The Army released a statement:
The US Army issued a stark rebuke of former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign over the incident on Monday at Arlington National Cemetery, saying in a statement on Thursday that participants in the ceremony “were made aware of federal laws” regarding political activity at the cemetery, and “abruptly pushed aside” an employee of the cemetery.
“Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside,” the Army spokesperson said in the statement on Thursday. Section 60 is an area in the cemetery largely reserved for the graves of those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked. ANC is a national shrine to the honored dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nation’s fallen deserve,” the statement said.
The Army spokesperson said while the incident was reported to the police department at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, the employee in question “decided not to press charges” so the Army “considers this matter closed.”
Of course the employee (apparently a woman) decided not to press charges: she didn’t want to be doxxed and harassed by Trump’s Proud Boy / Q conspiracist tribe of feral assholes.
Anyway, I realize this is the third post about this story in 24 hours, but it encapsulates so much of the shit that we’ve endured since Trump’s escalator ride: Rules don’t apply to him. His minions immediately resort to violence when challenged. Anyone who challenges them gets smeared, and they’re in mortal danger from his supporters. He and his team lie and gaslight about the incident. Unless it is obviously a big deal (like this incident) the press basically chalks it up to “Trump being Trump”.
The poor person who was shoved by one of Trump’s goons is by no mean the only person harmed here:
However, it wasn’t just the graves of those killed at Abbey Gate that were featured in photo and video from Trump’s visit. In at least one photo posted online, the grave of an Army Special Forces soldier who died by suicide is also featured; his family has since said they did not give the campaign permission to do so. The grave of Master Sgt. Andrew Marckesano, a Silver Star recipient, sits next to that of Marine Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover.
A statement from Marckesano’s sister on behalf of their family said that while they supported families of the 13 fallen “in their quest for answers and accountability regarding the Afghanistan withdrawal and the tragedy at Abbey Gate,” the Trump campaign “did not adhere to the rules” of Section 60.
“[A]ccording to our conversation with Arlington National Cemetery, the Trump Campaign staffers did not adhere to the rules that were set in place for this visit to SSGT Hoover’s grave site in Section 60, which lays directly next to my brother’s grave,” the statement from Michele Marckesano said. “We hope that those visiting this sacred site understand that these were real people who sacrificed for our freedom and that they are honored and respected accordingly.”
Even though the press is covering this more-or-less as well as they can, I’ll be surprised to find any account that contextualizes what Trump was trying to do here. His multiple repeated comments about the Medal of Honor somehow being less than the Medal of Freedom prompted the press to write stories about his longstanding disrespect and disdain for the Military, calling them “suckers” and “losers”, as well as being unwilling to visit military cemeteries. The campaign clearly thought this was a problem, so they staged a photo op on top of a soldiers’ grave, never mind that it’s illegal to do that, and the families of the other soldiers upon whose graves this group was standing didn’t consent to have them there. It’s so fucking despicable at so many levels, but the key point is the one Harris made in her speech: he is not a serious man and this event was an event staged by a non-serious man and his clown car of idiot minions.
Edit: Chet Murthy linked a story in the comments that has one detail I forgot to mention: Mike Johnson pressured Arlington to let Trump film there.
Speaking of the Native Vote
Attapooch
A bookend to this story is that Elon Musk had X/Twitter flag the story as spam in a vain attempt to bury the story but his efforts have now become part of the story and have given it extra legs.
geg6
Between this and the Harris blowjob tweet should be the end of that asshole, but the MSM will still keep slobbering over him regardless of what he does or says. His voters are a lost cause, but the media needs to get real here.
Trivia Man
Has tik tok been asked to take down his video? I naively assume that anything released by the campaign is clear campaigning. I get it – cameras and such are not totally banned, but it explicitly says “not in campaigns.”
Omnes Omnibus
The fact that the army issued a statement like this is unbelievably unusual. People should take note.
Jeffg166
@geg6:
The legacy media is a lost cause as well.
Dangerman
Arlington should ban his fat ass. I bet if I carried in a boom box and disturbed the grounds, I would get banned.
Motivated Seller
Maybe someone could use their official duties to arrest the perpetrator. And when the worst people start screaming about “Weaponization” of Federal law, they can cry some more, and then direct their objections to the Republican-appointed Supreme Court that granted immunity for “Official Acts”.
Chet Murthy
Over at First Draft they had a post about this fiasco with details: https://first-draft.com/2024/08/29/the-arlington-cemetery-story-got-worse/
It just gets worse and worse.
BR
I dunno, this story more than anything has brought back the fatigue that we’ve had to endure for 9 years that we wish would go away. It also has put Trump back in the headlines, which is where he likes to be whether it’s positive or negative, because he likes to be picking a fight with someone at all times.
Geo Wilcox
That little shit Mike Johnson helped get Trump into Arlington for the wreath laying ceremony. Ban his nasty pervy ass as well.
Chris
Sadly, this also kind of feels like the logical endpoint of the kind of performative patriotism that’s infested politics for ages. Rush to virtue-signal your love of The Flag, The Troops, and a few other sacred totems, in the most shallow and self-promoting way possible, giving no thought to who you may be hurting in the process, no matter how much you’re trampling over the substance of the things/people you claim to be honoring, and, of course, all in the service of right-wing politics.
bnbucksaz
How would even the families of the 13 unfortunate troops who perished thanks to Trump tying the United States to a shit deal even want to be seen with him? Is that how they honor their lost? There are no words in any language to describe my anger and disgust anymore.
wjca
Another example of “It’s not the crime; it’s the cover-up.” Of course, the Trump cult distains history, so they would never have heard that.
TBone
@Attapooch: 😆 good!
trollhattan
Maybe, just maybe, the DoD folks will conclude Trump is not their friend, or at least enough of them conclude that to make a difference.
It will be nice to have Biden still in charge when the next Jan 6 rolls around, so nobody is soft-pedaling the security risks and nobody is slow-walking National Guard requests. “Hi Pentagon here. Nope, not here. Nope, not him either. Can I take a message and have somebody call you back?”
kindness
Trump was just trying to polish his military cred with the photo op. How he has any military cred after how he treated our armed forces in his 4 years in power I can not fathom. Cult members are too common in the police and military.
@mistermix.bsky.social
@Chet Murthy: Thanks, I forgot that Johnson played a part in the story.
@BR: I understand that this puts him in the headlines but polls have shown that Trumps’ favorability rises when he’s not in the news, and falls when he is, because people forget what a piece of shit he is, and how much they hate him. OTOH, the Harris campaign doesn’t seem to be doing anything with it — though that could just be their recognition that the press is doing just fine publicizing this.
Chet Murthy
@bnbucksaz: Assholes can also be related to people who made the ultimate sacrifice. Heck, assholes can make the ultimate sacrifice. We can honor their sacrifice, while still remembering that they’re assholes. Or MAGAts, as the case may be.
hueyplong
@Chris: Good point. Presumably, Trump flew from Mar a Lago to DC just to do that one, five minute stunt, then flew home again, and his henchmen managed to make a vein-popping, offensive incident out of it.
The mind boggles at the lunacy about to be undertaken over the next 10 weeks.
At some point enough of the country has to want to cancel this show.
tECHIDNA
Looks like the MSM has a sad that they can’t give an artificial advantage here to TCFG so “things” won’t be “too easy” for Harris/Walz, because where would the
money“fun” be in that? Closest thing I’ve seen is not using the thumbs-up photo in articles, which captures the ghoulishness from everyone, not just TCFG, even more so than what I was expecting.@geg6: I think this is how things would be covered during everybody’s WhatIf of if TCFG got caught saying the n-word out loud:
TCFG: (during the debate to Harris) You know who you really are? You’re a n****r, Kamambla! That’s who you are!
Harris: lol wut?
MSM except MSNBC: That’s just Trump being Trump! <laugh track, then applause track and sitcom outro plays>
jonas
@bnbucksaz: A couple of them tried to interrupt one of Biden’s SOTUs a while back, IIRC. Of course they’re devastated by the loss they suffered, but the person to blame is the asshole with the shit-eating grin giving a thumbs-up on the graves of their sons, not Biden. He agreed to bail on Afghanistan. He claimed ISIS was ended when it clearly wasn’t. How is this *not* on Trump?
Ruckus
@Omnes Omnibus:
The fact is that we have a shithead as an ex president who thinks (such as it is) that he can do whatever the hell he wants and fuck everyone else. Laws, rules, common sense, regard for anyone else (who are all far beneath him, just ask him – oh wait, he’ll tell us without asking) do not matter to him. There is a logical and rational reason I call him shitforbrains. That multipurpose thing at the bottom of his large intestine is directly attached to his thought organ and allows him to exhaust shit formed into words.
TaMara
@BR: Concern troll is concerned.
Earlier, your complaint was that they weren’t covering it enough.
Pie filter for you, dearest
Raven
@Omnes Omnibus: What’s this “press charges” horseshit? Can’t the US Army or whoever else is in charge do that?i
Suzanne,
@hueyplong:
God, that is the truth right there.
Elizabelle
It’s a bit sad that one is relieved that the Army stood behind their employee.
And: Notice how spokesweasel Steven Cheung doubles down in the NBC story:
BR upthread mentioned it, but for most of us, I think this is reminder of how unpleasant and ugly Trump and his team are, and what a relief it’s been to have them out of office.
I think this will harm Trump. And, didn’t more of the troops vote for Biden in 2020? I think they did; maybe not the elites.
Chet Murthy
@TaMara: FWIW, I don’t think BR is a troll. Been here a while, been pretty reasonable commentor. I diagree with ’em on this: I’m pleasantly surprised at how it seems like the outrage has legs. Not that I expect it to continue, but hey, a boy can dream.
Gloria DryGarden
@Trivia Man: it does seem like any ad campaign video that gets released should be immediately taken down, removed as illegal usage.
Oh, did I say should? Um, I would hope that…
It would be emphatically appropriate to…
Remove/ take down such video usage.
I think my uncle is buried at Arlington. Disabled vet, injured during active duty.
tECHIDNA
@Attapooch: LMAO, proving that owning your own social media platform doesn’t insulate you from the Streisand Effect.
jonas
This whole thing is just another example of the MSM’s curve for grading Trump. Yes, it’s getting coverage, but in the same sense that Obama’s tan suit got coverage. It’s all “Oh, my, what kind of impression will this make? Was this a misstep? What do undecided voters think? Someone ask Harris or Walz for their reactions! And make sure you follow up and ask Walz if he feels he has a right to pass judgment since he deserted his guard unit!”
If a Democrat had desecrated a national cemetery with this kind of display, *and* their campaign staff had roughed up an Army employee in the process, the entire DC media establishment would have collectively stroked out and the country would be in flames.
catclub
If they are violations of Federal law, wouldn’t some crack reporter find out and tell what the punishments are for violations, and whether they are felonies or misdemeanors? A curious nation waits on you.
It would be extremely ironic if it subjected Trump to public military tribunals – a la the demands of Q-anon.
Steve LaBonne
@@mistermix.bsky.social: It is widely believed, a belief I share, that he won in 2016 in considerable part because his handlers convinced him to largely STFU the last few weeks of the campaign. (Leaving a vacuum that was filled by the despicable James Comey.) By the same token enough people were sick of his constant chaos and bullshit by fall of 2020. I think we should root for him and JV Dunce to beclown themselves in public often from now until November.
Chris
@trollhattan:
A veteran commenting at LGM earlier this year said that the military is seeing fewer enlistments from Southern and central states, which is at least partly because the right-wingers who in 1981 or 2001 would’ve been telling their kids “son, join the military and be a real man!” now see the army as woke and left wing.
Which, if true, is honestly great. The less of a correlation there is between “military service” and “right-wing jock who just wants a chance to shoot people in a socially acceptable context,” the better.
R'Chard
“Abruptly pushed aside” would be milspeak for “rudely shoved out of the way,” I believe. Yep, insofar as they go, that is a condemnation of the act.
‘Why, how dare a mere female obstruct our progress? What is she doing out in public with authority and shoes anyway?’
Gloria DryGarden
@Elizabelle: unspoken, but Cheung is also saying, ” and I know what lies are”
Sheesh, those guys are such experienced liars all around.
New Deal democrat
@Omnes Omnibus:
I strongly suspect that someone Very High Up in the chain of command was outraged or ashamed of the fact that the Park employee, out of fear for her safety, and was afraid to press charges,,(e.t.a. and that the clear law was blatantly violated), and decided that the Army had to Take a Stand, consequences be damned.
jonas
My impression is the officer corps is a lot cooler towards Trump than the enlisted ranks, which tend to be made up of young men with strong MAGA tendencies, especially the white ones. Perhaps a few who haven’t really ever paid attention to news or Trump, though, will see this and be pissed. One can hope.
lowtechcyclist
@Raven:
As our Presidential candidate has pointed out, when crimes are committed, the immediate victim isn’t the sole victim; it is an offense against the people as a whole, and it is in the name of the people that she prosecuted offenders.
So damn right someone should be pressing charges. Since Trump’s already used his Arlington Cemetery photo or video in a campaign commercial, there’s no argument that he used them for political purposes, violating the laws against that.
The U.S. Attorney for northern Virginia should be subpoenaing all of the photos and video taken by all the participants that day in preparation for charging Trump and his campaign aides, both those who were present that day and those who helped produce that commercial.
Scout211
And I have posted articles and links to the developments in this story in (I think) every open thread since Tuesday. LOL. Many just this morning. So another front page post is fine with me.
I am furious and disgusted with the whole thing. Plus, Steven Cheung is at the top of the list for “the worst person in the world.”
Again, here he is. Trump spokesperson in every Trump campaign and former spokesperson for Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Ruckus
@Chris:
I don’t have to comment now, you got it word for word.
@mistermix.bsky.social:
What can be done in any event? Papers have a right to print anything that isn’t a government secret. And yes we see him as a piece of shit, nasty, old, smelly and far worse than useless shit. But he is a POS, in the form of a human (not a good form mind you) and in this country that gives him some leeway. That he uses up far, far more leeway than he’s ever earned is somewhat beside the point, in a country that gives a lot of leeway.
HumboldtBlue
@BR:
It’s not about him, it’s about getting people to notice and remember it when they vote. I see a lot of folks touting that for him bad press is good press, but on this subject it’s not, it’s hitting differently, and it’s hitting differently among people who vote.
And, who care.
trollhattan
@Chris: Can you imagine the fear on our next invadee’s faces? “Aggggh, the Woke Army is coming, To the hills, everybody. Save yourselves!”
Change we can believe in.
catclub
@jonas:
 
In the worst, most disorganized way possible for his successor.
jonas
@Elizabelle: If you’re trying to get into a restricted space and a cop or someone blocks your way or tries to restrain you and you deck them, later claiming “Hey, they started it!” isn’t going to be a terribly effective defense.
Mike E
@Chris: great point and it’s a twofer: reflecting poorly on the so-called patriotic party (whom Keith Olbermann rightly characterized as liking troops in theory but shitting on them in practice); and, exposing the indolent press who push empty narratives such as this (the GOP being the daddies after all).
@HumboldtBlue: and the hits keep coming! As much as I would like to avoid anything to do with the Orange Menace, all these dings are ringing rather nicely in my ears, huzzah
Chet Murthy
@trollhattan: The Ukrainian people are woke. Possibly not as woke as we’d like, but we have ample evidence that LGBTQ Ukrainians, and women, serve in their armed forces, and with distinction. And the Russians seems to be pretty damn afraid of them.
Ruckus
@catclub:
In the worst, most disorganized way possible
How could he possibly do any different? That is his trademark, doing whatever IN THE WORST, MOST, DISORGANIZED WAY POSSIBLE. He’s always done everything that way. He likely does normal human, day to day things, that every animal does, IN THE WORST, MOST, DISORGANIZED WAY POSSIBLE. It’s his trademark, it’s how he does everything.
Chris
@trollhattan:
Oh, I’m sure they think they and their buddies from the shooting range could totally destroy the Woke Army in the event of another civil war. Just like their forefathers in 1860 did.
Hey, remember when the Russian Army was held up as the most badass lean mean killing machine because they were made up of real men and not woke and pussified like the Western armies? Yeah, about that.
Chris
@catclub:
I actually kind of don’t blame him for deaths incurred during the withdrawal, for the same reason I don’t blame Biden: it is damn near impossible to organize a bloodless and orderly withdrawal from a situation like Afghanistan.
That said, if he wants to turn those deaths into a political football, and he clearly does, we should by all means ensure that as much of the mud he’s slinging sticks to him as possible.
Edmund Dantes
@Motivated Seller: sternly worded letter is about the best that seems to be coming out from this. It’s worth noting that if they won’t prosecute the law they might as well take it off the books.
Wanderer
I don’t understand why the employee of ANC would have to press charges – surely the employer has an interest in protecting the safety of its employees and enforcing the rules of the ANC. I truly don’t understand why the letter the Army released “consider the matter closed”. There must be some action the Arlington National Cemetery or the Army, on their behalf, could pursue which would be independent of the employee.
TaMara
@Chet Murthy: Oh not a troll-troll. A concern troll is one for whom everything is awful and if it’s not awful, it will become awful, rinse and repeat.
See: Pearl clutching and fainting couch*. ❤️
So pie is my solution instead of wasting my breath arguing.
*not to be confused with any couch JD has interactions with
sdhays
I understand not pressing charges for the assault (not that I like the reasons behind that decision), but I hope that the clear violations of LAW engaging in a campaign event at Arlington Cemetery are prosecuted.
Otherwise, why do we have such laws?
Elizabelle
And, some background on Huyen “Steven” Cheung, who is the ugliest (physically and rhetorically) of Trump’s constant stream of spokesliars.
You could be forgiven for thinking he got his start with MAGA. But no. He started out with “moderate” Republicans — interned with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and an aide in Saint John McCain’s 2008 campaign.
From a New Yorker profile published on March 25, 2024:
The Face of Donald Trump’s Deceptively Savvy Media Strategy
The former President and his spokesman, Steven Cheung, like to hurl insults at their political rivals, but behind the scenes the campaign has maintained a cozy relationship with much of the mainstream press.
[Excuse me. This reporter bringing up white nationalists WRT the Trump campaign is just a tad odd ?? ….]
I hope Cheung does end up unemployable. And he may be an IED, but Jesus the press are whores.
I think the unnamed reporters are complaining about the Biden administration getting back at them on the bothsiderism that is killing the media’s credibility. Do note one of the anonymous speaks of “tiny things.”
Yes. Which they then run as equivalent to the disgraceful things emanating from Trump. Definitely in misleading and disinformative headlines, if not borne out in the body of the story itself.
Edmund Dantes
@Elizabelle: did they stand behind their employee though? All they have done is issue a sternly worded letter. Will there be any actual consequences to Trump or his minions?
azlib
What a sh*tshow. I remember when my father (a Navy vet) was interred at Arlington. The staff was extremely professional and the ceremony which included a gun salute was done solemnly and with grace.
I remember talking to one staff member and she said everyone got the same treatment even if no family or friends were there. There was always at least one staff member at every internment. To desecrate this hallowed ground with a cheap political stunt is outrageous. There is simply no excuse for Trump’s or his campaign’s behavior.
Edmund Dantes
@catclub: he tied Biden’s hands insanely badly. Withdrawals are never an easy thing, but Trump made sure it would suck as much as possible by doing what he did.
trollhattan
@Elizabelle: So, a second Stephen Miller then?
Elizabelle
@Edmund Dantes: Even putting out the letter is a big step, as Omnes noted in an early comment.
Now to see what happens next.
Manyakitty
@TaMara: I screamed a little bit at the last sentence 🤣
Elizabelle
@Edmund Dantes: I know. Am sorry the two families lost their Marines, but they are malign people. Poor judgment, and liars. Perhaps they buried the best of their family members.
I find it very interesting that we are not seeing the family members’ names. There were none in Sgt. Gee’s obituary from 2021. I’d never seen that before. Not following the story that closely, but I have seen two female relatives named; an aunt and a mother in law.
Since they’re hurling such ugly accusations at President Biden, why are they being treated a private citizens? They took part in an overtly political act. In a section of a military cemetery where that behavior is not allowed.
Citizen Alan
@bnbucksaz: The ones who had their pictures taken with Shitgibbon were happy to sacrifice their child to Moloch. Just think, if that soldier had come home from Afghanistan in one piece, they’d have never had the chance to meet their god-king in the flesh.
No MAGAts love their children. Not one of them.
Chet Murthy
@Elizabelle: As much contempt as I have for MAGAts, and these people are MAGAts, I think they’re still Gold Star family, and that means nobody should attack them. We can deplore their behaviour without attacking them.
The Audacity of Krope
I know my parents love me. People are complicated.
AWOL
@Chris: The military is becoming extremely high-tech. Unlike the past, these people aren’t qualified to serve in the modern military due to a lack of educational opportunities. The military is seeking new demographics. So Military Welfare for that section of the Disunited States is ending. Expect more anger.
Elizabelle
@Chet Murthy: But why will the press not identify them? How often do you see that in news stories?
And I did say some mean things about these Gold Star family members, true. But not anything undeserved.
geg6
@Elizabelle:
Tim Kaine (I believe he’s on the Armed Services Committee) has requested the incident report. We’ll see where that goes.
Citizen Alan
@The Audacity of Krope: If Trump wins and declares martial law like the MAGAts want, would your parents shelter you in the basement or turn you over to the Gestapo? Because I genuinely worry that my RWNJ sister would turn me in for being a liberal if that ever became a thing. And one of my closest friends in the world has told his parents that he will not return to Mississippi under any circumstances because he’s worried that family members upset that he’s providing gender-affirming care for his daughter will try to have him arrested and sent to the state pen.
Elizabelle
@geg6: Good to hear. Incidentally, he is on the ballot this fall. Seeing signs for him all over the Richmond area.
The Audacity of Krope
@Citizen Alan: I honestly believe my parents would shelter me. There’s just no convincing them at this time that this might be necessary.
My sister, on the other hand…
Kayla Rudbek
@Dangerman: heck, Metro doesn’t even stop the trains at Arlington Cemetery station after it gets dark, I guess in order to keep the peace?
Gloria DryGarden
@Omnes Omnibus: are you saying that the mere fact of them issuing a statement is a sign that this was a very bad, ominous thing?
Attapooch
Whenever Speaker Mike Johnson comes up, I feel an odd compulsion to remind people that his son monitor’s his dad’s porn usage so there aren’t any opportunity for alone time.
There’s an article over all Rolling Stone were Johnson admits it without any seemingly awareness that it’s very, very creepy.
Harrison Wesley
@kindness: Felony-34 has been endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations. Make of that what you will.
lowtechcyclist
@Elizabelle:
It may be a big step by their standards, but it is not sufficient. There needs to be a ‘next.’
But the Army’s statement says “the employee subsequently decided not to press charges. Therefore, the Army considers this matter closed,” which says they’re planning on there not being a ‘next.’
Chris
@Harrison Wesley:
Cops are scum.
Despite my many issues with the military, though, I don’t put them in the same category.
(The three-letter alphabet soup of federal security and intelligence agencies, on the other hand…)
Villago Delenda Est
The Medal of Freedom was hopelessly debased by TCFFG/PAB awarding it to Rush Limbaugh. It’s as revered now as much as a TCFFG/PAB NFT. That is, not at all.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Steve LaBonne:
Yup. Hair Furor’s first interview after the debate was a catastrophe, so bad that even our Corporate Political Media Corpse kinda/sorta made mention of it.
I’ve said this before and it’s based on dealing with the “Trump of Denver with all the associated psychological issues” for almost a year: narcissistic sociopaths like them are your best weapon when presented in an unfiltered format. Local media would interview our clown and what came out afterwards eliminated what we all knew was craptons of shit.
But whenever we got him in a public forum, he was friggin golden.
So let the two of them get out there and create bad images, particularly if they can be further pushed in front of voters showing the unhingedness.
Elizabelle
@lowtechcyclist: It does not seem right that it is up to the employee on whether to press charges. I wonder if the issue is there is not proof of the incident, or anything to support her version of events (even while she is likely the more credible party).
With all the crappy things MAGAts do, it would seem they’d want to push back hard on this one.
I am just horrified for her that Cheung went immediately with “mental health episode,” and has since called her a liar. The spokesman for a former POTUS just throws that ugliness out there.
ETA: As with the New Yorker article. Brutal:
Elizabelle
@Chris: Don’t agree that (all) cops are scum. But it would seem there is a huge problem with their police unions.
wjca
There is the detail that his expertise on lies is in telling them, not in recognizing them.
BR
@TaMara:
You must be mixing me up with someone else, but ok.
robtrim
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.
John Donne – English Poet
Donald Trump is deeply emotionally retarded. He goes to a cemetery ignorant of all human sensibilities. His ignorance is frightening.
Fair Economist
@tECHIDNA: Well, you wouldn’t expect a social media that gets almost no views, like Trump’s, would have much influence.
wjca
Given Russian culture, maybe they are afraid it’s catching…?
rikyrah
@Harrison Wesley:
He has promised them complete immunity to do whatever they want to people who look like me.
Uh huh
Uh huh
The Audacity of Krope
@rikyrah: There seems to be a line of thought among some people that those in positions of power are not subject to accountability or responsibility.
Geoduck
Three posts about this is way better than another round of the Lawyers Guns and Money guys going “neener neener neener” about Biden stepping aside.
Chet Murthy
@Geoduck: haha, they did that too, today. Loomis just can’t leave it alone. He needs a cone of shame to keep him away from the keyboard I guess.
zhena gogolia
@Geoduck: What is the neener neener about when the polls basically haven’t budged?
Gin & Tonic
@Chet Murthy: Is there a law that you have to visit that site?
Chris
@Geoduck:
I just skimmed that.
Favorite part was the guy pointing out “you know, if Harris loses, and she absolutely still could, you guys are going to have to ban half your commentariat, because you’re in for six solid months of I Fucking Told You Sos.”
cmorenc
@jonas: Harris needs to use her best prosecutor closing argument skills to methodically use the facts to destroy Trump’s attempt to pin the Afghan withdrawal incident at the Kabul airport on her and Biden and concisely explain the timeline of Trump and Pompeio’d wantonly reckless setup that left Biden no options other than to honor the tight timeline of Trump’s deal with the Taliban, or else initiate a substantial re-escalation of the war with the US starting in a huge tactical hole that would have resulted in far more US casualties than 13.
Several commenters in prior threads have concisely laid out the incontrovertible timeline in a manner that could be laid out in a 2 or 3 minute debate slot.
Birdie
@Elizabelle: So basically the entire industry whose job is informing the public is playing a game and that’s how they all treat it. It’s all process over substance. Stephen Cheung is a “panda” because he “gets back to you with a quote”, never mind that the actual words are heinous and strikingly outside the norms of civil discourse. The Biden people want you to report the truth and get annoyed with double standards, so that makes them “difficult”.
Every time I think my opinion of journalists couldn’t get lower I read something like this. These people are the absolute worst.
Chris
@zhena gogolia:
My understanding is the polls have in fact budged? They’re just… still within the margin of error. And even more razor thin when you get to swing states.
Basically (based on a quick glance at 538), Harris is in a similar position now that Trump was in for most of the year: trending ahead, but not decisively so, and certainly not so decisively that the other guy winning should be a surprise even if the polls remain this way all the way to election day. (Which is fucking exasperating, to be sure, but no more so than the fact that Trump was ahead for most of this year).
Ruckus
@Chet Murthy:
Many people that do not see women as human beings, with all the rights, issues and problems that every human has to at least some degree, have no idea how strong they can be, because they do not recognize them as human beings, with all the rights, faults and great points that are possible. And in my lifetime (In case you didn’t know, I’m an old…) I’ve seen woman that were in many ways stronger than most men I’ve known, including me. Grow and squeeze a human out of inside you? Seems like that might be slightly painful. Sure the result may be what you wanted, still getting there is not easy. Many do this multiple times. Put up with shitheads that expect you to play second fiddle to their bullshit? Yeah that always works so well….
Elizabelle
@Birdie: Yeah. I thought that New Yorker story was quite informative.
And Cheung being praised by some unnamed reporter for not being a white supremacist? Talk about damning with faint praise.
Manyakitty
@zhena gogolia: right??
JoyceH
Every time Trump steps foot onto Arlington National Cemetery, he should stop for a moment, bow his head and meditate — on the fact that the cemetery grounds are a former plantation that the US government seized from an insurrectionist.
Chet Murthy
@Elizabelle: Haha, Cheung is no George Takei. I mean, if you wanted to make an advert for white supremacy, you couldn’t do much better than a pic of Cheung’s ugly mug. Some people really do get the face they deserve.
Elizabelle
@Chet Murthy: Cheung looks like an enforcer in an Asian gangster movie.
And. He is probably fine with that!
catclub
@Chris: It was interesting to see the before poll was Biden 38, Trump 41 and now the poll looks like
Harris 48, Trump 43. Makes it look like Trump has a ceiling.
Attapooch
@Elizabelle: Steven Cheung. Code Name: Blow Job.
Chet Murthy
@Elizabelle: He’s no Andy Lau or (be still my beating heart) Tony Leung, that’s for sure.
Redshift
@JoyceH:
Hmm, I seem to remember hearing that Arlington is running short on space, and he’s already started burials on one of his numerous landscaped properties — I sense a win-win solution!
Birdie
@Elizabelle: I mean why even become a journalist? There are plenty of other industries out there where you can play office politics and be a pointless paper pusher, and those industries aren’t even dying. If you care more about whether someone is nice to you personally than about informing the public, why did you get into the field?
Chris
@catclub:
As a lot of people have pointed out, Trump’s approval rating doesn’t really budge much – he has a very low ceiling but a very high floor. He’s never going to have the approval ratings of Reagan at reelection time, but he’s never going to have the approval ratings of George Dubya in his last summer either.
The main difference is how much Democrats are able to turn out the rest of the country. Fingers crossed and knock on wood, it’ll be enough.
Redshift
@jonas:
He agreed to bail, he didn’t involve the Afghan government in the negotiations, he released loads of Taliban prisoners well before the withdrawal, he left way fewer troops than the Pentagon wanted for the withdrawal. It was sabotage, pure and simple.
Chris
@Birdie:
Because, if you can break out from “journalist” to “pundit and opinionmaker,” you’ll be part of the closest thing America has to a royal court. You could be an office politician and pointless paper pusher, but with status.
SiubhanDuinne
@JoyceH:
More likely he’d be meditating on what a
profitablelovely golf course he could make of it, once he got rid of all those pesky headstones.…Elizabelle
@Birdie: A lot of these journalist types are actually publicists.
It’s a different job. At least, I think so …
Elizabelle
It would not seem that Trump would ever request to be buried at Arlington, thank god. He would dishonor the place.
Would bet he will be on the grounds of his “library,” or he will have his donors build him something like the
TajTrump Mahal.Gravesite available to paying visitors, and still behind a tall enough iron fence (maybe painted gold) so you can’t loft a bucket of blood or urine at his mortal remains.
wjca
Why else were drones invented???
Gvg
@Dangerman: He might end up the commander in chief again. They probably don’t want to be in this position. Any other elected job and it wouldn’t be an issue, but President is I think.
Elizabelle
@wjca: And if they tell us “no drones,” we will just shove whoever said that. In the throes of a mental health episode.
Gvg
@Chris: it probably helps that for the first time in a long time, there are a lot of employers begging for employees and starting to raise wages plus improve working conditions. At no time in my life have I seen it like this. The military enlistment has often been the only path for the poor or rural kids to get out of a rut of no choices. Which often means it has a lot of minorities in the lower ranks, though I don’t think the mostly non serving MAGA realize that.
Good economic conditions always hurt recruiting.
Betty
And he repeated his Medal of Freedom nonsense again today. His advisers have no control.
Redshift
@Elizabelle:
The chances of his “library” ever getting built are zero. A presidential library involves raising a lot of money and spending it on the project, instead of pocketing it.
And I wouldn’t put any bets on any giant burial monument either, that would require his spawn to prioritize possible long term revenue over directly fleecing donors.
Captain C
@jonas:
So at least they wouldn’t have written 500 stories in 3 days on it.
Captain C
@Attapooch: There’s a nonzero chance that they use that app to inform each other about the good stuff (read: creepy and possibly illegal stuff) that they find.
Gloria DryGarden
@robtrim: thank you for this moment of reverence, with this poem.
brantl
@Citizen Alan: For dog’s sake, get real.
brantl
@Chet Murthy: Loomis appears to be sn asshole’ ideal of the quintessential asshole. Sorest winner I’ve had the misfortune to meet.
SpiceWeasel
@lowtechcyclist:
@Wanderer:
Two distinct crimes appear to have happened. Assault on the employee in question by an employee of the Trump campaign for which she can choose to press charges or not. Taking photographs for campaign purposes in a restricted section of ANC. Whatever prosecutorial body has jurisdiction of this would be the ones to bring charges.