Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

This blog will pay for itself.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

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

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Petty moves from a petty man.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Second rate reporter says what?

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

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

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

I have other things to bitch about but those will have to wait.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

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Reader Interactions

242Comments

  1. 1.

    PsiFighter37

    Sometimes the stupidest, blindest orange mouse finds a crumb. I hope Bolton enjoys the stench of a failed stint with Donnie on his mustache the rest of his life.

  4. 4.

    Cathie Fonz

    It will likely turn out that Bolton quit over the invitation of the Taliban to Camp David. Trump is too cowardly to ever fire anyone, though he likes to pretend to be a tough guy.

  7. 7.

    PsiFighter37

    @feebog: Stephen Miller is going to ride the Hindenberg to the bitter end, because Donnie won’t fire him, and nobody in their right mind would otherwise give that scumbag an honest job.

  13. 13.

    Betty Cracker

    “Jared, you’re up!”

    Seriously, has Trump ever improved the quality of personnel by shit-canning and replacing a low-quality hire? I can’t think of an instance. Grisham, the current press secretary, doesn’t do the public part of her job at all, so in that sense, she is both an improvement on and inferior to her predecessor. Barr isn’t as overtly racist as Sessions, but he’s somehow managed to damage American democracy more.

  15. 15.

    Mike in NC

    I read that Pence was also against the stupid stunt of inviting Taliban terrorists to Camp David, where they’d all be rewarded with day-old pulled pork sandwiches and autographed MAGA (“Make Afghanistan Great Again”) hats.

    This might mean booklicker Pence gets dropped in favor of Asshole Junior, who’s convinced himself he’s as popular with the wingnut goobers as dear old dad.

  16. 16.

    MJS

    Rooting for injuries. Also, Bolton seems like the kind of guy who mistakenly believes he has a reputation to uphold, so that combined with his access to the Sunday shows could make this interesting.

  19. 19.

    Elizabelle

    From The Guardian feed mistermix put up:

    33m ago
    11:40
    An addition to today’s schedule: secretary of state Mike Pompeo, treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and national security adviser John Bolton will have an on-camera White House briefing at 1:30 p.m. E.T.

    I guess not. More of that item:

    The briefing will ostensibly focus on combating terrorism. But if the three senior officials take questions from reporters, they are almost certain to be asked about Trump’s scrapped plans to hold peace talks with the Taliban at Camp David.

    Pompeo was reportedly in favor of the controversial plan, while Bolton was strongly opposed to it. Pompeo and Bolton have also reportedly been clashing behind the scenes, and the two men rarely speak to each other outside of formal meetings.

    The acting commissioner of Customs and Border Patrol, Mark Morgan, held a White House briefing yesterday as well — even as Trump’s press secretary steadfastly avoids the podium.

    Why can’t the fucking US press write as succinctly as that?

  23. 23.

    Ked

    …if someone told me I would be feeling vaguely sick about John Bolton getting fired, I never would have believed them. Because no matter what, the next guy is only going to be worse.

  24. 24.

    Quinerly

    Just heard in background that Pence has been openly disagreeing with Trump. Any details from anyone? Looks like Bolton offered his resignation last night, Trump didn’t accept. Waited until today to fire Bolton on Twitter

  28. 28.

    kindness

    This is a Yeay! And an Oh Shit! thing.

    Great that Bolton is gone as he is a war pig. But Oh Shit! who is going to replace him? One would think you can’t get worse than Bolton until you look over and see Pompeo sitting there with a shit eating grin on his slimy TeaBagging face.

  29. 29.

    Rand Careaga

    Pretty much every administration apprentice who has been fired is succeeded by someone worse. If the pattern holds, I expect Bolton’s replacement to be Pam Geller.

  30. 30.

    Another Scott

    In other news, TheHill:

    Senate Democrats are planning to force a vote to try to nix President Trump’s emergency declaration transferring military construction money to fund the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

    Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), making the announcement from the Senate floor, blasted Trump for making a “brazen power grab” and trying to leapfrog Congress.

    “The president’s national emergency declaration was and is an outrageous power grab by a president who refuses to respect the constitutional separation of powers. … Does our country truly have checks and balances, particularly when we have such an overreaching president?” Schumer asked from the Senate floor.

    Schumer added that if Congress didn’t nix Trump’s emergency declaration it would set a “dangerous precedent” that could allow a president to use their national emergency powers when Congress refuses to fund a priority.

    […]

    Good, good.

    Donnie’s tariffs, his Wall, and all the rest are predicted on some sort of emergency powers that he’s claiming.

    There is no emergency that he’s fixing with these things, he’s creating emergencies with them. Take the power away, and make the GOP take a stand. Don’t be afraid of what the RWNJ press and McConnell will say – protect the Constitution.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  31. 31.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Betty Cracker: interesting… most of trump’s rejects– not counting Cohen and the short-term D-listers– have stayed quiet, or anonymous. Bolton has always seemed an angry little man, his ab-twister dance notwithstanding. Maybe he’ll stir up some shit (I am no longer predicting anything or anyone will bring the great implosion.

    ETA: Lindsey Graham on MSNBC looking rattled and trying to say nothing with a lot of words

  33. 33.

    cain

    Eventually Jared will represent all positions in an acting capacity. He will also bring many hats with him, which he will switch when switching positions. But his dimwitted glare and smug look will stay fixed however.

  39. 39.

    hells littlest angel

    @Quinerly: Just heard in background that Pence has been openly disagreeing with Trump.

    Wait until Trump finds out he can’t fire Pence. He’ll have to ask Vlad to send an umbrella man.

  42. 42.

    Peale

    So one of the scary hawks is gone…and I’m sure he’ll be back god help us in the next GOP administration, re purposed as an elder statesman.

    So my guess is the next one for the role will be the one who decided to lie to the public or worse yet actually believes that we killed 1,000 Taliban last week.

  44. 44.

    Elizabelle

    It’s just so tacky and low to tell someone “we’ll talk tomorrow” and then fire them on Twitter. It’s so Trump.

    That said, I have no sympathy for John Bolton. He’s an awful person. Started to type that it was hard to think of anyone less sympathetic and then started contemplating the shitlist that is the Trump administration.

  46. 46.

    Roger Moore

    @Betty Cracker:

    Seriously, has Trump ever improved the quality of personnel by shit-canning and replacing a low-quality hire?

    No, and this was predicted. Most presidents hire the best people they can find when they start their administrations, so there’s a natural tendency for subsequent hires to be lower quality. That can be offset if the original hires stay on for quite a while, as it gives time to develop competent replacements.

    This approach was never going to work for Trump. He fires people too quickly for the farm system to develop quality replacements. His initial batch of hires also included some people who were capable but didn’t like Trump and were doing it out of a sense of duty and a hope they could work to rein in his worst impulses. There aren’t going to be any more people like that, both because it’s obvious that strategy doesn’t work and because Trump isn’t going to hire anyone but toadies for the remainder of his time in office.

  47. 47.

    Yarrow

    @Cheryl Rofer: The Dragon of Budapest? The guy with the “Art of War” license plate? Excellent choice.

    I think Mike Flynn is not yet in prison. He could fill in for awhile.

  49. 49.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Richard M. Nixon @ dick_nixon
    “You may disagree with Mitt Romney politically, but no one can argue he’s a decent man. A principled patriot who believes in the promise of this country … ”

    Nicholas Fandos @ npfandos
    Mitt Romney outspoken on Bolton’s firing: “I’m very, very unhappy to hear that he is leaving. It’s a huge loss for the andministration and for the nation.”

    Asked about a possible replacement, Romney suggests “John Bolton”

  50. 50.

    The Dangerman

    @hells littlest angel:

    I’ve got Geller in the pool, too.

    I’m thinking something truly out of the box:

    Mike Flynn

    It’ll be the “”Russia was a hoax, Flynn did nothing wrong, yada yada yada” and he should be reinstalled.

  57. 57.

    catclub

    @Rand Careaga:

    If the pattern holds, I expect Bolton’s replacement to be Pam Geller.

    The absolute best thing about Trump is that he is a coward and has no interest in actually going to war – this makes him far superior to
    GWBush, and 500,000 dead Iraqis agree.

    if Pam Geller talks war all the time but never follows through, that will suit Trump.

  58. 58.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Ivo Daalder just said that Kissinger was NSA and SoS at the same time, so the precedent exists for trump to give Pompeo an “acting”. He likes acting. I think we could do worse, but who the hell knows?

  63. 63.

    Bookeater (formerly JosieJ)

    @Cathie Fonz: @feebog: Hah! If anyone is Trump’s Mini-me, it’s Miller. He’s not going anywhere; Trump loves him, and there’s no daylight between his beliefs and Trump’s.

    As to Pence disagreeing with Trump, I’ll believe it when that punk-ass bitch says so publicly.

    On to the next “Acting-,” I guess.

  64. 64.

    catclub

    @hells littlest angel:

    Wait until Trump finds out he can’t fire Pence. He’ll have to ask Vlad to send an umbrella man.

    The only firing he can do is dropping him from the 2020 ticket. I would guess that would help Pence in the GOP, post 2020.

  65. 65.

    Another Scott

    Here’s hoping for a blowout in the NC special election today. RollCall:

    Republican leadership lowered expectations for the outcome in Tuesday’s North Carolina’s 9th District special election, calling it a “swing district.”

    President Donald Trump carried this district by 12 points in 2016, but Republican outside groups have spent more than $6 million on the race, which Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates Toss-up.

    “You know, the Bishop district is a very tough swing district,” GOP Whip Steve Scalise told reporters Tuesday.

    Republicans appeared to narrowly win this race last fall. GOP nominee Mark Harris led Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes, but the results were never certified because of allegations of election fraud tied to the Republican’s campaign. Harris opted not to run in the re-do of the election, and state Sen. Dan Bishop won a crowded GOP primary in May.

    Recent polling from Inside Elections put McCready ahead of state Sen. Dan Bishop, 46 percent to 42 percent.

    […]

    Heh. Sour Grapes, eh Scalise?

    Run up the score Team D!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  68. 68.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Bolton was on the Trump admin Death Watch(tm) the week after Trump brought him because Trump didn’t like Bolton’s mustache.

    So congrats to Jared as acting Security Adviser.

    My bet is next Pompero and then Barr will join the gallery of the fallen in the Trump Hunger Games.

  73. 73.

    West of the Rockies

    Excellent! May this prove to be the end of Mr. Walrus’s wretched career in government. I hope it hurts. I hope he is embarrassed and injured.

  74. 74.

    Gelfling 545

    All these poor fools think they’re going to keep Trump under control. Ha! Trump can’t even control himself. Better men than Bolton have suffered from this delusion, to their detriment.

  79. 79.

    hueyplong

    @Sebastian: Haha, so he texts Costa after his call to an on-air Fox personality is deemed insufficient?

    Starting to enjoy the scene in which the execrable Bolton is gutted like a fish on teevee.

  80. 80.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Yarrow: if he wants to make noise, I don’t imagine he’ll lack for platforms. I wonder if Nicolle Wallace will put him in her stable? BriWi would give him a fawning reception

  81. 81.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @Bookeater (formerly JosieJ):

    Hah! If anyone is Trump’s Mini-me, it’s Miller. He’s not going anywhere; Trump loves him, and there’s no daylight between his beliefs and Trump’s.

    Unless, of course, someone on Pence’s team decides he’s part of the conspiracy to get him off the 2020 ticket…in which case I’d expect to hear quite a few unflattering things Miller has said about Trump “off the record” to become public…

  84. 84.

    Betty Cracker

    Y’all. Bolton texted Brian Kilmeade on Fox & Friends to say he resigned and wasn’t fired, and Kilmeade read that on-air. Next, Trump will call in. This would be hilarious if these fucking boobs weren’t running the country.

  88. 88.

    sukabi

    @Quinerly: if Pence is openly warring with drumpf he may be quietly behind the scenes be rallying the cabinet to pull the trigger on article 25… That’s literally the only way he’ll ever be president.

  89. 89.

    Quinerly

    “The White House is running like a well-oiled machine.

    IVANKA—YOU STOP CHOKING STEVE MILLER THIS MINUTE!!”

  90. 90.

    germy

    informed of his firing as National Security Advisor, John Bolton solemly and with all the dignity accorded to such a powerful office, turned in his ID and 4chan password— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) September 10, 2019

  92. 92.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @Mike in NC:

    day-old pulled pork sandwiches

    Remember when you used to see stories about the White House chef on slow news days? There aren’t slow news data any more but also I wonder if there’s still a White House chef who is being driven suicidal by being asked to make Big Macs 3 meals a day.

  93. 93.

    Betty Cracker

    @catclub: Every time you say this, I have to throw salt over my shoulder and do a pirouette while spitting in the four directions. It gets burdensome and messy after a while.

  94. 94.

    Quinerly

    @sukabi: At one point 3 lifetimes ago, I was more frightened by Pence. Now I will gladly take him as Pres for a few months. And I hate Mike Pence.

  95. 95.

    Elizabelle

    LOL. Cole was about to put up his own post “Bolton shit-canned by tweet.”

    Both very good titles. As long as Bolton is gone, gone, gone.

  96. 96.

    PaulWartenberg

    Oh, by the by, the British Parliament closed down for a month under the excuse of prorogation. Chaos will continue until Leavers are exiled to a small coastal island off the shores of France.

  97. 97.

    Amir Khalid

    @rikyrah:
    No. The NSA is an adviser on the President’s staff, rather than an official of the executive branch, and is not among the positions subject to Senate confirmation. I think that’s more or less how Adam explains it.

  100. 100.

    germy

    A source of mine who is close with Bolton texts to say, "Man, you don't want Bolton on the outside shooting at you." This could get …interesting.— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) September 10, 2019

  105. 105.

    Yarrow

    @germy: I was thinking the same thing. John Bolton isn’t going to shut up and keep quiet. He’s a true believer and just got his “Let’s Bomb Everyone!” key card taken away. He’s going to be angry.

  106. 106.

    Quinerly

    @Roger Moore: I just read yesterday that Trump doesn’t care for his son dating Guilfoyle. She’s not invited to Thanksgiving. Take a peek at that big Atlantic piece on Ivanka and the the Trump boys.

  107. 107.

    Yarrow

    @rikyrah: Someone would take the job only if they felt it would allow them to pursue their own goals and it wouldn’t matter if they got fired. You know, a real quality person.

  109. 109.

    susanna

    Looks like Trump is mentally imploding, unable to organize his confusing thoughts cross-purpose lack of feelings and bigboy responsibilities.

    Might he please us with a medical reason to not run? At the last minute, of course, as he can’t let down his faithful by not showing up to make an ass of himself on stage. I think he might be starting to hate his job.

  113. 113.

    PsiFighter37

    @Yarrow: I’m skeptical – I am sure the GOP will find him a job that pays enough money to debase himself further and praise Donnie boy as the greatest ever.

  116. 116.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Betty Cracker:

    Barr isn’t as overtly racist as Sessions, but he’s somehow managed to damage American democracy more.

    Barr is the last believer in divine right of kings.

    It still Trump will sack him because Trump owes Barr and Trump always welches on his debts.

  119. 119.

    Shana

    We have a family friend who has retired from a government agency, but had to interact with Bolton at one point. He’s the most mild-mannered guy you’d ever meet and said at one point that John Bolton is the only person he’s ever come close to punching in the face. I have no idea what the issue under discussion was or when exactly this may have occurred but if this guy almost punched you you’re a special kind of assh*le.

  122. 122.

    JPL

    @Quinerly: Someone leaked that Pence disagreed with trump about the Camp David meeting. Last night Pence strongly disagreed with that statement. He had to since it’s been rumored that trump wants to dump him from the ticket.

  123. 123.

    Roger Moore

    @PsiFighter37:

    I am sure the GOP will find him a job that pays enough money to debase himself further and praise Donnie boy as the greatest ever.

    I am not at all sure of this. Not everyone can be bought off. Some people have principles they’re willing to stick to. This has been a big sticking point for the neocons as a group. I don’t like the neocons’ principles, but they clearly have some and are pissed as hell at Trump for violating them. Bolton may fall in the same category.

  124. 124.

    Yarrow

    @PsiFighter37: I’m sure the GOP will try. Bolton seems to me to be one of those true believer types and he’s just had his whole ability to do things he wants to do taken away. He could be angry and not want to toe the Trumper line. He may decide there’s more money to be made over on the Never Trumper side of things.

  125. 125.

    JPL

    Since Bolton is saying he resigned and was not fired. We’re going to have five days of trump marching out aides stating that trump fired Bolton. Aren’t we.

  126. 126.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @JPL: my two bit theory is that no one who might help him in ’20, or who he thinks would, don’ts want the job, by which I mean Nikki Haley and maybe Christie.

  131. 131.

    MattF

    @JPL: We can hope that the ‘controversy’ goes on long enough to keep Bolton out of the NatSec arena for a long time.

  132. 132.

    rikyrah

    @Betty Cracker:

    Barr isn’t as overtly racist as Sessions, but he’s somehow managed to damage American democracy more.

    Because he doesn’t have a Southern Drawl?
    It was clear from his confirmation hearings that Barr has never met a Black person that he didn’t think didn’t belong in jail. Incarceration for Black people is his thing.

  134. 134.

    Bookeater (formerly JosieJ)

    @Ella in New Mexico: It wouldn’t surprise me if that happened, true. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Miller had already co-opted someone in Jarvanka’s or Jr’s camp(s) to protect his flank. We know the whole grifting pack of them have delusions of grandeur; Miller could do worse than to sell them all on a Trump/Trump ticket, whether it’s Jr or Ivanka as Vice.

  136. 136.

    Amir Khalid

    A thought: John Bolton opposes all peace talks. He prefers to see the US settle its disagreements with superior force of arms, which he considers a more successful strategy. This would eventually get him booted from any administration — even, as we have just seen, the craziest.

  138. 138.

    trollhattan

    @Kristine:
    No kidding. We should cancel Wed-Friday and go straight to Saturday.

    Is Bolton the last of the Bushies in this administration? God, I hope so.

  139. 139.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @germy: I tried to find a youtube of Bolton twisting on a simply fit board and they have been disappeared! now that’s some deep fucking state shit

  145. 145.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @delk: Way to rain on Tim Cook’s parade.

    ??

    has that bastard come up with a new gadget he’ll somehow trick me into buying?

  149. 149.

    Redshift

    @Mike in NC:

    This might mean booklicker Pence gets dropped in favor of Asshole Junior, who’s convinced himself he’s as popular with the wingnut goobers as dear old dad.

    Pence put out an incredibly obsequious tweet denying he had ever disagreed with Dear Leader, which I actually think will easily be enough to save him.

    I think Bolton was let go not because he disagreed with the peace negotiations (that’s been reported for a while now) or opposing Trump’s dumbass Camp David stunt, but for having it reported in the press that he argued against the dumbass Camp David stunt, which was Trump’s personal thing, unlike the peace talks.

    There was the same reporting about Pence (that definitely didn’t come from his people; wonder who was trying to shiv him?), but Pence immediately denied it. Trump doesn’t care so much of people disagree as long as they knuckle under and say they didn’t to demonstrate fealty.

  152. 152.

    trollhattan

    @Roger Moore:
    Oh, she’s got that turtle wax protection so soldiers on. She’s also more silent than Carson, which is kind of mindboggling when you think about it. Carson snores, though.

  153. 153.

    TenguPhule

    @PsiFighter37:

    and nobody in their right mind would otherwise give that scumbag an honest job.

    That unfortunately leaves an awful lot of Republican business owners in the pool.

  156. 156.

    cmorenc

    Firing Bolton is the ONLY thing Trump’s done since taking office that I heartily agree with. Won’t let this one exception go to my head, promise.

  161. 161.

    JPL

    @Roger Moore: According to Atlantic Magazine, trump is not thrilled with the son’s new girl friend. The article actually alluded to the fact that trump himself thought she was hot. Maybe a little jealousy going on.

  162. 162.

    Baud

    Trump can’t fire Pence but if Trump somehow gets Pence to resign, Nancy Pelosi will be second in line to the presidency!

  164. 164.

    cs

    I find it interesting that when Trump’s confronted with a choice between violence and peace, he’s generally taking the path of peace. He caved to NK. He caved to Russia. He stopped the attack on Iran at the last second. And now he got rid of the guy who wanted unending war.

    This isn’t to ascribe noble intentions to Trump. There are none. He’s still a despicable human being who only opts out of war because of cowardice, not because of any deeply held pacifist beliefs. But it’s starting to give me a little hope that we might survive him.

  166. 166.

    Quinerly

    Do any of you wake up in the morning and wonder how this will all end?
    I’m asking in all seriousness.

  167. 167.

    catclub

    @trollhattan:

    Is Bolton the last of the Bushies in this administration? God, I hope so.

    Valerie Plame pointed out that Trump recently pardoned Scooter Libby. Maybe he will be the next one in Bolton’s job.

  168. 168.

    germy

    Bolton frustrated White House aides with his travel demands and entourage & had tensions with Pompeo and many in building. On policy, he disagreed with POTUS on many fronts — and recently blanched at going on TV to defend some of it. Our first take: https://t.co/YvQBNwOEuX— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) September 10, 2019

  170. 170.

    TenguPhule

    @cmorenc:

    Firing Bolton is the ONLY thing Trump’s done since taking office that I heartily agree with.

    And then come two months later you’ll confess you regret saying that.

  173. 173.

    TenguPhule

    @Quinerly:

    Do any of you wake up in the morning and wonder how this will all end?

    Badly. I will count it a win if humanity as a species is still able to survive in 20 years.

  174. 174.

    Shana

    @Roger Moore: TBH both Melania and whatshername Guillfoyle have had so much plastic surgery that they both look very unreal and neither one could be considered “hot.” YMMV

  175. 175.

    TenguPhule

    @germy:

    Bolton frustrated White House aides with his travel demands and entourage

    Oh Bullshit. ALL OF THEM have been stealing taxpayer money by abusing the shit out of government travel and comps.

  176. 176.

    Quinerly

    @JPL: I waded through that Atlantic piece too. Needed a shower after reading it. Would love to see Ivanka in jail. I actually dislike her more than Jr. They all are so damaged, but I couldn’t muster any kind feelings about any of them.

  182. 182.

    TenguPhule

    @cs:

    I find it interesting that when Trump’s confronted with a choice between violence and peace, he’s generally taking the path of peace.

    Uh no. Its delayed off camera violence. The fucking militerization of our borders, the ongoing escalation against Iran, the only place he’s backed down like a little bitch is against China and North Korea and that’s because he’s the seme to their uke.

  183. 183.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I didn’t have a stop watch on Hogan Gidley’s statement on Bolton, but I’d be surprised if it as more than 90 seconds, and he took no questions. I doubt they were ready for Bolton to fight back

  184. 184.

    Roger Moore

    @TenguPhule:

    And then come two months later you’ll confess you regret saying that.

    I may think that Trump’s replacement is worse than Bolton was, but that won’t make his firing a bad thing; it will make the subsequent hiring a disaster.

  185. 185.

    TenguPhule

    @Baud:

    Trump can’t fire Pence but if Trump somehow gets Pence to resign, Nancy Pelosi will be second in line to the presidency!

    And hence even more against impeaching him for fear of how the public would react.

  187. 187.

    The Dangerman

    @Roger Moore:

    …Trump doesn’t care for his son dating Guilfoyle.

    Given she was married to the California Governor and now involved with a Trump, it’s rather clear what makes her motor run; as soon as Trump is defeated and/or incarcerated, Guilfoyle is dumping Donnie Jr. faster than can be currently measured by scientific instrument.

    Hope he’s enjoying himself while it lasts and he gets all his shots.

  188. 188.

    Baud

    @Roger Moore:

    Agree. Trump seems to at least recognize that starting a major war is bad for him personally. Hopefully, we can make it another 15 months before he changes his mind.

  190. 190.

    catclub

    I just want to say watch your back if you run up against Pompeo. He seems to have won and not left a mark – everyone blames Stephen Miller.
    Pompeo has been rising and rising.

  191. 191.

    TenguPhule

    @Roger Moore:

    I may think that Trump’s replacement is worse than Bolton was, but that won’t make his firing a bad thing; it will make the subsequent hiring a disaster.

    Jeff Sessions.

  194. 194.

    Gravenstone

    @kindness: Yeah, Pompeo likely has “someone in mind” to suggest to Donnie. How better to solidify his power within the cabal that have his pick put into that role?

  196. 196.

    Elizabelle

    This is a day we are not talking about the Bahamas, and how we are so near a country devastated by a Category 5 hurricane and seem to be doing as little as possible. The Coast Guard is there …

    The Bahamas could have a cholera epidemic, right in our back yard.

    An Obama or Clinton administration would have been of great assistance, because the Bahamas are our neighbors, and the UK is our trusted ally.

    Not with this shitwich of an administration.

    A lot of the hurricane victims were undocumented Haitians, living in the Bahamas in plywood homes they constructed themselves. How many were washed out to sea, or will never be identified?

    The stench of death is over the shantytowns in the Bahamas. A NY Times reporter was taken to five bodies, decomposing in place, in one small area of a settlement ( Pigeon Peas, if memory serves).

    We sit by and pretend that a small island government with a huge impoverished populace can do all the heavy lifting on their own? After a Category 5 that stalled in place for hour upon hour?

    Elections matter. This misery of a non-response, as for Puerto Rico, is on the Trump voters’ heads and hands.

  200. 200.

    Gravenstone

    @sukabi: So much of the Cabinet is either under Trump’s thrall, or only “acting” that they couldn’t summon a majority to pull off the 25th if they actually tired.

  201. 201.

    TenguPhule

    @Elizabelle:

    We sit by and pretend that a small island government with a huge impoverished populace can do all the heavy lifting on their own? After a Category 5 that stalled in place for hour upon hour?

    Surely nobody can be surprised after Puerto Rico?

    We knew this was coming and the institutions are broken.

  204. 204.

    sukabi

    @Gravenstone: I think Pence’s political ambitions will overtake that reality…especially given the rumors that drumpf wants to find a different running mate. It’s do or die politically for Pence. Don’t think he’ll go quietly.

  206. 206.

    rikyrah

    @Elizabelle:

    An Obama or Clinton administration would have been of great assistance, because the Bahamas are our neighbors, and the UK is our trusted ally.

    This is true. The response would be vastly different.

  208. 208.

    zhena gogolia

    @Betty Cracker:

    Great responses there. I loved this one:

    @ManlnTheHoody
    2h2 hours ago
    More
    Replying to @AmbJohnBolton
    u should talk to hr bro. they cant do u like this.

  211. 211.

    Kent

    @Rand Careaga:

    Pretty much every administration apprentice who has been fired is succeeded by someone worse. If the pattern holds, I expect Bolton’s replacement to be Pam Geller.

    There are perhaps a few people who are worse people than Bolton. But I suspect it will be very hard to find someone as bad as him who was also as experienced as him in bureaucratic knife fighting. Bolton was a long-time master at that and I seriously doubt they will find another like him who knew how to manipulate the levers of bureaucratic power as much as Bolton did.

  212. 212.

    Aleta

    Here’s some of the the maneuvering for/by Bolton and other players, using stories in the media (that just happen to cross reference other stories) yesterday:

    Sept. 9, R ic h L ow ry in the Nat ional Re view (gak) (+ making a point to use a NYT quote)

    Why We Need John Bolt on

    John Bolton was a determined opponent of the deal with the Taliban, as this New York Times story notes:

    The meeting brought to a head a bristling conflict dividing his foreign policy team for months, pitting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo against John R. Bolton, the national security adviser, in a battle for the competing instincts of a president who relishes tough talk but promised to wind down America’s endless wars. …. (more from NYT is quoted) …

    This intense internal fight over Afghan policy is why there have been a spate of anti-Bolton stories in the press lately. He wasn’t afraid to ruffle feathers speaking forthrightly about why this course was a mistake …. It’s important that this president—any president—get unvarnished advice from his aides, and Bolton is always willing to provide it.

    Sept. 9, Salon (+ quoting NBC/MSNBC):

    Mike Pence backed John Bolton in battle with Trump over holding Taliban talks at Camp David: report

    Vice President Mike Pence joined forces with national security adviser John Bolton. According to a report from NBC, Vice President Mike Pence joined forces with national security adviser John Bolton to tell Donald Trump that his plan to meet with members of the Taliban at Camp David was a bad idea and would blow up on the president. The report notes that Bolton was insistent the talks not happen and that Pence backed him up.

    Both Pence and Bolton reportedly attempted to convince the president that holding the meetings during the week of 9/11 remembrances was a terrible idea — but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
    According to the report, “The idea raised Sept. 1 during a Situation Room meeting with the president was vehemently opposed by national security adviser John Bolton, even as officials at the State Department argued it could move the parties closer to an agreement, officials said.”
    “Bolton had an ally in Vice President Mike Pence, who also made the case against a meeting at Camp David, a location Trump suggested, officials said. Bolton and Pence were in Warsaw together around the time of the internal discussions,” MSNBC added.

  214. 214.

    JPL

    Pompeo already saying that trump asked for the resignation last night disputing Bolton. Who will be the next one marched on stage .

  216. 216.

    Aleta

    @SiubhanDuinne: Funny that.
    FWIW: Sept. 8, Politico
    What Henry Kissinger Can Teach John Bolton About Keeping the President Happy
    Richard Nixon, like Donald Trump, soured on his national security adviser. But repairing the relationship was costly.

  219. 219.

    Fair Economist

    In yet another of the “through the looking glass” events of this pseudo-Presidency, I never thought I’d have believed Bolton in a he-said-she-said situation.

  220. 220.

    jonas

    @Betty Cracker:

    I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”

    Didn’t want to interrupt part of Hannity to shit-can Bolton right then. Better wait until after Fox n’ Friends next morning.

  224. 224.

    TenguPhule

    NBC News
    ✔
    @NBCNews
    Replying to @NBCNews @PeterAlexander
    Charlie Kupperman will be acting national security adviser following the firing of John Bolton, White House says – @PeterAlexander

    81
    7:03 AM – Sep 10, 2019

    Kupperman was on the board of directors for an anti-Muslim hate group.

    But that’s just fine. //s

  225. 225.

    Raoul

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: re: your ETA about Lindsey.

    Jim Risch (R-Coward), Senate Foreign Relations Chair, was asked this morning
    Q: Are you concerned about any instability on the presiden’ts national securty team?
    Risch: I am not.

    Of course that’s the company line. But they befoul themselves with this nonsense.

  226. 226.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @germy: Would rather see him on Dancing While In Stir…

    An old friend who was in the class behind him at McDonogh School outside Baltimore (when it was still a military academy – as close as the Walrus ever got to serving) tells me he was a full flaming arsehole even then.

  227. 227.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Baud: Imagine a scenario in which Twitler dumps Mikey Dense from the ticket at the Convention in favor of {insert name here} & Dense invokes the 25th because (Badly) Acting POTUS is the closest he’d ever get to the White Supremacy House. What a fluster-cuck that’d be…

  231. 231.

    Mike in NC

    What are the odds Wilbur Ross will be gone by Friday? He’s what 84? Isn’t he already filthy rich? Needs to spend more time counting his gold bars and more importantly, nobody we know about has been fired for Sharpiegate.

  233. 233.

    Aleta

    @SiubhanDuinne: Kissinger’s columnist friend at the Post, Hugh He+witt, frequently uses column space about a recent Tr foreign policy crisis to work in a recomm. for a Kiss book. (He+witt is also the new president of the R Nix+on Foundation.)
    Sept. 7, Hugh He+witt in WaPo

    Playing the ‘long game’ with China
    In his must-read book “On China,” Kissinger explained …

    Jul 19, Hew itt on twitter

    Consulting “Crisis” by Dr. Kissinger as the one between U.S./U.K./allies v Iran escalates. (he provides link to ama zon to buy it) Two takeaways:
    1. As w/most stories, early reports are almost always wrong;
    …

    May 23, plugs Winston Lord’s book on Kiss at the Nixon Fdn
    “In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon’s national security advisor, Dr. Henry Kissinger, steered U.S. foreign policy through challenging times … Working by his side throughout was Winston Lord, then special assistant to the national security advisor and director of the State Department’s policy planning staff.”

    IMO Kiss. never misses a chance to recoat his relevance and importance and to paper over his record via the media and google.

  234. 234.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Aleta:

    I was blissfully unaware of these, as I make it a point to not read anything by the ambulatory cream-cheese sculpture (h/t Betty Cracker). And as for Henry the K, I actually am always a little bit taken aback whenever I realise that he’s still alive.

  235. 235.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Ramalama:

    There’s also a “Scaramucci Unit,” although that in itself may have been was almost certainly inspired by the “Friedman Unit.”

  237. 237.

    Tehanu

    @Elizabelle:

    I have no sympathy for John Bolton. He’s an awful person. Started to type that it was hard to think of anyone less sympathetic and then started contemplating the shitlist that is the Trump administration.

    Not hard at all, starting with Stephen Miller, Betsy DeVos, Mnuchin, Wilbur Ross [and am I the only one who sees that name and thinks, “Wilburrrrrrr!” ?], Ben Carson….
    @Betty Cracker:

    This would be hilarious if these fucking boobs weren’t running the country.

    No kidding!

  238. 238.

    Ramalama

    @SiubhanDuinne: Oh, I missed out entirely on the “Scaramucci Unit” – just passed me by. Like a Scaramucci in the night.

    In other news have you noticed that he seems to be rebranding himself? Saw/heard him on Bill Maher, the show that I yell at and yet still watch. Scaramucci was in mid-transformation during the show .. like you could hear him change the timbre of his voice (or I could) and toward the end he was trying to come off as this totally accessible voice of reason guy. It made me so mad!

  239. 239.

    ET

    Am I the only one looking forward to the post tRump post presidency and all of books from former members of the administration? tRump may be controlling the narrative to varying degress while he is president, but once he is out of office and no longer head of the GOP, no one has to stay loyal/stay in line. History will not be kind to him and there is nothing he can do about it. Oh, and all of this will look even worse once it is in the rear view mirror than it does in the middle of the hot mess.

  240. 240.

    J R in WV

    @Quinerly:

    Do any of you wake up in the morning and wonder how this will all end?

    I’m asking in all seriousness.

    No. I lay awake at 3 or 4 or 5 am and wonder if we will survive, or wish we had not survived.

  241. 241.

    catclub

    @Mike in NC:

    What are the odds Wilbur Ross will be gone by Friday? He’s what 84? Isn’t he already filthy rich?

    1.Given that he is probably the dirtiest of the bunch and has already stayed a long time, flying under the scandals radar. I see him staying in.
    2. He is like Trump, very rich, but MUCH less rich than he claims to be for the billionaires list at Forbes.

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