Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Consistently wrong since 2002

You can’t love your country only when you win.

“Squeaker” McCarthy

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Ah, the different things are different argument.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

American History and Black History Cannot Be Separated

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

If you are still in the GOP, you are an extremist.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Friday Evening Open Thread: Breaking News?!?…

Friday Evening Open Thread: Breaking News?!?…

by | 171 Comments

This post is in: , ,


Almost certainly *not* the AF1 in-flight movie…

Reader Interactions

171Comments

  1. 1.

    Comrade Colette

    I’m still fiddling around with the controls on my space laser. How tightly focused can (((we))) get these things? Close-in enough to zap one particular spot on the Capitol steps, about 2 square feet, ~5’6″, bleached blond, large mouth?

    ETA: Dammit, not second.

  2. 2.

    MattF

    We’re all getting very practiced at spotting psychopathic behavior. It’s necessary, but one should not conclude that it’s a good thing.

  3. 3.

    Baud

    This is pathetic, even by Fox standards.

    I don’t think it is pathetic by Fox standards — the network that brought you the terrorist fist bump.

  9. 9.

    FelonyGovt

    I guess it was fine for the orange tub of lard to travel to Florida every single weekend.

    But Biden is going to (shudders) Delaware!!!

  14. 14.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Baud: I’m sure he’d rather be on the Amtrak

    Is there a presidential Amtrak car? I think there should be

  15. 15.

    Baud

    That looks like a smaller plane, which makes sense.

    They really should change the color scheme though.

  19. 19.

    Cameron

    “We pray and we go to heaven; it’s over.”  Sounds very much the way a bible-thumping winger would fuck up an Underpants Gnome joke.

  20. 20.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Baud:

    Just watched him land in Marine 1 and board AF1. First time as POTUS. That had to have been a special moment!

  21. 21.

    bluefoot

    Speaking of playing stupid or being stupid – Nate Silver needs to shut the fuck up about vaccines.  He should take a little time and maybe read the FDA guidances on what data is required for the FDA to review a vaccine for approval – including pre-clinical and clinical safety, efficacy, proof of biology and CMC (chemistry, manufacturing and controls).  He should also do some reading about technology transfer and qualification of manufacturing sites and processes for drugs.

    Or you know, talk to someone with knowledge about these things rather than spouting bullshit.

  22. 22.

    Kristine

    This may have been mentioned previously, but Nancy LeTourneau and Martin Longman are mostly leaving Washington Monthly. They may post occasionally, but they’ll be concentrating on Progress Pond.

    Sometimes Longman irritates me, but I’ve been a reader since Booman Tribune. I’ve always liked LeTourneau–she’s the main reason I’m a WM subscriber. Not sure if I’ll continue now, though I know supporting liberal publications is important. But Chris Matthews? Jesus.

  24. 24.

    BruceFromOhio

    That was fun to watch. Psaki has three modes
    — that’s a good question, here’s the detail that I know.
    – that’s a good question, I do not know, but I will go find out. Or, that’s a question for (other agency), you should go ask them.
    – that’s a really stupid question, I’m going to humor you because people are watching, and you will look and sound like an idiot. The Delaware questions were in that slot – who in this room does NOT know that the Biden’s are from DE? And, AYFKM?

    One thing she does NOT do, is throw the previous admin completely under the bus. She’ll refer to “as you know, the previous administration did it differently/had a different policy” as a gentle reminder, but the Faux hounds and their ilk do not care.​​
     

    Also, Congresswoman Greene (Q-GA) is persona non grata. Don’t even.

  25. 25.

    satby

    She really is a perfect Press Secretary, because she manages to answer civilly without starting by asking “Seriously?!? Wow!”

  27. 27.

    Baud

    @satby:

    She really is a perfect Press Secretary, because she manages to answer civilly without starting by asking “Seriously?!? Wow! Balloon Juice was right about you.”

    Fixed.

  28. 28.

    MazeDancer

    Feels like Mitch has 2 choices now:

    1) Impeach Donald Trump

    or

    2) Turn the GOP over to Greene and QAnon

    She will be unleashed. The media will follow the new shiny crazy.

    The GOP will be destroyed in 2022.

    So, we kind of have a win-win. Though both will be painful.

  32. 32.

    Benw

    @Baud: it was terrorist fist JAB

    Much more sinister. Like you might be standing around one day minding your own business and Obama just pops out and JABS you

  33. 33.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    Alternative question “why is the president not going to one of his branded properites this weekend?Answer: because the president doed’t have any branded properties fuckass.

  34. 34.

    cmorenc

    Q: Why is President Biden going to Delaware?

    A: To get to the other side.

    Of the river and I95.

  35. 35.

    BruceFromOhio

    @MazeDancer: ​

    The GOP will be destroyed in 2022.

    No, it will not. Tens of millions of registered voters looked at the last four years, and said, “yep, looks good to me!” and filled in the bubble for the dumpster fire. That single fact should be top of mind for every Democratic voter, strategist and campaign manager.

    ETA: you are correct, Yertle McTurtle has 2 choices.

  39. 39.

    Mike in NC

    MyPillow maggot Mike Lindell is releasing a 3-hour movie Friday he claims will prove the election was stolen.

    Fixed

  41. 41.

    japa21

    @satby: Asked earlier. Did your friend’s father get his vaccine at Tinley yesterday? What with the weather I was concerned.

  43. 43.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    I tried to watch a clip of this fool on twitter but had to stop after about 20 seconds when he said that on election night, an algorithm “broke,” and my brain seized up. I figured either I didn’t understand what an algorithm was or the pillow guy didn’t. I voted for him and clicked away.

  44. 44.

    BruceFromOhio

    “We pray and we go to heaven, it’s over.”

    May Gaia bless us all that that would happen, and quickly. Don’t let the prison door hit you in the ass on the way in, Mikey. Sleep well!

  49. 49.

    Jay

    On the bright side, in the aftermath of Jan 6th, Andy Ngo “ who is a danger to out communities and provides kill lists to Atomwaffen” has fled Portland Or, for the UK.

  62. 62.

    Roger Moore

    @bluefoot:

    Yeah, Silver and Yglesias have been doing the pundit thing where they act as if they know more than the experts do about some obscure topic like vaccine approval.  I understand where they’re coming from- they really want as many people vaccinated as soon as possible- but they need to do more to understand why things are being done the way they are.  The FDA is already bending the rules substantially by giving out EUAs for something that’s going to be given out on a national scale, but the pundits are acting as though they’ve made no concessions to speed whatsoever.

  63. 63.

    satby

    @japa21: Yes, and they said your info about it was so helpful and anxiety reducing. They told my friend they felt like they knew what would happen and they would have the assistance the dad would need, so thanks from my friend and me.

  65. 65.

    Joe Falco

    @debbie:

    Considering how voter disenfranchisement stole the election from her last time, I’d say Stacey is well-prepared for whatever schemes will be concocted by the Repukes.

  66. 66.

    WaterGirl

    @Kristine: Yeah, saw that earlier today and put it in a comment.  Then I went to my RSS reader and unsubscribed to Washington Monthly.  Hers were pretty much the only ones worth reading consistently.  I sometimes tried to read Martin’s, but they mostly annoy me anymore so I often wouldn’t finish.

    But someone on BJ was kind enough to put a link to Nancy L’s personal blog, which I promptly added to my RSS reader.  It’s called Horizons.

    edit: She has 8 blogs in her blogroll, and Balloon Juice is one of them.

  70. 70.

    Starboard Tack

    Just watched Gov. Polis COVID news conference. I like his cautious optimism and he’s still hammering on wearing masks and social distancing even as disease numbers are coming down and vaccine numbers are going up. Colorado stands a good chance of normalizing economically on the leading edge. I hope the recovery helps us get rid of our last 3 R’s  in Congress and keep both the state house and senate, though no doubt our GQP is going to get crazier as their supporters wane.

  72. 72.

    M31

    couple of cars full of reporters driving from DC to Delaware and back a few times will rack up enough tolls to fix DE’s budget

    Just Biden doing his part to aid the local state gov’t

  75. 75.

    Gravenstone

    This is right down there with Cokie Roberts calling Hawaii “some sort of foreign exotic place” when Obama visited. Conveniently ignoring he had family there…

  77. 77.

    Bill Arnold

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    I tried to watch a clip of this fool on twitter but had to stop after about 20 seconds when he said that on election night, an algorithm “broke,” and my brain seized up.

    I read some of his “theorizing” a few weeks ago and the technical aspects were gibberish. (So was most of the non-technical parts.)
    I’ll skim a transcript when there is one.

  80. 80.

    Ken

    @Baud: I didn’t realize it had gotten so big as to have paid contributors.

    “Paid” is a relative term nowadays.  Take a site that wants you to pay $1000 so they’ll put your post on their web server; isn’t getting it posted for free almost like being paid?

  81. 81.

    debbie

    @MazeDancer:

    I know MTG’s district is supposed to be conservative, but are they all as batshit crazy as she is? She insists she speaks for her constituents, but I wonder whether they actually share her beliefs.

  82. 82.

    Ken

    @Mary G: FOX JOINS THE CANCEL CULTURE. SEND MONEY TO ME AND WATCH MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

    — Thousands of people who watched Trump and said “that looks easy”

  84. 84.

    hueyplong

    Had to look it up to know Cokie Roberts is pining for the fjords.

    Good.

    That I had to look it up.

  85. 85.

    trollhattan

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I know a now retired Secret Service agent and though he has relatively few mementos in his home office, framed certificates of his first flights on AF1 with HW Bush and Clinton are among them. I too think it’s a pretty big deal, call it a Big Biden deal.

    Joe done good week 2. Take the night off, Joe. [narrator: he will work.]

  87. 87.

    Jay

    @Starboard Tack:

    the UK does not have “freeze peach” laws that allow a Nazi to shout “antifa fire” in a crowded theatre, with out consequence.

    @Yutsano:

    That’s “Weezy” or “Wesel”, the Stormfront guy, who is actually hiding out amongst friends and family in Ohio to avoid lawsuits and court orders.

    Andy’s the “fake concrete milkshake” neo-Nazi pho journalist who “is a danger to our communities and provides kill lists to Atomwaffen” terrorists.

  89. 89.

    Starboard Tack

    @Mary G:

    …Lou Dobbs’ nightly freakfest of racist lies and BS designed to terrify the elderly into supporting fascism.

    I’m “the elderly” and FUCK LOU DOBBS!!

  90. 90.

    Baud

    I just saw FliPYrWhig’s nym on LGM and realized he or she hasn’t posted here in a long time.

  94. 94.

    Starboard Tack

    @Jay:

    the UK does not have “freeze peach” laws that allow a Nazi to shout “antifa fire” in a crowded theatre, with out consequence.

    They’ll have to catch him first, if they care.

    That’s “Weezy” or “Wesel”, the Stormfront guy, who is actually hiding out amongst friends and family in Ohio to avoid lawsuits and court orders.

    Ay, oh, way to go, Ohio.

  98. 98.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Is there a presidential Amtrak car? I think there should be.

    Ought to be, but won’t. It’s a goddamned shame, given Uncle Joe’s intimate identification with that 100-mile rail trip – but how can POTUS’s security detail protect him along the route without deploying thousands of personnel and massive amounts of ground and airborne assets? Safer and cheaper to fly.

  101. 101.

    Starboard Tack

    @Dan B:

    Dobbs is also trying to appeal to suburban Akron residents and veterans of metro Akron.  You is doubly sought!

    I wouldn’t piss in his ass if his guts were on fire.

  102. 102.

    Mike in NC

    ABC News showing a previously unknown video with Roger Stone hanging out with Oathkeeper goons in front of the Capitol on January 6.

    Lock him up!

  106. 106.

    Jay

    @Dan B:

    Winston’s the Second Cat, ( Biden’s niece’s?) who has been filling in on social media for the promised First Cat,

  109. 109.

    debbie

    @Dan B:

    I was trying to find the tweet (too goddamn many, frankly), but I believe Winston’s standing in as first cat until one is adopted. He appears to be daughter Naomi’s cat. But, still awfully cute.

    ? I would like to meow I am currently the First Cat, but this title will soon belong to the kitty the First Couple will adopt soon. Then I will be the First Grandcat, as my hooman is @NaomiBiden, the President’s granddaughter. Meoooow! #FirstCat #COTUS #Winston #FirstPets #Meow pic.twitter.com/aA0b4M7FNx
    — The Oval Pawffice® ?? (@TheOvalPawffice) January 28, 2021

  111. 111.

    Delk

    Those voting machines didn’t throw the election but they sure got some assholes to shut their mouths.

  112. 112.

    dmsilev

    Hahahaha:

    President Biden, in an interview with the “CBS Evening News With Norah O’Donnell,” said former president Donald Trump should not receive intelligence briefings, citing his “erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.”

    “I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?” Biden said when questioned. The White House has been reviewing whether the former president, now out of office, should get the briefings.

  113. 113.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    Haven’t caught up with the posts today, so apologies if this is a repeat.

    Let it be known that Liz Cheney, that recently lauded example of a “sane” Republican, voted against removing Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments. ?

  114. 114.

    debbie

    @Dan B:

    I was trying to find the tweet (too goddamn many, frankly), but I believe Winston’s standing in as first cat until one is adopted. He appears to be Naomi’s cat. But, still awfully cute.

    ? I would like to meow I am currently the First Cat, but this title will soon belong to the kitty the First Couple will adopt soon. Then I will be the First Grandcat, as my hooman is @NaomiBiden, the President’s granddaughter. Meoooow!pic.twitter.com/aA0b4M7FNx
    — The Oval Pawffice® ?? (@TheOvalPawffice) January 28, 2021

  115. 115.

    Edmund Dantes

    For some reason the prosecutor didn’t oppose (white privilege), so lady gets to Mexico even though on trial for storming the Capitol.

  117. 117.

    matt the semi-reasonable

    So many of these dumb questions are like ‘this is more a comment than a question’.

  118. 118.

    Roger Moore

    @dmsilev: 
    I think Trump should absolutely get “presidential” briefings. I can’t think of a better way of transmitting disinformation to other countries’ intelligence services.

  123. 123.

    The Pale Scot

    @Starboard Tack:

    Can’t he still do that over there?

    He can try, but unless he stays in London proper or goes to Scotland and keeps his mouth shut, He’s likely to encounter animosity for being asian. Not talking proper English isn’t going to help. The American dialect doesn’t give Tory wannabes the panashe that the brit dialect works on RWNJs here. Actually, I don’t think he’s going to have a good time over there unless he has bank to buy some friends

  124. 124.

    prostratedragon

    “If a Twittler has a tantrum while his account is suspended, does it make a sound?”

    No-o-o-o! Isn’t it marvelous?

  127. 127.

    bluefoot

    @BruceFromOhio: It’s making me crazy. He’s acting like things aren’t going fast enough. Vaccine development, emergency approval and manufacture are going as fast as possible. The fact that we’re here is amazing.  It’s literally the fastest a vaccine has gone into people ever.  The non-Pfizer’s, Modernas, Regnerons, etc have been doing the analysis of where they have extra manufacturing capacity to help produce reagents, antibodies, vaccines, etc. for COVID.  it’s not like they can stop producing the drugs they already make for the patients who need them. There is literally a worldwide shortage right now of pipet tips and vials.

    @Roger Moore: EUA approvals already short circuit the process and require less data than a regular approval. Going faster would be f-ing irresponsible. And Silver seems to be forgetting that these vaccines have to work safely for everyone (or as close to everyone as possible). We can’t just say, hm, monkey data seems good enough let’s jab everybody including people with co morbidities, or immune conditions, young kids, or what have you.

    All that is just a long way of saying the dude should STFU already.

  129. 129.

    dmsilev

    @bluefoot: There’s also the minor consideration that J&J is still ironing out production kinks and have said that late Feb/early March is the earliest they can supply in quantity, so waiting three weeks for the FDA to do its job will have minimal impact anyway.

  133. 133.

    The Pale Scot

    @hueyplong:

    Cokie Roberts is pining for the fjords

    That made my day. Now if Tucker gets pancreatic cancer, I’m making a donation to the UU church

  134. 134.

    Ken

    @Uncle Cosmo: how can POTUS’s security detail protect him along the route without deploying thousands of personnel and massive amounts of ground and airborne assets?

    I was going to say “think of it as an employment program,” but then realized I’d have to excuse Trump’s golf trips on those grounds.

  136. 136.

    RepubAnon

    @Shalimar: We should start a pool to see how long it takes before Fox puts a (D) after The Donald’s name…

    Maybe they’ll say it stands for “drooler.”

  137. 137.

    dimmsdale

    @Kristine:  wow, thanks for the tip. I think Nancy LeTourneau is one of the most underrated bloggers, and I’m glad she & Martin are continuing working together. Been reading Washington Monthly since the 70s and PP is a regular visit for me every day. Cool!

  144. 144.

    Dan B

    @debbie: Looks like a shorter haired version of our Furr Beast who had a much smaller milk spot on his schnozzle.  And the Furr Beast was much fluffier.  Got almost 20 years from that cutie, giant but still a cutie.

    Thanks for the links!

  145. 145.

    trnc

    @Cameron: ​
     

    Q: “Why is the President going to Delaware?”

    “Because it’s harder for him to hear these stupid ass questions from there.”

  148. 148.

    J R in WV

    @NotMax: ​

    Well, not even Fox will describe Delaware as “exotic.”

    Actually, no President has ever visited Delaware for a weekend before, ever. So, “Exotic” by definition.

    Other presidents have visited Dover AFB before, for the sad duty of greeting aircraft laden with deceased members of our military.

    One of my best friend’s father was a pilot of large aircraft in the Air Force, and was unlucky enough to have pissed off his leadership — he spent the rest of his career flying those flights from SE Asia, loaded with coffins wrapped in the Flag. He because a pacifist, actually, and was buried at West Point IIRC (perhaps Arlington, my memory isn’t what it once was).

    I’m sure President Biden will undertake that duty as needed, but not this trip.

  151. 151.

    Geminid

    @debbie: Hard to say how many GA 14th District citizens share M.T. Greene’s beliefs. Greene won the general election 75% to 25%. Her Democratic opponent had folded his campaign by then, but no Democrat has gotten more than 30% there since the GA 14th was created in 2012. Greene had won the Republican runoff  57% to 43%, against a more establishment type Republican.

    There will be polling done now that Greene has become notorious. In fact, political scientist Rachel Bitecofer is crowdfunding a poll of the GA 14th. Bitecifer is an experienced poller, and did a lot of Virginia polling for the Wason Institute, affiliated with Christopher Newport University. Bitecofer now is also a political engineer, with her own PAC, Strike Pac. She intends to publish the polling data, and also use it to devise attack ads. Bitecofer proposes to tie Greene around the neck of every Republican.

  152. 152.

    Sm*t Cl*de

    @PPCLI:

    Space Lasers: They’re not just for making a room full of popcorn any more.

    Came here for the ‘Real Genius’ reference. Not disappointed.

  155. 155.

    PJ

    @Gravenstone:  Or that Hawaii ceased being exotic sometime around the time it became a state (which Cokie apparently never realized happened) and definitely by the time the Brady Bunch visited there.

  157. 157.

    Another Scott

    @Kristine: I first “discovered” Nancy at Booman Tribune.  She was (and is) always a voice of reason, and a great writer.  I was very happy when WaMo gave her a spot on the weekends.

    What I didn’t know was that she and Martin go way, way back – her first ‘diary’ post was on BoomanTribune in 2005.

    I’m not sure what’s up with WaMo.  They’ve got a great history and have had some great writers.  I wish them continued success, but Chris Matthews is indeed a puzzle…

    Great success to Nancy and Martin.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  159. 159.

    Jean

    @Kristine: Progress Pond is the revised Booman Tribune.  TO get any of the bigger stories, you have to pay for Prime.  I didn’t find it worth it.  Maybe that will change when Longman focuses on it.

  160. 160.

    Geminid

    @debbie: Bitecofer is an interesting thinker. She hit a career crossroads last April when Christopher Newport U. denied her a tenure track position. She landed with the Niskanen Center, and became unpaid advisor to the Lincoln Project. Some have used that connection to insinuate that she is some sort of crypto-republican. But basically, the LP people knew talent when they saw it. Besides publishing longer analytical pieces on Patreon and her website The Cycle, she keeps up a lively and informative Twitter feed. Anyone reading it can see she is as ardent a Democrat as anyone here, with a good base of knowledge.

    Bitecofer made her name in 2018, when months before the midterms she predicted a 42 seat pickup for Democrats. Being an upstart, her prediction was scoffed at. But in the event, the Democrats picked up 41 seats. A good introduction to Bitecofer’s thinking, and the concept of negative partisanship, is found in her article “Hate is on the Ballot.” in the February 2020 issue of The New Republic.

  166. 166.

    Another Scott

    @WaterGirl: “Immasmartypants” is more memorable.  ;-)

    Thanks for the pointer.  I remember reading her there a few times over the years.  There are too many good blogs (still) to keep up with all of them!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  168. 168.

    Geminid

    @debbie: You are welcome! I like and respect Rachel Bitecofer. She has a a chip on her shoulder, with no elite academic background, and being “a data girl in a data boy’s world,” as she put it. But Bitecofer’s outsider’s point of view may make her a more perceptive analyst.

  169. 169.

    SFAW

    @NotMax:

    Well, not even Fox will describe Delaware as “exotic.”

    A line from Mad magazine, from sometime in the late 1960s:

    “Philadelphia is NOT boring. It just seems that way because it’s next to exciting Camden, New Jersey.”

Comments are closed.