Althouse: At Purple Café...

May 31, 2019

At Purple Café...

... you can talk all night.

71 comments:

Original Mike said...: In northern Wisconsin now. We were hoping for wildflowers but spring is 2 weeks late, according to the locals. The only thing we really saw blooming today is Barren Strawberry and Goldthread.; 5/31/19, 8:13 PM
narciso said...: You think you can get out:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/former-missouri-governors-new-military-assignment-prompts-navy-investigation; 5/31/19, 8:16 PM
Big Mike said...: I see that Trump’s predecessor is off bullshitting again. In Brazil he told people

"Some of you may be aware our gun laws in the United States don’t make much sense. Anybody can buy any weapon any time -- without much if any regulation, they can buy it over the Internet, they can buy machine guns."

No, they cannot buy a machine gun — thanks to Trump (and not him) you can’t even convert an AR the full automatic with a bump stock anymore. You can order a gun over the Internet, but it has to be legal (no rifle barrel shorter than 16”) and must be delivered to a dealer with a Federal Firearms License, and you cannot take delivery with passing a background check. Unless he’s talking about the Chicago black market in illegal guns, it is manifestly untrue that “anyone” can buy “any weapon” at “ any time.” Is he simply ignorant? Or is he a congenital liar? Probably need an “and” in there.; 5/31/19, 8:16 PM
narciso said...: This is Suzanne Benton from last night's link
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQzavPzaepEcKeAkSJocaj9YHsNVjoTbU-dE_MaiyKLYqnxFvh3; 5/31/19, 8:17 PM
Hagar said...: I do not see how a belief that a sitting president cannot be indicted would prevent Robert Mueller from concluding the president has committed acts constituting obstruction of justice if Mr. Mueller believed that to be the case. This is two entirely separate questions.
I think Mr. Mueller is blowing more smoke.; 5/31/19, 8:21 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: "He wrapped himself in quotations -
as a beggar would enfold himself in the purple of Emperors"-- Kipling

and there's probably more, but here's 35 to start with--

https://thefederalist.com/2019/03/08/35-key-people-involved-russia-hoax-need-investigated/; 5/31/19, 8:23 PM
JackWayne said...: If we finally have figured out how to create blood, it’s the biggest story of the decade; 5/31/19, 8:29 PM
JackWayne said...: When it comes to Dark Matter, I don’t know which is more amusing; the word vomit or the hand-waving.; 5/31/19, 8:31 PM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: Spot on, Hagar!; 5/31/19, 8:31 PM
Hagar said...: The MSM is full of dire predictions about the projected costs of "the Trump tariffs" to the U.S. economy. That assumes they will go into effect and remain so.
Trump says they will unless

Mexico does something effective to control its southern border.
Mexico stops facilitating the transportation of migrants through its territory.
Mexico cooperates in handling the assault on the asylum system.

Trump seems to have got the Mexican government's attention, so we will see what happens.; 5/31/19, 8:32 PM
Jaq said...: "Experts predicted an ice-free Arizona, and it may happen later this summer."

https://twitter.com/SteveSGoddard/status/1134432969504903174/photo/1

What’s really funny is that Twitter has somehow labeled the picture of snow remaining on a mountain in AZ as “sensitive content."; 5/31/19, 8:41 PM
gilbar said...: they're Finally doing something about stopping california's population loss!
Governor Gavin Newsom took a step Friday to support women’s rights to have an abortion and even indicated women can come to California to have one if they want.

And who says that Newsom isn't Pro-Business?; 5/31/19, 8:45 PM
effinayright said...: Stupid fuck Obama is apparently unaware that the homicide rate in Brazil is SIX TIMES higher than the US:

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/VC.IHR.PSRC.P5; 5/31/19, 8:54 PM
Andrew said...: (I posted that earlier in the comments to the rat cafe post, because I thought it was a real cafe.); 5/31/19, 8:57 PM
wildswan said...: "I’ve been studying this stuff for 40 years, and I’ve never been able to find a leader of the eugenics movement that came out and said they supported abortion,” Lombardo said."

In 1939 prominent eugenicists on the left published the "Eugenicists Manifesto" under the name "Social Biology and Population Improvement". (Nature. No. 144. 16 September 1939. pp. 521–522.) Among other points, these signatories expressed support for abortion as necessary means to achieve eugenic goals. Among the signatories was Theodosius Dobzhansky who became a Director of the American Eugenics Society 1964-73. He was Chairman Board of Directors 1969-75 when the Society changed its name to the Society for the Study of Social Biology.

Eugenicists Manifesto
"[as] a reply to the question “How could the world’s population be improved most effectively genetically?”, addressed to a number of scientific workers, the subjoined statement was prepared, and signed by those whose names appear at the end. ... A fourth prerequisite for effective genetic improvement is the legalization, the universal dissemination, and the further development through scientific investigation, of ever more efficacious means of birth control, both negative and positive,that can be put into effect at all states of the reproductive process – as by voluntary temporary or permanent sterilization, contraception, abortion (as a third line of defence), control of fertility and of the sexual cycle, artificial insemination, etc.
American signatories of the Eugenicists Manifesto
Theodosius Dobzhansky. American Eugenics Society and Society for the Study of Social Biology: Director 1964-73; Chairman, Board of Directors 1969-75
Herman J. Muller - American Eugenics Society Member 1930; American Society of Human Genetics, First President 1948
Bronson Price - American Eugenics Society
Arthur G. Steinberg - American Eugenics Society
Signatories who were Members of the English Eugenics Society
Julian S. Huxley First Director of UNESCO
F. A. E. Crew,
C. D. Darlington
J. B. S. Haldane
C. H. Waddington; 5/31/19, 8:59 PM
wildswan said...: I’ve been studying this stuff for 40 years, and I’ve never been able to find a leader of the eugenics movement that came out and said they supported abortion,” Lombardo said.

Prof. Carl Bajema
American Eugenics Society: Secretary 1969-72 Society for the Study of Social Biology Member 1974

Abortion and Eugenics: The Views of the former Secretary of the American Eugenics Society
From “An Interview with Carl J. Bajema” which was a telephone interview done by Marian VanCourt of the Eugenics Special Interest Group, (a subgroup of MENSA) on October 2, 1983. It was originally published in The Eugenics Bulletin, Fall 1983 and is now on the web at http://www.euvolution.com/articles/interview03.html

“VANCOURT: Do you think the Hyde Amendment [which prohibited DHEW from using Medicaid funds for abortions for poor women] has had an appreciable dysgenic influence?

BAJEMA: There are certainly a lot of unwanted pregnancies, and the Hyde Amendment makes it very difficult for women in the poverty category to obtain abortions. So, my immediate response to that question would be "yes". In my particular state, in Michigan, the state still pays for these abortions. But many states have refused to step in and pick up the costs. This had got to have an adverse effect in a variety of ways, including a dysgenic effect.
...
First, it's very important for anyone who supports eugenics to also support Planned Parenthood and various abortion rights groups. Second, it is crucial to support sex education and contraceptive education in the schools. Third, we need to counter the fundamentalists' attack on the teaching of evolution. And fourth, there's the controversy going on with respect to the teaching of values which concerns us. What is called "values clarification" helps students learn about different ways of viewing an act in terms of both personal consequences and social consequences. An extreme right-wing faction wants to force this out of the schools.
Eugenics is not independent of these controversies, because depending on how some of them go, it could be extremely difficult to discuss eugenics in the schools, and to develop a national policy with respect to eugenics.”; 5/31/19, 9:00 PM
JackWayne said...: If cattle can be improved this much though eugenics, can human cattle be far behind?; 5/31/19, 9:02 PM
gilbar said...: the funniest part is at 1:14

that Is funny!
"you said you were a native american on your texas bar license, and your college application for harvard?
"Yeah"
"why did you do that?"
"Well, it's what i was told; but it never made a difference to any of my jobs"

it never made a difference! She was hailed as the ONLY person of color at harvard law; BUT IT NEVER MADE A DIFFERENCE! She put it on her documents, but it never made a difference!; 5/31/19, 9:06 PM
gilbar said...: and I’ve never been able to find a leader of the eugenics movement that came out and said they supported abortion

It's Amazing what you can Not find; if you don't look!; 5/31/19, 9:08 PM
Andrew said...: Trump tweeted: "I will be announcing my Second Term Presidential Run with First Lady Melania, Vice President Mike Pence, and Second Lady Karen Pence."

I'm a little surprised, because that indicates Pence will remain VP. I thought it was possible Trump would shake things up by choosing someone else. I like Pence, but he's definitely under the radar most of the time. Maybe that's what Trump prefers. I wish he had a VP that was more confrontational against the Dems and the news media.; 5/31/19, 9:09 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: Remember Farkas and her slip-up?
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/03/29/updates-who-is-evelyn-farkas-and-why-did-she-spill-the-beans-on-obamas-secret-surveillance-operation/

...and Mad Maxine and hers?
Maxine Waters revealed Obama’s ‘secret database’ that had ‘everything on everyone’
https://www.conservativeinstitute.org/privacy/domestic-surveillance/maxine-waters-obama-database.htm

...and this?
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/05/28/the-secret-research-project-an-irs-list-an-nsa-database-and-resulting-files-on-americans/

...not a smidgen; 5/31/19, 9:09 PM
David Duffy said...: "they're Finally doing something about stopping california's population loss!
Governor Gavin Newsom took a step Friday to support women’s rights to have an abortion and even indicated women can come to California to have one if they want."

The California Legislature will figure out a way for the taxpayer to pay for the travel, abortion, and hotel for the young lady who travels to California to get her procedure. That will be called compassion and doing the right thing. There will be a tax break to the business that gets the government funding for helping women (and now men) who want to throw away their children. Those (men and women and the other QTTMSR sex types) who have the blessing of giving birth will be considered brave and will need taxpayer support for their courage.; 5/31/19, 9:09 PM
Jaq said...: We gonna pomp you up; 5/31/19, 9:10 PM
rcocean said...: "Governor Gavin Newsom took a step Friday to support women’s rights to have an abortion and even indicated women can come to California to have one if they want."

Not only that. But since California is a Sanctuary state anyone from anywhere in the world can come to LA or SF and have an abortion - for free! And soon, "abortion vans" will be leaving from California to give women free abortions.

Whether its illegal aliens, streets full of shit, or abortion, California is now the "Golden State". And you can thank Immigration and the Chamber of Commerce!; 5/31/19, 9:18 PM
rcocean said...: Some of the business types in California are now crying about taxes and "socialism". Y'see all that immigration was A-OK when it put $$ in their pocket, but it seems all the sainted "Natural Conservatives" from Mexico and Overseas are really "natural socialists". Who would've thunk it.

Just coming attractions for the rest of the USA.; 5/31/19, 9:21 PM
StephenFearby said...: Since AA likes to read (interesting) transcripts, I thought this one might be particularly tasty.

CBS has aired various snippets of Jan Crawford's recent lengthy interview of William Barr in Alaska, but snippets don't fully capture the breadth of his insights about why certain FBI and DOJ officials may have strayed from exercising their powers according to the book.

The guy oozes gravitas in a masterful way. I think he's the real deal and by the time he leaves the DOJ will probably receive the medal of national treasure with oak leaf clusters.

"In an exclusive interview CBS News' Jan Crawford pressed the attorney general on a number of issues from obstruction to his new review of the Russia investigation."

(In response, he educates Crawford's ass in a very polite way.)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/william-barr-interview-full-transcript-cbs-this-morning-jan-crawford-exclusive-2019-05-31/; 5/31/19, 9:30 PM
Francisco D said...: I thought it was possible Trump would shake things up by choosing someone else. I like Pence, but he's definitely under the radar most of the time.

Yes. The presumptive 2024 nominee is the VP. Pence does not play well on the big stage and he is a senator/VP and mostly useless.

Nikki Haley anyone?; 5/31/19, 9:34 PM
narciso said...: Because hes a professing Christian, now haley is an unknown quality at the national level, South Carolina is still solidly red while Indiana is a necessary swing state; 5/31/19, 9:40 PM
Browndog said...: Billions annually, are the profits from the Mexican cartels from trafficking drugs and slaves into America.

Look for the first, loudest, and most powerful in America to see who is on their payroll.

Chuck Grassley was the first to condemn the proposed 5% tariff yesterday.

Today, the known communist Mexican President Obrador said this:

(Trump)"is turning the United States, overnight, from a country of brotherly love for immigrants from around the world, to a bolted space, where there’s stigmatizing, mistreatment, abuse, persecution, and a denial of the right to justice to those who seek — with sacrifice and hard work — to live free from misery.”; 5/31/19, 9:51 PM
Heartless Aztec said...: UFO's - they're real and they're here and apparently trolling the United Stars Navy.; 5/31/19, 9:52 PM
Big Mike said...: I see that Comey is being sued by multiple female FBI agents over allegations of sex discrimination. @Michael K., if it’s not asking too much, could you ask Kate what that’s about?; 5/31/19, 9:53 PM
narciso said...: I guess Robin gritz wasnt the only one who complained.; 5/31/19, 9:56 PM
wildswan said...: American and English eugenics survived as organized and effective entities despite the stigma attached to eugenics after the Nazi debacle. The main reason their survival is that the two national eugenics societies in England and America were recruiting members from all groups of supporters of eugenics whereas the German national eugenic society expelled those who disagreed with the leadership. As a result when eugenics of the Nazi kind failed there was no alternative version in Germany whereas there were other versions available in England and America. In particular, the societies in England and America, both contained from the time they were organized left members who has always supported birth control and many of whom supported abortion. After World War II these left members rose to power within the the two societies and began to advance the legalization of contraception and abortion as part of the agenda of the eugenic societies instead of as the agenda of individual members. At the same time, a conscious decision was made to work for eugenic goals under other names and through front groups such as Planned Parenthood. Margaret Sanger is an example of a member who worked in the Thirties and saw her agenda taken up by the Society as whole after World war II and her organization used as a front group.

The historians cited by Wapo do not deal with these facts and these developments because they do not actually know who was a eugenics society member other than a few well-known figures of the Thirties such as Harry Laughlin, Benedict Davenport and Hitler. And so they define eugenics as what the small group they are aware of did in the short time they are aware of. And then these historians argue that everything outside that circle is not eugenics. The fact is that that members of the American Eugenics Society founded Planned Parenthood and Planned Parenthood has redefined the meaning of human being, brought in abortion, and then killed millions by abortion, a disproportionate number of whom are minorities. Killing minorities was a eugenic goal and a group founded by eugenicists is killing minorities. But historians of the period before this happened say it didn't happen in the period they study which is before it happened. And historians of the era in which it happened are incapable, as far as I can discern, of asking whether the disproportionate killing of minority children was intentional - whether that is, concern for women's choice was a smokescreen for racism. They are too fragile, I guess, to think they've been tricked.

N.B. I am a great admirer of Paul Lombardo and am still reading Leonard's book with great interest. But their expertise is more limited than the Wapo makes it out to be. It is concentrated on early eugenics and, in that time frame, on the eugenic initiatives advanced by those in leadership positions. But those promoting birth control and abortion were in the two societies from the start and their position had a name - negative eugenics. It gained influence steadily and was adopted after World War II as the policy of the leadership. For years, the IPPF had its headquarters in the basement of the headquarters of the English Eugenics Society at Eccleston Square.; 5/31/19, 10:01 PM
Michael K said...: . @Michael K., if it’s not asking too much, could you ask Kate what that’s about?

The last time I mentioned him to Kate she thought he was very "nice."

Most of this stuff happened in the DC headquarters, I think. There are thousand of agents that have no contact with the rot in DC,; 5/31/19, 10:08 PM
Michael K said...: Pence does not play well on the big stage and he is a senator/VP and mostly useless.
His surrender to the boycott in Indiana was shameful but I doubt Trump wants a diversion next year.; 5/31/19, 10:10 PM
narciso said...: There apparently was some effort to recruit some of pence's staff by deep state officials

I was intrigued by trent telenko (who I remember from winds of xhange) pointing out the anti MacArthur bias in "harms way'; 5/31/19, 10:13 PM
effinayright said...: gilbar said...
and I’ve never been able to find a leader of the eugenics movement that came out and said they supported abortion

It's Amazing what you can Not find; if you don't look!

**********

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 By Mollie Hemingway
Five years ago, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said the most fascinating thing in a candid interview with Sunday New York Times Magazine reporter Emily Bazelon:

"Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of."

https://thefederalist.com/2014/09/24/ruth-bader-ginsburg-really-wants-poor-people-to-stop-having-babies/; 5/31/19, 10:15 PM
wildswan said...: I think you guys are underestimating Mike Pence. He grasped what Trump was doing early on and is working to support that. He's also understands that undercutting this particular President in this particular situation is not an option. And I think he sees that no one knows what the situation will be in 2024. Us deplorables, we might all be in jail. Or Google and Wapo might be no more. Support Trump and see what happens is the smart move.; 5/31/19, 10:18 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: @Dr. K
nice vid the other day Re: Hawaii race-- must have been a gratifying experience for all.
We never raced the Great Lakes-- just Lake St. Clair on occasions.
We did some pleasure in the caribbean and raced around Long Island on FAZISI that crazy Russian Volvo Round The World boat by Murnikov-- quite a storied boat-- maybe you raced against it in a Mackinac race-- it was at a chicago yacht club before coming east. It may be up for sail if you are looking to buy a piece of yachting history/throw $$ into a money pit.
Soviet made- aluminum hull-- in drydock the welders were baffled at the composition-- must have been made w melted down MiG's; 5/31/19, 10:22 PM
William said...: Wars more often than not don't work out as planned. However, the threat of war is sometimes effective. WWI versus MAD. Just so with trade wars. I don't think a trade war with China or Mexico will work in our favor, but the threat of such might be effective.....As we move past the centennial of WWI, it might be useful reflect that rational actors don't always act in their rational self interest.; 5/31/19, 10:29 PM
Narr said...: Right, Suzanne Benton. Good genes.

Narr
Really good; 5/31/19, 10:33 PM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: Weren't we supposed to see the new IG report in May?

20 minutes left..; 5/31/19, 10:35 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Blogger Hagar said...
“I do not see how a belief that a sitting president cannot be indicted would prevent Robert Mueller from concluding the president has committed acts constituting obstruction of justice if Mr. Mueller believed that to be the case. This is two entirely separate questions.
I think Mr. Mueller is blowing more smoke.”

Andrew McCarthy: The Mueller Investigation Was Always an Impeachment Probe.

His theory is somewhat similar to the one I have been pushing, that the reason that the Mueller team refused to determine whether or not Trump had engaged in law breaking, ignoring that OLC said that he couldn’t be indicted until he left office, is that that was the only way that they could their dirt and their extremely aggressive Obstruction theory before the American people, and to help the House Dems with their impeachment case was to not make this determination (which, of course, violated DoJ rules and regulations - which the Mueller prosecutors didn’t feel bound by). If they did make a determination about law breaking, they either would have exonerated Trump utilizing the DoJ/OLC/Barr statutory interpretation, or they would have found law breaking on the part of Trump utilizing the Weissman/Witte standard that 5hey cover in Part 2 of the Mueller Report. But then AG Barr could reasonably ask, WTF? Who made them god? Who exempted them from following OLC interpretations of laws and DoJ rules about discussing evidence against uncharged individuals? And since this standard was enunciated by Barr just under a year ago, in his memo to DAG Rosenstein, this was one pissing contest they were going to lose. And lose badly with Barr now being AG, and, thus, their boss. Mueller is on record stating that the OLC opinion on not indicting sitting Presidents didn’t affect the decision not to make a determination of wrong doing, which makes sense, because the purpose of Part 2, from the beginning, was to help the House Dems prepare articles of Impeachment, and deciding either way would have made that much harder. (And this is part of what AG Barr was talking about when he said that DoJ doesn’t investigate for Congress - they have their own staff for that).; 5/31/19, 10:59 PM
mockturtle said...: Andrew observes: I like Pence, but he's definitely under the radar most of the time.

All VPs are 'under the radar'. That's what's expected of them.; 5/31/19, 11:05 PM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: Blogger StephenFearby said...
Since AA likes to read (interesting) transcripts, I thought this one might be particularly tasty.

Thanks for that link!

I continue to be very impressed with Barr.

And it's good to know officially that Huber isn't doing anything.; 5/31/19, 11:12 PM
Jupiter said...: Resolved; that the Universities have become utterly corrupt. Which is to say, that they have gone from being institutions with a purpose, for which they raised funds, to being institutions with a purpose, which is to raise funds.; 5/31/19, 11:39 PM
mockturtle said...: Which is to say, that they have gone from being institutions with a purpose, for which they raised funds, to being institutions with a purpose, which is to raise funds.

Rather like hospitals.; 5/31/19, 11:42 PM
narciso said...: This is michels law of oligarchy, organizayind end up only perpetuating themselves; 5/31/19, 11:47 PM
JackWayne said...: “Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.” ― Eric Hoffer.

More pithy.; 5/31/19, 11:52 PM
eddie willers said...: The Barr transcript posted upstream

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/william-barr-interview-full-transcript-cbs-this-morning-jan-crawford-exclusive-2019-05-31/

Holy Crap! Read the second half. There's some folks needs to be lawyering up.; 5/31/19, 11:58 PM
Narayanan said...: ...As we move past the centennial of WWI, it might be useful reflect that rational actors don't always act in their ..

Do we know yet what is
an individual's rational self interest?

Asking for Ayn Rand.; 5/31/19, 11:59 PM
mockturtle said...: Re eddie willers' link: Barr: Sometimes people can convince themselves that what they're doing is in the higher interest, the better good. They don't realize that what they're doing is really antithetical to the democratic system that we have."

This sums up the Left pretty accurately in a much broader sense than just the FBI.; 6/1/19, 12:25 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: I'm a little tired of Mueller nonsense. I'm not saying I'm bailing on Barr, just lowering my expectations.

At the end of the day, it could be this:

Hillary didn't get indicted
Trump didn't get indicted
Brennan didn't get indicted
Comey didn't get indicted

And life goes on.....

The most important thing is to re-elect Trump. In my opinion, he has earned it.; 6/1/19, 12:59 AM
Big Mike said...: All VPs are 'under the radar'. That's what's expected of them.

@mockturtle, not completely true. Some presidents have used their VPs to slam the opposition (Spiro Agnew). But Trump relishes that role himself.; 6/1/19, 3:13 AM
stevew said...: The Barr transcript posted upstream

Lots of interesting nuggets in this discussion. One that stands out to me is when Barr says the Summary he put out was necessitated by the failure of Mueller and his team to highlight the parts of his 400 page report that needed to be redacted (grand jury details). This forced a delay in releasing the full report and caused all the speculation in the press about what Mueller did or did not find. Speculation and misinterpretation that Mueller was upset about. Right. Mueller is no dummy, this is exactly what he wanted to happen. His press event the other day was also intended to manipulate the narrative against Trump.

Love that Barr forced a joint memo clarifying what Mueller and the investigation did, i.e.; refused to make a determination on obstruction, following the Mueller press event.; 6/1/19, 5:17 AM
tim maguire said...: It looks like George Will is trying to rescue his tattered reputation. No mention of Trump, but at least he’s decided to support a conservative idea again.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/opinions/george-will-is-the-individual-obsolete/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.1786be625aae

Sorry, I don’t know why the embed wouldn’t work and got tired of trying to figure it out.; 6/1/19, 5:20 AM
Jaq said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/1/19, 5:22 AM
gilbar said...: mockturtle said...
All VPs are 'under the radar'. That's what's expected of them.

Well, MOST are; i can think of one, around 1804 or so; that wasn't under the radar At All!

of course; in the immortal words of S E Hinton: That was Then.. This is Now; 6/1/19, 5:27 AM
rehajm said...: Barr should poop or stand up.; 6/1/19, 5:28 AM
Andrew said...: "All VPs are 'under the radar'. That's what's expected of them."

Spiro Agnew? Taking on the "nattering nabobs of negativism"?

Heck, Nixon himself, as VP. The kitchen debate with Khrushchev, etc.

Teddy Roosevelt?; 6/1/19, 7:20 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: “Lots of interesting nuggets in this discussion. One that stands out to me is when Barr says the Summary he put out was necessitated by the failure of Mueller and his team to highlight the parts of his 400 page report that needed to be redacted (grand jury details).”

AG Barr called some of Mueller’s problems here “staff driven”, which is a reference to Mueller’s stable of rabid Dem partisan hacks, led by the execrable Andrew Weissman. Barr asked specifically for the grand jury testimony be highlighted when the report was given to him. It wasn’t, and I think that decision, that insubordination, was by Mueller’s staff, and not by Mueller himself. They were stalling and delaying. Barr outflanked them by releasing his four page summary that mostly just gave the bottom lines of no collusion and no obstruction. Which dominated the news cycle until they got done what they had been ordered to do up front, but didn’t.; 6/1/19, 7:36 AM
Andrew said...: By the way, concerning VP's, I do realize under the circumstances that having a Trump-lite VP might not work. Trump may indeed be better served by someone like Pence who doesn't steal Trump's limelight. I do wish Pence would assert himself a little more, but perhaps that would have unintended consequences. I do wonder, however, if Trump is grooming someone else to carry out his agenda once his 2 terms (please God) are over. Someone like Dan Crenshaw. And perhaps that person shouldn't be VP. While Trump is sui generis, the work he's begun will take a long time to finish, even without opposition from Dems and their media allies.

Add me to the list of people blown away by Barr. It's amazing to watch the reaction of liberals to his interview, slandering such an exemplary man. I'm keeping hope alive that justice will be done. If anyone can pull that off, Barr seems to be the right person. I don't mind him taking the time to get all his ducks in a row. This scandal could have global implications.; 6/1/19, 7:39 AM
Hagar said...: Mike Pence speaks like a politician, and indeed like a parody of a politician speaking.; 6/1/19, 8:10 AM
Ralph L said...: Barr Transcript; 6/1/19, 8:11 AM
Hagar said...: Trump would be better off with a V-P candidate that sounded more like a living human being, besides which we really need some younger people at the top levels.; 6/1/19, 8:20 AM
narciso said...: Like Paul Ryan he was t 1000 model, I called him Eddie haskell.; 6/1/19, 8:43 AM
Michael K said...: Trump is grooming someone else to carry out his agenda once his 2 terms (please God) are over. Someone like Dan Crenshaw.

I think that is what Nikki Haley is doing. I'm not sure about her as her early years as governor were weak but she seems to have upped her game at the UN.; 6/1/19, 8:49 AM
mockturtle said...: Trump's successor should not be another Trump. He's doing a great job of making America great again and after two terms we'll be ready for a President who will keep America great. Ted Cruz would be my choice. He would do his best to ensure our Constitution is protected. BTW, I don't see any reason why we need a woman President just because. If the right one comes along, we'll recognize her.; 6/1/19, 11:00 AM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: Haley pointlessly antagonized the legislature early in her term, but by the time of the great flood of 2015, she had hit her stride and handled that very well. With that and the UN, I think she's seasoned enough.; 6/1/19, 12:49 PM
DavidD said...: Big Mike,

A bump stock does not and cannot convert a semi-automatic AR-15 to full automatic.

An AR-15 with a bump stock still fires only one round with each trigger pull.

All that a bump stock does is to make it easier, with practice, to pull the trigger more quickly—basically, one keeps his finger static and bumps the trigger against it quickly and repetitively.

Really fast shooters can manipulate their trigger finger just as quickly.; 6/1/19, 4:56 PM
Michael K said...: Ted Cruz would be my choice.

I see Cruz as a Supreme Court nominee when Breyer retires, assuming he does so while Trump is president. Amy Coney Barrett for RBG.; 6/1/19, 6:18 PM