Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

“woke” is the new caravan.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

The gop is a fucking disgrace.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Republicans don’t trust women.

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

I’m sure you banged some questionable people yourself. We’re allowed to grow past that.

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

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” is supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

Not all heroes wear capes.

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

Somebody needs to explain to DeSantis that nobody needs to do anything to make him look bad.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you don’t.

You are here: Home / Politics / Democratic Politics / Fun Facts from Gavin Newsom Open Thread

Fun Facts from Gavin Newsom Open Thread

by | 188 Comments

This post is in: , ,

It’s Sunday afternoon, and it’s cold and wet so I’m not going anywhere.  Except when I head out to pick up my favorite Italian Beef sandwich to bring home.  They even hand-cut their own fries out of special potatoes.  It’s such a treat to have finally found really good Italian Beef here!

Here’s a list of 10 things that Gavin Newson tweeted as a list at some point in the last few weeks.  Surely we can add to it and turn it into a list of 50?

If not, talk about food or lazy Sunday afternoon things, or anything else you want!

👷🏻 Seven times more jobs have been created during the Biden Administration than the last three Republican presidents combined. Yes, that is true.

🛠️47 million out of 49 million jobs created since Ronald Reagan left office were created by Democrats.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 California has some of the strongest gun laws in the country and as a result has a 43% lower gun death rate than the rest of the U.S. according to data from the CDC.

💰Middle class families in California pay LESS in taxes than in states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

👨‍❤️‍👨Support for same-sex marriage is now at a record 71% high.

📚 They do ban books in Florida.

💙Blue states have longer life expectancy, higher minimum wage and lower gun death rates.

⚡The Biden Administration has overseen the highest margin of net energy export in American history.

😡Republicans across the country are fanning the flames of culture wars to distract from the fact that on health, wealth, and economic outcomes they are failing.

🗳️When Democrats go on OFFENSE, we WIN.

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

188Comments

  5. 5.

    topclimber

    I liked that Newsom was not shy about promoting California, a state that on positive measures “has no peer,” to quote him.

    Eat it, California haters!

  6. 6.

    WaterGirl

    If Republicans actually cared about facts, this might just catch their attention.

    🛠️47 million out of 49 million jobs created since Ronald Reagan left office were created by Democrats.

  7. 7.

    Mai Naem mobile

    I was listening to the Sirius- Dean Obedeillah show and some professional singer  called in and talked about Gavin Newsom having a really good voice and DeSantis having a high voice. Dean talked about Newsom having that Bill Clinton type communication skill where you think he’s having a conversation  only with you. I think Newsom is effective but I believe the press will have a field day with his boinking his bff’s wife. Not sure how much that matters after TFG. I also wonder about Newsom vs Kamala and how both can’t be on the same ticket, both being from California unless Newsom pulls a Cheney.

  8. 8.

    Baud

    When Democrats go on OFFENSE, we WIN.

    I don’t know that this is necessarily true, but going on offense is always a better strategy than being defensive.

  9. 9.

    New Deal democrat

    At the risk of being Doomish, the thing that is most immediately frightening to me personally should T****p win in 2024 is that, just to spite Biden, he will cut off all government distribution of COVID tests and end all assistance for COVID drugs and treatment.

  10. 10.

    Matt McIrvin

    @topclimber: The main knocks on California are (a) the homelessness problem, and (b) that people are moving out of there.

    Both of those stem from the same cause, which is scarce housing and the insanely inflated real-estate market–inflated in the first place by the booming West Coast economy, though NIMBYism and greed contribute too.

    Of course, if the real-estate market were NOT inflated, that would be spun as bad too.

    But I think this is one of those many cases of people not being able to connect cause and effect.

  12. 12.

    FastEdD

    My favorite part of the “debate” was when Gov. Gav was pointing out the industrial base and R&D resources of CA. DeVirus replied that what Gav was saying was “left wing.” WTF is left wing about industry and production of goods? It struck me that Florida Man was so used to friendly audiences that he saw that as the ultimate insult that everyone would agree with, and he was not at all used to being out of his bubble.

  17. 17.

    oldgold

    How in the hell was this guy ever married to Kimberly Guilfoyle? It is damn near disqualifying.

  18. 18.

    TBone

    I read that Rumpus room is calling for his deplorables to go into some cities to “supervise” watching polling places in 2024.  Specifically, Philly was mentioned.  I thought about the hitchhiking robot and am still laughing.  What a jabroni!

  19. 19.

    MagdaInBlack

    @oldgold: Diff chapter. Also have you seen her then? She’s almost unrecognizable now.

    Eta: kind of on the order of Newt Gingrich’s wife: wtf happened to her?

  20. 20.

    Tim C.

    Just sharing this as a prod to anyone who needs it, it’s mostly me telling everyone what I need to hear as well.

    • My mental health is crap right now, and I have an appointment with my doctor to discuss options.
    • If you are struggling too, then don’t drink, don’t use other things,  go talk to a doctor.
    • Recovery and some level of happiness in your life is worth it.   Even if your fears are going to come true, you can be a force for good in your local area.  Other people need you and you are not alone.
    • Helping others is frequently good therapy.

    That’s all I got at the moment.

  21. 21.

    Alison Rose

    @Mai Naem mobile: The press and everyone else can shut up about that. That was almost two decades ago. He’s far from the only politician (or person in general) to have an affair, it was not a MeToo situation, it was brief, and it has been water under the bridge for a long ass time. If he runs in 2028 and some idiot reporter brings that up, 23 years after it happened, he’d be well within his rights to laugh at them and ask for the next question, IMO.

    Also, the 12th amendment thing isn’t likely to actually be an issue, from my reading, but I’m no scholar.

  22. 22.

    Tim C.

    @eclare: Last summer, my 13 year old and I took Amtrak from our home in the Northwest all the way to Boston.  Three days in coach, we called it a “camping trip”   Reason I mention it is because we have two layovers in Chicago that were long enough to go and get some local food.

    We liked the deep-dish… but the winner hands down was Italian Beef sandwiches!  Mr. Beef is good there, but we got Luke’s cause it was closer.

  25. 25.

    Alison Rose

    @oldgold: Sigh. Look up the interview they did with Charlie Rose. (Yeah, he’s crap, I know.) Tell me the woman you see there is the same one you see now.

    ETA thank you trollhattan I was too lazy

  26. 26.

    trollhattan

    @TBone: Trump thinking he can pull Trump shit in Philly is peak delusional Trump, IOW I’d love to watch.

    Kid traveled to Philly last spring for track, and LOVED how abrupt and DGAF the locals are. All she could talk about later.

  28. 28.

    Brachiator

    @New Deal democrat:

    At the risk of being Doomish, the thing that is most immediately frightening to me personally should T****p win in 2024 is that, just to spite Biden, he will cut off all government distribution of COVID tests and end all assistance for COVID drugs and treatment.

    Trump is crazy. He will do all kinds of crazy and revengeful shit if elected.

    But I honestly don’t see him getting elected.

  29. 29.

    BeautifulPlumage

    That still from the debate is perfect. He looks so lost and small. Just a whiny little boy playing dress up in big boy boots.

  31. 31.

    Alison Rose

    I think another sort of general fact to point to is that it is Republicans that have become the “nanny state” they used to decry so loudly. The GOP doesn’t trust you to make your own medical decisions. The Democrats do.

  32. 32.

    Alison Rose

    @oldgold: I wasn’t talking about her appearance, for Pete’s sake. By “see” I meant “the person you watch in the video”. Her “character” as you suggest is completely different. She was conservative, yes, but back then she was what you could actually call moderate. She’s calm and well-spoken and sane and reasonable. They discuss some of their differences, and she never comes across like the toxic coked-up harpy she is now.

    If you refuse to watch and refuse to believe that sometimes people change, for better or for worse, then I don’t know what to tell you. If you also think that a person having been married to someone for a few years two decades ago who afterward made a massive shift in her political views and behavior is a reason to tar that person for life, then I also don’t know what to tell you.

    ETA: It is tedious that almost any time Newsom is mentioned in a post or comments, we end up having to discuss these same issues that mean absolutely nothing in the present day.

  34. 34.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Matt McIrvin: But I think this is one of those many cases of people not being able to connect cause and effect.

    This is I think one of the primary problems with American politics.  Too much into rhetoric and not enough into logistics.

  35. 35.

    divF

    @Matt McIrvin: One more thing about the homeless problem in CA: the winters in the major urban areas are mild, so that people living on the streets are not forced to relocate to survive them.

  38. 38.

    divF

    @oldgold: C’mon, one gets at least one mulligan in choosing a spouse.

    (Why yes, I am Madame divF’s second husband – why do you ask?)

  39. 39.

    Yutsano

    @Alison Rose: ​The GOP doesn’t trust you womenfolk* to make your own medical decisions.

    Or trust families to know what books are right for their children.

    Or for voters other than white men to choose the correct candidates.

    Or for the IRS to pursue the “right” people instead of billionaire tax cheats.

    I’m pretty sure I could go on…

    *I’m not totally comfortable with this word but it kind of fits with right wing mentality so I’m keeping it.

  40. 40.

    cain

    @Matt McIrvin: Lot of that is people buying homes for airBnB and hedge funds also buying homes so they can charge exorbitant rent prices. Finally, foreign investors coming in and buying homes.

    The worst is the last one which is that homes are just sitting there empty.

    Even if you’re building homes – you need to also make sure that there are zoned in ways that you can’t use it for airbnb or renting for the first 4 years or something.

    Of course, we can’t fucking fix anything nationally because of the GOP. We should be fixing things in all the blue states.

  41. 41.

    Kirk

    @Villago Delenda Est: Too much into rhetoric and not enough into logistics.

    Well, yes. But that’s true of pretty much everything. Heck, I work in third party logistics and can tell you that everyone wants to talk about operations that perform logistics, not logistics to keep those operations going.

  42. 42.

    JoyceH

    I’ve mainly stayed home this week, puppy tending. Both Whimsy’s ears are up now. She doesn’t whine much in her crate. I’m not sure she’s made the connection yet that peeing and pooping outside are Good, and inside is Bad. She does know her name, which is convenient when she’s harassing the cats, which she still likes to do. The dogs wrestle indoors and it looks awfully rough, but veteran multi-dog owners assure me that it’s normal.

    On politics – something struck me the other day that seems weird. When did Reagan become a non-person to the GOP? Most of us here remember the Reagan administration and after, and there were at least several decades when to the GOP Reagan was a god-king. He was the utter epitome of everything a Republican should be. There was an organization whose only goal was to make sure that there was something named for Reagan in every county in the country. And now? Who even talks about him anymore or makes any reference to the Golden Age of Saint Ronny?

  43. 43.

    Two rabbits

    Damn you, WaterGirl!   :-)

    Really great start to the day, feeling good all morning.  But now *I* want an Italian Beef, and I’m four hours to the nearest Buona Beef.

    Here’s a “Republicans in Disarray” for you:

    from Bridge Michigan

    ”

    Speaking in Karamo’s virtual meeting, Michigan GOP attorney Dan Hartman said the party has tapped into new fundraising channels but confirmed that Comerica Bank recently sent the party a “notice of default” on a line of credit.”

    ====

    Okay, all better now.  Watching the talking heads with my older brother before the Lions game .  Two old guys don’t even realize we’re not on the right channel.  Eventually flip channels, the game started twenty minutes ago, Lions about to score, and it is already 14-0.  Now 21-0, not a pro football fan, but I think that is more than the Lions have scored in multiple recent seasons.

  44. 44.

    bbleh

    California’s state university system was a pioneer in advancing the quality and availability of post-secondary education and is still among the very few best in the country, including particular campuses (eg UCB, UCLA) that standing alone are likewise among the few best colleges in the country.  Florida, um, not so much.

  45. 45.

    EighthCousin

    OT briefly….regarding the Instagram link last night: NO LINK appears for me. There is just a grayed-out rectangle with the words “View this post…” in blue.  No live link at all. Using a desktop HP, and this is the only time in 8+ years this has happened on BJ. Mostly I lurk because of reading posts hours behind time. (West coast resident).

    So I just happened to log on close to a real-time conversation…
    Any ideas how I could see that linked item?

  46. 46.

    Lyrebird

    @Tim C.: ROCK ON Tim C!!!!!

    You helped me.

    Specifics might differ, but yeah.

    And I can say that even though my new counselor had to postpone our 2nd appointment due to family health reasons, I am glad I made the emails and phone calls to find them.  My depress-o-meter is registering a milder score today than 2-3 weeks ago FWIW.

    I spent time outside yesterday, too, pulling old weeds, that was good.

  47. 47.

    206inKY

    Adding to list to reach 50:

    Obamacare limits your out-of-pocket maximum for essential health benefits to an affordable amount regardless of the details of the plan.

    Health insurers can’t behave like dental insurers and cut off coverage after a certain amount.

  49. 49.

    smith

    @Two rabbits: Interesting to see the Party of Money run out of it, isn’t it? The two states where  you hear most about broke GQP parties are MI and AZ. These  are also the two states in which, after GA, local GQP officials are in most serious legal trouble for their 2020 election shenanigans. Maybe nutsy criminal behavior isn’t actually a winning strategy?

  50. 50.

    HumboldtBlue

    @trollhattan: ​ 

    Kid traveled to Philly last spring for track, and LOVED how abrupt and DGAF the locals are. All she could talk about later.

    Get the fuck outta here!

  51. 51.

    oldgold

    we end up having to discuss these same issues that mean absolutely nothing in the present day.

    @Alison Rose: “We end up having to discuss these same issues that mean absolutely nothing in the present day.”

    If that practice ever ends, this site might as well shutdown.

  52. 52.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Tim C.:

    Thank you for being so candid about your current situation. I wish you only the best, and when it happens I hope you’ll share that with us as well. Good luck.

  53. 53.

    bbleh

    @Tim C.: very sorry to hear that.  Went through a long rough patch caring for my mom, and it ain’t no fun at all.  A few distillations FWIW. (1) physical activity — definitely but not necessarily including aerobic or strength exercise — is a good thing: you feel better physically and that can’t but help your mood. It’s a challenge to get started and get to it regularly, but the benefits are WAY worth the costs.  (2) medication definitely can help. I was on a variety of first-line therapies, and they made a BIG difference — they smooth things generally and they can turn the real bad plunges into more like downward dips.  That said, in my non-medical-doctor opinion, for a temporary period of depression (vs. a chronic medical condition, which can require sustained therapy) they should be considered a stopgap, and it’s worth noting that they are not without side-effects.  (3) received wisdom is that talking-plus-meds is better than either alone, so definitely consider seeing/talking to a counselor (you don’t necessarily have to visit in person; many do online &/or phone consultation).  I didn’t find it much help, because my condition wasn’t as serious as many and I had already kinda figured out the basics, but others’ mileage definitely may vary, and it certainly can’t hurt to try.

  54. 54.

    Geminid

    @smith: Virginia’s Republican Party was hurting for money until Foungkin’ Youngkin came along. So the State Committee devised a “Disassembled Convention” process to nominate a Governor that played to his strengths. Then Youngkin papered over the party’s many cracks with fat checks.

  55. 55.

    Brachiator

    @Tim C.:

    Some very good pointers. You’re right that you have to take positive action to take care of yourself.

    Best wishes to you.

  56. 56.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Newson has been quite the surprise, when he was mayor of SF the word from the SF left was he was just a grandstander and I only voted for him the first time because, fuck the Cal GOP, and never regretted it.

  59. 59.

    cain

    @JoyceH:

    On politics – something struck me the other day that seems weird. When did Reagan become a non-person to the GOP? Most of us here remember the Reagan administration and after, and there were at least several decades when to the GOP Reagan was a god-king. He was the utter epitome of everything a Republican should be. There was an organization whose only goal was to make sure that there was something named for Reagan in every county in the country. And now? Who even talks about him anymore or makes any reference to the Golden Age of Saint Ronny?

    It’s going down the purity chasm. As the GOP becomes for fascist and authoritarian – Reagan isn’t pure enough.

    You can see that even with Christianity where – even the Jesus parts are too ‘woke’ and they prefer the sordid parts of the old testament.

    https://www.resetera.com/threads/jesus-is-now-too-woke-evangelicals-are-now-rejecting-liberal-teachings-of-jesus.752047/

     

  63. 63.

    cain

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques: I frequently do not listen to the left. Those people are just whacked. I have a hard time sharing any kind of values with them – and I think it’s because they are way too focused on economic equity but not social justice which tempers the economic equity.

  69. 69.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Dangerman: ​ 

    It’s a farce FSU were left out. Utter farce and just naked greed by Disney who was not gonna have a playoff without an SEC team.

  70. 70.

    Gvg

    @divF: this happens in Florida too, in fact we get them from other areas. The semi prepared ones camp in our state and national parks. My sister went to med school with a student whose family was homeless in the Ocala national forest when he was a kid. The local school bus picked the siblings up at the forest camp. There are still quite a few. It can be temporary.

    In California with the real estate costs, I don’t see a solution. Florida has different cost regions.

  71. 71.

    Soprano2

    @Tim C.: Do you have an employee assistance program at work? I went through mine to start therapy, you get a certain number of sessions at no charge. Good for you to seek help when you need it, too many people try to “gut it out” when they don’t need to.

  73. 73.

    trollhattan

    @HumboldtBlue: ​
    Pity (trying to act sympathetic here). But, they’re in the Women’s College Cup final against Stanford, which is vastly more prestigious. First time two undefeated teams face one another in a final.

    Pac 12 making some noise before the planned implosion. WA-MI in the Rose Bowl? Perfect.

  74. 74.

    TBone

    @trollhattan: I hail from Delco (Delaware County), an almost famous county bordering Philly, same accent & demeanor. We have a flag that we plant on any foreign soil “Delco – it’s not just a location, it’s a lifestyle.” I’m glad your daughter appreciates the attytood, it’s not for the faint of heart!  Anyhow, after decades and decades of solid Rethuglican rule, Delco turned Blue and there’s no going back. It has its own state holiday too.

    For people who weren’t born and raised in Delco, but have since moved there or even married someone there, Delco Live swears them in during a ceremony and even gives them flags. The team has done the ceremony for people from as far away as Turkey.  And the Italian roast beef at Nick’s can’t be beat!

  78. 78.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @oldgold: “Biden is too old.”  Harris is too something.”  “Newsom was involved over 20 years ago with someone who became a kook.”  I am sensing a pattern from you.

  80. 80.

    WaterGirl

    @eclare: And I just got home.  Drove across town to get the Italian Beef sandwich, and I had to stop for gas because I was very close to empty.  Got there, they were closed. :-(

    Sign said closed today because they were short staffed today because of illness.  It’s a family owned and family run business – you see the same people behind the counter every time you go.

    They aren’t open on Mondays, so I will have to go on Tuesday.  Bummed, but they are so good, it’s worth the wait.

  82. 82.

    oldgold

    @Omnes Omnibus: Well, you are misinformed.
    First,  I do not necessarily believe Biden is too old. Rather, I believe a large segment of the voters perceive him to be and that this is a serious problem

    Second, I am a big supporter of Harris.

  83. 83.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @topclimber: You fuckers got infected by right wing politics before much of the rest of the country did.   Nixon, Reagan, anti-tax, and anti-immigration.  Sure, you’re coming out of it sooner, but that can happen when you are the first one to get sick.

  86. 86.

    Almost Retired

    I watched the Newsom/DeSantis debate belatedly.  Besides demonstrating the superiority of California’s cosmetic dentistry, it was striking to me how poorly DeSantis performed in responding to questions that were patently biased in his favor.

    DeSantis was lobbed softballs — not even softballs….nerf balls, or maybe soap bubbles — with dubious statistics and questionable underlying premises.  And he still botched the responses.  Newsom (I think rather deftly) simply ignored some of the stupidest rigged questions and made the points he wanted to make and moved on.

    DeSantis got nothing out of that.  And all most normies will hear was Newsom’s quip about neither of them being the nominee in 2024.

  88. 88.

    Happy Smiling Guy (fka boatboy_srq)

    OT here, but I was deep-diving YouTube today and ran across a great line from Chernobyl. One of the characters mentioned that another – who she had asked to expose the scale of the problem in a public forum – was asking that third character to “humiliate a country that is obsessed with not being humiliated.” It strikes me that this concept is part of what keeps Putin throwing bodies at the meat grinder in Ukraine: the obsession with not being humiliated. I don’t recall seeing it discussed here before and wondered if anyone was thinking the same – that Russia can’t back out gracefully from Ukraine (or Georgia, or if they go there Transnistria) because withdrawal is humiliating and Russia is allergic to humiliation.

  89. 89.

    Alison Rose

    @oldgold: If Newsom were to become the nominee in 2028, do you really think it is “damn near disqualifying” that he had been married for three years — a marriage which, in 2028, would have ended 23 years earlier — to someone who at the time was a rather normal person with slightly more conservative views and who later, through time spent with the Trumps and various illegal narcotics, became a nutball?

    And what does “damn near” mean? If he is the nominee, would you refuse to vote for him? Because he was long ago briefly married to someone who many years later lost her marbles? Why? Nothing in his life or career after that marriage is enough? He has a wonderful wife and four great kids and has done a kick-ass job. But all of that would be erased because of a previous relationship which at the time was notable only because, I don’t know, she supported the death penalty and he didn’t?

    That is a very confusing political stance.

  90. 90.

    Ruckus

    @bbleh:

    Florida likely believes that if you teach someone too much they will want to know more about politics and government. Which of course will expose the FL state government, under white boots, as a far worse than useless assemblage of humans because of who is at the top of the heap. White boots.

  92. 92.

    CaseyL

    @cain:

    There is no Jesus in RW Christianity.  The only thing he is to them is a “get out of jail free” card.

    Nothing he actually said or did means a thing to them – his 3 year ministry was, apparently, just some hippie dippie nonsense time-filler until he could die and go into his Dad’s business.

  95. 95.

    WaterGirl

    @Two rabbits: Sorry about that.  It’s just that we have been without good Italian Beef for so long here.  Apparently this place has been here for 4 years, 2 years just catering and two years in their current location.

    The ONE good thing that Next Door has done.  Someone asked where to get the best Italian beef – I could see the question without having to click on the message, so for once I actually clicked.

  96. 96.

    Another Scott

    Meanwhile, …

    delong
    @[email protected]

    No: I Do Not Grasp the Five Dimensions of the Societal Impacts of Forthcoming GPT-LLM-ML Technologies

    I do not, in spite of all of Ezra Klein’s & others’ attempts to help me, understand their implications as prediction engines, natural-language interfaces, investor flypaper, autocomplete for everything, & software pets…

    [ image ]

    Brad DeLong’s Grasping Reality · 1h
    No: I Do Not Grasp the Five Dimensions of the Societal Impacts of Forthcoming GPT-LLM-ML Technologies
    By Brad DeLong

    Dec 03, 2023, 13:20

    “investor flypaper” – good one!!

    (DeLong has detailed his attempts to use LLM bots as a quasi-automated teaching assistant, and it’s not ready for that (relatively simple – given all that he has written over the years) application.)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  98. 98.

    Ruckus

    @bbleh:

    received wisdom is that talking-plus-meds is better than either alone, so definitely consider seeing/talking to a counselor (you don’t necessarily have to visit in person; many do online &/or phone consultation).  I didn’t find it much help, because my condition wasn’t as serious as many and I had already kinda figured out the basics, but others’ mileage definitely may vary, and it certainly can’t hurt to try.

    This.

    Long ago I was a mental health counselor and we not only did one on one in person counseling, we had to discuss our work once a week in a counselors counseling session. Talking to someone is a big step and it often helps far more than any other treatment. That we did both was far more positive for the clients.

  103. 103.

    cain

    @Almost Retired: lol – Fox tried the same thing with Obama and he ran circles around them. The thing is they are way too predictable. If you have facts and figures on your sided, you’re going to do pretty well – but as well – wisdom to understand the intent of the question.

    The other guy doesn’t have to work as hard, but also they aren’t doing anything other than nodding and agreeing – it doesn’t give them a true platform to shine either. Sure, you can pontificate – but that’s kind of boring.

  105. 105.

    cain

    @CaseyL: Ah yes, the evangelical “I’m really sorry” on my deathbed so now I get to go to heaven despite whatever shit I’ve done. The whole thing is scammy.

    How the hell do you deeply regret something in your heart of everything that is counter to what Jesus taught you at the very end – how do you pull that off when you’ve been a shit human for most of your life? Crazy.

  107. 107.

    oldgold

    @Alison Rose: “Damn near” the last time I checked means almost.

    And, in my opinion Guilfoyle was, is and always will be a phony grasping chameleon. The change you speak of is an illusion.

  108. 108.

    wjca

    @Mai Naem mobile: I believe the press will have a field day with his boinking his bff’s wife

    Heaven knows I am NOT a Newsom fan.  But this is just ridiculous.  Not to say you’re wrong about the press.  Just that, as an issue, it’s a nothing burger.

  110. 110.

    trollhattan

    @JML: ​
    Well she-yutt, sorry to hear.

    Think Paxlovid helped speed things when I had it last summer, I tested clear after 4-5 days. Worth pondering. Good luck!

  113. 113.

    Ruckus

    @Geminid:

    Not a SF democrat here, an LA one, but Newsom is not bad at all. His style is a bit different than some but that might even be another positive. He understands the job. He does the job. He is not necessarily a glad hander or a “Hey look at me!” guy, but he is smart, he understands the job at hand and he does it well. If you listen to him speak you will understand the subject when he’s done. He’s here to do the work, and lead, he’s not here to sell you a story or a pair of white boots.

    In my time in the Navy I saw two types of ships Captain. The one that wants the job for the prestige, money and to move up the ladder. Or the far better model, the one that does the job while being an actual human being, that knows that it’s a job, just a different job than say the guy serving slop – sorry dinner. It’s the difference between a pimped out jackass and an actual human being. Rethuglicans are pimped out jackasses and Democrats are actual human beings.

  115. 115.

    Alison Rose

    @oldgold: Oh, I didn’t realize you knew her personally. I stand corrected.

    If you think he would have married her if she were exactly as she is now, then you’re making it clear that you just despise him on a fundamental level like Loomis does. And apparently you’re omniscient and so there’s no point in continuing to debate this point.

  122. 122.

    Anyway

    @oldgold:

    How in the hell was this guy ever married to Kimberly Guilfoyle? It is damn near disqualifying.

    Starter marriages are a thing. Deal with it.

    I know more than one person in solid relationships after disastrous first  marriages. Doesn’t seem that uncommon.

  125. 125.

    RaflW

    Saw a news piece today (paywalled) that UF Law School has had a 30% faculty turnover this year, about triple the normal. And other Florida Universities are seeing an uptick in faculty departures. I would imagine this is an unfortunate situation that will continue at least as long as Desantis hangs onto office. The next shit-ass GOP governor of FL will probably continue the dumbing down/whitening of Florida ‘higher’ ed.

  130. 130.

    wjca

    @trollhattan: Don’t forget the French Laundry Massacre. Lordy, the body count.

    Not his finest hour.  I could see it hurting him the primaries.  Maybe.  But in the general?  Not sure how people who spent years in covid-denial make a plausible case for holding it agaunst him.

  131. 131.

    beckya57

    @ Water Girl: I was pleasantly surprised during my last few trips to Champaign by how much the restaurants have improved.  Lots of tasty veggie options (sorry, I don’t eat beef, Italian or any other nationality), and much more atmosphere.

  132. 132.

    Ruckus

    @Happy Smiling Guy (fka boatboy_srq):

    One of the things that makes a dictator (and yes vlad is one) is that it is all about him. (can’t think of one female dictator) Russia is all about vlad. It’s his country, his mistakes, his failures. The war in Ukraine is all his bullshit. His country is huge, the population is well less than half of ours. Very few citizens want to bring someone into vlad’s world because it sucks.

  133. 133.

    WaterGirl

    @Alison Rose: @Baud:

    Henry was actually my friend Carol’s new pup, and she brought him over on day 2 because she was overwhelmed.  That was Tucker and Henry within minutes of meeting. Carol and Henry stayed with us for about 10 days and then I went out of town for 4 days for Thanksgiving, and when she was on her own it was too overwhelming for her.

    She was going to take him back to the breeder, and I asked for a week to  think about about whether I could keep him.  The rest is  history.

    *I appreciate that neither of you mentioned the bra on the ottoman. That’s not ideal, but it’s just such a sweet video that I don’t really care.  I miss Tucker so much, just the sweetest boy.

  136. 136.

    Rich Gardner

    Man! For about the past week, my feed on X Zitter has just been absolutely FLOODED with right-wing crap! Ratio has to be 60-40 in favor of right-wing stuff! Under the previous owners, it was about 10-90 (just right!), with Musk in charge, it’s been more like 40 or 50 to leftie stuff. I just have to wade through so much nonsense and Trump-worship to get to the pieces I WANT to read!

  142. 142.

    WaterGirl

    @raven: When I got my first cocker spaniel, I was in college, living in a house with 9 bedrooms, so 9 of us plus boyfriends and girlfriends.

    Laurie’s room was on the first floor, right off the living room.  Arrow was constantly bringing bras and underwear from Laurie’s room.  It was a hoot for the rest of us, but possibly not so funny for Laurie.

  145. 145.

    Martin

    California really would have a much stronger argument if we could address the housing problems here. We’ll see if the current policy set will get us there, but I suspect we need to take a much bigger hammer to zoning to get there.

  149. 149.

    Geminid

    @Rich Gardner: I’m not sure why, but my experience of Twitter has been very different. I have seen little difference in the past few months, even though I keep checking out the same accounts. These include Mangy Jay, Ragnarok Lobster Tom Watson and Laura Rozen. I think these people are very quick to block trolls.

    I also have never tweeted on my own account, and show up only in replies. I’m glad of that now.

    But I don’t doubt what you say.

  150. 150.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @Tim C.: A friend of mine from the City of Brotherly Love used to sell t-shirts emblazoned with “I’m not angry, I’m from Philly.”

    Also too, there are certain precincts of Philly, Hair Fuhrer, that I wouldn’t advise you to try to invade monitor.

  152. 152.

    Martin

    @RaflW: So I can speak from personal experience, that other academic institutions have shopping lists of faculty in anticipation of some dipshit governor attacking their higher education system. When Walker went after higher ed in Wisconsin, I helped loot the shit out of UW. I helped pull faculty out of Purdue when Indiana did it. We knew what different faculty would be worth to us. For competitive disciplines in particular, it’s not remotely as refined and institutionalized as it in sports trading players, but it does exist.

    Law schools are pretty competitive. And it’s not like you need to spend a lot to get these faculty. Most will do a lateral move, similar pay, you’ll need to find a courtesy appointment for their spouse. They really don’t want to deal with the political bullshit the state is imposing on them.

  154. 154.

    AM in NC

    @Tim C.:   Good advice.  It’s very easy to self-medicate when you are down, but it almost never helps (ask me how I know).

    I’d also recommend volunteering somewhere and spending time outside in nature even if only 5 minutes every day.

    Hope you find strength to get you through this down time.

  155. 155.

    Geminid

    @AM in NC: My depression self-care plan is getting a consistent good night’s sleep and staying away from people with bad energy. This not always easy for people to do, but both are important.

  156. 156.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @Rich Gardner:

    @Geminid:

    FWIW, far I’ve kept my Twitter feed sewage-free by aggressively liking posts that are worth reading, and nuking the right-wing/haters on site (as well as all advertisers). Hopefully that won’t change.

    And before folks start the ritual Twitter Shaming (TM), there are important sources of news for me — especially trans related — that simply aren’t anywhere else.

  159. 159.

    RaflW

    @Martin: My partner was dissing on New Yorkers as not nice recently and I tried to disabuse him of that notion. This saying (minus Philly) woulda helped me get that point across.

  160. 160.

    Zelma

    @Martin:

    I don’t have anything but anecdata, but my daughter who is from Tampa/St. Pete complains all the time about the growing homeless population.  It just doesn’t seem to get mentioned.  Doesn’t fit the narrative.

  161. 161.

    Zelma

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    Funny.  My feed has been full of dog and kitty posts lately.  I don’t seem to get any right wingers.  But then, I never post myself so I have achieved perfect anonymity there.

  162. 162.

    Martin

    @Ruckus: I agree. I was pessimistic about him being governor because as Lt Gov you only get to know him as a person who is more comfortable before a camera than almost all politicians. He’s very good at the presentation. Jerry Brown was very good at the substance, and almost constantly annoyed at the presentation.

    But he’s been pretty good on the substance as well. Better than Brown in some areas, worse in others. Certainly different in style. But you have to get past the ‘slick politician’ skepticism.

    CA is a very democratic state in the sense that it’s a loose coalition of factions that don’t necessarily have each others backs, let alone align. Agriculture and environmentalism are routinely at odds. Hell, within ag, you have farmers and fisheries at odds. You have oil interests, big tech, mining interests, renewable energy interests, manufacturing interests, trade interests, and on and on.

    SF liberals are some of the worst because many of the problems in SF are liberals that advance conservative outcomes couched in the language of liberal sensibilities, and it’s fucking infuriating. So I wouldn’t give SF liberal opinions particular weight, because despite the city being notoriously liberal, their anti-housing policies are selfishly conservative, etc. And you know, they personally do a lot of dumb shit that they get very outraged when other people do them. Like, it’s hard, I get it. I fuck up too, but c’mon guys – try harder. Like, it’s okay to advocate for policies that will hurt your home equity – it won’t make you poor, just less rich. Is that the hill Democrats die on now?

  164. 164.

    Geminid

    @Martin: Do you think law schools will have a bidding war for Katie Porter if she loses the Senate race? I guess Porter will need to stay in Cali if she hopes for another political office. But it could be Adam Schiff and not Porter looking for a job in 2025.

    And since I’m being nosy, how is it looking for Democrats trying to hold on to Porter’s seat?.

    Virginia 7th CD Democrats will also be defending an open seat now that Abigail Spanberger is running for Governor instead of reelection. She and Porter both flipped Republican districts in 2018. Last year Spanberger won by a little over 4 points and I think Porter won by about 3.

  165. 165.

    Annie

    @oldgold:

    I’ve lived in San Francisco since 1980 and I remember this whole episode.

    When Newsom married Kimberly Guilfoyle she was a perfectly ordinary, sane (as far as anyone knew) deputy district attorney.  She was one of 2 DAs who successfully prosecuted Marjorie Knoller and Robert Noel for murder when their dogs mauled a neighbor in their apartment house hallway.  That was in 2002;  she had married Newsom the year before.

    That case got national press and TV attention. In 2004, just after Newsom became mayor, she moved to New York to work for Court TV.

    I don’t know her personally but I think Guilfoyle discovered, after the Noel/Knoller trial, that she really liked fame and national TV exposure.  That can be quite a drug and she’d never taken it before;  she’d been a basic, standard line prosecutor.

    She and Newsom divorced officially in 2006 but of course they’d been separated since 2004.  The rumors were that he was very upset about her leaving and he did go off the rails for a while.

    I personally would not hold it against him that he was married to her, or that Newsom went off the rails after a divorce he did not want.  I don’t think anyone in San Francisco does.  And the woman with whom he had the affair, Ruby Rippey-Tourk, has always insisted it was consensual for both of them.  (If anything, he was more vulnerable at that time.)

    I also think that Republicans who are OK with Tr*** and his 2 divorces would have a hard time getting traction with Newsom’s  1 divorce, but of course they lie like rugs about everything.

    As for his time as Mayor — he was perfectly fine.  It’s always hard to balance the business community’s desires and those of everyone else. but he did OK.  FWIW Guilfoyle’s own father remained close friends with Newsom right up til he (the father) died.

  168. 168.

    JAFD

    @TBone: ​
     Salutations from this example of ‘You can take the boy out of Delaware County, but you can’t take Delaware County out of the boy’
    Happy Holidays from JAFD (born in Ridley Park)

  169. 169.

    Martin

    @RaflW: There was an incident a few months ago when an autistic guy was supposed to meet up with his brother in NYC at a subway station and didn’t know where to wait – on the street, down in the subway, which was safer, etc. and he posted on a local board for advice, and like 6 people got up, met him and waited with him until his brother showed up. Like, that’s an extremely kind thing to do, and it’s not uncommon.

    And yet, these same people could easily have been in this story:

    In a viral post recently shared to his TikTok page and viewed nearly 5 million times, Offer recalled how he asked for a “scoop gluten-free bagel” at a bagel shop and was promptly directed to kick rocks.
    “I’m not scooping your f—ing bagel, bro,” Offer says of the employee’s response to his order.

    Like, the customer was being rude. It was performative, and he got kicked out. And they weren’t nice about it, but it was kind to the other customers who weren’t trying to inconvenience everyone else in the place. That’s why the Soup Nazi resonated with people – don’t be selfish and rude to the people in line behind you or you’re going to get called out in an unkind way. That’s very NY, but it’s not mean for the sake of being mean, it’s mean for the benefit of others. And outside observers often can’t see that.

  170. 170.

    TriassicSands

    🗳️When Democrats go on OFFENSE, we WIN.

    Correction: When Democrats go on OFFENSE and voters turn out, we win (except where there simply aren’t enough potential Democratic voters to win). My general sense is that if every voter in the U.S. voted according to what is best for them personally, economically, and politically, Republicans would be out of luck almost everywhere. That will never happen. In some states there may not be enough potential Democratic voters to ever defeat Republicans. However, there isn’t any data available that would answer that question.

    There are lots of Christians who think that voting on the basis of religion IS what is best for them, but, of course, they are wrong. They are essentially hoping to end true freedom of religion in favor of a theocratic state that aligns with their own personal beliefs and allows them to force others to conform. One has to be an idiot to think that that is what is best for any typical voter and citizen. Freedom of religion has two components — freedom to practice as one sees fit (within certain humane limitations, e.g., no live being sacrifices) and freedom FROM religion, which protects people from being compelled to follow religious practices with which they don’t agree. Theocratic states trample people’s rights.

    Going on offense should increase turnout, but over the decades Democrats have frequently failed in both components of our potential success. Complacency is a great enemy, as is wishful thinking. Personally, I feel that treating every election as critical is, well, critical. “Unimportant” local elections, such as school boards can be disastrous. Not every election can be treated with the same urgency, but next November we will have a new most important election ever (replacing 2020 and maybe sharing the title with Lincoln’s and FDR’s elections). In reading comments here and elsewhere, I get the impression that there are many Democrats who believe that Trump’s legal problems and his first term as president, immunize us from his being elected again. Yeah, he didn’t have a chance in 2016 either.

    This time the stakes are much higher. in 2016, Trump ran a vanity campaign, probably expecting to lose, but using it to further enrich himself. In 2024, he knows exactly what he wants to do in a second term. His plans form the basis for the most terrifying political horror story in US history. It’s possible that the only thing in Trump’s psyche that rivals his greed is his desire for vengeance, to get back at anyone who has wronged him or been insufficiently loyal.

    There is no way Trump SHOULD win next year. However, that does nothing to eliminate the reality that he COULD win. Treat 2024 as a fight to the death (politically), go on offense, work as hard as possible, and maximize our chances of winning and we probably will win. Possibly by a lot. Don’t do that and Joe Biden could be a private citizen and…Yikes!

  172. 172.

    Martin

    @Geminid: Maybe. UCI Law has done a poor job lately of retaining faculty. They’re good at recruiting really good junior faculty and not good at holding onto them. Almost everyone I know on faculty there have left, not because the school wasn’t working for them, but because they got much better offers and opportunities. Some of that is unavoidable, but it’s been a lot.

    But I don’t know how much juice a bankruptcy and consumer law scholar commands. That’s not like Rick Hasan doing election law who will put your school name on MSNBC almost every day.

  174. 174.

    oldgold

    @WaterGirl:

    To rest?

    This was the Parson Weems’ version.

    Apparently, he had something of a drinking problem. Might have resulted in some of his misadventures. He sought help. Good  for him. But, make no mistake, he has some baggage.

    If he were to get the Democratic nomination, of course, I would vote for him.

  175. 175.

    Ruckus

    @Martin:

    I believe that in politics there has to be constant, if not house cleaning, at least a little light dusting every so often. People get used to a place/job/store/governor/whatever. It might not be that they grow on you, but that you get used to them. I think Newsom is one you have to get used to, his style is a bit different than average. He really does not instantly charm most people. But if you listen to him and look at the results, I think he’s pretty good. And to me charming politicians are not necessary for good governing. Realistic concepts of who, what, when, where and how are far more important than a stage presence. For example I give you ShitForBrains. Sure he sounds and is pompous and arrogant with absolute zero reason to be. Sure everything is about his dumb ass. Sure he’s a fuck up of epic proportions. Sure he is at best, somewhat human – or at least a shitty imitation. Sure his 4 yrs were the worst 4 presidential years in my lifetime – and that’s saying something. Sure he’s done things that have landed him in court because his ego has more volume and less value than that old SoCal airplane/blimp hanger since it burned down. Sure he has a brain that has all the thinking ability of a 55 gallon drum of used TP. Sure he’s showing signs of senility. What’s not to like?

  176. 176.

    Uncle Jeffy

    If you’re in or passing through Chicago try Johnny’s Italian Beef – Arlington Heights or the original place in Elmwood Park. Sweet and hot peppers, tell them to dip it, excellent fries (huge order) and a drink. I understand that in the old days you could also lay down a bet in the back of the Elmwood Park location (along with members of the local constabulary).

  177. 177.

    Annie

    @oldgold:

    I omitted the stint in rehab for alcoholism.

    I also omitted rumors which proliferate in San Francisco, which in many ways is a small town.

  179. 179.

    Rich2506

    to @sistergoldenbear Yes, I absolutely agree that Twitter/X does things that have not been replaced. I note that this website and many others still use pieces that were first published on there to make points.
    BTW, I’m at @rlgardner190.bsky.social on Blue Sky.​

  180. 180.

    JWR

    Haven’t read the entire thread yet, but watching the clips posted both here and elsewhere of Newsom giving Ronny D an atomic wedgie, I’m not surprised that both Politico and NPR made it sound like a wash, beneficial to neither. But what made me look twice was when the camera was on RD while Newsom spoke, and that smile! That hideously nervous smile!

    Remember the way Barfmeister Kav poked his tongue into his cheek during particularly damaging testimony? I think RD holds that tight but wobbly “smile” for the same reason Barfmeister used his cheek poke: to tamp down on anxiety. And here I thought RD’s “smile” was just something caught by a frame or two of a video.

    And now back to catching up on the thread.

  181. 181.

    Alison Rose

    @JWR: Yeah, it is supremely weird that DeSantis doesn’t seem to know how to smile. He looked even creepier than usual, not helped by the fact that he was sharing the stage with someone who looks like he came out of Central Casting for a “handsome politician” role.

  182. 182.

    JWR

    @Alison Rose: Not only that, meaning in the central casting looks department, but the lecterns were placed just close enough together that the difference in their heights was quite noticeable, too. So yeah, I think Ron was having a not very fun evening. Poor Ron. :(

    PS. ;-D

  184. 184.

    Jay

    @WaterGirl:

    Italian Beef takes time, so a lot of places have tried to cut down the time process by using other methods of cooking it. So it’s hit or miss often.

    The old way is still the best way, the new ways are cheaper, require less skilled staff, and produce poorer and inconsistent quality, not just in the beef, but also the jus.

    Given what the sandwich mostly is, (beef and jus), not having a great main ingredient, makes for a meh! sandwich.

  185. 185.

    Alison Rose

    @JWR: I’d wondered about that. Newsom is like 6’4″ so even with the lifts, DeSantis was obviously going to be shorter. Which shouldn’t matter but it clearly does to him.

  186. 186.

    Ruckus

    @Alison Rose:

    Isn’t DipShit 4’6″? Or is it 5’6″?

    Really doesn’t matter, either height, his value tops out at $1.95. His clothes might get that much at Salvation Army. Might.

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