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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

“woke” is the new caravan.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

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Weird. Rome has an American Pope and America has a Russian President.

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When I was faster i was always behind.

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Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

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

Marge, god is saying you’re stupid.

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

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The rest of the comments were smacking Boebert like she was a piñata.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Easy Target Open Thread: Dunkin’ on J-Kush, Master… Negotiator

Easy Target Open Thread: Dunkin’ on J-Kush, Master… Negotiator

by Anne Laurie|  January 27, 20195:27 pm| 207 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Republican Stupidity, Republicans in Disarray!, Trump Crime Cartel, All Too Normal, Assholes

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This is a polite way of saying Jared Kushner has no idea what he is doing. https://t.co/q7mljPgi4q

— A.J. Carrillo (@ajcarrillo) January 27, 2019

The NYTimes, mindful of its reputation, manages to throw the lightest, most delicate scrim of ‘shade’… and provides a soft Kush-y cushy punching bag for the rest of us:

… Buoyed by his success in helping pass a criminal justice bill, Mr. Kushner, a senior White House adviser, agreed to take the lead when the president asked him to find a way to end the monthlong stalemate. He hoped his experience winning over Democrats skeptical of the Trump administration during negotiations for that measure would produce a similarly successful conclusion.

But negotiating a broad immigration deal that would satisfy a president committed to a border wall as well as Democrats who have cast it as immoral proved to be more like Mr. Kushner’s elusive goal of solving Middle East peace than passing a criminal justice overhaul that already had bipartisan support.

For one, Mr. Kushner inaccurately believed that moderate rank-and-file Democrats were open to a compromise and had no issue funding a wall as part of a broader deal…

And Democratic leaders like Senator Chuck Schumer, party officials said, did not believe that Mr. Kushner had the power to circumvent Stephen Miller, a senior policy adviser to the president. In meetings, they also noticed, Mr. Kushner appeared to prop up Mr. Miller as an expert on immigration, noting that Mr. Miller’s reputation as a hard-liner was out of sync with his reasonable nature.

On Friday, President Trump did what Mr. Kushner had privately insisted was not an option on the table: He folded.

It was a stunning setback for the president and for Mr. Kushner, who had told colleagues that public opinion would move to their side and that Speaker Nancy Pelosi would emerge as the one who looked unreasonable and intransigent…

Within the White House, several aides said, Mr. Kushner is not interested in opinions that vary from his, and tends to view people who disagree with him as problems, closing them out of discussions. People close to Mr. Kushner, however, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have described him as working well with West Wing colleagues, particularly the legislative affairs director, Shahira Knight, a veteran of Capitol Hill.

But even Mr. Kushner’s allies concede that when it comes to immigration, he has not grasped the emotional nature of the fight the way he did when he tackled the criminal justice overhaul, an issue that was personal because of his father’s own incarceration.

Mr. Kushner, allies said, sees the $5.7 billion request for border wall money as reasonable, and has compared it to one month of troop deployments in Afghanistan. He views Ms. Pelosi as “trophy hunting,” or trying to take down the president politically with the shutdown…

Some Democrats, however, gave Mr. Kushner credit for at least trying to keep a dialogue going, even if it did not result in a compromise.

“We disagreed on the issue, but talking is essential in a divided government, especially if we want to solve any problems,” said Representative Josh Gottheimer, Democrat of New Jersey.

Josh Gottheimer, Class of 2016. Praise Bothsiderist Jeebus we finally found us a Dem for the wrap quote!…

“Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, however, noted that Mr. Kushner was still seen internally as one of the administration’s most successful negotiators.”

A. Maybe this is the problem?
B. Then again, she’s not wrong.

https://t.co/ADbbo7b76J

— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) January 27, 2019

I’ll believe that Jared Kushner is growing into his role as a White House staffer when political scientists stop pointing out that he should be better at his job by now. https://t.co/6WRuPXiHm3 pic.twitter.com/7T6mCNcM08

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) January 27, 2019

I'm waiting for the coffee table book of NYT pieces dictated by Javanka.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) January 27, 2019

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Reader Interactions

207Comments

  1. 1.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 5:34 pm

    Kamala’s rally in Oakland had people start lining up eight hours ago, and it sounds like whoever wrote her speech is deserving of a raise:

    Kamala Harris Burns Donald Trump:
    “Foreign Powers are Infecting the White House Like Malware”
    https://t.co/SuZje3T3eA #Elections #2020presidentialcampaign pic.twitter.com/zEjM70TMpF— R. Saddler ????? (@Politics_PR) January 27, 2019

  2. 2.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 5:34 pm

    The NYT is garbage.

  3. 3.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 5:35 pm

    @Mary G:

    I fear a crowd-size arms race in the primary.

  4. 4.

    p.a.

    January 27, 2019 at 5:37 pm

    To paraphrase Dean Wermer, “entitled, dumb, and incurious, is no way to go through life son.”

  5. 5.

    Jay

    January 27, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    QAnon explained:

    https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2019/01/24/now-you-too-can-comprehend-qanon/

  6. 6.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    January 27, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    OT: I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed that the GOP killed Dodd-Frank early last year. The “Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act”. Lots of work to do in the coming years to undo this shit.

  7. 7.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    Some Democrats, however, gave Mr. Kushner credit for at least trying to keep a dialogue going, even if it did not result in a compromise.

    “We disagreed on the issue, but talking is essential in a divided government, especially if we want to solve any problems,” said Representative Josh Gottheimer, Democrat of New Jersey.

    “And despite our disagreements, Jared never once smeared his own feces on the walls. I respect him for that.”

    BTW, notice how “some” = “one” in NYT speak.

  8. 8.

    hells littlest angel

    January 27, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    Trump and Kushner strategize:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVNHcob3oJg

  9. 9.

    debbie

    January 27, 2019 at 5:42 pm

    STEPHEN MILLER “REASONABLE”? I can’t stop laughing!

  10. 10.

    Mike in NC

    January 27, 2019 at 5:42 pm

    A shame that Kushner wasn’t appointed “Border Wall Czar”. That way we would be guaranteed it will never be built.

  11. 11.

    eemom

    January 27, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    Kind of a toss up between Kushie and the mrs as to who’s better qualified to be a senior advisor to the president of the United States: the slumlord or the Chinese trademark collector.

  12. 12.

    sukabi

    January 27, 2019 at 5:45 pm

    @p.a.: what do you expect from the son of a felon who was born into a family of grifters and conmen?

  13. 13.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 5:46 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Not a great bill, but it didn’t kill Dodd Frank.

  14. 14.

    TS (the original)

    January 27, 2019 at 5:46 pm

    @Baud: This is when I want a triple upding. The NYT got him elected and now they are working 100% to stop him getting impeached.

  15. 15.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 5:47 pm

    @Baud: Someone on Twitter was clutching their pearls about a rumor that Hillary was going to get in again, and I said a debate between Hillary, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris would be awesome. It would “Donald Trump is so stupid he…” the whole time.

    I am really tired of all the doom and gloom. It’s either that there will be too many candidates, the Democrats will let Bernie take over again, Howard Schultz will siphon off Democrat votes and guarantee Trump is re-elected and blah, blah, blah.

    I think that is all bullshit fomented by Russians, Republicans, Bernie Bros, the media Village, and trolls designed to depress us. I say bring on the 35 candidates and let them each make their case. California votes early and will winnow out most of them, and then let the best person win. I will not be negative. We didn’t take the midterms by being negative, nor even by bashing Trump. We talked about healthcare and keeping the environment from blowing up. We just need to keep doing that, not eating our own, putting our dollars and postcards and canvassing in, and we will succeed.

    I think Howard Schultz will actually siphon off Republican votes, because he keeps talking about getting entitlements under control. Let him waste one of his billions – there are a million better things he could do with his money – and ignore him. Republicans sick of the Trump follies will jump on his not-racist bandwagon.

  16. 16.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 5:50 pm

    @Mary G:

    We should be aware but not afraid. The fact is, we underestimated the threat in 2016.

  17. 17.

    Mnemosyne

    January 27, 2019 at 5:52 pm

    @Baud:

    Meh. I don’t mind Democrats making noises in public about how reasonable and willing to work with others they are as long as they stick together when it comes to the actual votes.

    @Mary G:

    Come sit by me. They underestimated us in 2018 and hey got their asses kicked. They’re still underestimating us, and that’s fine by me. ?

  18. 18.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 5:54 pm

    @Baud: I’ve heard that before, somewhere.

  19. 19.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 5:54 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Yeah that quote is as milquetoast as it gets.

  20. 20.

    Wag

    January 27, 2019 at 5:57 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    They underestimated us in 2018 and hey got their asses kicked. They’re still underestimating us, and that’s fine by me.

    This. If we are underestimated in 2020 to
    The same degree as we were in 2018, then it’ll be a second wave election that will allow us to drown the GOP for a generation.

  21. 21.

    SRW1

    January 27, 2019 at 5:57 pm

    In meetings, they also noticed, Mr. Kushner appeared to prop up Mr. Miller as an expert on immigration, noting that Mr. Miller’s reputation as a hard-liner was out of sync with his reasonable nature.

    “The rumor that Stephen feeds on virgins is total slander! He just kind of nibbles on them and sucks some of their blood!”

  22. 22.

    Mnemosyne

    January 27, 2019 at 5:58 pm

    @Baud:

    Everyone underestimated the threat in 2016, including the “experts” who were tasked with keeping us safe from foreign meddling in our elections.

    But going forward, I think it’s going to be a lot more like this.

  23. 23.

    zhena gogolia

    January 27, 2019 at 5:58 pm

    @TS (the original):

    When you subscribe to both NYT and WaPo you really see the difference.

  24. 24.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 6:01 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Sounds good to me.

  25. 25.

    MisterForkbeard

    January 27, 2019 at 6:01 pm

    @Mary G: It was a good speech. I’m psyched.

    Threw a donation her way. Will be interesting to see who else can grab enthusiasm, too.

  26. 26.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 6:02 pm

    @Mnemosyne: We are the party with brains. Who can learn. People are still processing 2016 PTSD, and I am too, but it doesn’t help. I have that scared inner child who is afraid of getting hurt again, of feeling less than again, of feeling stupid again. I make her a circular room at the top of a tall stone tower overlooking the ocean full of books, music, toys, cats, dogs, crafts, plants, chocolate and cashmere throws and tell her I am locking the door so she will be safe while the adult me goes out to kill the dragon. Then put on my armor and charge into the fray however I can.

    And yes, you can tell they still have no fucking idea how angry all this Ginni Thomas “women can’t be soldiers” crap infuriates us, and they will rue that mistake. They learned nothing in November.

  27. 27.

    Mnemosyne

    January 27, 2019 at 6:03 pm

    @Wag:

    I still think that someone or multiple someones way down inside the Deep State managed to figure out how to shut off the spigot of dark money the Russians have been sending since probably around the time Citizens United allowed dark money and SuperPACs. The fact that the NRA was swimming in cash in 2016 and on the verge of bankruptcy in 2018 seems … instructive. ?

    I think we’re going to find out that a whole lot of Russian money was flowing through way more channels than anyone realized.

  28. 28.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 6:07 pm

    Speaking of the border, I ventured south of MaryG’s neck of the woods into the distopia that is the San Diego area. I managed to avoid the roving bands of MS-13(none to be seen), braved a church with a name in Spanish(not even a press ‘one’ for English!) and braved the hellscape of La Jolla somewhere between Tbogg HQ and Mitt Romney’s former house(ya know, the one with the car elevator). While braving the hellish conditions, I managed to take some pictures before managing to return with my fellow photographer(the local photo group organizer) to the safety of Glendale.

    Mission in San Diego.

    Sunset in La Jolla.

  29. 29.

    HeleninEire

    January 27, 2019 at 6:08 pm

    Home.

    Not quite ready to change the nym yet. It’s 11:02 in Dublin. Trying to stay up until at least 9pm NY time so I can establish a regular schedule.

    Thrilled to be here. Sad to not be there!

  30. 30.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 6:09 pm

    @MisterForkbeard: I haven’t donated to anybody yet. I love Kamala because I’ve seen her operate here and I think the fact that she is taking so much fire means Republicans are scared of her. I would love another woman to run, this “only a white man can win” shit needs to be slapped down good, but I like Elizabeth Warren more and the more I see of her, and I want to see a primary, who doesn’t run out of gas physically or say stupid stuff. I like Deval Patrick from his convention speeches. Beto is hot. We need to have them audition. It’s a great way to get Democratic ideas publicity.

  31. 31.

    JPL

    January 27, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome home!

  32. 32.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 6:12 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome back.

  33. 33.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 6:13 pm

    Long ago lost track of how times Jared has revised his security clearance forms. Has it reached three digits yet?

    If the Peter Principle didn’t already exist it would have to be invented for the lot of them.

  34. 34.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 6:14 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome home!

  35. 35.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 6:15 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: You should’ve stopped if you took the 5. I live a block away from it. I love the picture with the palm trees. Back when I could climb around I loved the LaJolla rocks and tide pools.

  36. 36.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 6:16 pm

    @NotMax

    how many times, not how times

    Obviously.

  37. 37.

    Matt McIrvin

    January 27, 2019 at 6:16 pm

    @Mary G: I think the troll powers that be now perceive Kamala Harris as the frontrunner by a mile. It’s the only explanation for the absolutely ferocious shotgun barrage of negative attention she’s getting on troll-heavy Internet forums (which has, I should stress, infected real users already). I haven’t decided who to support, myself–I mean, it’s January 2019–but the activity seems suspicious to me.

    The latest thing is that Donald Trump supposedly donated some money to one of her campaigns years ago, and that is absolutely disqualifying.

  38. 38.

    MisterForkbeard

    January 27, 2019 at 6:16 pm

    @Mary G: Exactly! Kamala is my favorite right now, but I dont know how she’ll do in a hotly contested primary. Warren is generally great and I want to see her interact with the other candidates. Likewise Beto, who I think would be a fantastic VP for someone and who could run for the big job if he wants to.

    We’ve got a big field and generally the only two bad ones probably wont get anywhere. Everybody else will have a chance to prove themselves.

  39. 39.

    Brachiator

    January 27, 2019 at 6:16 pm

    … Buoyed by his success in helping pass a criminal justice bill, Mr. Kushner, a senior White House adviser, agreed to take the lead when the president asked him to find a way to end the monthlong stalemate

    This bill initially came up during the Obama administration, and was tabled by McConnell. McConnell brought it up again knowing that he could score it as a win for Trump. Young Jared was just along for the ride.

  40. 40.

    debit

    January 27, 2019 at 6:16 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome home!

  41. 41.

    B.B.A.

    January 27, 2019 at 6:17 pm

    The mention of Kristin Davis (the madam who ended Eliot Spitzer’s career) in the recent Roger Stone story got me to thinking – Stone really screwed up on that one, didn’t he? Spitzer was one of the best AGs New York ever had but a dismal failure as governor, and probably would have lost in 2010 had he been in the running. Rick Lazio could have been, like Charlie Baker and Larry Hogan, a nice centrist Republican governor of a blue state who can Cross Party Lines and Get Things Done and all that other bullshit the press salivates over. But thanks to Roger and his ratfuckery, Andrew Cuomo is governor for life and the NY GOP is all but dead. How do you like them apples?

    (To be clear: Stone couldn’t have ratfucked Spitzer if Spitzer hadn’t ratfucked himself.)

  42. 42.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 6:19 pm

    @MisterForkbeard: I would love to see Kirsten Gillibrand go after Joe Biden about Anita Hill and the Clarence Thomas hearing in general. I would subscribe to that on pay-per-view.

  43. 43.

    HeleninEire

    January 27, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    Thanks all for the welcomes. Glad to be here.

  44. 44.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 6:21 pm

    @HeleninEire: The country feels better already.

  45. 45.

    rikyrah

    January 27, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    Josh Eidelson (@josheidelson) Tweeted:
    New: GOP Labor Board majority just issued a new ruling making it easier for companies to classify workers as independent contractors excluded from labor rights, overturning another Obama-era precedent

    https://t.co/o3tSNR6bzc https://twitter.com/josheidelson/status/1088898994229497857?s=17

  46. 46.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: I’m glad you’re ok.

  47. 47.

    MisterForkbeard

    January 27, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    @Matt McIrvin: Yeah. They’ve already developed some hard trolling against Kamala and it has started to infect the body politic that doesnt know any better. They’ve definitely been gunning for her, abetted by the Bros too.

    The big three things I’ve seen are “She was a horrible AG and didnt reform the system!” when she was basically a good AG but did some normal AG things. Also “didnt prosecute Mnuchin” and “is totally corporate, I swear!”

    It’s all pretty weak, so hopefully it doesn’t stick. But if it does and she can’t shake it, she probably shouldn’t be the nominee anyway. The ability to survive right-wing bullshit is fairly important.

  48. 48.

    rikyrah

    January 27, 2019 at 6:23 pm

    @HeleninEire:
    Welcome home ???????

  49. 49.

    HeleninEire

    January 27, 2019 at 6:23 pm

    @Baud: I’m just thrilled that I will be here for the hangings live and won’t have to read about them on Balloon Juice the next day.

  50. 50.

    HeleninEire

    January 27, 2019 at 6:24 pm

    @rikyrah: Thank you.

  51. 51.

    zhena gogolia

    January 27, 2019 at 6:24 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    I hear ya. La Jolla is really rough.

  52. 52.

    MisterForkbeard

    January 27, 2019 at 6:25 pm

    @HeleninEire: I was wondering why America felt better this morning.

    Welcome back!

  53. 53.

    WaterGirl

    January 27, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    @Mary G:

    I am really tired of all the doom and gloom. It’s either that there will be too many candidates, the Democrats will let Bernie take over again, Howard Schultz will siphon off Democrat votes and guarantee Trump is re-elected and blah, blah, blah.

    This reminds me of a favorite book of mine: How to Make Yourself Miserable

    You’re planning a party. What if no one comes? What if so many people come that I don’t have enough food?

    The book also contains a nice how to section of dialogue for how to destroy a deep romantic relationship. Truly a great book; a humorous way to point out the ways in which we make our lives so much more difficult than they need to be.

  54. 54.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 6:28 pm

    @Mary G: I would like to not see that, which is one reason I hope he decides not to run.

  55. 55.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    January 27, 2019 at 6:29 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome back!

  56. 56.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 6:29 pm

    @Mary G: I did think of you as we were going though your town. I thought the palm tree pic would turn out nice, I processed it to really darken the skies and give it a sort of IR look, though it’s a visual color shot.

    @zhena gogolia: It is, roving bands of people who obvious couldn’t afford much clothing(they were wearing swimsuits) with their attack animals(mostly small dogs) roaming the sands.

  57. 57.

    Tenar Arha

    January 27, 2019 at 6:29 pm

    @Mary G: Yep, yep. Here’s my subscription.

  58. 58.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    January 27, 2019 at 6:30 pm

    @Baud:
    That’s what I get for reading hyperbolic headlines and articles.

  59. 59.

    WaterGirl

    January 27, 2019 at 6:30 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Baud has an identical twin. Must have been him.

  60. 60.

    PPCLI

    January 27, 2019 at 6:30 pm

    One of the low points in the history of the New York Knicks was a game 7 final against the Houston Rockets in the 1994 NBA finals. The Knicks lost that game, and therefore the championship, in large part because their outside shooter John Starks lifted 18 shots that night and hit only 2. Many players would have judged themselves to be a bit off after missing so many, and would pass the ball instead. But Starks kept firing ’em up.

    That night, Starks was a confident shooter.

    I don’t know why that memory came to me just now.

  61. 61.

    WaterGirl

    January 27, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I love that image at the link!

  62. 62.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 6:33 pm

    @Baud: Thanks, you can’t know how bad it was.

  63. 63.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    @HeleninEire

    Living proof that, contrary to popular belief, you can go home again.

    ;)

    @BillinGlendaleCA

    Was hoping to see you pop in.

    Know nothing about it other than what is on the page linked; found while web surfing. Thought it might be of interest to you based on some of your previous comments.

  64. 64.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    @WaterGirl: Now that’s a scary thought, even for Baud.

  65. 65.

    PPCLI

    January 27, 2019 at 6:35 pm

    @Baud: I wouldn’t be surprised if there were many more than one. When I am playing poker, and there is someone at the table who is losing lots of money, I am always complimentary of their decision to stay and “keep the game going”.

  66. 66.

    WaterGirl

    January 27, 2019 at 6:35 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome home!

    Decades ago I sobbed as i packed up my apartment in MI to move to back to IL to move in with the love of my life. I was sad to leave where I was even though I absolutely wanted to be where I was going.

    Life is complicated. We humans are complicated.

  67. 67.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 6:35 pm

    @Matt McIrvin:
    People like DT give money to both sides, to hedge their bets. Years ago I understand DT was trying to work his magic in CA, which didn’t work nearly as good as he wanted but he does “own” a golf course in PV so I wouldn’t count out him attempting to buy a politician. Don’t think it worked at all with Harris.

  68. 68.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 27, 2019 at 6:36 pm

    Jared Kushner master negotiator is like Ben Shapiro master debater.

  69. 69.

    FelonyGovt

    January 27, 2019 at 6:36 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome back!

    Lots of great Democratic energy at our Assembly District delegate election. Great participation at a somewhat remote location.

  70. 70.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 6:37 pm

    @NotMax: Thanks, but I already got a Galaxy Watch about 3 weeks ago,

  71. 71.

    jacy

    January 27, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    @HeleninEire:

    Welcome back! It’s always a little sad when things change, because no matter the situation there will be things you will miss.

  72. 72.

    HeleninEire

    January 27, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    @NotMax: Yes. And being away from home makes you appreciate what the word “home” means. I never did.

  73. 73.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    @HeleninEire:
    And here I thought I was going to move to Eire. Even supposedly have some Irish in the bloodline.
    Welcome back, hope you enjoy being back.

  74. 74.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 6:39 pm

    @Ruckus: Trump got his golf course in the PV, but thoroughly embarrassed himself losing to the bureaucrats at LAUSD with the Ambassador Hotel project.

  75. 75.

    TS (the original)

    January 27, 2019 at 6:42 pm

    @zhena gogolia:

    When you subscribe to both NYT and WaPo you really see the difference.

    For a short while I did subscribe to both – NYT had a super cheap offer. I quickly found out why it was so cheap and cancelled – that they will only let you cancel by phone had me crying for what the telephone employees must have to hear. Ghastly job. After I said my piece she didn’t even ask me to reconsider.

    I also got a cheap offer from the WaPo – which was supposed to be for 1 year only. They keep renewing at the same rate, so I still subscribe

  76. 76.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 6:44 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: That was epic. He did so much whining and pouting and stomping his little feet over the Ambassador that most of California was like “who is this asshole?” Being in the FTFNYT and all the New York tabloids meant nothing to us out here. Probably at least part of why he’s so disliked here. I know it was my first introduction to him.

  77. 77.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 6:47 pm

    @Mary G:

    I would love to see Kirsten Gillibrand go after Joe Biden

    Also too, Fuck Biden for this

    Biden, who is weighing a 2020 presidential run, rejected criticism that he is too close with Republican lawmakers, telling a gathering of U.S. mayors in Washington that nothing can get done “unless we start talking to one another again.”

    The criticism of Biden stems from a New York Times report published earlier this week detailing remarks he made in the run-up to last year’s midterms praising Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) as “one of the finest guys I’ve ever worked with.” Upton, facing a stiff challenge from a Democratic challenger, won his race by 4.5 percentage points.

    “I read in New York Times today … that one of my problems is if I ever run for president, I like Republicans,” Biden said during a speech at the Conference of Mayors’ winter meeting in Washington. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.”

    h/t https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/24/joe-biden-new-york-times-1123839

    Uncle Joe is an embarrassing horse’s ass and Obama should have passed him over the VP slot. If he’s dumb enough to enter the 2020 race I look forward to seeing him get crushed.

  78. 78.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 6:51 pm

    @Mary G:
    I remember seeing trump realty signs around decades ago, probably 50 yrs ago, I think Fred was dipping his toe into the area. He didn’t last long, I believe that CA is run a bit different than NYC was then. A lot more single family homes, so a lot harder to screw as many people with one decision and an entirely different group to buy off.

  79. 79.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    January 27, 2019 at 6:51 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:
    Aren’t you a master debater, or so I hear ; p?

  80. 80.

    Hungry Joe

    January 27, 2019 at 6:53 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Lemme know next time you’re down San Diego way — I’ll spring for a margarita or three.

  81. 81.

    Matt McIrvin

    January 27, 2019 at 6:54 pm

    @MisterForkbeard: I’ve seen claims that she’s anti-trans and her liberal supporters are all TERFs, that she’s a fake black person who is lying about her blackness, this supposed connection to Trump, all sorts of weird things. Any one of which, you could probably dismiss either as complete bullshit or as a flaw of the normal-politician sort that got blown up into something huge, but none of them are really logically connected to one another and seeing them all land at once suggests that something is going on. And it all seems very reminiscent of “I just don’t like Hillary, there’s something shady about her”.

    Before her, it was Beto O’Rourke in the crosshairs, because he was getting some media attention. But it didn’t blow up this big.

  82. 82.

    Mike in NC

    January 27, 2019 at 6:55 pm

    Anybody need a special gift for the MAGAt in you life? Saw in the Sunday paper an ad for a MAGA Pocket Knife which includes a facsimile of Fat Bastard’s chicken scratch autograph on the blade and the image of his bloated orange face on the handle. It’s called a $59.95 “value” but for sale for a mere $9.95 for a limited time only! What are the odds that it’s made in China?

  83. 83.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 6:55 pm

    @Matt McIrvin:

    TERFs

    ?

  84. 84.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 6:56 pm

    Tom Brokaw took extra strength stupid pills today:

    I also happen to believe that the Hispanics should work harder at assimilation. That’s one of the things I’ve been saying for a long time. You know, they ought not to be just codified in their communities but make sure that all their kids are learning to speak English, and that they feel comfortable in the communities. And that’s going to take outreach on both sides, frankly.

    h/t https://www.mediaite.com/tv/on-meet-the-press-tom-brokaw-says-the-hispanics-should-work-harder-at-assimilation

  85. 85.

    Redshift

    January 27, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    Josh Gottheimer, Class of 2016. Praise Bothsiderist Jeebus we finally found us a Dem for the wrap quote!…

    I have to say, if I was a Democratic congressperson, I would be doing all I could to encourage the Trump White House to keep sending Jared to “negotiable.” But I agree that Josh here probably isn’t being that clever.”

  86. 86.

    trollhattan

    January 27, 2019 at 6:58 pm

    @zhena gogolia:
    La Jolla–There, be monsters.

    Got caught in the crossfire once between the La Jolla Crips and the Carmel by the Sea Bloods. I’m lucky to be alive.

  87. 87.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 6:58 pm

    @Mike in NC

    All blades very short.

  88. 88.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 6:59 pm

    @hilts:

    Looks like MSNBC has found their replacement for Pat Buchanan.

  89. 89.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    January 27, 2019 at 6:59 pm

    @hilts:
    He’s extremely old and out of touch. I hate that Obama chose him for VP, especially after l’affaire Anita Hill. He doesn’t understand that the GOP is an anti-democratic authoritarian party that may have been compromised by a hostile foreign power. It’s been authoritarian for some time, but has become more overt as the country has gradually become more liberal and less white. They can’t be reasoned with or compromised with, only destroyed. I too hope he is crushed if he runs. The Democratic base is in no mood for Bipartisan Comity.

  90. 90.

    Spanky

    January 27, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    @HeleninQueens: Welcome home!

    And remember: Now you have personal friendships and networks on TWO continents. You can still move freely between them. And than FSM for the intertubes!

  91. 91.

    PPCLI

    January 27, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    @Baud: Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists.

    I think the acronym got started when the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival insisted that only “women-born” women could attend the festival. Though perhaps the expression predated that.

  92. 92.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    January 27, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    @Baud:
    trans-exclusionary radical feminist

  93. 93.

    Redshift

    January 27, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    In meetings, they also noticed, Mr. Kushner appeared to prop up Mr. Miller as an expert on immigration, noting that Mr. Miller’s reputation as a hard-liner was out of sync with his reasonable nature.

    A second-time-as-farce version of “but Hitler loved his dog…”

  94. 94.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: He was a fine as Veep. He needs to not try for the Iron Throne though.

  95. 95.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 7:02 pm

    @PPCLI:
    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:

    Thanks. Sheesh.

  96. 96.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 7:02 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    Never was my cup of tea but he’s never been the same following his major brain surgery. Preferred the pre-op version.

    Saw the same massive changes in my step-brother, who underwent the same medical procedure.

  97. 97.

    rikyrah

    January 27, 2019 at 7:03 pm

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    LOL ?

    With your description…
    Love the pics

  98. 98.

    MisterForkbeard

    January 27, 2019 at 7:04 pm

    @Matt McIrvin: That’s basically it. Most of it is complete bullshit. The stuff that isn’t is fairly normal behavior for an AG.

    Agree that it seems coordinated because she’s the probable front runner.

  99. 99.

    dmsilev

    January 27, 2019 at 7:04 pm

    @Redshift: The question I have on reading that is whether Kushner was stupid enough to think anyone would buy that line, or whether he was even dumber and believed it himself.

  100. 100.

    Jay

    January 27, 2019 at 7:05 pm

    @hilts:

    The understanding that the Corpse of the Rethug Party has been zombiefied and must be killed to save the Union, is still a minority position, both in private and public amongst the Democratic Party Membership.

    And of course, were a Democratic Party Official to take this stance, publically or privately, the MSM would cry Treason and the FTFNYT would write 10,000 articles over 4 months front paging it.

  101. 101.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    @hilts:
    Tom’s been taking those for a long time.
    Gee Tom, most of the Latino folks that I know speak better English than you do and speak Spanish as well. Maybe if you didn’t have your head up your own ass and your ears full of shit you just might be able to hear them.

  102. 102.

    Fleeting Expletive

    January 27, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    My theory du jour is this: R MoC who were not clued in on Russia early were inadvertently but definitely implicated by a simple email blunder, and those who did not retire when they realized the mess they were headed into in time can’t bail now. Simple blunder would’ve been the RNC cc’ing all MoC about NRA or evangelical $$$ available to them for the asking, a maybe some of them didn’t know about the Russian/Saudi?/mob source at that time. Anyone who was gung-ho for NRA and taking/raising $$ was partners with Vlad. What was that old war on drugs slogan–when you do drugs you ride with Saddam, or something like that.
    IOW, in too deep. I’ve told Senator Lankford’s office time and time again, a smart man wouldv’e gotten out of this rotten party of stinkin’ traitors and sellouts before now. They never listen and it’s too late to reclaim your innocence, if you got that memo, knew a little about NRA and Mariia, etc, you didn’t call the FBI, you didn’t have any questions? you made a mistake. Big mistake.

  103. 103.

    WaterGirl

    January 27, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    @Baud: Ugh. Is “Uncle Pat” gone?

  104. 104.

    Ladyraxterinok

    January 27, 2019 at 7:11 pm

    @Mary G: Really like image of how ‘armored warrior me’ protects ‘scared inner child me’in wonderful turret room high in castle!!

  105. 105.

    Barbara

    January 27, 2019 at 7:12 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: He helped to reassure white people in his age demographic. However, his penchant for nostalgia fails to account for the fact that, as my brother in law says, the good old days were a lot better for some than others. The willingness of the Republican party to continue excluding and demonizing large swaths of the population is a moral outrage that Biden has never internalized.

  106. 106.

    Bill Arnold

    January 27, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    @Mary G:

    We have foreign powers infecting the White House like malware.

    Fun!
    Transcript is linked below by the way for Kamala Harris’s 2020 Presidential race candidacy announcement speech. How was her delivery? As read (without an inner voice and emotionally tired) the text was rickety in a few places but good delivery would have covered that.
    Transcript: Kamala Harris kicks off presidential campaign in Oakland
    Here’s the full paragraph:

    Let’s speak truth. Under this administration, America’s position in the world has never been weaker. Democratic values are under attack around the globe. When authoritarianism is on the march. When nuclear proliferation is on the rise. We have foreign powers infecting the White House like malware. Let us speak truth about these clear and present dangers.

  107. 107.

    Baud

    January 27, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    @WaterGirl: Yeah. I can’t remember what he did to finally get the boot, but it wasn’t for his blatant bigotry.

  108. 108.

    JanieM

    January 27, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    @HeleninEire: Been watching your saga for a couple of year with bemusement, AND from the distance of a newcomer here, who doesn’t “know” you even in the bloggy sense.

    I fell in love with Ireland as a child — who knows why; my dad was the son of Italian immigrants and my mom’s ancestry is mostly English, going back 400 years on this continent. my Catholic high school was mostly Italian- and Irish-American Catholics, and one of my best friends was an Irish-American girl who married and Irishman and moved over there in the early seventies. Thus I got my first trip in 1979, to visit them. Then I fell in love with an Irishwoman in 1990 and went over ten times before we broke up in 1994.
    Before that grim day I thought I’d end up living there in the long run, though the picture was complicated by the fact that I had two kids and would never have taken them away from their dad — in fact, that was one of the factors in the break-up.

    But I remember riding the train from Dublin south in 1994, knowing we were going to break up,and being ever so sad that I wouldn’t be coming over several times a year any longer, and that it might even be a WHOLE YEAR before I got back for another trip.

    Well… now we’re coming up in 25 years, and I’ve never gone back. Combination of factors: a busy life, grief over the relationship, and money, i.e. the realization that for four years I had been, even if just a little bit, living over there as/with a local person, and if I went back I would actually have to pay for lodging and be a mere tourist.

    When I was a newcomer to BJ watching you make plans to go live there, it brought back a ton of feelings about Ireland — and made me think, well, maybe I’ll at least manage one more trip in my lifetime. And honestly, if this country goes where it seemed like it might when Trump was first elected, I’d be thinking seriously about emigrating there if I thought they’d have me. Which there’s no reason why they should.

    Welcome home! And rejoice in having two homes if you need a spare!

  109. 109.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    @WaterGirl

    Years ago. If I recall the imbroglio correctly, it was something in one of this books which torpedoed him at MSNBC.

  110. 110.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    January 27, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    @Baud:
    I agree he shouldn’t try for president. Any chance he had has long passed. And he did alright for VP. I still think Obama shouldn’t have picked him though, just because of the Anita Hill bullshit.

    @NotMax:
    When did he have the surgery?

  111. 111.

    SiubhanDuinne

    January 27, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    @HeleninEire:

    Happy to have you back, but sad you won’t be in Eire when I make my long-deferred visit (whenever that may be).

    Welcome home, Helenin!

  112. 112.

    JanieM

    January 27, 2019 at 7:17 pm

    @PPCLI: I think you mean womyn-born womyn. ;-)

  113. 113.

    Mary G

    January 27, 2019 at 7:17 pm

    @Ladyraxterinok: Can’t take full credit. Developed in a therapy group decades ago. Still works, though.

  114. 114.

    WaterGirl

    January 27, 2019 at 7:17 pm

    @Baud: Well, yay for him being gone; boo for that bullshit from Tom Brokaw.

    Now that you have dusted off the cobwebs for me, I do seem to recall Pat being let go for some relatively lame reason, and I recall wondering at the time if the racism wasn’t the real reason, and their “reason” was just cover.

  115. 115.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 7:19 pm

    @WaterGirl:
    Uncle Pat will never be gone. He’s like the uncle that has to be watched at all the family picnics to make sure he’s never alone with any of the female children (and some of the male children). He keeps getting invited, family you know, and no adult is willing to follow him around for the entire picnic, so everyone has to be on the lookout. Scum will outlast everyone else, no one is ever willing to get close enough to put the wooden stake through his heart.

  116. 116.

    Yarrow

    January 27, 2019 at 7:19 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome home! Glad you’re back.

  117. 117.

    germy

    January 27, 2019 at 7:19 pm

    When I learned Howard Schultz was thinking of running for president, I told my wife “Watch… How soon before 60Minutes has him on?”

    Sure enough, here he is on 60 Minutes.

  118. 118.

    sukabi

    January 27, 2019 at 7:19 pm

    Trump just lifted sanctions on deripaska

  119. 119.

    Eric NNY

    January 27, 2019 at 7:20 pm

    @Jay:

  120. 120.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 7:21 pm

    @Ruckus:

    I think it’s high time that NBC put Tom Brokaw and Chris Matthews out to pasture.

  121. 121.

    eemom

    January 27, 2019 at 7:21 pm

    @hilts: @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:

    Way too harsh, fellas. Biden is a decent man with a good heart and a lifetime commitment to public service. And he is by no means stupid.

    Yeah, he’s not perfect…..I thought we all agreed nobody is. He’s apologized repeatedly for Anita Hill.

    And omfg — hypocrite queen Gillibrand should “go after him”? Please.

    All that said, I agree he shouldn’t run.

  122. 122.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 7:21 pm

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    Presume you’re inquiring about Biden, who underwent surgery for brain aneurysm twice. During the 80s, IIRC.

  123. 123.

    chris

    January 27, 2019 at 7:23 pm

    Thread. Revealing thread.

    The year is 2011. In February, Maggie Haberman pens an article in Politico "The Donald reins in Roger Stone", quoting from an interview with Donald himself who phoned Maggie. The article was ostensibly floating a Presidential bid.https://t.co/LprEaXMxhG— Danny Boy (@Care2much18) 22 July 2018

  124. 124.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    January 27, 2019 at 7:24 pm

    @Barbara:

    helped to reassure white people in his age demographic

    That’s…sadly probably why he was chosen by Obama. He was also a major figure in the Democratic Party once upon a time. In retrospect, he could be a bit of a creep when it came to women.

  125. 125.

    JPL

    January 27, 2019 at 7:24 pm

    @JanieM: Part of me wants you to tell us the rest of the story. You should go back and visit, because it seems part of you is still there.

  126. 126.

    Ladyraxterinok

    January 27, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    @hilts: IIRC, every time Biden has run for dem nomination for prez he’s lost pretty badly.

    Remember how he ‘praised’ Obama in the 08 primary for being ‘articulate’!!

  127. 127.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    January 27, 2019 at 7:27 pm

    @eemom:

    hypocrite queen Gillibrand should “go after him”? Please.

    The entire Dem party was behind that. Gillibrand was just the spokesperson. It was for the good of the party that Franken had to go, especially when Dem congressional staffers came forward and claimed he acted inappropriately. That was the last straw.

    Gillibrand isn’t my first choice or even my second, but let’s not castigate her for something that had to be done.

    As for Biden and Anita Hill, as long as he’s apologized and not done similar behavior since, that’s fine. I admit I’m not that familiar with his political career.

  128. 128.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 7:27 pm

    @Barbara:

    the good old days were a lot better for some than others.

    The days will always be better for some than for others. We work as democrats to make the bad days at least a bit better for everyone. I’ve known people with basically nothing, who didn’t let that be the only story of their lives. Perspective is a wonderful gift, raising all boats is a better one.

  129. 129.

    Barbara

    January 27, 2019 at 7:28 pm

    @eemom: He is decent, mostly, but he still yearns for how things used to be and that acts as a blinder in significant ways. Fred Upton is moderate for a Republican but he still would have taken away health insurance from millions of people. Biden’s first loyalty should be to those people, and he should realize that cures for cancer don’t mean much without insurance. Since my dad had difficulty getting cancer treatment over the issue of insurance I take this personally.

  130. 130.

    JanieM

    January 27, 2019 at 7:28 pm

    @JPL: As a Chinese fortune cookie fortune once said, “The whole story is long and complicated.” But thanks for the encouragement to go back, because yes, there’s a piece of my heart still over there. Maybe more another time — among other things, it has something to do with what “home” means. It seems like HelenInSomewhere knows something about that as well.

  131. 131.

    Immanentize

    January 27, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    @dmsilev:
    Both

  132. 132.

    Ladyraxterinok

    January 27, 2019 at 7:31 pm

    @hilts: Brokow lost me very badly when he spent yrs playing his one-note ‘the greatest generation thing!!

    IMHO he’s stuck somewhere pre-60s

  133. 133.

    Bill Arnold

    January 27, 2019 at 7:31 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    I think we’re going to find out that a whole lot of Russian money was flowing through way more channels than anyone realized.

    A whole lot of money will have left a whole lot of investigatable trails. I wonder how much of it was hard-core obfuscated, e.g. with money-laundering-style techniques[1] or cryptocurrencies (or even cash).
    [1] Fun thread on money laundering 101: https://twitter.com/CZEdwards/status/1089340995731304450

  134. 134.

    Mike in NC

    January 27, 2019 at 7:33 pm

    Tom Brokaw was a GOP shill way back when Reagan was in office. Needs to go away.

  135. 135.

    encephalopath

    January 27, 2019 at 7:33 pm

    “…legislative affairs director, Shahira Knight, a veteran of Capitol Hill.

    Wait… what? This White House has a legislative affairs director? Nobody in that whole building appear to have any idea how the legislature works. Good for her for getting paid for a regular gig, but she doesn’t appear to have any power to influence the President at all.

    Kushner can work with her, though, so there’s that.

  136. 136.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 7:33 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: @Jay:

    I think Biden has been out of touch and out to lunch for a very long time. I’ve never been a fan. A few weeks back, someone posted a nice bill of particulars laying out why no one should vote for him. I wish Biden and Sanders could just shut the fuck up for the next 2 years. These clowns should join a circus and stay the fuck out of this presidential race. Warren, Harris, or Gillibrand can handle Trumpenstein just fine.

    My only question for now is who’ll get the top bunk in the federal pen, Don Jr. or the Kushmeister?

  137. 137.

    Immanentize

    January 27, 2019 at 7:34 pm

    @HeleninEire:
    Love having you back. Come visit Boston, a real Irish American town, whenever you want.

  138. 138.

    JPL

    January 27, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    @JanieM: True and sometimes it doesn’t matter how far you roam.

  139. 139.

    dexwood

    January 27, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    @JanieM:
    Not Helen, but I liked your story, your personal history. Thanks. It isn’t easy to open up. Reflection is often revelation. My sister, after 25 years of marriage and 3 kids, came out. Her 2 sons “hated” her. Her daughter never stopped loving her. Her husband never spoke to her again right up until his fatal heart attack. She was still, and always, the sister I love.

  140. 140.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    @Hungry Joe: It was a quickie yesterday, my friend wanted to just photograph the sunset, I thought that was a bit of long drive just for a sunset so I wanted to go earlier and get some pics of the mission(a continuing series) and the Old Point Loma lighthouse. We got the mission in, but it was too late to get to Point Loma and get the sunset, so that got scraped. I’d love to meet some of the local jackals when it’s not such a quick trip. My margarita would have to be a virgin, since I gave up the hard stuff.

  141. 141.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    @hilts

    is who’ll get the top bunk in the federal pen

    Ultimate cage match on pay-per-view to determine that.

    ;)

  142. 142.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 7:39 pm

    @hilts:
    Tom is 78, Chris is 73. I don’t want to be working when I’m that age. But then I’ve actually been physically working for most of my life. My body is tired, my mind does not work as well as it used to, and some people annoy me far more than republicans used to. I’m tired every day no matter how well or long I sleep, I always feel worse when I get up than when I went to bed. And I’ll be 70 in a short time. Life is just too short to be an ass, either for all of it or even just for a few years. If I wanted to be an ass I’d have been born with hooves and a tail.

  143. 143.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    January 27, 2019 at 7:41 pm

    @rikyrah: Thanks. ?

  144. 144.

    Immanentize

    January 27, 2019 at 7:41 pm

    @encephalopath:
    Also, too, I think Shahira Knight just quit.

  145. 145.

    sdhays

    January 27, 2019 at 7:42 pm

    OT: Ol’ Roger is already signaling that if he doesn’t get a pardon, he just might have to talk…

    “You know, that’s a question I have to determine after my attorneys have some discussion,” Stone replied. “If there’s wrongdoing by other people in the campaign that I know about, which I know of none, but if there is I would certainly testify honestly.”

    That sure didn’t take long.

  146. 146.

    eemom

    January 27, 2019 at 7:43 pm

    @Barbara:

    Fred Upton is moderate for a Republican but he still would have taken away health insurance from millions of people. Biden’s first loyalty should be to those people, and he should realize that cures for cancer don’t mean much without insurance. Since my dad had difficulty getting cancer treatment over the issue of insurance I take this personally.

    As well you should. For all the things I hate republicans for, health insurance is at the top of the list.

    On a lighter note, you do know that another classmate of ours is married to Biden’s brother, right?

  147. 147.

    sdhays

    January 27, 2019 at 7:44 pm

    @hilts: And they should take serial liar Brian Williams with them.

  148. 148.

    Immanentize

    January 27, 2019 at 7:45 pm

    @sdhays:
    Tony Snow didn’t mean to leave everyone behind.

  149. 149.

    dexwood

    January 27, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    @sdhays:
    Don’t forget Chuck Toad. Same rocket to the sun, full steam ahead.

  150. 150.

    Ladyraxterinok

    January 27, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: IIRC Biden was the one who started push for the Violence Against Women Act.

  151. 151.

    Matt McIrvin

    January 27, 2019 at 7:48 pm

    @hilts: I didn’t like Biden before 2008 and was a bit disappointed that Obama chose him as a running mate. I thought he actually did a tremendously good job as Obama’s VP, doing the basic message-reinforcement sorts of things a VP does. He’d probably be an OK President.

    But I don’t think he’s our candidate. He’s not the person for today.

  152. 152.

    sdhays

    January 27, 2019 at 7:50 pm

    @dexwood: But Brian Williams was already fired in disgrace once. For the life of me, I can’t understand the decision to bring him back.

    I’m really looking forward to Andy Lack’s time in the barrel. That jackass needs to go.

  153. 153.

    Barbara

    January 27, 2019 at 7:50 pm

    @eemom: I thought it was his cousin, but yes, I knew.

  154. 154.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    @Barbara:
    I think Joe is a better human than a lot of people that probably anyone on this blog could name. But he’s 76 yrs old. That is way too old to be a modern day president. And while the past he lives in isn’t a bad past, he still lives there. As someone in the old fart age bracket I can attest that we can see more of the past than the future because if for no other reason there is far more of the past than there is of our futures and our rear view mirrors only show us the high lights of our past. Not all of those high lights are going to be pleasant memories, but we still savor them because no matter our health, we know what is coming. We’ve seen it up close with families, friends, people we admire. We don’t know when it’s coming and may actually still be a long time off, but we know it’s closer than the start was. Some will try and grasp at straws to remain important, to remain in power, to remain in view. But it’s no longer our turn.

  155. 155.

    SiubhanDuinne

    January 27, 2019 at 7:54 pm

    @Ladyraxterinok:

    Brokow lost me very badly when he spent yrs playing his one-note ‘the greatest generation thing!!

    I have no problem with paying due tribute to the generation(s) that fought for the Allies in WW2. I do, however, have a big problem with fetishizing them, as Brokaw has done now for decades.

  156. 156.

    Plato

    January 27, 2019 at 7:54 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Yup. Obama and Holder did the heavy lifting in the criminal justice reforms bill and the traitorous thugs took the credit.

  157. 157.

    schrodingers_cat

    January 27, 2019 at 7:55 pm

    @hilts: Its not just Brokaw who gets upset when he hears another language. Bigot sighting at Duke, more here

  158. 158.

    Ladyraxterinok

    January 27, 2019 at 7:56 pm

    @Ruckus: I just turned 79. One reason I don’t want older politicians.

    But then,,,,,,,,,isn’t Pelosi in her mid-seventies?! She’s obviously just gotten better with age. AND experience!!

  159. 159.

    Redshift

    January 27, 2019 at 7:57 pm

    @dmsilev: All signs point to “even dumber.”

  160. 160.

    ellie

    January 27, 2019 at 8:00 pm

    @WaterGirl: We had that book in our house when I was growing up. I love it!

  161. 161.

    Fair Economist

    January 27, 2019 at 8:01 pm

    @Ladyraxterinok: Pelosi isn’t signing up for 8 more years. Her job is not quite as demanding, either.

  162. 162.

    Ladyraxterinok

    January 27, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    @sdhays: IMHO William’s was hired–then slotted in to NBC, than gradually reinserted back into MSNBC–for only one reason,,,HIS SUPER BROAD SHOULDERS!!

    Someone though that made him look all manly and authoritative!

  163. 163.

    Mike in NC

    January 27, 2019 at 8:03 pm

    @sdhays: Williams and Lack are close friends. Surprise!

  164. 164.

    Matt McIrvin

    January 27, 2019 at 8:06 pm

    @Baud: Trans-Exclusive Radical Feminists (they don’t like to be called that–they say they’re “gender critical” or something like that), an odd variety of “feminists” who have fixated on attacking trans women, because they think transgenderism is really men trying to invade and destroy exclusively female spaces.

    The idea that any large fraction of US feminists are TERFs (let alone all of Kamala Harris’s supporters) is kind of bizarre; it’s a distinctly minor tendency here, though loud on some social media. But it seems to be thriving to a greater degree in the UK, for reasons that remain obscure. Not only that, they’re starting to ally with transphobic American right-wingers.

  165. 165.

    Mnemosyne

    January 27, 2019 at 8:10 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    In case you didn’t recognize the style, it’s by Mary Englebreit — yes, she of the adorable illustrations from the 1980s. She got radicalized by the shooting death of Michael Brown since she lives in St. Louis and now she’s doing all kinds of social justice art and working to make her characters more inclusive.

    She made that poster for the March For Our Lives and gave people permission to print it out for free and use it at the protest. It’s always nice when people whose work you’ve admired for years turn out to have the same ideals, too. ?

  166. 166.

    Ken

    January 27, 2019 at 8:13 pm

    @sdhays:

    “If there’s wrongdoing by other people in the campaign that I know about, which I know of none, but if there is I would certainly testify honestly.”

    “And if Tommy Two-Fingers did take Tony G. out to the Jersey Pine Barrens and cap him three times and bury him in an unmarked grave, which never happened, but if it did I could certainly lead investigators to the grave.

    I think the trope is “Overly-Specific Denial.”

  167. 167.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 8:13 pm

    @dexwood:
    My sister came out over 45 yrs ago. She also was rather outspoken and if you didn’t like that she was out she’d tell you where you could go, and what you could do to yourself on the way, in no uncertain terms. At her service there wasn’t enough chairs for all the people that came and didn’t give a damn that their friend had been out and vocal for decades. She was my best friend and I’ve missed her greatly for the last 11 yrs.

  168. 168.

    FelonyGovt

    January 27, 2019 at 8:17 pm

    @Ruckus: Age 65, and I couldn’t agree more.

  169. 169.

    sdhays

    January 27, 2019 at 8:17 pm

    @Mike in NC: Well, at least it makes sense now.

  170. 170.

    eemom

    January 27, 2019 at 8:23 pm

    @Ruckus:

    A very poignant and insightful post.

  171. 171.

    eemom

    January 27, 2019 at 8:27 pm

    There are those among my acquaintances, whom I respect even if I don’t agree with them, who really believe the candidate should be Biden, because they believe he’s the safest bet to defeat trump. It’s kind of a “In case of emergency, break out old white guy” thing.

  172. 172.

    WaterGirl

    January 27, 2019 at 8:29 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I didn’t recognize that as her work. But I really liked it!

  173. 173.

    dexwood

    January 27, 2019 at 8:30 pm

    @Ruckus:
    How ya’ gonna act? It takes time to be yourself. Some people fight that idea, keep trying to push you into a box. It isn’t easy to be strong while others are laughing in your face. Sorry for your loss. A toast to strong sisters. Dinner calls.

  174. 174.

    WaterGirl

    January 27, 2019 at 8:31 pm

    @eemom: I would have happily voted for Biden in previous elections. But no, just no. I’m sorry, Joe. Just like it was Obama’s time in 2007, it is most definitely not your time now.

    Timing is everything.

  175. 175.

    Suzanne

    January 27, 2019 at 8:32 pm

    @MisterForkbeard: My dream ticket right now is Harris/O’Rourke. They both have proven that they can connect with people and passionately articulate why the liberal position is the real pathway to the American Dream. I like Warren, too, but she is kind of boring to listen to, and I think we nerds underestimate how much people select a president based on who they can bring into their lives each day,

  176. 176.

    Sister Golden Bear

    January 27, 2019 at 8:38 pm

    @Baud, @Matt McIrvin: They’re extremely nasty pieces of work whom long been allies with the Talibaptists. Back in 1989 they worked with Jesse Helms to specifically remove “gender identity disorder” from the Americans with Disabilities Act — enabling legalized discrimination against trans people for a generation.

    While they didn’t yet go by that name, they also hounded one of the mothers of the “women’s music” movement, Sandy Stone, into hiding after numerous death threats against her and the women’s collective that ran the seminal Olivia Records. Stone, a recording engineer, literally made (and taught others to make) the equipment Olivia Records used.

    They also have a long and nasty history of doxxing trans women.

    Kind of the Wilmerites of feminism — except that they’re not really feminists, and they make the Wilmerites look calm and reasonable.

    Yes, it’s personal for me.

  177. 177.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 8:39 pm

    @Ladyraxterinok:
    2 things.
    This isn’t her first go round at the job. And there are always a few folks who are strong into their 90s. But it’s rare. Also president and speaker are two different jobs. Not to minimize the speakership or Nancy at all but if we’d have had a few more people not try to stay around for ever we’d have a more experienced younger class of reps to fill those shoes. Look at our firebrands in the house. Maxine Waters is 80 and swears better than I do. John Lewis is 78. Dianne Feinstein is 85. I like that Nancy is speaker, she knows how the place works and is politically strong. I’d like to see more people from other places like AOC, people who have a career ahead of them. I’d like to see more people for whom this is their job not just a paycheck.
    Our government is broken, for a lot of reasons. First is the money it takes to play the horse race game that the MSM makes of our elections. This is tied to the time it takes, we are discussing this almost 2 yrs out from the election. That means that the people in the jobs now will have to spend the next two years and millions trying to get reelected, their names are out there now and that has some importance, making it more difficult for new people to get elected. It’s a vicious cycle that we need to break, that idea that these are the only people who can represent us.

  178. 178.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    January 27, 2019 at 8:45 pm

    @eemom: It certainly is. Thanks @Ruckus.

  179. 179.

    Sister Golden Bear

    January 27, 2019 at 8:48 pm

    @Sister Golden Bear: Forgot to mention, the TERFs were also attacking trans women — at least once physically — at last year’s Dyke March in San Francisco, and mounted an extremely nasty campaign on Facebook against anyone who supported trans women being there. I know multiple people who had to lock down their accounts after being bombarded by threatening comments by TERFs — who didn’t even live her, or even in in the U.S. (As mentioned, for whatever reasons regrettably they’ve got a stronger, quasi-respectable presence in the UK and Australia, even though they’re effectively a hate group.)

  180. 180.

    HeleninEire

    January 27, 2019 at 8:51 pm

    @JanieM: Wow. What a story. Thanks for sharing.

  181. 181.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 8:52 pm

    @dexwood:
    You are 100% right, it is tough. She was tougher than most anyone 5 ft tall had a right to be in a physical world, but she carried it well. And maybe that was why she was tough. Thank you for the kind words.
    Your sister was tough as well, she lived with something, created a life in spite of that something. Our folks weren’t the most understanding people but they did come around eventually. She was the only one to give them a grandchild. I’m glad you didn’t care that she was gay, she was still the same person that you always knew, just like my sister was. Well actually her coming out made her a better person. Or she just grew up, who the hell knows. I’ve learned a lot from her and made long time friends because of her. Can’t beat that.

  182. 182.

    Mnemosyne

    January 27, 2019 at 8:52 pm

    @hilts:

    Tom Brokaw needs come to my neck of the woods and see all of the signage in Armenian, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Farsi (Persian), Hindi, Vietnamese, Mandarin, etc in addition to the Spanish-language signs. He would shit his pants.

    And yet we all somehow manage to get along for the most part.

  183. 183.

    HeleninEire

    January 27, 2019 at 8:53 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: When you go let me know. I will meet you there.
    And I’ll introduce you to all my fab Dublin girls.

  184. 184.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 8:56 pm

    @Ladyraxterinok:

    I think Pelosi is much sharper mentally than Biden or Sanders.

    @Ruckus:

    “Life is just too short to be an ass”. Your sentiments are well stated. Brokaw and Matthews have been asses for a good long time. Biden did okay as VP, but it’s time for him to fade into the background.

    @dexwood

    “Same rocket to the sun, full steam ahead.”

    I’d like to include every host from Fox News and Fox Business on that rocket ship with the exception of Shep Smith.

  185. 185.

    danielx

    January 27, 2019 at 8:59 pm

    @sukabi:

    We all knew some of the quid, here’s some of the quo.

  186. 186.

    JGabriel

    January 27, 2019 at 9:00 pm

    @Wag:

    The same degree as we were in 2018, then it’ll be a second wave election that will allow us to drown the GOP for a generation.

    That’s not enough. We need the GOP to be underwater for at least two generations.

    But it’s a start.

  187. 187.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 9:01 pm

    @hilts

    Sun is a necessity. Wouldn’t want to risk polluting it. Venus will do nicely.

    ;)

  188. 188.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 9:07 pm

    @eemom:
    @Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho:
    Thank you.
    I know a lot of us are in the old fart age bracket, we look around and want to retire, maybe we can maybe we can’t afford to. I’m giving it two more years of work, only because I need to contribute to SS and to my bank account some more. I’d like to travel a bit while I still physically can, maybe see some of the jackals farther away, see The Wall in DC and the Smithsonian. I’d like to visit friends in the UK but I don’t know if they’ll be around by the time I could get there, they are older than I am. Several of my friends who I wanted to get another chance to see are gone, another few lines on the list crossed off. Life treats each of us differently, some great some not even close to that. My life’s wish is to see that difference between great and not even close get to be less for a lot more people. It wouldn’t be that tough nor that costly, it just takes a better government and a better political class.

  189. 189.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 9:07 pm

    @Mary G:

    You can be certain that every idiot moderator and panelist in these Democratic debates will try very hard to get these candidates to trash each other on stage. Hopefully, these candidates will keep their sights squarely set on that malignant cancer named Donald Trump.

  190. 190.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 9:17 pm

    @NotMax:

    Duly noted.

  191. 191.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 9:19 pm

    @NotMax:
    Don’t think that would pollute the sun. Might risk pissing it off. And besides they are all devil’s children, they should be ready for it. Or burn in it, but either way is fine. They won’t be here and they won’t be coming back.

  192. 192.

    NotMax

    January 27, 2019 at 9:24 pm

    @Ruckus

    Plus there’s something almost poetic about them ending up where the greenhouse effect has run riot.

  193. 193.

    frosty

    January 27, 2019 at 9:35 pm

    @HeleninEire: Glad you’re back. Dublin’s loss is Queens’s* gain.

    * Where my Dad grew up, in Bellerose.

  194. 194.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 9:37 pm

    @Ruckus:

    It’s no longer our turn.

    I try to avoid hyperbole but I truly believe that Trump’s election victory was a crime against humanity and want very badly for Democrats to win this damn race. Generally speaking, I’m satisfied with the declared candidates, I just want Biden, Sanders, and Clinton to stay the Hell out. I don’t believe in failing upwards so I’d also like Beto to stay out and definitely don’t want him chosen as VP

    Trump has to be defeated for the good of this planet and as many Republicans as humanly possible need to be defeated in the House and Senate for enabling this malevolent, knuckle dragging Neanderthal.

  195. 195.

    Matt McIrvin

    January 27, 2019 at 9:41 pm

    @Sister Golden Bear: The first person I ever blocked on Twitter was one of them.

  196. 196.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    Tom Brokaw wishes to amend his previous remarks:

    I feel terrible a part of my comments on Hispanics offended some members of that proud culture. From my days reporting on Cesar Chavez to documenting the many contributions of Hispanics in all parts of our culture. I’ve worked hard to knock down false stereotypes. In my final comment in Meet [the Press] I said ALL sides have to work harder, at finding common ground – which I strongly believe – dialogue not division.

    h/t https://www.mediaite.com/tv/tom-brokaw-i-feel-terrible-my-comments-on-hispanics-offended

  197. 197.

    Gretchen

    January 27, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    @HeleninEire: Welcome home. I’ll miss the lovely pictures of Ireland, but pictures of New York will help us cope. I hope it all goes well for you.

  198. 198.

    sdhays

    January 27, 2019 at 9:56 pm

    @hilts: Every freaking immigrant experience involves finding a piece of home in America. It’s more the defining part of America than almost anything else; almost everything else can also be found elsewhere. To say that they need to “work harder” at “integrating”, even as part of “both sides”, is just ridiculously insulting and still freaking racist.

    Go to hell, Tom Brokaw. NBC, next time you want to have Tom comment on shit, call Dana Carvey instead. His Tom Brokaw is a better human being than the real Tom Brokaw.

    ETA: And smarter too.

  199. 199.

    hilts

    January 27, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    @sdhays:

    I’m a big Dana Carvery but, IMHO Harry Shearer did the best Tom Brokaw impersonation and Chris Parnell was excellent as well.

  200. 200.

    Keith P.

    January 27, 2019 at 10:05 pm

    @hilts: I quit listening as soon as the words “both sides” or “the American people want” come out of a pundit’s mouth

  201. 201.

    Gretchen

    January 27, 2019 at 10:08 pm

    @HeleninEire: Balloon Juice Ireland trip would be awesome. Kansas City Irish band the Elders have done Ireland trips the past few years, but they are retiring and won’t be doing it any more.

  202. 202.

    J R in WV

    January 27, 2019 at 11:01 pm

    @hilts:

    Well, Bless his heart!

    Or:

    Fuck Tom Brokaw with a farm implement !!!

  203. 203.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 11:22 pm

    @hilts:
    Well one third of your trio has said she is not running. She’s not quite 2 yrs older than I am, her husband is 3 yrs older than I am and I believe not in the most robust of health so I’d bet she’s said (quietly) fuck it, gave it a good shot, won the pop by 5%, what else is there to do. She can relax and live a comfortable retirement. The other two can shut the fuck up. And live comfortable retirements. Especially the fucking done nothing in his life spoiler.

  204. 204.

    Ruckus

    January 27, 2019 at 11:24 pm

    @J R in WV:
    Always liked how you think. Could we make it one of those very large machines that has a lot of moving parts that cut up stuff and blow it out the back?

  205. 205.

    Mnemosyne

    January 28, 2019 at 1:17 am

    @hilts:

    “Both sides” is so ingrained in our media overlords that Brokaw forgot that xenophobes and immigrants are not actually opposite sides that each have equally valid points that need to be respected. Or, at least, he forgot that he’s not supposed to say it out loud.

  206. 206.

    Hob

    January 28, 2019 at 2:16 am

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    for whatever reasons regrettably they’ve got a stronger, quasi-respectable presence in the UK and Australia

    The other day I had one of those unfortunate “fucking hell, yet another artist I admire is an asshole” moments when I learned that Graham Linehan, the Irish comedian who is responsible for some of the funniest TV shows ever made—and who has done political good deeds in the past, e.g. working on the campaign to legalize abortion in Ireland—is also on board with these chuckleheads, i.e. he is anti-trans not on right-wing grounds but from a “feminist” perspective that’s supposedly about defending lesbians. Sigh.

  207. 207.

    karen marie

    January 28, 2019 at 3:50 pm

    Democrats who have cast it as immoral … inaccurately believed that moderate rank-and-file Democrats were open to a compromise

    Both of these assertions seriously misrepresent the position of Democrats, moderate or otherwise. Fuck the NY Times.

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