Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

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

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

“But what about the lurkers?”

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Sadly, media malpractice has become standard practice.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

the 10% who apparently lack object permanence

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

75% of people clapping liked the show!

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. keep building.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

This really is a full service blog.

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

After dobbs, women are no longer free.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / News Roundup: Just Another Slow News Day

News Roundup: Just Another Slow News Day

by | 139 Comments

This post is in: ,

Another slow day.  Not just an excuse to put up my favorite photo of Jack Smith, I promise!

DC Indictment News

⭐️

The new interim Senator for California is NOT running for the US Senate. I think that’s a great decision.

⭐️

Chris Kise, Trump’s atty, was forced to apologize to 2 female attorneys after dismissive remarks during an off-the-record sidebar in AG’s fraud trial. Kise told the law clerk he didn’t want to talk to her & questioned an AG atty’s intelligence.

⭐️

I love this from Brian Tyler Cohen. He has a whole series of these. I imagine he is going to go through every one of the 18 “Biden district” reps who voted for Jordan.  He writes these short & sweet blurbs, and posts their photos with the descriptions.

Examples:

This is Young Kim (R-CA). She voted to elect MAGA extremist Jim Jordan, who voted to steal the 2020 election and backs a national abortion ban.

Kim’s district voted for Joe Biden.

.

This is Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ). He voted to elect MAGA extremist Jim Jordan, who voted to steal the 2020 election and backs a national abortion ban.

Ciscomani’s district voted for Joe Biden.

⭐️

Not news, but fun. And smart.

⭐️

Legal document

GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE IN OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS ON PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY GROUNDS

Link to PDF 

⭐️

⭐️

Best snippet from Biden’s speech.  (in my opinion)

⭐️

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

139Comments

  2. 2.

    Rusty

    No antisemitism and no Islamophobia?  What, we can’t hate people?  Keep this up and next Joe will want us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and welcoming the stranger.  Where does he get these ideas?

  4. 4.

    WaterGirl

    For anyone who doesn’t want to go to Twitter to see the statement of the (current) Senator from CA.  This is exactly what I hoped she would do, for these reasons.

    (click the image to see a non-blurry version)

    News Roundup: Just Another Slow News Day

  5. 5.

    Alison Rose

    Big shock that TIFG’s attorney is a sexist pig. He wouldn’t have ’em any other way!

    I’m glad to see Butler making the right choice for herself and her life. I’m sure she’ll do a terrific job while she’s there, but obviously this wasn’t something she sought out and if she feels that it’s not something she wants to dedicate herself to long-term, that is a perfectly wise move to make. I liked this line: “traditionally we don’t see those who have power let it go” — indeed we don’t! I think her willingness to do so proves that Newsom was right to choose her. Not because she’s not going to run, but because she knows how to make the right determination for her own circumstances without letting a desire for power come into play. If she had chosen to run, I think she would’ve been a formidable opponent.

  6. 6.

    WaterGirl

    @Rusty:

    Where does he get these ideas?

    Seems like they are as old as… I can’t quite place it.

    the hills?  some thick book somewhere?  some stones with writing on them?

  8. 8.

    eclare

    Wow that attorney for TFG…stunning.  Is that the same guy who dismissively questioned E Jean Carroll?

    And for photos of Jack Smith, I’ll take the one of him training for a triathalon!

  9. 9.

    WaterGirl

    Again, for anyone who doesn’t want to click on Twitter for the details of what a dick Chris Kise is:

    (click on the image to see the non-blurry version)

    News Roundup: Just Another Slow News Day 1

  10. 10.

    WaterGirl

    @Alison Rose: Yeah, she might have been a great opponent, but she would be spending so much time campaigning, and not so much time senator-ing.

    This may be her best move if she ever thinks she actually wants to be in the senate.

  14. 14.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    A simply magnificent, gut-wrenching and inspiring Biden speech in Israel. As an American, a Jew, a human being, I could not be more touched.

    ~ Jennifer Rubin

    @POTUS & @SecBlinken are trying to (1) support a U.S. ally, Israel & its right to self-defense, (2) provide aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and (3) prevent a larger war, all at the same time. They may fail. But so far, I’m impressed with their efforts. U.S. diplomacy at its best.

    ~ Michael McFaul

    It may be remembered as one of the best if not the best speeches of his presidency. He was firm. He was strong

    ~ Brit Hume, Fox News

  15. 15.

    WaterGirl

    @Alison Rose: I guess I may have read her last paragraph differently than you?  I felt like she was saying she was put in there to serve the people of CA, not to run for office.  Especially with that quote

    edit: I guess that makes it the perfect quote from a politician.  Everyone can read into it what they want. :-)

  16. 16.

    HumboldtBlue

    “American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us safe. We put ALL that at risk if we ignore the war in Ukraine and turn our backs on Israel… this is a smart investment that will pay dividends on American security for generations.”

    That’s for the dipshits in the GOP who want to block support for Ukraine.

  18. 18.

    Alison Rose

    @WaterGirl: Well, I was replying to this part of your comment:

    This may be her best move if she ever thinks she actually wants to be in the senate.

    And just saying that from what she said, it sounds like she’s happy to be the interim but isn’t interested in holding office long-term. She’s gonna do the best she can for CA for the time she’s there but since she’s not going to run, it sounds like that’s all she wants as far as elective office.

  23. 23.

    Villago Delenda Est

    I hope Kise has that $3 million retainer invested in something, because after today, I think his days as an attorney are limited.

  25. 25.

    BlueGuitarist

    “If once elected [president] and at a second election…outvoted by one or two votes,

    he will pretend false votes [and] foul play

    [and] hold possession of the reins of government”

    Jefferson (in 1787) to Madison on why he wanted presidents limited to a single term.

  28. 28.

    Steve in the ATL

    I am absolutely stunned by the number of people who have traveled to South Bend, IN to watch Boston University (not College!) play Notre Dame in hockey.  I’ve been in a hotel conference room all week negotiating with union thugs (not really–they’ve been great), and when I walked out tonight the lobby was full of little boys with hockey mullets, their dads with hockey mullets, and a few moms, mercifully without hockey mullets, and a large crown of people with barely comprehensible Bahstan accents.  A few minutes later, the BU hockey team comes in and the crowd erupts.  I may have to switch from wine to tequila….

  30. 30.

    piratedan

    WG where is the Brian Cohen Taylor posts about the GOP reps in Biden won districts at?  I tried to find something at the youtube page, but couldn’t track it down.

  38. 38.

    Brachiator

    @WaterGirl:

    For anyone who doesn’t want to go to Twitter to see the statement of the (current) Senator from CA.  This is exactly what I hoped she would do, for these reasons.

    It looks as though Governor Newsom made a wise choice, and the Democratic Party candidates who have been seriously eyeing this Senate seat are all breathing a sigh of relief.

    Contrast the horror show of the GOP grudge match for the Speakership.

  39. 39.

    Craig

    @WaterGirl: I grew up in Virginia. In HS we went to James Monroe’s house Ashlawn. It’s outside Charlottesville on a hilltop near  Jefferson’s Monticello. Monroe had his buddy Thomas build the house since he was an architect. There is a drawing room with French Doors and a balcony that looked towards Monticello on a nearby hill. The guide told us that Monroe was 6′, tall for those times. Jefferson built the door to that room at 6′, so everytime Monroe entered that room he had to make a little bow towards Monticello. I found that fucking hilarious. Architect jokes, subtle.

  40. 40.

    Scout211

    @WaterGirl:

    So it sounds like from that statement, Senator Butler is not running to complete the last two months of her appointed term. She was appointed on October first.  She wrote that she has 383 days to work in the Senate for California.  I’m no math whiz but I think the 383 days just takes her to the general election.  So she will not be in the Senate after the November election.

    That makes sense for her to do, but it will be interesting to see if anyone runs for Senator for those last two months.

  41. 41.

    WaterGirl

    @Gin & Tonic: Amazing.  I am allergic to mushrooms, so I am not well-versed in their habits.

    Earlier this week I was in my garden, puling at lot of the annuals that are done for the year, and there were a whole bunch of really creepy, weird, hard, woody mushrooms in spot where my old 7′ diameter maple tree was (that fell on my house in 2013).

    I know the tree roots spawn mushrooms as they are rotting or disintegrating or decomposing or whatever they do, but these were different than any I had seen, and I wondered if this was the last hurrah.  After 10 years, maybe that’s the end of it.

  43. 43.

    BlueGuitarist

    @piratedan:

    If you’re just looking for a list of Biden district Reps who voted for Gym Jordan:

    AZ-01 David Schweikert

    AZ-06 Juan Ciscomani

    CA-13 John Duarte

    CA-22 David Valadao

    CA-27 Mike Garcia

    CA-40 Young Kim

    CA-45 Michelle Steele

    NJ-07 Tom Kean

    NY-03 George Santos

    NY-19 Mark Molinaro

    NY-22 Brandon Williams

    PA-01 Brian Fitzpatrick

  45. 45.

    WaterGirl

    @Scout211: Oh, good catch!

    That’s smart.  And good for the party, because then hopefully that will give a tiny bit more seniority to the person who wins the senate race.

    I can’t imagine that all 3 Ds won’t run for those 2 months, as well, since she has stated (obliquely) that she won’t.

    Class act.

  47. 47.

    Danielx

    @WaterGirl:

    I suppose the $3 million he got paid up front requires that he dish out some general abuse.

    Granted, demanding TFG pay him up front was smart.

  48. 48.

    Alison Rose

    Well, this is good news!

    A judge barred a Southern California school district Thursday from requiring teachers to notify parents when a student identifies as transgender, saying the policy discriminates against youths based on their gender identity.

    The policy adopted by the Chino Valley Unified School District in July — the first of its kind in the state — “treats otherwise similar students differently based on their sex or gender identity” and therefore violate the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the laws, said San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Michael Sachs. He granted Attorney General Rob Bonta’s request for a preliminary injunction against the policy, which had been blocked by another judge last month.

    At the school board’s four-hour hearing before it adopted the policy in July, Sachs noted, board members who supported it described gender nonconformity as a “mental illness” and the board’s president, Sonja Shaw, told state schools Superintendent Tony Thurmond that he was supporting “things that pervert children.”

    Emily Rae, a lawyer for the school district, told Sachs that children’s decisions to change their gender identity “raise major health concerns about which parents have a right to know.”

    “Socially transitioning behind their parents’ backs does not promote well-being,” said attorney Josh Dixon of the Center for American Liberty, a conservative group representing parents who support the district’s policy.

    But at the end of a 2½-hour hearing Thursday, Sachs told the lawyers that “I do not accept that making the choice, if it’s even a choice, of being transgender is a mental health problem.” He said a transgender child might also conclude that mandatory parental notification “would have a chilling effect on my ability to express myself” and decide to stay in the closet.

    Some transgender youths can discuss their gender identity with their parents, some cannot, and “my job as a judge is to have their backs,” Sachs said.

    The people who support these policies are always so painfully ignorant in addition to being transphobic. The lawyer saying that a kid using different pronouns “raises health concerns” is stupid — the kid isn’t getting top surgery behind the gym or something, they’re just asking people to use different words when referring to them, maybe a different name. The “health concern” bullshit is just about parents thinking they own their children and can demand that they retain the identity the parent believes they should have. And socially transitioning “behind their backs” absolute could promote “well-being” if the child might get beaten or kicked out if their parents know.

    I’m glad the judge said as much and recognized that he needs to be on the side of kids who would be at risk from a policy like this.

  49. 49.

    Brachiator

    @WaterGirl:

    RE: Jefferson (in 1787) to Madison on why he wanted presidents limited to a single term

    @BlueGuitarist: Wow, that Jefferson guy was pretty smart.

    Like both of his predecessors, Jefferson ran for a second term. The election of 1804 was the first to be held after the ratification of the Twelfth Amendment, which instituted the current electoral system in which separate electoral votes are cast for the presidency and vice presidency.

    Madison also served two terms. I think that Jefferson saw that it’s tough to get things done during a single term.

  51. 51.

    Mallard Filmore

    @Rusty:

    No antisemitism and no Islamophobia? What, we can’t hate people? Keep this up and next Joe will want us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and welcoming the stranger. Where does he get these ideas?

    Can’t we be more accepting of naked people instead?

  52. 52.

    TriassicSands

    The new interim Senator for California is NOT running for the US Senate. I think that’s a great decision.

    Obviously, she should do what she feels is best. However, after reviewing the three current candidates for the Senate, I think, if I lived in CA and had the choice, I might well choose Butler over the other three.

    Why? First, Barbaral Lee is 77 years old. I’m not voting for anyone that old for a six-year term unless I have no realistic alternative.

    Second, although I like Adam Schiff and he might be my choice currently if age were not a factor, he is already 63. At this point, for me that would limit him to two terms maximum.

    And finally, Katie Porter. She is only 49, which is only 5 years older than Butler, but currently there are zero African American women in the Senate, which, were Butler to do a stellar job over the next year, would cause me to give her the nod. Additionally, we will actually have a chance to see Butler in action as a senator, which is different from being a representative.

    Of course, I don’t live in CA, so I can’t vote there, but that doesn’t stop me from caring about the senators other states elect.

    I’m not sure why Lee is running. At her age, it seems reasonable to me for her to finish out her career in the House. If she were elected next year, Californians might face the prospect of voting for an 84-year-old candidate who would be half way to 85. They just made that mistake with Feinstein. She is more than a year older than I am, and with all the recent discussion of governmental gerontocracy, running for the Senate when she will be 78 upon assuming office seems unrealistic. I think experience matters and electing someone her age means she will never have the time to become the best senator should could be. It’s one thing to stay too long, which I don’t think is good, and another to not even start until you’re at the point where you should probably be quitting.

    On the other hand, I can hardly blame Butler from not wanting to spend her career in the Senate amidst the likes of Cruz, Hawley, Tuberville, Kennedy, et al. And, I should throw in Menendez for a little bothsiderist touch.

  54. 54.

    Brachiator

    @Craig:

    The guide told us that Monroe was 6′, tall for those times. Jefferson built the door to that room at 6′, so everytime Monroe entered that room he had to make a little bow towards Monticello. I found that fucking hilarious. Architect jokes, subtle.

    For some reason, I didn’t think that Monroe was that tall, but I guess I didn’t pay much attention to details like that when I read presidential biographies. I did remember that Madison was not very tall.

    Jefferson was 6 ft 2 inches, a little taller than his buddy Monroe.

  56. 56.

    Scout211

    In case you thought this was a three-way primary for Senator Feinsteins’s seat,  ballotpedia lists 38 candidates who have filed to run.  Talk about a jungle primary.

    There are (as of now) no candidates who have filed to run for the special election to fill the last two months of Senator Butler’s term. The filing deadline is December 8th.

  57. 57.

    WaterGirl

    @TriassicSands: Interesting to see your thinking!  She appears to be a big picture thinker, with her eyes on the prize.  I wonder if she thinks that if she kind of enjoys being senator (remains to be seen) she might rather step into that when our government is (hopefully) more functional after another election or two with Dems winning.

  59. 59.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    @Scout211: state laws differ, but generally, a person appointed to fill a vacancy only hold the office until the results of a special election are certified.

    If you notice Feinstein took office as senator in November 1992, immediately after she won a special election.

  61. 61.

    Brachiator

    @TriassicSands:

    if I lived in CA and had the choice, I might well choose Butler over the other three.

    Butler is 44, not that much younger than Porter.

    I live in California and like all three of the main challengers. I would happily consider Butler if she also chose to run.

  62. 62.

    Chetan Murthy

    @TriassicSands: My thoughts about Schiff pretty much mirror yours.  And of course, Lee.

    ETA: this, besides really loving Schiff.  I mean,  he’s so great.  Just …. old is old.

  64. 64.

    TriassicSands

    @WaterGirl:

    If you haven’t gone to bed yet…

    Or, if she were looking ahead, she might see that the layout for next year’s election puts Democrats at a distinct disadvantage to hold the majority. If being a senator weren’t her dream job, then the prospect of being in the minority with whomever will take over as Majority Leader from McConnell (assuming both that McConnell eventually leaves rather than being re-animated and that the Democrats do lose the majority) running the show might make it even less attractive.

    However, as I said, she should do what she wants to do. No one should run for a seat they don’t really want. She also may not want to “live” in D.C., which I could understand.

  65. 65.

    Scout211

    @David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch:

    California can take up to 30 days to certify an election so I guess that means that Senator Butler could be a Senator for a few weeks past the general election. But then the newly elected Senator takes over until January.

    It will be interesting to see who files to complete her term.  I would imagine the candidates will start filing soon.  I hope it’s not all 38 of them running for both terms. LOL.

    At least our mail-in ballots are postage paid because that’s going to be a thick ballot for us next year.

  66. 66.

    Fake Irishman

    @Steve in the ATL:

    I was deeply involved in three sets of labor negotiations from the union side during my days in grad school as a teaching assistant. And I did develop considerable respect at least some of the corporate goons across the table from us, both in their skill at the table and in the godawful job they had in convincing faculty members and department chairs and deans that yes, the contract does apply to you too, and no, you can’t just do what ever you want with your teaching assistants.

    I also learned a LOT about how a university works, both good and bad, when I was at the table.

    Good training for politics.

    I’ll never forget the night before Right to Work passed in Michigan. A couple of former bargaining team members were back in town to travel to Lansing with us to protest in the capitol (open carry fine, but God forbid you have a picket sign or a noisemaker). We were having a drink at an Ann Arbor bar and one of the Academic HR people happened to be there nearby, and came over. She took a pull on her beer and let us know in no uncertain terms using several four-letter words what she thought of Right-to-Work.

    It was a nice moment during a shitty week.

  69. 69.

    Ken

    @Scout211: It will be interesting to see who files to complete her term. I hope it’s not all 38 of them running for both terms.

    As long as at least one Democrat files. It would be annoying to have a Republican in the seat for the lame duck period.

  70. 70.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Fake Irishman: if you were here, I’d buy you a Harp at the fake Irish bar around the corner!

    FYI right to work has been repealed in Michigan, so union dues for all–screw those free riders!

    Drunk HR people?  WAY scarier than these drunk hockey parents/kids/fans!

  71. 71.

    TriassicSands

    @Brachiator: @Chetan Murthy:

    I acknowledged the age difference between Butler and Porter in my original comment. That five years is not enough to make a difference, so my choice would fall to which one I thought would do a better job and the sad fact that currently there are no African American women (other than Butler) in the Senate.

    I’d prefer to live in a country where there were a reasonable mix of women and men and majority/minority elected officials.

    Like many, I oppose term limits (which are the enemy of experience), but would support a mandatory age of retirement (which would help to prevent the Feinsteins and Grassleys).

    Some people insisted that the person Newsom appointed not run next year, because that would give that person an advantage. But, I don’t have an automatic problem with that, because a smart governor could pick the best person for the job, whereas simply announcing one’s candidacy is not necessarily a measure of quality.

    That said, I think the three who are running offer a far better selection than most states ever have.

  72. 72.

    Traveller

    Dear WaterGirl: I am most often too busy to comment, and I am even late to this thread…but I do need to tell you how valuable I find your front page posts…they inform me and my life…a big thank you! Best Wishes, Traveller

  76. 76.

    Fake Irishman

    @

    @Steve in the ATL:

    Oh, I know it well. I followed that vote closely. Of course, thanks to the bullshit reasoning in Janus, my old public sector union is still right to work, essentially. Grad employee unions turn over so much that they have o be constantly organizing by default, so they pretty much took it in stride.

    And if I were in South Bend, I would happily take you up on that Harp.

  77. 77.

    Bill Arnold

    @WaterGirl:
    Wikipedia has a picture. I’ve seen those; did not know they could be eaten. Says that they can get up to 45 kg in Japan.
    Grifola frondosa “also known as hen-of-the-woods, maitake (舞茸, “dancing mushroom”) in Japanese, ram’s head or sheep’s head”

  78. 78.

    eversor

    @TriassicSands:

    Just as every senator looks in the mirror and see’s a president every representative looks in the mirror and see’s a senator.  It’s raw hubris and ego all around and it comes with the job.

    I’m not in CA but I think moving to end the gerontocracy is a good idea in general.  RGB and Difi were both clear warnings about this issue and about the raw ego involved in our elder members.   On team R we can look straight at Mitch and it’s a honest question if he’s just going to keel over right in the middle of a press conference.

    To drag the presidential race into this both Trump and Biden are not what they were four years ago and it really fucking shows.  They both suffer massive old man syndrome and it’s not good.  However Biden is a relatively spry old man for his age struggling with a speach issue.  Where Trump is a fucking lard ass with a horrible diet who is obviously also suffering from not only dementia but batshitia at the same time.

    The other thing is that I like both Lee and Schiff in the house where they are.  The house is more broken than the senate.  The loons in the GOP senate are for the most part isolated.  It’s the house that has rabies.  So that’s where I’d rather our strongest fighters were.

    As for Butler… Newsom threaded the needle expertly here.  I don’t think her lack of interest in running for the office is a bad thing.  Plenty of people take temporary gigs at time outside of what they want to do for the experience, learning, and making connections.  Those pay dividends later in other areas.  I’m pretty sure she had already gamed out what she wanted from this in advance.

    I’m just not that worried the seat won’t end up in good hands.  I just hope it ends up in the hands of someone with a few decades to build it into something.

  79. 79.

    Kent

    @TriassicSands:However, as I said, she should do what she wants to do. No one should run for a seat they don’t really want. She also may not want to “live” in D.C., which I could understand.

    She already lives in DC.

    That is where Emily’s List is headquartered.

  81. 81.

    Brachiator

    @TriassicSands:

    Like many, I oppose term limits (which are the enemy of experience), but would support a mandatory age of retirement (which would help to prevent the Feinsteins and Grassleys).

    I mentioned in a previous post that I lean towards favoring a retirement age of 77. I would consider a candidate who would reach age 77 after completing 2 full terms of a Congressional office. So, Schiff at age 63, and Porter and Butler would be fine. However, this is not a hard rule, so I would also consider Lee.

    Some people insisted that the person Newsom appointed not run next year, because that would give that person an advantage. But, I don’t have an automatic problem with that, because a smart governor could pick the best person for the job, whereas simply announcing one’s candidacy is not necessarily a measure of quality.

    Here in California, there was some political pressure on Newsom to do nothing to hurt the chances of three main contenders for the Senate seat. We also have term limits for some offices, and incumbents and party favorites have an edge on some offices.

  84. 84.

    laura

    @TriassicSands: a smart governor could pick the best person for the job. Governor Newsom had an opportunity to appoint a Senate replacement when Senator Kamala Harris was elected as our Vice President. His choice, Alex Padilla, is an excellent Senator and was reelected to both complete Senator Harris’ term and run for the vacancy in the general. It was an interesting ballot. I’m also please that Senator Butler has decided to be an interim Senator and not upset a current senatorial campaign, and wanted to confirm that Governor Newsom is adding to a record of filling vacancies with strong and stellar individuals.

  85. 85.

    TriassicSands

    @Brachiator:

    Incumbency is normally an advantage, but with only a little over a year to serve, I don’t think that would be quite the same thing. However, it would give voters a chance to see Butler in action, whereas they have had years to see the other three. That might actually level things a bit.

    But it doesn’t matter now because Butler is obviously a quitter (just kidding). If she doesn’t want to run, good for her. It shows she’s smarter than the other three (again, kidding). CA still has decent choices.

  86. 86.

    Brachiator

    A little UK news from the BBC.

    Labour have overturned huge Conservative majorities to win Thursday’s two by-elections in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth.

    Voter turnout was supposedly low, but these are still big wins for Labour.

  87. 87.

    Yutsano

    @Gin & Tonic: ​I’m coming over for dinner. You’ve been warned.

    Also: I know there are no guarantees in life but I think I nailed my job interview this afternoon.

  88. 88.

    TriassicSands

    @laura:

    I thought about that wording and went with the generic “a smart governor” rather than use Newsom’s name, which could be misconstrued to mean I didn’t think Newsom is smart.

    I thought the selection of Padilla was excellent.

  90. 90.

    JWR

    @Alison Rose:

    That is good news! But have you heard the latest book banning BS out of Huntington Beach? Books that “some people” might find objectionable will be moved to an out of the way section where the little children can be protected from the cooties lurking within such tomes. (And these are public libraries!)

    Here’s a bit from The Voice of OC from Oct 17:

    Huntington Beach could soon have a new process for deciding what enters their public libraries as one city councilwoman proposes the creation of an appointed panel to rule what’s appropriate for public consumption.

    The proposal comes three months after city council members said they needed to better define what was “obscene” at their public libraries amidst concerns that children were accessing sexual material that was improperly stored at the city libraries.

    The initiative faced a strong pushback at the time and currently is facing big questions from many residents saying it’s an effort to ban books the council’s Republican majority objects to.

    City Councilwoman Gracey Van Der Mark is spearheading the proposal, insisting there are sexually explicit books in the children’s section that need to be removed for their safety and that it isn’t an effort to ban any books.

    “We’re not banning a single book. What we’re saying is if the content is too sexually graphic, move it to the adults section,” Van Der Mark said in a Monday interview. “They can still have access if the parents deem it’s appropriate.”

    Oh, can it, lady. We know book banning when we see it, so you can f*ck the Hell right off with that nonsense!

    ETA and as far as that defining obscenity BS, it’s been done. (And no, I’m too lazy to look up that “F the flag” case from the 1970’s.)

  92. 92.

    Brachiator

    @TriassicSands:

    Incumbency is normally an advantage

    What I meant was that California has term limits, and incumbents who are termed out are given some preference for available seats for other offices within the state. Also, family members or key sides are sometimes given preference for a seat freed up because of term limits.

    Term limits were supposed to help new and progressive candidates get a political leg up, but this is undercut by party considerations.

  93. 93.

    eversor

    @JWR:

    The Christian GOP base strikes again!  But people here will still insist it must be anything but Christianity.  Those people are helping walk us straight into The Hand Maidens Tale.

  94. 94.

    Alison Rose

    @JWR: UGH.

    sexually explicit books in the children’s section

    Oh bullshit. From your link:

    “The Councilwoman’s contention is that there are ‘pornographic’ books in the children’s section of the library,” wrote David Rynerson. “One of the books targeted in the presentation is ‘Grandad’s Pride’, a story about a girl who finds a Pride flag in her grandfather’s attic, leading the two of them to organize a Pride parade in their town. Please explain what is pornographic about this book.”

    Once again, “sexually explicit” or “graphic” or whatever is just bigot-code for “gay stuff”. They also get mad about nonfiction sex ed books. Like, yeah, you dolts, it’s gonna have sex stuff in it. That’s the point! Teaching kids sex ed isn’t telling them “okay, go out and start fucking now!” just like teaching kids about US history isn’t encouraging them to go home and start a war.

  96. 96.

    Brachiator

    @Yutsano:

    Also: I know there are no guarantees in life but I think I nailed my job interview this afternoon.

    Very cool. Best of luck to you!

  97. 97.

    Yutsano

    @Alison Rose: ​One round. There was a pre-interview lunch and learn where we got to meet some of the people (including the person who interviewed me today) and I made it a point to speak up and get noticed. The either good or bad part is I find out if I’m selected or not on either my birthday or Halloween.

  99. 99.

    kalakal

    @Brachiator: The vote swing in both was over 20% to Labour.  In one of the elections the Tories went in with an over 24,000 majority* , in the other around 20,000. This is a wipeout.

    * For our American viewers: English constituencies have around 70 to 80,000 voters. To lose a 25,000 majority is catastrophic

  100. 100.

    catothedog

    @TriassicSands:

    I am generally of the opinion that no one who has not run for office in a competitive election (note run, not necessarily won)  should become US Senator. They should for mayor or State house/senate or Congress first.

    I don’t care how “good” they are – Hillary, Franken, Ted K etc. but I would rather not have them if we can avoid the  Ted Cruz, Ron Jon, JD Vance, Rand Paul kind.  It is just a ticket for rich out-of-touch asshole elitists  to get elected without getting tested or proven.

  103. 103.

    Alison Rose

    @mrmoshpotato: Right??

    I hate to say this, though, but…I was watching a clip from MSNBC where they played part of her hearing, and she did make me laugh when they asked her for her age. At first she just said “Oh gosh” and people laughed, and then she said “68, despite my astonishingly youthful countenance”. So, she’s a nutjob, but at least she can crack a wry joke here and there.

  105. 105.

    TriassicSands

    @catothedog:

    The real problem there is not the candidates, but the electorate. Personally, I think the quality of our electorate is responsible for the lion’s share of our problems. Do you really think, looking at Republican elected officials across the country, that requiring a Republican to hold lower office first would improve the Republican side of the aisle in the Senate. Republican state legislators are often even worse than Republican U.S. senators.

    I wish I did, but I don’t think your plan would improve the quality of Republican senators. It wouldn’t change Republican voters and I think you’d probably be horrified if you looked closely at the general quality of Republican mayors and state legislators. I don’t think I have to say anything about Republicans in the House. For example, who in the Republican House would you choose to replace Cruz, Johnson, Vance, and Paul. There are both better and worse possibilities. It’s up to the voters. The problem.

  106. 106.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @Mallard Filmore:

    I can get behind accepting the naked as they are. In front, too. Heck, it’s an all around good idea that needs to ummm, studied. From all angles.

    Yeah, that’s the ticket.

  108. 108.

    JWR

    @Alison Rose:

    just like teaching kids about US history isn’t encouraging them to go home and start a war.

    LoL! I’ll have to remember that one. “Now children, don’t try this at home”. ;)

  109. 109.

    Martin

    @Alison Rose: My suspicion was that Newsom would only pick someone that had already agreed to not run for reelection, so as to not step on the existing candidates.

    IOW, whether or not she wants to hold office, the only way to get this interim gig is to agree to not run so this decision, assuming I’m correct, doesn’t tell us anything.

  110. 110.

    Alison Rose

    @Martin: That’s assuming some real deceitfulness on his part. Initially, back when the topic first came up well before anyone had declared their candidacy, he had said this would only be caretaker appointment, and the implication was that the person wouldn’t run. But he also said he would appoint a Black woman, and some people saw that as dismissive of Black women’s importance to the Democratic Party and the state and nation. So over time, he changed his stance and said whomever he appointed could choose to run or not on her own. Your scenario means he was completely lying about that and told Butler she couldn’t run and also told her she had to pretend like that was her choice. I think it’s more likely that, given the response, he simply changed his stance about it.

  111. 111.

    TriassicSands

    @JWR:

    It is obviously time to protect all Americans, young and old, from all books regardless of subject matter. Only then can we begin to aspire to the level of ignorance we need to go backward.

  114. 114.

    Mai Naem mobile

    @kalakal: has anybody brought up Sunak being married to a woman whose parents are close supporters of Modi? It didn’t occur to me till the Canadians got into the diplomatic issue with India over the Sikh guy who is alleged to have been killed under orders of the Indian got. Justin Trudeau said they were tipped off by one of the five eyes but refused to say who. My guess would be the Americans who wouldn’t want to have issues with India while they’re trying to build up an alignment with India against China. I just wonder if they’re more careful with the Brits due to Sunak’s personal ties.

  115. 115.

    Lyrebird

    @kalakal: OK I need to get some sleep…  I now figure you meant 70,000 to 80,000 when you said “70 to 80,000” — I first read that to mean there was literally a 70 person constituency somewhere, duh…  Thank you for the laugh and for the explanation!

  116. 116.

    thruppence

    @JWR: I usually DVR them – I can’t stand wasting all that time watching commercials for drugs I’m not going to take, cars I’m not going to buy, services I don’t need, etc.

  122. 122.

    StringOnAStick

    @WaterGirl: Mushrooms and the fungal mycellium that produce them are incredibly varied and also often quite specific as to the substrate they need in order to grow.  It is not hyperbole to say that without mycellium, there would be very little that could grow in terms of human/animal food sources, and evolution would not have headed to where we are now.

    Whatever you saw was something in the saprophyte wing of fungus, a “rotter” that breaks down wood and probably one that prefers dead maple wood.  The mushrooms might have just been old and dried into a hard ball  but likely didn’t start out that way.

  133. 133.

    Montanareddog

    @kalakal: just seen in The Grauniad: if the Mid-Beds bye-election swing were replicated across the country at the GE (which it won’t be, of course), Labour would end up with 498 seats, Lib Dems with 104, and the Tories with 20.

    If you are a British moran, grifter, liar, charlatan, hypocrite or sexual predator thinking of changing jobs, do it now, because the market is going to be flooded in around a year’s time.

  137. 137.

    Ascap_scab

    @Rusty: There are always Short People.

    Short people got no reasonShort people got no reasonShort people got no reasonTo live

    They got little handsAnd little eyesAnd they walk aroundTellin’ great big liesThey got little nosesAnd tiny little teethThey wear platform shoesOn their nasty little feet

    Well, I don’t want no short peopleDon’t want no short peopleDon’t want no short people’Round here

    Ascap Randy Newman Scab.

  139. 139.

    Paul in KY

    @catothedog: We had some lady run. Was a pilot LTC, graduated from Annapolis. Tried to do Senate right off the bat. She got whupped. I voted for her, cause she was the Democratic nominee, but I thought there was a bit of hubris there (by her). Do think you need to get voted in for something and do that job before running for US Senator. Looks better on your resume, IMO.

    There are exceptions to that, though.

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