September 21, 2022

""[I]n whipping up his supporters, moving closer to QAnon, and claiming that the American people wouldn’t stand for an indictment, Trump is..."

"... reminding Attorney General Merrick Garland and his colleagues that the stakes are very high. And that, even if some of the candidates he has endorsed in the midterms are lagging in the polls, and even though there reportedly were many empty seats at his Youngstown rally, he still has a mass movement that is fanatically loyal to him, and which has already demonstrated, on January 6, 2021, that it contains elements willing to resort to violence on his behalf. He doesn’t have to say all this out loud. It is self-evident. Garland has repeatedly stated that no one is above the law.... In the coming months, Trump, his desperation growing, will likely seek to test the system to the point of breakage, just as he did after November, 2020. Defenders of democracy and the rule of law, regardless of their political affiliation, had better be prepared."

Writes John Cassidy, in "Why Is Trump Openly Embracing QAnon Now? The former President is likely signalling to prosecutors that he won’t go quietly, so they had better beware" (The New Yorker).

Cassidy is responding to a recent statement by Trump about what would happen if he were indicted: "I think you’d have problems in this country the likes of which perhaps we’ve never seen before. I don’t think the people of the United States would stand for it.... I think they’d have big problems, big problems. I just don’t think they’d stand for it. They will not, they will not sit still and stand for this ultimate of hoaxes."

93 comments:

Buckwheathikes said...

The US intelligence community has a thousand ways from Sunday to get you.

Trying to tie you to QAnon is just one of them. Gets the dog to chase his tail.

RideSpaceMountain said...

'Qanon' was way way more effective at baiting Howard/Inga types than it ever was riling up obsessives in the conservative base.

Temujin said...

Did Trump actually say, "Hey...my friends at QAnon..."? Did he even say the word "QAnon"?

I'm only asking because I've been on the right for years. I've read a ton of opinion and fact columns and books for years. And the only people I've ever heard utter the word or read the word 'QAnon' come from people on the Left. Period. I've never heard anyone around me or in my circles mention it other than those from the Left or those from the Right quoting those from the Left.

So did I miss something or is the Left getting all hyped up about something they made up? Again.

Beasts of England said...

’…even though there reportedly were many empty seats at his Youngstown rally.’

All hail journalism!

Quayle said...

"... the rule of law."

Just to note that "the rule of law" doesn't mean whatever the political or top leaders in the DoJ say it means. They too are capable of trammeling on the rule of law, and are potentially doubly dangerous because they can do so with the full resources of the U.S. Government.

My ancestors fled to and were shortly thereafter greatly harasser in the great basin of the salt lake precisely because the U.S. Government at that time couldn't have cared less about the rule of law, when it came to those pesky religious fanatics.

Mike Sylwester said...

I skimmed John Cassidy's article and did not notice any indication that he ever in his life has read even one QAnon post. In particular, he does not link to, quote or even paraphrase even one QAnon post related to his article's thesis.

How many years ago did the last QAnon post appear? Three years ago? Four years ago?

Was there ever any QAnon post that said something along the lines that the American people would not stand for an indictment of Trump?

No, there never was any such QAnon post -- ever.

========

I have written many times that I think QAnon was written by Donald Trump's son Eric Trump.

QAnon posts were written like Delphic oracles. They were mysterious, puzzling, ambiguous.

Their implicit message was that President Trump was ruling wisely. President Trump would survive the Mueller investigation and all the other sabotage committed by the Deep State.

President Trump would prevail. While doing so, he would defeat many evil-doers, such as sexual exploiters of minor-age girls (apparently a reference to the future federal prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein).

Most people who pretend to know something about QAnon do not, in fact, know anything about it.

Buckwheathikes said...

I really don't think the elites have much to fear from Donald Trump. He doesn't really understand how to wield power.

What do I mean by that? Think of it this way ... you can threaten to throw someone in jail, or you can actually do it. Only one of those things is the wielding of power. People who understand how to wield power know that you never, ever threaten to do something ... you just do it.

Ron DeSantis, for example, didn't threaten to airdrop a bunch of illegal aliens on Martha's Vineyard. He just did it and then watched the chaos unfold. That's wielding power.

Trump doesn't understand that and never has. He's all talk and no action.

The elite don't understand that Trump is just a symbol to us. If you take him away, the movement is uneffected by that and probably gets stronger as the void is filled with people who actually DO understand how to wield power.

They're far better off if Trump is still there to kick around. Sally never kills Charlie Brown. It's much more fun to just keep yanking that football away.

Shouting Thomas said...

The DNC’s Brownshirt paramilitary, BLM, terrorized and torched our cities for over a year.

Democrats have a lot of nerve, don’t they?

Wince said...

With all this talk of Proud Boys and QAnon aren't Biden supporters afraid of overshadowing their candidates' message of success, hope and unity?

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Violence?

Where?

The only thing in the news I can find is a left-wing democrat man killing a young republican man over an argument.

A story is ignored by the mainstream democrat hack press.

Rusty said...

Yes you would. Just remember, leftists, this is what YOU voted for. All of it.

Jamie said...

If he weren't Trump, I'd interpret that quote as, "The American people won't stand for a former president's being indicted by his successor's administration for - at best - a manufactured process crime after six-plus years of constant harassment and fishing by law enforcement elements of the federal government - it's too Soviet to be believed," but he is Trump, so he probably does mean, "The American people won't stand for it if I am indicted." He yam what he yam.

Rusty said...

Buckwheathikes said...
"I really don't think the elites have much to fear from Donald Trump. He doesn't really understand how to wield power."
And yet the economy thrived and the country was more secure under his administration. I think you and I have different views on how to wield power.

rhhardin said...

Rule of law means no bills of attainder.

Jamie said...

The former President is likely signalling to prosecutors that he won’t go quietly

And journalism-by-ESP rears its silly head again. The childhoods of these people must have been just rife with boogeymen.

Jamie said...

The former President is likely signalling to prosecutors that he won’t go quietly

And journalism-by-ESP rears its silly head again. The childhoods of these people must have been just rife with boogeymen.

Drago said...

Buckwheathikes: "The elite don't understand that Trump is just a symbol to us. If you take him away, the movement is uneffected by that and probably gets stronger as the void is filled with people who actually DO understand how to wield power."

Uh, no.

At this moment in time, Trump is the ONLY candidate that "moves" the "movement". As the polls of the base clearly shows.

There is still quite an amazing amount of "magical thinking" re: DeSantis and his prospects, particularly in the midwest. Hence, a trip to Green Bay for Ron. A calculated move.

DeSantis is currently being 99% funded by the Wall Street/Chamber of Commerce types who opposed ALL of Trump's/Tea Party/populist America First economic policies and who are supportive of the democraticals weaponization of the government against outsiders.

Why is that do you wonder?

What do they know that you do not? (rhetorical)

Buckwheathikes said...

"And the only people I've ever heard utter the word or read the word 'QAnon' come from people on the Left. Period."

Q'Anon was invented by the intelligence agencies. It's a tactic in asymmetrical warfare: Invent an invisible man for your enemy to chase. Then your enemy expends resources on doing things that are impossible (for example, trying to find the invisible man).

Fairly well-known tactic. It works on low-information assets and assorted imbiciles. Keeps them busy while you do real work.

Another tactic is planting agents in the field posing as journalists - as was done here with John Cassidy.

Inga said...

I guess a riot at the Capitol wasn’t violent enough for him, it sounds like he’s looking forward to Americans fighting Americans in the streets. He could not be more despicable.

Buckwheathikes said...

"And yet the economy thrived"

It did ... while he was President.

I'm not saying Trump was all bad, he just wasn't a very successful because he doesn't understand that you must rid the nation of its enemies for the country to thrive long-term ... not just for the few years you are in power, but far far beyond that horizon.

Trump left the nation's enemies intact, to strike the moment he lost power. They should never have been there to do that, and he didn't get that part of leadership.

Buckwheathikes said...

"And yet the economy thrived"

It did ... while he was President.

I'm not saying Trump was all bad, he just wasn't a very successful because he doesn't understand that you must rid the nation of its enemies for the country to thrive long-term ... not just for the few years you are in power, but far far beyond that horizon.

Trump left the nation's enemies intact, to strike the moment he lost power. They should never have been there to do that, and he didn't get that part of leadership.

Václav Patrik Šulik said...

First, no one should go quietly if they think they are innocent. This is one of our fundamental beliefs as Americans. The Supreme Court enshrined it in the Mirada warnings. You have the right to counsel. You have a right to a trial. Merrick Garland has a duty to make sure that Trump gets a fair trial, not a political trial. Even if Trump were universally despised, he still gets that right. I'm flummoxed by leftists who ignore this.

Additionally, Garland has a duty to ensure that any charges brought against Trump are solid and valid and not predicated on some novel theory that has never been employed before. Otherwise, this is a political show trial. Heaven help him and the Democrats if they employ chicanery to persecute a political opponent. I would go so far as to say that if they do so, they should be prosecuted for misuse of the legal process. See Section 242 of Title 18

Finally, that Qanon stuff is bizarre. My mom, a Trump supporter, was telling me about an acquaintance who tells her after Trump rallies that he sends signs through the positioning of his flags on the stage. She is convinced that the Supreme Court has unanimously overturned the last election and will announce its decision once the National Guard is in place to implement its rulings.

Buckwheathikes said...

"Trump is the ONLY candidate that "moves" the "movement"."

So you're saying that when they murder Trump, and they are going to absolutely do that, the movement dies?

I don't believe that. They'd be foolish to think that.

Shouting Thomas said...

@Inga

Your best bet is silence.

Your Nazi stormtroopers, BLM, torched my city, NYC, twice in 2020.

What are the DNC’s plans for 2024? Around round of BLM terror?

Don’t you have any shame?

Buckwheathikes said...

Inga lamented: "It sounds like he’s looking forward to Americans fighting Americans in the streets"

That's already happening, Inga: see Kyle Rittenhouse and Antifa domestic terrorists.

We're not "looking forward" to ending your leadership. It's quite a dirty job. Nevertheless ...

rcocean said...

QA is a fake liberal/left bogeyman. Its all made up. I can remember them asking Trump about it 2 years ago, and Trump going "What the fuck is that?"

The MSM has only one mode when it comes to TRump. Attack, attack, Attack. 365/24/7. When they can't attack him on the truth, they lie and exaggerate.

rcocean said...

QA = fake made up Leftwing bogeyman.

wendybar said...

What Temujin said at 8:16am

tim maguire said...

Trump, his desperation growing, will likely seek to test the system to the point of breakage

Trump is warning Garland about indicting him? That's nice. How about looking at the events leading up to this speculative indictment and whether it is appropriate to keep hounding a former president this way? Nah. That would take work. Much easier to do another thumb-sucking opinion piece.

It's always the horse race with these people. When was the last time a mainstream journalist actually looked at the issues and made an honest effort to determine what will help and what will harm the American people?

deepelemblues said...

How does one "rid" the nation of its enemies? Sounds like buckwheat is disappointed Trump did not in fact repress or eliminate political dissenters.

Trump's comments are quite banal, politicians make such declarations constantly. The endless hysteria does not make me inclined to think the political left is defending democracy. The general feeling is very much we must destroy the village to save it from Donald Trump. And the next Republican. And the one after that. And the one after that...

Drago said...

Buckwheathikes: "It did ... while he was President."

Another "bystander" argument. Terrific "analysis".

Buckwheathikes: "Trump left the nation's enemies intact, to strike the moment he lost power. They should never have been there to do that, and he didn't get that part of leadership."

The entirety of the republican leadership group was busy conspiring with the democraticals and the deep staters to undermine Trump via investigation/impeachment threats and opposed every single economic policy Trump ran on.

But that's all Trump's fault.

McCain "thumb's down" on repeal of obamacare? Trump's fault.
Ryan/McConnell ensuring no wall funding would be forthcoming? Trump's fault.
Continued Republican Establishment/Chamber of Commerce support for policies that harm American workers? Trump's fault.

So, as was easily predicted, every failure of the republican leadership class and establishment over the last 50 years is now being laid at Trump's feet because he was the ONLY one fighting against those sellouts and those same establishment sellouts are now to be rewarded for undermining Trump.

Hey Buckwheathikes, just come out for Romney already.

tim in vermont said...

What does “openly” mean? Maybe the OED has a definition that would make that sentence comport with the facts presented.

wendybar said...

Inga said...
I guess a riot at the Capitol wasn’t violent enough for him, it sounds like he’s looking forward to Americans fighting Americans in the streets. He could not be more despicable.

9/21/22, 8:47 AM

Like your Brownshirts Antifa and BLM?? You are okay with THEM fighting Americans in the streets and burning down cities, and taking down monuments....but the threat of the other side rebelling against you is despicable?? You need help.

Drago said...

Russia Collusion Truther and Hillary/FBI Hoax Dossier Dead Ender Inga: "I guess a riot at the Capitol wasn’t violent enough for him, it sounds like he’s looking forward to Americans fighting Americans in the streets. He could not be more despicable."

Yes.

Inga wrote that. Just now. As if the 2020 riots never occurred and a 41 year old democratical lunatic, like Inga, just murdered an 18 year old conservative, Caylor Ellingson, only 2 weeks after Biden's nazi-revival "speech" declaring republicans enemies of the state.

Say his name Inga. Caylor Ellington. Say his name.

But you won't.

Just like the 2 high school girls in NY that were machete murdered by 2 MS-13 thugs, you will refuse to say his name. Just as you refused to say those girls names....though you were happy to go along with Pelosi and declare that the MS-13 machete murderers had that "spark of divinity".

Did Inga ever say the girls murdered by the MS-13 thugs had a "spark of divinity"?

Spoiler (and you knew this was coming, didn't you?): No.

Those girls were on the wrong side of Inga's politics. So no "spark of divinity" for them.

Joe Smith said...

This has nothing to do with Qanon...this writer is just throwing around buzz words...

Critter said...

Why does the left so confidently bring up Qanon as if they know what that is all about? Many, including myself, have no idea. It almost makes one think that the left has inside information. After all, John Brennan is among them now.

Michael said...

Temujin at 8:15! I too have never heard the word uttered by a fellow conservative, right winger, ultra right winger or plain old Republican. If there is such a group it is way below my radar.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

I guess Inga forgot about the BLm-White Left Antifa riots that caused billions of damage during the riots of 2020.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Inga - parrots the leftwing talking points like a good lockstep hiveminder.

Lurker21 said...

QAnon is a small sect. There was somebody who posted theories under the QAnon name. Now there are acolytes who post things in the QAnon community. It doesn't look like they have much influence in the wider world. Like the Proud Boys they need to be built up into a threat to distract people from what is really going on in the world. Supposedly there is even a QAnon song used at a Trump rally and the media has picked up on it. What's more likely that Trump chose the song himself or that some local put it into the show? I fear that some people are so far gone that the first alternative is more likely for them.

I am coining the phrase "Miles Taylor effect" and giving Miles the fame he sought. Remember when the "Anonymous" article came out and everyone was speculating about who the author was. It turned out to be a very obscure underling named "Miles Taylor." I suspect Q isn't one of the Trump brothers. It's probably just some poor schlub in his or her underwear. If Q does turn out to be someone better known, I am coining the phrase "Joe Klein effect" for that eventuality.

Christopher B said...

Inga said...
I guess a riot at the Capitol wasn’t violent enough for him, it sounds like he’s looking forward to Americans fighting Americans in the streets


pure projection.

Christopher B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
alanc709 said...

Inga said...
I guess a riot at the Capitol wasn’t violent enough for him, it sounds like he’s looking forward to Americans fighting Americans in the streets. He could not be more despicable.

January 6 was more a Tea Party rally, than one of your leftwing lunatic buddies' riots- nothing was burned, smashed or looted. Try again, Inga. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut, and your day may come when you post something sensible.

Dude1394 said...

Qanon is a democrat myth. It may exist but no one has ever seen one of any consequence.
Unlike the ACTUAL violent arm of the democrat party Antifa and black nationalists.

Witness said...

'...nothing was burned, smashed or looted.'

please stop lying

gahrie said...

All the people bloviating about Qanon are the same ones that were contributing to bail oout the BLM and Antifa rioters....

DarkHelmet said...

I think Buckwheathikes is correct about Trump not really knowing how to wield power. Exhibit 1: he was the incumbent president in 2020, running against a senile nasty idiot . . . and he managed to lose. Even though he had a crisis (COVID) which he could have exploited to his political advantage if he'd been clever.

I agree that he's mostly (not entirely) talk and not much action. Instead of whining about ballot box shenanigans, do something about it -- BEFORE the election. Use your resources to hire legions of lawyers, file thousands of lawsuits, go after every single state's election officials/rules that are pemitting corrupt voting practices (as our lovely public servants did here in Wisconsin) and fight like to mean it. Fight with action, not jaw flapping.

More evidence of not knowing how to wield power: a smarter guy would have co-opted/mollified/charmed/threatened (behind the scenes) cajopled, etc. all the power centers of his own party to get them on his side. Trump -- whether because of vanity, stubborness, foolishness or whatever -- habitually attacks people who could and should be his allies, or at least temporary partners. That's a good way to find yourself without much clout.

tim maguire said...

Count me as another vote for QAnon doesn't exist. I'm sure there are people out there who read about QAnon in the newspaper and decide that sounds cool and they may wear a t-shirt or wave a banner, but that doesn't mean it's a real organization or movement.

What QAnon really is is a tool to smear Republican politicians. It's grab bag of notions created by the left media. Some of those notions are truly nutty and some are simple common sense things that many normal people believe.

It plays out like this: Republican politician says something inoffensive that also happens to be one of the ideas "embraced" by the fictional QAnon. The Republican is then accused of having connections to QAnon and therefore must believe all the nutty things QAnon is supposed to stand for.

Thereafter, their own messaging is buried under demands they distance themselves from QAnon. If they take the bait, they are doomed because, in doing so, they legitimize the original accusation while simultaneously betraying their own base.

Mike Sylwester said...

Buckwheathikes at 8:45 AM
Q'Anon was invented by the intelligence agencies.

I have read that speculation, but I never have seen any evidence for it.

======

I will take this opportunity to point out that QAnon never communicated anything related to the January 6 protests. QAnon stopped posting any messages many months before that event.

If there were some QAnon message inciting people to protest on January 6, 2021, we all would know about it.

That's one aspect that makes John Cassidy's article stupid.

======

Does the NSA or the FBI know who QAnon was? Maybe, but I think not. If they did know, then that information would have been leaked by now.

One of the remarkable features of QAnon was its extraordinarily expert computer security. Whoever he was, he knew how to communicate over the Internet to the public and to keep his identity secret forever, despite his notoriety.

I remember, though, reading some QAnon postings that indicated to me that QAnon was Eric Trump. However, I do not want to spend the time and effort to try to find those postings again. You will have to trust me about that.

Another old lawyer said...

It seems to me that the Left (including the NYT) is realizing that their least worst case scenario is Trump being re-nominated and even re-elected, and that a worse worst case scenario (if not the worst worst) is for DeSantis to be nominated and elected.

Michael K said...


Blogger Inga said...

I guess a riot at the Capitol wasn’t violent enough for him, it sounds like he’s looking forward to Americans fighting Americans in the streets.
<

The resident dullard prefers the BLM riots of 2020. Her suburban home was not burned down like the others.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I’m really curious as to the altharrangement/drudgetoposition our host is presenting.

Achilles said...

Buckwheathikes said...

Ron DeSantis, for example, didn't threaten to airdrop a bunch of illegal aliens on Martha's Vineyard. He just did it and then watched the chaos unfold. That's wielding power.

Ron Desantis sent about 50 people on a plane to Marthas Vineyard where they were immediately moved out of, connected to democrat lawyers, signed up for mail in voting.

That is some REAL POWER.

Trump might have actually stopped most illegal immigration at the border and instituted policies like Remain in Mexico. But that wasn't REAL POWER.

Desantis OWNED THE LIBS for a news cycle or two. Desantis demonstrated that democrats are hypocrites and racists. I know super shocking developments.

Desantis supporters have no self awareness.

Maynard said...

This has nothing to do with Qanon...this writer is just throwing around buzz words...

Yes. It gets the lefties like Inga aroused. Remember her great fears of the "Boogaloo Boys"?

Lefties cannot defend their actions, positions and results. They need to villanize and silence the opposition.

Bruce Hayden said...

“If he weren't Trump, I'd interpret that quote as, "The American people won't stand for a former president's being indicted by his successor's administration for - at best - a manufactured process crime after six-plus years of constant harassment and fishing by law enforcement elements of the federal government - it's too Soviet to be believed," but he is Trump, so he probably does mean, "The American people won't stand for it if I am indicted." He yam what he yam”

It’s not the Deep State all by itself, but it working closely with the FJB White House. The FJB WH did a couple strategic thing for the cause. First, they (claim to have) revoked Trump’s Executive Privilege. Second, they ordered the Archives to work closely with the FBI, and share documents, allowing them to be used as a front for otherwise illegal searches of Trump’s records at MAL. If the FBI wanted some records from Trump, they would ask the Archives for them, who would turn around and ask the FBI to procure them for them, as wrongfully designated Presidential Records. The FBI then raided MAL, gave the records to the Archives, which then shared them with the FBI, as ordered by the WH. It was, literally, LawFare all the way down (with its head, Ben Whitte, signing onto an article laying it out). LawFare is again reading critical elements (notably intent and materiality) out of statutes, just as they did with the Obstruction statute the DOJ and Mueller investigation used so successfully against Trump and his people 3-6 years ago. Now, the interesting facet that we may find the answer for - Trump ordered the declassification of a bunch of RussiaGate documents - did the FJB WH order their reclassification in preparation for this LawFare type attack on him?

The FJB rolled the dice, approved the MAL raid, got a compromised magistrate to issue a grossly overbroad search warrant, and was well on their way to their October Surprise. But then the dice turned on them, and Trump got a smart district court judge he had nominated, operating in a Circuit controlled by Republicans. Trump’s attorneys saw through the subterfuges, pointed them out to her, and she is holding the DOJ’s feet to the fire. The big one is requiring a Special Master (coincidentally a former FISC judge who signed the last Carter Page FISA warrant) to determine which documents that the DOJ claims to be classified, still actually are. Regardless of his decision, this very likely slowed the DOJ’s freight train down that had been barreling towards a October Surprise indictment of Trump before the midterm elections. Moreover, the DOJ is going to have to explain to the Special Master why they believe all of the 100 documents are still, or are again, classified. Did the FJB WH order them reclassified? That would really not be a good thing for them to come out right before the election. Or did the FBI just ignore Trump’s former order to declassify that binder of RussiaGate documents? Again, not a good look.

Back to Trump. Maybe he is panicking about being indicted, and is trying to scare the FJB WH and DOJ from doing so. But my bet is on engendering FUD in the FJB WH. They screw up royally on a regular basis - for example, FJB recently declared the COVID-19 crisis over, forgetting that his forgiveness of all that student debt utilizes his COVID-19 emergency powers. Whoops. The Dems know that, absent some miracle, they are going to lose the House in November. Polling was showing them holding the Senate. Maybe. Except that it has been pointed out that many Republicans no longer trust polling firms, so aren’t cooperating as much. This means that a number of those Senate seats they thought were almost safe, or even pickups, maybe aren’t. A possibly violent reaction to an indictment, along with FJB’s monumental incompetence and failures as President, may be scaring the Dems and Deep State more than they are willing to admit.

We shall see.

walter said...

The Trump quote is a dog whistle. That's why it's so clearly heard by Inga.
If the Right can't keep QAnon alive, the Left will.

PM said...

What Wendybar said @ 9:09 about what Temujin said @ 8:16.
Cassidy's a pretty good writer; don't know why he'd stoop to this.
But it smells of Remnick the Asshat.

Birches said...

Achilles, it's fine that you don't trust DeSantis, but come on! Trump didn't fire Fauci! I understand that Trump gave cover to DeSantis to open things up, but as the months went on and DeSantis was proved right he should have fired Fauci and Redstone and scarf lady! He could have done it December 31st!

Look I'm skeptical of Buckwheat hikes. There's too many new accounts here around election time, but I don't think pretending like Trump was taken out by the medical industrial complex while DeSantis prevailed is conceding anything.

walter said...

It would be nice if Trump had some self awareness regarding the MRNA attack he released, other than "I got it done faster than they thought possible!!!"

By the way Inga, that guy who ran over the Waukesha Christmas paraders/attendees must have been Booger Boy/Q-anon/far right/ white supremacist.
The death toll from Lefties grows and grows..but we MUST maintain focus on imagined or FBI fomented threats by dastardly Trumpers.

cassandra lite said...

Trump is passing up the opportunity (because of course he is) to become Mandela or, for that matter, MLK. Let the unjust legal apparatus be revealed through his Christ-like acquiescence. It would be the greatest rebranding in history, with the most profound consequences.

Rabel said...

Search for Trump and Qanon and you'll see that the media has gone all-in on the story. All of them. The same exact story.

I was a little surprised to learn that Qanon has a theme song and it's not the one from All In The Family.

Mike Sylwester said...

tim maguire at 10:06 AM
Count me as another vote for QAnon doesn't exist. I'm sure there are people out there who read about QAnon in the newspaper and decide that sounds cool and they may wear a t-shirt or wave a banner, but that doesn't mean it's a real organization or movement.

Cryptic messages were posted on the Internet by someone who called himself QAnon. Those messages were read, studied, interpreted and discussed by many people.

QAnon seemed to be someone very 0close to President Trump, because many of the messages included photographs that seemed to show his immediate surroundings or belongings.

Although the messages were cryptic, they obviously were pro-Trump. They portrayed him as governing wisely and as resisting Deep State attempts to undermine his Presidency.

Some people -- who obviously are ignorant about QAnon -- dismiss it as "a conspiracy theory". That dismissal does not make sense. It's like saying that someone who posts blog articles anonymously on the Internet is "a conspiracy theory".

I suppose you could say that the "conspiracy theory" is QAnon's portrayal of a situation where President Trump had to deal with Deep State officials who were trying to undermine his Presidency. Is that really "a conspiracy theory" -- that many government officials were trying to undermine his Presidency?

I would call that perception "common knowledge" or "an open secret".

QAnon never incited people to do anything criminal. Rather, QAnon encouraged people to trust and support President Trump.

Lots of people say things about QAnon that are just blatantly ignorant about QAnon. It's obvious they never have read even one QAnon post ever in their entire lives.

walter said...

A North Dakota man charged with killing a teenager using his vehicle has reportedly admitted to intentionally hitting him after a political dispute, claiming the boy was part of a Republican “extremist group.”
Shannon Brandt, 41, killed 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson early Sunday in McHenry with an SUV in an alley, KVRR-TV reported. He is charged with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a deadly accident.
Brandt reportedly called 911 to report the crash, authorities said. Authorities said he was allegedly drunk at the time.
Court documents said he told a 911 dispatcher the teen was part of a Republican “extremist group” and was calling people to go after him following an unspecified political argument.
https://nypost.com/2022/09/21/shannon-brandt-killed-cayler-ellingson-18-over-politics-cops/
Ellingson’s mother told police her son called her before the crash, asking if she knew Brandt. She said she did but that she did not believe her son knew him.

Brandt fled the scene of the incident and was arrested at his home.

Howard said...

The mantra of QAnon denial: Do your own research!

MayBee said...

A few days ago, The New York Times posted a picture from Trump's Youngstown rally, saying he played a song that sounded eerily similar to QAnon's theme song (?????) and they did a Q-Anon salute (people had one finger raised in the air, like 'we're #1)
Several blue check marks hopped on and said that isn't a known Q-Anon hand signal. But like the O-K sign, someone at The NY Times seems determined to make it one.

It was especially interesting to me, because the NYTs was pushing that the same day they were pushing the idea that Russia Troll Farms kept us from enjoying the glory that was the Women's March by writing divisive social media posts.

Drago said...

Maynard: "Yes. It gets the lefties like Inga aroused. Remember her great fears of the "Boogaloo Boys"?"

Inga's greatest fear? Being at a luau and surrounded by people wearing hawaiian shirts.

And tiki torches for beach lighting!

GRW3 said...

A lack of equal justice cannot stand. A system where no Democrat will face a penalty for real things they did and Republicans will for things they did not do will lose all legitimacy.

walter said...

Mike Sylvester,
I know one guy who followed Qanon crap up to election and a bit beyond. He was constantly being fed the idea that all was well, Trump had some grand plan involving loyal military blah, blah.
Basically, a call to stand down, let the big plan play out.

Jim at said...

It never ceases to crack me up. The only time I ever hear about qanon - or whatever it is - is when some drooling leftist brings it up.

The only time.

Jim at said...

I guess a riot at the Capitol wasn’t violent enough for him, it sounds like he’s looking forward to Americans fighting Americans in the streets. He could not be more despicable.

Yeah. Maybe he should get up there and call half the country a clear and present danger like your assclown did.

Go big or go home, I say.

Jupiter said...

Can we all agree that Merrick Garland should pull that pickle out of his twat?

Mike Sylwester said...

walter at 12:12 PM
I know one guy who followed Qanon crap up to election and a bit beyond. He was constantly being fed the idea that all was well, Trump had some grand plan involving loyal military blah, blah.

Your knowledge of QAnon seems to be only second-hand.

You know a guy "who followed Qanon crap" and who "was constantly being fed an idea".

Walter, have you yourself, anytime in your life, ever read even one QAnon post?

Mike Sylwester said...

MayBee at 11:53 AM
The New York Times posted a picture from Trump's Youngstown rally, saying he played a song that sounded eerily similar to QAnon's theme song (?????) and they did a Q-Anon salute (people had one finger raised in the air, like 'we're #1)

Did the New York Times link to some webpage where we can hear "QAnon's theme song"?

Or to some webpage explaining why one finger raised in the air is "a Q-Anon salute"?

By the way, Trump has indicated publicly many times that he is familiar with QAnon and likes it.

That is no wonder. QAnon is his own son, Eric.

walter said...

Jupiter,
Not until he's done sniffing Barron's underwear. It completes the experience for him.

Rosalyn C. said...

Biden tried to label Trump supporters as MAGA, right wing extremists, and that didn't fly. In fact it was thoroughly repudiated.
So bring out QAnon and tie that to Trump. Maybe QAnon exists but my impression is that it's just a very small number of guys living off the grid

I try to keep up with the latest -- NYPost reports Trump is being sued for overvaluing properties to get loans, another source, Breitbart claims Trump is being sued for undervaluing his wealth avoid taxes. If you overvalue your wealth doesn't that increase your taxes? Huff Post reports: "Prosecutors in New York have been looking into Trump’s real estate business practices for several years following reports that he routinely undervalued and overvalued assets to avoid paying his fair share of taxes." What a guy!

The only thing that really matters are the headlines: "New York Attorney General Files Civil Suit Against Donald Trump, 3 Of His Kids" "Staggering' fraud: NY AG Letitia James sues Donald Trump, kids and company" etc.

And then there is the FBI investigation of classified documents. And none of this would be happening if Trump weren't going to run again.

IOW "We can't let him run." It's almost like they know he'd win. How are they so sure?

walter said...

North Dakota dude told judge he isn't a flight risk and needs to stay out of jail because he has a job, family a house and stuff.
He's out.

Bailey Yankee said...

Early in Trump's term, very early, there was an entity called Q that posted coded messages to Twitter. Lots of numbers and code that its followers deciphered and tried to explain to the rest of us. I never understood any of that or read the posts in any detail. There was also something called 4Chan or 8Chan. Equally dense and complicated. I mostly ignored it.

At the same time, it was clear that Q's main theme was to provide hope to MAGA that justice would eventually prevail and the US would be Constitutional again. The QAnons were those who closely read Q and translated it. Then, as MAGA waited and waited for the promised "Storm" of justice, it never came. Hoax after hoax, sedition IMO, and never did the perpetrators go to jail. THEN: The stolen election and the inability to even get anyone in a court to listen to the evidence, and then the fiasco of the final hope--the hearing in Congress on Jan 6th. QAnon kind of went underground as hope died after that.

The question might be why is it back? Why is everyone talking about QAnon again? Maybe it was an Intelligence ploy back then and is needed once again to stir up MAGA. Certainly, the DOJ and Intel seems to be doing everything it can to entrap MAGA again (like Jan 6) into doing something it can stomp on. Hard.

I know there are contradictions in the above. But maybe someone in the group has insights that can help untangle it. The hardest thing for me is seeing so many lies being believed by so many people and there's nothing I can do.

SteveWe said...

My question is: Would Trump be more powerful and effective if he didn't become a presidential candidate again and work behind the "curtain" like Obama is doing so now?

Drago said...

Bailey Yankee: "Early in Trump's term, very early, there was an entity called Q that posted coded messages to Twitter. Lots of numbers and code that its followers deciphered and tried to explain to the rest of us."

"Drink more Ovaltine"

Unknown said...

I have read that speculation (That Q'Anon was invented by the intelligence agencies), but I never have seen any evidence for it.

Does the NSA or the FBI know who QAnon was? Maybe, but I think not. If they did know, then that information would have been leaked by now.


That's a pretty big intelligence failure if true. More likely, the fact that it hasn't leaked only means that leaking the information serves no partisan purpose. Like we can't know the Epstein client list, or who leaked the Dobbs decision.

Saint Croix said...

rhhardin at 8:40

Saint Croix said...

Additionally, Garland has a duty to ensure that any charges brought against Trump are solid and valid and not predicated on some novel theory that has never been employed before. Otherwise, this is a political show trial. Heaven help him and the Democrats if they employ chicanery to persecute a political opponent. I would go so far as to say that if they do so, they should be prosecuted for misuse of the legal process. See Section 242 of Title 18

What I'm paying attention to is the timing.

If they arrest him in October, Garland should be in prison. Full stop.

This whole fucking thing is political theater. The J6 cartoon show runs on TV like it's a fucking Pravda show. I've never seen a show trial in my life but I know where I can find one.

Americans are not stupid!

NMObjectivist said...

The American people wouldn’t stand for an indictment of Joe Biden or his son Hunter either. There are lines that can't be crossed. Politics.

Drago said...

Howard: "The mantra of QAnon denial: Do your own research!"

Provide a link to a verifiable "Q" comment.

Not to worry. We won't wait. Plus we know you are very very busy (wink wink) looking for evidence of inflation and a recession, both of which you've claimed weren't happening.

Good luck!

Buckwheathikes said...

"If they arrest him in October,"

In South America they throw communists out of helicopters. I'm not saying we should do that here, but I am saying it is a very effective strategy for setting the tone of your administration and letting people know what the stakes are.

Michael K said...

Blogger Howard said...

The mantra of QAnon denial: Do your own research!


Howard is going to help us all out by linking to a real Qanon site. As soon as he finds one.

Mike Sylwester said...

Bailey Yankee at 1:34 PM
The question might be why is it [QAnon] back?

Since QAnon is back, please give us a link to QAnon's most recent post.

pacwest said...

Inga - parrots the leftwing talking points like a good lockstep hiveminder.

It's almost like she's a member of a cult or something.

Howard said...

QAnon sent out a conspiracy earworm that spread throughout your crypto fascist paranoid catastrophism demographic for regurgitation. Either that, or it's a libtard boogie man meme.

Drago said...

Howard: "QAnon sent out a conspiracy earworm that spread throughout your crypto fascist paranoid catastrophism demographic for regurgitation. Either that, or it's a libtard boogie man meme."

This comment appears to be the product of at least 8 Democratical Moron Magic 8 Balls.

A possible new record!

Better yet, utilizing the Infinite Monkey's Gauge, there might even exist the possibility of at least one mildly coherent, though fleeting, thought encompassed in the word jumble presented that might be discerned utilizing a specialized verbal fast fourier transform.

Hope springs eternal!

Narayanan said...

I do not believe Q from 007 is Anonymous!

Rusty said...

RideSpaceMountain said...
"'Qanon' was way way more effective at baiting Howard/Inga types than it ever was riling up obsessives in the conservative base."
I think it's something progressives like to drag out to show how hip they are. You know. Like Kardashians.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Drago
"This comment appears to be the product of at least 8 Democratical Moron Magic 8 Balls."

LOL.