MSNBC, just a tip – you may not want to caption a commercial “This is how we pursue a story” and then show Hallie Jackson haranguing a wheelchair bound Sen Kirk down a long hallway.
And then Chaffetz and Gowdy will convene more Congressional committee hearings to Get To The Bottom Of This Once And For All, and subpoena the President for hours of testimony.
8.
Adam L Silverman
And none of the cops turned their backs as the President came in. Unpossible!!!!
Also, I see the Bushes, Senator Cornyn, VP and Dr. Biden. No Governor Abbot, but that may be because of the 2nd and 3rd degree burns on his legs suffered last FRI.
9.
Paul in KY
@MomSense: Basically the same thing as what would happen if Israel rebuilds the great temple:
Jesus is off in the Zeta 12 galaxy (984,008,435 light years from Earth) ministering to the Fugwathi, when all of a sudden he is transported away, saying ‘The great temple has been rebuilt!!’, and returns to Earth to smite all the Democrats.
@MomSense: Anyone who can’t speak the truth with “radical Islamic terrorism” is also clearly under the sway of Big Gay Agenda.
Do I need a chalkboard for you? Jesus! It’s all right there!
16.
Adam L Silverman
@SiubhanDuinne: Okay, since I have no idea what they look like, that explains the two women I couldn’t identify.
That seems like a lot to happen from just uttering three words. Are you sure he doesn’t have to then pat an elephant three times and fire 12 M4s?
22.
Kate
@Adam L Silverman: Abbott is at SAMMC/BAMC (San Antonio Military Medical Center) Burn Unit undergoing treatment
23.
? Martin
@MomSense: 67% of 65+ year olds in the US are white christians. Only 29% of 18-29 year olds are. 34% of 18-29 year olds are unaffiliated with a religion. They’re holding on as grimly as they can.
24.
Miss Bianca
@Corner Stone: burns? He burned himself badly? That sounds rather dreadful.
25.
hovercraft
Why are they letting a terrorist speak at this memorial ? Isn’t this Texas ? Drudge and Brietbart will have a cow, poltical correctness run amuck.
26.
japa21
If only some Christians could be as inclusive as that imam.
27.
Paul in KY
@Corner Stone: Oh man!!!! You know the 1st rule of BGA is not to talk about BGA!!!
Or maybe the first rule was always to look fabulous & the not talking was the 2nd rule…
This will sound to many conservatives like a massive plot of redistribution. For much of the last decade, the discussion around that controversial word has assumed that the government is the only force capable of “spreading the wealth around.” But that’s simply not true. Automation redistributes wealth—from routine-based work to work that cannot be automated. Globalization redistributes wealth, too—from activities that can be off-shored to the owners of global supply chains. Economic history is one long story of wealth being created, destroyed, consolidated, and, yes, redistributed.
Future presidents will govern a world sundered by globalization and technology whether or not they are fond of these forces. Of the 27 million net new jobs created between 1990 and 2008, 99 percent occurred in so-called “nontradable” occupations, which is work that must be done locally, such as a treating patients, teaching students, or cutting people’s hair. Multinational businesses have become geniuses at moving their production around the world toward new markets and cheap labor, which often means away from the United States. Companies like GE, Siemens, and Coca Cola will continue to buy robots and hire abroad no matter what the U.S.’s technology and trade policies.
You know the 1st rule of BGA is not to talk about BGA!!!
You obviously know nothing about Big Gay Agenda if you thought not gossiping and being catty was ever a possibility!*
*Yes, I know.
32.
Paul in KY
@Adam L Silverman: I think they think he doesn’t say it because he’s just being a dhimmi doing their tawkfir stuff, cause a secret moslem cannot verbally chastise Islam.
It’s in one of the Suras, dontachknow?
33.
Paul in KY
@Keith G: So you can catnap and people will think you are praying.
34.
hovercraft
@MomSense:
They will have to pry this God Fearing Christian Nation from their cold dead hands before they surrender it to the gay loving, multiculture loving, gun grabbing, Mexican loving, tyrannical pansy assed liberals who are trying to steal this country.
35.
Adam L Silverman
@Miss Bianca: He was on vacation in Wyoming or Montana and they were getting him treatment there before transferring him home to Texas when he got the call about the shootings in Dallas last Friday. He came right home, never mentioned the burns while doing his initial public addresses, and the only clue something was up is he wasn’t wearing his customary cowboy boots or dress shoes. http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Gov-Abbott-Being-Treated-for-Serious-Burns-386220951.html
I think the guy is nuts, politically and religiously extreme, and a cruel hypocrite for trying to cut others off from the legal remedies that he availed himself of when he was paralyzed from the waist down after a tree fell on him. But he showed true leadership here. And deserves credit for that.
36.
Corner Stone
@MomSense: Wake up, sheeple! Of course feminazis are part of Big Gay Agenda! One group emasculates proud, strong men from being men. Then the BGA swoops in and catches them at a weak moment.
37.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: OK, he may be a jerk, but he’s a gallant jerk. You’re right, I’ll honor him gladly for that.
38.
Paul in KY
@Corner Stone: You can exchange meaningful glances & purse lips all you want.
So I’ve heard.
39.
Corner Stone
Dammit! FYWP. Another post eated for some damn killing word I mistakenly typed.
This has been happening a lot lately.
40.
liberal
@Paul in KY: LOL. Thanks; needed cheering up today!
41.
? Martin
@MomSense: I agree. Societal change has been accelerating and will continue to accelerate. We are less and less of an island on this planet. Even if you hold back immigration, the culture they would have brought will still arrive through media, through the internet. The GOP is trying to argue for free trade for goods but not ideas. That impossible. The reverse is also impossible.
I don’t think the GOP realizes how badly the internet destroys so much of what they are trying to achieve.
Tried streaming this on Cspan but they’re on like a ten minute delay.
45.
Gelfling545
@Keith G: same reason one does it when meditating- to aid focus/avoid distraction.
46.
Omnes Omnibus
@Miss Bianca: One gets out of going to the GOP Convention by whatever means are available.
47.
Adam L Silverman
@Paul in KY: That would be taqiyya and it only applies to Shi’a who have to pass themselves off as Sunni Muslims to avoid discrimination and persecution by Sunni Muslims. Takfir is the formal accusation of apostasy (kufr) made by one Muslim against another.
And then Chaffetz and Gowdy will convene more Congressional committee hearings to Get To The Bottom Of This Once And For All, and subpoena the President for hours of testimony.
They can issue a subpoena if they like, but as the POTUS is the head of a coequal branch of government, there is nothing in the Constitution that compels him to appear. In practice, Thomas Jefferson set the precedent by essentially flipping the bird to John Marshall when he refused to produce materials or appear in person before the SCOTUS.
Anyone who can’t speak the truth with “radical Islamic terrorism” is also clearly under the sway of Big Gay Agenda.
In their platform, the Republicans wanted to list off all the people the radical mooslims want to kill. Somebody suggested throwing gay people into the list. Voted down, the only reason I can see is that Republicans approve of that.
53.
Adam L Silverman
@Shell: That’s in case they have to bleep any curse words or blur out any wardrobe malfunctions!
54.
Villago Delenda Est
@japa21: Shit, they can’t even be inclusive within Christianity itself. See the Emo Phillips routine for an explanation of all this.
LePage was shockingly clever about it. He said that Trump had it well sorted out and didn’t need him to
help at the convention unless the elitists tried to interfere.
Same way you close your eyes during meditation.. Turning within.
Or when you’re waiting at stoplight coming off a your third 8 hour shift in 36 hours. Same same.
59.
karen marie
@Corner Stone: He poured boiling water on his legs to avoid Cleveland.
60.
karen marie
@hovercraft: Until I saw the comment below yours, I thought you were referring to that war criminal, GW Bush. Turned on NPR, then shut it off when I heard him speaking.
61.
wenchacha
I’m not watching, but I haz a sad if that shitweasel Lt.Gov. gets any facetime.
62.
Keith G
@Mike J: I was just struck by the way it was voiced as an expectation.
63.
Betty Cracker
Has PBO spoken yet? (Was on the phone and am joining the live-stream already in progress…)
64.
MomSense
This police chief is such a decent human being. My heart breaks for him.
65.
Miss Bianca
Damn, missing the live feed so far as I’m on the phone with my tech consultant – following comments as I’m parsing error logs! Multi-tasking!
66.
Adam L Silverman
@Corner Stone: I freed your eaten comment. That’s what. I can go back and put it back into the trash filter if you’d prefer.
“Forgive me Senator for I have sinned. It has been 20 months since I last voted Republican- I just couldn’t make a choice in this year’s primary. I signed myself and my whole family for Obam government subsidized health insurance. I helped pay for my daughter’s gubmint recognized marriage to her wife. I… I…”
“These are serious sins my child. Say ‘Radical Islamic Terrorism’ 5 times, ‘Liberal Homosex-shul Agenda’ 3 times, and ‘Freedom Fries’ 3 times to be absolved.”
“Thank you father Senator.”
73.
Adam L Silverman
And still no cops have turned their backs on the President. Right now the heads of a number of police unions are writing angry memos!
Most people would say “Thanks, Adam!” but you have to smear your capital-A Attitude all over the blog. What gives with you?
77.
Punchy
Cant watch, so decided to I Heart Radio my afternoon at work. Got the Ice Cube station, and didn’t realize that….uh, yeah….the songs are all original (unbleeped, NSFW). Barely got the headphones into the jack before “F#ck Da Police” popped on and would have gotten me fired. Thank god for the easy-to-recogny intro….
Annnnnnnd….now some No Vaseline. Best rap diss song ever, or bestest?
78.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: Writing them to whom? The Dallas Police chief?
79.
karen marie
M-fucker, is that Shrub EVER going to shut up?
80.
Adam L Silverman
@Keith G: He was a pretty uncontroversial EUCOM CDR/SACEUR from what I remember. He’s a very sharp guy, has a PhD and several masters degrees (both civilian university and from Professional Military Education), and is currently the Dean of Tuft’s Fletcher School of Diplomacy, He had to geographic combatant commands, SOUTHCOM and EUCOM, which says something about his command abilities and abilities to work with superiors in two different Administrations.
@Mike J: I saw him once on Rachel’s show and he’s an okay speaker. Not great, but not bad. He’s a little short, as you can see in this photo (standing to Bam’s immediate right)
POTUS has been speaking for 10-15 minutes. You must be on a lo-o-o-o-ong tape delay!
84.
Corner Stone
Pretty straightforward speech so far, fairly lowkey for an Obama oration.
85.
Adam L Silverman
@Miss Bianca: police somewhere, everywhere!!! All of them Katie!
86.
JPL
@Adam L Silverman: I haven’t listened yet but here is a video of his Ted Talk link
87.
Trollhattan
@karen marie:
Billboard: “Miss me yet?”
Entire world: “No!”
88.
gogol's wife
Obama’s brilliant.
89.
Adam L Silverman
@David ?▶️Hillary/Harley Quinn 2016▶️? Koch: He once made an interesting comment about being the son of Greek immigrants to the US overseeing a NATO exercise that included both Greece and Turkey as the SACEUR. He’d be a good choice for any number of positions. People often forget, or don’t know, that the best Geographic Combatant Commanders and Service Component Commanders, or, perhaps a better formulation is what makes the best Geographic Combatant Commanders and Service Component Commanders, is being good diplomats and administrators as much as being good general officers/flag officers.
90.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: “Someone, somewhere, in unform, is not disrespecting the black-sympathizing POTUS!! Heads must rol!!”
91.
Adam L Silverman
@JPL: While I generally don’t like TED Talks, I’ve heard his. Like I said, he’s a sharp guy.
92.
Keith G
I know how far we have come against impossible odds.
I understand that this type of schlock is essentially required, but I sill find its utterance disappointing anytime a politician uses it.
We haven’t come that far at all against odds that were nowhere near impossible, and in some case the they were quite easy odds to begin with.
Well, I’ll bet that Obama fails to mention “radical Islamic terrorism” and the wingnuts will assplode in outrage.
I’d be OK with him saying “radical Islamic terrorism” once in a while if he were also allowed to say “white supremacist terror” in the much more common instance where he’s talking about that.
100.
Adam L Silverman
He just correctly quoted one of the Gospels, but he’s really a secret Muslim. Trump can’t even get second Corinthians right, but he’s now been saved and is a good Christian. I despair for the fate of the Republic!
101.
Paul in KY
@Punchy: I saw Ice Cube back in early June at Bunbury Music Fest in Cincinnati. During the set, Cube mentioned that he hadn’t been in Cinn since a NWA concert was shut down by the police back in 1989. He & band did do ‘Fuck tha Police’ and nothing happened, but a big ovation.
102.
Corner Stone
Reverse racism!
103.
Keith G
@Corner Stone: This is a very unique and powerful speech, all the more since he just “lectured” police on better behavior at a police memorial service.
Wow….and …very cool.
104.
Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class
So are there going to be Pokemon Go characters in the GOP convention hall in Cleveland? So instead of organized disruption by millennials, there will be chaotic disruption as thousands of young people wander about, cellphones out front doing a capture?
105.
Adam L Silverman
Cornyn does not look amused or pleased.
106.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: Come now, you know that the Devil (and sekrit Muslims) can quote Scripture for their own purposes. Whereas evangelicals usually can’t. What makes this day different from all other days?
And now quoting Ezekiel, too, not just one of the Four – tricky!
An endorsement is a performative utterance, so it is of a different nature, in fact.
113.
Adam L Silverman
The officer sitting behind the President’s left shoulder can’t seem to work out if he’s being complimented and appreciated in the speech or insulted. Its so cute!
He threaded that needle with infinite skill and grace.
“joy comes in the morning” What a great man he is.
122.
muddy
@gogol’s wife: How is saying “radical Islamic terrorism” not a performative utterance?
In the philosophy of language and speech acts theory, performative utterances are sentences which are not only describing a given reality, but also changing the social reality they are describing.
Isn’t that what the Republicans are on about?
Listen, I’m for Hillary, not Bernie. I just think it’s odd that both sides want to use magic words like it makes a damn bit of difference to reality. I think we should be better than that, if it’s silly when Republicans do it, it’s still silly for us.
123.
Adam L Silverman
@Tom Levenson: @mike in dc: Actually how very Sam Houston who was ignored by the rest of Texas in 1861.
124.
CONGRATULATIONS!
One of his best. That police chief has a future in politics if he wants it. I think I like him better because he doesn’t.
Bush…damn, I have forgotten what a depressing guy he is. Tired, delivers a speech – even on something he probably cares about – like he’d rather be doing anything else. If he was still president it would have been in his top 5. Sad, as some short-fingered asshole would say.
125.
Miss Bianca
You know, I normally don’t care for “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” but I’m finding this oddly dissonant rendition moving.
I would love to have a chance to sit in on another presidential speech, but I would never want to be sitting withing the camera halo behind the president. No way.
@CONGRATULATIONS!: That police chief is impressive. I think that he, like Obama, knows who he is and is good with that. He aims to be genuine, and we sense that.
That’s not my definition of “performative.” “I swear,” “I promise,” “I endorse,” are utterances that are also acts. Labeling something can’t be a performative, in my lexicon. But I just got it from Austin.
@Adam L Silverman: Trump is “saved” in the Mammonist branch of “Christianity”. Make no mistake about it, his “Evangelical Advisory Board” is made up of Mammonists.
I already am. Every day now I wake up and give a thankful prayer for him, and I’m less than religious. Weirdly, if Bush hadn’t been as big a fuck up as he was, Barack Obama wouldn’t have been elected. The universe works in mysterious ways.
@Iowa Old Lady: im crying. Just watched the clip of the police chief reciting the stevie wonder song.
142.
patroclus
Whoever that strange man wearing a blue suit to a memorial and holding Michelle’s hands seemed to be yukking it up just a little TOO much during the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
They will have to pry this God Fearing Christian Nation from their cold dead hands before they surrender it to the gay loving, multiculture loving, gun grabbing, Mexican loving, tyrannical pansy assed liberals who are trying to steal this country.
They sure will. The young always wind up taking the future from the cold dead hands of the old; it’s the nature of the world. The sad part is that the young have to wait so long to do it that they’ve become old by the time they get there.
154.
Adam L Silverman
@Keith G: The folks behind him are, apparently, the Dallas PD choir.
155.
Keith G
@The Dangerman: Yeah, I agree, I might have better use the term, ‘advised’.
156.
Amir Khalid
@Tom Levenson:
For a memorial service? That’s weird.
157.
Mai.naem.mobile
@Adam L Silverman: he is there. He just looks a little different
Do you know, honestly, I hadn’t given it a single thought until you wrote that. Wonder why? Can’t imagine he wouldn’t have been invited, merely by virtue of his office. Can’t imagine that he has something else on his agenda that is more important. Did he just stiff them?
@SiubhanDuinne:
My favorite line is :
.. “Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;”
Always love that image of happy feet.
161.
dogwood
@Adam L Silverman:
Cruz is there. He flew with the President on AF1.
162.
muddy
@Villago Delenda Est: That’s an oldie and a goodie.
@gogol’s wife: I don’t know why you are bothering nor why you are bothered. People post comments, other people reply if they want, or ignore them if they want. Why they bother is up to them, not me. I’m sorry you find me so frustrating.
163.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: Maybe the White House.gov stream just decided to do us a favor and not show him.
@SiubhanDuinne:Do you happen to remember who did the BHotH arrangement, then? Ah, but you would have been just a wee nipperkin if you were singing it 60 years ago!
164.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Do you know, honestly, I hadn’t given it a single thought until you wrote that. Wonder why? Can’t imagine he wouldn’t have been invited, merely by virtue of his office. Can’t imagine that he has something else on his agenda that is more important. Did he just stiff them?
@SiubhanDuinne: I imagine he was told in no uncertain terms that he’d have to be respectful to everyone. That would be a condition he could never accept, so he’s not there.
165.
Mai.naem.mobile
I tuned into the speech midway. Who was the lady sitting to Obama’s right? Clergy? I know the police chief but who was the guy who looked like an older version of the police chief. Also who were the people sitting behind the mayor apart from Cornyn and Cruz. Was the woman sitting next to the police chief his wife or Abbot’s wife?
@muddy: id argue that you could see both as instances of performatuve speech. But that still doesnt make them equally meaningless or magical.on the contrary they are both vital political moments encoded in speech acts. Take the endorsement and the use of specific republican approved phrases like “war on terror”– in one case bernie was requested to endorse the winner of the campaign. A traditional and customary duty of the runner up–as much a part of the competition as the speeches and debates themselves/-In the other Obama was being asked to endorse an entire unspoken stream of attitudes, beliefs, arguments and violent military acts by using specific language. He refused because the words were not, in fact, trivial or magical.
Apparently, according to other commenters, he actually was there. So now I’m thinking it’s odd that Cornyn spoke but Cruz didn’t.
171.
Punchy
@Adam L Silverman: I was wondering the same thing. Just where the fuck is Cruz?
ETA: I see others saw him. I didn’t. At least he brings the support of reptiles everywhere.
172.
Keith G
@Adam L Silverman: Setting this particular event aside for a mini rant: I prefer the former style of the lettered backdrop instead of the newer use of live humans (often kids or students). I figure it’s meant to convey an sense of togetherness or being one with the commoners, but I hate having my attention drawn away from the speaker to the twitchiest middle schooler.
173.
Adam L Silverman
@Mai.naem.mobile: @SiubhanDuinne: Well he wasn’t on the dais, and even the Protocol Officer explaining that only the senior senator, Senator Cornyn, would traditionally give remarks, would not preclude him from being seated with the other VIPs. So if he was in the audience that’s great.
174.
Mai.naem.mobile
@dogwood: He probably used the bathroom on AF1 and cried in front of the mirror – “It could have been me!Meeee! It coulda been Meeee!” and then stole a towel and bar of soap with the WH insignia.
Jennifer Bendery @jbendery 11 minutes ago
Sen. Baldwin heading to Senate floor to push to confirm circuit court nominee Donald Schott, who’d fill seat that’s been empty 2,378 days.
176.
dogwood
@SiubhanDuinne:
He’s the senior Senator. The event can’t become a political thing.
177.
Adam L Silverman
@eric: I sit corrected. Kid of surprised they didn’t put him on the dais.
178.
Adam L Silverman
@SiubhanDuinne: @Punchy: As the junior senator, and not even through his first term, he is supposed to be seen and not heard. It worked today. Doesn’t seem to work at any other time.
179.
dogwood
I think the list of speakers was very appropriate to the occasion.
180.
eric
@Adam L Silverman: @Adam L Silverman: reminds me of my favorite line from Field of Dreams (of which i have many): Ty Cobb wanted to play, but none of us could stand the son-of-a-bitch when we were alive, so we told him to stick it!
181.
ruckus
@Adam L Silverman:
They will disappear, don’t you understand and believe in magic? They sure as hell do.
Minneapolis police are refusing to provide security for Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) games at Target Center after the team wore t-shirts supportive of BLM as warm-ups at the last home game.
@Keith G: The choir was sitting behind him, which is kind of standard for this type of thing.
184.
Mai.naem.mobile
@Adam L Silverman: he’s there. I DVR’d the speech and went back. He’s behind the Mayor’s wife. He looks different. He actually looks a little like Brian Williams from far. Guess he’s lost weight now that he’s not eating fair food!
Fun choral music fact: Peter Wilhousky is also the composer who wrote the ever-so-familiar arrangement of the Ukrainian “Carol of the Bells,” which even the most heathenish among us would likely recognise :-)
186.
ruckus
@MomSense:
It is holding on. Hopefully their fingers will get tired.
@Aleta:Who raised that guy? His mother should have taught him what to wear and how to behave at a frickin memorial service! It was supposed to be a somber reflective mournful event and he was yukking it up like it was a celebration!
189.
Adam L Silverman
@burnspbesq: I saw that. Same thing that happened in Tampa for the Beyonce concert will happen in Minneapolis. Instead of being staffed by those wishing to volunteer and make overtime pay as a result, officers will just be assigned to the duty. This is a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.
@SiubhanDuinne: We went to where that was filmed, about an hour up the road. The diamond was still there when we visited, but I think it’s been replanted since then. One of Iowa’s few tourist sites. That and the place where Buddy Holly’s plane crashed.
198.
karen marie
It’s Arizona. Have I mentioned today how much I hate living here?
199.
Trollhattan
@karen marie:
Considering the current calendar month, I can well guess how much.
@burnspbesq: Nothing like the police refusing to serve or protect any except those that are sufficiently deferential to their necessarily inerrant selves and always justified use of force. Grandstanding in terms of what actually gets protected, but it sure shows where their hearts, minds and souls are.
ETA: moreover, it seems that if anyone in the event insufficiently prostrate, everyone doesn’t deserve service or protection.
whenever he pops up, I’m reminded of all the different ways he is an odd little man
205.
Gelfling545
@Miss Bianca: It was the recessional for Bobby Kennedy’s funeral. I sobbed, watching it on tv. I held up fine until then. There is something about that song that gets to me.
206.
muddy
@scav: Trevor Noah had a good piece the other day, (before Dallas) about how in America if you are for something then you are automatically against something else. Black lives OR police.
Ice Cube is my exact birthday twin, date and year, which pretty much disproves astrology.
208.
the Conster, la Citoyenne
Looks like it’s going to be TRUMP/GINGRICH 2016. LOL. Fox just cancelled Newt’s contract effective immediately.
Warren is being given opening night speech slot, so she’s out. I’m glad – no Dem. Senators!!!
209.
Elmo
@gogol’s wife: Stole it from West Wing, tho. Not that I’m complaining. The best know to steal only from the best.
210.
D58826
Was that Bush with a stupid grin on his face and dancing while they played the Battle Hymn of the Republic? If that had been Obama the GOP would start impeachment hearsings
I listened to the speech at work. It was (I think) one of his best, but the RWNJ complaints will be legion.
220.
Jeffro
@Mike J: I do – he’s been an excellent speaker in Aspen these past couple of years. Very up on higher Ed issues in addition to all things related to national security
Corner Stone
MSNBC, just a tip – you may not want to caption a commercial “This is how we pursue a story” and then show Hallie Jackson haranguing a wheelchair bound Sen Kirk down a long hallway.
SiubhanDuinne
@Corner Stone:
SRSLY? They’re as bad as that attack guy, can’t remember his name, that works for O’Reilly.
(Jesse Something?)
Villago Delenda Est
Well, I’ll bet that Obama fails to mention “radical Islamic terrorism” and the wingnuts will assplode in outrage.
laura
@SiubhanDuinne: Jesse watters, but Johnny Douchebag will suffice.
MomSense
@Villago Delenda Est:
They’ve turned that phrase into some kind of bizarro incantation? What do they think will happen if the CiC utters those magic words?
SiubhanDuinne
@laura:
That’s it, thanks. (For both ?)
SiubhanDuinne
@Villago Delenda Est:
And then Chaffetz and Gowdy will convene more Congressional committee hearings to Get To The Bottom Of This Once And For All, and subpoena the President for hours of testimony.
Adam L Silverman
And none of the cops turned their backs as the President came in. Unpossible!!!!
Also, I see the Bushes, Senator Cornyn, VP and Dr. Biden. No Governor Abbot, but that may be because of the 2nd and 3rd degree burns on his legs suffered last FRI.
Paul in KY
@MomSense: Basically the same thing as what would happen if Israel rebuilds the great temple:
Jesus is off in the Zeta 12 galaxy (984,008,435 light years from Earth) ministering to the Fugwathi, when all of a sudden he is transported away, saying ‘The great temple has been rebuilt!!’, and returns to Earth to smite all the Democrats.
Something like that.
Corner Stone
@Adam L Silverman:
MSNBC reports he is absent due to those severe burn injuries. Wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Well, now that Scalia is dead, at least.
SiubhanDuinne
@Adam L Silverman:
His wife and daughter are there on his behalf.
MomSense
@Paul in KY:
Glad I’m not the only one who can’t relate to their obsession. Maybe there is some kind of shamanic ritual of and we are just the uninitiated.
rikyrah
Thank you for this, Mr. President. I know you’re tired of it.
Adam L Silverman
@Corner Stone: That’s what I reckoned.
Corner Stone
@MomSense: Anyone who can’t speak the truth with “radical Islamic terrorism” is also clearly under the sway of Big Gay Agenda.
Do I need a chalkboard for you? Jesus! It’s all right there!
Adam L Silverman
@SiubhanDuinne: Okay, since I have no idea what they look like, that explains the two women I couldn’t identify.
MomSense
@Corner Stone:
So feminists aren’t part of this eeeebil plot?
Adam L Silverman
@MomSense: They think if he says it all of a sudden that IS and AQ and al Shabab and Boko Haram etc, etc will just disappear.
MomSense
@rikyrah:
He seems anguished to me.
Keith G
What necessitates the closing of one’s eyes during prayer?
MomSense
@Adam L Silverman:
That seems like a lot to happen from just uttering three words. Are you sure he doesn’t have to then pat an elephant three times and fire 12 M4s?
Kate
@Adam L Silverman: Abbott is at SAMMC/BAMC (San Antonio Military Medical Center) Burn Unit undergoing treatment
? Martin
@MomSense: 67% of 65+ year olds in the US are white christians. Only 29% of 18-29 year olds are. 34% of 18-29 year olds are unaffiliated with a religion. They’re holding on as grimly as they can.
Miss Bianca
@Corner Stone: burns? He burned himself badly? That sounds rather dreadful.
hovercraft
Why are they letting a terrorist speak at this memorial ? Isn’t this Texas ? Drudge and Brietbart will have a cow, poltical correctness run amuck.
japa21
If only some Christians could be as inclusive as that imam.
Paul in KY
@Corner Stone: Oh man!!!! You know the 1st rule of BGA is not to talk about BGA!!!
Or maybe the first rule was always to look fabulous & the not talking was the 2nd rule…
MomSense
@? Martin:
At this point the whole Republican ideology feels like its holding on grimly to a dying way of life.
? Martin
Over-indexes on trade, but the remedies would work equally well for other kinds of industry shifts.
Adam L Silverman
@Kate: That’s what I figured.
Corner Stone
@Paul in KY:
You obviously know nothing about Big Gay Agenda if you thought not gossiping and being catty was ever a possibility!*
*Yes, I know.
Paul in KY
@Adam L Silverman: I think they think he doesn’t say it because he’s just being a dhimmi doing their tawkfir stuff, cause a secret moslem cannot verbally chastise Islam.
It’s in one of the Suras, dontachknow?
Paul in KY
@Keith G: So you can catnap and people will think you are praying.
hovercraft
@MomSense:
They will have to pry this God Fearing Christian Nation from their cold dead hands before they surrender it to the gay loving, multiculture loving, gun grabbing, Mexican loving, tyrannical pansy assed liberals who are trying to steal this country.
Adam L Silverman
@Miss Bianca: He was on vacation in Wyoming or Montana and they were getting him treatment there before transferring him home to Texas when he got the call about the shootings in Dallas last Friday. He came right home, never mentioned the burns while doing his initial public addresses, and the only clue something was up is he wasn’t wearing his customary cowboy boots or dress shoes.
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Gov-Abbott-Being-Treated-for-Serious-Burns-386220951.html
I think the guy is nuts, politically and religiously extreme, and a cruel hypocrite for trying to cut others off from the legal remedies that he availed himself of when he was paralyzed from the waist down after a tree fell on him. But he showed true leadership here. And deserves credit for that.
Corner Stone
@MomSense: Wake up, sheeple! Of course feminazis are part of Big Gay Agenda! One group emasculates proud, strong men from being men. Then the BGA swoops in and catches them at a weak moment.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: OK, he may be a jerk, but he’s a gallant jerk. You’re right, I’ll honor him gladly for that.
Paul in KY
@Corner Stone: You can exchange meaningful glances & purse lips all you want.
So I’ve heard.
Corner Stone
Dammit! FYWP. Another post eated for some damn killing word I mistakenly typed.
This has been happening a lot lately.
liberal
@Paul in KY: LOL. Thanks; needed cheering up today!
? Martin
@MomSense: I agree. Societal change has been accelerating and will continue to accelerate. We are less and less of an island on this planet. Even if you hold back immigration, the culture they would have brought will still arrive through media, through the internet. The GOP is trying to argue for free trade for goods but not ideas. That impossible. The reverse is also impossible.
I don’t think the GOP realizes how badly the internet destroys so much of what they are trying to achieve.
MomSense
@hovercraft:
That is so deserving of a rotating tag line or a band name.
Corner Stone
@MomSense: feminazis
Let’s see if that gets through.
Shell
Tried streaming this on Cspan but they’re on like a ten minute delay.
Gelfling545
@Keith G: same reason one does it when meditating- to aid focus/avoid distraction.
Omnes Omnibus
@Miss Bianca: One gets out of going to the GOP Convention by whatever means are available.
Adam L Silverman
@Paul in KY: That would be taqiyya and it only applies to Shi’a who have to pass themselves off as Sunni Muslims to avoid discrimination and persecution by Sunni Muslims. Takfir is the formal accusation of apostasy (kufr) made by one Muslim against another.
Cacti
@SiubhanDuinne:
They can issue a subpoena if they like, but as the POTUS is the head of a coequal branch of government, there is nothing in the Constitution that compels him to appear. In practice, Thomas Jefferson set the precedent by essentially flipping the bird to John Marshall when he refused to produce materials or appear in person before the SCOTUS.
Miss Bianca
@Omnes Omnibus: Oh, that is *cold*, O2!
ETA: I’d say, “sick burn”, but under the circumstances that might be rather tacky, nicht wahr?
Shell
Same way you close your eyes during meditation.. Turning within.
Adam L Silverman
@Corner Stone: Its free.
Mike J
@Corner Stone:
In their platform, the Republicans wanted to list off all the people the radical mooslims want to kill. Somebody suggested throwing gay people into the list. Voted down, the only reason I can see is that Republicans approve of that.
Adam L Silverman
@Shell: That’s in case they have to bleep any curse words or blur out any wardrobe malfunctions!
Villago Delenda Est
@japa21: Shit, they can’t even be inclusive within Christianity itself. See the Emo Phillips routine for an explanation of all this.
Mike J
@Keith G:
It’s pretty common for people to close their eyes when they concentrate to block out distractions.
MomSense
@Omnes Omnibus:
LePage was shockingly clever about it. He said that Trump had it well sorted out and didn’t need him to
help at the convention unless the elitists tried to interfere.
Corner Stone
@Adam L Silverman: So the fuck what?
Corner Stone
@Shell:
Or when you’re waiting at stoplight coming off a your third 8 hour shift in 36 hours. Same same.
karen marie
@Corner Stone: He poured boiling water on his legs to avoid Cleveland.
karen marie
@hovercraft: Until I saw the comment below yours, I thought you were referring to that war criminal, GW Bush. Turned on NPR, then shut it off when I heard him speaking.
wenchacha
I’m not watching, but I haz a sad if that shitweasel Lt.Gov. gets any facetime.
Keith G
@Mike J: I was just struck by the way it was voiced as an expectation.
Betty Cracker
Has PBO spoken yet? (Was on the phone and am joining the live-stream already in progress…)
MomSense
This police chief is such a decent human being. My heart breaks for him.
Miss Bianca
Damn, missing the live feed so far as I’m on the phone with my tech consultant – following comments as I’m parsing error logs! Multi-tasking!
Adam L Silverman
@Corner Stone: I freed your eaten comment. That’s what. I can go back and put it back into the trash filter if you’d prefer.
Mike J
Hey Adam., know anything about former SACEUR Stavridis?
Corner Stone
@Betty Cracker: Just starting. He’s clearly heartbroken.
JPL
@Mike J: Good question. Hillary should be up by twenty points against, the bad reality star. I want her to pick someone who will really elevate her.
Adam L Silverman
@Mike J: Not much, why?
JPL
@Corner Stone: He did appreciate the Michelle comment though.
p.a.
“Forgive me Senator for I have sinned. It has been 20 months since I last voted Republican- I just couldn’t make a choice in this year’s primary. I signed myself and my whole family for
Obamgovernment subsidized health insurance. I helped pay for my daughter’s gubmint recognized marriage to her wife. I… I…”“These are serious sins my child. Say ‘Radical Islamic Terrorism’ 5 times, ‘Liberal Homosex-shul Agenda’ 3 times, and ‘Freedom Fries’ 3 times to be absolved.”
“Thank you
fatherSenator.”Adam L Silverman
And still no cops have turned their backs on the President. Right now the heads of a number of police unions are writing angry memos!
Keith G
@Adam L Silverman: Being vetted by HRC folks.
Paul in KY
@Adam L Silverman: That there’s the one he’s a doin!!! Thank you, commie, for your info!
SiubhanDuinne
@Corner Stone:
Most people would say “Thanks, Adam!” but you have to smear your capital-A Attitude all over the blog. What gives with you?
Punchy
Cant watch, so decided to I Heart Radio my afternoon at work. Got the Ice Cube station, and didn’t realize that….uh, yeah….the songs are all original (unbleeped, NSFW). Barely got the headphones into the jack before “F#ck Da Police” popped on and would have gotten me fired. Thank god for the easy-to-recogny intro….
Annnnnnnd….now some No Vaseline. Best rap diss song ever, or bestest?
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: Writing them to whom? The Dallas Police chief?
karen marie
M-fucker, is that Shrub EVER going to shut up?
Adam L Silverman
@Keith G: He was a pretty uncontroversial EUCOM CDR/SACEUR from what I remember. He’s a very sharp guy, has a PhD and several masters degrees (both civilian university and from Professional Military Education), and is currently the Dean of Tuft’s Fletcher School of Diplomacy, He had to geographic combatant commands, SOUTHCOM and EUCOM, which says something about his command abilities and abilities to work with superiors in two different Administrations.
David ?▶️Hillary/Harley Quinn 2016▶️? Koch
@Mike J: I saw him once on Rachel’s show and he’s an okay speaker. Not great, but not bad. He’s a little short, as you can see in this photo (standing to Bam’s immediate right)
Adam L Silverman
@Paul in KY: Спасибо
SiubhanDuinne
@karen marie:
POTUS has been speaking for 10-15 minutes. You must be on a lo-o-o-o-ong tape delay!
Corner Stone
Pretty straightforward speech so far, fairly lowkey for an Obama oration.
Adam L Silverman
@Miss Bianca: police somewhere, everywhere!!! All of them Katie!
JPL
@Adam L Silverman: I haven’t listened yet but here is a video of his Ted Talk
link
Trollhattan
@karen marie:
Billboard: “Miss me yet?”
Entire world: “No!”
gogol's wife
Obama’s brilliant.
Adam L Silverman
@David ?▶️Hillary/Harley Quinn 2016▶️? Koch: He once made an interesting comment about being the son of Greek immigrants to the US overseeing a NATO exercise that included both Greece and Turkey as the SACEUR. He’d be a good choice for any number of positions. People often forget, or don’t know, that the best Geographic Combatant Commanders and Service Component Commanders, or, perhaps a better formulation is what makes the best Geographic Combatant Commanders and Service Component Commanders, is being good diplomats and administrators as much as being good general officers/flag officers.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: “Someone, somewhere, in unform, is not disrespecting the black-sympathizing POTUS!! Heads must rol!!”
Adam L Silverman
@JPL: While I generally don’t like TED Talks, I’ve heard his. Like I said, he’s a sharp guy.
Keith G
I understand that this type of schlock is essentially required, but I sill find its utterance disappointing anytime a politician uses it.
We haven’t come that far at all against odds that were nowhere near impossible, and in some case the they were quite easy odds to begin with.
MomSense
@gogol’s wife:
Yes he is.
Adam L Silverman
Cops are standing and applauding the President, someone get Roorda and the guy from the NYPD union sedatives!!!!
AnotherBruce
@SiubhanDuinne: Ahhh that’s the Corner Stone I remember. I thought he was getting a bit soft.
karen marie
@SiubhanDuinne: I guess! He is STILL poisoning the airwaves.
Corner Stone
“Inadequate Black Man!”
MUST CREDIT DRUDGE
eric
@AnotherBruce: i believe there were blue pills involved.
Roger Moore
@Villago Delenda Est:
I’d be OK with him saying “radical Islamic terrorism” once in a while if he were also allowed to say “white supremacist terror” in the much more common instance where he’s talking about that.
Adam L Silverman
He just correctly quoted one of the Gospels, but he’s really a secret Muslim. Trump can’t even get second Corinthians right, but he’s now been saved and is a good Christian. I despair for the fate of the Republic!
Paul in KY
@Punchy: I saw Ice Cube back in early June at Bunbury Music Fest in Cincinnati. During the set, Cube mentioned that he hadn’t been in Cinn since a NWA concert was shut down by the police back in 1989. He & band did do ‘Fuck tha Police’ and nothing happened, but a big ovation.
Corner Stone
Reverse racism!
Keith G
@Corner Stone: This is a very unique and powerful speech, all the more since he just “lectured” police on better behavior at a police memorial service.
Wow….and …very cool.
Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class
So are there going to be Pokemon Go characters in the GOP convention hall in Cleveland? So instead of organized disruption by millennials, there will be chaotic disruption as thousands of young people wander about, cellphones out front doing a capture?
Adam L Silverman
Cornyn does not look amused or pleased.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: Come now, you know that the Devil (and sekrit Muslims) can quote Scripture for their own purposes. Whereas evangelicals usually can’t. What makes this day different from all other days?
And now quoting Ezekiel, too, not just one of the Four – tricky!
Corner Stone
Now he’s doing a Kay’s jewelry commercial?
Trollhattan
@Keith G:
NMFTG
muddy
@MomSense: It’s like Bernie saying the “E” word. The world does not spin properly on its axis if the magical words are not spoken!
Betty Cracker
@Keith G: And he got righteous with the protesters too. Fair and balanced!
Miss Bianca
Oh, he’s going there, he’s going there with Alton Sterling and Philando Castile – bring it, PBO!
gogol's wife
@muddy:
An endorsement is a performative utterance, so it is of a different nature, in fact.
Adam L Silverman
The officer sitting behind the President’s left shoulder can’t seem to work out if he’s being complimented and appreciated in the speech or insulted. Its so cute!
gogol's wife
@Adam L Silverman:
Yeah, he doesn’t look happy.
Jeffro
@Keith G: I don’t know about the ‘cool’ part…he’s winding up okay with a re-focus on the officers, though.
mike in dc
Killed it. As always.
Tom Levenson
OMG. Battle Hymn of the Republic.
leeleeFL
This country is gonna miss Barack when he leaves office. This President is an amazing soul.
mike in dc
Oh, neat. They’re singing John Brown’s Bod…er, Battle Hymn of the Republic. How very Texan.
Tom Levenson
@leeleeFL: Amen and amen.
gogol's wife
@mike in dc:
He threaded that needle with infinite skill and grace.
“joy comes in the morning” What a great man he is.
muddy
@gogol’s wife: How is saying “radical Islamic terrorism” not a performative utterance?
Isn’t that what the Republicans are on about?
Listen, I’m for Hillary, not Bernie. I just think it’s odd that both sides want to use magic words like it makes a damn bit of difference to reality. I think we should be better than that, if it’s silly when Republicans do it, it’s still silly for us.
Adam L Silverman
@Tom Levenson: @mike in dc: Actually how very Sam Houston who was ignored by the rest of Texas in 1861.
CONGRATULATIONS!
One of his best. That police chief has a future in politics if he wants it. I think I like him better because he doesn’t.
Bush…damn, I have forgotten what a depressing guy he is. Tired, delivers a speech – even on something he probably cares about – like he’d rather be doing anything else. If he was still president it would have been in his top 5. Sad, as some short-fingered asshole would say.
Miss Bianca
You know, I normally don’t care for “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” but I’m finding this oddly dissonant rendition moving.
SiubhanDuinne
@mike in dc:
It’s a wonderful arrangement of the BHotR. Brings me to tears, always.
(I first learned this setting in 7th or 8th grade. Have always loved it.)
bupalos
That was a hell of a speech.
gogol's wife
@SiubhanDuinne:
Is that Dubya swinging arms with Michelle?
Emma
Damn, I’m going to miss that man. The more I listen to him the more I think of Bishop Tutu.
Keith G
@Adam L Silverman: @gogol’s wife: Yes, he has been interesting.
I would love to have a chance to sit in on another presidential speech, but I would never want to be sitting withing the camera halo behind the president. No way.
Iowa Old Lady
@CONGRATULATIONS!: That police chief is impressive. I think that he, like Obama, knows who he is and is good with that. He aims to be genuine, and we sense that.
The Dangerman
@Keith G:
The signal to noise just went to shit because the noise from the Usual Suspects just spiked. Not sure I agree with such a “lecture”…
ETA: Don’t get me wrong, it was a helluva speech (“signal”)
gogol's wife
@muddy:
That’s not my definition of “performative.” “I swear,” “I promise,” “I endorse,” are utterances that are also acts. Labeling something can’t be a performative, in my lexicon. But I just got it from Austin.
Adam L Silverman
@gogol’s wife: Yep.
Villago Delenda Est
@Adam L Silverman: Trump is “saved” in the Mammonist branch of “Christianity”. Make no mistake about it, his “Evangelical Advisory Board” is made up of Mammonists.
Tom Levenson
@Adam L Silverman: Indeed.
Miss Bianca
@SiubhanDuinne: you know this arrangement? I’ve never heard it before!
ETA: I am going to miss this President dreadfully. And how we have needed him!
“Unhappy the land that has no heroes”.
“No – unhappy the land that *needs* heroes.”
gogol's wife
Okay, got to get back to work. Why does Obama keep making me cry in the middle of the day? Thanks Obama.
muddy
@gogol’s wife: Regardless it’s still a magic word that does not affect reality.
the Conster, la Citoyenne
@leeleeFL:
I already am. Every day now I wake up and give a thankful prayer for him, and I’m less than religious. Weirdly, if Bush hadn’t been as big a fuck up as he was, Barack Obama wouldn’t have been elected. The universe works in mysterious ways.
Aimai
@Iowa Old Lady: im crying. Just watched the clip of the police chief reciting the stevie wonder song.
patroclus
Whoever that strange man wearing a blue suit to a memorial and holding Michelle’s hands seemed to be yukking it up just a little TOO much during the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
SiubhanDuinne
@gogol’s wife:
Dunno. Listening on radio in the car. The live-stream kept cutting out on me.
karen marie
I am beginning to think NPR is running Shrub on a loop. I’ve been checking back for 55 minutes, and he’s STILL talking.
Keith G
@Jeffro: “Cool” because it was gutsy for a political leader to use this type of occasion to deliver that message.
I imagine it will be noted by the forces of darkness.
Adam L Silverman
Notice which Texas senator isn’t there?
gogol's wife
@muddy:
A political endorsement does indeed change the reality of the course of the campaign.
Why am I bothering?
Corner Stone
Man, those balloon stacks are viciously fighting one another! Where’s the unity we need among helium-Americans?
gogol's wife
@patroclus:
It’s Dubya!
Aimai
@gogol’s wife: bingo!
Villago Delenda Est
@muddy: E plebnista!
SiubhanDuinne
@Miss Bianca:
Yes, have known it for 60 years at least.
Roger Moore
@hovercraft:
They sure will. The young always wind up taking the future from the cold dead hands of the old; it’s the nature of the world. The sad part is that the young have to wait so long to do it that they’ve become old by the time they get there.
Adam L Silverman
@Keith G: The folks behind him are, apparently, the Dallas PD choir.
Keith G
@The Dangerman: Yeah, I agree, I might have better use the term, ‘advised’.
Amir Khalid
@Tom Levenson:
For a memorial service? That’s weird.
Mai.naem.mobile
@Adam L Silverman: he is there. He just looks a little different
SiubhanDuinne
@Adam L Silverman:
Do you know, honestly, I hadn’t given it a single thought until you wrote that. Wonder why? Can’t imagine he wouldn’t have been invited, merely by virtue of his office. Can’t imagine that he has something else on his agenda that is more important. Did he just stiff them?
Adam L Silverman
@Amir Khalid: OT: what did you do?
http://says.com/my/news/malaysian-photographer-takes-risky-trek-into-radioactive-fukushima-red-zone
Shell
@SiubhanDuinne:
My favorite line is :
.. “Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;”
Always love that image of happy feet.
dogwood
@Adam L Silverman:
Cruz is there. He flew with the President on AF1.
muddy
@Villago Delenda Est: That’s an oldie and a goodie.
@gogol’s wife: I don’t know why you are bothering nor why you are bothered. People post comments, other people reply if they want, or ignore them if they want. Why they bother is up to them, not me. I’m sorry you find me so frustrating.
Miss Bianca
@Adam L Silverman: Maybe the White House.gov stream just decided to do us a favor and not show him.
@SiubhanDuinne:Do you happen to remember who did the BHotH arrangement, then? Ah, but you would have been just a wee nipperkin if you were singing it 60 years ago!
CONGRATULATIONS!
@SiubhanDuinne: I imagine he was told in no uncertain terms that he’d have to be respectful to everyone. That would be a condition he could never accept, so he’s not there.
Mai.naem.mobile
I tuned into the speech midway. Who was the lady sitting to Obama’s right? Clergy? I know the police chief but who was the guy who looked like an older version of the police chief. Also who were the people sitting behind the mayor apart from Cornyn and Cruz. Was the woman sitting next to the police chief his wife or Abbot’s wife?
SiubhanDuinne
@Miss Bianca:
@SiubhanDuinne:
To add to above: the arrangement is by Peter Wilhousky. Anybody who would like to hear it again, there are several performances up on YouTube.
eric
@SiubhanDuinne: saw this at LA Times…Ted Cruz joins Obama in flight to Dallas in show of unity
Aleta
@patroclus: If the women had dropped Bush’s hands I think he would have marched off (and fallen off stage?).
Aimai
@muddy: id argue that you could see both as instances of performatuve speech. But that still doesnt make them equally meaningless or magical.on the contrary they are both vital political moments encoded in speech acts. Take the endorsement and the use of specific republican approved phrases like “war on terror”– in one case bernie was requested to endorse the winner of the campaign. A traditional and customary duty of the runner up–as much a part of the competition as the speeches and debates themselves/-In the other Obama was being asked to endorse an entire unspoken stream of attitudes, beliefs, arguments and violent military acts by using specific language. He refused because the words were not, in fact, trivial or magical.
SiubhanDuinne
@CONGRATULATIONS!:
Apparently, according to other commenters, he actually was there. So now I’m thinking it’s odd that Cornyn spoke but Cruz didn’t.
Punchy
@Adam L Silverman: I was wondering the same thing. Just where the fuck is Cruz?
ETA: I see others saw him. I didn’t. At least he brings the support of reptiles everywhere.
Keith G
@Adam L Silverman: Setting this particular event aside for a mini rant: I prefer the former style of the lettered backdrop instead of the newer use of live humans (often kids or students). I figure it’s meant to convey an sense of togetherness or being one with the commoners, but I hate having my attention drawn away from the speaker to the twitchiest middle schooler.
Adam L Silverman
@Mai.naem.mobile: @SiubhanDuinne: Well he wasn’t on the dais, and even the Protocol Officer explaining that only the senior senator, Senator Cornyn, would traditionally give remarks, would not preclude him from being seated with the other VIPs. So if he was in the audience that’s great.
Mai.naem.mobile
@dogwood: He probably used the bathroom on AF1 and cried in front of the mirror – “It could have been me!Meeee! It coulda been Meeee!” and then stole a towel and bar of soap with the WH insignia.
Mike J
dogwood
@SiubhanDuinne:
He’s the senior Senator. The event can’t become a political thing.
Adam L Silverman
@eric: I sit corrected. Kid of surprised they didn’t put him on the dais.
Adam L Silverman
@SiubhanDuinne: @Punchy: As the junior senator, and not even through his first term, he is supposed to be seen and not heard. It worked today. Doesn’t seem to work at any other time.
dogwood
I think the list of speakers was very appropriate to the occasion.
eric
@Adam L Silverman: @Adam L Silverman: reminds me of my favorite line from Field of Dreams (of which i have many): Ty Cobb wanted to play, but none of us could stand the son-of-a-bitch when we were alive, so we told him to stick it!
ruckus
@Adam L Silverman:
They will disappear, don’t you understand and believe in magic? They sure as hell do.
burnspbesq
@Adam L Silverman:
Minneapolis police are refusing to provide security for Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) games at Target Center after the team wore t-shirts supportive of BLM as warm-ups at the last home game.
http://espn.go.com/wnba/story/_/id/17021713/lynx-players-not-wearing-black-lives-shirts-texas
Adam L Silverman
@Keith G: The choir was sitting behind him, which is kind of standard for this type of thing.
Mai.naem.mobile
@Adam L Silverman: he’s there. I DVR’d the speech and went back. He’s behind the Mayor’s wife. He looks different. He actually looks a little like Brian Williams from far. Guess he’s lost weight now that he’s not eating fair food!
SiubhanDuinne
@SiubhanDuinne:
Fun choral music fact: Peter Wilhousky is also the composer who wrote the ever-so-familiar arrangement of the Ukrainian “Carol of the Bells,” which even the most heathenish among us would likely recognise :-)
ruckus
@MomSense:
It is holding on. Hopefully their fingers will get tired.
Keith G
@Adam L Silverman: Yup
patroclus
@Aleta:Who raised that guy? His mother should have taught him what to wear and how to behave at a frickin memorial service! It was supposed to be a somber reflective mournful event and he was yukking it up like it was a celebration!
Adam L Silverman
@burnspbesq: I saw that. Same thing that happened in Tampa for the Beyonce concert will happen in Minneapolis. Instead of being staffed by those wishing to volunteer and make overtime pay as a result, officers will just be assigned to the duty. This is a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.
Miss Bianca
@burnspbesq: oh, petty. Petty *and* spiteful.
karen marie
An hour and ten minutes? Bush spoke for longer than that? On NPR, it’s STILL Bush. WTF?
Adam L Silverman
@Mai.naem.mobile: Okay, I had no idea who that was. Figured he was a local official.
SiubhanDuinne
@eric:
Ha! One of my favorite lines, too! (Also, the exquisite timing of “I’m melting! I’m melting….”)
Adam L Silverman
@patroclus: You’ve never been to a New Orleans funeral I take it.
Corner Stone
@karen marie: GWB spoke for about 4 minutes. IDK what’s wrong with your feed but I suggest getting rid of it ASAP!
SiubhanDuinne
@karen marie:
NPR must be caught in some kind of infernal eternal Möbius strip of a loop. Bush spoke for maybe fifteen minutes.
Iowa Old Lady
@SiubhanDuinne: We went to where that was filmed, about an hour up the road. The diamond was still there when we visited, but I think it’s been replanted since then. One of Iowa’s few tourist sites. That and the place where Buddy Holly’s plane crashed.
karen marie
It’s Arizona. Have I mentioned today how much I hate living here?
Trollhattan
@karen marie:
Considering the current calendar month, I can well guess how much.
Villago Delenda Est
@Mai.naem.mobile: Taken from the Newt Gingrich playbook.
scav
@burnspbesq: Nothing like the police refusing to serve or protect any except those that are sufficiently deferential to their necessarily inerrant selves and always justified use of force. Grandstanding in terms of what actually gets protected, but it sure shows where their hearts, minds and souls are.
ETA: moreover, it seems that if anyone in the event insufficiently prostrate, everyone doesn’t deserve service or protection.
PaulWartenberg2016
I just wanna tell you all that I love you in a totally platonic and spiritual way.
SiubhanDuinne
@Iowa Old Lady:
That would be a fun place to visit (the FoD location, not the crash site).
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Corner Stone: and danced for only a few seconds?
whenever he pops up, I’m reminded of all the different ways he is an odd little man
Gelfling545
@Miss Bianca: It was the recessional for Bobby Kennedy’s funeral. I sobbed, watching it on tv. I held up fine until then. There is something about that song that gets to me.
muddy
@scav: Trevor Noah had a good piece the other day, (before Dallas) about how in America if you are for something then you are automatically against something else. Black lives OR police.
Mnemosyne
@Paul in KY:
Ice Cube is my exact birthday twin, date and year, which pretty much disproves astrology.
the Conster, la Citoyenne
Looks like it’s going to be TRUMP/GINGRICH 2016. LOL. Fox just cancelled Newt’s contract effective immediately.
Warren is being given opening night speech slot, so she’s out. I’m glad – no Dem. Senators!!!
Elmo
@gogol’s wife: Stole it from West Wing, tho. Not that I’m complaining. The best know to steal only from the best.
D58826
Was that Bush with a stupid grin on his face and dancing while they played the Battle Hymn of the Republic? If that had been Obama the GOP would start impeachment hearsings
gogol's wife
@Elmo:
It’s from the Bible, I believe.
gogol's wife
@Elmo:
Psalm 30:5. I don’t think Obama needs to steal from The West Wing!
Mike J
@gogol’s wife: I heard they brought Sorkin in to punch it up.
Mike J
@Mike J: The Bible, not the speech.
Betty Cracker
@the Conster, la Citoyenne:
Agreed, but disappointed nonetheless — would’ve loved a double-nana ass-kicker ticket. Tim Kaine, most likely. But I’m still hoping it’s Perez.
Elmo
@Mike J: LOL
J R in WV
@japa21:
That would be un-christian! They would assplode!~
debbie
@eric:
Ted just wanted to lord it over Newt.
debbie
I listened to the speech at work. It was (I think) one of his best, but the RWNJ complaints will be legion.
Jeffro
@Mike J: I do – he’s been an excellent speaker in Aspen these past couple of years. Very up on higher Ed issues in addition to all things related to national security
father pussbucket
@Villago Delenda Est:
He used the phrase “reverse racism” without irony or contempt. No one addresses the elephant in the room like PBO. Has he ever given a better speech?
Paul in KY
@Emma: I think of Nelson Mandela & FDR when I think of our great President.
Paul in KY
@Punchy: Maybe he had to molt?
Paul in KY
@PaulWartenberg2016: Why thank you, Paul!
Paul in KY
@Mnemosyne: Cool!
Paul in KY
@Betty Cracker: We will need all our Democratic senators. I’m glad it’s not her (only because Mass has a GOP governor).