The Conversation -- January 4, 2025
Marie: Here's one thing I like about the New York Times. You don't have to agree with their takes, but they do have takes, and they often are not shy about them: ~~~
~~~ Michael Shear of the New York Times: "... on Saturday, Mr. Biden will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 Americans, including some of the brightest lights of the old guard that Mr. Trump wants to tear down. In doing so, the 82-year-old outgoing president is sending an unmistakable message of support for a democratic order he has said is threatened by Mr. Trump's re-election. Among those receiving the award are HillaryClinton, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state whom Mr. Trump threatened to jail; Robert F. Kennedy, the assassinated senator whose son has embraced Mr. Trump; and George Romney, the late father of Senator Mitt Romney, the Republican from Utah who repeatedly rejected Mr. Trump's actions and philosophy." Compare this to the WashPo story linked earlier today; there's nothing wrong with the WashPo story; it adequately shares the facts, but Shear ascribes a purpose to the awards. Shear may or may not be right, but he gives the reader a key to the latch.
Emily Cochrane of the New York Times reports on the schedule of events honoring President Jimmy Carter this week.
Steff Thomas of the Hill: "President-elect Trump in a weekend rant turned his ire on the New York judge who ordered sentencing to begin next week in his hush money case, calling him 'the most conflicted judge in New York State history.... I never falsified business records. It is a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME!,' he wrote on Truth Social on Saturday morning, echoing his initial response. 'He created a case where there was none. Keeps a "gag order" on me so that I can't talk about how crooked he is,' Trump continued. 'The Fake News knows all about it, but they refuse to talk. He may be the most conflicted judge in New York State history.'" Et-cetera. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Of course Trump's rant -- which goes on -- is full of lies. Just these few sentences are falsehoods: Merchan bent over backwards to accommodate Trump & his entourage, the case was not brought by an arm of the DOJ, Trump did falsify business records, the gag order does not seem to be precluding Trump from talking about the judge, & the MSM has written thousands of words about the case.
On Board with the Biggest Grifter, Ctd. Ken Vogel, et al., of the New York Times: "Since his victory in November..., Donald J. Trump's allies have raised well over $200 million for a constellation of groups that will fund his inauguration, his political operation and eventually his presidential library.... It is a staggering sum that underscores efforts by donors and corporate interests to curry favor with Mr. Trump ahead of a second presidential term after a number of business leaders denounced him following the violence by his supporters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021." MB: Now you see why Ann Telnaes of the Washington Post felt compelled to quit her job (see story linked below).
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Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday won re-election to the top post in the House, salvaging his job in a dramatic last-minute turnabout by putting down a revolt from conservatives who initially voted to block his ascent. Mr. Johnson barely mustered the majority he needed to win re-election on the first ballot, with help from ... Donald J. Trump, who interrupted a golf game to lobby holdouts by phone.... The chaotic scene that played out on the House floor -- with three Republicans initially opposing Mr. Johnson and six more abstaining until it appeared he would lose before voting for him -- reflected the same divisions within G.O.P. ranks that had plagued [former speaker Kevin] McCarthy [R-Calif.]. It was a grim portent for Mr. Johnson at the start of the new all-Republican Congress, and for Mr. Trump as he embarks upon his second term with an ambitious and crowded agenda that will require his party to stay almost entirely unified." Politico's story is here. ~~~
~~~ Marie: The headline here is not that Johnson won the speakership but that Trump interrupted his golf game to help him out. It's true that in so doing Trump benefited himself nearly as much as he did Johnson. But still. What a sacrifice! Until Johnson loses the speakership, he will never be anything more than Trump's abused puppydog. Not a Congressman, not a father, not a husband, not a "Christian," not a person.
~~~ New York Times liveblog (January 3): "Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday salvaged his bid to win another term in a dramatic turn on the House floor after he won over a pair of conservative holdouts who initially opposed him, denying him the majority needed to prevail. As the vote was held open well past the point when every member had voted, Mr. Johnson huddled off the House floor with two of the three hard-liners who had refused to back him. Minutes later, they returned to the floor, and the two -- Representatives Keith Self of Texas and Ralph Norman of South Carolina -- strode to the center of the chamber and changed their votes, handing the Louisiana Republican the support necessary to win another term as Republicans stood and applauded. Ultimately only one Republican, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, held firm in his opposition to Mr. Johnson. The vote made for a tense and confusing scene on the House floor, after a clutch of conservatives initially withheld their votes for Mr. Johnson, only to later reverse course and vote for him." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
Maya Miller: "The far-right House Freedom Caucus released a letter following Johnson's victory making clear that its members' support for him as speaker is lukewarm at best. They only voted for him 'because of our steadfast support of President Trump and to ensure the timely certification of his electors,' the letter said, and they cast their votes 'despite our sincere reservations regarding the Speaker's track record over the past 15 months.'"
Luke Broadwater: "You saw at the end [of the vote (but before two holdouts changed their vote to Johnson)] several House Freedom Caucus members vote for Johnson to prevent [Democratic Leader Hakim] Jeffries from becoming speaker. If too many hard-right members had refused to vote at all, there was a danger they would accidentally cause a Democrat to be elected."
Annie Karni (an entry with Biblical echos): "And on the first day of the 119th Congress, Representative Nancy Pelosi wore flats." Pelosi recently had hip replacement surgery after fracturing her hip on a fall in Luxembourg during a Congressional trip.
~~~ Joe Perticone of the Bulwark made a helpful report on how the vote went down. He writes gems like, "Prior to the vote, Democrats cheered as the clerk read the notice that former Rep. Matt Gaetz would not be joining them."
⭐Felonious Don Is Still Felonious. Ben Protess & Kate Christobek of the New York Times: "A New York judge on Friday upheld ... Donald J. Trump's felony conviction but signaled that he was inclined to spare him any punishment, a striking development in a case that had spotlighted an array of criminal acts and imperiled the former and future president's freedom. The judge, Juan M. Merchan, indicated that he favored a so-called unconditional discharge of Mr. Trump's sentence, a rare and lenient alternative to jail or probation. He set a sentencing date of Jan. 10, and ordered Mr. Trump to appear either in person or virtually. An unconditional discharge would cement Mr. Trump's status as a felon just weeks before his inauguration -- he would be the first to carry that dubious designation into the presidency -- even as it would water down the consequences for his crimes.... That sentence, Justice Merchan wrote in an 18-page decision, 'appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow defendant to pursue his appellate options.'" The linked "decision and order" comes via the New York courts. The AP's story is here.
Marie: Some of you hardnosed cynics were speculating the other day that Trump's relatively decent statement in regard to the death of President Carter would soon be amended. Julie in MA informed us in yesterday's Comments that we're there. Here is a post Trump wrote (no big words so likely his own voice) on his failing social media site (artwork added):
The Democrats are all "giddy" about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at "half mast" during my Inauguration. They think it's so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don't love our Country, they only think about themselves. Look at what they've done to our once GREAT America over the past four years - It's a total mess! In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let's see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! -- Donald Trump
Trump's New Friend & Master of the Universe Knows Best. Mark Landler of the New York Times: "Elon Musk has once again set his sights on Britain, putting the country in the bull's-eye in the capricious world of his online obsessions. In a fusillade of posts that began before the new year, Mr. Musk moved on from his enthusiastic boosting of a far-right party in Germany to targeting Britain on multiple politically sensitive fronts.... He demanded the release of a convicted criminal and far-right agitator. He falsely accused the prime minister, Keir Starmer, of failing to go after child rapists when he was head of public prosecutions. He endorsed a post calling on King Charles III to dissolve Parliament and call elections to remove Britain's seven-month-old Labour government, a constitutional impossibility."
Now, Let Us Turn Our Lonely Eyes to Trump's Discarded Friend. The Question Arose, "Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio?" Stefanos Chen & Olivia Bensimon of the New York Times: "Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, was grilled for hours in federal court on Friday after missing several deadlines to hand over $11 million of his prized possessions to two poll workers he defamed after the 2020 election. Mr. Giuliani avoided, for now, being held in contempt of court -- a charge he has been threatened with at various times during the case and that could include jail time. But for most of his time on the stand, Mr. Giuliani frustrated the judge and the plaintiffs' lawyers with a spotty memory and vague answers that slowed to a crawl proceedings that were already bogged down in minutiae." Giuliani claimed not to know the whereabouts of his Yankee memorobilia, including a signed DiMaggio jersey that once hung over Giuliani's fireplace.
Aw, So Unfa-a-a-a-air! Kyle Cheney of Politico: "A federal judge has denied a Jan. 6 felony defendant's request for permission to attend Donald Trump's inauguration, despite a personal invitation from members of the Utah congressional delegation. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said Russell Taylor's 'unusually grave' conduct at the Capitol -- which included recruiting 'fighters' to descend on the Capitol, wearing armor, carrying weapons and helping others push past a police line -- did not warrant the 'immense privilege' of attending an inauguration.... Former Utah representative Chris Stewart, who wrote to Lamberth on behalf of three current members of Utah's congressional delegation, asked the judge's permission for Taylor to attend as their guest." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Stewart, in his December 6, 2024, letter to Judge Lambeth, does not name the "three other current members of the Utah congressional delegation" who would just love to host an insurrectionist whose actions against the U.S. Congress were "unusually grave." But assuming Stewart did not include Utah's U.S. Senators Mike Lee & Mitt Romney when he wrote, the gracious hosts, according to this Wikipedia entry, would be three of these four: Blake Moore, John Curtis (as of yesterday, U.S. Sen. Curtis). Burgess Owens & Celeste Maloy, all Republicans (of course).
Maxine Joselow of the Washington Post: "President Joe Biden will move Monday to block all future oil and gas drilling across more than 625 million acres of federal waters -- equivalent to nearly a quarter of the total land area of the United States, according to two people briefed on the decision.... Donald Trump, who has described his energy policy as 'drill, baby, drill,' is likely to work with congressional Republicans to challenge the decision. Biden will issue two memorandums that prohibit future federal oil and gas leasing across large swaths of the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska, the two people said. The oil and gas industry has long prized the eastern Gulf of Mexico in particular, viewing the area as a key part of its offshore production plans."
Maeve Reston & Rachel Tashjian of the Washington Post: "President Joe Biden on Saturday will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to a star-studded list of celebrities, donors and former politicians, bestowing the nation's highest civilian honor on some of the country's best-known names and others who were integral in securing the victory of Biden and other Democrats in recent elections. Several of the nominees are already thorns in the side of ... Donald Trump, in an indication that Biden is trying to cement a legacy and uphold institutions central to democracy. The honorees include 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, billionaire donor George Soros, actor Michael J. Fox and deceased titans of politics such as Robert F. Kennedy." The story includes the names of all of those who will receive the Medal of Freedom today. The ABC News report is here.
David Lynch & Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: "President Joe Biden's decision Friday to block the sale of U.S. Steel to a Japanese rival has ignited an imminent legal challenge, alarmed foreign investors and cast a shadow over the careers of several thousand American steelworkers the White House says it wants to help.... The president's decision, at least for now, leaves in ruins the corporate strategies of two giants: Nippon Steel, the world's fourth-largest steel producer, and U.S. Steel, whose products shaped the nation's buildings, bridges, autos and appliances. In the near term, the companies plan a legal offensive they expect will demonstrate that the government's review was distorted by the president's political needs. As he faced a tough reelection fight, Biden sided with David McCall, the president of the United Steelworkers union, who opposed the deal from the start and provided the president campaign help in several key states."
Roni Rabin of the New York Times: "Alcohol is a leading preventable cause of cancer, and alcoholic beverages should carry a warning label as packs of cigarettes do, the U.S. surgeon general [Dr. Vivek Murthy] said on Friday. It is the latest salvo in a fierce debate about the risks and benefits of moderate drinking as the influential U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans are about to be updated. For decades, moderate drinking was said to help prevent heart attacks and strokes.... But growing research has linked drinking, sometimes even within the recommended limits, to various types of cancer." The CBS News report is here.
Not Getting a Medal. Tracey Tully of the New York Times: "With less than a month to go before Robert Menendez, New Jersey's disgraced former U.S. senator, is scheduled to be sentenced for corruption, his lawyers submitted an emotion-laden appeal for leniency based on what they depicted as Mr. Menendez's hardscrabble upbringing, life of service and devotion to family.... As they did during Mr. Menendez's two-month bribery trial in Manhattan, [Mr. Menendez's lawyers] ... suggested that their client's greatest failing was being led astray by a conniving wife. Nadine Menendez, the former senator's wife, was charged with her husband with conspiring to trade his political influence for bribes of cash, gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz convertible. Her trial is expected to start next month." MB: If Trump can get off with an unconditional discharge, why not Bribable Bob?
Annals of Journalism, Ctd. Benjamin Mullin of the New York Times: "Ann Telnaes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist for The Washington Post, said on Friday evening that she was resigning after the newspaper's opinions section rejected a cartoon depicting The Post's owner, Jeff Bezos, genuflecting toward a statue of President-elect Donald J. Trump. In a brief statement posted to Substack, Ms. Telnaes -- who has worked at The Post since 2008 -- called the newspaper's decision to kill her cartoon a 'game changer' that was 'dangerous for a free press.'... David Shipley, The Post's opinions editor, said in a statement that he respected Ms. Telnaes and all she had given to The Post 'but ... not every editorial judgment is a reflection of a malign force.... My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another column -- this one a satire -- for publication. The only bias was against repetition.'" ~~~
~~~ Telnaes's Substack post, which is here, include an image of her draft of the cartoon.
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Louisiana, Isabelle Taft, et al., of the New York Times: "The man who plowed a pickup truck down a crowded New Orleans street early on New Year's Day, killing 14 people, had planned to use a transmitter to detonate two explosives he had placed near the site of the attack, the F.B.I. said on Friday. The attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who the authorities have said was inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, had placed both of the explosive devices on Bourbon Street, the famous stretch of bars and revelry that Mr. Jabbar turned into a scene of devastation on Wednesday morning. Neither of the devices went off, and the transmitter and two guns were recovered from the truck driven by Mr. Jabbar, who was killed by the police moments after his attack. It was not clear whether the devices had failed to detonate because Mr. Jabbar had not activated the transmitter, or because it did not work."
Nevada. Jacey Fortin, et al., of the New York Times: "The Green Beret who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel this week in Las Vegas and took his own life had written that he wanted to send a 'wake-up call' to the country, the authorities said on Friday. In notes recovered by investigators from one of his phones and made public on Friday, the soldier, Master Sgt. Matthew Alan Livelsberger, praised ... Donald J. Trump and wrote that 'our soldiers are done fighting wars without end states or clear objectives.'... Friday..., authorities disclosed that Sergeant Livelsberger, a veteran of several combat tours, had post-traumatic stress disorder and had written in a notes app on his phone that the country was 'headed toward collapse.' 'This was not a terrorist attack,' the note said. 'It was a wake-up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?' At a news conference on Friday, Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said that in the notes, Sergeant Livelsberger had gone on to 'explain a variety of other grievances and issues -- some political, some personal.'" The AP report is here.
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Honduras. Annie Correal of the New York Times: "Honduras's president threatened to push the U.S. military out of a base it built decades ago in the Central American country should ... Donald J. Trump carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants from the United States. The response by President Xiomara Castro of Honduras, in an address broadcast on television and radio on Wednesday, was the first concrete pushback by a leader in the region to Mr. Trump's plan to send back millions of Latin American citizens living in the United States.... Governments in the region rely on remittances from immigrants in the United States. They account for as much as 25 percent of Honduras's economy." Thanks to Ken W. for the link. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Here's a concrete example of Trump's making the U.S. less safe even before he assumes office.
News Lede
New York Times: "David Lodge, the erudite author of academic comedy and a wide-ranging literary critic, died on Wednesday in Birmingham, England. He was 89."
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Chris Hayes
"Chris Hayes: I Want Your Attention. I Need Your Attention. Here Is How I Mastered My Own."
There sure is a lot of drama queen syndrome in the voting rules of the HoR with the ability to change a vote to jump on a bandwagon or add another nail to a coffin.
Okay, this is my third attempt to post this. IMO, this is the stuff of nightmares. As I was reading this, all I thought of was myself, family and friends who get up every day to go to work. Meanwhile, there are others who are plotting to destroy democracy.
https://www.propublica.org/article/ap3-oath-keepers-militia-mole