An self-dispensed anvil for a drowning party: (Politico)
Republicans are openly distressed about the prospect of losing younger voters over their stances on abortion, firearms and democracy.
By week’s end, their challenges on those three fronts could grow worse.
The horserace handicappers note the poor timing of an upcoming NRA leadership forum in Indianapolis, just up the road from the site of this week’s deadly mass shooting in Louisville. From there, RNC bigwigs will gather in Nashville, site of another recent mass shooting and location where the state GOP’s authoritarian expulsion of two young black legislators has backfired on the party badly.
The piece also reveals that RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel raised alarm about the party’s “messaging problem” on abortion prior to the midterms and got “shouted down.” As we know, since then, party leaders in the states and federal judiciary properties have doubled, tripled and quadrupled down on mandating substandard healthcare for women with forced birth policies.
According to TPM, 66,000 people were unable to access abortion services in their home state in the first six months after the GOP partisans on the SCOTUS struck down Roe, and some GOP-controlled states have invented innovative approaches to oppression with laws like Idaho’s new Fugitive Uterus Act.
The number of citizens who are barred from receiving healthcare that meets modern standards will grow rapidly if, as expected, the nation’s third most populous state, Florida, implements a six-week ban. That bill is rocketing through DeSantis’s rubber-stamp statehouse right now.
Good luck with that messaging issue, guys. And dog help anyone who needs reproductive healthcare in America because Republicans won’t stop at red state borders.
***
A few odd details have emerged about the Pentagon documents leak. NY Mag calls it “one of the most significant breaches of U.S. intelligence in decades.” The article said analysts think the leak came from the U.S. since some of the briefings were for U.S. eyes only.
Analysts quoted say the leak likely came from someone with access to briefings prepared for JCS Chairman Mark Milley, while noting anyone with sufficiently high security clearance may have also had access. They estimate this could include “at least hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans.”
Here’s where it gets weird: the documents were doctored to exaggerate estimates of potential Ukrainian casualties and reduce the number of projected Russian casualties after the original documents with the true figures were leaked. Also, NYM cites a WSJ story (gift link) with the following detail:
“A variety of items can be seen in the margins of the photos, including Gorilla glue, shoes and instructions for a GlassHawk HD spotting scope, details that could facilitate the search for the leaker.”
I’ve got a GlassHawk spotting scope, Gorilla glue and shoes, so I’m not sure how much that narrows down the search for the leaker. I assume the Pentagon has its share of birders, shoe wearers and minor home repair enthusiasts.
***
In other news, Sarah Huckabee Sanders had to kiss Trump’s ass when she worked for him, and now she wants applicants for jobs in her administration to kiss her ass. From the Arkansas Times:
“Looking to serve your state in some official capacity? First, kiss the ring,” wrote Austin Bailey. “The application form you must fill out to be considered for a post on state boards and commissions includes this question: ‘What is an accomplishment of the Governor’s that you admire the most?'”
As Bailey noted, this portion of the questionnaire allows a full 500 words — which is twice the length of the question, “What book have you read that would best define your life and why?”
Low quality hires, man. They’re always tunneling to new subterranean depths.
***
And finally, the Tampa Bay Rays are the only undefeated Major League Baseball club after defeating the Red Sox last night to extend their win streak to 11 – 0. The last time a club opened at 11 – 0, Ronald Reagan was in his first term, and a MLB franchise for the Tampa Bay region was 17 years in the future.
Open thread!
dmsilev
Republicans: “
Am IAre we out of touch? No, it’s the children who are wrong”.Whomever
Man, the Sarah Huckabee Sanders hiring bar reminds me of one of the many debacles in Iraq, where they staffed up pretty much the entire Government with low quality Federalist Society interns and similar, since loyalty to the Repubs was worth more than ability. Sort of screams Soviet Union circa 1935.
Quinerly
Good Morning!
Somebody needs to front page this absolutely insane Carlson interview of Trump.
Every Repug candidate for anything….including dog catcher…should be asked on the campaign trail if he/she embraces Trump’s views on despots.
SFAW
I am still amused/annoyed that those candy-asses changed it from “Devil Rays.”
“OMFG!!! The howler monkeys will screech we’re anti-Christian if we keep that name! OMFG!!!1!2!!!”
Jerzy Russian
I thought asking people about what they read is considered a “gotcha” question.
11 games in a row is pretty impressive no matter when in the season it occurs. I think the 1984 Tigers opened the season 9-0, and were 35-5 after 40 games. I wonder if the 2023 Rays can match that.
SFAW
@Quinerly:
I heard about it, not sure I could stomach TFG and Cucker for more than 10 seconds, but might be willing to try. Perhaps a transcript would be a middle ground?
SFAW
Popular responses:
1) The Bible
2) The Turner Diaries
Butch
Perhaps we are speaking too quickly: Dear GOP, your problem is not “messaging.” The problem is your policies, or really the lack of them.
NotMax
Couple of unrelated items which caught the eye.
1) To everything there is a season.
2) Not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. By a long shot (emphasis mine).
dmsilev
@SFAW: I’d be tempted to put down that famous John Rogers quote about Lord of the Rings vs. Atlas Shrugs. Of course, that’s because I have absolutely no desire to take any job in that administration.
eclare
@SFAW: I know! I liked the name Devil Rays.
Deputinize Eurasia from the Kuriles to St Petersburg
Betty, are you guys really going to get a law prohibiting discussion of menses in the elementary grades (like, the time when they typically start)?
Saw a picture of the unashamed proponent of the bill. He looked as suspected; and I think even said that the girls wouldn’t be allowed to discuss it either.
Quinerly
@SFAW:
Trump looks like shit. Apologies to diarrhea.
There’s something very wrong with him physically. Bloated, eyes looked really blood shot, jiggling jowls. And that sniffing/snorting is back. His language. Cadence.
So with that said, the interview was surreal. I guess I got desensitized during his reign. Looking back, I’m having a hard time remembering his speeches and interviews….except those insane pressers during the beginnings of Covid Times. The snippets I watched late last night were jarring. To me, it all seemed worse. How could it actually be worse than what we lived through?
OzarkHillbilly
@SFAW: I have chronic arthritis in my hands, back, and knees, chronic bursitis in both shoulders, tendonitis in both elbows, and itises they don’t even have names for yet. Why would I subject myself to those 2 attention whores when I can just ignore them? Don’t I suffer enough?
Geminid
@Quinerly: One commentator pointed out that as bonkers as Trump was in the broadcast interview, the producers likely left out even crazier parts.
I especially liked Trump’s comment on the dangers of nuclear war: “All it takes is one madman…” A new campaign slogan?
And a lot of folks commented on Trump’s sniffles.
Suzanne
Fuck around, etc etc etc.
NotMax
@Geminid
“It was a perfect interview.”
//
Quinerly
@Geminid:
I suspect it was so bad that it was hard to find something to keep in it and broadcast.
Quinerly
@NotMax:
Good one….
Seriously, how can any sane person support him? His supporters are like from another species.
WereBear
I noted in a dead thread that Trump’s smirk now looks lopsidedly neurological in origin. But with his brain, who knows what part finally shorted out?
SFAW
@OzarkHillbilly:
All that, plus you have to put up with me! I’ll write to the College of Cardinals (or whomever) to see if dealing with me gets you sainthood. “Saint Ozark” has a nice ring to it.
As far as subjecting yourself to TFG: some people like to watch train wrecks. You’re obviously not one of them.
bbleh
The prospect? Have they looked at any recent opinion or exit polls? Have they seen any recent news?
SFAW
@WereBear:
Fixed
Geminid
@SFAW: A transcript would convey only part of the lunacy. Tom Nichols has a few select video excerpts on his Twitter feed.
None are too long. They are very reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart’s Captain Queeg, in The Caine Mutiny.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
@NotMax:
Guys like that are what inspired all those ridiculous 3 strike laws. I would not be opposed to a 10 or 20 strike law.
Anonymous At Work
Were I to apply for an Arkansas job, I would probably cite Governor Clinton’s healthcare reforms. “Oh wait, did she mean tell her what I thought her greatest accomplishment of the last three months? How would I know since none have gone into effect after court challenges?”
BruceFromOhio
They aren’t ‘losing’ younger voters – one cannot ‘lose’ what one never had in the first place. What they are doing is actively, publicly alienating an entire generation that sees the outrageous policies the fascists seek to foist on us all. Not only do they want nothing to do with it, they will turn out en masse to defeat it at every turn. Democrats, progressives of all stripes, would do well to recognize this growing groundswell and mobilize at the local level everywhere possible. When you can march in victory with your reinstated legislator to the fascists front door, you can do anything you set your mind to.
WereBear
This fascinating Youtube explains how, after the Taliban became rulers, they are not happy about their victory.
The TL/DW is that they once rode around terrorizing and now it’s like the Mongol Hordes all got 9-5 jobs and they are terminally bored, miserable, and addicted to Twitter.
As the Youtuber put it, “They are ready to remake American Beauty.”
The Taliban hate what they have become
Maybe we have to have working systems for both urban and rural people. Without the poisonous choices of the suburban plan, which provided status symbols, but no sidewalks.
Other MJS
@SFAW:
3) Altas Shrugged
Kay
Their turnout is better than prior generations too.
I still hear “but they only turn out at 15%!” – it’s no longer true. Everyone has to update assumptions.
OzarkHillbilly
@SFAW: The truly sad part is, seeing you here is a highlight of my day.
Suzanne
@Deputinize Eurasia from the Kuriles to St Petersburg:
Of course, this is a grooming tactic.
Kay
I’m thrilled for them.If they can turn out at 50% They’ll be a real force to be reckoned with. There are a lot of them.
Ken
@Anonymous At Work: “I really admire the speed with which, immediately after being elected Governor, she pivoted to her presidential run. Some people might have wasted time pretending to fulfill their duties as governor.”
Bostondreams
Re: the Rays.
As a lifelong Sox fan, I have to say Grats. And I hate cowbells with a passion. Why do they ring cowbells at the Trop???
Kay
Anti choice lobbyists – probably under pressure from the GOP- announced yesterday that they would consider exceptions to allow women to survive a miscarriage. So it’s a clumsy, ham-handed attempt to move the goalposts. They annnounce that allowing women modern best practices medical care is a “compromise”, which tricks the rubes. It won’t work because women aren’t that stupid but the arrogance of far Right religious nuts -especially the educated elites like Coney Barrett – always interests me- their assumption that the rest of us are morons.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
@Kay: This is wonderful. I still find 2016 with 45% not voting Democratic or 2020 with 39% not voting Democratic troubling. This is going to be a long fight.
flyingsquidwithgoggles
Re: Gorilla glue, shoes, and GlassHawk spotting scope – the number of people with these is probably high, but the number of people with these who had access to these documents and posted on the Minecraft Discord “Minecraft Earth Map” per the reporting at Bellingcat is probably quite small. I wouldn’t be too surprised if they catch the person who leaked these.
Gin & Tonic
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister:
The video he is referring to began circulating on russian social media yesterday. Do yourselves a favor and do not search for it.
Kristine
@Kay:
Did they really use the word “allow?”
I mean, I know they have assumed the right to make life/death decisions for women. But the word “allow” just announces it. “Your life belongs to us.”
Gravenstone
@Anonymous At Work: Greatest accomplishment of the last three months? Well, you’ve somehow managed to keep breathing in spite of your abject and very public stupidity?
Roger Moore
Their bigger problem is that mass shootings are becoming common enough that there aren’t many places they could hold their meeting without being close to a recent mass shooting. It’s the same thing with keeping the flag at half staff to commemorate mass shootings. If we kept the flag at half staff for one day for each person killed in one, it would be flying at half staff permanently.
Betty Cracker
@Deputinize Eurasia from the Kuriles to St Petersburg: The GOP supermajority might submarine that bill or at least that provision because it attracted so much ridicule nationally. But maybe not. I haven’t heard about any new developments, but so much shit is coming out of Tallahassee that it may already be the law of the land for all I know.
waspuppet
@SFAW: Yeah but it totally worked, because Christianists don’t yell and scream about anything anymore. They’re not at all a collection of professional victims and amateur victims looking to move up.
citizen dave
I always figured Tampa Bay changed to the “Rays” to honor Florida man, and inventor of soul music (aside from being on the highest level with jazz and pop) Ray Charles. I could be wrong, but that’s what I like to think. :)
waspuppet
Such a shame there isn’t anything Republicans can do about their stances on issues.
Betty Cracker
@flyingsquidwithgoggles: My attempt at sarcasm failed, but I do hope they catch the leaker quickly and are able to determine the motive. It would not surprise me if the leaker is a Trump embed, but who knows? There are pro-Russia people on the left-libertarian end of the spectrum as well as apolitical clout chasers.
Betty Cracker
@citizen dave: You are wrong, sorry. The team was named after sunbeams and sea creatures.
OzarkHillbilly
@Kristine: It is soooo gracious of them to allow women to live. What more could a women want?
Roger Moore
@Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:
I will point out only that 3 Strikes laws focus on convictions rather than arrests and citations. Yeah, this guy has probably been convicted more than 3 times, but quoting arrests is a way of making someone look worse than they are.
Realworldrj
They’ll just pass more voter suppression laws.
OzarkHillbilly
Mayor says Louisville shooter’s rifle ‘will be back on the streets’ under state law
Maybe Harlan Crow will buy it for his hall of sociopaths.
JustRuss
Remember when conservatives would count the number of times Obama said “I” in his speeches to prove what an egotistical tyrant he was? I’m sure they’ll be all over this. Any minute now.
lowtechcyclist
If they’re not also “openly distressed about the prospect of losing younger voters over their stances on” climate change, they damned well should be. Ditto the GQP’s persecution of trans and gay people, and its increasingly blatant racism
They may not have set out to be the Party of Evil, but they’re doing a good job of it. They’re on the wrong side of practically every issue there is.
cope
@SFAW: I do not, cannot watch/listen to these people either but this is a distillation of the “interview” in question in word form.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/trump-steamrolls-tucker-carlson-own-013404066.html
Kay
@Kristine:
No they did not use the word. But that’s what it is. Anti choice activists deny women modern, best practices health care in the states where anti choice activists are in power. Media are either dumb or lazy when covering these groups and quoting them- they’re far, far Right and that shoulk be made clear. Students for Life are quoted constantly as if they are “mainstream”. One of the goals of Students for Life is to ban birth control in the US. That’s just a fact.
The United States could be SUCH an (bad) outlier country that we would ban birth control. We’re already an outlier banning abortion among the countries in North America and Europe. They have already taken us back far, far further than others in North America and Europe.
lowtechcyclist
@WereBear:
All of it, Katie.
Ksmiami
@Kay: fuck them and their arrogant asses. Forced birthers and their medieval cruelties need to be driven into the ground.
Ksmiami
@Roger Moore: sorry- a mass shooting event at the NRA is probably the only way to stop the insanity at this point.
WaterGirl
@Suzanne:
Apparently it doesn’t bother them that they are losing the
womensluts as well.Suzanne
I have said it before and I will say it again, because I don’t think a lot of people believe me….. the end goal of abortion restrictions is to remove women from public life entirely. If they have their way, there will be no more education, no more voting, no more jobs or credit cards or pants. The goal is to return women to a subservient role, under the direct economic and social control of men. They want women AND GIRLS to marry young, start having babies, and be economically dependent on men, because that is how mediocre and low-quality men have historically been able to get laid.
kindness
re: Republicans not being able to read the room.
‘Sensible ‘moderate” Republicans think Lindsey Graham’s national 16 week abortion limit will help them. 1) that limit would kill them in their own primaries and 2) abortion rights supporters don’t see that as a compromise at all. Who those ‘moderates’ think this will help them win any elections shows they’re caught up in their own epistemic bubble.
Scout211
What was that phrase? Oh yeah. For Republicans, an accusation is often a confession?
glory b
@Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony: Well, we can’t wish away young Republicans, they continue to exist, for the same reasons their parents do.
Geminid
Glenn Youngkin is pursuing a non-communication strategy. When asked Monday about the abortion pill ruling, the Virginia Governor said:
From: “What Governor Youngkin is saying about the abortion pill ruling,” WRIC(TV) April 10, 2023.
J R in WV
There is no depth to which Theocratic RWNJs will not sink.
This is one example out of hundreds of cases, and here we see that these families use life-long religious training to keep their criminal instincts “private” — how hard it is to believe that the women (mothers!?!??) help to keep their female children in sexual slavery… or not so hard after all.
Spent one of the longest days in my life on a Grand Jury, because the vast majority of the felony cases we heard were of child (or incompetent young women) being raped repeatedly. Horrible, but so believable as the troopers and police officers testified.
I didn’t raise my hand on the petty drug cases, not that that mattered much as most people did, and it was majority rule at the GJ level… But it made me feel better.
mrmoshpotato
Oh really? Well, hot diggity fuck ’em!
Chris Johnson
@Betty Cracker: There sure are. My litmus test for lefties these days is whether they’re spouting any Russian talking points. Before Ukraine, it wasn’t always as obvious, but they were still just spouting Russian talking points. These assholes got Roger Waters spouting Russian talking points, which is horrible.
Jinchi
@Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:
Seriously, would bringing guns and ammo into a courthouse even be a crime in most states with 3 strikes laws?
DeSantis just legalized universal concealed carry and I remember mobs of armed protesters at state houses pre January 6th.
Betty Cracker
@Geminid: Youngkin has a few advantages over DeSantis for the 2024 race. 1) Trump isn’t gunning for Youngkin, at least not yet. 2) Youngkin has a fleece vest to stand in for a personality. 3) Youngkin doesn’t have a wingnut supermajority in both chambers of the statehouse to build a high-speed conveyor belt that delivers culture war bills to his desk for his signature.
DeSantis controls the FL legislature to an unprecedented degree and has established himself as a culture warrior, but there may be at least some push and pull. For example, I doubt DeSantis welcomes the 6-week abortion ban, which complicates his general election appeal, but I don’t think he’ll have the guts not to sign it. Ditto an open carry bill if that ever reaches his desk.
Jinchi
@flyingsquidwithgoggles: I haven’t seen the images, but any leaker who posts pictures with anything other than the documents in question in the background is either planting misdirection clues or is incredibly sloppy. In the second case, they’re highly likely to get caught.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
@Suzanne:
Oh, I believe you and agree with you.
Suzanne
@Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony: I think it is critical to keep in mind that this isn’t just about protecting women’s right to health care in the event of rape, or a pregnancy that goes badly, or even confined to pregnancy at all.
It is one of many steps in an effort to totally remake the social order for the pleasure/benefit of men.
Juju
@kindness: 3) a closeted gay man with a drinking problem who has never been around women, children or pregnant women and has no prospect of any such thing happening, has no business deciding anything about women’s health care issues.
Jinchi
I believe you, Suzanne. Republicans are already trying to criminalize interstate travel for women without permission. The only interpretation of that is that women are either children or property of the state.
Ohio Mom
@SFAW: Aaron Rupar’s twitter(@atrupar) has excerpts from Tucker Carlson’s Trump interview. I think it makes it more bearable to only watch short bursts. As others have noted, Trump is practically wheezing. Tucker does a good job of keeping a straight face considering the recent leak of him saying he hates Trump passionately. Who could have imagined we have anything in common with Tucker?
Geminid
@Betty Cracker: Youngkin has those advantages over another Governor like DeSantis, but I just don’t think 2024 is Youngkin’s year. He’s ambitious for sure, but he’s disciplined, and cautious too. I think he’ll serve out his term and in the meantime stay on the Party dinner circuit and broaden his national exposure.. Youngkin’s a good retail politician, in the sense that he’s good at telling people what they want to hear. He’ll try to set up a 2028 run with methodical networking.
Of course, a win next year by another Republican could delay Youngkin’s ambitions until 2032, which might mean forever. But a realist would see that Youngkin’s chances next year are not that great. The only thing that seems certain about next year’s primaries is that there will be destruction, and probably not in the creative sense.
Also, Youngkin could well have a Republican defeat in Virginia this fall to live down. Youngkin won’t be on the ballot in November’s General Assembly elections, but as party leader he’s got to campaign and put his prestige on the line. Right now it seems likelier than not that Democrats will hold the Senate and take back the House of Delegates, and possibly do even better. But that water will be long under the bridge by 2028..
trollhattan
Growing up a Huckabee without killing any dogs (to the best of my knowledge). Kan I haz jerb?
Paul in KY
@citizen dave: You are an optimistic fellow!
Paul in KY
@Suzanne: They do want this, I’m sure, but I don’t ever see that happening, bar some kind of nuclear war or meteor strike that turns the planet into a dystopian hellhole.
Maybe the womens under their personal thumb will be in that situation.
Suzanne
@Paul in KY:
The best way to ensure that this does not happen is to make the stakes clear, and not permit even little erosions.
scott (the other one)
@Ksmiami: If I recall correctly, guns are not allowed at NRA meetings. Oh, the grim irony…
Gretchen
@Suzanne: You’re absolutely right that they want to remove women from public life. There was outrage that the new surgery residents at Stanford next year is the « affirmative action class » – all women except one Asian man. No white guys at all. The white guys are outraged that they don’t get first crack at all the good stuff and have to compete with women. If they could cut off women’s education, access to birth control and jobs, the mediocre white guys could have it all back.
Manyakitty
@Ksmiami: maybe the toxic cloud from the factory explosion can welcome them to Indiana.
Paul in KY
@Suzanne: Completely true.
JBWoodford
@Ksmiami:
Don’t they do weapons screening at those?
WaterGirl
@Scout211: Geez. So fucked up. Good for the young woman for standing up for herself.
The Lodger
@JBWoodford: If they go in through the front door, maybe they’re screened for weapons. If a friendly Republican legislator lets them in through a side door, probably not.
EarthWindFire
@Kristine: IKR? Bringing in what Suzanne’s been saying about the true objective of these laws, it reminds me of an ex-fiancé who told me that he would “allow” me to work. Even though I was the one with greater income potential. Why should I need a man’s permission to do something I enjoy and can earn money doing? Why should any woman need a legislature’s permission to get health care?
EarthWindFire
@Geminid: Funny. Our fine governor seems to have an opinion about everything else. Guess he needed to pull out the weathervane for this one.
Jinchi
@EarthWindFire: How long did the engagement last after he mafe that comment?
EarthWindFire
@Jinchi: About a week or two. I was too young to have any business being married as demonstrated by the time I spent philosophizing about whether he’d change his mind or not. Finally figured out that he gave me a blaring neon GTFO sign.
Ksmiami
@JBWoodford: just disassemble in a few parts and there’s always a food service bay
Ksmiami
@Suzanne: start tying up the courts with anti viagra lawsuits- I mean it’s going against gods will
Paul in KY
@EarthWindFire: Good for you!