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Thank you to everyone who has been contributing links to articles & other content in the Comments section of each day's "Conversation." If you're missing the comments, you're missing some vital links.

Marie: Sorry, my countdown clock was unreliable; then it became completely unreliable. I can't keep up with it. Maybe I'll try another one later.

 

Public Service Announcement

Zoë Schlanger in the Atlantic: "Throw out your black plastic spatula. In a world of plastic consumer goods, avoiding the material entirely requires the fervor of a religious conversion. But getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and worth it. Cooking with any plastic is a dubious enterprise, because heat encourages potentially harmful plastic compounds to migrate out of the polymers and potentially into the food. But, as Andrew Turner, a biochemist at the University of Plymouth recently told me, black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid." This is a gift link from laura h.

Mashable: "Following the 2024 presidential election results and [Elon] Musk's support for ... Donald Trump, users have been deactivating en masse. And this time, it appears most everyone has settled on one particular X alternative: Bluesky.... Bluesky has gained more than 100,000 new sign ups per day since the U.S. election on Nov. 5. It now has over 15 million users. It's enjoyed a prolonged stay on the very top of Apple's App Store charts as well. Ready to join? Here's how to get started on Bluesky[.]"

Washington Post: "Americans can again order free rapid coronavirus tests by mail, the Biden administration announced Thursday. People can request four free at-home tests per household through covidtests.gov. They will begin shipping Monday. The move comes ahead of an expected winter wave of coronavirus cases. The September revival of the free testing program is in line with the Biden administration’s strategy to respond to the coronavirus as part of a broader public health campaign to protect Americans from respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), that surge every fall and winter. But free tests were not mailed during the summer wave, which wastewater surveillance data shows is now receding."

Democrats' Weekly Address

Marie (Feb 23): As far as I can tell, there isn't any. I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like Democrats are so screwed up, they can't even put together a couple of minutes of video to tell us how screwed we are.

Out with the Black. In with the White. New York Times: “Lester Holt, the veteran NBC newscaster and anchor of the 'NBC Nightly News' over the last decade, announced on Monday that he will step down from the flagship evening newscast in the coming months. Mr. Holt told colleagues that he would remain at NBC, expanding his duties at 'Dateline,' where he serves as the show’s anchor.... He said that he would continue anchoring the evening news until 'the start of summer.' The network did not immediately name a successor.” ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “MSNBC said on Monday that Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary who has become one of the most prominent hosts at the network, would anchor a nightly weekday show in prime time. Ms. Psaki, 46, will host a show at 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, replacing Alex Wagner, a longtime political journalist who has anchored that hour since 2022, according to a memo to staff from Rebecca Kutler, MSNBC’s president. Ms. Wagner will remain at MSNBC as an on-air correspondent. Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s biggest star, has been anchoring the 9 p.m. hour on weeknights for the early days of ... [Donald] Trump’s administration but will return to hosting one night a week at the end of April.”

New York Times: “Joy Reid’s evening news show on MSNBC is being canceled, part of a far-reaching programming overhaul orchestrated by Rebecca Kutler, the network’s new president, two people familiar with the changes said. The final episode of Ms. Reid’s 7 p.m. show, 'The ReidOut,' is planned for sometime this week, according to the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The show, which features in-depth interviews with politicians and other newsmakers, has been a fixture of MSNBC’s lineup for the past five years. MSNBC is planning to replace Ms. Reid’s program with a show led by a trio of anchors: Symone Sanders Townsend, a political commentator and former Democratic strategist; Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Alicia Menendez, the TV journalist, the people said. They currently co-host 'The Weekend,' which airs Saturday and Sunday mornings.” MB: In case you've never seen “The Weekend,” let me assure you it's pretty awful. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: "Joy Reid is leaving MSNBC, the network’s new president announced in a memo to staff on Monday, marking an end to the political analyst and anchor’s prime time news show."

Y! Entertainment: "Meanwhile, [Alex] Wagner will also be removed from her 9 pm weeknight slot. Wagner has already been working as a correspondent after Rachel Maddow took over hosting duties during ... Trump’s first 100 days in office. It’s now expected that Wagner will not return as host, but is expected to stay on as a contributor. Jen Psaki, President Biden’s former White House press secretary, is a likely replacement for Wagner, though a decision has not been finalized." MB: In fairness to Psaki, she is really too boring to watch. On the other hand, she is White. ~~~

     ~~~ RAS: "So MSNBC is getting rid of both of their minority evening hosts. Both women of color who are not afraid to call out the truth. Outspoken minorities don't have a long shelf life in the world of our corporate news media."

As we watch in horror the rapid destruction of our democratic form of government, it is comforting to remember there is life outside politics. I took a break a while ago to enjoy a brief lesson in the history of the moonwalk: ~~~

But it may go back even further:

And this chronological account is helpful:

New York Times: “Chuck Todd, the former 'Meet the Press' moderator and a longtime fixture of NBC’s political coverage, told colleagues on Friday that he was leaving the network. A nearly two-decade veteran of NBC, Mr. Todd said that Friday would be his last day at NBC.... Mr. Todd, 52, is the latest TV news star to step aside at a moment when salaries are being scrutinized — and slashed — by major media companies. Hoda Kotb exited NBC’s 'Today' show this month, and Neil Cavuto of Fox News and CNN’s Chris Wallace departed their cable news homes late last year.”

CNBC: “ CNN plans to lay off hundreds of employees Thursday [Jan. 23] as it refocuses the business around a global digital audience.... The layoffs come as CNN is rearranging its linear TV lineup and building out digital subscription products. The cuts will help CNN lower production costs and consolidate teams, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. Certain shows that are produced in New York or Washington may move to Atlanta, where production can be done more cheaply, said the people. For the most part, the job cuts won’t affect CNN’s most recognizable names, who are under contract, said the people. CNN has about 3,500 employees worldwide.... NBC News is also planning cuts later this week, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. While the exact number couldn’t be determined, the job losses will be well under 50....”

 

Contact Marie

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Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. — Anonymous

A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. — Edward R. Murrow

Publisher & Editor: Marie Burns

I have a Bluesky account now. The URL is https://bsky.app/profile/marie-burns.bsky.social . When Reality Chex goes down, check my Bluesky page for whatever info I am able to report on the status of Reality Chex. If you can't access the URL, I found that I could Google Bluesky and ask for Marie Burns. Google will include links to accounts for people whose names are, at least in part, Maria Burns, so you'll have to tell Google you looking only for Marie.

Monday
Apr012024

The Conversation -- April 1, 2024

 

The average observer, must now, after hearing defendant’s recent attacks, draw the conclusion that if they become involved in these proceedings, even tangentially, they should worry not only for themselves, but for their loved ones as well. Such concerns will undoubtedly interfere with the fair administration of justice and constitutes a direct attack on the Rule of Law itself. It is no longer just a mere possibility or a reasonable likelihood that there exists a threat to the integrity of the judicial proceedings. The threat is very real. Admonitions are not enough, nor is reliance on self-restraint. -- Judge Juan Merchan, expanding the gag order against Donald Trump ~~~

~~~ Jesse McKinley, et al., of the New York Times: “The New York judge overseeing Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial later this month expanded a gag order on Monday to bar the former president from attacking the judge’s family members, who in recent days have become the target of Mr. Trump’s abuse.... And although the ruling issued on Monday still does not apply to the judge or the district attorney, Justice [Juan] Merchan, granting a request from [Manhattan D.A. Alvin] Bragg’s office, amended the gag order so that it does now cover their families.” ~~~

~~~ Earlier. Kara Scannell of CNN: “The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Monday asked the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal trial related to hush money payments to expand the gag order to stop the former president from attacking family members of people involved in the case. 'To the extent that the original March 26 Order did not already prohibit this behavior, this Court can and should clarify or extend the Order to protect family members of the Court on the record described below, and should warn defendant that any future disregard of the Order will result in sanctions,' prosecutors wrote in a motion to Judge Juan Merchan.... 'None of defendant’s attacks in the past week consist of campaign advocacy. Instead, defendant has viciously and falsely smeared the Court and the family member for no reason other than the Court’s presiding over this criminal trial,' [prosecutors wrote].” The story has been updated to reflect Judge Merchan's ruling. ~~~

     ~~~ D.A. Alvin Bragg's filing is here. It begins, “Defendant's dangerous, violent, and reprehensible rhetoric fundamentally threatens the integrity of these proceedings and is intended to intimidate witnesses and trial participants alike — including this Court.”

Ben Protess of the New York Times: “... Donald J. Trump averted a financial disaster on Monday, reaching a deal that will spare him from paying a $454 million judgment in his civil fraud case while he appeals the penalty. The lifeline came in the form of a bond that will prevent New York’s attorney general, who brought the lawsuit that led to the judgment, from collecting the $454 million until Mr. Trump’s appeal is resolved. The attorney general, Letitia James, accused Mr. Trump of fraudulently inflating his net worth by as much as $2 billion, and a judge ruled in her favor.... The $175 million bond came from Knight Specialty Insurance Company, a California company that handles such deals.” Politico's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Rachel Maddow reported on-air that the CEO of Knight is "a big Republican donor."

Florida. Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times: “The Florida Supreme Court overturned decades of legal precedent on Monday in ruling that the State Constitution’s privacy protections do not extend to abortion, effectively allowing Florida to ban the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy. But in a separate decision released at the same time, the justices allowed Florida voters to decide this fall whether to expand abortion access. The court ruled 4-3 that a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion 'before viability,' usually around 24 weeks, could go on the November ballot.... The conservative-leaning court found that a 15-week abortion ban enacted in 2022 was constitutional. That ruling will allow a six-week ban enacted last year to take effect within 30 days.”

Georgia. Emily Shapiro of ABC News: "A driver rammed into the front gate of the Atlanta FBI office Monday afternoon and was taken into custody, according to FBI officials. The car appeared to try to follow an authorized vehicle as it was entering the gate, and the pop-up barrier was deployed to stop the unauthorized car, officials said.... 'Several of our special agents who were passing by apprehended the man after he exited his vehicle,' FBI Atlanta [said]. 'Currently, we are looking into both state and federal charges.'... The office is outside of Atlanta in Chamblee, Georgia."

Drew Harwell of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump’s social media company said Monday it lost more than $58 million last year, sending its stock plunging more than 25 percent only days after a highflying public debut valued it at more than $8 billion. The nosediving share price of the company — which uses the stock ticker DJT, for Trump’s initials — shaved hundreds of millions of dollars off both the company’s market value and Trump’s wealth, given that he owns about 57 percent of the firm. The new financial figures throw into stark relief the gap between Trump Media’s highly hyped investor-driven valuation on the public stock market and the reality of its business performance. The company said in a filing that its management had 'substantial doubt' it would have enough money to pay its debts as they come due, including those from promissory notes the company had previously issued.” CNBC's sad report is here. MB: Otherwise, it's a great investment.

Did Donald Trump spend Easter Sunday ~~~

(a) at the Evangelical Church of the Divine celebrating the resurrection; OR
(b) hiding fake Fabergé eggs for the grandkids' Easter egg hunt; OR
(c) typing out 77 angry tweets?

South Carolina. Ben Brasch of the Washington Post: “Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced in federal court to 40 years in prison for nearly two dozen financial crimes, the Associated Press reported Monday, 13 months after the former attorney was found guilty of killing his wife and son. Murdaugh, who is already serving two life sentences, pleaded guilty to 22 financial crimes in September. He admitted to laundering at least $6 million from individuals he represented in court, according to federal court records.”

Israel/Palestine, et al. Casandra Vinograd of the New York Times: “... thousands of Israelis ... began a four-day protest on Sunday night calling for early elections to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Many of them believe he has put his political survival ahead of the broader interests of the Israeli people.... Sunday night’s protest was one of the largest since the start of the war, but appeared smaller than the demonstrations at the peak of a wave of anti-government demonstrations last year, a wave that Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition survived.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Another Slow Gnus Day.

Say, here's an Easter surprise: ~~~

~~~ Donald Trump Doesn't Care about Jesus. Nick Robertson of the Hill: “President Biden and former President Trump shared starkly different Easter messages Sunday. Biden marked the holy day with a solemn message, while Trump lashed out at political opponents in an all-caps post on Truth Social. Trump went after the prosecutors organizing criminal cases against him, reiterating claims that federal special counsel Jack Smith is 'deranged,' calling Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg 'lazy' and lashing out against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The former president also hurled insults at the Department of Justice and 'crooked Joe,' in reference to the president. Biden, a devout Catholic, marked Easter with reminders of the story of Jesus’s sacrifice and with blessings. 'Jill and I send our warmest wishes to Christians around the world celebrating Easter Sunday. Easter reminds us of the power of hope and the promise of Christ’s Resurrection,' the president said.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: For Christians, Easter is the highest holy day of the year. It's a reverential celebration of the miracle of resurrection. For Trump, it's just another day of vicious attacks. ~~~

     ~~~ Oliver O'Connell & Joe Sommerlad of the Independent: “The Biden campaign seized on Mr Trump’s message, branding him 'feeble and confused' for 'spewing an unhinged all-caps tirade attacking America and talking about himself'.”

Besides railing on about how awful it was that President Biden hailed this year's Transgender Day of Visibility because it happened to occur on Easter, Republicans were also way upset that for today's White Holl Easter Egg Roll, Biden wrote “new rules” that disallowed overtly-religious themes to be painted on eggs in the egg-decorating contest. Chris Geidner, the Law Dork: “As NBC News reported: 'Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, a group that supports the White House Egg Roll, said in a statement, “The American Egg Board has been a supporter of the White House Easter Egg Roll for over 45 years and the guideline language referenced in recent news reports has consistently applied to the board since its founding, across administrations.”'”

Maya Boddie of Alternet, republished in the Raw Story: "On Saturday night, Trump launched into his fourth attack on [Judge Juan Merchan's] daughter Loren Merchan for her ties to a political consultancy, which he claims makes the case against him biased.... On Saturday night, Trump launched into his fourth attack on the judge’s daughter Loren Merchan for her ties to a political consultancy, which he claims makes the case against him biased. [The Post article included a photo of Loren Merchan.]... University of Alabama law professor Joyce Vance shared a screenshot of Trump's post via X, writing, 'You can't have a legal system with integrity & the ability to counteract you if you're a wannabe dictator. That's why Trump is trying to delegitimize our institutions.' Former FBI counsel Andrew Weissmann also reacted to Trump's post by suggesting that the court, '1. tighten the bail release conditions ASAP. 2. Warn that jail will result from threatening ANYONE while out on bail, or posting about witnesses, jurors, court or prosecution families. 3. Enforce- that is what it means to treat likes alike. The foundation of the rule of law.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Yet Another NBC News Fail. David McAfee of the Raw Story: "NBC host Kristen Welker is in hot water after a report in which she told viewers that Donald Trump's attacks against the daughter of a judge in the former president's criminal case are a 'reminder' that this is a 'deeply divided nation.'... Singer Bill Madden ... [wrote,] 'The fourth estate is having its 1930s Germany moment: At a time in our history when America is under attack from a deranged lunatic, Kristen Welker continues to pander in bothsidesism.... It is the failure of the free press that'll be the death of democracy.'"

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Palestine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Hamas war are here. ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here: “The Israel Defense Forces said Monday its troops have completed their operation at al-Shifa Hospital and left the area, following a raid that lasted about two weeks and targeted militants 'in close quarters encounters.' Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense, said emergency workers who arrived at dawn to recover bodies found that the hospital’s buildings were burned and shelled by artillery in a scene he described as 'tragic in every sense of the word.'... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government is facing growing protests as tens of thousands of demonstrators, including families of hostages, took to the streets for a second night Sunday, demanding fresh elections and calling for the government to secure the release of hostages remaining in Gaza.”

Comments Off
Sunday
Mar312024

The Conversation -- March 31, 2024

Say, here's an Easter surprise: ~~~

~~~ Donald Trump Doesn't Care about Jesus. Nick Robertson of the Hill: "President Biden and former President Trump shared starkly different Easter messages Sunday. Biden marked the holy day with a solemn message, while Trump lashed out at political opponents in an all-caps post on Truth Social. Trump went after the prosecutors organizing criminal cases against him, reiterating claims that federal special counsel Jack Smith is 'deranged,' calling Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg 'lazy' and lashing out against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The former president also hurled insults at the Department of Justice and 'crooked Joe,' in reference to the president. Biden, a devout Catholic, marked Easter with reminders of the story of Jesus's sacrifice and with blessings. 'Jill and I send our warmest wishes to Christians around the world celebrating Easter Sunday. Easter reminds us of the power of hope and the promise of Christ's Resurrection,' the president said." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: For Christians, Easter is the highest holy day of the year. It's a reverential celebration of the miracle of resurrection. For Trump, it's just another day of vicious attacks.

~~~~~~~~~~

Transgender Day of Visibility. Samantha Waldenberg of CNN: "Republicans are taking aim at President Joe Biden for proclaiming Easter Sunday as the Transgender Day of Visibility, though the two days only coincided this year by chance. The Transgender Day of Visibility, which was started in 2009 as a day of awareness to celebrate the successes of transgender and gender-nonconforming people, is held annually on March 31. The date of Easter, meanwhile, changes from year to year.... 'It is appalling and insulting that Joe Biden's White House ... formally proclaimed Easter Sunday as "Trans Day of Visibility,"' ... Donald Trump's campaign said in a statement. House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Biden administration had 'betrayed the central tenet of Easter' in a post on X.... White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement Saturday, 'As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American.... Sadly, it's unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful, and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit,' Bates said." ~~~

     ~~~ A Bible Story for Bible Mike. Marie: One of the better-known New Testament stories (though admittedly Trump may not have heard of it) is the miracle of Jesus' healing the Roman centurion's slave (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10). Most Christians interpret the story as evidence of Jesus' ability to heal at a distance. But most Bible stories, including this one, teach more than one lesson. This one is about inclusion as much as it is about another miraculous healing. The centurion's beloved slave -- a young man -- was likely a sex slave, historians say, and the people who observed the miracle would have known that. So not precisely trans, as far as we know, but not straight, either. In Matthew's telling, Jesus praised the soldier for his faith and said of the Bible Mikes who would criticize him, they "will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: "Donald Trump is presenting himself as the Man on the Cross, tortured for our sins.... In January, he put up a video on Truth Social about how he is a messenger from God, 'a shepherd to mankind.'... More and more, Trump is wallowing in his Messiah complex... Weaponizing his martyrdom, Trump is selling $59.99 'God Bless the USA' Bibles.... Just what the world needs: a soul cleanse with a grifter Bible, where the profits could well be going to pay legal costs in trials about breaking commandments -- bearing false witness to try to steal democracy, coveting a porn star, then paying the star hush money to keep quiet about the sex." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Trump has read neither the Bible nor the U.S. Constitution, which is packaged inside the Trump Bible. Slapping the Constitution in among a series of religious tracts is rather odd, only partly because Trump plans to undo or at least ignore it. The Constitution is such a secular document that it not only guarantees that the Congress will establish no religion, it does not otherwise mention religion. It does not mention God (or Christianity) at all. In fact, the U.S. Constitution stands in stark opposition to Old World governments of the day which centered on God-anointed, heredity monarchs imbued with the "divine right of kings." The Founders came from countries where top-down governance was the rule, yet they claimed in their preamble that "We the People" were the ultimate governors here.

** Nate White, a British writer, explains why the British don't like Donald Trump. For starters, "Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace -- all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump's limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief." Read on. Many thanks to Gonzo for the link. A much better holiday gift than a package of Peeps.

Joyce Vance, on Substack, on Trump's sharing an image of President Biden bound and gagged: "It's time for the people with authority ... to deal with [Trump].... It's time to stop letting him break the rules.... It's unthinkable, unconscionable for a former president to even intimate that violence against the current president is acceptable.... No one is saying Trump can't campaign or that he can't criticize Biden. What he can't do is suggest he should be kidnapped, knocked out, and bound in the back of a pickup truck.... So, where is the Secret Service? I hope they had a serious talk with the former president this afternoon. But his post is still up on Truth Social, which suggests that either they didn't or that, if they did, he didn't take it very seriously. Either way, that means something more is required."

A Globe-Trotting Trumpy Traitor. Beth Reinhard, et al., of the Washington Post (March 28): Richard Grenell, a former Trump administration "diplomat," "has carved out ... an extraordinary role ... in the three years since Trump left the White House. From Central America to Eastern Europe and beyond, Grenell has been acting as a kind of shadow secretary of state, meeting with far-right leaders and movements, pledging Trump's support and, at times, working against the current administration's policies.... Grenell's globe-trotting has sparked deep concern among career national security officials and diplomats, who warn that he emboldens bad actors and jeopardizes U.S. interests in service of Trump's personal agenda. In the process, Grenell is openly charting a foreign policy road map for a Republican presidential nominee who has found common cause with authoritarian leaders and threatened to blow up partnerships with democratic allies.... Grenell is in regular contact with the former president and his family, though it's unclear when or if he's acting on Trump's directions." (Also linked yesterday.)

Presidential Race. Tara Suter of the Hill:"Former Trump Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday said he is not voting for his old boss but left the door open to voting for President Biden. 'I'm not there yet,' Esper said after being asked by comedian Bill Maher on his HBO show, 'Real Time with Bill Maher,' if he would vote for the current president. 'I'm definitely not voting for [former President Trump]....'"

Presidential Election 2000. If you're old enough to remember the 2000 presidential election, you probably don't need this reminder: ~~~

Nate Cohn of the New York Times: Al "Gore would have won Florida, and therefore the presidency, if it weren't for the infamous 'butterfly ballot' in Palm Beach County.... After the election, many voters from Palm Beach claimed they had inadvertently voted for Mr. Buchanan when they meant to vote for Mr. Gore. This is clear in the data. Mr. Buchanan fared far better in Palm Beach County than he did on the other side of the county line. Indeed, Mr. Buchanan fared far better in Palm Beach County than any politically or demographically comparable area in the country. Mr. Buchanan also fared much better among Election Day voters -- who used the butterfly ballot -- than among absentee voters, who did not, a pattern not seen elsewhere in the state.... At least 2,000 voters who meant to vote for Gore-Lieberman ended up voting for Mr. Buchanan. All else being equal, that would have been enough to decide the election." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Cohn's written description of the butterfly ballot is even more confusing than the ballot itself. There are some images of the ballot in this Smithsonian Magazine article.

Melissa Burke of the Detroit News: "Michigan U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg suggested that nuclear weapons should be dropped on Gaza, which his office said was a metaphor to 'support Israel's swift elimination of Hamas.' 'It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick,' Walberg says in a video circulating on social media.... Walberg, a Republican from Lenawee County, also is heard in the video speaking out against humanitarian aid for those in the Gaza Strip.... 'We shouldn't be spending a dime on humanitarian aid,' Walberg said." MB: Yes, there's something definitely wrong with people like Walberg, yet Americans keep electing them to public office.

~~~~~~~~~~

Maryland. Peter Hermann & Danny Nguyen of the Washington Post: "Workers began clearing wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge on Saturday, officials said, with crews cutting massive steel trusses and hoisting them onto barges, part of what will be a long, complicated and dangerous effort to clear the vital shipping channel serving the Port of Baltimore."

Comments Off
Saturday
Mar302024

The Conversation -- March 30, 2024

A Globe-Trotting Trumpy Traitor. Beth Reinhard, et al., of the Washington Post (March 28): Richard Grenell, a former Trump administration "diplomat," "has carved out ... an extraordinary role ... in the three years since Trump left the White House. From Central America to Eastern Europe and beyond, Grenell has been acting as a kind of shadow secretary of state, meeting with far-right leaders and movements, pledging Trump's support and, at times, working against the current administration's policies.... Grenell's globe-trotting has sparked deep concern among career national security officials and diplomats, who warn that he emboldens bad actors and jeopardizes U.S. interests in service of Trump's personal agenda. In the process, Grenell is openly charting a foreign policy road map for a Republican presidential nominee who has found common cause with authoritarian leaders and threatened to blow up partnerships with democratic allies.... Grenell is in regular contact with the former president and his family, though it's unclear when or if he's acting on Trump's directions."

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: "Donald Trump is presenting himself as the Man on the Cross, tortured for our sins.... In January, he put up a video on Truth Social about how he is a messenger from God, 'a shepherd to mankind.'... More and more, Trump is wallowing in his Messiah complex... Weaponizing his martyrdom, Trump is selling $59.99 'God Bless the USA' Bibles.... Just what the world needs: a soul cleanse with a grifter Bible, where the profits could well be going to pay legal costs in trials about breaking commandments -- bearing false witness to try to steal democracy, coveting a porn star, then paying the star hush money to keep quiet about the sex." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Trump has read neither the Bible nor the U.S. Constitution, which is packaged inside the Trump Bible. Slapping the Constitution in among a series of religious tracts is rather odd, only partly because Trump plans to undo or at least ignore it. The Constitution is such a secular document that it not only guarantees that the Congress will establish no religion, it does not otherwise mention religion. It does not mention God (or Christianity) at all. In fact, the U.S. Constitution stands in stark opposition to Old World governments of the day which centered on God-anointed, heredity monarchs imbued with the "divine right of kings." The Founders came from countries where top-down governance was the rule, yet they claimed in their preamble that "We the People" were the ultimate governors here.

If you're old enough to remember the 2000 presidential election, you probably don't need this reminder: ~~~

Nate Cohn of the New York Times: Al "Gore would have won Florida, and therefore the presidency, if it weren't for the infamous 'butterfly ballot' in Palm Beach County.... After the election, many voters from Palm Beach claimed they had inadvertently voted for Mr. Buchanan when they meant to vote for Mr. Gore. This is clear in the data. Mr. Buchanan fared far better in Palm Beach County than he did on the other side of the county line. Indeed, Mr. Buchanan fared far better in Palm Beach County than any politically or demographically comparable area in the country. Mr. Buchanan also fared much better among Election Day voters -- who used the butterfly ballot -- than among absentee voters, who did not, a pattern not seen elsewhere in the state.... At least 2,000 voters who meant to vote for Gore-Lieberman ended up voting for Mr. Buchanan. All else being equal, that would have been enough to decide the election." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Cohn's written description of the butterfly ballot is even more confusing than the ballot itself. There are some images of the ballot in this Smithsonian Magazine article.

~~~~~~~~~~

Trump Stands for Violence, Lawlessness & Treason

Zach Schonfeld of the Hill: "Manhattan prosecutors and former President Trump are sparring over the scope of the gag order imposed on the former president in his hush money criminal case less than three weeks out from the start of trial. The former president has continued to direct his rage at Judge Juan Merchan's daughter in social media posts after Merchan this week refused to delay Trump's trial and approved prosecutors' request to gag him. In separate letters made public on Friday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's (D) office and Trump's lawyers argued over whether the gag order's language reaches the families of both the district attorney and the judge." (Also linked yesterday.) The Washington Post's story is here.

Richard Fausset & Danny Hakim of the New York Times: "Lawyers for ... Donald J. Trump and eight of his co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case asked an appeals court on Friday to take up their challenge of a judge's ruling that allowed the prosecutor Fani T. Willis to stay on the case. With their application to appeal, the defendants are once again pressing their argument that Ms. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, created an untenable conflict of interest by having a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case." (Also linked yesterday.)

Federal Judge Rebukes Trump. Shania Shelton & Rashard Rose of CNN: "A sitting federal judge on Thursday harshly criticized Donald Trump's attacks on the judge overseeing the former president's criminal case tied to alleged hush money payments, telling CNN that such statements threaten the viability of the American legal system. US District Judge Reggie Walton spoke with CNN's Kaitlan Collins ... in the wake of Trump's attacks on Judge Juan Merchan, which helped prompt the New York judge to issue a gag order on the former president earlier this week. It is unusual for federal judges to speak publicly, especially about specific political or legal situations. 'It's very disconcerting to have someone making comments about a judge, and it's particularly problematic when those comments are in the form of a threat, especially if they're directed at one's family,' said Walton, who has also faced threats, as has his daughter." MB: Ronald Reagon & George W. Bush appointed Judge Walton. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "Walton's remarks came as several federal judges in Washington appointed by Republican presidents have spoken with increasing urgency about Trump's disregard for historical facts and alarmed at his increasingly graphic and at times violent description of defendants prosecuted in the Jan. 6 riot as 'political prisoners' and 'hostages' who did nothing wrong." (Also linked yesterday.)

Chris Cameron of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump posted a video on Friday to his social media website that features an image of President Biden with his hands and feet tied together.... The video shows two moving trucks decorated with flags and decals supporting Mr. Trump. The tailgate of the second vehicle features the image of Mr. Biden.... Photos of trucks featuring similar images of Mr. Biden tied up have been shared across social media, and online vendors sell vehicle stickers with the image. Mr. Trump's promotion of the video featuring the image reflects the increasingly caustic and personal attacks that he has directed against Mr. Biden ... and it extends a record in which the former president features violent imagery on his social media accounts." The NBC News story is here.

John Annese of the New York Daily News: "The father and brother of Brian Sicknick, the police officer who died during the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol, blasted Donald Trump's appearance at a wake Thursday for slain NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller. Charles and Kenneth Sicknick on Friday both expressed condolences to Diller's family, but they said Trump's appearance, especially the press conference outside a Long Island funeral home, was nothing more than a highly inappropriate political stunt.... 'The fact is [Trump] states he's law and order but he sent a mob that ultimately ended up killing my brother. He has such a lack of self-awareness of what he does. He's using that officer's death as a campaign platform,' [Kenneth Sicknick said]."

Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump ... has made no public statements on Russia's detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been held for one year without formal charges or a trial.... Trump has consistently gone out of his way to avoid criticizing Russian president Vladimir Putin, and Trump himself routinely demonizes reporters with terms such as 'the enemy' and 'criminals.' His silence stands out among bipartisan condemnation of the detention and calls for Gershkovich's release.... President Biden's campaign slammed Trump for accommodating Putin 'It's shameful but unsurprising from Donald Trump, who has made it quite clear repeatedly he would side with Putin over the American people,' Biden-Harris spokesman Ammar Moussa said. 'This is the same guy who told the world he'd let Putin do whatever he wants to our NATO allies -- even if it meant more war and suffering.'"

The Appeal of the Bible Grift. Amanda Marcotte of Salon on why Trump's Bible-hawking works for self-identified evangelical Christians: "It's likely a selling point that Trump's version of 'Christianity' is void of faith and morality.... They can have the identity 'Christian,' and all the power that goes with it, minus the parts they don't like.... No tedious talk about 'compassion' and 'grace,' which only gets in the way of the gay-bashing and racism. And definitely no need to worry about that Jesus guy, with all his notions about 'loving thy neighbor' and 'welcoming the stranger.' Their new lord is Trump himself.... What Trump offers when it comes to Christianity is what he offers his followers in every other aspect: permission to stop pretending to be good people.... Over 40% of self-described evangelicals go to church once a year or less. Instead, as the New York Times reported, MAGA is basically their religion." Thanks to RAS for the link. MB: We had some discussion about this in yesterday's Comments.

Kathleen Culliton of the Raw Story: "Conservatives are advocating to repeal the U.S. Amendment that limits presidential terms, prompting President Joe Biden's campaign to warn an election year victory for ... Donald Trump could allow him to remain 'in office forever.' Biden-Harris HQ shared on X Friday an article from the American Conservative, a blog partnered with the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 policy initiative that calls for, among other actions, filling civil service jobs with Trump loyalists."

Marie: Looks as if Rudy wants to move to Florida to be closer to Trump (or, gosh, maybe because Florida bankruptcy laws are more generous to residents than are New York state laws): ~~~

~~~ Brandi Buchman of Law & Crime: "In a motion filed Thursday, [Rudy] Giuliani, who owes election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss $148 million for defaming them, asked a bankruptcy court in the Southern District of New York to let him keep his Florida condominium, valued at $3.5 million, as he fights the judgment on appeal. The former New York mayor's attorneys wrote in the 12-page motion that the recommendation by the Committee on Unsecured Creditors that he sell the home since declaring bankruptcy was premature.... The committee told him there was 'no legal basis' for him to keep the property. Giuliani does not oppose the sale of his property in Manhattan, however. That property could be sold so he could make his primary residence in Florida, he contends." MB: Rudy's Florida condo, like Mar-a-Lardo, is in Palm Beach. CNN reported in October 2023 that the Palm Beach condo was "placed under a federal tax lien by the Internal Revenue Service as he owes more than a half-million dollars in unpaid income taxes, according to a court filing."

Chris Hayes on how the Supremes use delays to help Trump and other Republicans. I imagine Chief Justice Roberts is the guy who controls the schedule. Maybe he should have to pay taxes on gifts-in-kind he has given to some of his favorite GOP friends. Or maybe the feds should just swoop in and arrest him for breaking the law on campaign contribution limits. Surely some of his gifts to Republicans are worth millions. (I'd be sad to see our Chief Justice being hauled down the marble steps of the Supreme Court building in cuffs):

Presidential Race

Tyler Pager & Dylan Wells of the Washington Post: "President Biden's reelection campaign launched a digital ad Friday aimed at supporters of Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination this month, part of a broader effort by Biden's team to win over Republicans who may be disinclined to vote for Donald Trump.... The ad features clips of Trump denigrating Haley during campaign rallies and telling reporters that he does not need her supporters to win." ~~~

Dana Milbank of the Washington Post: "The Very Stable Genius is glitching again. This week, he announced that he is not -- repeat, NOT -- planning to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He apparently forgot that he had vowed over and over again to do exactly that, saying as recently as a few months ago that Republicans 'should never give up' on efforts to 'terminate' Obamacare.... He surely can't be expected to remember what was happening at this point in 2020. 'ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE FOUR YEARS AGO?' he asked last week The poor fellow must have forgotten all about the economic collapse and his administration's catastrophic bungling of the pandemic. Or maybe he didn't forget. Maybe he's just hoping the rest of us will forget. In a sense, Trump's prospects for 2024 rely on Americans experiencing mass memory loss...." Read on. Milbank reprises some of Trump's -- and his party's -- recent greatest hits, and their plans for 2025.

Billionaires Back to Backing Butthead. Josh Dawsey, et al., of the Washington Post: "As hopes of a Republican alternative [to Trump] have crumbled, elite donors who once balked at Trump's fueling of the Capitol insurrection, worried about his legal problems and decried what they saw as his chaotic presidency are rediscovering their affinity for the former president -- even as he praises and vows to free Jan. 6 defendants, promises mass deportations and faces 88 felony charges. The shift reflects many conservative billionaires' fears of President Biden's tax agenda, which if approved would drastically reduce their fortunes.... 'The billionaire class is really threatened by Biden: These guys are about creating a dynasty of wealth for themselves, and hoarding it for their posterity, at the expense of everyone else in society,' said Steve Rosenthal of the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan think tank."

Meryl Kornfield of the Washington Post: "The family of labor activist Cesar Chavez sent a letter to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday, warning him to stop referencing the late patriarch in election campaigns or face potential legal action. The letter, signed by Cesar Chavez's eldest son, Fernando, reiterates the family's support for President Biden.... Julie Chavez Rodriguez, the granddaughter of the labor union leader, leads Biden&'s reelection campaign." ~~~

~~~ Ed O'Keefe & Fin Gomez of CBS News: "President Biden is set to be endorsed Friday by members of Cesar Chavez's family -- a mostly symbolic gesture, but one meant to send a signal to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's trying to invoke his own family's ties to the late union organizer and civil rights leader. Fernando and Paul Chavez, the sons of the late co-founder of the United Farm Workers, are endorsing the president on Friday, the Biden campaign told CBS News.... 'The bonds of affection and respect for a president who by his character and actions consistently reflects the genuine legacy of my father, Cesar Chavez,' Paul Chavez said in a statement."

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Georgia Voter Suppression, Election Interference. George Chidi of the Guardian: "Georgia legislators changed state election laws in the midnight hours of Friday, widening the criteria to challenge a voter's registration, removing bar codes from printed ballots and increasing the documentation local elections officials must produce to certify elections. The proposals will take effect 1 July, assuming the Georgia governor, Brian Kemp [R], signs the legislation into law. Voting rights groups expressed their highest concern about how Senate Bill 189 potentially expands challenges to voter registrations. Conservative advocates have been issuing large-scale systematic challenges to voters -- dozens or hundreds at a time in some districts, like Atlanta's Fulton and DeKalb counties. Each challenge under existing law has to be considered on its individual merits under current law, which can exhaust the resources of local election officials, voting rights advocates argue."

Iowa, Missouri. Mitch Smith & Catrin Einhorn of the New York Times: "A fertilizer spill in Iowa this month wiped out much of the aquatic life across a 60-mile stretch of rivers in two states, officials said, leaving an estimated 789,000 fish dead in one of the region's most ecologically devastating chemical spills in recent years. A Missouri official who surveyed the damage said that the banks of the Nishnabotna River had been lined with fish carcasses, and that dead fish were visible through the water.... The ... die-off started, Iowa officials said, when a valve was left open over a weekend on a storage tank at NEW Cooperative, an agricultural business in Red Oak, in southwestern Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, which learned of the spill on March 11, said this week that 265,000 gallons of liquid nitrogen fertilizer spilled into a drainage ditch and into the East Nishnabotna River, which flows into the Nishnabotna River and then the Missouri River. Iowa officials estimated that more than 749,000 fish died in that state."

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Israel/Palestine, et al.

John Hudson of the Washington Post: "The Biden administration in recent days quietly authorized the transfer of billions of dollars in bombs and fighter jets to Israel despite Washington's concerns about an anticipated military offensive in southern Gaza that could threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians. The new arms packages include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, according to Pentagon and State Department officials familiar with the matter. The 2,000-pound bombs have been linked to previous mass-casualty events throughout Israel's military campaign in Gaza."


Ukraine, et al. A Message to Congressional Traitors. Davis Ignatius of the Washington Post: "President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a stark message to Congress in an interview on Thursday as Russian missiles were pounding southern Ukraine: Give us the weapons to stop the Russian attacks, or Ukraine will escalate its counterattacks on Russia's airfields, energy facilities and other strategic targets.... The military has been unable to plan future operations while legislators squabbled for nearly six months. He warned that hard-pressed Ukrainian forces might have to retreat to secure their front lines and conserve ammunition.... 'We are trying to find some way not to retreat,' Zelensky continued."

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