too excited though – at 57 I’ve aged out of the parameters of your marriage quest. And also wish you all god things on that front.

  244. 244.

    Mnemosyne

    @Kay:

    Apparently Ben Sasse had a bit of a meltdown on the floor of the Senate today because it finally dawned on him that maybe the Trumpists aren’t acting in good faith when it comes to investigating sexual assault:

    https://mobile.twitter.com/desiderioDC/status/1047660451381882880

    I mean, I’m sure he’ll still vote “yes” since McConnell keeps his balls in a jar on his desk, but at least he’ll suffer some heartburn knowing that he voted to put a violent alcoholic on the Supreme Court.

  252. 252.

    zhena gogolia

    @NotMax:

    I’ll stipulate that Fairfield County (minus Bridgeport) is chichi. But that’s not all of CT by any means.

  254. 254.

    MoxieM

    @zhena gogolia: Heh. I’m so old I remember when Mainers thought going to Connecticut meant going down to work in the (now non-existent) mills. Although the still have tobacco barns in Windsor–reminds me of my yoot, when they had them alongside Rt 95 in Branford. Am I boring everyone yet?

  256. 256.

    Mart

    So old neighbor in hood tonight with ex to council son and had a beautiful 7 pound chicken of the woods mushroom. Would have passed on visiting for reasons, but they get them some amazing Hen of the Woods and Morels too. They were laughing at me as I would never admit I was wrong about anything Trump/Kav. That we are going to be trashed in the election. We hollered at each other for an hour. The former Mrs., a lifelong R and daily Rush Limbaugh listener, was silent and looked distressed.

    Hard to accept just how shitty the constitution is from protecting us from 50 year dedicated fascists, where friends shout Info Wars tells it like it is. I agree with John they have a great chance at maintaining majorities in both houses. There is minimal to no discussion of caged votes, restricted voting dates, gerrymandering, voter id, voting machine security, Russian interference, etc. . But if my Republican suburban neighbor sits this one out over misogyny, maybe there is hope.

  257. 257.

    Ramalama

    @ArchTeryx:

    Their base is bigger than ours, that I admit.

    I’m not sure how right you are, but maybe it’s also that “Professional Left” comment + attitude by the Obama administration and careening to woo the Republicans for everything that made mincemeat of people who initially supported him.

    Also kind of bad at PR, the Dems.

  258. 258.

    Manyakitty

    John, not sure if you’ll see this or not, but I left a proven happy-maker on your Facebook wall. Any jackals who wanna friend request me, have at it.

    Edited to add YAY!!! THE EDIT FUNCTION IS BACK!!!!

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