So, the perps pulled off Grand Theft, Supreme Court as expected. This action further degrades a court that was indelibly tainted by Grand Theft, Presidency circa 2000 anyway. But it seems quaint to worry about that kind of shit now that a demented con man is busily turning the entire U.S. government into a sick joke. Open thread.
Florida woman, still rocking a punk rock ethos in the 2020s, which is kind of sad. Betty Cracker has been a Balloon Juice writer since 2012.
Tower of Empower (Open Thread)
While the slimy marmalade hairball who sired her beclowns America on the world stage daily, Ivanka Trump is quietly working in the background to empower women, you guys! And mean liberal harpies just won’t give her a break. :(
Via Politico:
Ivanka Trump has been on a listening tour since moving to Washington, as she stakes a claim on women’s issues. In addition to her meeting with [Planned Parenthood’s Cecile] Richards, she has quietly met with other leaders of the progressive women’s movement, including Marcia Greenberger, co-president the National Women’s Law Center, and Judy Lichtman, senior adviser to the National Partnership for Women and Family, sources familiar with the meetings told POLITICO.
But the strategic outreach hasn’t seemed to earn Ivanka Trump much public goodwill. Since Ivanka Trump’s sit-down with Richards, what started as a cordial relationship has soured — and any effort on the part of the politically savvy first daughter to back-channel to the nonprofit has transformed into a bitter battle since Ivanka Trump assumed an official administration post.
This ravening pack of grift-mavens’ ability to crank out absurdities and display hubris outstripped my capacity to experience appropriate outrage way back in January. But I still can’t contemplate Ivanka Trump being handed a portfolio entitled “Women’s Issues” without wanting to toss my waffle. Pretty much any random woman at any bus stop in any U.S. city would be more qualified for the role than Daddy’s Little Princess. Ivanka Trump is in charge of “women’s issues” by dint of the same logic that compelled her hideous carbuncle of a father to hand an agency with the word “Urban” in its title to Ben Carson.
As for the younger Trump’s “political savvy” — uh, sorry, I don’t see it, unless you count the ability to give heinous old Republicans (including, alas, her own father) a stiffy as a form of statecraft. On the other hand, she did have a rather sly response to the queries about just what the hell she does to address “women’s issues” in her despicable sexist prick of a father’s administration:
In an interview with Gayle King that aired on CBS Wednesday morning, Ivanka Trump defended her role both as a champion of women and as someone who is choosing to stay away from the public fight to defund Planned Parenthood.
“I would say not to conflate lack of public denouncement with silence,” she said. “I think there are multiple ways to have your voice heard. In some cases, it’s through protest and it’s through going on the nightly news and talking about or denouncing every issue on which you disagree with. Other times, it is quietly and directly and candidly. So where I disagree with my father, he knows it.”
Translation: “Don’t take the fact that there’s absolutely no evidence of my so-called ‘moderating influence’ on this vile grope-fest of an administration as a sign that I got this fancy White House title and office just so Daddy can continue to ogle my boobs at work.”
Maybe she sent a frowny-face text to her predatory old piece of shit father when she learned he’d defended fellow handsy rich slimebag Bill O’Reilly to mark National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. I don’t know about y’all, but I feel more empowerful than ever. Open thread!
April Fool
So the gelatinous amber glob that’s currently defiling the Oval Office was on Twitter a while ago:
“National embarrassment” doesn’t begin to cover it. “Lying psychopath” is closer.
I’m on a road trip to visit relatives, including some who voted for Twitler. Hope no one brings up politics!
What are you up to today? Open thread!
This seems significant…
Hot off the Twitters:
Read all about it here. (Fuck the Murdoch paywall.)
Is it a tarp?
I didn’t get to watch the whole Senate hearing on Russian interference in the election today, but I kept up on Twitter and various news outlets, and I’m cautiously encouraged. It didn’t resemble the House shit-show at all. There was no Nunes to run interference for Trump, for example. (An aside: Nunes reminds me of “the stupidest person on the face of the earth” in the criminally underappreciated 80s comedy “Ruthless People.”)
On the other hand, we can’t trust the Republican-led Senate, obviously. GOPers who spoke today seemed to take the matter seriously instead of focusing exclusively on who is inconveniencing the shitgibbon with leaks. That’s refreshing. But maybe it’s just to tamp down the growing calls for a special counsel and independent investigation. I wouldn’t put it past the Senatortoise from Kentucky to use McCain, Graham, et al, as mavericky fig leaves for a whitewashing.
Here’s an account of the hearings in WaPo if you need to catch up.
Senate windage means this investigation is likely to drag on for a good long while. That’s a plus for Trump’s enemies, aka, decent folks. And of course Comey will do his star turn eventually. Will he polish the legend in his own mind — that he’s the straightest straight shooter who ever shot straight — by doing a make-up call to balance his own inexcusable meddling in the election?
Beats me. Thoughts?
Senate Intel Hearing on Russia Is Interesting
Here’s a former FBI agent and current senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Clinton Watts, saying he doesn’t know what the US stance on Russia is under Trump and isn’t confident the U.S. government has his back if Russian agents come after him for testifying:
Frmr FBI agent says he doesn't know what USA stance is on Putin under Trump; concerned about safety after testifying pic.twitter.com/IKLB5z8jYh
— Lauren Werner (@LaurenWern) March 30, 2017
That’s kind of astonishing. Before that, Mr. Watts answered a question from Senator Lankford (R-OK): “Why did the Russians think they could get away with [meddling in the U.S. election] this time?” I can’t find embeddable video of the exchange, but you can see it here on CNN. Watts’ answer in a word was: Trump.
Watts said Trump and Manafort repeated fake news from Russia, which we knew, but it’s…surreal to hear this said in a U.S. Senate hearing. He informed the committee that Russian outlets are still pushing conspiracy theories at Trump on social media even now. He also said that until people (Trump!) learn to distinguish fact from fiction, we’re in deep shit (paraphrasing). Wowser!
Senate Intel Hearing on Russia Is InterestingPost + Comments (245)
One for the Night Owls (Open Thread)
I had a Left Owl kinda day, and now I can’t sleep, so I’m watching “Great British Bake Off” reruns. You? Open thread!