Althouse: At the Thursday Night Cafe...

January 23, 2020

At the Thursday Night Cafe...

... you can talk all night.

179 comments:

Bay Area Guy said...: I would like to talk about the impeachment farce for the next 12 straight hours. It'll be a blast.; 1/23/20, 6:50 PM
rcocean said...: Just wanted to say that since Monday, not one person I know has brought up the impeachment. No one cares.; 1/23/20, 6:50 PM
rcocean said...: Its a complete bore. Look for it to be Topic A here.; 1/23/20, 6:51 PM
viator said...: They just fall down; 1/23/20, 6:57 PM
Seeing Red said...: Via Lucianne:

The Federalist has learned that the now-outed CIA and FBI informant Stefan Halper served as a source for Washington Post reporter David Ignatius, providing more evidence that the intelligence community has co-opted the press to push anti-Trump conspiracy theories. In addition, an email recently obtained by The Federalist from the MI5-connected Christopher Andrew bragging that his long-time friend Ignatius has the “‘inside track’ on Flynn” adds further confirmation (Snip) Svetlana Lokhova, the Russian-born English citizen and Soviet-era scholar, told The Federalist that she only realized the significance of her communications with and about Ignatius following the filing of attorney Sidney Powell’s reply brief in the Michael Flynn case.; 1/23/20, 6:58 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: Anybody been to the City of Alameda? It's a sweet little island town between SF and Oakland. Had a great Navy base there since WWII, but since closed down. Main street there is like 1950s. Lotta old Victorian homes. Lotta parks. Great little slice of Americana.; 1/23/20, 6:59 PM
Mark said...: So, tomorrow over a hundred thousand people are going to be made completely invisible as they march along Constitution Avenue in D.C.; 1/23/20, 6:59 PM
Seeing Red said...: These packages seemed a little fishy. Dozens of shipments containing 3,700 live mitten crabs have been uncovered by US Customs and Border Protection officials in Cincinnati over the last four months—in boxes labeled as tools and clothing, according to the agency. The 51 packages, weighing about 3,400 pounds, came from China and Hong Kong and were bound for homes and businesses in multiple states—including New York, the CBP said in a news release. Mitten crabs are a seasonal delicacy in Asia and go for about $50 a pop in the US, but it is illegal to import them into the country because they can harm native wildlife.

Via Lucianne.; 1/23/20, 7:02 PM
Seeing Red said...: In a case with potentially profound implications, the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority seemed ready to invalidate a provision of the Montana state constitution that bars aid to religious schools. A decision like that would work a sea change in constitutional law, significantly removing the longstanding high wall of separation between church and state. The focal point of Wednesday's argument was a ruling by the Montana Supreme Court that struck down a tax subsidy for both religious and non-religious private schools.

Via Lucianne.; 1/23/20, 7:04 PM
Seeing Red said...: Just two weeks into Donald J. Trump’s presidency, Eric Ciaramella—the CIA operative widely believed to be the anti-Trump “whistleblower”— was overheard discussing with another White House staffer the need to remove the president from office, Paul Sperry of RealClearInvestigations reported on Wednesday. Ciaramella was at the time on loan to the White House as a top Ukrainian analyst in the National Security Council (NSC). He had previously served as an adviser on Ukraine to then-Vice President Biden. “Just days after he was sworn in they were already talking about trying to get rid of him,” a White House colleague who overheard their conversation told RCI. “

Via Lucianne.; 1/23/20, 7:05 PM
Seeing Red said...: SEATTLE - Seattle could see more tiny home villages pop up across the city. On Wednesday, City Council members will discuss a proposal to add dozens more sanctioned homeless encampments. The proposal would allow 40 sanctioned encampments, each having up to 100 residents. The city's legislation would exempt churches and religious groups from acquiring a land use permit, making it easier to set up the tiny home villages and run them. (Snip) “Waking up to men outside my bedroom window was one of the things that I was not okay with. Or finding needles in my neighbor’s yards,” said Amber

Via Lucianne.; 1/23/20, 7:09 PM
pacwest said...: Impeachment is just kabuki theater to hurt Trump and the Republicans in 2020 election. My interest is in the amount of the corruption in the Obama administration that is starting to seep out. The only thing I've seen so far on the Huber investigation into the Clintons so far is the WAPO's standard nothing to see here move along stuff. Has anybody seen anything more on that?; 1/23/20, 7:14 PM
stephen cooper said...: The greatest first lady of my lifetime is Melania Trump.

Reagan's most obvious fault was his uxoriousness - I am sure Nancy forbade him to speak at the March for Life. He is a lesser man, because of that , than I would want any of my sons to be.

Bush - the guy who acted heroically at a young age but who was ever after that usually exactly what Alexander Haig said he was - a wimp - never spoke at the March for Life, because he was a man with little passion in his heart.

The next president who owed his election to us pro-lifers was George Bush. Both his wife and mother were pro-choice harridans, and he was not man enough to stand up against that as he should have. He was a girly man, as Schwarzenegger would have said.

Nixon does not get a pass either, he was on the wrong side of history when he appointed losers to the Supreme Court, and he never really made up for it. Old Nixon could have marched with the good people, but he did not. That, more than what he did in the Watergate crisis, is the reason history will not treat him kindly.

I do not know what Melania thinks about natural law, about the usurpation of our rights by the Supreme Court, or about the fact that Obamas's favorite abortion group, Planned Parenthood, is, for all purposes, an organization that, at the bidding of the rich, makes sure that little African-American babies , and babies on the reservations, are aborted at multiple rates compared to babies of European heritage in affluent parts of the country. However, I do know that, unlike the sad old Bush wives, unlike poor Nancy Reagan, she (Melania, the greatest first lady of my lifetime) did not forbid her husband from being a man and publicly and respectfully addressing the good people who oppose abortion on the cold cold day they march every year to the Supreme Court, where those usurpers of the rights of the innocent refuse year after year to do the right thing and say that it is wrong to murder babies in the womb, and who refuse to acknowledge that the government should not protect and show favor to those who rejoice in and profit from the exploitation of young mothers who are not rich.; 1/23/20, 7:15 PM
stephen cooper said...: Mark - of course the Washington Post has no interest in that.; 1/23/20, 7:15 PM
Ralph L said...: Jim Lehrer of PBS is dead at 85.; 1/23/20, 7:20 PM
Chuck said...: Althouse I have been in a lot of courtrooms, from trial courts to appellate courts to supreme courts; state and federal; and the presentation of the House Managers is articulate, detailed and dynamic. I know I cannot make you watch it. I expect that nothing I say would ever convince you to watch it. But in refusing to watch — if that is what you are doing — you are missing the most cogent and comprehensive recitation of the case against Trump that I have ever heard.

Anyone who hasn’t taken the time to listen to the presentation and who nevertheless claims that the impeachment case is too boring or weak or inconclusive, is unworthy of public debate.; 1/23/20, 7:21 PM
stephen cooper said...: Chuck - now do Obama.; 1/23/20, 7:23 PM
Rory said...: My local station put on impeachment coverage and preempted the classic Munsters where Herman enters the rodeo.; 1/23/20, 7:25 PM
Tommy Duncan said...: Yesterday I emptied some bookshelves that held many math and philosophy books from my college and grad school days. I was astounded by the math books and how much I have forgotten over 50 years.

Being retired, I have time to dabble, so I've acquired a couple of basic college math books online. At age 69 I'm starting to work my way back through my math education. In college really enjoyed pure mathematics involving theorems and proofs.

As I progress I'll let you know if I have any remaining functional brain cells. (I have Parkinson's, so that's a real question.); 1/23/20, 7:26 PM
pacwest said...: BAG,
Been to Pleasanton, looks like your description of Alameda. I'd like to say I've spent 5 years traveling the continental US (via RV) and California drivers are far and away the best I've seen. Minnesota has to rank near the bottom. Anecdotal, but I think the states with the lowest taxes have the best roads. I don't know what the correlation is.; 1/23/20, 7:27 PM
Tommy Duncan said...: Blogger Chuck said...

"Anyone who hasn’t taken the time to listen to the presentation and who nevertheless claims that the impeachment case is too boring or weak or inconclusive, is unworthy of public debate."

And the horse you rode in on, Chuck.; 1/23/20, 7:28 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: potUS Trump is the single most important figure of the last 60 years. It is truly an honor to have him as our leader.

The challenges he has faced, and overcome, time and time and time again, are amazing to consider.

I still remember when I thought he might be a decent potUS, when he answered "expensive bullshit" when asked about global warming.

His extreme brilliance concerning the economy is why the progs knew they had to throw shit for four years to have a prayer at not humiliating their party for a generation.

I suspect the people disgusted are fewer, but have opinions more revered, than those who do the natural thing and believe the easy, pretty lies of Satan and his media lovers.; 1/23/20, 7:31 PM
stephen cooper said...: I lived in Pleasanton in 1974-5, did not have a car, but spent a lot of time cruising up and down Main Street with friends.

The cops knew the teenagers by name back then, I remember the time the brother of the Olympic gymnast (who was in the car with me) talked one of the cops into letting us go if we drove away and left our six packs of beer on the side of the road.

We were of course all sober. We were the younger set of teenagers.

Roger, I remember.; 1/23/20, 7:33 PM
Charlie Eklund said...: Articulate, detailed and dynamic? Some would even call the House Managers gifted storytellers.; 1/23/20, 7:33 PM
Tommy Duncan said...: I want to thank Chuck for reminding us of why he is so despised on this blog. His comment at 7:21 PM manages to intentionally insult and disparage Althouse and most of her commentators. We are unworthy of you, Chuck.; 1/23/20, 7:35 PM
SeanF said...: Chuck: ...the presentation of the House Managers is ... the most cogent and comprehensive recitation of the case against Trump that I have ever heard.

I have no reason to doubt that's true. But it's also pretty much meaningless.

Just out of curiosity, though, why didn't they do that good of a job presenting the case in the House? Or at a press conference?; 1/23/20, 7:39 PM
stephen cooper said...: actually it was a parking lot, not the side of the road, about half a block north of the famous hotel.

and if I remember correctly - it was about 9 PM on a weeknight, one of us had just purchased the six pack which the five of us planned to share.

I think the cop put it in the trunk of his cruiser, now that I remember better.

If he and his pals drank it later, well, I hope they enjoyed it. No harm no foul. It was probably Coors, but my memory is not that good - although Coors was always a good beer.; 1/23/20, 7:41 PM
Mark said...: Hey -

Why is it that some commenters seem to be of the impression that this is some kind of do-it-yourself, wiki kind of Drudge website, where they do nothing but post maybe a sentence or two from some story and add a URL, but without linking it with http coding?; 1/23/20, 7:41 PM
Tommy Duncan said...: Blogger Chuck said...

"...you are missing the most cogent and comprehensive recitation of the case against Trump that I have ever heard."

Feeling a little tingle up your leg, big boy?; 1/23/20, 7:41 PM
Chuck said...: Trump’s dismissive characterization of soldiers’ possible TBIs as mostly “headaches” has:
a) Drawn criticism from veterans’ groups;
b) Caused SecDef Esper to openly disagree with Trump, and;
c). Given everyone an opportunity to recall Trump’s draft deferment for supposed “bone spurs.”; 1/23/20, 7:43 PM
Jeff said...: Chuck, what part of "High crimes and Misdemeanors" is too difficult for you to understand? A misdemeanor is a lesser crime, but still a crime. There is no such crime as "abuse of power". I don't care if they made an open and shut case that Trump "abused" his power, that's still not a crime and he cannot Constitutionally be impeached for it. The words of the Constitution matter.; 1/23/20, 7:43 PM
Browndog said...: Ralph L said...

Jim Lehrer of PBS is dead at 85.

That's a shame. Professional in both manner and tone.

Real journalists are being replaced with the likes of Katy Tur and her ilk.; 1/23/20, 7:46 PM
narciso said...: National review has gone to a point, where buckley would disown it if he were still alive. Ponnuru is hindi for brooks gerson or frum

https://mobile.twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1220510733043142656; 1/23/20, 7:47 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Ridiculed mercilessly continuously, he persevered and helped keep his main promise, to, after Obama, Make America Great Again.

What a man, what a wonderful man.; 1/23/20, 7:48 PM
Browndog said...: Wanna talk impeachment?

List all the bombshell highlights from today's testimony instead of kicking dead horses.

It will be highly informative since almost all of us missed it.; 1/23/20, 7:50 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: News not found at CNN or MSDNC

SCOOP: CIA, FBI Informant Was Washington Post Source For Russiagate Smears
These close connections between the Washington Post’s David Ignatius and people connected to U.S. and U.K. intelligence raise grave concerns about the deep state using media to push propaganda.; 1/23/20, 7:54 PM
Original Mike said...: Blogger Chuck said..."Anyone who hasn’t taken the time to listen to the presentation and who nevertheless claims that the impeachment case is too boring or weak or inconclusive, is unworthy of public debate."

A case made by a man, Adam Schiff, who claimed he hade seen conclusive evidence that Trump had colluded with Russia and Putin. He doesn't have a shred of credibility, Chuck. How do you make your peace with that?; 1/23/20, 7:54 PM
Chuck said...: And today at Davis, Trump made the mind-boggling diplomatic error of apparently not knowing who he was talking to.

Here is the Washington Post story. If you don’t like the Post, feel free to check any other favored news source.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/01/23/trump-appears-confuse-kurds-syria-iraq-meeting-with-president-iraqi-kurdistan/; 1/23/20, 7:55 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Chuck
Was anyone able to explain why it's illegal to ask a foreign leader to look into American Democratic corruption?; 1/23/20, 7:56 PM
Michael K said...: you are missing the most cogent and comprehensive recitation of the case against Trump that I have ever heard.

Lunatics are ignored unless they become violent.

MY son lived on Alameda for ten years. He is back in OC.; 1/23/20, 7:57 PM
narciso said...: Re guilianj

Starting tomorrow we will begin cracking through the Swamp media’s cover-up of TOP level Democrats selling their public office, resulting in multi-millions, in Ukraine and the conspired attempt with foreign officials to “destroy” the Trump candidacy.; 1/23/20, 7:58 PM
narciso said...: Joseph potash

Um, the people of Puerto Rico are carrying a guillotine to the Governor’s mansion right now.

Less than a swamp more like the den of scum and villainy in mos eiseley; 1/23/20, 8:01 PM
stevew said...: Blogger Chuck: you are the only one that sees it that way. The. Only. One.

Had a meeting of my directs today in NYC. First I have to say, I am still impressed that I can rouse myself at 4:30am, get cleaned up and ready for the day, trundle into Boston's Logan Airport, fly to NYC (LaGuardia) - 40 mins in the air, Uber to Midtown, meet all day, have a fabulous lunch at a small Vietnamese joint, and turn it around and walk into my house at 7:45pm. Part of what impresses me so is the just, plain, routineness of it all.

Update from today's meeting: we were focused on work stuff, of course, but did discuss current events a bit during breaks. The main focus was on the fact that the news cycle now is all Hair On Fire Crisis AT 11!!!!! but that the topic of attention changes daily if not hourly. One person in my org is Australian. She pointed out that all the news attention in the US started and peaked a couple of months AFTER the fires had already been burning. Now there is no coverage even though the fires still burn. Someone else mentioned the Vaping crisis non-crisis. One said "impeachment" and no one even acknowledged it, changed the subject to the opioid crisis. We ultimately concluded that the NEWS is just click-bait BS.

Meanwhile mrs. stevew and I continue our search for a new house. We were close on a place in Exeter NH but ultimately didn't want to pay the premium asked. There is no rush but we can't help but feel some pressure to do something.; 1/23/20, 8:03 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: If you are too blind by Trump hate to see the corruption that IS the modern democrat party - you're beyond help.; 1/23/20, 8:03 PM
todd galle said...: Stephen cooper,
While I don't know the dynamics of the local police folks regarding your beer bust, having worked in several National Parks I can tell you what happened later. The beer was retained by the officers, returned to HQ for storage, then they went back on the patrol, continually offering young offenders the choice of being arrested or leaving the booze and departing (as long as they weren't a public hazard). They waited until they had confiscated enough alcohol to host a staff party on a Friday or Saturday. Since most NPS Rangers were in site housing, no driving. It was the 80s though.; 1/23/20, 8:04 PM
Chuck said...: Blogger Jeff said...
Chuck, what part of "High crimes and Misdemeanors" is too difficult for you to understand? A misdemeanor is a lesser crime, but still a crime. There is no such crime as "abuse of power". I don't care if they made an open and shut case that Trump "abused" his power, that's still not a crime and he cannot Constitutionally be impeached for it. The words of the Constitution matter.

A day ago, Jonathan Turley wrote an op-ed published in the Washington Post concerning, “Where Trumps defenders go too far.” Staying in part that on the subject of impeachment, the Founders “often spoke of impeachable conduct in noncriminal terms... There is a vast array of harmful and corrupt acts that a president can commit outside of the criminal code,” and adopting the view that only crimes are impeachable “would create lasting harm for the constitutional system.”

That’s YOUR Jonathan Turley.; 1/23/20, 8:08 PM
narciso said...: Whose side are they on, certainly not ours

https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m262.full?fbclid=IwAR0FiA2IeDdVj8fHqClESj1kTnXloldFbhWAf8GUyBnW2r1V3gAyqeGpDkg; 1/23/20, 8:10 PM
stephen cooper said...: We all know a lot about Obama's dealings with foreign governments.

Not a single Democratic lawyer, including little Turley, has ever said - here is the thing most similar to what Trump is accused of doing, and here is why it was not impeachable when little Obama did it and it is impeachable when bad Trump did it.

Chuck, you are too stupid to understand this comment so do not reply.

But don't ever call Turley my Turley again, you ignorant fool.; 1/23/20, 8:13 PM
narciso said...: At every step of the process, there werebariers to prevent scrutiny of the supposed info, from steele to halper to the fisa court to bureau counterintelligence.; 1/23/20, 8:15 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Chuck - do explain how it is "harmful" to root out obvious and well-founded democratic corruption?

Are you OK with the sons and daughters of elected officials pocketing millions and billions based on connections and bribes? Are you Ok with what amounts to be international money laundering that starts out as a Tax Payer Money and ends up Hunter's nose?; 1/23/20, 8:15 PM
narciso said...: Barriers, then there was a concerted leaking operation from the senate intelligence committee; 1/23/20, 8:18 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: "I want to thank Chuck for reminding us of why he is so despised on this blog."

I'd like to thank you for pointing out, unwittingly, why things are the way they are and people do the things they do.

You had the millionth observation written the 10,000 time. And you don't, can't, figure out why.

Because it works for one person, and that isn't you, I, or Althouse.

But you'll keep on keepin' on, won't you. Somebody is wrong on the internet, so you will spend a lifetime pointing that out. Hopeful that will ...

What do you hope for with your comments about ... ?

Why can't you see who wins every day?

Is it because you can't conceive others play a different, shit game? Why can't you conceive it, I'm pointing it out?

You've made the star here other than Althouse, and if I were the star I'd be happy as a pig in shit with the non-stop confirmation.; 1/23/20, 8:18 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Boom.

Ukrainian energy companies sure do like to hire the children of Democrats. Paul Pelosi jr. too.

But Trump is the criminal.; 1/23/20, 8:27 PM
Michael K said...: Poor Chuck. Too stupid to understand. We have a guy on Ricochet , also a lawyer, who thinks Schiff was just terrific.

Amusing.; 1/23/20, 8:29 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Buckley made a lot of mistakes.

He was compromised. To him, that was the point. It wasn't bad because everyone decent wanted America first, with slightly different tactics.

So if you just become a bon viviant or whatever that's cool, you got the gift of gab.

Then he had to elect Reagan which he did.

Case closed, huge winner.

Didn't transfer. No big whoop. I apologize to Ponnuru after the Ponnuru for SCOTUS nonsense for saying he sounds like a 12 year old girl.

My voice isn't the best either, and by attacking his effeminate manner I diminish how shitty his politics are, which are totalitarian shit level shitty.; 1/23/20, 8:31 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Want to get really rich fast?

This one weird trick will do it. Are you the son or daughter of a D-pol in 'Merica?
Lets go to Ukraine and talk biznis.

(but Joe Biden knows nothing about his sons dealings. ignore those photographs of all involved on the golf courses. No one said a thing that day!); 1/23/20, 8:33 PM
Iman said...: Comfortably Smug has created his Liberal Hack Brackets...

https://twitter.com/ComfortablySmug/status/1220457431714746369; 1/23/20, 8:34 PM
Mark said...: It's infectious.; 1/23/20, 8:36 PM
narciso said...: For a time, buckley held the flame, outside, the board was composed of those who had seen the left amd had even beem part of it (meyer chambers burnham) they knew how the enemy worked to a point.

But he didnt consider how the left could infiltrate itself institutiomally irony from the author of god and man at yale.; 1/23/20, 8:37 PM
narciso said...: Institutionally, so robert welch and the hed of the reece committee might have had the main point, the former in the most crude manor.; 1/23/20, 8:39 PM
Jaq said...: So Prince Charles is a fucking asshole who despises the United States. Good to know.; 1/23/20, 8:40 PM
narciso said...: Manner, buckley had the imput of ravines ex communist in mexico city.; 1/23/20, 8:41 PM
Original Mike said...: "In a letter delivered to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in December, the [DOJ] said it found "there was insufficient predication to establish probable cause to believe that Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power" in justifying the two final FISA warrant renewals."

Unpossible. Adam Schiff assured us he had seen evidence implicating Trump in Russian collusion.; 1/23/20, 8:41 PM
narciso said...: The saxe coburg well ran dry.; 1/23/20, 8:42 PM
Jaq said...: I am starting to have some sympathy for Chuck’s cognitive limitations.; 1/23/20, 8:42 PM
Iman said...: "And today at Davis, Trump made the mind-boggling diplomatic error of apparently not knowing who he was talking to."

Trump was not in Davis, Ca. today, Chuck. Drop the glass dick.; 1/23/20, 8:43 PM
narciso said...: What could go wrong?

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/01/21/oakland-becomes-first-california-city-to-ban-background-checks-for-renters/?fbclid=IwAR3VUuA8lCaKRue3Zm3rIxig65qDkzrD7bQTTxeWaPHNM-H-kXdZc_E0dYU#.Xiooc8sCnac.facebook; 1/23/20, 8:44 PM
Jaq said...: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1220536711031078913; 1/23/20, 8:45 PM
exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...: In the meantime, Joe Biden said today that DACA recipients are "more American than most Americans are because they have done well at school."

I so hope he wins the nomination.; 1/23/20, 8:45 PM
narciso said...: Making it official

https://babalublog.com/2020/01/23/venezuelas-socialist-dictator-calls-castro-dictatorship-big-brother-and-protector-wants-cuban-on-his-cabinet/#comments; 1/23/20, 8:48 PM
Jaq said...: "I don't know how many times it was said by the managers that the Biden conflict of interest allegation has been debunked ... [that] there is no scintilla of evidence in terms of conflicts of interest and potential wrongdoing," Graham said. "When the managers tell me this has been looked at and debunked, [I say] by who? That is becoming relevant because they have talked about it almost 50 times, that the president had no reason to believe that anything improper occurred in the Ukraine with the Bidens, and he was just out to create a political advantage. The fact is that nobody ... has done much looking at what happened in the Ukraine with Hunter Biden."

"Hunter Biden is not only relevant, he is now critical," Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said. "That was a very odd strategic decision from the House managers.". - Washington Examiner; 1/23/20, 8:57 PM
Seeing Red said...: And yet wants to talk to the US.; 1/23/20, 8:57 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Almost twelve years since WFB died.

I used to think the Washington Free Beacon was cool because, you know, WFB.

Washington Free Beacon.

But I ain't impressed no more, and I can't confirm I ever really was but you know maybe, who knows?; 1/23/20, 8:57 PM
Jaq said...: Anybody who thinks there in “no. scintilla of evidence of conflicts of interest” should read this whole sordid tale.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/us/politics/biden-son-ukraine.html; 1/23/20, 8:58 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: What I find interesting is the tactic:

One little fact, glossed over, in order for the psycho to make an illigitimate point, like a spelling error, worthy of thousands of responses.

When the economy is gang-busters.

You don't feel the need to talk about that, just respond to illigitimae nt spelled right.

So "History" by the victors claims that one little fact 10,000 times more interesting than any economic discussion on this forum.

And many, many, many other forums like, or not, this, it don't matter, but the goal is reached.

"TRUMP GUILTY: All people talked about in 2020 was proved by these statistics Trump is guilty" - Prog duh no matter what.; 1/23/20, 9:05 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: Ghislaine Maxwell's personal emails were HACKED - sparking fears that damaging information about high-profile individuals linked to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking case, including Prince Andrew, could be leaked

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7919155/amp/Ghislaine-Maxwells-personal-emails-HACKED-leaked.html; 1/23/20, 9:06 PM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: NRO said:

Senate Republicans, by and large, have reached an unspoken consensus about President Trump and Ukraine. He should not have put a temporary freeze on congressionally authorized aid to Ukraine, should not have dabbled with using the aid to get Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden or a nutty theory about Ukrainian hacking during the 2016 election, and should not have kept defending his “perfect call” as such. At the same time, his conduct does not merit his removal from office — especially since voters will get to pass judgment on that conduct in a few months.

It’s a reasonable position, and it’s the case that Republicans ought to make in public. They are inhibited from doing so by the president’s obstinacy. Instead of sticking to the most defensible case for a Senate acquittal of Trump, Republicans from the president on down are making arguments that range from the implausible to the embarrassing.

Hence the claim now being advanced half-heartedly by Republicans that presidents cannot be impeached for any abuse of power unless that abuse took the form of a criminal violation of a statute. The consensus of those who have studied this question is to the contrary. Jonathan Turley, the Republicans’ star witness in the House hearings about the constitutional issues raised by impeachment, has repudiated this view. Attorney General William Barr has in the past denied it. The Founding-era debates about impeachment are clear that Congress was to be able to remove a president from office if he had exercised his legal powers in an abusive way. One example that came up during those debates: What if the president tacitly encouraged a crime and then pardoned the perpetrator? The pardon power is arguably unreviewable, and certainly very nearly so. It was left to the judgment of a majority of the House and a supermajority of the Senate, as always under the supervision of the voters, whether a president’s conduct had rendered his continuation in office intolerable.

Attempts to impeach presidents have thus frequently combined charges of crimes with charges of non-criminal abuses. A categorical denial of the latter class of charge would do violence to the Constitution and one of its checks on presidential misconduct. Republicans would be better off arguing that in this case the president’s behavior, while objectionable, should be left, as scheduled, to the judgment of the voters directly — an argument that already has the support of most voters in polls and accords with Senate Republicans’ actual beliefs. There is no need for constitutional contortions.; 1/23/20, 9:06 PM
Jaq said...: Did you ever read a really thick novel and the first few hundred pages were really good, then you reach a patch that’s just a slog? That’s where the writers in POTUS 45 are stuck right now.; 1/23/20, 9:11 PM
Jaq said...: NRO, now only read by liberals who will drop them like a hot potato as soon as Trump is out of the picture.; 1/23/20, 9:12 PM
Jaq said...: This is the kinds of shit that ARM defends:

Hunter Biden’s work in Ukraine appears to have been well compensated. Burisma paid $3.4 million to a company called Rosemont Seneca Bohai LLC from mid-April 2014, when Hunter Biden and Mr. Archer joined the board, to late 2015, according to the financial data provided by the Ukrainian deputy prosecutor. The payments continued after that, according to people familiar with the arrangement.

Rosemont Seneca Bohai was controlled by Mr. Archer, who left Burisma’s board after he was charged in connection with a scheme to defraud pension funds and an Indian tribe of tens of millions of dollars. Bank records submitted in that case — which resulted in a conviction for Mr. Archer that was overturned in November — show that Rosemont Seneca Bohai made regular payments to Mr. Biden that totaled as much as $50,000 in some months. - NYTimes

Note that the conviction was overturned because they couldn’t prove intent.; 1/23/20, 9:14 PM
rhhardin said...: Trump in the right to life march is a bad move. There isn't unanimity about abortion on the right and Trump will lose half his base unless he's for early abortion, which would anger the other part. In addition the dems will spin it as against all abortion and that will motivate huge turnout on the left among those who would have stayed home in the face of dismal dem candidates.

It seems politically unmanageable to me, a mistake. Perhaps he imagines love from the evangelicals will help. Not as much as he loses, by far.; 1/23/20, 9:16 PM
narciso said...: You go with the ones that brought you, and since the democrats have gone full (insert relevant mediterrean sacrificial god); 1/23/20, 9:18 PM
Jaq said...: Among the Americans brought in by Hunter Biden’s American business partners to help fend off the investigations was Blue Star Strategies, a consulting firm run by Clinton administration veterans that had done substantial work in Ukraine.

A team from Blue Star, and an American lawyer Blue Star hired, John D. Buretta, who had served as a senior official in the Obama Justice Department, held two previously unreported meetings in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, with Mr. Lutsenko, who took office in May 2016 after Mr. Shokin’s dismissal, according to people with direct knowledge of the meetings. Mr. Lutsenko denied attending the meeting.

Mr. Lutsenko initially took a hard line against Burisma. But within 10 months after he took office, Burisma announced that Mr. Lutsenko and the courts had “fully closed” all “legal proceedings and pending criminal allegations” against Mr. Zlochevsky and his companies, and that the oligarch had been removed by a Ukrainian court from “the wanted list.” Mr. Zlochevsky returned to the country.. - New York Times

Son of a bitch, that’s a happy ending!; 1/23/20, 9:20 PM
Beasts of England said...: ’It’s a reasonable position, and it’s the case that Republicans ought to make in public.’

It’s a reasonable position, re: Trump, to do the opposite of what the NRO cabin boys suggest.; 1/23/20, 9:22 PM
mccullough said...: Hunter Biden owes child support. Won’t show up to court. His lawyers dropped him as a client.

Chuck should represent him. For free. But Chuck isn’t a lawyer. He asks Althouse legal questions because he doesn’t know the answer to them.

Chuck is just a pool boy.; 1/23/20, 9:26 PM
mccullough said...: Joe Biden won’t help his baby grandson.

This guy wants to be president but won’t lift a finger to help his own grandson.

What a piece of shit he is. Just like Hunter; 1/23/20, 9:27 PM
mccullough said...: Who is going to ask Joe why his Cokehead Son Won’t show up to court?

Who is going to ask Joe why his Cokehead Son won’t support his own kid.

Chip off the old block.; 1/23/20, 9:30 PM
Theranter said...: Bay Area Guy, I grew up in San Carlos, been to Alameda many times. Left California in 2007. Good to know it's still a nice town.

Coop, I agree Melania is the best FLOTUS ever. She is Catholic, so I'm pretty sure she fully supports her husband speaking at the MFL. (Wouldn't be surprised if she accompanied him.) Have you seen her face light up when she visits children in hospitals or schools? The love and concern in her is incredible!

Even if she didn't fully support him going, I suspect, as you said, she would never stop him from doing so. She and Trump have something very special--they totally get, and respect, each other. One thing I'll never forget is, early on in the primaries, there was an interview where they were asked if she/the family were involved in the decision to run. She said there was consultation with the family, but her main contribution at the meeting was to remind them all "just remember, if he runs, he will win." Thank God she was right, and talk about knowing your spouse!; 1/23/20, 9:30 PM
narciso said...: Blue star is like epsteins all star team dershowitz starr and roy black, thats a lot of fire power there was also atlantic counsel imput; 1/23/20, 9:30 PM
Seeing Red said...: Via Insty: Muslim World League Chief al-Issa Joins Holocaust Survivors in Historic Tribute at Auschwitz; 1/23/20, 9:31 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: JOSH BLACKMAN: Trump Acts Like a Politician. That’s Not an Impeachable Offense. Receiving a “political benefit” does not transform an otherwise legal action (like requesting an investigation) into an abuse of power. Under the Democrats’ standard, every president in my lifetime would be impeachable.; 1/23/20, 9:34 PM
Rick.T. said...: Contra Chuck: My wife, who practiced law for 40 years, has been watching on and off this week. I get texts every so after saying she has no idea wtf they are going on about. On the other hand, she’s become a big fan of Pat Cipollone.; 1/23/20, 9:36 PM
iowan2 said...: ARM the debate keeps shifting because Dems have had an ever changing menu of claimed slights committed by President Trump. Obstruction of justice, bribery, coercion, treason, extortion FEC violations, violation of the Impoundment Act, abuse of power...well you get the idea. Dems only know they are scared to death President Trump will continue to be successful. Proving current political leadership, is clueless and incompetent.

Dems are well within their proper power to impeach the president for any cause they desire, crime or no.
Republicans are well within their proper power to judge the Dems conclusions arbitary, and capricious, and vote to acquit, and exonerate President Trump.

For this is a political debate and will be settled by politics. There is a reason 2/3 majority is needed to remove a President. Schiff has provided the lesson in living, 3D, color, the wisdom of the super majority. (Nadlers admission today that voters are too stupid to govern themselves, and cant be trusted to determine President Trumps fitness of office, should disqualify him, and all that agree with that statement, from holding elective office); 1/23/20, 9:36 PM
narciso said...: Its a silly notion, to bring across evidence that the press wants to 'cover with a pillow' whereas every half regurgitated rumor or innuendo from subious sources is deemed legitimate.; 1/23/20, 9:40 PM
narciso said...: Its like the lawfare exercise is israel, if the indictments succeed against netanyahu it will be practically illegal to practice center right politics in thatcountry.; 1/23/20, 9:42 PM
Beasts of England said...: ’Nadler accused Republican senators of engaging in a “cover-up”and said voting against witnesses was “an absolutely indefensible” and “treacherous” vote.’

No wonder Chuckles loved their presentation...; 1/23/20, 9:43 PM
narciso said...: So the utter fraud practiced by the security services (what we call the deep state) in conjunction with the opposition faction, is the point here.; 1/23/20, 9:44 PM
narciso said...: And it would be merely pathetic, if it wasnt for the opportunity cost of what was not attended too in that year and a half period (evidence suggests this began in mid 2015); 1/23/20, 9:47 PM
exhelodrvr1 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/23/20, 9:48 PM
exhelodrvr1 said...: BAG
"Anybody been to the City of Alameda?"
I was stationed at the NAS from 88-91. We lived on YBI.; 1/23/20, 9:49 PM
narciso said...: And the cast of characters rivals the first line of credits in a marvel film.; 1/23/20, 9:50 PM
MayBee said...: I just realized how hilarious it is that Biden forced Ukraine to fire its prosecutor, considering Bush was almost impeached for firing some US Attorneys. We can fire OTHER countries' prosecutors, but not our own!; 1/23/20, 9:55 PM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: "Just wanted to say that since Monday, not one person I know has brought up the impeachment. No one cares."

Maybe I'm just surrounded by a shitload of apolitical people but, quite honestly, I can't recall anyone ever bringing up this impeachment within my hearing. That is freakin' remarkable and strongly supports the idea that the average person has dismissed this as an absurd partisan farce, unworthy of mention even among the simpatico. Just amazing.; 1/23/20, 9:56 PM
Jeff said...: A day ago, Jonathan Turley wrote an op-ed published in the Washington Post concerning, “Where Trumps defenders go too far.” Staying in part that on the subject of impeachment, the Founders “often spoke of impeachable conduct in noncriminal terms... There is a vast array of harmful and corrupt acts that a president can commit outside of the criminal code,” and adopting the view that only crimes are impeachable “would create lasting harm for the constitutional system.”
It doesn't matter what they spoke of, what matters is what they wrote and what the States of the Union ratified. You know that when the text of the Constitution is clear, as it is hear, history and contemporaneous sources mean nothing == the text of the Constitution is the final word. You claim to admire the judges Trump is putting on the courts, well, this is precisely what those judges believe.; 1/23/20, 9:59 PM
Jeff said...: I don't really care what Turley thinks, if what he thinks is contrary to the written words of the Constitution. Those written words are what the founding generation agreed to, and if consent of the governed is to mean anything at all, it must be that those words are still the law of the land unless and until they are changed via Constitutional Amendment.; 1/23/20, 10:02 PM
Beasts of England said...: I met a friend back in town for happy hour on Tuesday. She was late, per usual, so I listened to the bartender and an attorney - both of whom I’ve known for years - discussing Trump and the impeachment.

They shared the normal vitriol directed at the president - corrupt, criminal, fascist - but agreed he wouldn’t be removed from office via trial. However, they were certain he would be soundly defeated in 2020.

The attorney said she would take her sailboat to Uruguay should he be re-elected. The bartender said she couldn’t possibly take four more years with Trump in charge. I resisted telling her that it will be five more years, not four. I’m such a nice guy. :); 1/23/20, 10:03 PM
StephenFearby said...: In other news...

Revolting footage shows Chinese woman eating a whole bat at a fancy restaurant as scientists link the deadly coronavirus to the flying mammals

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7920573/Revolting-footage-shows-Chinese-woman-eating-bat-scientists-link-coronavirus-animal.html

Diagnosis:

bat shit crazy

A clinically insane person beyond the regular diagnosis given to them by a psychiatrist.

Family: "So, did he have a psychotic break? Or is he manic/depressive?"
Doctor: "No. I'm sorry. Your son is bat shit crazy."

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=batshit+crazy; 1/23/20, 10:10 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: @ exhelodrvr1

BAG
"Anybody been to the City of Alameda?"

"I was stationed at the NAS from 88-91. We lived at YBI"
--------

Hey Sailor! We crossed paths - I was attached to a Helicopter Mine-Sweeper Unit there in 90-91!

They opened up a private sports club on the old base, where my daughter is playing Club Volleyball tonight, so I am actually there! No more Marine guards at the entrance.; 1/23/20, 10:11 PM
mockturtle said...: Althouse I have been in a lot of courtrooms, from trial courts to appellate courts to supreme courts; state and federal; and the presentation of the House Managers is articulate, detailed and dynamic.

Spoken like a true 'Lifelong Republican'. ;-D; 1/23/20, 10:14 PM
Chuck said...: Blogger Rick.T. said...
Contra Chuck: My wife, who practiced law for 40 years, has been watching on and off this week. I get texts every so after saying she has no idea wtf they are going on about. On the other hand, she’s become a big fan of Pat Cipollone.

Really?!

Including Cippolone’s bald-faced lie about Republicans being barred from witnesses appearing in the SCIF during the impeachment inquiry? When there are, like, transcripts showing which Republicans were there, asking questions on a virtually equal basis with Democrats?

That’s the Pat Cippolone who has won the admiration of your wife? There are calls for Cippolone to be disciplined if he does not correct the record:

https://lawandcrime.com/impeachment/calls-for-pat-cipollones-disbarment-swell-after-brazen-lack-of-candor-during-impeachment-trial/; 1/23/20, 10:14 PM
StephenFearby said...: Kamala Harris 'weighs endorsing Joe Biden for president' - just weeks after Democratic frontrunner said he would not rule out California senator as his running mate

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7923311/Kamala-Harris-weighs-endorsing-Joe-Biden-president.html

Playing footsie.; 1/23/20, 10:21 PM
eric said...: Including Cippolone’s bald-faced lie about Republicans being barred from witnesses appearing in the SCIF during the impeachment inquiry?

I don't know what he said but from your words here, it doesn't sound like a lie.

Republicans were barred from appearing in the SCIF

Not all Republicans, but those who weren't on the committee.; 1/23/20, 10:21 PM
Mark said...: Is there ANYONE here who goes to the trouble of cutting and pasting into their browser these URLs that people post (again, as if this is some kind of Drudge site) to see what they are?; 1/23/20, 10:23 PM
Mark said...: And, again, is there NO ONE who knows how to create an effing link???; 1/23/20, 10:24 PM
Francisco D said...: Althouse I have been in a lot of courtrooms, from trial courts to appellate courts to supreme courts; state and federal; and the presentation of the House Managers is articulate,

Does anyone believe that this pathetic jerk off has presented a case to appellate courts or beyond?

I am thinking that he either flunked out of law school or was disbarred for incompetence. He has since taken up the career of internet troll.

Let's be magnanimous. He is a sad character and deserves our pity.; 1/23/20, 10:24 PM
Mark said...: A bunch of stories.

https://www.drudgereport.com/; 1/23/20, 10:25 PM
Marc in Eugene said...: So, tomorrow over a hundred thousand people are going to be made completely invisible as they march along Constitution Avenue in D.C.

The media wield incredible powers, don't they. It'll be interesting to see whether they prioritize invisibility or bashing Mr Trump.; 1/23/20, 10:25 PM
Mark said...: Democracy dies in darkness.

Or some bullshit like that.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/; 1/23/20, 10:27 PM
Beasts of England said...: ’There are calls for Cippolone to be disciplined if he does not correct the record’

He should bake them a pecan pie as penance.; 1/23/20, 10:28 PM
FullMoon said...: Is there ANYONE here who goes to the trouble of cutting and pasting into their browser these URLs that people post (again, as if this is some kind of Drudge site) to see what they are?

Don't know. Poorly educated me just highlights, right clicks, and opens in a new tab.; 1/23/20, 10:30 PM
narciso said...: So bernies digital outreach is running into a spot of turbulence, like say the perfect storm

https://mobile.twitter.com/jamesokeefeiii/status/1220559379369484289?s=21; 1/23/20, 10:32 PM
Gahrie said...: Althouse I have been in a lot of courtrooms, from trial courts to appellate courts to supreme courts; state and federal; and the presentation of the House Managers is articulate,

Does anyone believe that this pathetic jerk off has presented a case to appellate courts or beyond?

I will simply note that he did not specify that he was in those courtrooms acting as a lawyer. It is entirely possible, perhaps probable, that he was in those courtrooms as a defendant.; 1/23/20, 10:38 PM
FullMoon said...: It ain't that hard..
So bernies digital outreach is running into a spot of turbulence, like say the perfect storm; 1/23/20, 10:39 PM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: Chuck is right: There are many things a president can do that aren’t crimes, but can still be impeachable. As Dershowitz said, there are crimes, and crime-like behavior that can be impeachable.

However, the mere fact that it’s possible to convict a president of some kind of corrupt act, criminal, non-criminal, or crime-like, is not proof that Trump has done anything of the kind.; 1/23/20, 10:40 PM
Marc in Eugene said...: Is there ANYONE here who goes to the trouble of cutting and pasting into their browser these URLs that people post (again, as if this is some kind of Drudge site) to see what they are?

I copy and paste, yes, when it seems to me to be worth the very minimal effort it takes to do that. Every once in a while someone is bemused by the absence of links, someone else posts instructions how to make a hyperlink or whatever it's called, then, pft, the subject drops for another several weeks.; 1/23/20, 10:43 PM
Mark said...: No it's not.

That still leaves the problem though, of not really making any substantive comment or contribution and simply referring to things other people said on other websites.

What's the point?; 1/23/20, 10:44 PM
FullMoon said...: ....someone else posts instructions how to make a hyperlink or whatever it's called, then, pft, the subject drops for another several weeks..

Or, someone posts a link to killfile, again.and again. and again..; 1/23/20, 10:44 PM
FullMoon said...: Tolerance | Definition of Tolerance by Merriam-Webster; 1/23/20, 10:46 PM
narciso said...: What is a substantial contribution.four paragraphs of canned blather. The press barely acknowledges this (redacted) show is a put up job. Real issues are at stake.

I cite bible references are those too obscure as well, because it seems increasingly more relevant. The rest of this folderall is like the tower of babel. Irrelevant to the the lives of ordinary people.; 1/23/20, 10:49 PM
narciso said...: I say trump is a blunt instrument, not the most tactful but that isnt the way the world works. Its bloody and dirty it roils in revolution, which 1/4 times turns out well. The greater the ambition, the greater the tragedy. Save the planet, prevent all war, create a new man. Each is multiples more arrogant.; 1/23/20, 10:56 PM
narciso said...: The first really only means fool the first world into committing seppuku, because india and china wont go along. The second what is vividly displayed in 1917, the last is the revolutionary project from moscow to beijing to caracas.; 1/23/20, 11:01 PM
narciso said...: The latter i know second hand, of one relative who drowned in the florida straits of another relative abandoned on a beach by those who promised to support him, other acquaintances who served in lavor camps, whose parents were in the congo and south america trying to prevent the marxist infection from spreading; 1/23/20, 11:08 PM
narciso said...: Bibi isnt perfect, hes always beem considered too ambitious (crazy notion for a politician) the wunderkind with the right family name, right credentials but too enthusuastic to grasp for the ring. Often too willing to compromise thats why some have split away from likud, like gluck and shaked.; 1/23/20, 11:14 PM
narciso said...: Anothet blunt instrument, boris johnson is some what of the same way. Who else could get brexit through this minefield with raw will. Hes got a full warehouse of skeletons but theyre mostly out in thr open; 1/23/20, 11:19 PM
William said...: It's a delicate measurement, but I think I'm less interested in the impeachment drama than in the Royal Family soap opera. The plus side of Harry and Megan is that they're reasonably good looking. As royal scandals go, it's not much, but the ultimate purpose of royal watching is to remind us of the inanity and futility of our existence here on earth. It's best if these soap operas are acted out by good looking people.....So far as inanity and futility go, the impeachment drama tops all. Worse yet, it's being acted out by Nadler and Schiff. Why did the Dems choose such full glottal stops to enunciate their case? They added another level of boredom and futility to a case that is inherently boring and futile... I think if AOC had presented the opening arguments in a tight sweater, she would have generated more interest in the proceedings. Why not subcontract the President of Finland to present the case. She's kind of hot and, it's the kind of job that Americans aren't interested in doing.; 1/23/20, 11:23 PM
narciso said...: That might be denmark, finlands a he, the head of the norwegian peoples party otoh.; 1/23/20, 11:27 PM
narciso said...: But you have a point there are no compelling characters and you need the. To sell a lack luster story.; 1/23/20, 11:29 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Or, someone posts a link to killfile, again.and again. and again..

C'mon man, I only post that when somebody complains about some irritating commenter.
Just trying to be helpful.
You'd be surprised how classy it makes this joint appear.; 1/23/20, 11:33 PM
narciso said...: So gabbard was a compelling figure but too much of a maverick, sho she couldnt be shoehorned into this (redacted) also ot may just be between the jealous females and the denatured soi bois she doesnt have a chance.; 1/23/20, 11:34 PM
narciso said...: Some people have a game of thrones crossed with house of cards delusions

https://mobile.twitter.com/varadmehta/status/1220564528284557314; 1/23/20, 11:43 PM
Yancey Ward said...: I am sorry- there has to be a crime the Democrats can allege, else the impeachment should be defeated. "Abuse of power" isn't sufficient. Any real abuse of power should easily lend itself to a criminal allegation. So, why didn't the Democrats allege an actual crime?

The Democrats didn't provide a criminal allegation because they knew it would open the door to Trump being allowed to call certain witnesses the Democrats don't want the Senate to allow to be questioned publicly by Trump's defense team.; 1/23/20, 11:45 PM
narciso said...: Louise mensch is a coked up fmr novelist and fmr tory politician, 'who plum lost ger mind'; 1/23/20, 11:45 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: $80,000,000 and we will write it this decade.; 1/23/20, 11:46 PM
FullMoon said...: C'mon man, I only post that when somebody complains about some irritating commenter.
Just trying to be helpful.

No joke, I used to post it twice a week. Learned it from you early last year. And, a link to easy hyperlinks.; 1/23/20, 11:47 PM
narciso said...: Like the dooms day clock moving to 100 seconds to midnight.; 1/23/20, 11:48 PM
narciso said...: That was when the rat pack 2 pitt, clooney damon were on the rise wasnt it, when they told sharon waxman to bury the atory.; 1/23/20, 11:52 PM
FullMoon said...: http://easyhyperlinks.com/

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/blog-comment-killfile/kpoilnkelonbaapoapibddjaojohnpjf

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/blog-killfile/

haha. get it?; 1/23/20, 11:52 PM
Seeing Red said...: Wow Trump is unveiling a Mideast Peace Plan next week?

Bwaaaaaaaa

No wonder why they moved the doomsday clock forward!; 1/23/20, 11:52 PM
Seeing Red said...: I love Ronnie RayGun but....

What are the odds 2 great presidents in 1 lifetime?; 1/23/20, 11:54 PM
narciso said...: Confidence is fairly likely; 1/23/20, 11:56 PM
Seeing Red said...: All this done in his first term with what he’s faced?

What’s left for his second?; 1/24/20, 12:00 AM
Qwinn said...: "We can fire OTHER countries' prosecutors, but not our own!"

And Democrat Vice Presidents can actively prevent aid authorized by Congress going to the Ukraine, but Republican Presidents can't!; 1/24/20, 12:01 AM
Jon Ericson said...: I love our country. I’ve served as a soldier for nearly 17 years, deployed twice to the Middle East, and served in Congress for over 7 years. If Hillary & allies can destroy my reputation by implying I am a traitor to the country I love, they can do it to anyone. #StandWithTulsi; 1/24/20, 12:02 AM
Qwinn said...: Actually, let me rephrase that:

Democrat Vice Presidents can make a billion dollars worth of aid authorized by Congress completely contingent on firing an attorney investigating his son, but a Republican President can't even delay the aid for a microsecond, even if it's still delivered 18 days before Congress's required timetable!; 1/24/20, 12:04 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: “ Been to Pleasanton, looks like your description of Alameda. I'd like to say I've spent 5 years traveling the continental US (via RV) and California drivers are far and away the best I've seen. Minnesota has to rank near the bottom. Anecdotal, but I think the states with the lowest taxes have the best roads. I don't know what the correlation is.”

A good example of that is where I-80 crosses the state line between NV and CA up by Donnor Pass, just west of Reno. You can tell the state line because within feet of entering CA, your car starts bottoming out, given the depth of the ruts.

“Had a meeting of my directs today in NYC. First I have to say, I am still impressed that I can rouse myself at 4:30am, get cleaned up and ready for the day, trundle into Boston's Logan Airport, fly to NYC (LaGuardia) - 40 mins in the air, Uber to Midtown, meet all day, have a fabulous lunch at a small Vietnamese joint, and turn it around and walk into my house at 7:45pm. Part of what impresses me so is the just, plain, routineness of it all.”

I had that for awhile between Reno and Las Vegas. I normally worked an hour south of Reno. But every week or so, I was asked to pop down to Las Vegas to meet with a client. We had two patent attys out of maybe 300 attys (now, with mergers, probably 500), and the other one, ny boss, didn’t like flying such distances (he did literally fly around the world every year drumming up business with foreign associates, but that was first class, and not the SWA cattle cars we flew between offices. In any case, I would get up around 6, leave about 6:30, drive 50 minutes to the Reno airport, where I would catch the 8 am flight, arriving in Vegas around 9 am. Runner would pick me up at the airport, and the office was 10 minutes away, so I had plenty of time for a 10 am meeting. Leave by 2 pm or so, and I was back at my desk well before quitting time. This was the flight that really became routine. We also had offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, and ultimately, Mountain View, all of which I would, on occasion, visit. All served by SWA, most with direct flights from Reno - which we were supposed to fly, if practicable, since they didn’t gouge for last minute flights (most of my flights had about a half day notice), nor did they charge a reservation change fee. I got so I enjoyed these day trips every week or so. That much flying, and you get pretty blaise about flying if you do it as often I was doing it.; 1/24/20, 12:09 AM
Guildofcannonballs said...: "Blogger rhhardin said...
Trump in the right to life march is a bad move. There isn't unanimity about abortion on the right and Trump will lose half his base unless he's for early abortion, which would anger the other part. In addition the dems will spin it as against all abortion and that will motivate huge turnout on the left among those who would have stayed home in the face of dismal dem candidates.

It seems politically unmanageable to me, a mistake. Perhaps he imagines love from the evangelicals will help. Not as much as he loses, by far.

1/23/20, 9:16 PM"

Okay fun. Now we play for pay. You are wrong. America wins so I get paid as an American.

Good luck betting against America, you deserve all you sow. You didn't learn to double-talk so now you're double good at it.

Kudos Sir.; 1/24/20, 12:10 AM
Qwinn said...: A Republican President is forbidden from even momentarily delaying aid that he has excellent reason to believe is being funneled by kickbacks to a Democrat's son.

A Democrat Vice President can choose to completely withhold any aid, permanently, in exchange for whatever the hell he wants, including facilitating kickbacks to his son.; 1/24/20, 12:11 AM
Jon Ericson said...: Minden?; 1/24/20, 12:14 AM
Iman said...: Sick puppy alert!

"I thihnk it is an absolutely fantastic and moving summation. It crushes me to think of people I used to respect, like Senator Mike Lee and Senator Ben Sasse, sitting there listening to Schiff, knowing that every word he says is true, and knowing that they’re going to vote as if it’s all false.

I thought long and hard tonight about whether I still think of men like Mike Lee and Ben Sasse as good men. I have read more than one book by each man. As long as I have heard of them, I have thought of them as good men — among the few good men in Washington. Yet I believe with every fiber of my being that — unlike many of the duller and more partisan swamp creatures in Washington — the two of them know better. They know perfectly well who Donald Trump is. They know what he did was not just wrong but part of a pattern in which he elevates his own personal interests above those of the country. And yet they will support him. They are the best hope for people who still believe there are people capable of standing up for what’s right. And yet, they are going to let those hopeful people down. They are going to cravenly support a man they know does not belong in the Oval Office. A man they know has committed impeachable offenses who should be removed. And they’ll do it to save their political hides. They’ll do it out of fear, of some tweets.

I have tried to be less judgmental of my fellow man. I have. If men this good — or who at least seemed to be this good — act this way, maybe it’s not their fault. Maybe it’s the system. Maybe it’s wrong to judge them.

I can’t see it. I can’t help myself. I can’t approve of it. I can’t.

There comes a time for a man to stand up. If they don’t stand up, all their past words are just that: words. What good are they?

This is how a system dies. Truly listen to what Schiff says here. If right doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter how good the Constitution is. It doesn’t matter how smart the Founders were. It doesn’t matter how good the past words of Mike Lee or Ben Sasse were.

They had their chance to stand up when it mattered, and unless I am misreading the situation badly, they are not going to do so. They are culpable. The part of me that says not to judge them … I can’t listen to it. It may be a lack of maturity on my part, but that’s who I am, at least at this point in my life. I can’t forgive them.

It’s very, very sad to me."

http://patterico.com/2020/01/23/you-dont-have-to-agree-with-everything-adam-schiff-has-ever-said/; 1/24/20, 12:16 AM
narciso said...: It helps when there a host of european political figures at least willing to permit corruption on a grand scale ive cited a few.; 1/24/20, 12:17 AM
narciso said...: Ay dios mio 'thats is the most ridiculous thing ever said...we are all dumber for hearing it...god have nercy on your soul'

I think jd figured out things ahead of daley elissa et al; 1/24/20, 12:27 AM
Gahrie said...: It’s very, very sad to me."

http://patterico.com

Watching patterico become consumed by TDS was very, very sad to me.; 1/24/20, 12:28 AM
Jon Ericson said...: @Iman
So, Mental illness or blackmail?; 1/24/20, 12:30 AM
Gahrie said...: You can tell the state line because within feet of entering CA, your car starts bottoming out, given the depth of the ruts.

That's because in California we spend our gas taxes creating bike lanes and building high speed trains from nowhere to nowhere instead of fixing the roads.; 1/24/20, 12:30 AM
n.n said...: Due diligence, fiduciary responsibility, and mitigating progress are impeachable offenses. Welcome to The Twilight Fringe.; 1/24/20, 12:31 AM
narciso said...: I dont know him personally, but i thought he would realize which side tried to ruin his and his families life, and which is a mere annoyance.; 1/24/20, 12:32 AM
n.n said...: That's because in California we spend our gas taxes creating bike lanes and building high speed trains from nowhere to nowhere instead of fixing the roads.

And the Green Blight, including the environmentalist lobbies, that have secured ecological disruption, windmill gauntlets, and progressive fire hazards for flora, fauna, people... persons, and property, too... 50 Shades of Australia.; 1/24/20, 12:36 AM
Daniel said...: Hey Mark, ever thought of starting your own blog? Shorter version, piss off.; 1/24/20, 1:01 AM
Seeing Red said...: Daily Caller
@DailyCaller
“My daughter is in school. I saved all my money just to pay student loans. Can I have my money back?”

@ewarren
: “Of course not”

“So you’re going to pay for people who didn’t save any money and those of us who did the right thing get screwed?”; 1/24/20, 1:04 AM
Crazy World said...: They just don’t make em like that anymore Bay Area Guy 659; 1/24/20, 1:48 AM
Crazy World said...: Chuck’s all fired up over this Schiff and suggests we should be also.; 1/24/20, 1:57 AM
exhelodrvr1 said...: Bay Area Guy,
I was two (?) hangars down the street from you.; 1/24/20, 2:43 AM
Big Mike said...: So you’re going to pay for people who didn’t save any money and those of us who did the right thing get screwed?

There’s more of the former than there are people who plan and save. More votes to harvest.; 1/24/20, 4:45 AM
Jaq said...: "those of us who did the right thing get screwed?”

For certain values of “did the right thing.” Commies look at things differently.; 1/24/20, 5:30 AM
alanc709 said...: The day when everything Adam Schiff says is true will be long coming. Anyone who thinks Schiff represents any sort of truth or veracity should seriously consider psychological intervention.; 1/24/20, 5:33 AM
Jaq said...: "Cippolone’s bald-faced lie about Republicans being barred from witnesses appearing in the SCIF during the impeachment inquiry?”

I get it now, Chuck has problems with certain ambiguous constructions in the English language that most of us sort out by context and our knowledge of the facts of the matter.

There are even calls for Chuck to go fuck himself.; 1/24/20, 5:39 AM
Mark said...: Well, Daniel, if it was AA who was doing this, you might have a point.

But it's not. It is a few commenters who -- like you know who -- instead of really commenting, jam up the comment thread a bunch of what are essentially ads for other sites.; 1/24/20, 7:29 AM
Iman said...: I dunno, Jon Ericson... but I would err on the side of batshit crazy.; 1/24/20, 7:44 AM
Chuck said...: Blogger eric said...

Including Cippolone’s bald-faced lie about Republicans being barred from witnesses appearing in the SCIF during the impeachment inquiry?

I don't know what he said but from your words here, it doesn't sound like a lie.

Republicans were barred from appearing in the SCIF

Not all Republicans, but those who weren't on the committee.

Great! So now you — and Cippolone if you want to take it there — have successfully made the mind-numbingly stupid point that by limiting the sessions to the members of three security-related House committees, some Democratic members and Republican members alike were barred.

So either Cippolone was trying to mislead the impeachment trial, or he was saying that was so banal as to be useless and was already clear public information, undisputed by Democrats.; 1/24/20, 9:16 AM