Ooo, look, so many Very Serious People using words like “treason”, this time against Republicans, most especially the Repubs who worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign! Could not be happening to a more deserving gang of revanchists and revenants…
Jeff Sessions on Nunes memo: "No department is perfect" https://t.co/yubwzI4D9j
— Axios (@axios) February 2, 2018
Atty Gen Jeff Sessions went off script at human trafficking event this morn to praise Deputy Atty Gen Rod Rosenstein, a reported target of Nunes memo. Noting Rosenstein has 27 yrs at DOJ, Sessions said Rosenstein represents "the kind of quality & leadership that we want" in DOJ.
— Mike Levine (@MLevineReports) February 2, 2018
Embarrassing memo flop forces Jeff Sessions to defend the FBI against Trump’s smears https://t.co/T7VhQdVWB3 via @shareblue
— Tommy Christopher (@tommyxtopher) February 3, 2018
.
There’s TALK…
We know now the FBI was actively investigating both campaigns during the 2016 election but only chose to publicly announce (repeatedly!) their investigation of Clinton while keeping the Trump campaign investigation *completely* secret the entire time.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 2, 2018
Doesn’t it strike you as a bit odd that no Repub has ever publicly questioned whether Russian help started long before May 2016, and whether their party’s nomination was captured by the Russians via Donald Trump?
— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) February 4, 2018
.
Anybody heard from Rudy lately?
Rudy Giuliani warns his Republican Party to “be careful” going to war with the FBI https://t.co/Rv8P0VLTUm
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) February 3, 2018
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) February 4, 2018
sounds like Rudy Giuliani doesn’t want anyone looking too hard at how he mysteriously acquired advance knowledge of the October Hillary’s emails announcement https://t.co/gVKH8zNIJ8
— Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) February 3, 2018
.
And what of James Comey, (newly) Brave Truth-Tweeter?…
Imagine going back in time to Comey Letter Day in 2016 and reporting that the Republicans would eventually claim the FBI had been against them all along
— laura olin (@lauraolin) February 1, 2018
One of the great ironies out of many in this current situation is that Comey no doubt released his letter because he assumed Clinton would win and he wanted to set a marker for FBI independence from the executive branch.
— Schooley (@Rschooley) February 2, 2018
The thing about the new Woke James Comey character is that this whole predicament was substantially caused by his own poor judgment and mismanagement of the FBI.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) February 2, 2018
Well his critical role electing Trump contributed to that predicament too. https://t.co/lsbGdk2Y6P
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) February 2, 2018
Baud
Not to be forgotten is Comey’s completely out-of-bounds opinionating of Hillary’s email practices when announcing the first time that there was no crime.
Gemina13
It’s not a coincidence that this is happening in the face of the beginnings of an overdue market correction, the popping of the cryptocurrencies bubble, the fears that another real estate bubble is in place, and the realization that the Democrats’ warning over Paul Ryan’s tax cuts was correct.
The Republicans thought they’d escaped the effects of Trump’s fecal touch last year. This year has barely started, but now they’re mired neck-deep in shit.
Ohio Mom
I’m wondering if there is anyone besides me not watching the game, who is going to comment on this thread.
ETA: My question is answered: while I was typing, Baud and Gemina showed up. I have company!
Gemina13
@Baud: Yes.
People around me are hailing Comey as a patriot and a hero. I see him as a man desperate to remedy his monumental fuckups.
Baud
@Ohio Mom: I’m doing both.
Thoughtful David
Comey doesn’t get off for the “thinking Clinton was going to win” crap. The FBI does not get to decide who the next president is going to be, and they don’t get to tip the election one way or another even if they don’t think it will change the election. That’s acting politically, and I think Obama should have fired Comey’s ass and made a loud statement about why. Comey made the FBI into a political hacking organization, and that’s sedition. He needs to hang for it, no matter how he tries to now atone.
ETA: He needs to hang as an example for the future. The FBI does not get to interfere in elections.
jl
I heard some clips of Gowdy crapping all over the Nunes’ memoghazipallozzagate. Which surprised me. Hard for me to listen to GOPers these days even when they make sense and tell the truth. Espeically Gowdy after his Benghazi farce, and backfired attempt to smear HRC. So, I’ll look for where he appeared and read the transcript.
I don’t know how Gowedy expects the get a federal judicial appointment after his performance this weekend. He has obviously firmly established himself as disloyal and unsound by Trumspter standards. But, he is one of the few Congresscritters to have read all the supporting material. Maybe he’s decided that after sufficient vacation and R&R to recover from the bullshit, the Trumspters won’t be in charge of nominating federal judges?
But if someone knows a sinister interpretation of Gowdy’s actions, let me know. I can barely stand to listen to him talk at this point.
Baud
@Gemina13: Unfortunately, Trump is the bigger threat at the moment. Comey may escape accountability.
Tenar Arha
I agree with Josh Marshall here:
Ohio Mom
@Baud: of course! Anybody who wants to be president must be able to multi-task. In this, as with so much else, Trump is the exception to the rule.
Tenar Arha
@Baud: I’ve started writing the first sentences I’d like to see in his obituary any number of times at this point.
ETA I’ve tried Ryan’s but can’t stop calling him the ZEGS
Adam L Silverman
@Ohio Mom: I’m not watching the game. I’m marking up a thesis for a friend’s son. Have the Puppy Bowl on for background noise. And when I finish with the thesis I have something else to do around the house followed by dinner.
schrodingers_cat
Has anyone noticed how many “serious” columnists have jumped on to the restrictive immigration agenda, now that is the official R party line? Rs say jump, “centrist” media whores say, how high?
I am looking at you, Fareed Zakaria, Ross Douthat and Peter Beinart and am sure many others who I am forgetting.
Aleta
@Baud: Never. He should hang up his cufflinks.
eclare
Yay Eagles!
lowtechcyclist
Since I don’t follow the VSPs that closely, can you give some names?
Yesterday, Rep. Nadler made the argument that the House Republicans generally are actively taking the side of Russia v. the U.S. by having supported the release of the Nunes memo.
And I agree totally. The GOP has become a traitorous fifth column in our midst. (Maybe the worthless Andrew Sullivan, who’s written in the past about fifth columns, should point this out, since apparently there’s still people out there who cares what he says.)
Adam L Silverman
@jl: He turned down the Federal judicial appointment. That was reported last week. He’s going home and opening a private legal practice.
Aleta
nice leaping
chris
@Ohio Mom: There’s a game?
Baud
Missed extra point in the Superbowl. Wow.
MisterForkbeard
@Ohio Mom: Not watching either. Cooking some spectacular quesadillas while the kids watch “Dinosaur Train” on TV – seems like a good way to avoid the Superb Owl.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat: I don’t pay attention to pundits, so I haven’t noticed.
Adam L Silverman
@Tenar Arha: Yep. And Jentleson made a similar point in regard to the NY Times last week.
lowtechcyclist
@Ohio Mom:
Stopped watching football back in 2012, when I was reading Ta-Nehisi Coates’ blog regularly, and he was writing about CTE.
So just another Sunday evening at the ltc household.
WaterGirl
@Baud: You mean when he took time out of his busy day to scold Hillary for her bad judgment and her behavior, even if there was no crime? (Or am I remembering that wrong?)
Baud
@WaterGirl: Yes, that one.
opiejeanne
@Ohio Mom: I was watching it and playing in the previous thread but now I’m in, needed to lie down on my stomach for a while but I can hear the game in the next room
I may fall asleep soon.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@schrodingers_cat:
What makes it worse in Fareed Zakaria’s case is that he’s a POC. And he was born in India.
jl
@Adam L Silverman: Thanks for info. Something like that crossed my mind when I heard him implicitly damn, disown and dump on the Nunes’ effort. I though, gee, maybe he’s aiming for SC state court, he ain’t getting anything from the Trumpsters now, excepting maybe deranged looney toons attack tweets from Trump himself.
MisterForkbeard
@WaterGirl: And then had to walk some of it back a few days later when he admitted it would have been completely reasonable to not know the emails were classified given how they were all incorrectly marked.
I’ve been pissed at him ever since. He got his headlines on scolding he KNEW was incorrect.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Adam L Silverman:
Has Howdy Gowdy finally grown a conscience? He hadn’t been repeating the memo talking points.
Phylllis
@jl: It’s my understanding he was offered a spot on the 4th Circuit and turned it down.
Mary G
I am lying in bed with a cat and listening to an audiobook. Very cozy. Shortly a nap will appear? Probably.
jl
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: I have such a dim view of Gowdy, my first thought was he has recently come to know stuff that caused a self-preservation flight instinct to kick in. Maybe similar to the fast exit by the even more dishonest, dishonorable, miserable and contemptible Chaffetz. A pattern emerging?
Edit: and maybe his very definite damns of Nunes’ BS was an attempt to make his future interview with Mueller less stressful and lower the stakes? Nothing or a slap on the wrist versus getting sucked into the wringer with the worst of the Trumpster gang?
Lizzy L
Not watching. I’m considering a nap: I was up at 4 am. Of course, the minute I fall asleep someone will call me on the phone.
TS
@Thoughtful David:
The outcome of trump firing Comey is probably much better than would have happened if President Obama had fired him – despite the latter had every reason to do so.
eclare
Is every other ad either going to feature someone from GoT or be a riff on GoT?
Tenar Arha
@jl: @Adam L Silverman: @? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: I can’t recall who pointed it out, but Gowdy read the original FISA warrants, Nunes admitted he didn’t on Faux News. So basically the guy who was a prosecutor read the intel, and decided to get out.
ETA ? like @jl said
Gaffer
@Thoughtful David: YES!
Adam L Silverman
@jl: The GOP in SC wanted him to accept the SC supreme court chief justice spot, but he turned that down last year to stand for reelection to Congress.
Baud
Tide advertises in the Superbowl but fails to tell people not to eat their pods.
Schlemazel
@Baud:
Really surprising it wasn’t the Viking for the game
Adam L Silverman
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: I have no idea. I think someone threatened him with a decent hair cut.
Baud
Wow. Missed gimme field goal in the Superbowl.
No Drought No More
This morning- for the first time since the event- I felt the exact same vibe I long ago felt as The Trickster was hanging by his nails during the summer of ’74, before he was toppled and ran out of town in disgrace. Not Sally Quinn’s town, either. We ran him out of OUR town. Felt good, too.
jl
@Adam L Silverman: Interesting zig-zags in his career interests.
Remember Chaffetz’ similar behavior: ” I’m retiring ” “What, this is unexpected, so this will be your last term” “Oh geez no. I’m outta here, just got my plane ticket back to Utah, Sorry gotta run to catch a plane. Talk later, OK?”
Schlemazel
@eclare:
The Dodge ad was a shot at the Vikings, not GoT
@Baud:
The guy who wrote that ad should eat one. Along with the rapping lipsync one
frosty
@Baud: Right! Porque no los dos?
WaterGirl
@Adam L Silverman: After her turned that down, I looked more closely at some stuff Gowdy had said. I wondered if he was going to try for being a prosecutor again. I was a good prosecutor, I am not a very good politician, or something close to that. Do you thunk there’s any merit to my speculation?
Schlemazel
@Baud:
See previous comment
Cermet
The FBI, not unlike the CIA is staffed by many right-wing agents. Now they are learning what really matters to thug congresscreatures – they suck the ass of the kock sucker brothers and anyone who will see to it the money flows. They don’t give a shit about their oath nor the US of A. Still, after the orange fart cloud is gone, they will revert back to their right wing worship of the thug party. Like deficient’s mattered to thugs with a dem president but both they and the whore media forget that issue as soon as the fake news channel developed a new liar to peddle.
joel hanes
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
Has Howdy Gowdy finally grown a conscience?
More likely, he knows he’s implicated, isn’t stupid enough to feel immune, and is hoping to avoid prosecution by stepping out of the limelight. Limited modified hangout. It’ll probably work.
Thoughtful David
@TS: Maybe in the end it will turn out so, but the second part of my statement is important: After firing him, Obama should have laid out why–that the FBI doesn’t get to tilt the playing field in elections even a teeny little bit. As it is now, the FBI can make those decisions, and if Trump hadn’t had another issue and tried to cover it up, Comey would have set the precedent.
Actually, he DID set the precedent, it’s just, as you say, because of the special conditions of this case that it may turn out better that it was Trump who fired him.
WaterGirl
@WaterGirl: Couldn’t edit. Should be “he”, not her, in the first phrase.
Baud
Now Coke is advertising anorexia.
WaterGirl
@Baud: Now watching. What does that mean ?
Wag
@Gemina13:
I see him as both.
Adam L Silverman
@Tenar Arha: I’ve pointed it out in several front page posts and numerous comments.
Baud
@WaterGirl: That actress was supremely thin.
Schlemazel
@Baud:
And the tide guys are apparently smoking the pods
Adam L Silverman
@WaterGirl: He could run for local DA or state Attorney General at some point.
Cheryl Rofer
I am writing some stuff on the Nuclear Posture Review that you all will eventually see. I cleaned the house too. Kind of chilling now, slowly adding to the NPR writing.
eclare
@Baud: That ad was uncomfortable to watch.
Baud
Nice catch.
Baud
TD.
eclare
Yay again!
WaterGirl
@Adam L Silverman: I think all Gowdy wants right now is for the treason and collusion cooties to not stick to him personally. As I said yesterday, you know you are way out of bounds if you’ve lost Trey Gowdy.
Baud
They should have just kicked the extra point.
Corner Stone
There goes that man.
WaterGirl
@Baud: I suppose she was drinking DIET coke?
Baud
@WaterGirl: I think it was diet Coke. Some new flavor.
Corner Stone
@Baud: Am I on a delay?
Schlemazel
Andy Borowitz:
Phylllis
@Adam L Silverman: Joe ‘You Lie’ Wilson’s son, Alan is the current AG & seems content to park his carcass in that spot for the foreseeable future. Unless maybe dad is thinking of moving aside so Alan can run for his seat.
eclare
@Baud: Agree, have never understood that strategy this early, always take the easier points.
NotMax
Which side was he on? Did he put in many bids during the auction?
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
@Schlemazel: It’s the biggest lead in Super Bowl history – period!
Baud
@Corner Stone: Have the space aliens kidnapped Brady yet on your screen? If no, then you are on a delay.
Ruckus
@Gemina13:
You go to bed with shit you wake up smelling like shit.
You elect shit, you have shit politicians.
The definitions of the republican party.
Schlemazel
@David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch:
YOOGE! Believe me a beautiful lead
Baud
Wacky
Corner Stone
@Baud: I thought they did that years ago?
I had just seen Blount score a TD and you were commenting about a missed 2 point attempt.
Corner Stone
That looked like PI on Pats.
ETA…hmmm, maybe just fighting for the ball by both.
Baud
I have a dream, that one day, everyone gets a Dodge.
eclare
I thought MLK’s heirs were very particular about the use of his image/speeches….
Corner Stone
@Baud: Ok, your feed is ahead of mine.
Schlemazel
@Baud:
I was pissed at the stupid Canoe Reeves ad until I saw that obscenity
jl
@Baud: Now that Oprah took herself out, Baud2020! is going to ape her gimmicks? Sad.
Immanentize
Just a reminder,
1) Sessions supporting Rosenstein is life insurance for the AG
2). Rosenstein was absolutely right in his letter regarding how reprehensible Comey’s acts were.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: Jeez, where did they find these kickers, U$C? I’m not watching, I’m letting Baud do it for me.
Baud
TD. No tackling.
Baud
Holy cow. Another missed extra point.
John Revolta
@eclare: As I understand it, they’re very particular about getting paid.
Corner Stone
I don’t even understand what is going on here.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@jl: The alternative is for Baud to talk policy, I think the cars is the correct decision.
Steeplejack
@Ohio Mom:
I’m watching the game and reading this thread. But I’m home alone with the housecat, so I don’t have to be social. And I’ve got the DVR to go back in case I miss something.
eclare
@John Revolta: That makes sense. I seem to recall they were reluctant to let the Civil Rights Museum here have any clips/likenesses, but since that is a museum, not much ka-ching. Let me say it’s weird to go there and not have much on display about MLK. That was years ago, maybe it has improved.
?BillinGlendaleCA
I’m still running on 3 hours sleep, but got everything accomplished that I needed to do today: finally did the hike by the ol’ reactor that had the meltdown, got a TAP card for madame, saw the F-1 rocket engine and a Costco run. All I have to do now is feed and walk the girls.
GregB
@Gemina13:
The Asian markets are getting hammered today and also the new chairman Powell takes over for the steady hand of Yellin.
These fucking idiots are now going to be living in Trump’s world of shit.
Ken
@Corner Stone:
Are you talking about the game thread, the Nunes/Comey/Trump thread, or the way the two are interlaced? Because I’m finding the last pretty confusing, though the interactions are sometimes pleasant in a surreal way.
schrodingers_cat
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: I know who he is. His family is an old Mumbai political family since before India’s independence.
TS
@Thoughtful David: The problem would have been the media reaction to anything that Obama did or said. It would have been preached to the masses as a political issue to favor Hillary Clinton. This does not preclude that Obama had every right and could have fired Comey. At a time in the future he might right a book about why he didn’t.
And as you say, Comey did set a precedent – after his sacking by trump he seems to be trying to walk that back (or maybe I imagine this)
Baud
Wow. Nice catch and run.
Corner Stone
Remedial tackling may be a nice course.
jl
@?BillinGlendaleCA: ” I’m not watching, I’m letting Baud do it for me. ”
Blind leading the blind.
Edit: that was not a diss, that is the admirable essence of ‘In Baud We Trust!’
@?BillinGlendaleCA: ‘ did the hike by the ol’ reactor that had the meltdown ” Sounds like you needed to refuel.
Corner Stone
@Ken: Missed kicks early.
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: I don’t either but I follow a couple of immigration experts and attorneys and I see an uptick in the type of op-eds I described since the “shithole” moment.
Princess
The weird thing about Gowdy is that a day or so before he resigned, he was defending the memo, saying it should be released, saying it would humiliate the Dems. Next thing you know he has resigned, and then he trashes the memo. There’s a story there.
JR
So, uh, you’re basically running over your opponent with every back in your arsenal
On third and one you go for the pass out of the empty backfield
Baud
Wow. Amazing.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@jl:
My eyesight’s not that bad, obviously I can’t speak to the quality of Baud’s eyesight, but his vision is excellent.
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
Corner Stone
That was nasty.
Schlemazel
@Ken:
Politics is just to depressing because even after Dump & his fellow travelers are out or in prison the mess left behind is going to take 2 generations to clean up. So instead I ma focused on the circus.
SPeaking of which I love that NE just got touched because the Eagle QB can catch & Brady can’t
gbbalto
@Cermet: I think that a lot of them are realizing that the Repubs will kick them to the curb just to cover their asses, which the Dems have not done and will not do, whatever they think about dealings with the Dems. May change some folks’ point of view.
ETA – One can hope, but these are not dumb people
Ceci n est pas mon nym
Not a huge sportsball fan, but I’m rooting for the Eagles and even I can tell that last touchdown play by the Iggles was pretty slick.
Aleta
I looked for the short movie Concussion Protocol on youtube instead of go to the Inter cept, and it’s here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r51aLlwS7w4
Corner Stone
Head shot once again changing the scope of the game. Cooks is out for Pats.
NotMax
@Ceci n est pas mon nym
Let the Eagles
soarscore?;)
(*ducks*)
Aleta
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: I want it to go the Eagle’s way, but who knows. The lines of the last play were nice.
SiubhanDuinne
@Schlemazel:
ROAR!!
Ceci n est pas mon nym
@WaterGirl: I figure it’s something like that, but how does announcing he’s resigning and repeatedly talling us all how he’s all 100% behind Mueller help him avoid whatever is going to stick to him? I just can’t figure out what’s happening with Gowdy.
I do believe that things are accelerating in the Mueller investigation. Hell, Republicans may start getting worried enough that they actually start using their investigation to call witnesses and learn stuff.
On a more important subject, is there a way to watch video of the Puppy Bowl after the fact? All I’ve found is still images.
jl
@NotMax: Should post Ashcroft’s styling if the Eagles win. I’m not watching, but for me, that will be enough to make it great super bowl.
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
Lindsey Vonn commercial should make the winger nutz
jl
Here’s Ashcroft singing Let the Eagle Soar backwards.
John Ashcroft Let The Eagle Soar backwards (Oh Sweet Evil)
Nicole
@Princess: Gowdy hasn’t resigned, correct? He’s said he’s not running for reelection.
I mean yeah, it seems like the pattern goes, announce not running for reelection, announce resigning in upcoming months, whoops out the door, but so far he is still in Congress, right?
NotMax
@jl
Not watching either. Never have; don’t give a fig about who’s playing or anything else about it.
jl
@NotMax: I typed in the previous thread that I think the Warriors will thrash the Giants. So, watching any of it risks great confusion for me.
Lapassionara
@Princess: Yes. Weird.
I wonder what he is up to. He is up to something.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
@Nicole: Correct. He announced he isn’t running, but he’s still in Congress. Same deal as with a lot of Republicans, including our local odious Tea Partier, Pat Meehan.
Corner Stone
Where’s my nip?!
Gelfling 545
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: I don’t know if it’s conscience; more a sense of self preservation. I think the stupid memo shook up a few Republican folks who are beginning to wonder if this might just end poorly for them.
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@Ohio Mom: Raises hand. I’m late, because reasons (mainly we ate out). Do you have your sign yet?
@jl: I thought I read he’s forsaken the whole judgeship plan. I know I read someone (Schindler, that asshole) say , about his comment that the “memo” will have no consequence for the Russia investigation: that’s Gowdy being Gowdy, he’s a snake but he’s no fool and he knows where this is all headed. Paraphrased, of course.
Nicole
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: Oh, you’re in the Lancaster area! I was just down there a few weeks ago to visit a relative (I grew up about 45 minutes from Lancaster).
Schlemazel
Cheeze! I thought football dragged on endlessly, it is nothing compared to this “entertainment”
Mr Stagger Lee
Watching the old Netflix Documentary Winter on Fire about Ukraine’s democracy protests in 2013, thinking this is coming for us soon. Anyone watched Babylon Berlin yet?
NotMax
@Ceci n est pas mon nym
Would not discount the timing in at least some cases is because the clock has chimed for them on this:.
Lapassionara
Thank FSM, halftime is OVER!
hueyplong
@Schlemazel: You apparently don’t remember the agony of Up With People at 1970s halftimes.
eclare
@Mr Stagger Lee: Need to put Winter on Fire on my list to watch.
Baud
@Lapassionara: Wow. And I thought I was ahead of Corner Stone.
Gin & Tonic
@Mr Stagger Lee:
Americans don’t have the patience for that kind of protest.
NotMax
@Mr Stagger Lee
Have only watched the first episode thus far, so not enough immersion to form anything approaching a cogent opnion other than to say it certainly is lavish.
Aleta
@Schlemazel: Would be much better if JT were taken out, just lights, colors and dancers with no names.
Lapassionara
@Baud: And you were.
Schlemazel
@hueyplong:
Thankfully, no. I do remember college marching bands in a couple though
Baud
@Lapassionara: Figured out I was behind because I had paused my DVR.
NotMax
@NotMax
Addendum:
The English dubbing is kind of flat and passionless; switched over to the original German with English subtitles and it became more interesting.
TomV
So some kid is right in the middle of the finale of the Super Bowl half time show, and he spends the whole time standing next to Justin Timberlake trying to adjust his phone. Bring back the left shark!!
Cheryl Rofer
Going to read the dead trees with mah kittehs.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@jl: Yeah, I saw that, remember how Michael Jordan’s baseball career went? Silly jl.
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@Princess: I think the story is that he’s seen the actual intel underlying the FISA application and he’s no fool. He resigned from the House Ethics Committee but is (at this stage) retiring from Congress, to wit, not running for reelection.
germy
I have no interest in the superb owl.
We’ll be watching Raisin In The Sun on Bounce TV.
germy
@TomV: The Left Shark published an essay in the Washington Post. We live in strange times.
Lapassionara
@Baud: Well, there are some advantages to being a Luddite.
tbf
I think Comey broke the law as Harry Reid stated in his letter. I also find the stuff about pressure from the New York office really disingenuous- the top law enforcement official breaking the law and interfering in elections because he fears his own subordinates, or because he thinks that one side is going to win anyway is a sign of incompetence and a contempt for the oath he took.
I would have been fine, indeed supported it if the orange homonculus fired him immediately after taking office, because I think this is the least that Comey deserved. The problem is that Comey got lucky in the circumstances of his firing, it being an attempt to obstruct justice by the homonculus.
Aleta
@TomV: Kid might be a conceptual artist remarking on the futility of the choice to pay attention in this — . (no not really)
efgoldman
@Ohio Mom:
we can multitask, you know
Mr Stagger Lee
@NotMax: Same here, though watching some German cinema, it is probably going to get weird, then again Berlin in the twenties was very interesting.
jl
@efgoldman: Disdain for the game that dare not speak its name. I’m heading off to the gym for a while.
Baud
Another missed tackle.
mike in dc
5 more memos? The Dems are going to need some accurate counter-battery fire for this new onslaught of bullshit.
WaterGirl
@Immanentize:
What letter was that?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: On my hike today, there was a monument in honor of the Senate Majority Leader.
StringOnAStick
Raw Story says axios has reported that Nunes has as many as 5 more memos coming, and guess what? Collusion by HRC supporters like Blumenthal!
Nunes reminds me of a kid who jus learned about knockknock jokes and is now pounding the concept to death. He’s going for the old standards though: evil Hillary wasn’t playing fair, burn her!
Baud
@?BillinGlendaleCA: Heh.
Baud
Wow. Some amazing catches in this game.
Matt McIrvin
@Mr Stagger Lee: And then Putin invades Alaska?
Matt McIrvin
@StringOnAStick: What I memo 5 times is true.
Ruckus
@Nicole:
How much time does he have left – if he doesn’t run he’s out in a year. If he resigns then probably a replacement fills his seat. If he stays it gives the party a chance to find a replacement to run and gives them time to attempt to destroy any democratic chances. He is after all a far right republican, no matter what he’s doing about this issue. And he’s young enough to build a profitable practice till retirement, which is what it sounds like he is thinking.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Matt McIrvin: No he won’t, he’d get the Palin clan. Vlad’s not stupid.
Mr Stagger Lee
@Gin & Tonic: True dat, though I am looking more of the police forces
FlyingToaster
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: It’s repeating on Animal Planet after the Zoo thang.
Repatriated
@Matt McIrvin:
“Seward made a lousy deal. I alone can make a better deal. The best deal! Believe me! Once we get rid of those Alaskan losers we’ll be winning bigly!”
efgoldman
@Baud:
Whoever in marketing invented the new cans needs to be shown the door. I don’t drink soda, bur you don’t fuck with one of the most recognizable product looks in history
Peale
@StringOnAStick: the stunt must have polled well.
StringOnAStick
@Matt McIrvin:”Not buying the first memo? Wait, I’ve got more!”
Mr Stagger Lee
@Matt McIrvin: nah I think Trump sells it back to pay off the debt. ;-)
MisterForkbeard
@Peale: I mean, the media were at least slightly credulous, so there you go.
efgoldman
@Corner Stone:
Apparently they decided to not call DPI on either team. There have bewen plentyh of pays when they could have (would have in the regular season) but not tonite. Holding, yes, but not PI
Patricia Kayden
@mike in dc: The first one was a dud. Why would the other five be any more successful?
Looks like Democrats need to go harder against Nunes. Call him a liar. Mock him as Trump’s stool pigeon. Discredit his stories. Most of all, go after his seat hard this November. He doesn’t deserve to be in Congress.
Baud
@Mr Stagger Lee:
Fixed.
Snarki, child of Loki
@Mr Stagger Lee: I can see the upside of selling Alaska back to the Russians, IF the Palin clan is included.
I hear that Russia also has its eye on GEORGIA, which is okay, but they have to take Alabama as well. It’s a package deal.
Ruckus
@Patricia Kayden:
Is there a republican who does?
Repatriated
@Snarki, child of Loki:
“And the Russians will pay for it!”
[Narrator: They won’t.]
Eric Drywall
@efgoldman:
There have been like 1000 yards do far, not sure what would be happening if they were calling it tight.
Matt McIrvin
@StringOnAStick:
“5 memos! Would you believe it?”
“…then, would you believe… 4 memos? How about a Post-It?”
cain
@Gemina13:
How lovely, and guess who gets stuck with the problems? If it wasn’t for the fact we were slipping towards fascism, I would have enjoyed watching these people running around trying to get Democrats to help them while trying to demagogue them at the same time.
Nicole
@Ruckus: I swear, this thing is all so bizarre that I think the GOP members resigning are doing it because they are trusting that if they’re out of gov’t they’ll escape getting charged with things when it all comes out into the open. They’ll figure the Dems won’t have the appetite to go after this Russia mess to the fullest extent and will limit themselves to those still in gov’t. And they might be right. I’m sure some Dems are getting Russian money, too, and if a real attempt to look into this was made, some of them would fall, too, and I question how much the Dems want to ferret out all of this rot if it takes down some of their own. I hope they’d do the right thing for the nation, but you never know when it’s your friends and colleagues.
Of course, I’m also the one convinced the NY Times is getting Russian money.
danielx
@Snarki, child of Loki:
Too much good music comes out of Georgia.
rikyrah
I hope a frontpager sees this scam and highlights it:
Ivanka, Rubio find a new project: Paid family leave
Can the duo pining for a softer side of Republicanism win over the GOP?
By SEUNG MIN KIM
02/04/2018 06:54 AM EST
………………….
“We still have to work on members of my own party,” Rubio said in an extended interview with POLITICO about his effort. “I think there will be significant initial resistance to it, because it’s just not an issue that’s been identified with the Republican Party.”
Rubio has barely started crafting a paid leave bill, much less a broader legislative strategy. But he envisions an idea that has recently gained traction in conservative circles: allowing people to draw Social Security benefits when they want to take time off for a new baby or other family-related matters, and then delay their checks when they hit retirement age.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/04/rubio-ivanka-trump-family-leave-385050
Gin & Tonic
@rikyrah: So it’s not paid family leave, it’s cannibalize your own retirement.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Gin & Tonic: Not a problem, you just have to work until you’re 80.
barb 2
@Thoughtful David:
Hang Commie Comey High and let this body rot — let the birds and bugs feed!
I am against capital punishment but I am willing to make an exception for that sob.
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@Gin & Tonic: Exactly. The cons calling it “family leave;” fuck em.
rikyrah
Citizens for EthicsVerified account @CREWcrew
Trump is spending Super Bowl weekend at his own properties. Every time he visits, his business profits off of taxpayer money
Villago Delenda Est
@WaterGirl: They’ve lost Joe Walsh, the deadbeat dad, not the rock star. That’s got to hurt.
Ohio Mom
@Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho: Yes, my sign is finished.
It says “Mr. President, Do YOUR Job: Sanction Russia” and there is a big red silhouette of Russia.
My thinking was, I am always amazed at the absolute lies Republicans spew. I wanted something verifiable on my sign.
Trump is visiting a machine tool company. Everyone there works hard, he doesn’t, and I like the contrast.
I also get some pleasure at the upside-downess of it all: I, who shook my head at the anti-Red hysteria of my youth, am now more anti-Russian than any right-winger.
Not that this matters because we protesters will be a good distance away from the action. Many roads will be closed, making it hard to get close.
Also, we protestors must stay on a sidewalk and keep moving, and sidewalks can be scarce in that part of Blue Ash (this area is zoned for light industry). But I expect to have a good time chatting with the other rabble rousers.
kattails
Made nice chicken and rice dish, will get a couple of days’ dinners out of that, made a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies, fed the cats, checked out the comments on BJ in a vain attempt to keep up with political news from those more savvy than I. However, best get back to my deadline work. Cheryl is reading dead trees, I’m having at them with a piece of graphite. And oh shoot, it’s drizzling rain on top of a couple inches of snow.
I’ve never liked football. Leighton’s painting of “The Gladiator’s Wife”, thread below this one, is haunting, thanks for posting
Steeplejack
Okay, that Hyundai ad was pretty good.
J R in WV
I made a quick pasta with olive oil, scallops and GARLIC, with Italian cheese, and bubbly Sparkling Reisling wine for dinner, back to the game, which is amazing offensive football.
Ohio Mom
@rikyrah: I saw that earlier and it made me livid. It promotes the misconception that each of us has a Social Security account akin to an IRA. Like all the deductions from your paychecks are sitting in a drawer with your name on it.
It’s part of the bigger scam to convince everyone that it’s “their” personal money, if you had that money you could have invested it yourself and you’d be rich, rich, rich!
It’s the old Libertarian schitck that there is no such things as the commons, or to borrow from Maggie, society.
No, no, no!
Chet Murthy
open thread, so (slightly off-topic, but related to previous thread):
Steeplejack
@Steeplejack:
Hyundai ad.
Omnes Omnibus
It should be a catch.
efgoldman
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
Only if you live that long. Otherwise your zombie simulacrum has to put in ten years in the salt mines.
debbie
Hot damn!
J R in WV
Also, of course, following politics here!
Local fish shop also carries huge garlic bulbs, used about 6 cloves. Yum.
Sab
@schrodingers_cat: re Thanks. I did not know that (re Zakaria).
eclare
holy shit!
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
no tuck rule, today
Ohio Mom
@Ohio Mom: To add on to this, just think of the repercussions of agreeing to the idea that if you draw X out of “your” Social Security, you have to work Y more years to retire.
The next step is changing the Social Security system to: You worked A number of years and put B amount in “your” account, so now you can draw on Social Security for C years. Better not live longer than that!
Once again though, you have to give those suckers points for creativity, deviousness, and all-around persistence. They never, ever lose sight of their prize, which is dismantling Social Security, and they will never stop looking for new angles.
Another Scott
@Ohio Mom: Nice sign and slogan – I can picture it.
Thanks for standing up and making your voice heard! It’s important.
Good luck.
Cheers,
Scott.
MisterForkbeard
Eventful night. Had to take the daughter to the ER after she tripped and gashed her scalp. She’s fine and super hopped up on all the cookies and juice she got to eat as a reward for doing well at the hospital.
Gonna give her lots of hugs tonight.
WaterGirl
@MisterForkbeard: Ouch! I have heard that scalp wounds bleed profusely, hoping that wasn’t true for you guys. How old is your daughter? Stitches?
rikyrah
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EAGLES!
Omnes Omnibus
@MisterForkbeard: @WaterGirl: They do bleed like mad. Don’t ask. I hope she is doing well.
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
MisterForkbeard
@WaterGirl: 3 years old, and it bled a LOT. It’s one reason we were really worried for a few minutes. We were more freaked out than the kiddo, to be honest.
And no stitches. Docs were able to glue it shut.
mad citizen
I’m sure I’m not the only one that finds it very funny that Philly has to grease its poles to get ready for a sports celebration. I’m so old I remember when they threw snowballs at Santa Claus.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: oops, never mind.
WaterGirl
@MisterForkbeard: Oh my gosh, that’s young! I give this a triple-yay. Yay for her not being too freaked out, yay for you guys keeping it together, and yay for no stitches! I like happy endings.
PIGL
@TS: Maybe future Democratic Presidents and Democratic majorities should start acting in their own interests, and be goddamned to what the fucking media and the republicans say: because THEY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE.
Omnes Omnibus
@PIGL: I am more interested in getting Democratic presidents and majorities to worry much about the specifics of their putative behavior. YMMV.
MisterForkbeard
@WaterGirl: It’s better than my record. When I was three, I needed stitches because I walked in front of a metal swing set while a big kid was on it. Whanged me right above the eye and I needed stitches. Still have a small scar.
So my three year old is clearly doing better than her dad. She was just clumsy rather than stupid, and she got glue instead of stitches. The next generation learns from our mistakes. :)
WaterGirl
@MisterForkbeard: OUCH. Big hugs and something special for her tomorrow.
Sab
@MisterForkbeard: Modern kids are very brave, unlike their parents.
Matt McIrvin
@MisterForkbeard: One of the several times my sister went to the emergency room around that age was for an incident like that. She was a bit too intrepid for her own good.
J R in WV
How about those Iggles !!! Whoot!
Ruckus
@MisterForkbeard:
First, hope she’s doing well. But kids are pretty resilient and a lot of the time if they don’t know it’s supposed to hurt, it really doesn’t.
Last surgery I got glue rather than stitches and the scar is different than it would have been with them. But it’s also not visible except under certain circumstances that don’t need to be discussed and I didn’t have to go back to have them removed, which has always been loads of fun. So functionally glue is better. And as I have over the last 5 yrs had far more holes poked in me than in the prior 40, any time I don’t have to have even more holes poked is a good day.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@jl: Gowdy is a lawyer, so Democrat bashing is all fun and games but he didn’t sign up for treason. Small fry like him typical get the worst punishments and he would know that.