December 25, 2019

"Through Mr. Obama, I have been hipped to the Congolese singer Jupiter Bokondji... His prose, always electric, assumes an extra whiff of fire when applied to music."

"'American history wells up when Aretha sings,' Mr. Obama wrote to The New Yorker in response to an email query about the artist in 2016.... 'That’s why, when she sits down at a piano and sings ‘A Natural Woman,’ she can move me to tears,' he said... United States presidents tend not to be celebrated for their groovy record collections. The current officeholder’s favorite Beach Boy is most likely Mike Love, which alone should qualify him for yet another impeachable offense. If this is a bewildering time to be an American, so, too, is it a disconcerting time to be a fan of rock and pop, among the country’s maddest and most characteristic concoctions. Barack Obama, music critic, has become an unlikely balm, his beautifully detailed lists acting as strange flickers of continuity and survival."

From "In Praise of Barack Obama, Music Critic/The former president’s annual year-end playlist never fails to delight" by Jim Ruttenberg in the NYT.

"Balm" is aromatic ointment. Is it strange to say that a person is balm? Perhaps it's wrong, more wrong than calling him a nonhuman animal. He's a gooey substance, to be spread on the skin, for comfort. So weird! But "balm" has long been used figuratively. It can be anything softly soothing. No one, even his fans, would call Donald Trump "balm."

Did you know that in Jamaica, "balm" is "A faith-healing ceremony typically involving drumming, dancing, and ritual feasting; a herbal bath or other treatment administered during this" (OED)? There is a sense that Obama had healing powers, and yet where was all the healing? Why did Obama lead to Trump? It's a strange mystery!

The link on "is most likely Mike Love" goes to "Mike Love to Trump: ‘You Tried Your Best to Help Whitney Houston’/You’ve always been a big supporter of some of the best music that America has ever made,' Beach Boys singer told president" (Rolling Stone, October 2018). Love was at the White House for Trump's signing of the Music Modernization Act, which aimed to protect the rights of artists in digital media.

I love the idea that loving Love is "another impeachable offense." It underscores Trump's characterization of impeachment as "Impeachment Lite." Everybody's doing it, defining impeachment downward. It seems peachier than ever. And now, we're adding Love.

I note that Ruttenberg did not say Trump's favorite musical act is The Beach Boys. He only said that Trump's favorite Beach Boy is probably Mike Love. If you pay attention at all to Trump's rallies, you would conclude that Trump's favorite music act is The Rolling Stones. Not only does he always end with "You Can't Always Get What You Want,"* the pre-speech song list of perhaps 22 songs may have 3 Rolling Stones songs — "Time Is on My Side," "Let’s Spend the Night Together," and "Sympathy for the Devil" — while having no repetitions from other artists, with exactly one exception, Elton John.

Hey, it's Christmas, so I feel I should say something Christmas-y... and that got me wondering whether it's true — as my instinct tells me — that The Rolling Stones have a never done a Christmas song. According to Showbiz Cheatsheet, I am right about that, but they did do this “Cosmic Christmas” in "a hidden coda" on "Their Satanic Majesties Request":



And their song "Winter" has this line: "And I wish I been out in California/When the lights on all the Christmas trees went out/But I been burning my bell, book and candle/And the restoration plays have all gone around."

And Mick Jagger, sans other Stones, recorded “Lonely Without You (This Christmas)." And before you say, But Keith Richards wouldn't do something like that, he recorded "Run Rudolph Run" in 1979.

Now, go slather yourself in balm and get some strange flickers of a merry Christmas!

______________________

* You know what I think about that. I wrote last year:
To me, this message, played at the end of a political rally, feels like a critique of all politics. Yes, I've stood here and promised the sky, but you must realize you might not get it, and what you do get may even be preferable. You're feeling your wants, and I'm stoking your wants, but I might have something else in mind, something that I think is good enough for you or actually better than what you want. And you really shouldn't be taking those drugs and drinking that wine or even drinking that soda. What kind of a thinking adult are you anyway, preferring "cherry red" soda? Grow up. You've had your fun at my rousing rally. Now, straighten up and try to see what you're getting as all you really need.

141 comments:

Automatic_Wing said...

Who told you to put the balm on?!

Darrell said...

Thanks for reminding me to vote for Trump Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Lexington Green said...

But! Keith Richards did a killer version of Chuck Berry’s Run Run Rudolph!

BUMBLE BEE said...

My Christmas Tradition growing up, besides Bing, was (is), Nat "King" Cole's Christmas Album. Occasionally the Roches' "We Three Kings". Nat had the purest of tone/pitch one is likely to have heard. But wait... there's more... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxSHBIXfFPE.

Iman said...

Merry Christmas to all!

BUMBLE BEE said...

Haddy Gimble Randoob!

Fernandinande said...

He is a numismatic negro.

Roger Sweeny said...

I think you missed the point about Mike Love. There is a fair amount of controversy about how much Mike Love wrote. One camp (the cool kids) says he didn't do much and that he is stealing credit from the genius Brian Wilson. The other says he was a co-creator for a lot. One camp says Mike Love is a lying doofus who is embarrassing onstage. The other says he is an entertainer. In 1998, he got the legal rights to tour with the name The Beach Boys. Fans of Brian Wilson consider this a travesty.

robother said...

All we got from Nancy this Christmas is a subscription to the Impeach of the Month Club.

LordSomber said...

“Public scribes never seem to realise that the average person cares about musicians’ political opinions about as little as they care about politicians’ musical opinions.”

-- Johnny Gutts

Clyde said...

Actually, there are two Village People songs on that list, too. Between them, Elton John and Queen, Trump is the worst anti-LGBT President evah!

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Who told you to put the balm on?!

Bill Clinton?

Anonymous said...

https://genius.com/The-beach-boys-little-saint-nick-lyrics

Mike Love? Christmas? Yes indeed. The favorite Christmas song of every 60s gearhead who never grew up. The NYT, being staffed by car haters, would of course make the Mike Love connection.

If the antique Vette weren't 2000 miles away, it would be out for a cruise with the top down today. President Trump no doubt would enjoy the ride.

traditionalguy said...

Douglas Wead, who wrote a charming new book on Inside Trump's White House, relates Trump telling him the basic strategy for winning in business: First you purchase a really badly run Company with a good brand but in near collapse and then you fix it up using really good new management. Then you you have an asset and can resell it for a profit. You never buy a well run business or you will lose money every time.

Wead says Trump applied strategy that to his going for becoming President of a really badly run Nation that had been near collapse after for 28 years under Bush/Clinton/Bush/Obama mis-management.And he has fixed it up.

traditionalguy said...

Knowing Trump's energy level, I bet that his favorite Christmas song is Brenda Lee's Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.

traditionalguy said...

Interestingly, Brenda Lee and Donald Trump 's voices sound very much alike.

AllenS said...

Brenda Lee's Rocking Around the Christmas Tree just played a little while ago on WDGY 740 am Lakeland MN.

CWJ said...

Jethro Tull Christmas album. One of my best Christmas presents ever.

David Begley said...

How did Barack Obama, President of the United States and Leader of the Free World, have time to create a playlist? Between playing golf, fixing the economy, killing terrorists, building racial harmony, stopping illegal drugs from coming into the country, stopping the legal opioid crisis and saving the Planet from global warming.

I remember one year his top album was “Pimp the Butterfly.” I checked out the words on the tracks. Lots of talk about drugs, pimps and whores and, of course, the N word.

By all rights one of the Articles of Impeachment against Obama should have been his year end playlist.

Barack also had his reading list. Obscure foreign fiction writers. More shit.

Obama was - by any objective measure - one of our worst presidents. And the idiots at the NYT still worship him. Just wait until it comes out that Obama ORDERED the spying on the Trump campaign. Comey didn’t do it on his own. He’s got a signed order. A weasel would be sure he had a signed order before spying on Trump.

narciso said...

anton marra, an American, was one of the interesting selections, but I read him before he recommended him,


https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/clay-waters/2019/12/24/trump-hating-ny-times-pouts-trump-doesnt-throw-christmas-parties

Birches said...

Yeah, let's all bash Mike Love, the guy that managed to keep the Beach Boys going through all the years and ensured that they'd always be making money. What a terrible guy! He deserved to get screwed out of royalties for all those years because Mike Love Bad or something. Right?

I know Brian Wilson's a musical genius, but you still have to be able to get the music out there for public consumption. Wilson needed Mike Love. Just like Love needed Brian.

Birches said...

And though I just defended Mike Love, I feel like I should add that I HATE Kokomo.

alanc709 said...

Mike Love bragged about writing a #1 hit without Brian Wilson's help. "Kokomo". Of course, he had the help of Terry Melcher, Scott McKenzie and Papa John Phillips, so it's not like he was sole author. I'd go with Brian Wilson being the genius of the Beach Boys.

Mike said...

Love Winter. You might be interested in the 'bell book and candle' line?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell,_book,_and_candle#Cultural_references

David Begley said...

The album by Kendrick Lamar is titled “To Pimp a Butterfly” and below are some lines from “Hood Politics.”

Hopped out the Caddy, just got my dick sucked
The little homies called and said, "the enemies done cliqued up"
Oh, yeah? Puto want to squabble with mi barrio?
Oh, yeah? Tell 'em they can run it for the cardio
Oh, yeah? Everythin' is everythin', it's scandalous
Slow motion for the ambulance, the project filled with cameras
The LAPD gamblin', scramblin', football numbers slanderin'
Niggas names on paper, you snitched all summer
Streets don’t fail me now, they tell me it's a new gang in town
From Compton to Congress, set trippin’ all around
Ain't nothin' new, but a flu of new Demo-Crips and Re-Blood-licans
Red state versus a blue state, which one you governin'?
They give us guns and drugs, call us thugs
Make it they promise to fuck with you
No condom, they fuck with you, Obama say, "What it do?"

******

“What it do?” nicely sums up the Obama years.

narciso said...

it's like 'we built this city,' for star ship, well kokomo was written for cocktail, I think,

Chuck said...

About your asterisk-ed footnote, Althouse:

Can you ever imagine Trump, or anyone close to Trump articulating that reason? (Of course not.) I think that is what the New Yorker piece was driving at, and what the real point was. It was simple; that Barack Obama -- whatever you think about him or even his musical choices -- can express himself in a way that means something. Obama could have written about Duke Ellington or Cab Calloway or William Grant Still or the Chevalier de St. George or Ludacris or Lizzo, and it would likely be interesting (as long as it was true and not totally fabricated, as with much of Trump's existence).

What would Trump say about the Oak Ridge Boys? And beyond that, what would Trump say about anything?

I am going to give you and Trump a bit of a break here, and suggest that if it weren't a matter of Trump fielding impossible-to-honestly answer questions from the White House press corps, or other journalists testing Trump on one of his countless falsehoods, exaggerations, or nonsensical utterances, Trump -- in a brief, casual conversation -- might have something modestly interesting to say. For a moment. But the guy can't go more than a paragraph with some mind-numbingly false claim, or some laughable personal inflation. It is simply impossible for Trump to talk interestingly about another human being. To anyone who rejects my hypothesis on this; show us where Trump has talked for two minutes about someone or something else in an interesting, involving way.

So it doesn't matter what you think of musical tastes, or Trump politics or Obama politics; the thing here is that what Obama did with the New Yorker is something that Trump could never do.

By the way, Althouse, speaking of Trump Dementia Syndrome, there's this thing that would be so interesting to blog, because I feel certain that many of your readers have some personal experience with family members who have suffered from dementia, and/or seizure disorders, and quite possibly the combination of the two:

Tweeted video clip of Trump from the Turning Point USA speech.

The President of the United States was mysteriously hospitalized just 40 days ago, and we have certainly not gotten the whole story on that. The White House hasn't answered the questions about what he was tested for in that hospitalization, and what the results were. We were given a story that was doubtlessly false; that the hospitalization was routine pre-annual physical testing. All of which could have been done within the medical facilities at the White House, as indicated by other recent White House physicians. Another Trump lie which only focuses more attention on the original question(s).

Fernandinande said...

Rammstein's Amerika - it's wunderbar!

narciso said...

he did the 'black panther score' luckily it was instrumental,

David Begley said...

Chuck:

Did you read my comments? Obama can express himself like the Ivy Leaguer that he is, but he FAILED at the job. Deeds - not words - make the man. Since I was educated by the Jesuits, I put much more stock on accomplishments and actions. Ignatius Loyola and Balthasar Grecian are not taught in the Ivy League except maybe at Dartmouth.

His FDA knew about the millions of opioid prescriptions going into West Virginia and Ohio and did nothing. His DOJ - headed by Lynch and Holder - saw the murder numbers out of Chicago every week and did nothing.

What it do?

AllenS said...

Sounds to me that Trump went to the hospital to receive shots that he would need since he planned on going to Afghanistan for Thanksgiving. He was never "hospitalized".

Lurker21 said...

Thanks for ruining Christmas. I'm willing to sort of give Obama the benefit of the doubt on a lot of things, because the hatred some people have for him is so over the top, but stuff like this doesn't do anything for his reputation.

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

So great that someone can't even praise Obama's curating of music without saying "not like that fucking Trump."

What does everyone think of Kaus's idea that there is more to fear from pissed-off Trump haters if Trump wins, than from pissed-off Trump lovers if he loses, so moderates may vote against Trump just for this reason? If there's a bit of rage from a group, you might ignore it, but years of intense rage on both coasts, the campuses, from government employees, intellectuals, pseudo-intellectuals, etc.? Maybe give them some of what they want?

William said...

I went through Obama's lists of favorite music, books, and movies. There's not much overlap in our preferences. That's fine. De gustibus and all that. I do question his musical tastes, however. Who keeps up with hip music when they're in their fifties? The Nancy Wilson album sounds intriguing. I would actively avoid most of the other artists, however. Well, at least, Obama is more ardent for hipness than for popularity.

narciso said...

meh, yes holder like with alice fisher, represented Epstein, she had run interference for Epstein, as well,

Chuck said...

AllenS said...
Sounds to me that Trump went to the hospital to receive shots that he would need since he planned on going to Afghanistan for Thanksgiving. He was never "hospitalized".


Honest question; why would you expect anybody to believe that? A President of the United States going to the hospital for routine travel-related immunizations?

1. They can do that at the White House. There is a 24-hour fully staffed Medical Unit in the White House, with its own trauma care capabilities, Operating Suite, and pharmacy.

2. And if your innocent explanation was the real, true explanation, why wasn't that the one that was clearly and conclusively given from the beginning?

3. For days after, and perhaps up to the present, the White House physician has been traveling almost constantly with Trump. He was seen exiting Air Force One with Trump, when both of them used the rear (shorter) exit ramp. Perhaps to avoid the possibility of Trump tumbling down the long main stairs from the forward (standard) exit.

William said...

As I got older, I got more into classical music. Mozart and Ella Fitzgerald appeal more to the biorhythms and energy levels of a decaying body than hip hop music.....I've lived to see posterity. I think the music of the Beach Boys is more enduring and enjoyable than that of The Doors The Beach Boys have the best gym music. Youthful music without the angst. Young people like angst and morbid thoughts. Old people not so much.

AllenS said...

Honest question; why would you expect anybody to doubt that?

David Begley said...

I should add that musicians were getting screwed during the Obama years with the rise of internet music. Peter Frampton has spoken about this. And, of course, Obama did nothing.

Why do people like this failure?

The worm turns when Comey and Brennan rat out Obama.

mccullough said...

We’ve already had the years of pushed off Trump haters. It was 1990-2016.

Who wants to go back to that beside Chuck?

Chris N said...

I checked out the Obamas’ garden and school menu options for a strong healthy Community and inclusive diverse Collective Society campaign.

First let me describe the day: Tooling around on Megov.org, I suddenly realized that despite Slavery, I could now see myself in the eyes of The Other. It was a revelation. I wept and wandered out into the woods. I was now black, and white, and yellow and red. I became the forest and the trees

In the weeks following, I visited the Departments Of Health, Welfare, Education and Public Lands. Such glorious buildings and hallways and waiting rooms! I saw this beautiful Nation as it always has been. I saw Me in every brochure.

Glorious!

Drago said...

LLR-lefty Chuck: "It was simple; that Barack Obama -- whatever you think about him or even his musical choices -- can express himself in a way that means something. Obama could have written about Duke Ellington or Cab Calloway or William Grant Still or the Chevalier de St. George or Ludacris or Lizzo, and it would likely be interesting (as long as it was true and not totally fabricated, as with much of Trump's existence)."

My God. The obama worship/cultists like LLR-lefty Chuck still cant let it rest.

Hey Chuck, we get it. Obama is your messiah and can do no wrong.

mccullough said...

Obama, like W, expressed himself through his presidency.

So has Trump.

Drago said...

With the reports of obama's physician describing Slow Joe Biden of multi-aneurysm fame as in serious health decline, its little wonder the lefty billionaires directing the FakeCon LLR's to hit the blogs and pretend Trump is in physical distress.

Nice try LLR-lefty Chuck, but this latest lefty narrative lie you are pushing will go the way of all the others.

Give my best to Omidyar and Hoffman in this Christmas Season, or, as you might prefer, the Winter Obama Praise season.

Chris N said...

Chuck,

You have special insight, and are holding a very important line, so keep holding it, but for now, I think your work here is done.

I absolve you. Be free.

Drago said...

More great news for America (sorry LLR-lefty Chuck):

"Former NFL player Jack Brewer, who is black, will be among the many African-Americans to cast their vote for President Trump in November. He predicts that the President will receive over 20% of the black vote which may well hand him a victory.

Although 20% may sound almost too good to be true, two polls conducted last month by Emerson and Rasmussen showed Trump’s support among blacks at 34%. In 2016, he earned just 8% of the black vote. According to the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, “Republican presidential candidates since 1976 have averaged 10% support from black voters, ranging from a low of 4% for John McCain in 2008 when he ran against Mr. Obama to 17% for Gerald Ford in 1976.”

Brewer, a lifelong Democrat, told the Washington Times, “There is an awakening going on right now in the country. I’m going to take the guy who’s actually putting in the policies that are going to make life better for my young black son and my young black daughter, versus somebody who gives me lip service — like, unfortunately, the Democrats have done for our community for years.”

Watch out Mr Brewer. With comments like that you are setting yourself up for racist attacks from LLR-lefty Chuck similar to Chuck's racist attacks on Ben Carson.

Heads up and Merry Christmas to all those who believe in the Divinity of Jesus as opposed to obama (like LLR-lefty Chuck).

narciso said...

it's like the coyote and the sheep dog,

Chris N said...

You had me at the first post, Chuck.

You care about standards, who we are as a people, and this Nation.

I get it, Chuck. I hear you. I validate you.

Now get out there, stick your thumb in the air and see what comes along, buddy. Keep on truckin’

Don’t ever change.

narciso said...

in other news,


https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/12/no-christmas-mass-at-notre-dame-cathedral-for-first-time-in-2-centuries/

Hagar said...

Yon Barack with a lean and hungry look ...

Roger Sweeny said...

Kaus' idea sounds like a "heckler's veto". I oppose heckler's vetoes.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

Mike Love!?!? What about Reggie Love??

...isnt he getting any love?

Lurker21 said...

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

What does everyone think of Kaus's idea that there is more to fear from pissed-off Trump haters if Trump wins, than from pissed-off Trump lovers if he loses, so moderates may vote against Trump just for this reason? If there's a bit of rage from a group, you might ignore it, but years of intense rage on both coasts, the campuses, from government employees, intellectuals, pseudo-intellectuals, etc.? Maybe give them some of what they want?


All the talk about Trump not leaving office and his supporters taking to the streets if he loses is nonsense, but how likely is it that professors and journalists will riot if he wins? Antifa might, but how big are they? My guess is that the years of simmering Trump hatred will just go on longer if he wins, so long as the economy holds up.

Drago said...

I cant tell whether every LLR-lefty Chuck post on obama is a plea for help or simply a public online pleading to become obamas personal manservant.

Its become quite embarrassing.

Howard said...

Need TDS tag. Obama balm is palliative care to counter the effects of the Trump presidency.

Drago said...

LLR-lefty Chuck has gotten so bad with his obama worship that even David Axelrod is telling him to cool your jets amigo.

Temujin said...

I would say I'm embarrassed for Jim Ruttenberg, but that would mean I care about him. They still faint at the sound of Obama, don't they?

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

What does everyone think of Kaus's idea that there is more to fear from pissed-off Trump haters if Trump wins, than from pissed-off Trump lovers if he loses, so moderates may vote against Trump just for this reason?

I think anyone with a smidgen of a brain knows that the Trump haters have stoked up their outrage and it's going to get nasty regardless of who wins. That being the case a lot of moderates will see re-electing Trump as the better outcome. The moderates who can't stomach voting for him will likely stay home.

Darrell said...

Thanks to Chuck for reminding thousands of people to vote for Trump on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

John henry said...

My favorite Beach Boy, and probably the best musician in the bunch, was Glen Campbell.

I liked them as a teen. Don't the BB's music has held my interest since then.

John Henry

John henry said...

Bill Clinton's favorite BB song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBIGwtyqBhA

John Henry

Drago said...

Temujin: "I would say I'm embarrassed for Jim Ruttenberg, but that would mean I care about him. They still faint at the sound of Obama, don't they?"

Indeed. See LLR-lefty Chuck's posts above.

Ruttenberg has his head so far up obama's a** he can almost, almost, see LLR-lefty Chuck's feet!!!!

If you've ever wondered how LLR-lefty Chuck could be so passionate in his defense of all obama's far left policies and abuses, well, now you know.

Rick.T. said...

Birches said...
And though I just defended Mike Love, I feel like I should add that I HATE Kokomo.

———————————

Hey! I grew up there! Oh, you mean the SONG. Carry on, then.

John henry said...


Blogger Chuck said...

Honest question; why would you expect anybody to believe that? A President of the United States going to the hospital for routine travel-related immunizations?

Because the injections you get for traveling to Afghanistan are hardly routine. All sorts or weird innoculations required. All sorts of reactions possible.

In Basic, in 1967, I got something like 100 different innoculations in the course of 2-4 weeks. We had one guy in my company that was hospitalized overnight for a reaction.

70 year old man? President of the US? Yeah, you don't expect any problems. Of course nobody expects the Spanish inquisition either. Shit happens and if PDJT has a reactions the best place to have it is in a hospital.

As our hostess said, stop being a Dick, Chuck.

John Henry

Matt said...

Sounds like the sort of column a Jew would write for the Jew York Times.

What's the over/under on searching his Twitter feed and finding one that starts "Fellow whites..." and another that says some variant of "I'm not white, I'm Jewish".

bonkti said...

Bing sends me this, per Oxford Dictionaries, second definition:
Balmy
NORTH AMERICAN
dated
extremely foolish; eccentric.
"this is a balmy decision"
mad; crazy.
"I think he's gone balmy again"

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Chuck said...

Honest question; why would you expect anybody to believe that? A President of the United States going to the hospital for routine travel-related immunizations?

You mean apart from the fact that it's a lot more plausible explanation than anything the Trump haters have offered?

1. They can do that at the White House. There is a 24-hour fully staffed Medical Unit in the White House, with its own trauma care capabilities, Operating Suite, and pharmacy.

Can they? They have a stockpile of rare and exotic disease vaccines? Tell me more....

2. And if your innocent explanation was the real, true explanation, why wasn't that the one that was clearly and conclusively given from the beginning?

Ummm, because he didn't want to spoil his surprise visit to the troops in Afghanistan by announcing that he was getting his vaccinations prior to travleing?

3. For days after, and perhaps up to the present, the White House physician has been traveling almost constantly with Trump. He was seen exiting Air Force One with Trump, when both of them used the rear (shorter) exit ramp. Perhaps to avoid the possibility of Trump tumbling down the long main stairs from the forward (standard) exit.

Oooops! You caught us! Trump's heart exploded and he had to be taken to Bethesda so his brain could be removed and stored in a jar until Eric, Jared, and Ivanka could get one of the cloned bodies out of the cold storage facility in the bowels of Trump Tower and prep it for transplant. Too bad! They would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for that pesky Chuck!

iowan2 said...

that Barack Obama -- whatever you think about him or even his musical choices -- can express himself in a way that means something

Sure that makes sense to me. The man who wrote an auto biography that was filled with fictitious people. His girl friend was a fictional character! That's a man the knows how to express himself.

Hard to comprehend how fucking stupid, Obama acolytes are.

Yancey Ward said...

That Ruttenberg is a such a wife guy.

iowan2 said...

the thing here is that what Obama did with the New Yorker is something that Trump could never do.

That's what I need, a President that knows how to interview.
Supercharging the economy, delivering low unemployment, and raising the wages of the working class for the first time in decades, meaningless twaddle. What this nation needs is Presidential interviews that impress the wanna be elites.

narciso said...


Indeed:


https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/12/24/ig-footnote-474-confidential-human-source-w-delta-file-previously-inside-trump-campaign/?fbclid=IwAR24s4E7p2TUFoS3pd7VpuWP76XQGQHfmpGKFQkL4ZWrn0wTxx9BRnOX7No

Yancey Ward said...

And, apparently, so is Chuck.

Jim at said...

If you thought Chuck could take just one day off from being an insufferable prick, you'd be wrong.

effinayright said...

John henry said...
My favorite Beach Boy, and probably the best musician in the bunch, was Glen Campbell.

********

Campbell was a studio musician for the BB (and many others), but was never billed as part of the group.

Qwinn said...

When it comes to Chuck, never ascribe to mere stupidity what could also be ascribed to malice.

Guaranteed that it's both, every time.

Quaestor said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Quaestor said...

Artie Sulzberger thinks he's elevating Obama and degrading Trump by publishing that bootlicking excrement when in fact he's destroying Obama's future reputation. Through its editorial page, NYT is doing to Barack Obama what Hitler did to Richard Wagner in Mein Kampf. Hitler claimed that he would found a religion based on Parsifal. WWII and a 7.65mm slug in the brain prevented that, but forevermore people can't only enjoy Wagner's music with a twinge of guilt.

However, given the revelations that are sure to come from John Durham's investigation perhaps the damage done by those spineless crawlers in Sulzberger's employ will be forgettably minor. (This is, of course, the real reason behind the impeachment. In obedience to her masters, Pelosi is making a long-shot bet at preventing another Trump DoJ, purged of his worst swamp dwellers, from investigating the source of that half-billion Obama has "earned" since leaving office.)

walter said...

"'That’s why, when she sits down at a piano and sings ‘A Natural Woman,’ she can move me to tears,"
--
Embrace it. You be you.

John henry said...

Wholelotta,

One of the "real" bbs didn’t like touring so Campbell would impersonate him on stage when the group toured.

Source "the wrecking crew" book or movie i dont remember which. Probably both.

But yes, you are right he was never an actual bb. Just responsible for much of their sound apparently.

John Henry

Chuck said...

John Henry don’t you see? You’re trying to make an elaborate case about immunizations but that isn’t what the White House claimed! The White House told us — Trump told us — that he had some free time and wanted to get a jump on testing for his annual physical. Not a word about immunizations.

And Trump didn’t even stay long enough for hospital personnel to observe him for supposed reactions to an immunization.

What the hospital has — that the White House doesn’t — is a CT scanner and an MRI imager that would be used if Trump showed signs of seizure activity or a TIA.

John henry said...

On Christmas Eve, 1964, Glen Campbell received an early and most improbable holiday gift: he became one of the Beach Boys. With Brian Wilson finally making good on his threat to quit touring with his band in order to concentrate solely on studio work, the rest of the Beach Boys were suddenly in need of a quality road replacement for their leader, someone who could play intricate bass lines while simultaneously singing various high-harmony parts. No easy task for even the best of musicians. But the lads in the striped shirts wouldn’t have to look far for an able body.

The Wrecking Crew" (book) good read along with the documentary

Your point still stands, of course. As does my facetous comment

John Henry

Michael K said...

Merry Christmas, Chuck, and I hope you eventually have a full recovery.

narciso said...

a day ending in y,


https://searchlight-germany.blogspot.com/2019/12/germany-eight-arabs-attack-christian.html

Drago said...

There is no way LLR-lefty Chuck is not already 3 sheets to the wind after that last "the walls are closing in" posts!!

LOL

On top of his incredible over the top obama worship posts.

Talk about a cult.

Francisco D said...

if it weren't a matter of Trump fielding impossible-to-honestly answer questions from the White House press corps, or other journalists testing Trump on one of his countless falsehoods, exaggerations, or nonsensical utterances, Trump -- in a brief, casual conversation -- might have something modestly interesting to say. For a moment

Let's be compassionate, folks.

It is Christmas and someone seems to be having a breakdown.

Drago said...

Its The Great Pecan Pie Crisis all over again for obama-cultist Chuck.

walter said...

One gets a glimpse of his hopes and dreams. At least the ones he's willing to share.

hstad said...

Blogger Chuck said..."...We were given a story that was doubtlessly false; that the hospitalization was routine pre-annual physical testing. All of which could have been done within the medical facilities at the White House..." 12/25/19, 10:36 AM

I only picked the above [one] comment from "Chuck" from his entire Xmas day rant/hate against Trump to show he is inflicted by TDS on Xmas day, which surmerises his hate of him for over 3 years +.

Chuck - "...Presidents and Vice Presidents are routinely treated at the Medical Evaluation and Treatment Unit at the METU (Walter Reed) Suite, which is a secured and autonomous ward within the complex..." Source -Wiki.

Chuck said...

I’m getting the impression that I am the only one here who is silly and uninformed. That there is a clear and simple explanation, supplied by the White House, as to why Trump was in a hospital, unscheduled, on a Saturday. And that I am just overlooking it. Where is that explanation to be found? You know, the explanation that states clearly and simply what the tests were, what the results were, and why they done on such an unscheduled basis at a hospital and not at the White House. Somebody can give me some links that explain the whole situation clearly and simply. Right? Looking forward to that.

Drago said...

Yep.

Its The Great Pecan Pie Crisis all over again for LLR-lefty & Obama-cultist Chuck.

#SadAboutBiden

Qwinn said...

So not content to demand every tax return Trump has ever filed, Chuck also demands every single medical record.

And if Trump goes to the Courts to defend the privacy rights afforded to every other citizen, he gets impeached for it.

I would demand every tax return and medical record in Chuck's life, but I can't force myself to pretend to care about anything I could possibly find in them. Chuck is worthy of hate, but neither curiosity nor interest.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Chuck said...

I’m getting the impression that I am the only one here who is silly and uninformed.

I don't think too many of us would disagree with that.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

John henry said...

Chuck said...

I’m getting the impression that I am the only one here who is silly and uninformed.

After all these years here and only now you realize this?

Better late than never. Now will you be quiet?

John Henry

narciso said...

Smallest vioiin



https://mobile.twitter.com/alimhaider/status/1209916559029932032

Etienne said...

I gave up on the Stones after they had Brian killed.

Chuck said...

Hahahaha.

All these increasingly fervent personal attacks on me. (Sadly, what I have come to expect on Althouse comments pages.)

And not one single substantive answer to the question that just might have a bearing on the neurological fitness of the President of the United States who is running for re-election.

Anonymous said...

On a different site yesterday, I came across a good podcast on The Beach Boys:

https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/political-beats/episode-60-matt-welch-the-beach-boys-part-1/

It starts at the group’s beginning and is highly informative. Although I often visit National Review, I didn’t know of this podcast before, and from what I heard yesterday (part 1), it is completely politics free. They talk a lot about Brian Wilson and Mike Love, but between the two, the positive remarks on Love are typically after those less so, ‘yeah but, you gotta give Love credit for . . .’

After hearing so much of their music on AM radio growing up, I recently decided to revisit it. So the podcast is great for me in that respect. I recall lacing up my Chuck Taylors (state-of-the-art basketball shoes then, aka “sneakers”), in early elementary which would have been at the group’s peak popularity. So, much of their development preceded me. But they foreshadowed popular culture, all around you, then and later, as in popular television shows and the Southern California sound.

In the link below are two clips of The Beach Boys (1963 and 1964), and two of The Rolling Stones (1964), near the beginning and at the end, in this 10 minute compilation from the Red Skelton show:

Red Skelton Hour- Rock-N-Roll Guests, 1962-1970
https://youtu.be/pXXZsvDZlMc

Drago said...

LLR-lefty & Obama-cultist Chuck: "And not one single substantive answer to the question that just might have a bearing on the neurological fitness of the President of the United States who is running for re-election."

LOLOLOLOLOL

Didn't I tell everyone that as soon as obamas doctor pronounced Joe Biden a very seriously neurologically compromised dude that LLR-lefty Chuck would immediately launch into action and try to shift focus from Bidens documented mental issues and his clear mental faltering on the campaign trail to Trump?

Amd voila! Presto! Abracadabra!

LLR-lefty Chuck appears and does precisely that.

Hey Chuck, didnt anyone back at Dem Central tell you to be more subtle in your clumsy moronic tactics?

Another great MAGA Christmas!!

Thanks Chuck! And all our best to your lefty pals.

Michael K said...

I’m getting the impression that I am the only one here who is silly and uninformed.

Yes, Chuck. Good of you to notice. I hope you get better soon.

Clyde said...

AllenS said...
Sounds to me that Trump went to the hospital to receive shots that he would need since he planned on going to Afghanistan for Thanksgiving. He was never "hospitalized".


+1000

Clyde said...

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

What does everyone think of Kaus's idea that there is more to fear from pissed-off Trump haters if Trump wins, than from pissed-off Trump lovers if he loses, so moderates may vote against Trump just for this reason? If there's a bit of rage from a group, you might ignore it, but years of intense rage on both coasts, the campuses, from government employees, intellectuals, pseudo-intellectuals, etc.? Maybe give them some of what they want?


NO!! Give them nothing! Putting those maniacal fools back in charge would lead to a wrecked economy, job losses, higher taxes, more laws and regulations, and insane gloating from the Schiff-Nadler-Pelosi crowd. A vote for Democrats in 2020 is a vote to flush our country down the toilet. Don't give in to their raging tantrums. Oderint dum metuant!

FullMoon said...

Some things never change. Interesting that this cafe postfrom 2017 mentions Clinton collusion with Ukraine




"Ann Althouse said...

Chuck, you're doing clutter. You're causing me (and I presume others) to just have to scroll to get past your long and repetitive stuff. You need to change what you are doing or you will become one of the small group of people I call bad faith commenters, whose posts I delete without reading whenever I see them. I'm quite serious. You need to cut way back and keep it short. Stop repeating yourself. Everyone is bored and you are not cute. And don't argue with me in the comments. Stop doing clutter.
8/3/17, 2:16 PM "

https://althouse.blogspot.com/2017/08/at-clear-your-desk-cafe.html

FullMoon said...

The infamous Felonious Pecan Pie accusation

Pie in the face.

Qwinn said...

Have to admit, Drago, you did call that one pretty spectacularly. Good call.

The fun part of insulting Chuck is that he's guaranteed to prove how deserving of the insults he is in his very next post.

Chuck said...

Clyde said...
"AllenS said...
Sounds to me that Trump went to the hospital to receive shots that he would need since he planned on going to Afghanistan for Thanksgiving. He was never 'hospitalized'."

+1000


It's such a great, clear, easy explanation and... the White House has never offered it up as the truth.

So; no. I'm not buying it and nobody with a brain would buy it. That is, a brain that is not suffering from dementia or seizure activity.

You're making shit up that just sounds good, to a bunch of other Trump super-fans.

Anonymous said...

It's such a great, clear, easy explanation and... the White House has never offered it up as the truth.

The article in your link is dated Nov. 17.

Chuck said...

dugans said...
"It's such a great, clear, easy explanation and... the White House has never offered it up as the truth."

The article in your link is dated Nov. 17.


I confess that I am having a hard time understanding your point.

The 17th; a Sunday after Trump went to the hospital, unscheduled, on Saturday the 16th. And the press was clamoring for information, and the President's own Press Secretary addressed the subject. And said nothing about immunizations. Now if your point is that the immunizations had to remain a secret until the President was safely back from Afghanistan, why have they not subsequently clarified such a simple, pro-Trump talking point? Stephanie Grisham said that there were some tests. Is that true? I expect that it is true. What were the tests? And why the testing if Trump was there for immunizations?

Anyway, I am a bit embarrassed to be in a discussion about Trump's immunizations because there is absolutely no reason in the world why Trump would need to be transported to Walter Reed to get some shots.


Drago said...

Poor deluded, demented LLR-lefty Chuck.

I shouldn't be surprised really that today's LLR-lefty Chuck meltdown has occurred on Christmas Day since this day is only of significance to Christians and not to idolators of barack obama, like LLR-lefty Chuck.

Todays Chuck meltdown will go along side Chuck's PecanPieGate meltdown and his racist posting meltdown.

The fact that Chuck combined obama worship in the same thread as his Trump health FakeStory meltdown just makes it all the more hilarious.

Thanks Chuck and merry Sham-wow-peachment to you!

Drago said...

What's the over/under on the number of highballs LLR-lefty Chuck has consumed today while sitting alone somewhere?

Given his last couple of posts, I am going to go with 6.

narciso said...


https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/12/virginia-election-fallout-democrats-want-to-undermine-local-zoning-urbanize-the-suburbs/

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

. . . I am having a hard time understanding your point.

Your link didn’t prove anything. Have you ever arranged a surprise party?

The SURPRISE Thanksgiving Day visit to Afghanistan, Nov. 28, would not have been a surprise, if for the reason speculated — the comment you responded to. It would have blown the surprise to give such reason before the actual visit.

Drago said...

Qwinn: "Have to admit, Drago, you did call that one pretty spectacularly. Good call."

I really cant take that much credit in predicting LLR-lefty Chuck's next posting gambit.

Its as simple as identifying the obvious flaws of the leading dem POS candidates and then waiting for LLR-lefty Chuck to pop in and vomit up bizarre and convoluted posts whereby he pretends all these democrat flaws dont exist and that its really Trump that has those flaws.

Simple.

Plus, if you peruse any of the far left blogs and/or lefty billionaire funded FakeCon sites you will also be up to speed on likely LLR-lefty Chuck talking points of the day.

In this case, moron and decrepit Slow Joey Biden has had multiple significant aneurysms and at least 1 that almost turned his lights out. He bleeds out of his eye and he cant complete a sentence while being completely oblivious to his physical location.

And if he gropes/manhandles another 9 year old girl in public as he has in the past even the dems will toss him aside.

Once obamas doctor pronounced Slow Joe a health risk nightmare it was a lock solid bet LLR-lefty Chuck would drunkenly venture forth to do battle on behalf of his beloved dems.

Just wait until barackys fav Li'l Tomahawk Warren ends up with the nomination. Within 10 minutes of that happening LLR-lefty Chuck will show up with some hilarious conspiracy theory that Trump executed some nefarious maneuver to change his background.

That this will happen as surely as night follows day is something you can count on.

The fun part is trying to guess just how insane LLR-lefty Chuck will go with his latest lies. We could make it an Althouse Regulars contest/pool!!

Chuck said...

So dugans just tell us in clear, plain English; what is the source of information that what Trump did on that Saturday (Nov. 16) was to present himself to Walter Reed for travel immunizations?

And why not -- in the President's own personal interest -- clear it up with some sort of proof?

I expect that the reason is that there are strict records about medical record keeping and none of the providers are willing to help anyone falsify medical records. But that's just me.

The simple fact is that the White House has never supplied a clear explanation. There were tests? What were they? What were the results? Simple. Were there immunizations administered? Who were the physicians involved in that? And why go to Walter Reed?



Drago said...

And on and on and on our democrat Don Quixote goes!! Tilting at ever more and varied windmills in a frenzy of lefty panic over what is shaping up to be a Trump second term.

LOL

Its better to let banned commenter LLR-lefty Chuck sober up first before attempting any responses to his gin-soaked DNC talking points.

Michael K said...

The simple fact is that the White House has never supplied a clear explanation.

One theory I have read is that there was an attempted poisoning by someone like you, a real hater.

Mary Beth said...

The current officeholder’s favorite Beach Boy is most likely Mike Love, which alone should qualify him for yet another impeachable offense.

Because they've been friends for years? I'm not sure why picking a long-time friend as a favorite in a group is wrong.

Picking any of the Wilsons seems too obvious so I'm going to assume the author goes for the edgier pick of Charles Manson.

FullMoon said...

Typical LLR Chuck prediction. This is why Chuck is so obsessive about minor things. Wrong so often about the important things.


"Chuck said...

John; about the George Wallace/Donald Trump comparison...

Yeah, I think it is apt. I expect that Trump as the Republican nominee could win maybe five states too. Like Wallace.

12/15/15, 11:27 AM "

Nichevo said...

The simple fact is that the White House has never supplied a clear explanation. There were tests? What were they? What were the results? Simple. Were there immunizations administered? Who were the physicians involved in that? And why go to Walter Reed?



Chuck - seriously - do you think you have some right to know?

Nichevo said...


Chuck said...
I’m getting the impression that I am the only one here who is silly and uninformed.


However, this is progress.

Nichevo said...

Blogger Francisco D said...

Let's be compassionate, folks.

It is Christmas and someone seems to be having a breakdown.


It's hard for Chuck, because nobody loves him. He's all alone in the world. I mean, he might have family living, but he's alone in the world.

Nichevo said...

Blogger Bill, Republic of Texas said...
Who told you to put the balm on?!

Bill Clinton?


Buffalo Bill?

Nichevo said...


Blogger Michael K said...
Merry Christmas, Chuck, and I hope you eventually have a full recovery.


Not I. As Dr Lecter said to Mason Verger, I much prefer him the way he is.

Qwinn said...

Chuck pretends Trump telling us his medical history would be in Trump's own interest. As if there is anyone in the world who might stand the smallest chance in hell of voting for Trump that is asking the same questions Chuck is.

Chuck, it's not in Trump's interest to answer your questions. And it never will be. Your questions are always illegitimate. Only people who already despise him think they are anything approaching "fair" or any of our business.

Chuck said...


Chuck, it's not in Trump's interest to answer your questions. And it never will be. Your questions are always illegitimate. Only people who already despise him think they are anything approaching "fair" or any of our business.


You’ve popped a small kernel of truth. It may well be “in Trump’s interest,” to not tell anyone. Like it was certainly in Trump’s interest to get the Ukrainian president to simply announce a corruption investigation of the Bidens.

But I am thinking about the national interest and even our national security interest.

And if the explanation of Trump’s hospitalization was indeed an innocent Phase I of his annual physical, or if it was a secret immunizations trip to prep him for Afghanistan, announcing those things with proof would be in Trump’s own interest to explain, as well as eliminating any doubt about Trump’s fitness for office. For our national security interest.

But the White House has done nothing to clear anything up.

And nobody here has offered any clarification either.

I want to know more, because right now I am leaning toward a Trump health emergency. Which may be dangerous for national security.

Qwinn said...

There is no legitimate doubt to clear up, Chuck. No one is worried about it. Not even you. You're just pretending there are legitimate doubts because you think it would hurt Trump if you could convince anyone of it.

But you can't. Cause you wasted your credibility ages ago. I really tried to explain this to you last week, to no apparent avail. Anything you post is being summarily dismissed by everyone because we know you don't even try to post in good faith. You have no one else to blame for that but you.

FullMoon said...

Never right, always wrong: Michigan goes to Trump against Chucks adamant prediction

"Chuck said...

Begley, do you want to bet, on Michigan? I say Trump does not win the state's 16 electoral votes.

McCain won the primary here, and got slaughtered in the general.

Mitt Romney, a native son and the child of a popular Michigan governor, lost here after an early declaration that, unlike McCain, the national campaign would never bail out of the state in the waning weeks. They did. They had to.
9/21/16, 10:21 AM

United States presidential election in Michigan, 2016. The 2016 United States presidential election in Michigan was won by Donald Trump on November 8, 2016, with 47.50% of the total votes, over Hillary Clinton 's 47.27%. All of Michigan 's 16 Electoral Votes were assigned to Trump,

Chuck said...

Qwinn said...
There is no legitimate doubt to clear up, Chuck. No one is worried about it. Not even you. You're just pretending there are legitimate doubts because you think it would hurt Trump if you could convince anyone of it.

But you can't. Cause you wasted your credibility ages ago. I really tried to explain this to you last week, to no apparent avail. Anything you post is being summarily dismissed by everyone because we know you don't even try to post in good faith. You have no one else to blame for that but you.


You led off a comments page by declaring that Christianity Today was funded by Soros. And I shot that down. I told you that I wanted to make it hurt. I hope it did.

Chuck said...

Begley didn't take my bet. If he had, it would have been the first of four bets that I have lost with Althouse commenters. I'm 3-0 right now.

Drago said...

LLR-lefty Chuck: "I want to know more, because right now I am leaning toward a Trump health emergency. Which may be dangerous for national security."

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Awesome.

I guess that explains Trump giving 90 minute rally speeches and playing golf and attending public events etc etc.

You know what LLR-lefty Chuck's quadrupling down on this stupidity means dont you?

Biden is in worse shape than even we thought. That would explain why Bidens staff have been severely limiting his public appearances and limiting attendance at his incoherent events.

Thanks "Baghdad Bob" Chuck! I was wondering if the Biden campaign would put out word that their moron walking dead candidate would be tapering off, and now LLR-lefty Chuck has given us just that confirmation.

Meanwhile, Trump remains a juggernaut.

Drago said...

It also looks like the reality of the dems failure with their fake Sham-wow-non-peachment is sending them scurrying back to 25th Amendment-ville!!

LOL

So. Much. Winning.

Nichevo said...

Chuck lied...


But I am thinking about the national interest and even our national security interest.


No you're not. I raised the question with you sometime ago whether you'd ever considered that your anti-Trump monomania was against the national interest. I don't remember your exact verbiage but you were virtually grinning from ear-to-ear as you said nope, never gave it a thought.

So no, you have no interest in the good of the country, only filling that hole within you which can never be filled.

Chuck said...

Nichevo said...
Chuck lied...


"But I am thinking about the national interest and even our national security interest."


No you're not. I raised the question with you sometime ago whether you'd ever considered that your anti-Trump monomania was against the national interest. I don't remember your exact verbiage but you were virtually grinning from ear-to-ear as you said nope, never gave it a thought.

So no, you have no interest in the good of the country, only filling that hole within you which can never be filled.


I get asked so many questions here! "Exact verbiage" is what I would need in this case.

Michael K said...

Chuck is on a roll. A roll in shit, of course, but nonetheless a roll.

Merry Christmas everyone else.

Qwinn said...

Well, I could *never* believe that Chuck would put his hatred of Trump above his country.

That would be totally out of character for him.

Wait, no it wouldn't. In fact, anything else would be out of character.

"Exact verbiage" not at all required.

AllenS said...

Re: Chuck

How can you convince a nonbeliever?

Chuck said...

So to sum up; not one of you lying jackasses has a quote from me wherein I said that I put hatred of Trump over national security. And not one of you has any well-sourced, credible explanation for why Trump had to go to the hospital on Saturday, November 16.

Have a nice day.

Nichevo said...

So no, you have no interest in the good of the country, only filling that hole within you which can never be filled.


I get asked so many questions here! "Exact verbiage" is what I would need in this case.


Either your memory is conveniently self-serving, or you need to cut back on the hooch. I could search the archives, but there's nothing in it for me. Everyone else knows you for what you are - and you are impervious, a usual hallmark of fanaticism. Ironclad proof of anything has no effect on you.

Churchy LaFemme: said...

Ah man -- I go off for Christmas and miss a Beach Boys thread!

First, Love is a talented lyricist and was a great singer (His voice is admittedly not now as good as it was, pretty much Jardine is the only living BB still in great voice). He's also a hardworking guy with a prickly personality, and he has been cast as the villain in the BB story for so long that he tends to play into it sometimes. Still, if you wanted to sit down to dinner with someone, he would be a much safer choice than Wilson.

As for Campbell, he did tour and was offered a spot as an official Beach Boy, but turned it down. The nod eventually went to Grammy winner Bruce Johnston who has been with the group ever since (except for a couple year hiatus in the 70's)

Churchy LaFemme: said...

Oh, and I meant to say that Love & Johnston tour as "The Beach Boys" with the full blessing of the Beach Boys' corporate entity "Brother Records". So, whether Brian Wilson grits his teeth or not, he (or his handlers) voted to authorize it.

walter said...

Chuck said... I am afraid you are mistaking me for someone who has an interest in fair treatment of Donald Trump. I'm not your guy. I am interested in smearing him, hurting him and prejudicing people against him...even if it means putting Dems in charge of the country for 4 to 8 years years or more. Because conserve conservatism.
But you can buy some reprieve with a donated big ass bottle of gin.