Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

John Fetterman: Too Manly for Pennsylvania.  Paid for by the Oz for Senator campaign.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Let there be snark.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Republicans do not pay their debts.

This fight is for everything.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Why did Dr. Oz lose? well, according to the exit polls, it’s because Fetterman won.

After roe, women are no longer free.

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

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Indict the MOFO / Cold Grey Pre-Dawn Open Thread: Delicious Schadenfreude!

Cold Grey Pre-Dawn Open Thread: Delicious Schadenfreude!

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85Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    That’s quite a tweet collection, AL.

    Here @brianbeutler has some sharp words for all those who are suddenly for impeachment now that it’s safe and easy. Where were they back when Trump was committing multiple impeachable offenses but it was much harder and more lonely to make this argument?

    So instead of celebrating progress, people complain they should have won sooner? Why? Do people on our side not understand the notion of building momentum? Everything needs to happen instantly or not at all, I guess.

  2. 2.

    Betty Cracker

    For my money, here’s the most insane part of Giuliani’s appearance on Laura Ingraham’s White Power Hour:

    Qanon-level bananapants. I hope and pray Congress compels Giuliani to testify in an open hearing.

  4. 4.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud: There are times when I feel like progressives by and large are more interested in being 100% correct 100% of the time than they are with actually accomplishing their goals.

  7. 7.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud: Nah, they get to argue with each other 100% of the time about who was more 100% correct. Which as far as I can tell, arguing is the real goal and one wins when the other just gives up.

    “Aha! Shut him up good this time!”

  10. 10.

    Gvg

    Meh, most of those are perfectly understandable. Being impatient with how slow Pelosi was going was going includes me and almost all of those are now ecstatic. I even think Bernie is right to worry that Republicans still won’t vote to impeach. The Senate really is a problem. I just can’t see that doing nothing will be sucessful either. However saying that the partisan GOP senators are a problem, helps by explaining to simple non political viewers what is going on, and I hope will put some pressure on them.
    There were some quoted which were NOT sympathetic though. All of the republican spin masters were as usual idiots.

  11. 11.

    Raven

    Report from the end of the river. It was an incredible boat, hardworking captain and mate and really interesting out in the oil rigs. Despite that the tuna simply weren’t hitting. The trip was saved by our knowing the dudes gave it all they had, we caught some hard fighting Bonita, and I lucked into about a 60 pounder so we all have 12 lbs or so of nice fish to take home. Oh, did I mention we decided to go on an inshore and go for reds and trout. It’ll be hot and buggy but the hell with it!

    https://flic.kr/p/2hksKeZ

  14. 14.

    Bruce K

    I’ve seen it plenty of times in plenty of contexts: some people are more interested in winning the argument than solving the problem.

    (Had an incident when I was moving house and had to get a split-AC unit uninstalled from my old place to move it to the new place. The mechanics got into a shouting match with the building superintendent in the lobby because the super hadn’t been told in advance; when I came down, I realized I’d forgotten to give the notice, and basically said: “Look, this was my fault; can we just get on with the work at hand?” Everyone involved in the argument told me that no, I wasn’t to blame for this, and they went right back to screaming at one another, each party intent on browbeating the other into admitting it was wrong, while my AC unit sat in my apartment gathering dust.)

  16. 16.

    Amir Khalid

    “Bill Barr the Bagpiper” — catchy name, but I probably wouldn’t like the playing so much.

  17. 17.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Bruce K: A friend of mine died from fall injuries at the bottom of a 400′ pit while rescue teams from 2 different counties were arguing over whose rope to use.

  19. 19.

    germy

    I watched some of trump’s speech to the U.N.

    At one point, he says he will never let the U.S. become a socialist country. It’s something he won’t allow.

    It made me think he’ll be less likely to concede to any Democrat who beats him, because all Democrats (as we know) are socialists.

    The only thing that gave me hope was knowing he never keeps his promises.

  23. 23.

    germy

    Possible whistleblowers:

    – The boy mowing the White House lawn
    – A tweet from Chrissy Teigan
    – Rudy Giuliani (by accident)
    – Hillary’s emails
    – The bed he paid Russian hookers to pee on
    – Tiffany Trump

    — The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) September 25, 2019

  25. 25.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @germy:

    It made me think he’ll be less likely to concede to any Democrat who beats him

    It does not really matter whether he concedes or not. If he is defeated in the election, he will cease to have any power the moment the new president takes the oath of office.

    ETA the word “not” where it was needed.

  26. 26.

    Baud

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    To be more precise, it matters. But he won’t be successful if he actually attempts a coup by “refusing” to leave office. The office will leave him regardless of what he does.

  27. 27.

    germy

    “Just keep your lying mouth shut”

    LOL! Rudy Giuliani made a guest appearance later during Ingraham's show and immediately started calling a co-panelist "an idiot" and yelling at him to "shut up." pic.twitter.com/Mh2LbJXuaT— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 25, 2019

    You can see why the state department would pick him for his smooth, graceful diplomatic skills.— Ruth Abrams (@RuthieAA) September 25, 2019

  28. 28.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Baud: I’ll grant that. I am just tired of people worrying that his refusal to accept reality on this point would cause him to somehow retain the presidency.

  30. 30.

    TS (the original)

    So of course MJ talking about all the bad things Bill Clinton did, while giving Speaker Pelosi advice – he’ll rejoin the GOP before the next election

  32. 32.

    debbie

    @germy:

    “This shitshow that we’re in — it’s him injecting himself into the process.”

    Because of course. It’s what Rudi always does.

    Anyway, I’ve been waiting for this day since 1978, when Trump first intruded upon my conscience. It’s about time!

  33. 33.

    germy

    @Omnes Omnibus: He can stir up his violent base. If he were to concede gracefully (impossible, I know) it might encourage his base to stay home and grumble privately. If he declares Warren wants to turn us into Venezuela, they might start acting out.

  34. 34.

    OzarkHillbilly

    At 2:06 pm yesterday this happened:

    Adelyne Rose
    6 lbs 2 oz
    10 fingers
    10 toes
    1 healthy appetite

  35. 35.

    tokyokie

    @germy: And thus the rats begin to turn on one another.

    One thing I remember from Watergate is that the administration first tried to blame the fools caught in the act, then Liddy, then Colson, and on up. Once the blame got to Haldeman and Erlichman, Nixon’s downfall was inevitable.

    But Nixon’s accomplices were both reasonably competent and loyal. I doubt these guys are either. So how long will it take Ghouliani to realize he’s being groomed as the fall guy, and what will he do when he has that realization?

  43. 43.

    debbie

    The American people want us to get things done for them rather than focus on more & more partisan investigations. The Democrats’ impeachment inquiry will distract Congress from the bipartisan legislative work we should be doing to find solutions & deliver results for Americans.— Rob Portman (@senrobportman) September 24, 2019

    My focus will remain on working w/ my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, and w/ the Trump admin. to strengthen our economy, expand retirement security, pass #USMCA to help Ohio farmers, workers, & manufacturers, tackle the opioid crisis, and pursue other priorities for Ohio.— Rob Portman (@senrobportman) September 24, 2019

    Really? You want to bemoan the lack of bipartisan legislation? Take it up with your man, Moscow Mitch, you jackass.

  46. 46.

    Amir Khalid

    @Omnes Omnibus:
    Trump can’t refuse to leave the White House once he is no longer president. But still, I fear that whoever succeeds him as POTUS will have to do a cold start on January 20, because Trump is not going to bother with a proper transition to the new administration

  49. 49.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Amir Khalid: Given that the next president is basically going to need to just reverse just about everything the Trump admin is doing, I don’t know how great a problem that will be. Whoever gets elected is going to have a bitch of a job; I just don’t think that Trump’s cooperation or non-cooperation will add or subtract much from the task.

  50. 50.

    tokyokie

    @WereBear:

    By the third sequel, the moviemakers are out of ideas.

    Which never has stopped them from making several more. For example, the current Rambo Joins AARP.

  52. 52.

    Betty Cracker

    @tokyokie: It’s striking how far down the rabbit hole Trump, Giuliani, the congressional cheerleaders like Matt Gaetz, et al, are on these conspiracy theories. That video I embedded earlier shows a glimpse of it — they seem genuinely convinced that George Soros set Manafort and Trump up, and as long as they stay in the Fox News ecosystem, no one call them out on how crazy that is.

    I think there’s a subset of Republicans who don’t believe all that crap but are going along with it because terror/self interests, including McConnell, Graham, Paul, etc. My guess is Bill Barr is in the latter group too. He’s willing to lie and sing and dance to keep the gravy train on the tracks, as he did when he spun the Mueller report. He’ll go all out to obstruct and spin the Ukraine extortion evidence too.

    What’ll be interesting is when the true believers have to venture outside the bubble.

  54. 54.

    Amir Khalid

    @debbie:
    Also too, I wouldn’t trust the Trumpistas not to do whatever damage to the incoming administration they possibly can, in ways both enormous and petty

  56. 56.

    Searcher

    On the plus side the. Constitution does not mandate that the Chief Justice administer the Oath of Office, so Roberts can’t just refuse to do it.

  57. 57.

    Not a Pelosi Cultist

    Pelosi has a cult. Fascinating.

    I checked out Morning Joe to see what mainstream critters have to say. Could AL be secretly Mika Brzezinski? They sound so similar when referring to all things Pelosi.

  59. 59.

    Amir Khalid

    @Omnes Omnibus:
    I can see problems with surveying the damage done by previous management. The new administration will need to identify precisely what needs fixing. The Trumpistas are going to leave a presidential term’s worth of records not kept, badly kept, falsified to cover up wrongdoing and ineptitude. I think verifying what work records they can trust will be a big headach for the new administration.

  60. 60.

    CarolDuhart2

    @germy: And we will arrest as many of them as we can, and start chasing the rest if they are stupid enough to go violent-which by the way is the only mode they have. They will find out the hard way that nobody, even a brooding Trump, cares about them in the least.

  61. 61.

    SFAW

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    Congratulations!

    When do you plan on introducing her to Balloon Juice? [As part of her “learning to read” effort, of course.] Best wishes to all, I hope Mom is doing fine, too.

  63. 63.

    SFAW

    @SFAW:

    When do you plan on introducing her to Balloon Juice?

    Ozark –
    To be a little more clear: I meant getting her a nym/nom, having her participate, not show her off to us. (Although baby pics are always welcome.)

  64. 64.

    Ken

    @Amir Khalid: Are there any fines associated with the Presidential Record-Keeping Act? Because it would be delicious to nickle-and-dime various members of this misadministration for four years of missing records.

  65. 65.

    SFAW

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Whoever gets elected is going to have a bitch of a job;

    Although I’m an old fart, and have no particular political skills, I would/could get really cranked up if President Warren (um Gotteswillen) or her staff could find something for me to do to help that transition. The chance to undo some of the evil that Shitgibbon wrought would be awesome.

  66. 66.

    SFAW

    @Not a Pelosi Cultist:

    Oh, look, honey! A new troll! How exciting.

    Kinda reminds me of the stalker/troll who used to call mistermix “muckymux.”

    Or maybe it’s DougJ? (Although he’s usually a little more subtle.)

  67. 67.

    Keithly

    @Amir Khalid: As it happens, Bill Barr played the pipes in a band with a very good reputation, City of Washington, back in the day. I’ve never heard him play solo, admittedly.

  68. 68.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @SFAW: Would be an interesting social experiment for sure. My sense of humor was deeply influenced by exposure to “Rocky and Bullwinkle” in my formative years.

  70. 70.

    PJ

    @Baud: This kind of thinking has been around since forever, but I think Twitter has exacerbated it. The ability to express one’s thought to the world, without any filter (or much less of a filter than when actually talking or writing to a real person), and have it published around the world in seconds, where, within minutes, one can see that others have been having similar thoughts, leads to the notion that politicians should have been acting on my thought five minutes ago. After all, I was feeling hungry, and I had the thought that I should eat a ham sandwich, and, by gum, I went and made a ham sandwich – so why can’t Pelosi make me a ham sandwich?!! The idea that politicians might have other concerns besides immediately following the tweeter’s instructions never occurs to them: Look, all these people agree with me! It’s an outrage that Pelosi hasn’t called for impeachment yet! Never mind the fact that, up until yesterday, there haven’t been enough Democratic votes in the House to secure impeachment, and that any hope of a conviction in the Senate will take over a year of slow-walking evidence before the public so that enough Republican senators start to feel enough heat that they will not be re-elected that they start to reconsider their loyalty to Cheetoh Mussolini, and that failure to secure a conviction will help Trump’s chances of being re-elected. That’s Pelosi’s problem, not mine – I’m a Twitter user, and I want my pony right now!

  71. 71.

    Not a Pelosi Cultist

    @SFAW:

    Oh, look, honey! A new troll! How exciting.

    Yeah, anyone who’s lost faith in Pelosi’s political genius in the last extremely frustrating 9 months is a troll — and a Russian one according to your puppet Ceci n est pas mon nym (Ooh La La! A French nom de guerre with a Magritte reference! How sophisticated!).

    I guess you guys were right all along. Self-impeachment worked! And I do have to congratulate AL on her incredible searching skills. It must have been tough to manage to find so many Twitter nobodys reinforcing the point that Pelosi cultists were right all along to just wait for self-impeachment and all of us who yelled for impeachment while crimes were being committed in broad daylight are nothing but crybabies — and Russian trolls, and maybe in AOC’s and Bernie’s cult too, let us not forget!

    I’m happy Pelosi has finally come around to what was inevitable. That doesn’t mean I now have any faith in her skills. Friday is supposed to be the first day of a 2-week House recess. We now have the political momentum and closing down the House would be idiotic. I hope Pelosi doesn’t. But, can you blame any of us who don’t trust her political instincts any longer to be worried that she just might? Or that the impeachment proceedings will be as ineffective as the Mueller show?

    I hope I’m totally and absolutely wrong and I’ll be delighted to change my mind.

  72. 72.

    Sab

    @debbie: Wow.

    Well, nobody can accuse Nancy’s House of doimg nothing and wasting time with hearings, because they already passed a bunch of legislation. Now they can have impeachment hearings all fall and winter while they wait for the Senate to get around to its legislating chores.

  73. 73.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @OzarkHillbilly: “Times”? Times??? I learned this nearly 50 years ago in college, sitting in Moratorium Committee meetings as the Maoists and Trotskyites savaged each other more viciously than they ever went after the murderous bastards running the Vietnam War.

    The classic leftie rant goes something like “Here’s our 27-point program for peace, love & universal happiness – & if you disagree with even one point you are worse than the fascists!” Meanwhile the knuckledragging mouthbreathing godbothering morons of the Far Wrong only have to agree on who to hate – not even why they hate them – & they line up & dress right for their goosestep past the reviewing stand. Sheesh.

  74. 74.

    SFAW

    @Not a Pelosi Cultist:

    Quit whining. And your attempts to “justify” your trolling are pretty pathetic.

    If I had abso-fucking-lutely nothing to do, I might consider trying to figure out which of the former trolls you were. Well, if someone paid me a shitload of money to do it, that is. But as it stands, I got better things to do. Like floss the cat, or cogitate on whether “anal(-)retentive” should be hyphenated.

  75. 75.

    artem1s

    @Baud:

    Where were they back when Trump was committing multiple impeachable offenses but it was much harder and more lonely to make this argument?

    Hopefully Dems can use these idiots to warm up their defense for the GOP inevitable claim that Trump is the Dems (or Killary’s) fault. You know as soon as they all jump ship Trumptanic they will be whinging ‘why didn’t you warn us’ again.

  78. 78.

    Not a Pelosi Cultist

    @SFAW:

    If I had abso-fucking-lutely nothing to do, I might consider trying to figure out which of the former trolls you were. Well, if someone paid me a shitload of money to do it, that is. But as it stands, I got better things to do.

    Thank you for helping me save time by not paying any attention to anything you have to say ever again: Taking precious time out of your undoubtedly very demanding schedule to tell me you won’t take any precious time out of your undoubtedly very demanding schedule to actually address anything I said only proves that you have nothing of any actual significance to say. So, thank you; you’re saving me precious time :)

    P.S. Calling someone a “troll” because you can’t engage with someone’s comments is the last refuge of the cultist.

  80. 80.

    SFAW

    @Not a Pelosi Cultist:
    Yeah, whatever, whiner.

    No, you’re a troll because it was more of the same old (thinly-veiled) “We fucking hates the Pelosi, precious” bullshit. Also because you decided to take a personal swipe at Anne Laurie, because you’re that clever.

  81. 81.

    SFAW

    @Not a Pelosi Cultist:

    P.S. Calling someone a “troll” because you can’t engage with someone’s comments is the last refuge of the cultist.

    Or perhaps it’s the mark of someone who knows bullshit when he sees it. And I’m looking at it right now, honey.

  82. 82.

    SoupCatcher

    Activists operate in the right/wrong space, and are going to be dismissive of the trade-offs that organizers have to make to get things done. I’m not sure if activist to organizer is a continuum or if they are orthogonal. Regardless, for me, I pay attention to activist big picture critiques and ignore the problems they have with the nuts and bolts.

  85. 85.

    Starfish

    This thing where we are trying to turn impeachment into more Democratic infighting is not a good look.

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