Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

T R E 4 5 O N

In my day, never was longer.

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

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

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

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

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

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

This fight is for everything.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

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

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

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

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

You are here: Home / Balloon Juice / Commentary / Talk About Whatever You Want / Open Thread: Only the Best People

Open Thread: Only the Best People

by | 131 Comments

This post is in: ,

Another Republican announces candidacy for President of the United States.

Only the best people!

I would definitely make my pregnant wife stand there in high heels.

Yeah, that’s who I want to be taking that 3 am phone call!

Read about his candidacy here.  (No, really, don’t bother.  No point in linking.)

Looked like we needed an open thread, and this is as good a start as anything.

h/t BC in Illinois

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

131Comments

  1. 1.

    WaterGirl

    Comment from BC in Illinois, from a mostly dead thread.  Seemed like a good start for an open thread.

    Keeping up to date on Presidential Candidates:

    You may have missed the Presidential campaign of Rollan Roberts, an honest to goodness State Senator of West by God Virginia  who announced his candidacy on January 19th.

    His campaign came to an end (whether he knows it or not) at the same event, when his pregnant wife fainted. He stood immobile at the lectern while everybody else in the area ran to her aid. The older couple on the other side of the podium got to her before he did.

    It’s worth watching. (On his campaign website, he edits out her collapse and the video moves from showing her standing to showing her sitting down.)

    This is the only time you will ever hear of Rollan Roberts. (That’s Rollan Roberts II. He lists his son-to-be, scheduled to be born in May, 2023, as Rollan Roberts III.)

    On the other hand, he is a graduate of Liberty University, so there’s that.

  5. 5.

    Damien

    Wait wait wait. Are you trying to tell me that a Republican West Virginian would be more concerned about his image as a virile daddy than the health of a pregnant woman?

    I find this entire conclusion suspicious! Suspicious I say! /s

  7. 7.

    Baud

    I am going to assume that every Republican announcing their candidacy is doing so in an attempt to get ahead of a DOJ criminal investigation.

  9. 9.

    justawriter

    Let me guess, his main qualification is that his twatter account is followed by BOTH Donald Trump and Elon Musk

  11. 11.

    Jess

    Funny in a tragic sort of way–I hope his wife is okay and that he doesn’t take it out on her later. I could see someone like him doing that…

  12. 12.

    JPL

    @Jess: Well, if you consider that he kept on with his speech rather than seek medical attention, I will assume that he wasn’t happy with her behavior.

    What a jackass.

  14. 14.

    Ken

    @justawriter: Let me guess, his main qualification is that his twatter account is followed by BOTH Donald Trump and Elon Musk

    SCOOP! IDENTITY OF CATTURD REVEALED!

  15. 15.

    WaterGirl

    We obviously don’t have to continue talking about this hideous creature, but I did think a bit of point and laugh at the asshole candidate might be a good start for the open thread we needed.

    If you have ever “stood up” as a member of a wedding party, they warn you about not locking your knees as you stand there, because people who do that often end up fainting.  I don’t know the why or how of that, but I do know that’s a thing.

    That was my thought when I first say her swaying before she dropped to her knees.  I do hope she’s fine, and I suspect that she is.

    If only Melania had known the trick when Trump was announcing, but at least future R candidate’s wives have that trick up their sleeves.

  16. 16.

    patrick II

    Every time I see someone who is a graduate of Liberty I think of the young lady, just out of Liberty Law school who was appointed to a fairly high position in the Bush Justice Department. During an interview she was asked about her inexperience. She wasn’t worried because she was a product of a good Christian education and ” I know all of the answers “.​

  18. 18.

    la caterina

    I think it’s the dad, Rollan Roberts, who is a WV state senator.  The son, Rollan Roberts II, is the one running for Pres. He doesn’t seem to hold any elected office. Maybe Cole can clue us in when he returns from vacation.

  23. 23.

    FelonyGovt

    @WaterGirl: OMG yes I was the Matron of Honor (sounds like a prison guard) at my sister’s wedding. I remember standing there, carrying a really heavy bridal bouquet, in high heels in the heat and humidity of Long Island in the summer. Surprised I didn’t pass out.

    I feel bad for that poor pregnant lady with the asshole husband.

  24. 24.

    Kay

    Just 27% of US adults say they think Republican leaders in the House have had the right priorities so far, while 73% say they haven’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems. A 59% majority disapprove of the way Democratic leaders in Congress are handling their jobs overall, while a broader 67% disapprove of Republican leaders in Congress.

    They’re already more unpopular than the Democrats. “Hunter Biden!” If people didn’t care about Hunter Biden in 2016, and they didn’t, why would they care now?

  26. 26.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Aaron Rupar @atrupar 4h

    Rep. Jeff Van Drew says DirecTV dropping Newsmax “is what happens in authoritarian regimes. It doesn’t happen in America.” He says he is going to push for congressional hearings.

    If the cast of Newsmax generated ratings, Chris Licht and Lachlan Murdoch would be in a bidding war for them, and MSNBC would be trying to figure out which ones they could pick off without pissing off Rachel Maddow

  28. 28.

    Kay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    I encourage them to hold congressional hearings on why Newsmax wasn’t purchased by a cable company, consistent with the requirements of “free speech”.

    Maybe they can get that 27% down to 17. I swear the east coast wingnuts are the worst. I prefer southerners. Less malicious and nasty.

  30. 30.

    Ken

    @Kay: I wonder how many of that 27% were won over by the “humiliate Kevin McCarthy for a week” campaign? That’s what I call the right priorities.

  34. 34.

    Jeffro

    Can I just suggest that the answer to this idiot and the one in the previous thread (Marianne Williamson) would be to promote a constitutional amendment that you have to have actual *qualifications* to run for (and eventually, serve as) president?

    Like having served as:

    State Gov for 4 years or more prior to filing
    US Rep or Senator for 6 years prior to filing

    It would get rid of so. many. grandstanding. losers

    ETA: and no more Ye nonsense

    ETA: and no more worries that our Idiocracy would elect President Swift or President “The Rock” Johnson.  It’s a serious job, America!

  36. 36.

    kindness

    Didn’t OAN do the same thing NewsMax is doing now?  Trying to sue their provider I mean?  Yea I think they did.  Funny thing too is they all think it’s their 1st Amendment right to be carried by a private company.   This is the unfortunate point in history where the ‘I’m Just A Bill’ cartoon guy comes out and just shoots himself.

  38. 38.

    Jeffro

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Hakeem Jeffries could have a field day with this…

    “So let me get this straight?  No network or media platform – or hell, any business anywhere in America – can ever drop a low-performing content creator or “news” site regardless of their contractual demands or poor performance?  That’s the deal?  Keep far-right networks and businesses on the air and in the marketplace, even when the demand for their ‘product’ has plummeted?”

    “That doesn’t sound like the ‘invisible hand’ to me.  That sounds like…I don’t know…either the ‘invisible middle finger’ to the American consumer or the ‘invisible gravy train’ to insurrection-cheering propaganda outfits.”

  42. 42.

    Kay

    @Jeffro:

    They’re already behind on the generic ballot and they havent even started “work” yet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.

  43. 43.

    eclare

    @kindness:   I have argued with people for years about who the First Amendment protects them from.  It does no good.  Such snowflakes.  My cable package does not include TCM, which is insane considering all the niche, weird stations I get.  Never occurred to me to call my rep about it.

  44. 44.

    Jeffro

    @eclare: Oh, she rocks, but it’s not about her.  It’s about having some (any?) standards for president.  It would clear out the ‘noise’ candidates and their nonsense.  Make these folks do some work other than having a gazillion followers on InstaBook or eighty million downloads.

    (and make them have an actual track record of how they’d govern, too)

  45. 45.

    Jeffro

    @Kay: I’m excited to hear Kevin’s reaction.

    Assuming a reporter is willing to do their job be bold enough to ask.

  46. 46.

    Kay

    @eclare:

    But look what conservatives have done here. They have told us that DeSantis’ STATE action to ban speech is not a First Amendment issue while private actors choosing not to buy their (crap) product IS a First Amendment issue. This is more than “not understanding”. This is redefining an entire concept. It’s EXACTLY wrong.

  47. 47.

    The Moar You Know

    The Simpsons, as usual, got there first:

    @kindness:

    I’m an Amendment-to-Be,
    Yes, an Amendment-to-Be,
    And I’m hopin’ that they’ll ratify me.

    There’s a lot of flag burners
    Who have got too much freedom,
    I wanna make it legal
    For policemen to beat ’em.

    ‘Cos there’s limits to our liberties,
    Least I hope and pray that there are,
    ‘Cos those liberal freaks go too far.

  48. 48.

    Gin & Tonic

    Just got home from an MRI. For a non-invasive medical procedure, this was surprisingly uncomfortable.

    Time for a cocktail.

  49. 49.

    kindness

    @eclare: Call Tucker Carleson and tell him how you are being oppressed by a WOKE corporation.  Your local Republican Congress critters will be on it after Tucker’s next broadcast.

  50. 50.

    HumboldtBlue

    Only their best. I have no clue as to how reliable this Florida news site is, but a former inmate at Guantanamo has some words for DeSantis.

    Now, however, an ex-Guantanamo detainee has come forward to allege that DeSantis actually had a much darker role at Gitmo. And his disturbing accusations about DeSantis have yet to be reported by any national or Florida-based news outlet despite the governor’s well-known presidential ambitions.

    Mansoor Adayfi, formerly detainee #441 and also known as Abdul Rahman Ahmed, says JAG Officer Ron DeSantis observed, allowed and participated in illegal acts of torture to help put down a hunger strike in 2006 by dozens of detainees protesting their detention. DeSantis also covered up the torture, Adayfi says.

  52. 52.

    Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA)

    I still refuse to believe this Rollan Roberts guy is for real. It’s got to be an elaborate troll. From his website:

    SPACE/OCEAN
    My administration will monitor and defend spacial activity and will primarily explore  multi-plenary natural resources that we can harness on earth. Specifically, we can contain hurricanes and earthquakes to stave off disaster. There are vast discoveries in time, space, and ocean that will transform our way of life increasing longevity.

    It’s either performance art or he’s mentally ill.

  56. 56.

    Sure Lurkalot

    @eclare:

    My cable package does not include TCM, which is insane considering all the niche, weird stations I get.  Never occurred to me to call my rep about it.

    I didn’t call my council person but this shit is by design. My package included TCM for a while and then mid contract, they cut off access. When I called them on it, they had put it on a special purchase tier as a sports AND ENTERTAINMENT add on. IOW, bundled it with 99% sports stations and then argued it wasn’t popular enough to include in the tier I was in or too popular not to force me to pay more for it. I got it comped for the rest of my contract but now pay xtra for it and the sports stations I have never watched.

    Frankly, like the airlines, the home entertainment delivery system could use one giant overhaul.

  59. 59.

    mrmoshpotato

    @HumboldtBlue: This fuckin’ guy…

    I already sick of hearing about this lying, apparently racist too, motherfucker.  He can fuck off into the Sun already.

    And take Dump and Apartheid Bitchboy with him.

  60. 60.

    Roger Moore

    @Baud:

    I am going to assume that every Republican announcing their candidacy is doing so in an attempt to get ahead of a DOJ criminal investigation.

    That’s totally unfair! Some of them are hoping to grift from their campaign, and some of them are completely delusional and think they have a chance. I would assume some of them are also publicity hounds who are hoping to make it into the national news for a while.  Of course some of them fit into more than one category, or possibly even all of the above.

  61. 61.

    lgerard

    Rollan Roberts is not a graduate of Liberty University.

    He is a graduate of Pensacola Christian College, which if FAR worse.

  62. 62.

    dnfree

    @Jeffro: Your criteria would have gotten rid of Barack Obama, who had not served at the federal level for 6 years.  Never mind the birth certificate.

  63. 63.

    Suzanne

    Here’s Rod Dreher, talking about hanging out with Viktor Orban:

    It was endearing to watch the prime minister showing off the highlights of the capital city down below to visiting foreigners, with obvious delight. One imagines that all national leaders are patriots, but I don’t think I’ve seen love of country so radiant in a politician since Ronald Reagan. But it’s a different kind of love. Reagan’s love of America was the love of a cowboy watching the sun set over his ranch, his heart filling with a warm, golden glow of gratitude. Orban’s love of Hungary strikes me as that of a scrappy street fighter who cheeks redden with blood as he gets ready to throw down to defend his family.

    This doesn’t sound homoerotic at all, nuh uh, not even a little bit.

    In all seriousness, I hope the CIA is trailing Dreher. This is dangerous.

  64. 64.

    Martin

    @HumboldtBlue: I’ll be honest, ‘participates in torture’ make Ron seem like a much more interesting person than my current impression of him. Not a better person, but definitely more interesting.

  68. 68.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    listening to the Nicolle Wallace program and this story is fucking wild, and one of those when I wish I could get my hands on a dead-tree copy of the dread NYT

    • Mr. Durham used Russian intelligence memos — suspected by other U.S. officials of containing disinformation — to gain access to emails of an aide to George Soros, the financier and philanthropist who is a favorite target of the American right and Russian state media. Mr. Durham used grand jury powers to keep pursuing the emails even after a judge twice rejected his request for access to them. The emails yielded no evidence that Mr. Durham has cited in any case he pursued.
  71. 71.

    UncleEbeneezer

    NEW: Ken Cuccinelli testified before Jack Smith’s grand jury today. Ken was head of DHS when donald asked him to seize voting machines. He was also a candidate to be appointed special counsel to investigate fake election fraud.

  72. 72.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I often think that Barr was a cold-blooded, cynical political operative, much like Mitch McConnell, exploiting trump and his supporters to advance the Republican political agenda. But maybe Barr was a true believer, and truly nuts

    In May 2019, soon after giving Mr. Durham his assignment, Mr. Barr summoned the head of the National Security Agency, Paul M. Nakasone, to his office. In front of several aides, Mr. Barr demanded that the N.S.A. cooperate with the Durham inquiry.
    Referring to the C.I.A. and British spies, Mr. Barr also said he suspected that the N.S.A.’s “friends” had helped instigate the Russia investigation by targeting the Trump campaign, aides briefed on the meeting said. And repeating a sexual vulgarity, he warned that if the N.S.A. wronged him by not doing all it could to help Mr. Durham, Mr. Barr would do the same to the agency.

    “You fuck with me, I’ll fuck with you”?

  74. 74.

    Roger Moore

    @Jeffro:

    Can I just suggest that the answer to this idiot and the one in the previous thread (Marianne Williamson) would be to promote a constitutional amendment that you have to have actual *qualifications* to run for (and eventually, serve as) president?

    I think you need to cast your net at least a little bit wider.  Just as some examples:

    1. Lincoln’s whole experience in government was a term in the state legislature and a term as a US representative.
    2. Teddy Roosevelt’s experience (by your standards) was 2 years as a state governor.
    3. Barack Obama served only 4 years as a US Senator before being elected.
    4. A number of Presidents’ main qualification was successful service as generals, e.g. Washington, Grant, Eisenhower.

    I think the fundamental problem is with voters being willing to elect idiots.  If you introduce extra qualifications, the voters who want to elect idiots will just elect better qualified idiots, like George W. Bush.

  80. 80.

    Sister Golden Bear

    In today’s ethnic trans cleansing news…

    FTFNYT finally has a non-hit piece about trans people, putting the spotlight on the more than 150 bills introduced just this year by Republicans trying to legislate us out of existence. Yes, I know it’s a FTFNTY article, but you should still read it. It’s absolutely chilling. It details the many, many ways that they’re trying to eradicate us from public existence.

    In it, the Christofascists outright admit, on the record, that their focus on trans youth were just a pretext to eventually ban all gender affirming care. They never cared about children.

    And Mr. Schilling, of the American Principles Project, confirmed that his organization’s long-term goal was to eliminate transition care. The initial focus on children, he said, was a matter of “going where the consensus is.”

    If you missed my posts from yesterday, Republicans in several states want to ban trans-related medical procedures to those under age 26 — that age is not accidental, since it’s the age when secondary sex changes are completed. Not only do they want trans people to go through forced puberty, but this also means that trans people will be more identifiable (i.e. less able to “pass”) which will make them easier targets to the anti-trans discrimination laws that they also want to enact. Some of laws would make a felony for the trans person to even consent to these procedures. The name of some these bills are openly referencing a Biblical verse about killing people “for the sake of the children.”

    This is not a “cultural war” this is ethnic cleansing against trans people. And a replay of Christofascist Republican. anti-gay campaigns dating back to the 1970.

    Ms. Oakley of the Human Rights Campaign said this was why she disliked the framing of anti-transgender legislation as a culture war.
    “It’s not a war,” she said, “when there are powerful politicians on one side and there are terrified kids on the other.”

  86. 86.

    Scout211

    My internet has been up and down since the great storms of January, so I apologize if this has already been posted:

    Attorney John Eastman Charged with Multiple Disciplinary Counts by the State Bar of California

    The State Bar of California’s Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona announced today the filing of a Notice of Disciplinary Charges (NDC) against attorney John Charles Eastman (State Bar No. 193726). The 11 charges arise from allegations that Eastman engaged in a course of conduct to plan, promote, and assist then-President Trump in executing a strategy, unsupported by facts or law, to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election by obstructing the count of electoral votes of certain states.

    Specific charges allege that Eastman made false and misleading statements regarding purported election fraud, including statements on January 6, 2021, at a rally in Washington, D.C., that contributed to provoking a crowd to assault and breach the Capitol to intimidate then-Vice President Pence and prevent the electoral count from proceeding.

    The Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) intends to seek Eastman’s disbarment before the State Bar Court.

  87. 87.

    Ken

    @Suzanne: It was endearing to watch the prime minister showing off the highlights of the capital city down below to visiting foreigners, with obvious delight.

    “And that is the prison where we hold political dissidents without trial, and over there are the interrogation rooms, and that is the drainage for the abattoir under the execution cells…”

  88. 88.

    Suzanne

    @Baud: Possibly. Combine that with the psychological discomfort which must be resultant from conflicting desire to adhere to conservative religion but (I suspect) deeply closeted orientation….plus the nastiness of wanting to see your “enemies” suffer…. and you get these steaming piles of insanity.

  89. 89.

    prostratedragon

    @khead: ​ Oh thanks for that reminder. It’s like the whole point of the movie was to make a setting for that moment.

  92. 92.

    Geminid

    @UncleEbeneezer: Cuccinelli saw a lot, and I bet he told the grand jury about it. He’s no true believer with some special loyalty to Trump.

    Cuccinelli has been a conservative lawyer-politician for 20 years at least. I’ve watched him, and while his politics are horrible Cuccinelli strikes me as a smart man, too smart to try and pull the wool over Jack Smith’s eyes.

  94. 94.

    trollhattan

    Texas Republican senator decides to tell us what we already goddamn knew, just because.

    January 26, 2023 at 4:58 pm EST By Taegan Goddard

    Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who negotiated the bipartisan gun law that passed last year, said he doesn’t expect to see new legislative action on gun violence despite the recent mass shootings in California, NBC News reports.

    Said Cornyn: “I think we did everything we could do with the votes available last summer, so I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

    “Anytime soon” = never, and the horse you rode in on.

  95. 95.

    Barry

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: “But maybe Barr was a true believer, and truly nuts”

    I believe that he’s a full-on Catholo-fascist, Opus Dei level.

    By that, I do not mean ‘right-wing Catholic’, but an actual fascist.

  96. 96.

    HumboldtBlue

    When you’ve lost The National Review. Charles Cooke rakes Trump (no linking, however).

    And then there’s Donald Trump, who, despite being the only candidate who has officially announced his bid, is . . . well, ranting like a deranged hobo in a dilapidated public park. No, don’t look at him — he might come over here with his sign.

    There was a point in time at which Trump’s unusual verbal affect and singular nose for underutilized wedge issues gave him a competitive edge. Now? Now, he’s morphing into one of the three witches from Macbeth. To peruse Trump’s account on Truth Social is to meet a cast of characters about whom nobody who lives beyond the Trump Extended Universe could possibly care one whit.

  97. 97.

    UncleEbeneezer

    Speaking of the best worst people…Novak Djokovic’s dad, Srdjan Djokovic was posing with the pro-Putin rally last night just outside Rod Laver Arena.

    Last week, Novak complained that he was being “publicly lynched” because people were questioning a bathroom break he took during a match when he wasn’t allowed to.

    The Australian Open tournament is currently not allowing the crowd to boo during matches (free speech!), a brand new rule they imposed in anticipation of crowds booing Djokovic for last year’s Covid/Deportation f*ckery.

  98. 98.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @Geminid: Apparently he didn’t have a lawyer with him, so hopefully he didn’t just plead the fifth repeatedly.  He is probably being asked about the voter-machine seizure plan and/or the missing secret service/DHS texts from 1/6.

  99. 99.

    WaterGirl

    @Scout211: It’s about time, and it’s a start.  But these people need to face more consequences than just not getting to be an attorney anymore.

    Q: If you are disbarred in one state, are you disbarred in all states?  Or does state X say if you are disbarred anywhere you can’t practice in Y state.  But State Z can allow you to practice if they want?

  101. 101.

    Gin & Tonic

    @UncleEbeneezer: The Australian Open is apparently allowing people with russian flags and t-shirts with big letters “Z” on them, so I expect nothing but more Serbian scumbags.

  102. 102.

    HumboldtBlue

    @WaterGirl:

    As far as I know, each state has its own bar standards, and you must pass each specific state bar exam to be able to serve as a lawyer in that state. My BiL took the Cali bar exam three times and failed to pass, but passed the bar in both Illinois and Florida (where has been a lawyer for the past 20 years).

  105. 105.

    Brachiator

    @HumboldtBlue:

    And then there’s Donald Trump, who, despite being the only candidate who has officially announced his bid, is . . . well, ranting like a deranged hobo in a dilapidated public park. No, don’t look at him — he might come over here with his sign.

    I love how the right is finally treating Trump like the loser he is.

    The wild card is whether Trump himself is truly out of gas, or can still rally enough idiot voters to at least make a showing in the primary.

  107. 107.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @Sister Golden Bear: Echoing the thanks.  I often have already seen the articles as I follow some of the same people you do, but I always really appreciate your added context, insights and perspective.

  108. 108.

    Roger Moore

    @UncleEbeneezer:

    Is Serbian support for Putin/Russia pretty common, I take it?

    Yes.  Russia backed Serbia against all the other Yugoslav successor states, especially Kosovo, and the Serbians- especially Serbian revanchists- seem to be favorably inclined toward Russia because of it.

  109. 109.

    Leslie

    @Sister Golden Bear: These people are so grotesquely despicable. Reading about the research into certain psychedelic drugs vastly increasing people’s empathy, I wish that it were ends-justifying-the-means possible to put that stuff in the water and dose the monsters en masse.

  110. 110.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Roger Moore:

    They’re Slavs, and the mutual support between Russia and Serbia goes back centuries. It’s not a new phenomenon, just look at the origins of WW1.

    @Leslie:

    Reading about the research into certain psychedelic drugs vastly increasing people’s empathy

    Fantastic Fungi on Netflix is most definitely worth a watch.

  112. 112.

    hells littlest angel

    “Keeping EVERY American safe —  uh — keeping almost EVERY American safe …”

  115. 115.

    karen marie

    @trollhattan: Do we think she now understands why he was so impatient that she become pregnant? She and the unborn child are mere props to further his delusional ambition.

  116. 116.

    FelonyGovt

    @Sister Golden Bear: You’re not screaming into the void here. I’ve got to believe all this performative cruelty will come back to bite Republicans in the ass, but it can’t happen soon enough.

  120. 120.

    Roger Moore

    @HumboldtBlue:

    They’re Slavs, and the mutual support between Russia and Serbia goes back centuries.

    There’s something more than common Slavic identity, since most of the rest of Yugoslavia was also Slavic- it’s right there in the name- and doesn’t have the same relationship with Russia.  I think you’re probably right about it being a result of the long-time relationship between Russia and Serbia.  Serbia was an independent country, and one that Russia strongly supported, while most of the rest of future Yugoslavia was part of the Holy Roman/Austro-Hungarian Empire.  I probably is also related to Yugoslavia having managed to stay out of the Warsaw Pact and thus avoid the nastiest side of Russian imperialism.

  121. 121.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @Roger Moore: That’s what I figured.  I’ve been listening to the American Psyop podcast about Wesley Clark Jr’s incredibly strange story and there’s a lot of ties to the Balkan wars which I don’t know much about, but there are definitely a lot of Serbian-Russian connections.  Also connections to Sean Stone (Oliver’s son), The Young Turks, 3%ers, mystical cults, Tulsi Gabbard, Standing Rock, AIM, Qanon, even Kanye.  It’s wild!!

  122. 122.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Roger Moore:

    I didn’t realize Poland was a Slavic nation, not sure why other than ignorance (don’t get started on the Balkans, where I wear my ignorance like a cloak).

    And I agree with you in that Serbia has long been an independent nation and its relation with Russia have been nation-to-nation while others have been subsumed under outside empires for centuries.

  124. 124.

    Ruckus

    Don’t know where to put this but I just listened to a talk by CA gov Gavin Newsom from 2 days ago about shootings and guns, and this is about the most authentic talk by a politician I’ve ever heard. Given the shootings in CA over the last few days in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay I’d suggest that a listen to Newsom will be worth anyone’s time. I am quite impressed and while in the past I’ve thought that he’s a decent governor, my opinion has gone up quite a few points.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XYiZSahFgU

  125. 125.

    HumboldtBlue

    @WaterGirl:

    Clark served as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1997 to 2000, commanding Operation Allied Force during the Kosovo War. He’s written a book about the experience and has shared his thoughts on the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

  126. 126.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @UncleEbeneezer: @FelonyGovt:

    Thanks. I would much prefer to write about other things than the ethnic trans cleansing, and doing so is personally difficult for me, but people need to know what’s unfolding.

    I’m relatively safe in California, but I admit I’m at the point of dusting off my 2016 plans for how to leave the country if necessary.

Comments are closed.