The striking split screen as this week wound down — former president Barack Obama made his campaign-trail debut mourning the departure of decency and lawfulness from the White House just as President Trump called on the Justice Department to hunt down a nameless personal enemy — neatly framed the midterm dynamic.The prose is by... hmm... it says Philip Rucker...
That's with the "reader view" button pushed, but if I go back to the standard view, I see Ashley Parker and Philip Rucker...
I wonder what the Parker/Rucker division of labor was? That is, who tarted up the prose? Who turned up the saturation on the fall colors? Color us Trump. He's always had the color dialed up. Color him ORANGE! Yeah, that's a very fall color. Pumpkin spice!
The spike in Democratic enthusiasm....Spike my latte with nutmeg and clove.
The funeral for John McCain was as much a commemoration of the Vietnam War hero and senator-statesman as it was a rumination by official Washington on the existential threat of Trump.
All week, doubt hovered over the president about his intellectual capacity and fitness for office....Trump brings out the fall colors by being his usual self — orange — but he's got everyone else turning up the saturation — even though John McCain died that civility might live....
The Trump stories were all consuming....
The one-two punch of the Woodward book and anonymous Times column inspired Trump to take the extraordinary step of publicly defending his very mental capacity....
Obama came out of political hibernation Friday.... Even Obama, who until now had pulled his punches and studiously avoided mentioning Trump by name, found himself addressing his successor directly and forcefully. He called Trump a “symptom” of a dark turn in the nation’s politics toward bigotry, fearmongering, corruption, dishonesty and an erosion of institutions....
“This is not normal,” Obama said at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “These are extraordinary times. And they’re dangerous times.....”Yes, it's just fantastic to scare the hell out of people if it makes them vote the way you want. Everybody's Trump now. Everybody's orange. Because look, it worked for him, so let's all do it. Even though McCain — The Icon of Civility — died that we might all come together.
“The three Democratic pillars are raising wages, fixing health care and cleaning up corruption,” said Adrienne Elrod, a Democratic strategist. “But I just don’t think you can sugarcoat the fact that people are fearful of Trump, and if that makes them turn out to vote in record numbers for the midterms, then that is fantastic.”
This is not normal. These are extraordinary times. These are dangerous times....
Posts
92 comments:
All times are extra-ordinary - for the moment.
I'm sticking with The commentariat no longer determine public opinion theory.
“The three Democratic pillars are raising wages, fixing health care and cleaning up corruption,”
LOL!!!
"Barack Obama made his campaign-trail debut mourning the departure of decency and lawfulness from the White House..."
Bwahahahahaha
Obama prosecuted leakers and made his staff take lie detector tests.
Fuck these people. I hope to God the Republicans hold both houses, not just because that’s what I think is best for the country, but because I want to watch these clueless, self-infatuated mo-fos cry.
“The three Democratic pillars are raising wages, fixing health care and cleaning up corruption,”
The mighty Barry has struck out.
Anyway, all of this reeks of desperation. People who have never had a full-time job in their life are now getting good paying jobs with benefits. What Obama decries as "resentment" is, to a pretty huge number of Americans, "a politician who actually addresses my completely legitimate concerns as a citizen of the United States."
Obama’s reemergence on the political stage is a huge miscalculation by the Left. Just seeing the man strutting and preening, a Ben Sasse-level self-satisfied grin on his face is enough to get even the most lazy Trump voter off his couch and back into the voting booth in November. You’ll recall how many times Obama went to bat for a candidate or cause — think the Olympics, Brexit, the Maryland governor mini-me, Hillary for gosh sakes — only to lose and lose badly.
So for once I can say, Thanks Obama.
a dark turn in the nation’s politics toward bigotry, fearmongering, corruption, dishonesty and an erosion of institutions
Trump's platform is make America great again.
"He called Trump a “symptom” of a dark turn in the nation’s politics toward bigotry, fearmongering, corruption, dishonesty and an erosion of institutions...."
The three Democratic pillars are projection, hypocrisy, and lack of self awareness.
“The three Democratic pillars are raising wages, fixing health care and cleaning up corruption,”
It's Groundhog day.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. -Dickens.
Obama just flushed away a decade worth of leftie platform building. No more socialism, no more equalizing outcomes, no more forced virtue signaling, no more weaponizing the courts and the three letter agencies?
No wonder his batting average in endorsing leftie candidates is so poor.
“The three Democratic pillars are raising wages, fixing health care and cleaning up corruption”
So the Democrats are supporting TRUMP now?
Seems to me that President Trump has not been orange since about the time he took office.
I would call him a blonde now.
His hair is approximately the same color as our gracious hostess. Is Ann orange?
John Henry
I got a job this year, a good one with the defense industry, at age 67. Plus I'm working other jobs in the military sphere that pay decently and which I enjoy. I'm in excellent health. Mrs. Roughcoat is happy and we're going to take our first real vacation in several years. My older border collie took third place in a tough sheepherding trial. It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses.
Trump is president. Coincidence? I think not.
Hit it!
Another missive from Planet X. Not a pleasant place to visit but sometimes amusing to read about.
“The three Democratic pillars are raising wages, fixing health care and cleaning up corruption,”
LLR Chuck could not have said it any better.
Well played "magnificent" obama!
Was Barrack Obama a Trojan horse for the liberal agenda, ultimately bringing Republicans into most state and federal offices? And best of all, bringing us President Trump!
Or was he just an incompetent fool?
If a politician had set out to sabotage the Demmies from within, what would they have done differently?
I used to go back and forth on this though I never thought the motivation was important, just the results.
For the past 2 years I've leaned more and more to purposeful sabotage.
With his new fall campaign, it looks more and more like masterful, purposeful, sabotage. And, if not it has the same effect.
Well played, President O!
John Henry
There is far far too much economic prosperity and exposing the shenanigans of the establishment/deep state and holding up dem/lefty efforts to transform our society into a somewhat better Venezuela.
LLR Chuck and the dems and the lefties and the Never Trumpers are not just going to sit around and let you deplorables have your disgusting lower unemployment rates, blistering hot economic growth, rising wages, improving standard of living, exposing how the govt has been spying wholesale on its citizenry and weaponizing the govt against conservatives.
Oh no. They are not just going to sit back and continue to let that happen......
With his new fall campaign, it looks more and more like masterful, purposeful, sabotage.
"Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence"
Mallarme somewhere talks of a holocaust of orange and gold, for autumn.
God I can't stand Obama's smugness.
Congratulations, Roughcoat. I suspect that one of the questions they asked you and ask all their employees every day is "Do you know anyone else who is looking for a job?"
I will be asking people this week at IMTS how they are doing finding employees. I am pretty sure I already know the answer. It is difficult.
Google, Apple and half a dozen other big companies have done away with any degree requirement for any position at any level.
I ran across an article on "open hiring" This is essentially hiring whoever walks through the door. No resume, no references, no background check required.
Henry Ford practiced this policy in the teens and 20s and did pretty well at it:
Our employment office does not bar a man for anything he has previously done – he is equally acceptable whether he has been in Sing Sing or at Harvard and we do not even inquire from which place he has graduated. All that he needs is the desire to work. If he does not desire to work, it is very unlikely that he will apply for a position, for it is pretty well understood that a man in the Ford plant works.
-Henry Ford - My Life and work, 1923
An aside, the book discusses Ford's employment policies in depth and has a lot of interesting ideas, as well as a few that didn't work. One of the things Ford says is that he has never seen anyone with so bad a physical disability that they cannot be productive in some job at Ford and they got the same wage as anyone else.
This is not the article I remember but it does discuss the concept of open hiring and how it works.
https://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2018/09/06/what-is-open-hiring/
John Henry
Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence
It may be incompetence and it's pleasing to think so but it could also mean there is yet more evidence that the leftie agenda doesn't poll well right now. Better to steal what's working from your opponents and claim it as your own.
Thank goodness the orange pumpkin spice fad is fading.
Yes, it's just fantastic to scare the hell out of people if it makes them vote the way you want. Everybody's Trump now
The causality chain is completely backwards. We got Trump because the Democrats have been using fear as their main campaign tactic going back at least as far as Goldwater. Romney was the final straw......if Romney is an evil fascist determined to enslave Black people and oppress women....
The staggering level of corruption in his administration should be a lesson for every American. But, like the rapper in the previous post, he was "cool".
It will be interesting to see if Democrats can really get the turnout with the nonsense message they seem to be running.
What do they have except hate of Trump ?
Socialism ?
Even the LA Times called Kamala Harris' efforts a miserable failure in the Kavanaugh hearings, which have disappeared from the newspaper today.
Booker was a clown.
What else is there?
I thought Barack Obama was the dark turn in American politics.
Overheard at the New York Times editorial board...
The hacks and partisans are here for you.
Ah gentlemen, you know why we are here.
We've not much time, and quite a problem here
Listen to that howling mob of blockheads in the street!
A trick or two with employment, and the whole town's on its feet.
He is dangerous!
He is dangerous!
The man is in town right now to whip up some support.
A rabble rousing mission that I think we must abort.
He is dangerous!
He is dangerous!
Look Obama, they're right outside our yard.
Quick Anonymous, go call the New York Times
No, wait!
We need a more permanent solution to our problem.
What then to do about Donald of Queens?
Miracle wonder man, hero of fools.
No riots, no army, no fighting, no slogans.
One thing I'll say for him -- The Donald is cool.
We dare not leave him to his own devices.
His half-witted fans will get out of control.
But how can we stop him?
His glamour increases
By leaps every moment; he's top of the poll.
I see bad things arising.
The crowd crown him king; which the Deep State would ban.
I see blood and destruction,
Our elimination because of one man.
Blood and destruction because of one man.
Because, because, because of one man.
Our elimination because of one man.
Because, because, because of one, 'cause of one, 'cause of one man.
What then to do about this Trump-mania?
How do we deal with a reality show king?
Where do we start with a man who is bigger
Than McCain was when McCain did his maverick thing?
Fools, you have no perception!
The stakes we are gambling are frighteningly high!
We must crush him completely,
So like Nixon before him, this Trump must resign.
For the sake of the nation, this Trump must resign.
Must resign, must resign, this Trump must resign.
So like Nixon before him, this Trump must resign.
Must resign, must resign, this Trump must, Trump must, Trump must... resign!
Trump is like Jesus.
The dem strategy is to fill the channel Trump has occupied with noise.
It will be interesting to see if Democrats can really get the turnout with the nonsense message they seem to be running.
Fear has worked for them in the past. By any rational standard, Romney should have won in a landslide. He was the most qualified person to run for president in my lifetime. He is a man of integrity and a genuine nice guy. He was running against an arrogant asshole who was running the economy into the ground and dividing the country. But they managed to convince enough people that Romney was an evil fascist who was going to oppress women (binders full of women?) and enslave Black people.
Of course Romney is back to being the nice guy, especially if he takes on the McCain role in the Senate.
Is "Bumble Bee" Inga's latest handle?
“The three Democratic pillars are raising wages, fixing health care and cleaning up corruption,” said Adrienne Elrod, a Democratic strategist.
Except real wages did not rise at all under eight years of Barack Obama and are finally rising as a consequence of Trump’s economic policies, so I can see why Trump causes fear in the Democrat ranks.
Obamacare broke more healthcare than it fixed — ask any doctor about the user interface on the EHR system they are forced to use and get ready for an earful. And no party that runs Hillary Clinton for President is serious about cleaning up corruption.
Marty Keller:
No.
> "Do you know anyone else who is looking for a job?"
Heh. I got inquiries from Apple a couple of years ago, and I'm retired.
What the Trump bashers are missing.
“The people in that cathedral gave us $20T in debt, $800B trade deficits, 9/11, repeated wars in foreign lands, the hollowing out of our industrial base, disrespect for our institutions, disrespect for us as a people, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a foreign invasion never before seen in our history and racial tensions as bad as they have been in a long time. Screw em.
He’s an effect, not a cause.
Three pillars of Democrat party politics, huh? Let's see, wages under 8 years of Obama- stagnant. Under 2 years of Trump- highest in history. Healthcare under Obama- the disaster of Obamacare. And as far as corruption goes, the most "transparent administration in history" was actually the least, according to the same Democrat party members, and most certainly will be known as the most corrupt, destructive and unAmerican in history. So yeah, but Trump is so vulgar....
ask any doctor about the user interface on the EHR system they are forced to use and get ready for an earful.
Doctors are quitting rather than deal with it. I quit teaching.
Classical government contract product.
If Trump is an existential threat it is to the political status quo ante his election. I suppose this is also a threat to the livelihood of politicians that thrived in that time. Any danger - to whatever it is they cite - is brought by them, not Trump. He's done some great and extraordinary things during his 18 months in office, none of which is dangerous to me or the American people.
TDS is a shorter description.
-sw
The Globalists Dems only dog and pony show has been imitating conservatives. But no one can imitate DaTrump.
And what the bashers are really worried about. Their rice bowls. Which are now and have been for most of their lives full right up to the brim with the best rice on the planet. Rice that the rest of us paid for. While they call us names and send our jobs to China.
wages under 8 years of Obama- stagnant. Under 2 years of Trump- highest in history. Healthcare under Obama- the disaster of Obamacare.
I don't know where you get this shit. Wages are still stagnant under Trump, barely keeping up with inflation. There was a slight uptick this month to 2.9%, but that is still anemic.
And just wait til those 25% tariffs on i-phones kicks in.
Corruption is surveillance of journalist’s communications and using lie detectors on staff.
Obama was the first president in history to do this on a widespread scale.
Whose line is it, that "John McCain died that civility might live"? Is that Ann Althouse's literary invention? Weird.
I can understand that as an Obama voter in 2008, Althouse might have a jaundiced view of Senator John McCain. But I regard the fictionalization that "John McCain died that civility might live" as so overwrought, that I would apply our Trump Derangement Syndrome Derangement Syndrome tag to it.
Chuck, the McCain died that civility might live is an echo of Lincoln:
We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.
I would apply our Trump Derangement Syndrome Derangement Syndrome tag to it.
What do you mean OUR, white man ?
Yes, it's just fantastic to scare the hell out of people if it makes them vote the way you want. Everybody's Trump now. Everybody's orange. Because look, it worked for him, so let's all do it.
Democrats didn't decide to make Trump "scary" - an updated modern-day version of a Nazi tyrant. He did that all on his own.
You have a bad habit of changing grammatical verb voicing halfway through a paragraph. Trump capitalized on a political opportunity afforded him by the right-wing politics of outsourcing and aristocracy. He didn't cause those conditions. And Democrats didn't cause his completely immoral and un-American response to them, or the atrocious way he attempts, like the demented, forgetful man-child he is, to govern. They certainly didn't cause the completely natural and appropriate response most people, most Americans - and all Democrats and independents - have to this disgusting excuse for a man who claims to be president.
" even though John McCain died that civility might live...."
Ha.
You just wait for the Ben Sasse funeral in late October- that will be the nail in Trump's political coffin.
Trump's platform is make America great again.
According to the Democrats "America was Never that Great".
And what greatness there was.....Primarily due to immigrants, people of color, and of course, the greatest group of all...women.
"You just wait for the Ben Sasse funeral in late October"
I'd pay money to make that happen.
Well done, edh.
Does that make Obama, metaphorically, John the Baptist?
Paving the way for the savior to come. Not fit to tie Trump's shoelaces etc?
John was much more humble, of course.
John Henry
Here in Arizona, a Democrat PAC is running ads attacking McSally and Marquez-Peterson for voting to destroy Social Security and Medicare
This bullshit is from the 1960s playbook. They keep running the play because a certain percentage of vulnerable and not-so-bright seniors fall for it.
Don't expect the Democrats to change, except to push further leftward with the MSM providing cover.
Two-eyed Jack said...
Chuck, the McCain died that civility might live is an echo of Lincoln:
We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.
Oh I knew that much. Althouse was counting on readers to know that much. That is the literary construction. But the reference to McCain was not any writing from the New York Times or any other Trump-hating source, right? "McCain died that civility might live" was wholly and directly from the Trump-supporting Ann Althouse. Right?
Does that make Obama, metaphorically, John the Baptist?
Let's not lose our heads.
rcocean said...
"You just wait for the Ben Sasse funeral in late October"
I'd pay money to make that happen.
I made such a joke about Trump on these comments pages and the Trumpist nutjob "langford peel" suggested that I should be reported to the Secret Service. It's a pity that Ann Atlhouse didn't come along to apply her "The era of that's not funny" tag to it.
And of course among the myopically stupid and sometimes literalist Trump base, I never made any oblique offer of financial support for an assassination. I only said that I was looking forward to an opportunity to attend a Trump funeral, after someone else had wondered about who might attend, or blow off, Trump's funeral.
Diversitists offer, project their color judgments.
Because all of us Chuck detractors are just like Langford Peel. Chuck, do you ever get embarrassed by all your whining?
So Yancey Ward about our old bet; why don't you pick out a store that you deem safe in the Detroit area and buy me a 1750 ml bottle of Hendricks Gin and I'll pick it up. It's less than $100.
Chuck, it is up to you to find me a secure way to make the purchase. Over the phone isn't going to fly with me. You find me a secure web site that allows a pick up by you will do, but an address to mail a check will do as well. The ball has been your court for several weeks now- I have asked repeatedly and you have until today ignored them.
I made such a joke about Trump on these comments pages and the Trumpist nutjob "langford peel" suggested that I should be reported to the Secret Service.
That's because - in Trump's case - no one knows if its a joke. Trump's had more hate filled attacks and violent "jokes" made against him then any other POTUS in my lifetime, not to mention several assassination attempts.
However Sasse is so unimportant he probably gets zero death threats, except from people who hate pompous Ivy League blowhards. He's despised rather than disliked.
Sasse the asse.
“The three Democratic pillars are raising wages, fixing health care and cleaning up corruption,” said Adrienne Elrod, a Democratic strategist.
Did her lips fall off or did her nose grow?
In any case, once again, Chuck, here is my e-mail address twixella@aol.com. Here is what I am willing to do:
(1) A secure website that allows me to make a purchase that you can pick up in person.
(2) Any mailing address for a check.
This is only the 10th or so time I have posted the above comment on the bet.
My leftist friends are groaning. What with the return of Barack, Donald's tweets will write themselves! I'm anticipating a barage unseen since the Navy's Work on Iwo. Lovineveryminuteofit.
"Yancey Ward about our old bet; why don't you pick out a store that you deem safe in the Detroit area and buy me a 1750 ml bottle of Hendricks Gin and I'll pick it up. It's less than $100."
Chuckles,
That should last you through the Lions football game.
What will you drink tomorrow?
I hope that in six years people remember that it's cool for a former president to make speeches bad-mouthing the current president.
We keep being told a big blue wave is coming - odd then that BO felt the need to go out on the campaign trail.
Chuck said "'McCain died that civility might live' was wholly and directly from the Trump-supporting Ann Althouse. Right?"
Actually, I read it as Althouse's mockery of the original articles statement that "The funeral for John McCain was as much a commemoration of the Vietnam War hero and senator-statesman as it was a rumination by official Washington on the existential threat of Trump."
Washington Post reporters are pointing out that a man's life might amount to as much as 50% of the reason for his own funeral and passing it off as insight into the times.
Perhaps you should ruminate more.
"former president Barack Obama made his campaign-trail debut mourning the departure of decency and lawfulness from the White House"
You mean he mourned, like, using the IRS against groups he didn't like? Or hunting down leakers and throwing reporters in jail? Or whitewashing 30K violations of rules for protecting government documents and classified info? Or unleashing the CIA and FBI to run spooks at a GOP campaign? So, this was actually an apology for O's own misdeeds?
And speaking of decency, did he mention the norm that former president show decency by keeping their mouths shut?
“The three Democratic pillars are ... fixing health care"
“If there’s a blue pill and a red pill, and the blue pill is half the price of the red pill and works just as well, why not pay half price for the thing that’s going to make you well?” White House 44
Maybe Hillary will bring her own brand of magic to the campaign trail, if the money's right.
Wrong Freder a YUUUGE 2.9% increase in wages after adjusting for inflation. After adjusting. Hugest increase since the start of the recession under Bush.
"Chuck, do you ever get embarrassed by all your whining?"
Uh, no!
He whines because we have not prostrated ourselves to his superior wisdom, believe it or not.
We keep being told a big blue wave is coming - odd then that BO felt the need to go out on the campaign trail.
@Cacimbo, stranger yet that he felt the need to campaign in Illinois, one of the most incandescently blue states in the Union. Or perhaps he got confused between “campaign” and “Champaign,” the name of the town where he gave his speech.
Yancey Ward said...
In any case, once again, Chuck, here is my e-mail address twixella@aol.com. Here is what I am willing to do:
(1) A secure website that allows me to make a purchase that you can pick up in person.
(2) Any mailing address for a check.
Okay. Go to www.holiday-market.com. It is in Royal Oak, MI. They have a secure website. You can buy me a 1.75L bottle of Hendricks Gin there. I will pick it up at the store. Just give me the Order# when you have completed the order. The online form will tell you to select a pick up time. Use 7pm as a pickup time. On the instructions, just tell them that your good buddy Chuck will be picking it up.
750 people came out to see Obama
John Henry
That's like spinal tap playing kids birthday parties, Rucker is uncommonly foolish he wrote that silly 'the sleepers have awakened ' column earlier this week, summon the sentinels.
Somehow without knowing exactly what happens at the WH, common sense tells me the President who ran successful corporations might have a more orderly WH than the one who never ran anything besides a senate office and hired a van driver and fiction writer as senior advisors.
Reality is scary for them:
https://www.americanthinker.com/
There isn't enough outrage about this:
https://www.americanthinker.com/
I don't think any of trumps sympathetic officoals,would have said it
Its,like they are engaging in some consensual hallucination at the post, maybe using that stuff bill hurt used in altered states.
Now we may be cooking:
https://www.axios.com/trump-declassify-carter-page-bruce-ohr-documents-307ff599-df29-49db-ae01-a8b027908b12.html
"Obamacare broke more healthcare than it fixed — ask any doctor about the user interface on the EHR system they are forced to use and get ready for an earful"
Indeed; they've basically turned highly-trained medical specialists into typists.
Every time I see the line "Comment by Freder Frederson blocked" or "Comment by Inga blocked", I stop and wonder sadly what I am missing.
.
.
.
.
Oh who the F am I kidding, no I don't wonder!!!
Chuck,
Hendricks, really? It will do, if there's nothing better, but ... ... ... way too much cucumber!
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