Last week I asked you for your questions and you delivered. Answered a bunch here – and looking forward to doing this again soon. SPOILER: Revealing @POTUS' favorite ice cream ?? pic.twitter.com/DtAXZZGFdR
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) January 24, 2021
I gave you my word as a Biden — and I kept that word. pic.twitter.com/MdpmoTvTXT
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 24, 2021
NEW MOTTO:
Do popular things. Don’t let people who hate popular things stop you. https://t.co/VXDn15tWsL
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) January 24, 2021
News outlets really have to stop framing articles as ‘what do Republicans think.’
Under Trump it was “his actions are wildly unpopular but Republicans love it.” Now under Biden the framing is “his actions are wildly popular but Republicans hate it.” https://t.co/aVbnTvYCmE
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) January 24, 2021
Commentators: Can Biden unify the public behind his agenda?
Public: ?? https://t.co/HULee08w4I
— Ronald Klain (@WHCOS) January 24, 2021
If you care about the tone of the president when deciding whether or not to fund unemployment benefits, you probably don't actually want to fund unemployment benefits https://t.co/gOudin9Gc8
— The face toucher (@JonIsAwesomest) January 23, 2021
If ever there were a time for Democrats to break the mid term curse through big, bold action, pretty sure the country in a catastrophe spiral while Republicans staff a clown parade is that time.
— Schooley (@Rschooley) January 22, 2021
Baud
I wish Jen were my kindergarten teacher.
Immanentize
My comment is:
Blech
satby
Big storms going through central US right now, so stay safe everyone in those areas!
rikyrah
Good Morning, Everyone ???
Baud
@rikyrah:
Good morning.
satby
@Baud: Redheads rule. And don’t suffer fools.
@Immanentize: ? Since OH might be occupied with weather, good of you to stand in.
Baud
Fixed.
satby
@rikyrah: Good morning. Winter storm coming for us next, hope you can work from home.
Immanentize
@satby: It’s Monday, so Ozark is hopefully awaiting the arrival of his grand daughter.
For me, classes delayed are starting today. It will now be an education sprint to May. No spring break — just endless zooming.
NotMax
Brrr.
Has been dropping down as low as the mid to upper 40s overnight outside the abode.
MagdaInBlack
@satby: Chicago winter storm warning starts just about the time I get to drive home. Can’ wait. =-l
debbie
Rubio assuming a leadership role is very good news for Democrats. And also gives @dick_nixon plenty of material.
Immanentize
@satby: It’s supposed to snow for a couple of days here, Tuesday and Wednesday, but very little accumulation.
debbie
@MagdaInBlack:
Be careful. It’s very shiny out there!
NotMax
@Immanentize
Okay, zoomer.
:)
OzarkHillbilly
@satby: Still dry and I haven’t lost satellite yet, just a little busy taking care of shit before I begin my day.
Ameliorating the blech.
Princess
What snow they are predicting in Chicago is basically coming overnight, and they keep revising the amount down.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
So I’m thinking about the woman that Greenwald got fired, and am disgusted with his disingenuous, smirking commentary denying a role.
I’m also unsurprised by the company he repeatedly finds himself in.
https://twitter.com/SadBradSmith/status/1353452481381068807?s=20
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/andrew-“weev”-auernheimer
It goes on and on and on….
Percysowner
Here in Central Ohio, I walked my dog last night and only got to the end of the block because there was a sheet of ice over everything. I told her to do her business and we headed home. This morning I took her out to the yard and told her that she was going to have to wait until this evening for a good walk, because I am not going to kill myself on that ice. Fortunately I take care of my granddaughter so there will be lots of playing for both of them in the safety of my home.
satby
@MagdaInBlack: See if you can leave work early! I don’t mind the snow, but I hate driving in ice storms. One notable one at least 15 or more years ago snarled traffic so badly with accidents that it took 40 minutes for me to go less than 5 miles, and I ended up staying overnight at a friends house near work rather than try to get home. Which was far better than the poor souls who spent hours stuck on highways overnight.
Baud
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:
The cool kids call it being cancelled.
Cermet
The key effort for whether the Dem’s survive or fail at the mid-terms is the Covid/stimulus bill’s success. Water it down to any great extent and they will sign their own death warrent. If the thugs fight that bill (and doing so is critictal to their future chances), then the dems have to kill the fillibuster or else. They can’t compormise s.t. the bill becomes so weak the economy does not expand.
NotMax
@OzarkHillbilly
As they say in the old, old, old country: Harmonizing the phlogiston.
:)
satby
@Princess: Take a look at the radar. It could stay south but it’s not expected to. Like I said, snow doesn’t bother me much, but ice driving is a nightmare. At my age, so is ice walking.
MagdaInBlack
@satby: I am fortunate this time around to have a boss who will throw me out if the weather looks bad. ” Go Home”
I have an hour commute, in good weather. So far, in 63 years, I’ve only been snowed in at my own home. ( I’m sure I just jinxed that.)
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@Baud:
Yup.
Glenn’s photo with weev, by the way, was at Poitras’ home for a party after the Snowjob exfiltration.
Funny how weev got an invite.
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: New grandbaby due today? Best wishes to everyone.
Dorothy A. Winsor
From a Daily Beast report via Raw Story (Yes, I am enjoying it)
WereBear
We already had our storm watch, upgraded to storm warning, STORM (moved the vehicle to a flat place so the plow guy can get to my parking spot) and are now back to our normal.
This is the time of year I just fasten my ICETrekkers Diamond Grip Traction Cleats to my boots and leave them there.
Baud
NotMax
@satby
Have had enough encounters with black ice while driving to have learned to think
twicefive times before venturing forth during or shortly after winter storms when temps stay below freezing for a prolonged period.Baud
Oh yeah (NYT link)
Just One More Canuck
@Immanentize: endless zooming? You’re a cat at 3 in the morning?
SFAW
Minor pleasure: it’s nice to be able to watch and listen to a WH Press Secretary without feeling the usual, overwhelming urge — well, ANY urge, actually — to yell “STFU you fucking liar!”
Immanentize
@Just One More Canuck: It’s exactly like that! But somehow the opposite?
NotMax
@Baud
“Your Honor, I most stridently request a change of venue. How does Vladivostok strike you?”
debbie
@Baud:
I trust Dominion will have more evidence than Rudy ever has?
SFAW
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:
I mean, I understand your point in posting some of that motherfucker’s “oeuvre,” but seeing that racist, anti-Semitic, Nazi bullshit first thing in the AM is not a good way to start my day.
SFAW
@debbie:
Not exactly a high bar.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@SFAW:
Sorry – was too disgusted to let it go.
Baud
@debbie:
My hope is that discovery will uncover damning emails that we haven’t seen yet.
satby
@NotMax: Same work location, earlier that winter, driving to work on 294 I hit black ice trying to avoid the car spinning out in front of me, so I spun out too. Every rotation showed me the semi trying to slow down without jacknifing behind me, and in front was the wall of the tunnel under the Hinsdale Oasis. I thought I was a goner, and just shut my eyes bracing for impact by whichever hit me first. The car jerked and stopped… no impact. I had somehow spun past the overpass and ended up on the shoulder, the other car in the ditch across the highway and the truck passed us both. Got off at the next exit and took side streets the rest of the way to work. About 20 minutes later my oldest kid calls to be sure I’m ok, because the news had reported a 10 car pile up in that spot after I had passed it.
I stay off icy roads now.
debbie
@Baud:
I want emails on everything—election, insurrection, all of it.
debbie
@satby:
I had a slightly similar experience, but here, it’s more about other drivers driving idiotically than with bridges. I usually stick to back roads regardless of the weather.
Nicole
@rikyrah: Good morning!
KenK
@satby: @#6 “Redheads rule. And don’t suffer fools.” Yep. My wife has been telling me that for over 30 years.
Immanentize
@debbie: I’ve been wondering whether Biden already has a plan for revealing the Trump era inter office messaging. Because if he doesn’t, the employees will likely do it themselves. I think there is room for a nice slow, orderly release of just how horrible, corrupt and illegal everything was.
debbie
@Immanentize:
I’d like to see something dribbled out every time a Republican says a second impeachment is stupid.
NotMax
@satby
Last time can recall was during a January night in northern Virginia. Highway sloppy but okay, however when moved onto an exit ramp, there it was.
Car did a 720 and came to a stop, still on the pavement. No damage, no other vehicles anywhere near.
First comment to my passenger was “Are you all right?” Upon receiving affirmation, followed with “Don’t know about you, but my life is so boring that someone else’s flashed before my eyes.”
;)
SFAW
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:
Yeah, it was/is pretty disgusting, and I understand your intent. I’ll get over it, of course, and it’s a stark reminder of some of what we’re up against.
OzarkHillbilly
@satby: I’m spending the day with her in STL sans wife who has been working 10 hr days and needs down time.
PST
@MagdaInBlack:
My wife snagged a vaccination appointment for tomorrow morning, but it’s in Arlington Heights, many miles from our apartment in the city. She’s worried about whether she can get there and whether they will be up and running. We’re debating whether she should pack a bag and drive before the snow. Hotel rooms are cheap in a pandemic.
OzarkHillbilly
@Baud: Couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy.
Immanentize
@NotMax: of course you would say that. I will try to remember it if I ever nearly die in a wreck.
Immanentize
@OzarkHillbilly: you keep reporting things like this — helping your kids out babysitting, letting your wife get some deserved quiet time — and I might start to think you’re a nice guy.
SFAW
@OzarkHillbilly:
Sounds pretty un-blech-y. Have fun!
SFAW
@Immanentize:
What’s that saying? “Game recognizes game”?
satby
@PST: It could be overkill, but I would probably do that. I’ve had to check into hotel rooms with only the clothes on my back more than once in bad weather. The trouble with waiting to see how things develop is by the time you pull the “yea, go” trigger it’s already getting bad.
@NotMax: ? oh, you!
Geminid
Go west, Floriduh Man! This Thursday grandstanding Matt Gaetz will appear in Cheyenne, Wyoming for an anti-Liz Cheney rally. A Cheney spokesman fired back: “Rep. Gaetz can leave his beauty bag at home. In Wyoming the men don’t wear makeup.” Another Republican impeacher, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, piled on, confirming that Gaetz “literally does carry a beauty bag.”
SFAW
CNN tells me that Jethrene is running for Arkansas governor.
Disclaimer: only saw the headline, would not waste any of my time reading it, so the headline may be overstating.
Amir Khalid
It’s the Mr Rogers presidency in action. Mercedes Schlapp thought that was a clever put-down; it turns out to be how a good POTUS operates. Who woulda thunk it?
Amir Khalid
@SFAW:
Sarah Huckabee Sanders running for Governor of Arkansas? About as frivolous, I would think, as Ivanka running for US Senator.
Van Buren
I’m so jaded that I fully expect Republicans to loudly claim credit for the checks that they oppose, AND for the press to find a way to give them credit for them.
PST
@satby: You mention the nightmare of ice walking. The other day, early in the morning, conditions were just right for moisture in the air to condense on the street and sidewalk and then freeze invisibly. I discovered that while tethered to 85 pounds of muscle and traction. I was glad to be able to keep to the grassy verge.
mrmoshpotato
@satby: Four inches of snow forecast for Chicago tonight.
Bring! It! On!
OzarkHillbilly
@satby:@NotMax: Rolled a van full of tools at 55 mph. Broke a thumbnail.
Immanentize
@SFAW: I am no student of Arkansas politics these days, but is her brand still strong there? Her father went Trumpy. Did she? My guess is that people in that state will not want her cutting the line.
OzarkHillbilly
@Immanentize: Fuck off.
I have a reputation to uphold.
SFAW
@Immanentize:
Apologies, but: don’t know, don’t care. As far as I’m concerned, she’s almost as vile as her father. The only thing she’s currently lacking is the whole Evangelical-grifter schtick — at least, not to her father’s extent.
OzarkHillbilly
@SFAW: The Guardian too.
SFAW
@OzarkHillbilly:
Methinks thou dost protest too much.
Immanentize
@SFAW: I care enough to want to see her lose and suffer a humiliating defeat.
Immanentize
@OzarkHillbilly: Ahhh. All is well again in the world.
SFAW
@Immanentize:
Me, too, but I’m willing to wait 10/22 months to read about it, with no mention of her in-between.
rikyrah
Awe ❤️❤️
Geminid
@Amir Khalid: S. H. Sanders will have to win a Republican primary. But she may well prevail, and sail through the Arkansas general election. Arkansas is a backwards state, politically. Economically too, for that matter.
Dan B
@NotMax: Hawaii GOP spox resigned after posting approval of Qanon supporters. He said they were people who love America.
Too much time in hot sun for this one?
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Immanentize: It’s hard to say. To me, she’s sullen and charmless, but who knows what MAGA voters see? They’re capable of photoshopping Trump’s head onto Rambo’s body.
rikyrah
@satby:
I am going to send the email this morning that I will be working from home tomorrow and Wednesday and offering the option to those employees who can.
Ken
These things are not unrelated.
rikyrah
@Immanentize:
Don’t know Imma. Poor Arkansas
Betty Cracker
@Baud: It would be cool if Biden uses the Defense Production Act to make that fascist MyPillow asshole churn out free masks.
Immanentize
@rikyrah: You are a good boss lady!
rikyrah
@Amir Khalid:
You are right, but it is going to be interesting to see how her droll, sour personality translates on a campaign trail
patrick II
Betty Cracker
@Immanentize: I don’t know jack about Arkansas politics, but SHS’s intro video was pretty slick, and she beat the drum about her connection to Trump throughout. (Saw it on Twitter.) Wouldn’t surprise me if she wins.
rikyrah
@Geminid:
Mess with the Evil One’s spawn if you dare, Gaetz.
Betty Cracker
@rikyrah: Haha, good point. Maybe for once the ruthlessness of the Cheneys would be used for good rather than evil, if they squash that shithead Gaetz like a bug.
snoey
@SFAW: Maybe not the Xtian angle, but being a candidate is a good grift on its own. Spend all those contributions on candidate expenses. Sure beats working for a living.
Immanentize
@rikyrah: As they say, Fuq around and find out!
Cameron
@Betty Cracker: Yes, it would, but I wouldn’t have much confidence in their quality.
Geminid
@rikyrah: Now I read that both the current Arkansas Lt. Governor and Attorney General are in the race to succeed term-limited Governor Hutchinson. Sanders will definitely need more than her charm to win this primary.
Immanentize
@Betty Cracker: Betting on the lasting power of Trump seems … risky. I saw the ad on Twitter too — with the sound off. Her face moves funny.
Cameron
@Betty Cracker: They can’t do that! He’s the rightful heir to Louie Gohmert’s Scepter of Stupid.
OzarkHillbilly
@Geminid: I know every democrat in northern Arkansas. All 3 dozen of ’em.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@rikyrah: He’ll be lucky if he isn’t shot in the face and then forced to apologize for being in the way
Michael Cain
Talk to me about normality as soon as the Senate passes an organization resolution.
Soprano2
It’s pouring down here right now. There are flash flood warnings and watches for the area for the morning. I’m just glad it’s not snow or ice!!!
When hubby & I first met, we were working for a company that had meetings in Springfield, IL every week. I drove us because I had a much newer car than he did. It was snowing when we went to the January meeting, and after we crossed over the MO/IL line the weather got gradually worse, as did the roads, but we were talking and I wasn’t paying enough attention. I hit a patch of ice, and the car did a couple of 360° spins off the side of the highway. Lucky for us, there were no obstacles except one of those small highway markers, so the car ended up upright in a big field off the side of the highway. All I could think while it was happening was “hold the steering wheel and don’t turn over”. We just sat there for a minute, then I started laughing hysterically. After I calmed down (because he was calm the whole time), I was able to drive back up onto the highway. A couple of people stopped, but we didn’t need any help. Amazingly, he married me anyway! There was a hole in my license plate from where I hit the highway marker, and every time I looked at it I thought about how lucky we were!
mrmoshpotato
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Haha. Classic!
sab
I want to thank Anne Laurie for using “normality” not “normalcy”
SFAW
@Cameron:
Maybe he and Louie can have a steel-cage match (with guns) to decide who wears the “crown.” If neither of them survives, America wins.
Geminid
@Immanentize: Both Reps. Scott Tipton (CO-3) and Denver Riggleman (VA-5) carried trump’s endorsement into their nomination contests, and both were knocked out by more conservative challengers. But trump’s support of these incumbents was typically nominal. I’m not sure I ever saw trump put himself out for anyone besides himself. The 2022 Georgia Republican primaries may be an exception, since trump has personal grudges against Kemp and Raffensperger. But a bitter fight in Georgia will only help Democrats. Within the Republican party, trump’s power may be just negative power. At least I hope so.
citizen dave
@debbie: “Rubio assuming a leadership role is very good news for Democrats. And also gives @dick_nixon plenty of material.”
No one has commented on this yet which tells us how little relevance Rubio has here. Sorry for the crude words, but I saw his Sunday show clip yesterday 2 or 3 times on my local news shows, and he is a sniveling little dick. His argument for not convicting seems to be that it would rile up the crazy MFer RWNJs and Q people (he says convicting is like throwing gasoline on a fire). Which is a simply insane argument.
JAFD
@satby: Back in days when I owned car, kept ‘gym bag’ (what do ye yoots call them these days?) with change of underwear, toothbrush, towel (never forget your towel ;-) ) in trunk, in case winter weather left me far from home….
Read, somewhere sometime, that 75% of US production of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream is consumed within 50 miles of Philadelphia…
Have great week, everyone ! Stay well.
Steve in the ATL
@satby:
So the one that’s been married to me for over a quarter century is the exception that proves the rule?
@MagdaInBlack:
In October and ends in June?
catclub
I saved the rubber crampons/cleats that you could buy at the Grand canyon – to hike down the icy trails. I have never needed them again….But i am READY.
O. Felix Culpa
In FTFNYT stupid manufactured scandals about Dems news (but I repeat myself), it looks like Biden’s uppity Rolex might have belonged to Beau. https://twitter.com/Lucky188/status/1353330721918652418
Immanentize
@O. Felix Culpa: I love the new writers! Excellent plot twist!
MagdaInBlack
@PST: Funny, I live in Arlington Heights. I’m glad she snagged a vaccination. Hope the weather holds off for her.
Geminid
@Ken: A stagnant economy and reactionary politics seem to go hand in hand. This may explain some of why Virginia has gone from red to blue in two decades, while Ohio has been retrograde. In the 2018 midterms, many of the 41House seats flipped by Democrats covered prospering suburbs. Areas like Richmond, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, and Kansas City. Individual prosperity is often tied to educational achievement, and political scientists find that Democratic voting increasingly correlates with higher education, especially with newer voters.
Soprano2
@O. Felix Culpa: My sister had a Rolex. I didn’t even know she had one until one of her friends asked if I knew whether she had been wearing it when the plane crashed (I’d seen her wear it, but had no idea it was a Rolex, and she never told me she bought it. So typical of her). I had no idea, but found out she hadn’t because it wasn’t working. So, got it fixed (not cheap!), and I wear it. I treasure it because it belonged to her, but it’s not something I would buy myself. So yeah, a stupid, petty story about something stupid and petty. We shouldn’t be surprised, they’re bored and are desperately trying to find something controversial about Biden. The press needs a 12-step program to break their addiction to Trump and “breakingnewsitis”.
PST
@MagdaInBlack: Thanks. She deals with the families of the recently deceased, including those who have died of COVID-19. There is always a risk that those family members are infected as well. Her employer considers her a front-line essential worker, and it has given her a letter to that effect and facilitated vaccination appointments for its employees. I have read the regulations and have real doubts about that interpretation, so I’m a little worried that tomorrow I will be facing an angry, disappointed spouse who has been turned away at the door. I hope she gets it, though, for reasons both selfish and unselfish. Selfishly, she is by far the main danger point in my life. As of today, I am eligible on the basis of age, but Illinois will need some time to work its way through the ranks of the non-institutionalized old.
O. Felix Culpa
@Immanentize: Inorite?
@Soprano2: Oh, I’m so sorry about your sister. How awful that must have been for you…and I hope that it’s a comfort for you to have something wearable that reminds you of her.
Twitter is pernicious in many ways, but I’m grateful that it also provides a channel for pushback on media misreporting and distorted framing.
Miss Bianca
@sab: As do I. NORMALITY rules!
I’m not chiming in on the “black ice accident” stories, tho’, even if I do have a few to tell…