Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Dead end MAGA boomers crying about Talyor Swift being a Dem is my kind of music. Turn it up.

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

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

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Alternative history is always a weak argument. Always.

I desperately hope that, yet again, i am wrong.

American History and Black History can not be separated.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

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

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

“woke” is the new caravan.

“Joe Biden deserved better than he got from some folks in his own party.”

Elections aren’t won by handwringing, cowering, and/or bashing your own candidates.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Marge, god is saying you’re stupid.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

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

Republicans do not pay their debts.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Nothing of Interest

Nothing of Interest

by | 286 Comments

This post is in: 

I think it’s worth noting that Trump had a press conference this morning, and neither the Post nor the Guardian (the two news apps I have on my phone) believed that anything he said was breaking news.  That’s because Convicted Felon Trump just blathered as usual, as far as I can tell from skimming the reporting, which is all I’m willing to do.

I’m not saying that he’s just going to be ignored in the future, or that he isn’t a threat, or anything like that.  What I am saying is that, at least in a media environment where his shock value and novelty was click bait, his schtick is getting old, and it’s getting boring because it’s predictable.  It’s also low energy.  I mean, look at this picture:

Nothing of Interest

I frankly thought that he’d fight back with a little more energy, but instead we get this.

Anyway, hope everyone enjoys the rest of today more than Convicted Felon Donald Trump will.  He’s clearly miserable.

 

Reader Interactions

286Comments

  1. 1.

    lowtechcyclist

    It’s the afternoon of May 31, 2024, and Donald Trump is still a convicted felon.

    It’s already a good weekend.

  2. 2.

    Scout211

    All the online news sources have been quoting him saying that the witnesses were “literally crucified.”

    I think that one is worth mocking, at the very least for a clear illustration of his need to go back to a remedial English class.

  3. 3.

    WereBear

    In the movie this would be the big action scene where the traitor is exposed and the protagonist tips off the Bigger Bad, a more suspenseful way to bring his end.

    Very low budget. Used ketchup.

  4. 4.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I do think it’s mildly amusing that TCFFG took no questions from the press.

    You know, at a press conference.

  5. 5.

    Ohio Mom

    A friend of mine’s father was a high-level accountant in a big Manhattan real estate development firm, so of course he knew all about Trump and the Trump family from way, way back — friend’s dad is in his nineties, so really far back.

    She said she heard tears of joy in his voice during this morning’s phone call when the verdict came up. A change from his usual testiness.

  7. 7.

    TBone

    We celebrate in style! 😍✊

    https://www.jefftiedrich.com/p/donald-trump-fucked-around-and-donald

    😆😎😍

    At the pre-sentence interview, a psychologist or social worker working for the probation department may also talk to Mr. Trump, during which time the defendant can “try to make a good impression and explain why he or she deserves a lighter punishment,” according to the New York State Unified Court System.

     

  8. 8.

    SW

    The law and order party is owned lock stock and barrel by a convicted felon.  Who’s writing this dreck?

  10. 10.

    Ramalama

    I watched the whole bloody thing (making breakfast) because things and also because Canadian tv covered it … until question time came (an hour later). Announcer said that if there were indeed questions, they would let the viewers see it.

    Many things were said. People were apparently literally crucified, he said. He called the judge ‘crooked.’

    I reminded my wife that Trump did not testify, so all this was him getting his say. She was not impressed. She is French and Canadian and is thinking America’s ‘going down.’

  11. 11.

    UncleEbeneezer

    There was a really good thread yesterday on Twitter about Biden/Harris’ success at making sure our economic recovery helped working class and PoC more than any before.  And how this is exactly Progressive Biden-bashers should be cheering about (but of course, are pretending never happened).  But I can’t seem to find it.  Anyone see anything like that?

  22. 22.

    bbleh

    I don’t think we’re going to see anything much different out of him from now until November.  It’s all grievance and retribution all the time.  And it doesn’t matter whether the particulars are true or half-true or not at all true (mostly not), because the real message is emotive: I have been wronged, and you have been wronged, and I am your vengeance.  And this month it’s the Biased Judge and Crooked Joe and the Corrupt Prosecutor, but next month it’ll be another cast — probably Crooked Joe (he’s a regular) and the Biased Media (remember there’s a “debate” coming) and whomever else he casts in one of his WWE spectacles.

    I wish people would get tired of his schtick, but I think it’ll keep getting coverage at least through summer, because there’s just not much other news, especially come August.  So tune it out and go volunteer somewhere, and donate where you can.

  23. 23.

    lowtechcyclist

    @UncleEbeneezer:

    And how this is exactly Progressive Biden-bashers should be cheering about (but of course, are pretending never happened).

    And how he’s standing with labor unions, and passed the first legislation ever at the Federal level to start addressing climate change – all these things that progressives have been saying for eons were BFDs and were mad at the Dems for not doing very much about them, and he’s doing it and they’re still going “he hasn’t earned my vote.” Fuck that noise.

     But I can’t seem to find it.  Anyone see anything like that?

    Not on Twitter anymore, so I haven’t, but would love to see it.

  24. 24.

    Renie

    @Ohio Mom: My mother remembers my grandmother (who died in 1991 at 102) talking of how much she disliked the trumps.  She lived in Woodhaven, Queens where they ran a grocery store called, of course, “Trump Market”.

  26. 26.

    JoyceH

    The left gets irked when the news media covers a Trump event live, considering it a favor for him and free publicity. But I think that equation has flipped and covering Trump live now hurts him more than it helps. In 2016, Trump was something new and different. Yes, he was clownish, but he was entertaining. He “wasn’t just your regular politician”. He said outrageous things, but they were things that many people in the GOP base would say among themselves. It helped the campaign – a fresh new face with bold new ideas, blah blah blah. It’s different now. When Trump makes a statement, the media extracts the highlights so you know that Trump called the trial rigged and a disgrace. But it’s different when you see the entire statement, the way he just kept babbling “rigged” and “disgrace” over and over again. Now running Trump live and in full makes him look demented, because he is. So let’s not bash the media for running Trump live – they’re doing us a favor. Even his supporters don’t want to see that.

  27. 27.

    ArchTeryx

    The one thing that would be Trump’s death knell in the election is if the corporate media started ignoring him instead of perpetually fluffing him. He got the benefit of a HUGE number of undeclared campaign contributions from the media in 2016 and in 2020 as well (remember the empty podiums?), and they’re constantly pounding the drum about how Biden is Old. If the talking heads decide he’s boring and yesterday’s news, he’ll actually have to campaign and that’s not something Sleepy TFCG is used to doing.

  29. 29.

    JML

    My instinct is to keep calling him a loser: lost the election, lost the popular vote, lost in court. Loser, loser, loser. because it’s the sort of thing he hates and can send him spiraling, but also because so much of his mythos with his base is that he’s a winner. Always wins, always succeeds, always gets the best stuff, and it’s part of the craven hold he has on people who crave that status as “winners” and think deep down that either they are losers or are about to lose (usually to people they think of as lesser: women, minorities, immigrants, the gays, etc) and that it’s somehow not fair. The more “loser” stink on TCFG, the less attractive his shtick is.

    I hope?

  32. 32.

    Chief Oshkosh

    Money laundering and election interference. Guilty as Fuck on 34 counts, Donny. Whattawinner.

    The convicted shows no remorse and continues to deride the courts. Seems to me that that is why we have a range in sentencing, both a minimum and a maximum. Apparently Trump is shooting for the maximum. I applaud his efforts, especially as he’s working with the handicap of being a first-time offender. Go Donny, Go!

    54 for more counts a’ comin’, Donny, 54 more.

  33. 33.

    rikyrah

    Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) posted at 10:17 AM on Fri, May 31, 2024:
    VladimirPutin is happy today. Not because of the conviction— not what he wanted. But because prominent Republicans, from Mike Johnson to Mike Lee to Susan Collins to Josh Hawley to John Yoo and the Fox team have all recited the script given to them by Trump. He will probably send them all thank you notes and caviar.

    (https://x.com/NormOrnstein/status/1796561668870205822?t=wCxoQC4ENkps_XuIqnut3Q&s=03)

  34. 34.

    Old School

    BREAKING: Texas Supreme Court rejects challenge to abortion laws

    The court ruled against 20 women who said they were denied medically necessary abortions, saying the medical exceptions in the law were broad enough. https://t.co/4FpL3sqJXP— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) May 31, 2024

  36. 36.

    citizen dave

    It will be interesting to see if and how his rallies change–can he still attract his crazies.  It seems to have been waning lately anyway, and there is still the possible issue in progressive dementia or something else going on with him.  The post in the morning thread comparing MAGA to Jim Jones is really interesting.

    While there is a lot of truth that that trump embodied the hopes and dreams of all Republicans, there is still a split personality/civil war going on in that party.  There are relatively sane ones running entire cities (mine being one, 110K people; 2 other cities adjacent).  Who knows how it ends–but much more of trump’s stank needs to be spread on all the republicans.  John Marshall’s “opportunity cost of trump” piece is very sad indeed, and I had not thought about it that way lately.  So true.

  37. 37.

    Chief Oshkosh

    @rikyrah: It would be so, so fine and proper if the Exonerated Five showed up at sentencing to cheer Hilary along as she testifies as to the character of the convict.

  39. 39.

    rikyrah

    Jennifer Mercieca (@jenmercieca) posted at 10:09 AM on Fri, May 31, 2024:
    Donald Trump is not popular.
    Donald Trump lost the popular vote, twice.
    Donald Trump is the least popular person to run for president in US history.
    Donald Trump had the lowest presidential approval record.
    Donald Trump is twice impeached
    Donald Trump is convicted of 34 felonies

     

    Michelle_BYoung (@michelle_byoung) posted at 10:26 AM on Fri, May 31, 2024:
    All of this is TRUE what’s also true is there’s a SIGNIFICANT # of White VOTERS that DON’T CARE they would rather burn it all down than share. If given the choice between right winged authoritarianism & multicultural democracy they choose the former. They love WHITENESS that much
    (https://x.com/michelle_byoung/status/1796564036295045214?t=riY1OBFYHKPEyca-jTBQ5A&s=03)

  41. 41.

    Anonymous At Work

    Now that his fate is in Judge Merchan’s hands, does the choice of a blue tie signal surrender by TFG/CCF*?

     

    *The Former Guy/Current Convicted Felon

  50. 50.

    Shalimar

    If we have learned anything in the last month, it’s that morning and afternoon are Trump’s nap times.  Of course he’s low energy right now.  Just wait for 2am.

  52. 52.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @smith: YES!!!   Thanks:

    The most frustrating part about Adam McKay & others who flood lefty social circles with lies about Biden’s economic record is that they’re a big part of the reason Donald Trump still has any semblance of a political future. But here’s the *second* most frustrating part. (1/9)

    I worked in the White House when most of the core of Bidenomics was being conceived or implemented, & sat in 100s of meetings. I can’t think of a single thing I heard — from Biden, economists, or anyone — that would’ve caused lefties to say anything other than “hell yeah!” (2/9)

    From POTUS down the line, the entire aim of the recovery was to center low- & middle-income workers. That was rhetorically true in every conversation about the agenda, & reflected in the details of each policy. Biden’s whole purpose, publicly & privately, was to make this (3/9)

    .. the first recovery in U.S. history to disproportionately benefit the working class. He insisted on it at every turn. The econ team did incredible work to make that aim the heart of the plan. Leg affairs & others worked tirelessly to shepherd it through a tight Congress. (4/9)

    It was intentionally & aggressively designed to be the most progressive economic agenda in modern history — a recovery that would empower unions, reach full employment, raise real wages *most* for the least well-off, redirect us toward a green economy, & close racial gaps. (5/9)

    Against all odds, a huge portion of this ambitious plan made it through Congress. And then: it worked! We very quickly went from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression to the biggest jobs boom in history! Real wages rose, & rose highest for the lowest earners! (6/9)

    The gap between rich & poor got smaller! The racial wealth gap closed by 60%! The U.S. economy grew much faster & saw the least inflation of any major economy on Earth! Unemployment hit all-time lows, even as the stock market hit all-time highs! To say nothing of… (7/9)

    … record climate investments, a slew of major union victories, & too many other progressive wins to count. None of it was an accident, & none of it was easy. Principled, determined people busted their asses to make it happen — they lost some fights, but won a lot more. (8/9)

    So for clowns like Adam McKay — who can’t be bothered to acknowledge the reality, because they think a virtuous ideology gives them license to skip that part — to do nothing at this pivotal moment but spread misinformation & gloom… well, it just fucking sucks. That’s all. (9/9)

  55. 55.

    Sean

    He may be low energy but good lord, his surrogates are raging like they’ve never raged before. Josh Marshall has a good viewpoint on how that’s more based in the fear of the unknown impact than anything else.

    I would not for a moment take this blitzkrieg of rage from Trump influencers and stakeholders at face value. I suspect that after a bit of wobbling, by and large, Trump supporters will decide that Trump is more reliable and important than the justice system. But I’m not certain of that and neither are Turmp’s mouthpieces. You can tell that by the intensity of their screaming. This isn’t some peristaltic outpouring of rage and anger. It’s whipping. It’s an overwhelming effort to match and muffle the earthquake of what happened yesterday afternoon with enough noise and choreography to keep everyone in Trump’s campaign and on the margins of it in line and on side.

    Gift Link

  57. 57.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @rikyrah: Preach it!!!  Not to mention the ratfucking by the Media, Russia, Comey…the idea that 2016 was some kind of easy lay-up for Hillary has always been ridiculous (and misogynist as F***).

  59. 59.

    TBone

    @Sean: I watched Hannity and Mark Levin for shits and giggles last night 🤡 and that’s accurate.  The louder they fall…

  60. 60.

    Timurid

    Holy hell is Loomis ever throwing a tantrum over at LG&M.. they posted about the verdict yesterday afternoon, Loomis jumped in with an Eeyore post, another front pager and a bunch of replies rebutted him… so he effectively turned the site off. He decided that the annual fundraising drive had to start right now, every minute counts you know… Since last night it’s nothing but spam bleg posts every half hour so that all the discussion of yesterday’s news was soon buried off of the front page by multiple screens…

  61. 61.

    Marci Kiser

    I frankly thought that he’d fight back with a little more energy, but instead we get this.

    Until someone proves otherwise, I’m assuming this is because his lawyers warned him he may have to pass a urine drug screen as part of his sentencing.

  66. 66.

    Ishiyama

    “The witnesses are corrupt! The prosecution are Nazi drunkards! My client was born again last week, and I have no further comment because I certainly don’t want this case to be tried in the media!” – Steve Dallas

  75. 75.

    Trivia Man

    @JML: Agree 100%
    My suggestion: at these pressers someone shout out LOSER. Or YOU LIE. It sounds like a very quiet crowd so it will be audible and picked up by mics.  Prediction: instant, uncontrollable hissy fit. 50/50 he says something new, more deranged, and meme-able.

  76. 76.

    hitchhiker

    Does anybody think Todd Blanche has figured out yet that he’s the new Michael Cohen?

    Willing to do or say anything, no matter how ridiculous, in service of a thug?

    At some point it has to hit him.

  78. 78.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @Omnes Omnibus: Days like yesterday are hard when your whole identity revolves around shitting on the Dem Party.  Especially for people who went on record that Trump would never be indicted, go to trial, be convicted etc.  I don’t remember if Loomis made specific doomer predictions about this case, but his position has generally been that our Justice System would do nothing about Trump.  He’s probably more mad that it has proven him wrong with dozens of State and Federal indictments than he is happy about Trump actually being held accountable.  Better people (many here) just said “Welp, I was wrong” and then rightfully proceeded to celebrate.  But Loomis isn’t known for showing much grace when his predictions don’t play out.

    He and Campos have 1,000% bought into the assumption that our Justice System/Guardrails can’t possibly hold or deliver, and damnit, they’re gonna die on that hill, regardless of legal outcomes.

  80. 80.

    Tony Jay

    @Sean:

    This is what they were always going to do. Bad people don’t suddenly change and do the right thing when they get kicked in the balls. They scream and howl and threaten and piss and basically act even worse than ever.

    That’s one of the ways you can tell that they’re bad people.

  82. 82.

    Soprano2

    @lowtechcyclist: Yeah, nothing can ruin my good mood today. It’s great when the good guys win and the bad guys are held to account.

    What Republicans don’t get is that we don’t like criminals in our party. If Bob Menendez is convicted you won’t see Democrats defending him. Most of them will be relieved, actually.

  84. 84.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    @$8 blue check mistermix
    : ​
     

    You can’t call this a press conference as news accounts report “the former president did not take questions”. It’s best described as a long rambling statement

  85. 85.

    Melancholy Jaques

    @UncleEbeneezer:

    Among the self-identified left and Democratic leaning writers on the internet, being savvy requires being jaded and usually negative. “I’m just being realistic.”

    For some reason, being wrong about negative predictions does not hurt the reputation as much as being wrong about positive predictions. No doubt there is a human behavior explanation because I know it also applies to sports.

  87. 87.

    Old School

    @Timurid:

    Holy hell is Loomis ever throwing a tantrum over at LG&M.. they posted about the verdict yesterday afternoon, Loomis jumped in with an Eeyore post, another front pager and a bunch of replies rebutted him… so he effectively turned the site off.

    LG&M does fundraising every May 31st.  It’s the anniversary of their first post.  Today isn’t the result of a temper tantrum.

  88. 88.

    Seanly

    My wife watches a lot of YouTube and on the liberal videos, I can’t be in the same room when they play Trump soundbites. Granted that these are picked by people who don’t care for Trump, but he sounds so low energy and deflated. Like he’s just reading the cue cards back to the people who will whoop & holler coz he’s gonna attack the right people. He’s just a whiny little b-itch going through the motions to me.
    He’s been nothing but murder, misery & despair since his victory night acceptance speech. It’s old, it’s boring, and he’s proven time & time again that he’s a loser. His lasting legacy will be getting to stack the Federal judicial bench with terrible judges and stacking SCOTUS against any progress for the next generation.

  89. 89.

    Tom

    The only reason he’s the first ex-President that’s convicted is that he cheated in the first place.

    and f*ck Mike Johnson for his comments.  About what you’d expect.

  90. 90.

    Redshift

    @Anonymous At Work:

    Now that his fate is in Judge Merchan’s hands, does the choice of a blue tie signal surrender by TFG/CCF*?

    My theory is that he expected to be convicted on at least some counts, and thought avoiding the red tie would help keep his his “brand” from being associated with that.

  91. 91.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Trivia Man: I love this idea that people call out during his rallies, saying things like, “you’re incoherent.” “ Those are lies.”
    “Loser” might also be a useful trigger to get hissy fits, but it’s more subjective, and mean, sort of direct bear-baiting. But “ liar”, and “finish your sentences!” And “use real words” have the advantage of being accurate and in the moment, yet effective at interrupting him.

    In a earlier thread, someone said they had a dream, of people calling him out during rallies, and him showing ever more of how unhinged, incoherent, and vengeful he’s getting.

    it would be legal, too. I don’t have time, but surely this can be organized. Groups of dems, jackals, never trumpers. A small contingent at every rally..

    I do so love, also, the idea that he gets perfectly timed, & inconvenient Time locked up (and silent, baby)  for his gag order violations.

  94. 94.

    Gloria DryGarden

    I’m livid, btw, that what’s his face TCFG has raised $ 34 million since his guilty verdict. Who are these donors?

  96. 96.

    Ruckus

    He’s clearly miserable.

    What a damn shame.

    Not.

    This piss ant has made a mockery of our country and what it stands for. And worse, I’d bet that most everyone on both sides of the aisle knew that would be the outcome, it was inevitable, given that he is and has shitforbrains.

  98. 98.

    Kay

    I hope the (short term) ceasefire deal goes thru. I listened to Biden’s speech – it was fine but very fuzzy on the Palestinian side of the longer term deal – “create the conditions for a better future” doesn’t really mean anything.

    It’s dire. This has to work.

  101. 101.

    Eyeroller

    @Baud: I wouldn’t be surprised since he has a devoted cult who would almost certainly respond to this with a flurry of donations.  But it may be a one-time thing.

  102. 102.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    @Ishiyama: ​

    No I didn’t, honest! I ran out of
    gas! I had a flat tire!., I didn’t
    have enough money for cab fare! My
    tux didn’t come back from the
    cleaners! An old friend came in
    from out of town! Someone stole my
    car! There was an earthquake! A
    terrible flood! Locusts! It wasn’t
    my fault! I swear to God!

  105. 105.

    Chet Murthy

    @UncleEbeneezer: I’ve read and commented at LG&M for many years, and …. I think you’re misreading them.  They’re not saying that our justice system *cannot* hold TFG accountable, that TFG *will* win, but rather that the chances  of these outcomes are far, far too high for anybody to feel comfortable.

    If they actually believed that TFG would win in November, don’t you think they’d be shouting from the rooftops that people needed to be preparing ?  Don’t you think they’d be writing posts to start conversations about where to flee, for those who are vulnerable ?

    Last: yes, yesterday was a good day.  But no, he still hasn’t faced consequences.  For a rich man like him, only significant money penalties, or jail/prison time, count as “consequences”.  Everything else, he can ignore.  And with his lawyers, he can delay consequences for a long, long time.  Yes, yesterday was still not a happy time for him.  And I raised a glass to Stormy Daniels for sure.  But we’re still a good distance from him actually facing real penalties for any of his actions — any of them.  Campos and Loomis aren’t doomsayers — they’re realists.

  109. 109.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    @Gloria DryGarden: ​
     34?

    34?

    34?

    That’s an interesting number. I wonder where I’ve heard that before?

    Obviously he made it up and the first number to pop into his head was 34, as in 34 convictions

  111. 111.

    Redshift

    @JML:

    The more “loser” stink on TCFG, the less attractive his shtick is.

    The thing is, his constant whining about everything being unfair when he’s treated the same way as anyone else is real loser talk, too. If we’re lucky, we can make this the tipping point where more people perceive it that way, and it snowballs, because he’s not going to stop.

  113. 113.

    bbleh

    @Gloria DryGarden: Ragegasm by small-donor cultists.  “We’ll show those New York libruls — we’ll throw away our money on his legal fees and fines!  Hah!!”

    Fine by me btw — keeps money from going to campaigns where it would be spent on, y’know, the actual campaigns.

  120. 120.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @TBone: can said psychologist make a report or statement of assessment/recommendation to the court, that reveals more of his psychological attitude? And would that info be made public? Could be delicious, and helpful, even if revolting.

  123. 123.

    Ruckus

    @Seanly:

    He’s just a whiny little b-itch going through the motions to me.

    He’s always been a whiny asshole bitch. He thought long ago that he was special when in fact he is worth less than nothing. He is a negative. A rather large negative. The only way he is special is that he thinks he’s a far, far, far better human being than he’s ever actually proven to be. And he was this way far before he ran and got elected. Some of the financial magazines did stories about him long ago because of his slumlord father and while not their direct description – his ass kissing son, shitforbrains.

  124. 124.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Chet Murthy: If they actually believed that TFG would win in November, don’t you think they’d be shouting from the rooftops that people needed to be preparing ?  Don’t you think they’d be writing posts to start conversations about where to flee, for those who are vulnerable ?

    Maybe.  Maybe not.

  125. 125.

    TBone

    @Gloria DryGarden: we’ll see. People are saying a psychologist will never get close enough to Dotard, they’ll never let that happen, etc.  I wish a competency exam were a legal requirement!  Maybe Judge Merchan will order one 😆 post sentencing.

  128. 128.

    Calvinball

    Peter Baker –

    “At a Moment of National Trauma, Biden Feels Compelled to Stay on the Sidelines”

    The answer is, this is the most NYT of NYT headlines, ever. Not possible for DougJ to top this. This is peak Peter Baker.

    Unbelievable.

  129. 129.

    Harrison Wesley

    @TBone: Are you kidding?  He’d ace it just like he aced that sooperjeanyus one he took before: “Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV. Andromeda. Bilharziasis. Coprophile.  All the best words….CUT!  Who let the fucking AI in here?”

  131. 131.

    rikyrah

    From President Biden: Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) posted at 0:43 PM on Fri, May 31, 2024: President Biden: The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed. Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself. It was a state case, not a federal case. And it was heard by a jury of 12 citizens. 12 Americans, 12 people like you. Like millions of Americans who served on juries, this jury is chosen the same way every jury in America is chosen. It was a process that Donald Trump’s attorney was part of. The jury heard five weeks of evidence. After careful deliberation, the jury reached a unanimous verdict. They found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts. Now he’ll be given the opportunity as he should to appeal that decision just like everyone else has that opportunity. That’s how the American system of justice works. And it’s reckless, it’s dangerous, and it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict. Our justice system has endured for nearly 250 years and it literally is the cornerstone of America. The justice system should be respected, and we should never allow anyone to tear it down. That’s America. That’s who we are. And that’s who we will always be, God willing

  132. 132.

    Suzanne

    Maybe the best NYT Pitchbot tweet ever:

    If I admit that Trump committed the crimes that Alvin Bragg charged him with, will liberals admit that the way Bragg charged him was super obnoxious?

    by Megan McArdle

  135. 135.

    John Revolta

    I’m shocked. SHOCKED!

    Well, not that shocked.

    West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin registers as an independent
    CNN — 
    Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a longtime moderate Democrat, announced on Friday that he is registering as an independent.
    Manchin announced last year that he would not run for reelection in the deep red state, creating an opportunity for Republicans to flip the Senate seat. The news that Manchin has registered as an independent raises fresh questions, however, over his political future and aspirations.
    “Our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” Manchin, who has long been a pivotal swing vote in the Senate, said in a statement. “To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority.”
    https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/31/politics/joe-manchin-registers-independent/index.html

  137. 137.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @Chet Murthy: I have never seen a single sentence of optimism over prosecutions of Trump, from either of them.  They never focus on the upside.  They rarely even admit there is even the possibility of an upside.  They take every bad-faith claim about our Justice System, as gospel and never follow-up with critical review or mea culpas, when they are proven wrong.  They just move the goalposts to another negative framing.  That’s the epitome of doomer-ism.  And it’s fucking insufferable.

  143. 143.

    Betty Cracker

    @Scout211: I laughed out loud at the “literally crucified” line too. Bill and I were on the road this morning and listened MSNBC for a bit since I’m still catching up on yesterday’s events. On the way home, we heard Andrea Mitchell’s panel agree that Trump’s conviction on 34 counts is bad news for Biden. It was a Pitchbot bon mot made flesh. Even Mr. Normie recognized the absurdity. We congratulated ourselves for not watching that bullshit routinely anymore. 🙄

  144. 144.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Gloria DryGarden: I mean, there’s a lot of political/moral value in being willing to risk maiming or death for this kind of thing; that’s the calculus with a lot of political demonstrations. But it’s always a thing to consider.

  145. 145.

    bbleh

    @John Revolta: “Dear Joe, as a constituent and a registered Democrat, may I suggest that you not let the door hit you on the way out?  Or, y’know, go ahead, let it.  Who cares?”

  147. 147.

    Ruckus

    @Chet Murthy:

    I’m going out on a limb here and saying that I don’t think he will ever pay the price for what he’s done. Not that he won’t be convicted but that he will not have paid by the time he’s six feet under. The stress of just being him and what all of his BS has gotten him into. Any criminal act he gets prosecuted for and sentencing will take time and he’s somewhat stressed out, which doesn’t do an old fart any good whatsoever. Next month he’ll be 78 yrs old, in “prime” health, facing a few legal challenges, with just a tad of stress – mostly from him just being him. He’s already showing strong signs of aging and it won’t get better, it’s always down hill. Only the steepness of the hill is different and often depends on the stress level of the participant. (Yes you can ask me how I know….)

  148. 148.

    UncleEbeneezer

    Israel only offered this deal due to the sustained engagement by the President, the VP, Secretary Blinken, CIA Director Burns, Sec Austin and many other administration officials. The Administration kept private pressure on the Israelis and it matters

  151. 151.

    Geminid

    @Kay: I think elements of the medium-term deal are to be worked out during the ceasefire. At least, that’s what a draft I read a month ago showed, and the Qataris proped this process when the last round of talks began back in January.

    The idea is to get to a permanent ceasefire for Gaza with a Security Council resolution ratifying it, and then work on solving the larger conflict.

    I saw a Saudi plan that envisioned a 5-year process that would end with Palestinian statehood. That will seem too long for a lot of people, but maybe it’s not for a problem that is 75 years old and was neglected for most of this century at least. But there needs to be a ceasefire to enable significant progress on anything else.

  154. 154.

    TBone

    @Harrison Wesley: I’d hate for his mental incompetency to be used as a reason to avoid prison and go straight to a One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest situation.  I’d love to play Nurse Ratchet in that movie version though.

  156. 156.

    M31

    @Old School:

    “My question — why you tagged Vanilla Ice?”

    “We need his guidance at this critical hour”

    hahahahahah ThreeYearLetterman is one of the finest troll accounts there is. His most cutting insult is “you financed your waterbed” and had a response to a statement by the Iranian gov’t along the lines of “they don’t have any SEC championships, so shut up”

  157. 157.

    John Revolta

    @bbleh: I was wondering if this has any ramifications for us in the Senate, e.g. is Schumer still Majority Leader? I make it 48-49-3 now and there isn’t a “majority” Party, technically……….?

  158. 158.

    Citizen Alan

    @JMG: Every single idiot who donated deserves to have Trump steal their identities and take everything they own.

  161. 161.

    Kay

    @Geminid:

    I don’t see anywhere in your comment where you cop to the fact that they were combining a temp ceasefire with a bigger deal!  Ahem :)

    I’m reading Avishay Ben-Sasson Gordis on it. He’s kind of the go-to expert for protestor sympathizers (of which I am one). Anyway – he says the address was for the Israeli public, hence no mention of any Palestinian benefit – doesn’t mean it isn’t there. He also says (and this is interesting) that it’s probably not what Israel proposed – that it’s probably a combo of Israel’s proposal and Biden objectives, so it’s too soon to tell if it will be accepted by both (or either) party.

  162. 162.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Barbara: The poster is a well known parody account.  It’s just that he is good that he blurs lines between parody and reality.

  164. 164.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @Ruckus: This is a reasonable take, and probably is right.  Justice moves slowly and Former-President’s have exponentially more issues of privilege to litigate in order to protect the rights of the accused.  If Trump was 55 I think I would bet on him actually being punished while he’s still alive.  At 78, I think his body may run out the clock before he ever has to pay the legal price, but I do believe that price will be demanded.  But that’s not a failing of our system of Justice.  “Move faster if the accused is old” is not a justice principle that any of us should really wish for.

  165. 165.

    M31

    @M31: ​
     

    lolol he also tagged Shoney’s, Pauly Shore, Nancy Pelosi, Hobby Lobby, OnlyFans Support, and Jiffy Lube

  166. 166.

    Stuart Frasier

    @Timurid: Not to defend Loomis, but today is the 20th anniversary of LGM, hence the day o’ fundraising.  It’s not some conspiracy to hide happy news about Trump’s conviction.

  167. 167.

    Ksmiami

    @Seanly: my optimistic take is that he would have ushered in an era of deep Democratic and Supreme Court reforms…

  168. 168.

    Betty Cracker

    @Omnes Omnibus: It’s my 27th wedding anniversary too. I had no idea we shared the date with such a gruesome and shameful historical event!

    @Kay: I heard most if the speech too. I hope they can pull it off. Shit seems to be spiraling out of control.

  170. 170.

    burritoboy

    It is, of course, an inherent – and even central –  pitfall of the attention economy.  There’s always people bubbling up who catch the attention economy’s momentary attention in some way – a woman with big boobs jumping up and down, a man with giant muscles tatted up in some bizarre way flexing, somebody doing a strange trick on their skate board, a dog riding on a surf board, whatever ……..it’s completely unpredictable (or, at very minimum, fairly unpredictable) but that person looks like the greatest thing since sliced bread for the few minutes their moment is happening.  Once that moment is gone, there’s (in almost all cases) nothing really there.  Trump’s act was going to start getting boring at some point, just as the three hundredth video of the dog riding a surf board is boring. (At least the dog can actually do something most dogs can’t!)

    In essence, this is what the Kendrick versus Drake battle is centrally about:  Kendrick (whatever his own faults) is a rapper with genuine very high-level skills.  Drake is effectively a maker of memes, or of mixing up other people’s work to present as his own, or a maker of Instagram material.  The act works until it doesn’t, and Kendrick is simply making sure that’s realized now.

  173. 173.

    Baud

    @rikyrah:

    Mike Johnson is calling for the Supreme Court to “step in” to overturn the guilty verdict against Trump in his New York hush money trial.

    “I know many of them personally

     
    But does he know their wives?

  175. 175.

    Keith P.

    @TBone: He should be getting a drug test, too, so Doctor Ronny better hold off on the visits for a while.

  178. 178.

    Tony Jay

    @Geminid:

    A five year timeframe would be fine. After all, things don’t just happen. After Israel’s Dresdening of the Gaza Strip it’s going to take at least that long and an enormous amount of money to rebuild the infrastructure in which a peaceful society can develop, and you can guaranfuckingtee that all the agents of chaos in the region will be doing everything they can to make it fail.

    But first things first. Ceasefire. Hostage return. Permanent withdrawal of the IDF and the threat of Israeli aggression. Foreign peacekeepers (have to be) to maintain order and start the process of paring Hamas’s influence away from the Palestinian population. Huge amounts of no strings aid through a UN body. Jobs. Security. Hope.

    Get that right during the early part of the timescale (yeah, that’s the Hope bit) and the pressure to extend the Gaza experiment to the Occupied Territories and the rest of the West Bank becomes more and more overwhelming.

    Small gains are what big changes are built out of, and having something good happen for the Palestinians would be such a change of tune that people might actually start believing nihilism has had its day.

  184. 184.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Old School: here’s the second take. I’m guessing it’s a joke, but so pleasing to read.

    I love reading, esp fiction, which gives a much needed mental break. So I don’t mind if it’s untrue. I read it and get a moment of breathing room.

    Three Year Letterman

    @3YearLetterman

    BREAKING President Trump has been declared GUILTY on all counts. So what does this mean, legally speaking: 1. Trump is no longer eligible to run for president and must drop out of the race immediately. The constitution prohibits anyone with a criminal conviction from running. Nikki Haley will be the nominee since she finished second. 2. Double Jeopardy and full faith and credit require that he also be convicted of all pending charges in other states without a trial. 3. Because he has already appealed the E. Jean Carrot verdict, he cannot appeal this one. You only get one like a jury strike, and he used it. This is the end of the road for him, whether you like it or not

  186. 186.

    Tony Jay

    @Baud:

    On all of the accounts he knows about. But I suspect Speaker2Sluts has been juicing his fruits to bruised sacks every time he can get Musty Tang Gargoyle to leave him along in Nancy’s old office.

  188. 188.

    Kay

    @Betty Cracker:

    Oh, I hope so. I’ve gotten my hopes up before though, so wait and see. I agree that it’s spiraling. My daughter calls Schumer’s office every morning before she starts work (she’s in NY). She has to feel like she’s doing something. Sometimes she says “it’s me again, Name Name” on the VM which cracks me up.

  190. 190.

    TBone

    @Baud: oops t.y.

    Close but no cigar

    One toke over the line but my heart’s in the right place at least

  191. 191.

    Suzanne

    There is some commentary on Xhitter that Bibi is not happy with this proposed deal. I hope to know more ASAP on this.

  194. 194.

    Baud

    @zhena gogolia: Well, if there’s a deal and it kind of sticks, hopefully people will realize that Trump would tear it up the way he tore up the Iran deal. That really worked out well.

  196. 196.

    different-church-lady

    @burritoboy: I believe Andy Warhol’s statement is misunderstood: he didn’t mean everyone on the planet would eventually be famous. What he meant was that everyone’s attention span would be so limited that nobody would be famous for more than 15 minutes.

  201. 201.

    Tom Levenson

    @Calvinball: And now, as Biden did in fact speak directly about the verdict, the Times and Baker erase the traces of their travesty. The piece is now headlined “Biden Declares Trump Verdict a Victoey for the Rule of Law”

  204. 204.

    Ruckus

    @Shalimar:

    Wait for 2am.

    Are we waiting to hear snoring? Because I really, really do not want to hear that. It’s bad enough that on rare occasions I might have to hear his voice. Which is like 40 kids all dragging their fingernails across a blackboard in unison. Only dumber.

  205. 205.

    smith

    @Ruckus: I think it’s because, judging from his “Truth” Social posts, that’s about the time he usually starts sundowning.

  208. 208.

    Ruckus

    @Suzanne:

    How about zero status?

    Is that still too much?

    Because we could call him negative status, for being about as shitty a human as one can get….

  211. 211.

    Scout211

    @Tom Levenson: @Calvinball:

    Yesterday before the court had even completely cleared, NBC reported that the Biden’s were at their Rehoboth home because it was the anniversary of Beau’s death and Biden wouldn’t be commenting on the verdict yesterday.  Because they were remembering Beau yesterday.

  213. 213.

    lowtechcyclist

    @UncleEbeneezer: ​

    @smith: ​
     

    Thanks, both of you, for getting that thread in here, because that’s a fucking masterpiece.

    One reason I feel so strongly about these people is that up to four or five years ago, I was right in there with them. I frequently referred to the Dems as the “scared rabbit party” because it seemed like anytime they’d take a strong stand on anything, they’d back down in trepidation the moment our media gatekeepers said Boo. They’d water stuff down even before proposing it, they’d listen to people like Larry Summers before listening to labor leaders, you know the drill.

    And then Biden gets elected, and damned if his Administration wasn’t exactly the sort of Democratic Presidency I’d wished and hoped for all those years, and damned if that paper-thin Congressional Dem majority didn’t back him up on the vast majority of his program. And I was going YES!!! AT LONG LAST!! THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!! So I just don’t get why they didn’t see what was right in front of them, when this is what they said for years that they’d been waiting for.

    And yeah, I know about Gaza, and believe me that upsets me too, but well before that, they were already looking for any excuse to say the Dems still sucked. So fuck ’em. Joe Biden is easily the best President of my 70 years on this planet, and if they can’t get behind his re-election, they’re a bunch of sick puppies.

  214. 214.

    Gravenstone

    @John Revolta: and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” Manchin…

    Fuck you oh so much, you pompous, preening peckerwit.

  215. 215.

    zhena gogolia

    @Barbara: I’m traumatized by the fact that Trump is the candidate. But yesterday’s verdict helped ease my trauma a bit.

  216. 216.

    TBone

    @Scout211: I broke out my Beau Biden Foundation cookbook yesterday after watching that and our First Lady earlier in the day. Some really great recipes for Food Coma!

  217. 217.

    japa21

    @Kay: I wrote on their X account that I didn’t realize that all the members of the Court were physicians because that decision would not be able to be taken seriously if written by non-medical people.

  218. 218.

    Geminid

    @Kay: I have explained here other times how the two frameworks are related. One major intersection is the security plan for Gaza once the Israelis withdraw.

    This process also involves Arab states as well, in particular Egypt, Jordan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. They have a joint position that tracks that of the U.S.

  219. 219.

    TS

    @TBone:

    From your link

    David Frum – “So many think-pieces written about how the Democratic convention should swap out older-than-ideal nominee Joe Biden; so few about how the Republican convention should swap out proven fraudster, rapist. and convicted felon Donald Trump.”

    congratulations to the literally zero newspapers calling for Trump to step down. you’re all really covering yourselves with glory today.

  220. 220.

    Suzanne

    @Baud: There¡s some small bit of ambiguity, and I don’t understand it yet. WaPo writes this:

    Israel made no immediate statement on the proposal. Biden said that “Israel has now offered” these terms, but later in his remarks “urged the leadership in Israel to stand behind this deal.”

     
    So it seems a tad fuzzy.

  221. 221.

    Ruckus

    @Timurid:

    It looks a lot like his buddies have taken away the keys from Erik. Or at least changed the locks, barred the door, put a gag in his mouth, tied him up, or along those lines but there is not a lot of Erik ranting to see, at least not without taking a deeper dive.

  223. 223.

    brantl

    If I had to caption that Stump picture, it would be: “I just shot my pants for the third time today!”.

  224. 224.

    Miss Bianca

    @Timurid: da fuq?

    Man, I’m not sorry I stopped dropping by that joint. Not even for Cheryl Rofer or the witty comments did I feel like putting up any longer with that self-appointed Working Class Hero BS of Loomis’s and his butt-hurt when he gets crossed.

  225. 225.

    A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)

    @rikyrah: Thank you for all your curated X posts. I’m not on X, so I appreciate your selections!

  226. 226.

    japa21

    @Kay: ​
      Just want to let you l know that I wrote the President a lengthy (though not Tony Jay lengthy) missive last night discussing the administration’s approach to the situation. Obviously he got the message and immediately called Bibi.

  227. 227.

    Geminid

    @Baud: Netanyahu voted with the other two members when the War Cabinet authorized the revised Israeli proposal his team presented. That doesn’t mean he wants it to succeed, though. And if Hamas accepts, the Israeli government will still have to ratify it. That will be “Bibi’s” last chance to torpedo it.

  229. 229.

    cain

    @rikyrah:

    Yeah, suddenly it’s a federal affair and so much for State’s Rights. I don’t think the SCOTUS has jurisdiction over a state matter. If they do that – they can pretty much jump onto any state.

  231. 231.

    Ramona

    @UncleEbeneezer: if the one of them you are alluding to is Paul Campos then shortly after the verdict he wrote a post celebrating it talking about he saw it as a sign from the universe that the verdict was announced just as he posted a eulogy to his recently deceased mother!

  233. 233.

    Martin

    In response to this statement in an earlier thread:

    I am skeptical of polling that pretends to predict the effect of a Trump criminal conviction on election polling because I do not believe pollsters have found a way to adequately model the f***ing shitsorm of a reaction in a quantitative way.

    Pollsters absolutely cannot do that, because the voters do not know what they will actually do. You can pose the hypothetical, but people are terrible at hypotheticals. Guys will tell you all the time that they could win an unarmed fight against an alligator or bear, which is good and all until you’re actually facing one, and then 10 seconds later your arm is ripped off.

    You can get a bit closer to the goal in a focus group by stepping in front of the anticipated realizations and pose them there in the moment and press the individual somewhat, and you can then take that information and put your subjective thumb on the scale, but that’s not quantitative. You can say ‘AZ dems should overperform because of the ballot initiative there’ and goose dems in the turnout model, but now you’re just making shit up. Measuring that takes a lot of work, especially if you’re trying to get a measure that can take voters forward in time 5 months.

    So yeah, you can ask the question, and take the answer, but if I were presenting the ‘would a Trump conviction change your vote’ data to my boss, I’d advise them to disregard it completely. It points to an opportunity to shape how campaign communication ought to go because these people have indicated they are persuadable, but someone has to do the persuading – the voter isn’t really going to do it themselves. They picked Trump to start with, and they’ll look for justifications to return home. And the campaign needs to head that off. And if they don’t, expect all of those voters will find their way home.

    The question ‘can pollsters capture this’ has within it the assumption that voters can’t be persuaded. But politics is the act of doing that. So the results tell you that there’s space here to act, but some action needs to follow.

  234. 234.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    Apparently Johnson has no idea how the American court system work

    Oh, I think he understands just fine. But his statement demonstrates enormous cynicism and contempt for the country and its institutions, including the one he occupies.

  235. 235.

    burritoboy

    “And then Biden gets elected, and damned if his Administration wasn’t exactly the sort of Democratic Presidency I’d wished and hoped for all those years, and damned if that paper-thin Congressional Dem majority didn’t back him up on the vast majority of his program. And I was going YES!!! AT LONG LAST!! THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!! So I just don’t get why they didn’t see what was right in front of them, when this is what they said for years that they’d been waiting for.”

    For my many sins (or apparently many sins), I know quite a few of these people…….no, most of them hated Biden long before October, hated Clinton before that and (most of them weren’t politically aware before 2016 so they probably would have hated Obama too, but they were smoking too much pot then to have an opinion.) The group of them I know best hated Biden because…..as far as I can reconstruct:  they thought he was going to war with the People’s Republic of China, and they thought (still think?) the PRC is the hope of all humanity. (Something like that, anyway?)

    There’s no way you could be a candidate for US President and get their vote, because they would prefer that there be no US President. (…..Or possibly something along the lines of we should dissolve the US and give it to somebody? It’s not like I can make their thoughts coherent if they can’t!) On Tuesday, one of them told me he was going to start a third party to contest elections. I looked at this guy (and yes, it’s a guy as you can predict) and I’m thinking to myself, “I know you couldn’t raise $30 yesterday because I had to buy you dinner 24 hours ago.  Today you’re telling me you’re going to raise hundreds of millions / billions and I’m supposed to take you and that seriously?”

  239. 239.

    smith

    @rikyrah:

    Mike Johnson is calling for the Supreme Court to “step in” to overturn the guilty verdict against Trump in his New York hush money trial.

    “I know many of them personally – I think they are deeply concerned about that as we are.”

    Doesn’t this perfectly encapsulate the operations of the Supreme Court in the era of Leonard Leo? The Preacher of the House is saying out loud that, laws and the Constitution be damned, if you’re a buddy of the Dirty Six they will do you a favor.

  242. 242.

    Suzanne

    @Baud: From reading that piece, I wonder if Biden may have been dragging Netanyahu to this kicking and screaming.

  245. 245.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    There are a few people on our side who did not handle the news well.

    I admit I may have had a few too many celebratory drinks. ;-)

  246. 246.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    Chicago, Oct. 17– Al Capone was found guilty here tonight on five of the twenty-three counts contained in the two indictments brought against him by the Federal Government for income tax evasion from 1924 to 1929.
    ***

    The verdict, returned eight hours and ten minutes after the jury filed out at 2:40 P.M.
    ***

    A look of peace seemed to soften Capone’s fat face as he listened to the charge, finger on jowl, with his right arm resting on the counsel table. He kept his lips puckered somewhat after the manner of a child listening to a lecture for some petty offense. He did not look into the judge’s face.

  248. 248.

    Tony Jay

    @japa21:

    If it all goes to shit again you’re really going to regret not stretching it by a few dozen paragraphs.

  249. 249.

    JML

    @Tony Jay: A five year timeframe would be fine. After all, things don’t just happen.

    Yeah, I wish it could go faster, but I think you’re right. Part of what also needs to happen is to build up leaders and partners that can trust each other and have support from their people for a real peace process from both the Palestinians and the Israelis and that’s going to take time. Again.

    I worry greatly about the bad actors that don’t want peace and want to keep conflict, war, and death rolling. (the sooner Netanyahu gets shot into the sun, the better, for example)

  250. 250.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Ishiyama: ​
     

    “The witnesses are corrupt! The prosecution are Nazi drunkards! My client was born again last week, and I have no further comment because I certainly don’t want this case to be tried in the media!” – Steve Dallas

    What, no link? I love me some Bloom County!

  251. 251.

    Melancholy Jaques

    @John Revolta:

    That guy is majorly fucked up. He is a major player in the government. He knows that there is no “both sides” to polarization. Democrats have repeatedly reach out, and on immigration just plain given in, to Republicans and they get the back of the hand from them. This move, like most of Manchin’s moves and public statements, is designed to harm Biden and the Democratic Party candidates all over the country. He is a popular foil in the Beltway but I hope the rest of the country has no idea who he is.

  253. 253.

    japa21

    @Baud: Yeah, for which I apologize to the universe.  Just takes me a long time to string more than 3 words together.

  255. 255.

    topclimber

    @John Revolta:

    Bernie and Angus King of Maine caucus with the Dems even though independents. So Schumer has 50 votes without Rollin’ Coal Joey, and 51 with MVP in the event he caucuses with the GQP. My guess is he stays with the Dem Caucus out of respect for his colleagues. But if he decides independent really means just that, well he will be a caucus of one. But the Dems will still be in control.

  256. 256.

    rikyrah

    @Kay:

    That’s a tough loss for those women. It took courage to file it at all.

     

    SO ANGRY, Kay.

    There are MILLIONS of women of child bearing age in Texas.

    Something can go wrong in the blink of an eye.

    and, The Texas Supreme Court:

    THEY LITERALLY DON’T CARE IF THEY DIE.

  257. 257.

    RSA

    @Omnes Omnibus:  Three Year Letterman is famous.

    Thanks for the introduction; he’s hilarious. I haven’t heard of him before, but I see he has ~500k followers on Twitter.

  260. 260.

    Ruckus

    @Melancholy Jaques:

    Negative prediction was just wrong. OK, didn’t get hurt or only minor hurt. The outcome was better, even if not good.

    Positive prediction goes wrong. NOT OK, didn’t get better, therefore it was a bad prediction. The outcome was worse, no other way to spin it, disappointment is the only reaction.

    I wanted a bicycle for my birthday.

    Got a crappy, cheap, chess set. Fucking lucky me.

    Got a bicycle. Yea!

  262. 262.

    Kay

    @rikyrah:

    The state gov kicked “exceptions” it to the state medical board and they were supposed to come up with “guidelines:

    On May 20, 2024, the Texas Medical Board held a public meeting on its Proposed Rule regarding the circumstances under which an abortion is permitted under Texas law to save a patient’s life or major bodily function. Organizations including the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Hospital Association expressed concern that the Board’s proposed guidance imposes overly onerous documentation requirements and may not be sufficiently clear for physicians. The Board will weigh public feedback before its June meeting, at which point it will either elect to put the proposed guidance to a vote or revise and restart the public comment process.

    The problem is that pregnancy is complicated and they are so restricting physicians that they would have to basically insert a medical textbook inside the Texas code. Physicians are ordinarily permitted to “use their judgment” – we’ve never regulated their actual health care practices like this where we so limit their professional discretion and replace it was a set of rules. More low quality junk out of Texas.
    But you said it months ago- “exceptions” are bullshit – a lie. There are no exceptions.

  263. 263.

    JML

    @rikyrah: when they don’t see women as real people, I guess it’s easy for them to cause pain and death. freakin’ Texas, man.

  264. 264.

    Tony Jay

    @JML:

    Truth of the matter is there will be setbacks. It’s not going to be seasons 1 to 10 of International Monkey-Tennis and dancing 10-ft dongs shooting rainbows into a clear pink sky. It’s going to be hard grind through a compacted slag of old grudges and blood-bright anger for the longest time, with bad actors of every ilk determined to wreck it for a million different bad reasons. It’s not going to stick until a generation come of age who see their world not being blasted into rubble every other week and vote consistently for the boring normal to stay that way.

    But the other option is to let the genocide continue until it swallows everyone, and that’s no option at all.

  266. 266.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @rikyrah: I too am appalled. And I think courts and legislators are practicing medicine without a license.

    It’s not safe for women to answer truthfully about their medical history in theses places. They always ask about last menstrual period, how many pregnancies. It won’t be safe to say.

    What did you mean in a previous comment about the rights of rapists? Is Texas one of the places where a rapist gets to share custody of a child that ensues? It’s so beyond appalling. Women matter. They act like we don’t.

    Oh so pissed off

  268. 268.

    Kay

    @rikyrah:

    So like this:

    “Major bodily function” includes but is not limited to, functions of the immune system,
    normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory,
    endocrine, and reproductive functions

    I’m so glad religious freaks who hate women and bad lawyers are inventing health care standards for women on the fly. Substandard.

  269. 269.

    Martin

    @Kay: Texas and a lot of these other states with abortion restrictions won’t have any L&D services outside of public hospitals because they’re impossible to operate in this environment. That’ll focus the problem at least a bit.

  271. 271.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @TBone: I’d like to see a competency exam. A civics test. A security clearance and background check.

    A psych profile is just a useful bonus.

    Did I read correctly that because he’s now a convicted felon, he won’t get advance intelligence updates?

    I mean, Please!

    God!

  272. 272.

    Ruckus

    @different-church-lady:

    Loomis’s parents had temper tantrums, made up/out(and in) and 9 months later he was born?

    Seems like it may have been a nice way to make up after a tantrum but the cost of the make up seems to be a tad much.

  273. 273.

    John Revolta

    @Melancholy Jaques: After the 2020 election I said to myself, “Great. So now we have President Manchin”. I was not far off although I didn’t know how bad Sinema was gonna get then….

     

    @topclimber: out of respect for his colleagues

    ………hmmmmmm……………………..

  274. 274.

    Kay

    @Martin:

    I would be so insulted were I physician in Texas. The “saving the child” section (my words) very strongly implies that physicians in Texas were just cavalierly killing to-term babies to treat the mother.

    That’s the common thread that runs thru all anti choice laws – a deep mistrust of people, an assumption people are liars and cheats and malingerers – women, especially, but also health care providers. They really do think they’re our moral superiors. I deal with Amish a lot in the law practice and they do this incredibly fucking annoying thing where they sort of sniff and say “English” when talking about people not of the tribe. They’ll say this to one another while you are standing there. Just a pure, shameless assertion of their superiority. I am so sick, so sick of having religions jammed down my throat.

  275. 275.

    Another Scott

    @Baud: If one looks at his fundraising numbers at FEC.gov for this cycle, he has a tiny amount in individual donations (roughly $1.3M) while Haley has roughly $47M in individual donations, and Biden has roughly $72M in individual donations.  TCFFG’s official published fundraising is transfers from PACs.  It’s shaking down plutocrats.

    (I posted links a few days ago.)

    As you say, be skeptical of any fundraising numbers from him indicating some sort of actual support from actual masses of people.

    To be clear, he’s going to have plenty of money to campaign with – if he wants to actually use it for that…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  277. 277.

    Ruckus

    @UncleEbeneezer:

    I’m not far behind shitforbrains age wise but I do seem to take better care of myself AND I do not believe that my shit doesn’t stink, even though my sense of smell left the building nearly a decade ago.

  278. 278.

    TBone

    @Gloria DryGarden: on Deadline Whitehouse a little while ago, Andrew Weissman went over the pre-sentence memo by the Probation Dept. that will be submitted to Judge Merchan (who is free to ignore it) and Dotard’s gonna get some serious questioning – a good going over!  I hope all of your suggestions are taken under advisement!

  279. 279.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @rikyrah: Now I want to make horrible mean snarky comments about mike Johnson and his little Johnson.

    Nice polite republicans!

    If there are appeals that don’t involve money he needs to pay, I’d like his to be held up in as much delay as he’s dragged the country through  on his court cases.

  280. 280.

    Ruckus

    @UncleEbeneezer:

    All of this.

    But. As an old fart my self, who lives in an apartment complex for those over 55, and who sees/talks to people from around 60 to 98 yrs old I see a wide range of old fart health. That 98 yr old woman still rides around on her electric 4 wheel scooter and rode motorcycles up to around 15-20yrs ago. I’m just shy of 75 and I walk 6-10 miles a week. I know people 10 yrs younger than me that do almost nothing. My point is that shitforbrains is only 3 yrs older than me but he has aged far more than that. I’d imagine that me being able to realistically label him shitforbrains might have something to do with his mental and physical aging. Although I’ve called him that for some time – so maybe it’s just because he’s full of shit. Maybe he puts on that orange stain to not look like shit. It’s not helping.

  281. 281.

    Ruckus

    @Seanly:

    Thing is, shitforbrains has been a loser for decades. I used to read about him in Forbes, because of his father’s money and then when it became his money. Being as nice as I can – his father was a slum lord.

  282. 282.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Gloria DryGarden: I’m getting wild eyed now, hunting for some useful reversals. What if guys had to say at the dr office, how many times they offered their free ranging DNA sample into women’s bodies… did they do anything to prevent pregnancy? Do they have money set aside, in Texas/ Alabama etc, to support any children born from pregnancies they may have instigated? Some line of questioning that makes it clear their activities might result in responsibility. It’s not anyone here; I’m just brainstorming. Do they ask the guys if they did some rapes, or non consensual things? Do they ask how many partners? They used to ask me that one, is it standard for men as well as women?

    I’mnot saying I like my idea, but maybe it’ll spark some good ideas from others. I’m just ranting.

    my evangelical friend swears they harvest aborted fetuses for stem cells, and promote abortions, like it’s a factory production thing. She says she’s seen accurate information about this.   JFC!

    And meanwhile by trying to eliminate elective abortions for people who are not in a good place to raise a child, they cause all sorts of medical and emotional chaos, and harm, for people in serious situations.

    Not sure what steps I can take.

  283. 283.

    Ruckus

    @Gloria DryGarden:

    His supporters, the people that came/come to his rallies, who donate to his political BS, who like him because he hates the same people he does, although it’s likely that if they weren’t paying him to be there he wouldn’t talk to them at all.

  286. 286.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Interesting, they are saying now the jury clearly turned on Trump when Cohen explained that Trump was paying some company called Red Finch to fix polls in Trump’s favor.

    My oh, my, is that so on brand sleaze from Donny Mushroom Dick, and rigged polling that would explain so many strange things this last year. Why, just consider, Trump controls the GoP internal polling now and look how the GoPers rolled over for him the primary.  Almost like something convinced them that Trump was unbeatable…

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