Within Treason: You're No Good (The Impeachment Inquiry, Part 18)

TRUMP IMPEACHED ON BOTH ARTICLES!!!!!

Thanks OP for the new thread.

This tweet from Donnie Jr didn't age well

You can’t say he wasn’t warned

Heh-heh.

And guess who's living their best life?

Of the Republicans Reps., nobody defends Trump‘s character. Nobody says he didn’t do what he did. The only real defense for Trump is partisanship. Republicans may say this and that, but it gets distilled down to, they claim that they don’t think it’s very bad, it doesn’t rise to the level of impeachment. One could argue that, I guess.

Personally, I am really afraid of what Trump will do if cleared. And what other Presidents will be free to do, if there are other Presidents.

Link to new thread:

Sorry, that was meant to be a link to the old thread:

Betty Bowers:

[quote]Congratulations, @realDonaldTrump, you finally beat a Clinton in the popular vote!

[quote]Impeachment for Clinton:

[quote]228 to 206

[quote]Impeachment for Trump:

[QUOTE]230 to 190

Thanks for getting the new thread up and running.

You just know he will blame, and attach, Hillary and Obama. They haven’t done anything and he will eventually try to get them arrested, Mark my words. He is completely crazy, after all.

Thank you, OP!

At least I won’t be at work tomorrow to hear the deplorables I work for rant about what happened.

It is funny, though.

Get it Nancy

Regardless of how this turns out, Nancy Pelosi will go down in history as one the great American patriots. Yes, I’m crying as a i type this

The Times emphasizing how this has mobilized and infuriatied the cult.

Washington Post:

Trump is impeached by the House, creating an indelible mark on his presidency

Washington Post:

4 takeaways from the impeachment of President Trump

Reuters:

White House says it is confident U.S. Senate will exonerate Trump after impeachment

My fantasy is Nancy will hold back the articles knowing something we don’t know is going to become public and wants to tighten Romney et al’s nuts in her 8O year old fist like a vice grip

Give the Donald a little more rope and maybe he will finally hang himself. There has to be a breaking point there somewhere.

Put this on the cover of Time and let him frame it and hang it in his golf clubs!

Yes. And free up a little time for Moscow Mitch to get around to voting on all those House passed middle-class bills Pelosi sent over.

Mitch isn’t really eager for his party to cast votes defending Donny’s high crimes and misdemeanors.

But a deranged Orange someone is desperately hoping for some of the sting to be removed.

Mitch McConnell is in the wrong here; he's the one who says he's basically going to "rig" the trial in the Senate in favor of Trump.

I'm glad Nancy isn't going to make it that easy for him.

Trump's fury will exceed even his obeisance to Putin, so watch for Trump to become irrational enough to say and do more to reveal his crimes.

I just wish that one Democrat had stated that the Senate trial is where more evidence and witnesses are presented, that the House hearings were like a preliminary Grand Jury.

But on a very bad note: Manafort won his "double jeopardy" NYS charges claim.

Link r26?

R27, it appears that the NY state fraud case against Manafort was dismissed:

What about the ones who didn’t vote? Who are they? Why isn’t anyone talking about them? It seems the Repubs did not get unanimous consent to impeachment, even none of them voted nay.

Yeah, R29, the press should ask the GOP tomorrow why those 7 Republicans didn't vote.

The GOP will never admit that there are people in their party with 1/2 a conscience.

r31, because that would be indeed a bug and not a feature.

The motto of the Trump Republican Party:

We hang together and we hang together.

Winning, winning, winning, you were right you won the prize as the first President in American history to be impeached in his first term! That's quite an accomplishment Donald.

I hope the press focuses today on Trump's latest despicable attack. This time on Debbie Dingell and her late husband

regarding the Manafort case that is going to be appealed.

the judge is was a Pataki pick in 2004 so probably a repub

The 'Impeachment Ghosts' for Lindsey.

woo pig sooie!

Wander into the comments on Sarah Huckabeast’s Slanders Twitter feed. These people are delusional and insane, claiming that he was sent by God and thus holds office by divine right.

Just a reminder that Trump poops his pants from years of prescription pill abuse and has to wear diapers.

I'd rather not r39, I want to keep my sanity thank you.

R40 President Pampers

Illegitimate, impeached, one-term, piece of shit POTUS.

Second best moment of the night: Claire McCaskill calling I, Slut Gabbard "stupid" for voting "Present."

Video of Trump praising Pelosi "I like her a lot" and wondering why she didn't go after Bush and get him out of office for "lying". Trump thought Clinton impeachment was "nonsense". Lol.

Karma is a bitch.

R45 watching that... he was actually sane. Something is very wrong. He’s mentally ill now.

Nancy should say: "Since we don't confirm a Supreme Court pick in the last year of a President's term, we also don't send articles of impeachment over to the Senate in the last year of a President's term."

And then watch Moscow Mitch implode.

Sarah Huckleberry Sanders looks like a cyclops who had reconstructive surgery

the man and i use the term "man" very very loosely here who breaks nearly all the sins and commandments of "religious" people has been chosen by god and thank god for him?...

yes, insanity and delusional so much they shouldn't be walking the streets! oh wait, i forgot one of the deflection excuses "God has always chosen imperfect people to fulfill his wishes" nonsense!

hmm, do tell then nutjobs when someone is a crook and evil and we should judge them and throw away the key and when someone is a crook and evil and oh wait, it's okay, GOD wants him like this and wants to use him for his purposes!" DO TELL NUTJOBS how YOU know the difference of such a person/people!..

r48, her name is Sarah Huckleberry Sandworm

Excuse me, Sarah Huckleberry Sanders’ nickname in middle school was “Stonehenge”. She looks like something that escaped from Easter Island.

I'm guessing that one of the reasons the House Judiciary Committee kept the articles of this impeachment to one clear and simple instance of Trump's criminality was to work within Americans' gnatlike attention span. Whether or not they refuse to accept it, they should be able to understand what he did and why it's wrong. But there are still outstanding crimes, like his numerous violations of the emoluments clause, which are ongoing. And if Trump and his handlers don't take the hint that they need to manage his criminality more discreetly, there's no reason why more articles of impeachment can't be brought against him. That is, unless the Repugs grab the House back. In which case Donnie will just keep flinging his shit for all the world to see.

Was Trump remotely involved in the murder of Jeffrey Epstein?

So there were only 3 who did not vote, not 7 as previously reported.

Repug Duncan Hunter, CA50 - barred from voting, under indictment

Repug John Shimkus, IL1 - would have voted No on both articles, but could not be present

Democrat Jose Serrano, NY15 - would have voted Yes on both, absent because of illness (Parkinson's)

Excuse me r54 but Miss Hunter pleaded GUILTY and is a convicted FELON, not just under indictment

Maybe Trump will have a stroke or heart attack and die...just in time for Christmas.

If there was EVER a partisan hack job - it was the Repugs with Bill Clinton. There is an impeachment that NEVER should have happened.

It was always a pleasure to see Obama in the news reports...it makes me sick to see Trump, I wish they would stop showing him.

I love Nancy Pelosi SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just watched her Press Briefing and DAMN! She is a boss. I loved the way she reprimanded the Press. They wanted to keep chewing on the "McConnell just said..." or Trump said" and she wasn't having it. "I said all I'm going to say on that. Do you want to ask about the Free Trade agreement? The SALT Tax, anything else that we are doing for the American people for jobs, for the economy? ....." And you could literally hear a rat piss on cotton it was so quiet... So then she said, "Merry Christmas...etc." and strutted out. in her red dress! YES!!! I want her to be POTUS. My gawd, she'd make a magnificent POTUS>

^^A rat piss on cotton it was so quiet!

Do not mess with Mutha

I hope NY state gets his tax returns early next year. Even if he flushes 15 times he won't be able to make that shit disappear.

Three people reported dead in shooting outside FSB headquarters in Moscow

Is anyone else having trouble seeing OP or this thread title.

Have you blocked the OP, r64?

The 11:00 a.m. MSNBC host today (in for the horribly-voiced Craig Melvin) kept asking each guest, AFTER THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS JUST IMPEACHED TRUMP, "Aren't the Democrats worried about....?"

The timing. The Senate rules. McConnell. The voters. Yada yada.

ZERO about how just maybe TRUMP and his PARTY might be a tad "worried."

[quote]r59 Just watched her Press Briefing and DAMN! She is a boss.

It really is heartening to see a woman in government doing this, too. For so long, our country has been so incredibly imbalanced in that way, run almost entirely by old, straight white men. Pelosi might be old and white, and straight, but at least she's a woman [bold]: )[/bold]

It feels nice to see her at the center of this, running the show flawlessly.

r63, The victims must be the agents who couldn't prevent Agent Trump's impeachment.

He had copies of The Letter included with his Christmas cards.

Wow, Trump actually seems sane in the r45 clip

R70 My mother was quite sane (though racist) when she was in her 50s and 60s. But when she got up into her mid 70s and then especially before she died in her early 80s, she was batshit crazy at times. I'd never heard of sundowners, but that described her behavior perfectly.

Did Donald sign for Melania as well, r69?

Al Franken: "Listening to Mitch McConnell talk about the decline of bipartisanship is like listening to Jeffrey Dahmer complain about the decline of dinner party etiquette."

The number of Repug Reps retiring in 2020 grew to 21 today. Hmmm. What do they know is coming?

Lev and Igor - they're two wild and crazy guys!!!!

Mark Meadows will be hanging it up next year.

Meadows added that his "work with President Trump and his administration is only beginning."

"This President has accomplished incredible results for the country in just 3 years, and I’m fully committed to staying in the fight with him and his team to build on those successes and deliver on his promises for the years to come," he said.

This is making me uneasy.

The Hill: Trump spokesperson defends Dingell comments: 'The president is a counter-puncher'

White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham on Thursday described President Trump as a "counter-puncher" after the president lashed out at Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) during a rally in Michigan on Wednesday night, making a reference that her late husband, former Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), was "looking up" from hell.

"He has been under attack and under impeachment attack for the last few months and then just under attack politically for the last two and a half years," Grisham said when asked why Trump made the comment.

"We all know the president is a counter-puncher. It was a very, very supportive and wild crowd and he was just riffing on some of the things that had been happening the last few days," she continued.

^

At his Wednesday night rally in Battle Creek, Mich., Trump said that he gave John Dingell "A-plus treatment" after he died by lowering the flags to half-staff and said that Debbie Dingell later thanked him.

"She calls me up. 'That's the nicest thing that ever happened. Thank you so much. John would be so thrilled. He's looking down. He'd be so thrilled,' " the president said.

"Maybe he's looking up. I don't know. ... But let's assume he's looking down," he added.

He also went after Debbie Dingell, who was among the vast majority of Democrats who had voted to impeach him earlier on Wednesday.

"Now, they talk about this phony impeachment, and she's up there, 'Well, we have to look seriously at our president because he may have violated the Constitution of the United States,' " he said.

The congresswoman responded following Trump's comments, tweeting that the president's words were "hurtful."

"Mr. President, let's set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. I'm preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder," she wrote.

John Dingell was the longest-serving member of Congress and died in February.

[quote]It really is heartening to see a woman in government doing this, too.

Yes -- first woman Speaker in history. And has held the office twice now!

Trump’s comments about Dingell underscore how crudely transactional he is: he’d deigned to be polite to this woman after her husband had died, therefore she was required to do HIM a favor. It’s always quid pro quo with him.

[quote]"We all know the president is a counter-puncher. It was a very, very supportive and wild crowd and he was just riffing on some of the things that had been happening the last few days," she continued, [bold]chortling in a juicy Virginia Slims–enriched rasp before tossing back her fifth Thunderbird and Sunny Delight of the day.[/bold]

r53, "evidence strongly suggests that exposure or threatened public exposure of pedophilia and/or early or potential legal punishment creates a predicament, which may lead to completed suicide." But you just go on thinking that ninja assassins chloroformed the guards, snuck into that jail cell and strangled Epstein.

r84, I love you. Please post that all over twitter. Apparently some people think Bill and Hillary magically appeared in jail to kill Epstein

Examiner:

McConnell to Pelosi: You can keep your impeachment articles

Now they don't want a trial, yesterday they did, the day before that they didn't... They don't know what to do.

After unsuccessfully trying to manipulate Democratic House member Joe Cunningham of SC; now Lindsey is trying to scold Jim Clyburn of SC who is part of the House leadership.

Lindsey who is in the Senate, acts as if she controls House Democrats from SC.

Lindsey is taking the Queen stuff way too far.

From r88:

Graham again counting on his supporters to trust his lies, not their own eyes and ears. In the clip Clyburn say the opposite of what Graham claims.

What Clyburn said: "The delay is made necessary because the Majority Leader of the Senate has made it very clear that he is not gonna be impartial, he is not gonna be fair, he will collude the White House in order to decide how he will go forward."

Of course...

Yahoo:

Trump slams idea of delaying Senate impeachment trial

TIME:

Congressman John Dingell's Widow Hits Back at President Trump's Suggestion He is 'Looking Up' From Hell

Reuters:

Trump announces Democrat Van Drew switching to Republican Party

The Hill:

Democratic senators tweet photos of pile of House-passed bills 'dead on Mitch McConnell's desk'

Reuters:

Trump: Cipollone likely to be main lawyer for Senate impeachment trial

The Hill:

DOJ tells court McGahn subpoena is moot after impeachment vote

The Examiner:

Republican senators want Trump to stay off Twitter during impeachment trial

His Twitter account is a gift that keeps on giving, no filter - just raw rage.

Raw sewage...

Laurence Tribe

Another....

Next phase: ANNULMENT

[quote]Mark Meadows will be hanging it up next year.

He's the 24th House Republican not to seek re-election.

May have something to do with the North Carolina gerrymandering decision.

Washington Post:

Former White House officials say they feared Putin influenced the president’s views on Ukraine and 2016 campaign

R64 this doesn't seem to be our normal OP so you probably have this one blocked for some reason.

At R104: Trump told one advisor that he was sure that Ukraine was guilty, because “Putin told me.” The groveling subservience and stupidity are breathtaking.

The Hill:

Senate leaders punt impeachment trial deal until after holidays

[italic]Christianity Today,[/italic] the leading evangelical Christian magazine, says Trump should be removed from office.

Washington Post:

To avoid removal, Trump needs senators representing only 7 percent of the country to support him

[quote]At [R104]: Trump told one advisor that he was sure that Ukraine was guilty, because “Putin told me.” The groveling subservience and stupidity are breathtaking.

"VLAD SAID UKRAINE CHARGES TOO MUCH FOR CANDY, SO HE SAID I SHOULD JUST TAKE SOME."

He's breathtakingly stupid.

Something went down in MI. Deplorables outraged at the illegitimate president.

The Russia topic being in the news so much has driven me to start rewatching THE AMERICANS. Such a good show.

Vox:

The drama over when Pelosi will send Trump’s impeachment articles to the Senate, explained

The framing in that headline at r92 is part of the problem here. It's as if there really is some legitimate fight here, a he said-she said, typical political charge and countercharge, hitting and hitting back. No. The president of the United States was a complete asshole, as usual, and decided to lash out at a grieving widow for no particular reason except that his stupid precious fee-fees were hurt. She responded with dignity, saying that this time of year is going to be hard enough for her and would appreciate if DJT were less of a complete dick for once (well, again, she said it much nicer and with a lot more restraint). That is what happened, but political journalism is stuck with their old stupid formula of both sides do it, let's treat every Republican and Democratic statement as completely equal, and here were are, in stupid land.

[quote]The framing in that headline at [R92] is part of the problem here.

Just as the editorial at R109 can't support Trump's impeachment without repeatedly invoking Clinton's.

True R117 - But at the same time, this is big. Trump is finally losing evangelicals. It's beyond huge, and a massive threat to his reelection campaign.

God, I want that man to bottom out publically, become humiliated, and lose like Mondale in 1984.

Meadows may be taking over as Trump's Chief of Staff at some point in the future.

Thanks R84, that was an enjoyable read.

Hold me, Fellas! Our long slog since the first Mueller thread has born fruit, and it is impeachment.

I thought of you all last night over champagne and homemade peach pie.

I want an Oompa-Loompa!

It's been over two years, r121. I didn't search enough to find Part 1, but here's Part 4....

George

Between now and the trial (if there is one) they need to leak information damaging to Trump. What is in that letter Pence classified? Can't a whistle blower leak it? Drip, drip, drip...constant, unabated negative press.

NYT:

Durham Is Scrutinizing Ex-C.I.A. Director’s Role in Russian Interference Findings

r117...they were placating the die hard Trumpers...it makes the truth more palatable. Agree with them and their grievances, but pivot to make them face the truth. Its an effective editorial.

r117...the references to Clinton were to establish that hypocrisy has no place in the discussion...if what Clinton did was bad, Trump is worse...and that justifies his removal

Do Americans support removing Trump from office?

DEC 19, 2019

82.8% Democrats

46.8% All

42.2% Independents

8.9% Republicans

No, r85; not the Clintons. Barr.

R122 The hypocrisy is immeasurable. He refused to allow witnesses from the White House - and then bitches because he had no witnesses. But his deplorable supporters will eat that shit up.

I wonder if we'll get any more damning pieces of info or even unexpected bombshells before the Senate trial

[quote]God, I want that man to bottom out publically

Pics please.

R132 I think we will, that’s why McConnell wants to move this shit along quickly!

Mark Meadows Is Now The 21st Republican To Retire From The House

Dec. 19, 2019

So yesterday I said that the Christianity Today article was pretty big. Well, this morning, Alton Brown tweeted out a link to the article. Sure, he's just a celebrity chef - but at the same time, it shows the cracks are widening. Brown, himself, is a Pentecostal Christian, though he did mention his Christianity in past-tense in a followup tweet. Still, big...

Interesting R136. I was a big fan of Alton Brown when he was on Good Eats because he always pulled in some science of cooking and some thinking out side the box. It always threw me that he was also very religious and right wing. Looks like his followers are split on supporting him. Saying things like Trump will win in a landslide and others unfriending him. He needs to do what other high profile respectable Republicans did and leave the party.

On the plus side, they use a term I have not heard before to describe Deplorables: Cult45

Sigmoid Colon Face has a SAD! over "far left" rag [italic]Christianity Today[/italic]

R104 I wonder if those White House staffers just realized water is wet.

More to the point, why won’t those staffers go public? Why are there so many people witnessing this crap and not speaking up? They’re cowards at best, traitors at worst.

CNN:

Christianity Today editor: We did what we were called to do

If this move is strategic on Pelosi’s part, what’s her angle?

Jesus wants Trump gone.

Sun-Sentinel:

Democrats are ‘trying to destroy the Constitution,’ Rudy Giuliani tells young conservatives in South Florida

Trump calling ‘Christianity Today’ “far left” may be the peak of the Republican insane spins. Like what the fuck, I can’t even handle the lack of reality.

Bloomberg:

Democrats’ Urgency on Trump’s Impeachment Tested by Pelosi Delay

Impeach in haste, try at leisure. Two separate things.

[quote]Trump calling ‘Christianity Today’ “far left” may be the peak of the Republican insane spins.

Christianity Today has a circulation of 130,000 -- it will be interesting to see whether these readers side with their religion or with Trump. (I'm betting on the latter.)

I love how McConnell flunders while Pelosi just keeps her cool.

[quote]Democrats are ‘trying to destroy the Constitution,’ Rudy Giuliani tells young conservatives in South Florida

And Ruby Julie is trying to destroy my will to live with his septic hellmouth. Go buy some dental floss, bitch, and give me a break!

It seems to be his lower row of teeth...disgusting. You know that he’s got halitosis.

Can you imagine the sad, pathetic lives of "young conservatives", especially ones that show up to hear a Rudy Giuliani speech?

Young conservatives in South Florida = Cubans.

If the folks at Christianity Today wanted to be SUPER helpful, maybe they can start a mass prayer chain where all the good Christians of this nation pray for the satanic piece of shit currently occupying the Oval Office to have a massive fucking stroke and just die already!

Reuters:

Spotlight will be on U.S. chief justice in Trump trial and in major cases

GOid thread piecing together more on Mak Meadows leaving and shady Freedom caucus doings..

White conservative Cubans = We call them gusanos which is Spanish for ‘worm’. They worm their way into white American culture by espousing the same conservative narrow minded beliefs. Andy Garcia is a gusano.

Reuters:

Pelosi invites Trump to deliver State of the Union address on Feb. 4

R157, I wonder what other politicians have ties to Lev and Igor....I know they've been at events with FL governor Ron de Santis

Nancy's lovely invitation

Trump officials give horrific defense for him mocking late congressman

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate.

r140 they are afraid. Trump may be stupid but he knows people.

AS if the "christians and evangelicals" read or would read that christianity magazine!!

AS I POSTED previously i'm waiting for the day that one democrat, or SOMEONE publicly will read the list of republicans who in anyway have taken money from russian/russians whether in public or private life!

Trump's favorite Bible verse...

Trump elicits laughter quoting Bible verse to evangelicals

Trump Loves His Bible. And Christmas, Too

Extremist Judges KEEP SNEAKING IN During Impeachment

Bone Spurs is very concerned about corruption in Ukraine?

Eric should be the last person criticizing another's speaking skills.

R167-168 Elmer Gantry meets All the King's Men.

The role of Stormy Daniel could nab Miss Shirley Jones another Oscar, r172. Again, "playing against type".

He accepted....

Bloomberg: Pelosi Invites Trump to Give State of Union, Impeachment Aside

Washington Post:

Analysis: Yes, Donald Trump has been impeached

^

All of that said, all Trump really wants here — as ever — is plausible deniability. If he can convince himself and his supporters that he hasn’t been impeached, they at least have something to base that on. The problem is it’s not the actual rules or anything directly stated in the Constitution.

Washington Post:

Former FBI analyst tells court he was trying ‘to protect Mueller’ by snooping on conservative activist’s email

^

Brinkema questioned Tolson’s urgency, saying that even in this “overheated environment” Burkman’s claims “would not be taken seriously.”

In fact, the news conference received little attention. No accuser appeared, and media coverage was largely focused on Burkman’s unzipped fly.

The post doesn’t appear on my saved threads, either.

Keep the info coming guys. 😘

In other news:

L.A. Times: This Texas family supports the Border Patrol — but could lose land to Trump's wall

Washington Post:

Trump administration demanded Democrats strip Ukraine aid language from spending package

Trump referred to it as "ET" instead of "CT" at R138.

And as if he's ever read a copy of Christianity Today!

Thanks R65 & R105

I must have scrolled to fast and inadvertently blocked OP.

— R64

* too fast

You probably have the OP blocked because of his many posts deriding older gay men.

OP is quite the hater:

[quote]Millennials are more likely to support gay marriage than old people:

[quote]You're doing that right now by attacking Millennials, Einstein. Old people here attack Gen z and Millennials every day. Looks like you can dish it out but you can't take it.

[quote]Why are young people smart enough to see through Trump, but old people aren't?

How can some be saying there's a "delay" when the Senate was just vacated for the holidays for 2 weeks?

It's not like anything's going to get done, anyway.

Daily Beast:

Trump Pulled Plug on Pompeo’s November Ukraine Trip Over Impeachment Heat

AP:

Trump adviser: Expect more aggressive poll watching in 2020

From the article at R189

[quote]One of President Donald Trump’s top re-election advisers told influential Republicans in swing state Wisconsin that the party has “traditionally” relied on voter suppression to compete in battleground states but will be able to “start playing offense” in 2020 due to relaxed Election Day rules

His game plan is WI plus the red states, but his problem is it is an outdated strategy. He is -14 in WI and MI, -13 in IA, -7 in PA, -4 in AZ, and -3 in GA, states he won last time. MSN's poll released today shows 53 percent support *removal* where 44 percent do not. Not a rosy picture for him limping in to 2020 with the IMPOTUS stigma and the impeachment trial in Jan.

Washington Post:

Under secret Stephen Miller plan, ICE to use data on migrant children to expand deportation efforts

I would love to stomp McConnell in his gut. Repeatedly.

Lindsey begs for support of Susan.

R186, people here attack millennials and Gen Z people all the time.....but I guess you only care when old people are criticized

R196, why are women smart enough to see through Trump, but not men? And, hon, I love that your stupid argument is that more young people support gay marriage than old people. Who the hell do you think got you the gay marriage to support? You lazy fucks don't even vote but you want to laud your beliefs? Beliefs are cheap when they aren't backed up by action and your entire generation has done nothing.

R140, Self-preservation. True belief. Hatred of Democrats.

R169 cuts to the chase. The Federal judiciary is where it's at, and McConnell will do and say whatever he has to to continue the appointments, no matter Trump, Pence, or Haley.

R189 that article and those comments on their "strategy" is telling us that they intend to interfere with and disrupt people at the polls. They're going to get aggressive. Everyone needs to be aware of all the seemingly crazy things these people are planning and saying. The noose is tightening. Steve Millar and his White Supremacists , the thuggery and menace of the MAGAts and goon squads all of these are going to get much worse and to the degree they can co opt law enforcement, and the criminal justice system it is going t be very bad. If we don't stop them there is going to be a very dark period that will last a generation. RESIST!

[quote] If we don't stop them there is going to be a very dark period that will last a generation.

A generation? That’s optimistic. It’ll be a lot longer than that for no other reason than what they’re doing — and more importantly what they are not doing — about the climate and the environment.

What else can he be impeached for? There must be tons of stuff. Why not go after them all? It's the duty of Congress to uphold the Constitution.

R201 agree. more then a generation and it will LITERALLY take all of these "MF's" to die and their offspring and mentality to do so as well...

anyway, any of these unqualified inexperienced judges (and THEY KNOW THEY ARE AND DON'T GIVE A SHIT! SHAMEFUL NARCISSIST MONEY POLITICAL WHORES AS HUMANS!) can when a democratic president and house be fired?

Apparently National Review is about to come out in favor of conviction. I'm seeing a tiny, tiny glimmer of hope.

I also can't wait for Trump to declare that NR has always been the propaganda arm of the DNC or somesuch.

I heard on one of the shows there is a small group of well known Republicans or ex-Republicans starting up some kind of ant- Trump think tank. Cant remember his name, but the guy talking about it refereed to himself and the other guys, as bunch of crusty old bastards. They sound ready to switch parties to do it.

r200, "....disrupt people at the polls. They're going to get aggressive."

Let them try. Do Republicans actually believe that all Democrats are Casper Milquetoasts, all Little Miss Lindsays? They must not have been alive to watch the 1968 Democratic Convention. And plenty of Democrats in my state of Pennsylvania own guns, too.

True, the "hanging-chad" counters in Miami, 2000, crumpled at the first door-banging by the Republican DC intruders, but that was not a group of hard-core Democrats in that office. And true, we didn't take to the streets like the Republicans did as they chanted outside Al Gore's home, "Get out of our house!" But we took our cue from our passive leaders at the time.

And then, for a while, we "went high," as fatuous a bit of unasked-for advice as ever has been proffered.

Our leader now is Nancy "Don't Mess With Me!" Pelosi. Nancy, who has emboldened Chuck Schumer to find his spine. Nancy, who has elevated the deceptively-tough Voice of Truth Adam "Takes No" Schiff into prominence, whom the esteemed Gerald Nadler clearly seeks now to emulate. Nancy, who made Generals hang their heads in shame at their support for Trump.

Nancy, who, to his FACE, literally clapped back at Trump. Nancy, IOW, is no "nancy." And like the above-mentioned men, we, too, will find our strength and courage in the challenge that will be the 2020 election, whatever it is we face.

Examiner: Jeff Flake: GOP 'denying objective reality' when agreeing Trump did nothing wrong

"The willingness of House Republicans to bend to the president’s will by attempting to shift blame with the promotion of bizarre and debunked conspiracy theories has been an appalling spectacle," he said. "It will have long-term ramifications for the country and the party, to say nothing of individual reputations."

NYT:

Mitch McConnell, Master of the Blockade, Plots Impeachment Strategy

Politico: Chris Christie wades into Senate impeachment fight

Chris Christie is launching a big-money effort aimed at giving Senate Republicans air cover on impeachment — and positioning the former New Jersey governor as a counterweight to liberal billionaire Tom Steyer.

(counterweight....hee-hee)

Right Direction America represents Christie’s first foray into the outside group sphere. The former governor has been a high-profile figure since leaving office in early 2018, taking to the cable TV circuit and publishing an autobiography entitled “Let Me Finish.” For a time, he was seen as a potential White House chief of staff.

He has also begun dipping into 2020 races, recently hosting a fundraiser for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).

The project is partly geared toward winning over suburban voters who’ve become alienated from Trump’s GOP. While much of the party’s impeachment-focused advertising has echoed the president’s slash-and-burn messaging — a pro-Trump super PAC, for example, has savaged Democrats for embarking on a “witch hunt” — Right Direction America’s is somewhat milder tonally and is geared toward those who’ve become tired of partisanship.

The commercial airing in Maine, for example, contends that Democrats failed to follow through on their campaign promises and instead focused on “investigations and impeachment.”

(Hardly, Blimpo)

WSJ:

After Trump's Impeachment, Pelosi Ends Year With Strong Hold on Party

ABC:

Despite Trump's impeachment, Giuliani doubles down on controversial Ukraine push

Wow, the Republican party is such a shit show. It figures Fatso wants in on it.

Just going to add this because....well...just because.

Roll Call: Agency: No cause to review Trump Jr. hunting adventure

[quote] anyway, any of these unqualified inexperienced judges (and THEY KNOW THEY ARE AND DON'T GIVE A SHIT! SHAMEFUL NARCISSIST MONEY POLITICAL WHORES AS HUMANS!) can when a democratic president and house be fired?

R203, federal Article III judges hold lifetime appointments. They can be impeached and removed from office, but no one can fire them. The lower federal court judges can be disciplined. And, if there are enough complaints about them that may get Jerry Nadler’s attention to open up an impeachment inquiry.

My suggestion is, in the first year of the next Democratic president’s term, (as long as we hold both the House and Senate), create new federal judge positions, especially in the federal appellate courts to balance out the tRump appointees. The District Court judges he has appointed are unfortunate, but they don’t hold as much sway over controversial issues as the federal appellate court judges. They are still bad — just not as bad.

Christie is pretty smart. If/when he runs in 2024, those Republican Senators are going to remember who stepped up to help them out, so who are they going to endorse? Not Haley, Hurd or Flake.

The Chief Justice presides over the court system. It is a function that is barely noticed or commented on or covered. But remember when Roberts investigated Kavanaugh (a sham, I know.) after the impeachment hearings about conduct when Kav was on the lower court? The Chief can discipline jurists, and I think he may even recommend impeachment or censure. I think with a number of these incompetents the media and their peers can move them towards resignations and early retirement. And obviously, if their performance is inadequate, as it must certainly be, they will not last.

Kennedy’s abdication will he investigated. His son at Deutsch Bank will be incarcerated. Kavanaugh’s money trail will be discovered - he’ll be impeached and disbarred.

The judicial branch will be in shambles.

Roberts will be told to shape up or ship out.

He will then wholeheartedly support the scrutinizing and inevitable revocation of every one of Moscow Mitch’s sham judicial appointments.

The investigation into Christine Blasey Ford’s accusations on Kavanaugh was never even allowed to really happen. If they performed a full investigation as they should have, it would prove that BK lies under oath multiple times during his confirmation hearing. Which is an impeachable offense and particularly scurrilous as a judge.

Putin supports Donald -- and Donald lets the world know it!

And what Vlad says, goes!

R197 - TRUTH!

Elder (out in the 70s), and tired of these whiney, entitled, oblivious, and shallow little fuckers. Swipe left.

You twats would be nowhere without us, who forged the way to gain the freedoms you take for granted.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin says U.S. President Donald Trump's impeachment is far-fetched and predicts the U.S. Senate will reject it."

Far-fetched all the way from The Ukraine, that's how far. And how astute to predict that the Senate will reject the impeachment, no-one else has ventured so novel an observation.

JUST SAW online one of the new t-shirts trumpsters wear on the front says TRUMP in big bold letters and then underneath? "too bad O.J. didn't marry Hillary!" (i.e. meaning he would have killed her!)...

THESE PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY INSANE AND EVIL! SO SO SICK!...

Make sure to use #IMPOTUS — because he has been IMPEACHED.

And, it sounds like impotent.

"VLAD SAYS EVERYTHING DISAPPEARS WHEN YOU COVER YOUR EYES."

New documents obtained by @publicintegrity show that *a little more than an hour* after Trump spoke to Zelensky by phone on July 25, Trump officials were already working to freeze hundreds of millions in security assistance for Ukraine.

Two can play that game... Too bad the 9/11 hijackers didn't fly into Trump Tower.

Too Bad Lorena Bobbitt Didn't Marry Trump

Aww man, someone beat me to it!

Next Republican who wants to be brave and awesome, just say yeah the whole fucking political party has been a goddamn joke for decades and nobody should ever vote for it ever again. Mmmm kay.

Someone posted docs on twitter about Matt Gaetz and the auto erotic asphyxiation death of his roommate and how it was covered up. Matt is threatening to sue anyone with money who is propagating it.

Too bad Trump didn't marry Betty Broderick.

r231....Ive been trumpeting that all over social media for years....and it wasnt JUST a roommate....they were boyfriends...and not only did daddy cover it up, he intervened in the HOMICIDE investigation and had it changed to suicide. There are still articles from local newspapers out there from when it happened, but you really need to look.

Was unaware of that about Matt Gaetz. I didn’t think he couldn’t be a more vile, disgusting piece of shit. And then, . . . .

Even with the proverbial “dead boy in a bed,” Gaetz is still able to get away with it.

Why doesn’t a reporter ever randomly bring this up with him, catching him off-guard? I bet he would lose it in front of the camera and give himself away.

Support for removing Trump from office has risen slightly since Wednesday's impeachment vote:

83.0% Democrats

47.1% All

42.4% Independents

9.6% Republicans

He’s a drunk or a pill popper.

Adderall

I don’t know r238. I thought Adderall made you super sharp. He’s very, very drunk-like. Ha maybe I’m missing something?

R239, Adderall can’t sharpen abilities that you do not have to begin with . . .

Here’s the tea on Mizz Matt Gaytz

PollTroll (I heart you) - a poll released by USA Today shows 52/44 in favor of removal. Also, MSN's most recent polls shows 53/44 in favor of removal.

Gaetz is "unmarried". He has the pasty bloat of an alcoholic.

No wonder the despicable, corrupt Gaetz is so supportive of the despicable, corrupt #IMPOTUS, Donald tRump.

Birds of a feather. . . .

I adore Rachel....

Thanks, R242.

The increasing support for removal in those polls you posted is reflected in the 538 average above.

Bloomberg:

Trump Quest to Expose Whistle-Blower Hard to Pull Off in Senate

Hillary was haunted with her email ‘scandal,’ but Franklin Graham’s pool boy and Gaetz’s dead boyfriend coverup gets a big shrug.

USA Today:

Trump urges students to back his agenda and oppose impeachment

Washington Post:

Trump touts Putin speaking out against his impeachment

NYT: Evangelical Leaders Close Ranks With Trump After Scathing Editorial

The response from his leading Christian supporters was laced with animosity that mimicked Mr. Trump’s signature style, and reflected the extent to which they have moved into lock step with him, even in rhetoric.

Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, said on Twitter that he was “sad” to see the publication “echo the arguments of The Squad & the Resistance & deepen its irrelevance among Christians.”

Franklin Graham, whose father, the Rev. Billy Graham, founded Christianity Today, said in a Facebook post that the editorial was a “totally partisan attack” and said that the elder Graham had voted for the president in 2016, a little more than a year before he died.

Mr. Graham went on to tally numerous accomplishments that he said Mr. Trump had achieved, and to ask “Why would Christianity Today choose to take the side of the Democrat left whose only goal is to discredit and smear the name of a sitting president?”

The power of the evangelicals as a voting bloc is in their sheer size, and in their symbiotic relationship with the president. “Because they are a third of the Republican base, Trump needs white evangelical Protestants to get elected,” said Robert P. Jones, chief executive of the Public Religion Research Institute. “And because white evangelicals see themselves as a shrinking minority, in both racial and religious terms, they need Trump.”

AP:

US heads to court to build Trump border wall in Texas

What good is a wall that can be cut through with a rechargeable saw? What happened to the promise Mexico was going to pay for it?

[quote]What happened to the promise Mexico was going to pay for it?

That was Trump's promise.

Of coursePutin supports Trump R250, did Edgar Bergen want to kill off Charlie McCartney

[quote] Franklin Graham, whose father, the Rev. Billy Graham, founded Christianity Today, said in a Facebook post that the editorial was a “totally partisan attack” and said that the elder Graham had voted for the president in 2016, a little more than a year before he died.

Maybe the old man did vote for IMPOTUS — but I wouldn’t trust the information coming from that viper Franklin Graham for one second. He lies as easily as he draws a breath. Everything he does and says is in service of him maintaining power, money, and control.

Wasnt Franklin thrown out of his fathers church years ago ?

[quote]I wouldn’t trust the information coming from that viper Franklin Graham for one second. He lies as easily as he draws a breath.

Another Trump, in other words.

Franklin Graham is an aggressive homophobe, and has drawn millions of dollars from his church’s charities. He’s just another religious grifter.

SuperCallousFragileSexistRacistLyingPOTUS

“Oppose impeachment”? It already happened. Too late, you fat clown.

I’m old enough to remember Billy Graham when he was billed as “Pastor to Presidents.” He went way out of his way to leave politics out of his preaching and did not favor one party over another. He served Presidents of both parties and was like a Presidential chaplain for several Presidents. No way in hell would he approve of today’s extreme partisanship, or his son’s part in it.

In fact, after his retirement, Franklin demanded that he “inherit” the position which was honorary only, and a tribute to the senior’s Graham’s character. When he was told no, he flipped out and has been super partisan ever since. He’s a raging narcissist in preacher’s clothing. He and Trump are a perfect team.

Schumer ought to call for Trump to testify in the Senate. You know he would be able to resist no matter what his advisors told him. And he’d completely sink his own ship.

r248, you are confusing Franklin with Jerry Falwell Jr.

[quote]Someone posted docs on twitter about Matt Gaetz and the auto erotic asphyxiation death of his roommate and how it was covered up. Matt is threatening to sue anyone with money who is propagating it.

So everyone here needs to Google "matte Gaetz Auto Erotic Asphyxiation" every day for a month and it will bump up to the top of Googles search every time his name comes up. The more people that use that word combination, the more Google algorithm will link the tow in a search and push it to the top of the page.

So no world leader except Putin has voiced any support for IMPOTUS. No collusion! Got it.

R264, one religious grifter is the same as another.

[quote]Evangelical Leaders Close Ranks With Trump After Scathing Editorial

Nice punch back to the evangelical hypocrisy from Republican author Nancy French in the Washington Post:

"A Christianity dependent on Trump is a weak faith, indeed.

Christianity has endured and flourished for two millennia, often against unimaginable persecution. When a faith is sustained by God, it has no need to compromise its witness in service of an adulterous, mendacious reality TV star."

Miami Herald:

Trump plans Miami event to court Evangelicals after Christianity Today backs impeachment

AP:

Us vs. them: Trump aiming to use impeachment to rev up base

EVANGELICALS are the biggest hypocrites and sell out whores! who knew!?

Here is the National Review editorial.

Warning: Link goes to National Review.

Washington Post:

1 in every 4 circuit court judges is now a Trump appointee

The Atlantic: America’s Love-Hate Relationship With Adam Schiff

But when I ask Schiff what keeps him awake at night, the answer isn’t impeachment at all—it’s something much broader.

“You know, I have a lot of optimism about the country,” he said. “We’re going to get through this. We’ve been through worse. Vietnam was much more divisive and deadly than the current circumstances. So we’ve been through worse, even recently. What I worry about in the long term is, the way we get our information now divides the country and makes it difficult to communicate with each other. In social media, fear and lies and anger travel so much faster than truth. And we haven’t figured out how to deal with it. I don’t think anybody has.

“And it is dividing us, it is polarizing us, it’s a dangerous development for the country,” Schiff continued. “I think the revolution in how we get our information is every bit as significant as the invention of the printing press. But we had hundreds of years to get used to that innovation, and we’ve had practically no time to get used to this one. So there isn’t an easy answer to that. And we’re not going to tell Fox News what they can say, no matter how bitterly divisive it is, and we’re not going to tell the social-media companies how to construct their algorithms.”

Still, Schiff said, “we have to figure this out, because it is, I think, rapidly balkanizing the country, and it has also created an environment in which there is a wholesale attack on the idea of truth. If we don’t have a set of common experiences, then there’s nothing more deleterious to a democracy than that.”

Chuck Toad proves once again how pathetically worthless he is. He allowed Pence’s CoS to get away with all the usual nonsense that the Repukes have been parroting for the past few months.

HuffPost:

Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Winter Vacation Pushes Taxpayer Golf Tab Above $118 million

Politico:

Doug Jones says impeachment must be above electoral politics

^ but.....

Jones said he is still waiting to “see if the dots get connected” on Trump withholding military aid in Ukraine in exchange for investigations into his political rivals.

“If that is the case, then I think it’s a serious matter and it’s an impeachable matter. But if those dots aren’t connected and there are other explanations that I think are consistent with innocence, I will go that way, too,” he said.

Politico:

Debbie Dingell says Trump’s remarks were a gut punch

CNN: Trump impeachment trial: How senators are preparing and what they're reading

To prepare, Republicans and Democrats are studying up.

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, an occasional critic of the President who has been careful not to tip his hand ahead of a Senate impeachment trial, has read over the Federalist Papers in an effort to get a sense of how the Founding Fathers viewed impeachment.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, is working through multiple books on impeachment. The best one he's read so far is "The Breach," an account by journalist Peter Baker of former President Bill Clinton's impeachment in the House and Senate trial.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas just finished reading "The Impeachers," a newly-released book on the impeachment and trial of former President Andrew Johnson, the first presidential impeachment to take place in the United States.

"We're all trying to get up to speed because this doesn't happen very often," Cornyn told CNN, adding that the book "brought home how serious and really unique impeachment is."

"In a country where the people are supposed to be in charge, the idea of having 535 members of Congress essentially reverse a decision made at the ballot box is a pretty serious responsibility," Cornyn said.

Washington Post:

Biden-Graham friendship, forged in war zones, fractures under the pressures of impeachment and Trump

^

Today their friendship, their war zone trip and its bitter aftermath offers a view into how two of the most prominent politicians of their era have tried to adapt to a changing Washington, a norm-breaking presidency and the country’s rancorous politics.

Not sure it really makes any difference, but it is helpful that Trump exposes the Evangelicals for the lying assholes they are in a way George W and Reagan never could. Anyone paying attention since the 80s knew the "moral majority" was bullshit from the start, but a lot people weren't paying attention. Supporting Trump in spite of everything really hits everyone over the head with the message: We don't give a shit about Jesus or the Bible or right-and-wrong, or anything else but money and power! They might as well put it on a billboard.

^ Yeah, I love the ones who think Pete Buttigieg is "immoral" but are totally okay with a guy who laughs about grabbing pussy and cheated on all three of his wives

Well, Jesus did talk about pussy-grabbing during the Sermon on the Mount.

NBC: Newly released emails provide details in White House pause of Ukraine aid

"Given the sensitive nature of the request," Duffey wrote on the afternoon of Trump's call with Zelenskiy, "I appreciate your keeping that information closely held to those who need to know to execute direction."

The emails also provide insight into administration officials' feelings once the funds are finally released, though their reasoning for distributing the aid suddenly appears to be redacted.

The Schiff remarks quoted @ R274 show more measured insight than Trump could manage given three lifetimes.

Schiff's citing of Vietnam is striking. He rightly says it was worse than Trump, which the latter would at some level resent, because he revels in his own notoriety. But for Vietnam even to be in same paragraph as Trump alludes to the latter's daily generation of disgust and near-despair. Useful Nixon dog-whistle too, of course.

[quote]The power of the evangelicals as a voting bloc is in their sheer size, and in their symbiotic relationship with the president.

You forgot about the "easily brain-washed" part. They train themselves for it from the moment they are born.

[quote]1 in every 4 circuit court judges is now a Trump appointee

This is what makes me mad with the Democrats who stayed home in 2016. They didn't seem to realize that the judicial system was at stake and that there are now hundreds of more right-wing judges on the bench.

r289 And they are threatening it again, if Sanders doesn't win the nomination, they're not going to vote. FUCK THEM. They are also challenging Cory Booker in NJ because he doesn't pass the purity test.

Washington Post:

‘Evangelicals are not monolithic’: Following scathing editorial, top Trump aide defends president

AP:

White House predicts Pelosi to `yield' on impeachment delay

AP:

Inside impeachment: How an 'urgent' tip became 'high crimes'

Yahoo:

Convicted SEAL Eddie Gallagher thanks President Trump with a 'little gift' from Iraq

Just a reminder.....

Washington Post:

Fact Checker: President Trump has made 15,413 false or misleading claims over 1,055 days

Trump looked more ridiculous than usual on Wednesday at the Battle Creek, MI rally. His face was so dark, with the raccoon eyes and light color on the side by his ears, he just looked bizarre.

I still wonder if he uses this makeup because he has jaundice.

Aside from his financial records, we should demand his medical records. I can understand redacting some things, maybe; but they should be released, especially given his age. He’ll never release them, though, as they may contain reference to a slew of pharmaceuticals; addiction problems; psych treatment; and considerable mental health problems.

Ivanka gives UNREAL response about a fair Senate trial for impeachment

President Trump: "I never understood wind, you know I know windmills very much. I've studied it better than anybody."

Some of Trump ‘s claims of knowing more than anybody are ridiculous, like this one. Also, “[knowing] more than the Generals” was pretty foolish. I wonder what he ever learned about windmills? Maybe he saw one? I suppose it’s his belief that he has superior knowledge that makes him think he knows more than anybody, despite a lack of information and facts on the subject.

How anyone would want him as President is beyond me. Especially now that people have no excuse for seeing him clearly. Though, Fox viewers might be so lied to, that they don’t know how badly he is flawed. He’s a failed human being.

He should study the windmills of his own mind with a psychiatrist who specializes in megalomania.

[quote]Some of Trump ‘s claims of knowing more than anybody are ridiculous, like this one.

Part of that has always been his personality -- bombastic, blowhard, etc.

It's also his background as a showman, reality t.v. star & conman. It's his lingo. And it's exactly why he should never have been President.

Nice of Trump to party with war criminals

I am so sick of his “superlative boasting” about knowing more than anyone else about whatever topic pops Into his bird brain, or the nonsensical, “no one has ever Seen whatever it is so big, or wonderful, or great, or whatever.” It is all so idiotic. I roll my eyes every time he trots out these claims because they are always verifiably false like most everything else he says.

I fervently hope we can get through the next 11 months, and that we can dislodge this traitorous bastard from the office that he stole three years ago.

Trump does this "superlative boasting" because, in his mind, he is the measure of all things.

His "superlative boasting" is because he's wildly insecure and wants to create his own reality. He believes if he says something often enough, people will believe whatever he's saying. 40% of the US population has proven that theory to be true. They believe he's smarter and more successful than everyone else simply because he says it again and again. People in the entertainment world do it all the time "fake it til you make it" but of course Trump has taken it to a new and dangerous level of delusion

Two things to keep in mind: they only need 4 Senate votes to force a fair trial with witnesses and evidence. And the really bad stuff hasn't been made public yet.

The funniest and most pathetic claim Trump made was “Nobody knew healthcare was so complicated.” Of course, we all knew, that’s the challenge we’ve been facing for decades.

I think this is part of the root of his contempt for Obama. He thought Healthcare was simple because he is ignorant and stupid, and looked down on Obama for not being able to resolve such a simple problem. He’s too stupid to know how stupid and ignorant he is.

R285, That was the Sermon on the Mount of Venus, right?

do you think we'll get any new damning info this week or reporters will hold off cuz it's xmas? I say fuck xmas and gimme more damaging info on Trump's Ukraine mess

Saudi’s executing 5 for the death of WaPo journalist Kashogghi is in the news this am...

[quote]How anyone would want him as President is beyond me. Especially now that people have no excuse for seeing him clearly.

These are the kinds of people that still want him as President.

Mr. Cohen....

Lindsey Graham issues public threat to GOP Senators disloyal to Trump

Lindsey Graham’s Challenger: His ‘Word Is Like Mud’ | All In | MSNBC

Facebook Bans Massive Fake Pro-Trump Network As Election Looms | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

NYT:

Democrats, Citing White House Emails, Renew Calls for Impeachment Witnesses

NBC:

Inside Giuliani's new push to flip the script on Trump's impeachment

^

n tweets and interviews, the former New York City mayor has been intentionally vague about both the allegations and his newfound proof, while vowing to eventually reveal it to the Department of Justice and a trio of senators.

"All in good time," Giuliani told NBC News via text message when asked when he'd produce the evidence.

But documents obtained by NBC News, interviews with people familiar with Giuliani's activities and a review of his public comments show he's relying almost entirely on assertions by Ukrainians whose credibility is questionable at best. In some cases, the allegations have already been thoroughly debunked.

Giuliani's allegations have found a receptive audience in Trump, who says Giuliani will "make a report" to Attorney General William Barr about his "good information." In the Senate, Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham and two other Republican chairmen are seeking interviews with Ukrainians and Americans with purported knowledge about what Giuliani alleges.

“I never understood wind,” Trump said. “I know windmills very much, I have studied it better than anybody. I know it is very expensive. They are made in China and Germany mostly, very few made here, almost none, but they are manufactured, tremendous — if you are into this — tremendous fumes and gases are spewing into the atmosphere. You know we have a world, right?”

“So the world is tiny compared to the universe. So tremendous, tremendous amount of fumes and everything. You talk about the carbon footprint, fumes are spewing into the air, right spewing, whether it is China or Germany, is going into the air,” he continued.

“A windmill will kill many bald eagles,” Trump continued. “After a certain number, they make you turn the windmill off, that is true. By the way, they make you turn it off. And yet, if you killed one, they put you in jail. That is OK. But why is it OK for windmills to destroy the bird population?”

Trump has frequently brought up eagles when bashing windmills, with PolitiFact finding he has inflated figures of eagles getting killed by wind turbines.

[quote] You know we have a world, right?” “So the world is tiny compared to the universe. So tremendous, tremendous amount of fumes and everything.

If you were at an event and overheard someone making these statements, you would roll your eyes and slowly slide away.

It’s bad enough that he thinks this nonsense is accurate, but he then spews all this garbage out loud as if his wild delusions were facts. And, his sycophants then scramble to explain how his blathering is somehow either accurate or at least not completely fucking insane.

NBC:

NY gov blocks some federal judges from officiating at weddings — because they might be Trump nominees

Washington Post:

Devin Nunes, Johnny Depp lawsuits seen as threats to free speech and press

There are three Republican Senators retiring at the end of 2020. Among them, Lamar Alexander who used to have some principles. Then there's Mitt Romney was pretty vocal about Trump...for a minute. There's a woman senator from Alaska, there's Susan Collins, and Ben Sasse . These are the potential possibilities. But we all know Sasse, Collins and Shitt Romeny will not stand up, and the retirees will sit on their asses and do nothing. Consider that Doug Jones is already making noises about the charges not quite "hitting the mark" and rising to the level of removal. And of course there's Manchin who will never vote for anything the Republicans don't support. So looking for four Senators to force a trial, is like hope to see the proverbial camel pass through the eye of a needle.

As Miss Ritter would say: "Oh brother!"

* Reuters: Survival camps cater to new fear: America's political unrest *

For an annual fee of around $1,000, members can vacation at the camps in good times, and use them as a refuge during a societal collapse.

"If you've got a lot of weapons, if you've got a lot of members at guard posts, defensive walls, we don't think we're going to need to fight," said Miller, crouching on top of a fortified position on the camp perimeter.

*

Then there is politics.

Increasingly, Miller said, clients fear sharp political divisions will deepen around the Nov. 3, 2020 U.S. presidential election.

"There is growing concern that after the 2020 election there could be massive, long-lasting civil unrest if people say, 'Hey, I don't buy the new president, I don't recognize him or her,'" said Miller, who has added "civil war" to his risk scenarios.

more stuff will come about Trump. Eventually the republicans will not be able to ignore it but they do not want to vote for impeachment. It will get to the point where the Repub's will go to Trump and tell him he's finished and that they will vote to impeach him unless he agrees to resign. He will make a deal with them so he and his family don't go to jail (except for maybe Jared). The idiot still believes that he hasn't been impeached because it hasn't gone thru the Senate or some stupid thing so he will believe if he resigns then impeachment won't be on his record.

DON'T give up

Palmer Report @PalmerReport #KremlinKevin McCarthy took a campaign donation from Lev Parnas. McCarthy had damn well better hope he can demonstrate that he didn’t know it was foreign money, or else he’s going to prison once Trump has been finished off.

r294, Was it a finger from a dead Iraqi civilian? Asking for a friend.

Per the transcript @ R318, Trump is now channelling Chauncey Gardiner from 'Being There', though without the sweetness and intelligence.

It's almost endearing, as though seeing a mature adult with special needs making quite good progress late in life. Or perhaps recovering from a stroke. But then one has to remind oneself for the millionth time that this is the most powerful man on earth.

[quote]Kevin McCarthy took a campaign donation from Lev Parnas.

Perhaps explaining why he's all in on Trump's lies. He tweeted yesterday that "The FBI broke into President Trump’s campaign, spied on him, then tried to cover it up. This is a modern-day Watergate."

Since time immemorial, politicians of all persuasions have spun the truth and bent it to their advantage. But this is the first time in my lifetime that an entire political party spouts complete fictions -- and when confronted with proof of untruth, they just double down on the lies. It's really frightening, especially because the media has done a piss-poor job of holding them accountable.

Margaret Sullivan in yesterday's WaPo:

"In an unceasing effort to be seen as neutral, journalists time after time fell into the trap of presenting facts and lies as roughly equivalent and then blaming political tribalism for not seeming to know the difference."

This...

*

"In an unceasing effort to be seen as neutral, journalists time after time fell into the trap of presenting facts and lies as roughly equivalent and then blaming political tribalism for not seeming to know the difference."

CNN:

Holiday stalemate grips Senate impeachment trial

NBC:

Trump blasts Pelosi for 'crying for fairness' in Senate trial

Reuters:

U.S. asks Russia to free incarcerated ex-Marine Paul Whelan

Is it technically illegal for a politician to accept foreign money? Is there a definitive answer to this? Do we know for sure? Cuz if it is, you can bet the entire GOP is pissing in their boots in fear of what Lev has to say.

I’ve said from the get-go, this is about Russia funneling money into the GOP via, I assumed, the NRA. But it looks like there's more than one spigot.

PLEASE....Its been reported repeatedly over the last several years that the GOP was taking all kinds of Russian monies. Google is your friend.

L.A. Times:

Evangelicals stand with Trump: ‘God always chose people that had flaws’

Trump’s Humiliating Impeachment Trial: WH On Edge Over Rules That Can Change Anytime | MSNBC

I wish IFC would check in...

[quote] PLEASE....Its been reported repeatedly over the last several years that the GOP was taking all kinds of Russian monies. Google is your friend.

Of course. What I can’t grok though, is if it’s illegal, why aren’t people going to jail? Why isn’t the media making a bigger stink? Are these just rumors? Or are the laws not clear cut?

This, this....

And...

WSJ:

Two Giuliani Associates Used Washington Connections to Chase Ukraine Gas Deal

Matt Gaetz's dead roommate info:

FCI any tidbits for us?

Rick Wilson getting in on the Matt Gaetz action:

FCI is probably off being a ski bunny at St Moritz, r343.

From r344....

L.A. Times:

FBI's probe of Trump campaign faced problems from the start

Politico:

House counsel suggests Trump could be impeached again

It’s illegal for candidates to accept direct donations from foreigners R333, but there are ways to evade the law. Russia gave $ millions to the NRA which then disbursed it to Repug campaigns And PACs, using agents like Maria Buttina and cutouts like Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman.

Thanks, r349. Fucking loopholes.

Why are the Democrats and non-right wing media not raging about Moscow Mitch's lies on Fox and Friends this morning? Give Turtle grief and blowback and not let him get away with defining the narrative.

Tom Nichols:

Read this interview with Rudy Giuliani, and then reflect that this bunch of stumblebums and goons are the people undermining our national security while thinking they've outfoxed every intelligence service in the world, including ours.

R349 but isn't that a straw donation, which is illegal?

My god, r352.

As R339's link shows, even the Republicans basically admitted that Dana Rohrabacher was a Russian asset.

Was nice to see him finally go down to defeat in the 2018 Midterms.

Washington Post:

Impeachment live updates: McConnell, Pelosi dig in on impasse over Trump’s Senate trial

Washington Post:

What we know and don’t know about Trump’s intentions on Ukraine aid

Nancy needs to move on Article of Impeachment #3:

All the fucking crimes that have been proven and documented in the Mueller Report, all the crimes implicated by Michael Cohen, the fraud of the Trump Foundation and any other indictable crime discovered and documented since the 2018 election. The missing 40 Million of the inaugural fund?

ALL of his crimes!

This character flaunting 'his' Twitter feed pic with Kavanaugh for over two years, is all over Fox and tweeting vile, partisan bullshit. Owned by somebody.

R358 unfortunately not enough moderates would be willing to vote for those. That's a big reason why Pelosi, Schiff and Nadler limited things to the Ukraine matter

R360, Dems not voting for actual crimes? I think they would enthusiastically embrace impeaching for actual crimes.

Please explain further.

R361 a lot of moderates did not sign onto impeachment after the release of the Mueller report and I don't recall hearing many of that group talking about his violation of other laws too.

[quote]Nancy needs to move on Article of Impeachment #3

The House is open to the prospect of impeaching President Donald Trump a second time, lawyers for the Judiciary Committee said Monday.

House Counsel Douglas Letter said in a filing in federal court that a second impeachment could be necessary if the House uncovers new evidence that Trump attempted to obstruct investigations of his conduct.

r362, I believe that discrediting Barr's No collousion no crime crap took time because he was so swift in his denial.

I believe that the climate has changed and the chant from the Republicans is No Crimes in the Articles.

I think the time has come to call their bluff...again.

Is it possible that the House is not impeaching him for certain crimes as they know he will be prosecuted for them when he leaves office and they are trying to stop a preemptive pardon allowing for him to get away with it all?

[quote] I believe that discrediting Barr's No collousion no crime crap took time because he was so swift in his denial.

He gave the right wing media the narrative they needed to assure their right wing demographic that Trump is innocent (because the DOJ said so). And the Liberal media's response was ... *crickets.* They failed to establish their "Barr is a liar, who abuses his position to cover for Trump!" narrative, because their response ranged from non-existent to tepid.

Does this sound like a crime to you:?

"An obstruction of justice is a type of ILLEGAL interference with the law. Obstruction of Justice is the legal term used to refer to a CRIME involving obstructing prosecutors or other government officials from getting the crucial information necessary to an ongoing investigation."

If it does, than the House has impeached Trump for a CRIME.

Conservative National Review said impeach and remove Trump.

r368 - "If you have read this far, you know my answer to these questions. The Constitution provides for impeachment and removal to protect us from officials, including presidents, who are unable or unwilling to distinguish between the common good that government is supposed to serve and their own narrow interests. Though he has done some good things in office, Trump is just such a president. Congress should act accordingly."

But the wording in the Articles is Obstruction of CONGRESS.

It is a more obtuse wording of the law.

Obstruction of Justice is what Mueller used.

Impeaching him does not place him in double jeopardy.

It is like firing someone who murdered a fellow employee.

Also, anyone pardoning Trump cannot be associated with his crimes. Hence the movement to involve Pence.

Trump isn't going to resign until Fox tells him that it's time to resign.

r371, LOL. Trump USES Fox News to legitimize his own actions like high almighty Christians hide behind the Bible. If Fox News turns on him he will say that he never cared for Fox News and uses Breitbart News to back up his silly claims.

Washington Post:

Trump attacks on wind turbines, low-flow toilets and LED lightbulbs set up key campaign clash with Democrats

Good grief, Fox & Friends with Diamond & Silk talking about Bernie Sanders responding to a debate question about black people.

This country is so dumbed down now. Deplorables watch this shit in the mornings. They obviously ain't headed to work.

CBS:

Republicans are leaving the House at a record pace. Why?

does anyone know how many repub House members there are in blue states or districts that voted for Clinton? The press (both MSNBC and CNN) keep mentioning "the tough decisions" of Democrat House members in moderate districts and how they risk losing their seats but they aren't mentioning moderate repubs

I would think repubs in moderate districts stand just as much of a chance at losing their seats, if not more so, than Democrats

ABC:

North Korea's threat of 'Christmas gift' puts US, South Korea on high alert

CBS:

Democratic senator asks watchdog to provide findings from Ukraine aid review

USA Today:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell amid impeachment battle: 'I'm the 2nd most despised Republican'

Newsweek: Republican Group to Run Ad on Fox News Demanding Testimony from Key White House Officials in Trump Impeachment Trial

A Republican group is launching an ad campaign to demand that several key White House officials, such as chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, testify in the impeachment process against President Donald Trump.

Republicans for the Rule of Law, a conservative organization whose stated purpose is "defending the institutions of our republic," will air the 30-second video on Thursday during Fox & Friends and Lou Dobbs Tonight.

"Key witnesses in the Ukraine scandal must testify," the ad states. The group goes on to demand testimony from Mulvaney, Pompeo, Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and former national security adviser John Bolton.

The group is also targeting four Republican senators who could be the key to Democrats getting additional witnesses in the Senate trial: Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. These lawmakers are the Senate's most likely Republican members to rebuke the president and support his removal.

Politico:

Trump elevates Mulvaney aide weeks after he defied impeachment subpoena

Washington Post:

Impasse over Senate impeachment trial likely to last weeks as both sides dig in

I wonder if Nancy knows of something big coming down the pike and is just timing the sending of the articles to coincide.

Nancy and Schumer seem very confident right now, it's not a bluff.

Trump's comments today about windmills show how he is obviously disturbed, downright scary. This is the POTUS and he is a incoherent mental case.

R383, I wonder if more of Lev Parnas' phone records will leak.....

Uh oh, Lindsey

Trump is pure filth, does no one tell him?

I just had to get stinking sick asf while Pres Bone Spurs was impeached!

I have no tidbits because of that. The one thing I will say in response to R375 is internal polls are horrendous for many Republicans. Example: some may not be for impeachment and removal but that does not mean they support our impeached prez. The other reason is the conservative machine is very, very lucrative for ex-members of Congress including money from Russia, the Saudis and so on.

For all the naysayers- Nancy did it! And only she could have done it. Whether this ends up being good for Dems is beside the point. They did the right thing. If we get 4 more years of this disaster, and it will get exponentially worse, it isn't on the Dems.

Trump is always, absolutely always, the stupidest cunt in the room. What is weird is how often so many people go along with the stupid shit he says, knowing that it is ALL stupid shit. The cunt has never studied anything, read anything, truly understood anything. And yet here we are, in this stupid little world where everyone nods their heads and says, yes, Caligula, you are the wisest cunt ever.

The word "stupid" should come up constantly in the impeachment trial, however long or short it is. It is the thing that drives him nuts the most, the fact that he is stupid and that nobody is ever supposed to notice it. well, that and the fact that he lies about his wealth constantly, but the stupid thing is going to be more effective. Everybody refer to the fact that the stupid president had a stupid plan to stupidly extort some stupid promise from the President of Ukraine.

Chaos

Evangelicals have shown their true selves. There is nothing Christian about their values. They are greedy, mean spirited hypocrites. They need to be called out.

evangelicals have been doing that for centuries, but honestly, I think the whole Trump thing is going to stick to them more than other things. Reagan was a plausible bigot. So was George W. Trump is just, it is so damn obvious that he doesn't give a shit about Jesus, or the the Bible, or any Christian doctrine that only complete assholes could say that he is the guy that all Christians should love and worship. It is different. It is on a different level.

R338, I believe the media creates drama where it isn’t, so as to drive revenue for viewership. I’m sure he’s good for their ratings.

They are also afraid of being shut-out by Trump and his minions, if they are too critical or confrontational.

Some must be actual Trump supporters, or cult members, whatever.

I think the media will try to make it look like a horse race, even if it’s not even close.

oh honestly, all this mooing, we can't go too hard on Trump or a bunch of whores and morons will have a sad. Please. In two years the cunt will be forgotten, if only everyone will just admit it. Pathetic.

The Republicans will continue to utilize Trump as a constant, carping presence on Twitter, making life hell for any Democratic administration. He's a valuable resource for them.

He doesn't even have to write the tweets- it's just propaganda.

The Evangelicals who support Trump are pathetic

Anyone who Supports Trump is pathetic.

I will say this. The stupidity among the general populace is really remarkable. And I blame it on a number of things. First our education system.My mother and father, and me and my siblings all had to take required classes about history, government and civics. People no longer have a basic understanding of how government works or why certain things are done or not done.

They also have become lax in their views of right and wrong. Their values are non existent in many cases and there's a casual indifference to fraud, graft, bribery, etc. Maybe cynicism is a better word. We've become inured to violence especially mass shootings because nothing happens to fix it, and we drift in a cloud of indifference.

And finally, the fact that our labor unions have been weakened has had a long lasting impact. The true middle class has been gutted. Wages are stagnant, work places unsafe, employer provided healthcare is a scam at best. The average worker can't find decent, affordable housing, or send kids to college. With less disposable income, people are living on credit and the interest rates are usurious.

Today, our education system has been weakened and hollowed out and kids are increasingly isolated. Home schooling, and charter schools insure less diversity and fewer resources for public education. it shames me to see how far we've fallen. Yes, immigration is down because of the terrible policies of this administration, but it's also because fewer people want to come here. Only the truly desperate willing to go through the gauntlet of vicious actions of our ICE people.

Keep talking, Rudy. Keep talking.

Rudy should be locked in a padded cell by now. Thanks, Reagan! Letting the inmates run the asylum.

Reuters:

Christianity Today again slams Trump, raises issue of 'unconditional loyalty'

Examiner: 'Affront to the Constitution': Lindsey Graham tells Pelosi to 'fish or cut bait' as she withholds impeachment articles

"It’s time for @SpeakerPelosi, who claimed impeachment was a national imperative, to fish or cut bait," Graham, who leads the Senate Judiciary Committee, said on Monday, echoing a tweet from President Trump. "Commit to sending the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate consistent with Constitutional obligations."

"If she refuses, Senate Republicans should take matters into our own hands. We are in charge of the Senate — not Pelosi or Schumer," the South Carolina Republican said. "Speaker Pelosi’s actions are an affront to the Constitution, the Senate, and denies President @realDonaldTrump his day in court."

Pelosi issued her challenge to the Senate and the White House earlier on Monday, asserting that the House could not move forward on impeachment until she approves of the kind of trial the Senate will run.

"The House cannot choose our impeachment managers until we know what sort of trial the Senate will conduct," Pelosi said in a tweet. "President Trump blocked his own witnesses and documents from the House, and from the American people, on phony complaints about the House process. What is his excuse now?"

In addition to slamming her in a separate series of tweets, Graham also responded to Pelosi's challenge, telling her to "stop playing games with the Constitution" or the Senate will "strike back."

Regarding other investigations....

Courier-Journal: The FBI is asking questions about former Gov. Matt Bevin's pardons

Dems Ramp Up Call For Impeachment Witnesses Following 'Explosive' Emails - Day That Was | MSNBC

Oh, that brave Melania, silently forging her path....

AP: Melania Trump silently forges path through impeachment

Yahoo: McConnell doesn't rule out witnesses in standoff over Trump impeachment trial

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would consider hearing from witnesses, but gave no indication he would accede to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s demand for testimony from key administration aides including former national security adviser John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. The White House had blocked them and other administration officials from testifying in the House impeachment inquiry.

McConnell has said he would coordinate his conduct of the trial with Trump, who has called for summoning a very different cast of witnesses, including former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

Washington Post:

As Georgia rolls out new voting machines for 2020, worries about election security persist

Good God, Rudy is gross R400, spittle running down his mouth, fly unzipped, walking into walls. It was a great article that will no doubt infuriate him. Loved that he insists he's not an alcoholic earlier in the interview and proceeds to drink 2 Bloody Mary's even before his breakfast arrived. Leaves his cell phones where anyone can see his messages, leaves one behind in the car. What a mess. And this is who is helping Trump make decisions? In the words of that ultra Jew, Rudy Guiliani, Oy Vey.

Daily Beast:

Army Officer Rushes Home to See Mom—Before She Is Deported to Mexico

Maybe there could be a separate thread for the endless links posted with headlines only and no commentary? 😬

Sometimes I don't have the time to cut and paste for you, r411, or add commentary. If just the source and headline aren't enough for you to click on the link, just skip over it. Anyway...

Tribune News Service: Eastern Washington struggles to shake far-right extremism

Agreed, R411. I also appreciate the links, but what I really like is the commentary from DL posters. That’s what makes for an interesting discussion. It is not a criticism, R412, just an observation that links are no substitute for comments.

Then....comment, r413.

[quote] Then....comment

🙄 I do. Plenty of times in multiple threads and have for years.

[quote] You . . . have posted 869 replies to threads.

There is also a faction of Trump supporters that are keen on dismantling the government ... again tRump is their useful idiot

I didn't mean to be so terse, r415. I think the links I post are relevant and do so to start commentary on them. I also do so to keep a current chronology of events in the Treason threads. I think historians will find the Treason threads a valuable resource in the future.

R417 Please ignore and keep posting the links.

r417 It's more than just a faction, it's a (somewhat) silent majority. I monitor websites where people are calling for violence against "liberals/progressives/communists/socialists" and report them to the authorities. My father and his wife are Trumpsters, he's been stockpiling weapons and ammo since the 80s, including an assault rifle. Vast portions of the western U.S. are populated with these very scary people.

I'm figuring out Nancy's strategy and I'm loving it. Insist on the witnesses. , no exception (remember these are Trumps closest and most forbidden to testify..by Trump) The Senate Republicans override and shut it all down. It'll be the scandal of the century, the Republicans will be the personification of scoundrels. Forever.

Miss thang is butthurt because fat Donnie is raging and nobody can stop it.

Fat Donnie told Moscow Mitch and miss thang to make the impeachment go away but Madam Speaker just twists the knife and laughs.

Twist that knife, Nancy! Twist it and make fat Donnie howl. His screams of rage and impotence are music to my ears.

Wouldn't it be something if Donald Trump is the first president who is impeached in the House TWICE in his first year? Would Pelosi give Trump such a historical honor?

I mean, all Pelosi would have to say to McConnell is: "Hold on, MoscowMitch, we are not finished ... yet!".

Why isn’t he banned from Twitter? He has advocated violence against members of Congress in addition to countless instances of hate speech. Anyone else would have been banned long ago.

R423 Every tweet that he posts that calls for violence needs to be reported. They ban people for less, and he needs to be held accountable, at least by us because we all know republican's won't do it.

R399, I would also add the impact of reality t.v. Several decades of reality t.v. have desensitized many people to how bizarre Trump's behavior is.

People have gotten used to reality t.v. star doing & saying so much crazy stuff on t.v. that we ended up with one in the White House.

The thing is, while I have no doubt Nancy in consultation with her advisors and experts definitely has a strategy, I believe it is based on the Law, on the Constitution, on tradition, and on the rules developed governing Impeachment. She isn't a small time game player. Her strategy is grounded in the Constitution.

What makes Nancy especially effective is that she's not auditioning for another position. She's already the most powerful woman in government and this is probably her swan song. She's guided by principals, not ambition, not a viral moment. People really trust her.

The Damage Report:

Trump Single-Handedly Destroys US Solar Industry

R428 Cue- "He destroyed our entire industry and sent my family into ruin but I still support him."

Washington Post:

Trump lashes out at Pelosi, Democrats after exchanging holiday greetings with troops

^

Democrats responded to Trump’s attacks by noting how they were out of sync with the holiday spirit.

“It’s Christmas Eve. Get. A. Life,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) tweeted to Trump in response to the president’s claim that Pelosi “knows nothing” about the trade agreement with Mexico and Canada that was recently passed by the House.

Around the same time Tuesday, Trump’s campaign launched a new website aimed at helping Trump supporters win arguments with their relatives during the holidays. The site, snowflakevictory.com, includes videos of Trump campaign officials coaching Trump supporters on how to argue with “liberal snowflakes” about several issues, including impeachment.

“Impeaching President Trump has always been an election tactic,” campaign adviser Mercedes Schlapp said in one of the videos. “Democrats have never accepted the results of the last election, so they’re trying to interfere with the next one.”

Daily Beast:

Democratic Groups Plot to Make Impeachment Trial Painful for GOP

Politico:

Ex-Trump staffer suing over pregnancy discrimination

Nancy, seriously, call him a Cunt. Go Datalounge. The reaction, not just from him but the whole stupid media bullshit empire would be hilarious, and worth it. For the lulz, call him a cunt.

Examiner: Editor quits after Christian publication backs Trump amid evangelical divide

*

An editor at the Christian Post announced his resignation after the publication came out with an editorial in defense of President Trump.

Napp Nazworth's decision to quit comes amid a divide among evangelical publications concerning President Trump. Nazworth, who had been at the outlet for more than eight years, announced his resignation on Twitter Monday night, calling the decision a "difficult choice" and adding that he "can't be an editor for a publication with that editorial voice."

"Like so many other media companies, they've chosen to silo themselves," he continued. "They've chosen to represent a narrow (and shrinking) slice of Christianity. That might be a good business decision, short term at least. But... it's bad for Democracy, and bad for the Gospel. It means there will be one more place where readers can go for bias confirmation, but one less place where readers can go to exercise their brains on diversity of thought."

NYT: A Trump Policy ‘Clarification’ All but Ends Punishment for Bird Deaths

*

WASHINGTON — As the state of Virginia prepared for a major bridge and tunnel expansion in the tidewaters of the Chesapeake Bay last year, engineers understood that the nesting grounds of 25,000 gulls, black skimmers, royal terns and other seabirds were about to be plowed under.

To compensate, they considered developing an artificial island as a safe haven. Then in June 2018, the Trump administration stepped in. While the federal government “appreciates” the state’s efforts, new rules in Washington had eliminated criminal penalties for “incidental” migratory bird deaths that came in the course of normal business, administration officials advised. Such conservation measures were now “purely voluntary.”

The state ended its island planning.

Florida Today: Space Force: Things to know about new military branch of United States

*

President Trump signed into existence the U.S. Space Force on Friday, creating the first new military branch since the Air Force was established in 1947. But much work needs to be done to organize this new branch.

"We're starting from scratch and there's not a really good playbook on how do you stand up a separate service," Air Force Gen. Jay Raymond, the head of Air Force Space Command and U.S. Space Command, said at a Pentagon press conference last week.

In addition to infrastructure, the new Space Command needs to figure out things like new uniforms and a logo.

"A uniform, a patch, a song — it gets to the culture of — of a service. And so we're not going to be in a rush to — to get something and not do that right. There's a lot of work going on towards that end," Raymond said.

CBS:

Fired FBI leader says government withholding evidence in lawsuit

[quote]"A uniform, a patch, a song — it gets to the culture of — of a service. And so we're not going to be in a rush to — to get something and not do that right. There's a lot of work going on towards that end," Raymond said.

Translation: We're not doing shit and are hoping this fucking asshole is soundly defeated in November because those of us in the military with brains know bullshit when we smell it. We're planning on just showing him some videos of the Jetsons for the next few months.

1. Trump applied for trademarks in Argentina.

2. The Trump administration rescinded tariffs while Argentina considered the trademarks.

3. The Trump administration didn't put them back until after Trump got the trademarks.

La concha de tu madre ! Forro !!!

Ewww, that Barr. He pleases Trump, but the Devil owns his soul,

R432 that's what I like to see

and I hope Democratic groups target repub House members in moderate areas since none of them voted for impeachment. Areas like Plattsburgh, NY are capable of flipping back to blue. I'd love to see the likes of Elise Stefanik go down

but of course right now putting pressure on repub Senators is more important

and wow what's this new corruption with Trump in Argentina. Holy fuck I bet there are at least 10 other corrupt occasions we don't even know about yet that are impeachable

(r335) Right-wing bigots, greed-heads, and hypocrites---aka, "Evangelicals"---never seem to think that Democratic Presidents are chosen by God. Nope. To them, Democratic Presidents are "flawed" minions of Satan.

But of course, that all presumes they believe what they say.

Moreover, according to the Christian Roman Catholic Mother Church, no, God hasn't always "chosen people with flaws." There's an entire panoply of saints.....

Moreover, Trump has never, so far as we and Evangelicals know, repented for his transgressions, the minimum step, one would think, necessary for the support of sincere Evangelical Christians.

Pence, Barr, Huckabee-Sanders, Kellyanne, etc., all claim to be devout Christians. But they exclude truth-telling when it comes to DJT. It is not suppose to work that way.

Do you guys have any info on Nunes and any recordings of him with Ukrainians? I read some comment on Twitter, but didn't really have time to follow the impeachment and corruption drama the last couple of days.

R447, Lev Parnas claims that he has recordings of Nunes, but as far as I know we haven't heard any more about this.

#MoscowMitch & #LeningradLindsey

These two declared heterosexualists have already broken their oaths.

Yes, she said it.

Graham's opponent in SC should be running ads of his 1998 quotes non-stop. Plaster his hypocrisy across the airwaves 24/7.

R448 Thanks. So the fake farmer is still not busted and free to file more frivolous lawsuits and do more shady dealings. When Giuliani said a couple of days ago that he's been doing this for more than 30 years and knows how to stay out of jail, I'm starting to believe him. Seems like these shady, corrupt characters knew how to cover their tracks.

When you are high enough in the food chain you can gaslight the public without repercussion. Trump is really pushing the envelope with his "I could shoot someone on 5th avenue (and get away with it)" claim to ease the public into accepting even greater lies, torment, and atrocities in the future.

In all honesty Trump, Barr, McConnell, Giuliani, Putin ... they all need to be made an example of or we can forget about even the pretense of society's compassion and decorum being in any way upheld.

VadimCraftShow:

Breaking Trump News 12/25/19 | President Trump News Today December 25, 2019

The Bible means a lot to him....

A pro-impeachment article in the Christian Post. I think the Evangelical base is definitely cracking. Merry Xmas and Happy Impeachment :)

Trump & Giuliani Russian money-launderer goon Lev Parnas's attorney quits —

[quote]A lawyer for Lev Parnas, an associate of President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani who has been charged with campaign finance violations, has requested to be withdrawn as counsel because of Parnas' inability to pay both his lawyers, according to a filing made on Christmas Eve.

[quote]"Since I entered my appearance, Mr. Parnas' apparent ability to fund his defense has diminished," attorney Edward MacMahon Jr. said in a filing with the federal court in Manhattan. "It thus would constitute a significant hardship for Mr. Parnas to continue being represented by two attorneys in this matter," MacMahon said, adding that Parnas had agreed to his request to withdraw.

Newsweek:

GOP Senator 'Disturbed' Mitch McConnell Coordinating Impeachment Trial with Trump, Demands 'Fair Process'

is "disturbed" the new "thoughts and prayers"???

That bitch is stealing my schtick!

Hey Sue, I'm disturbed, you're concerned, remember?

And I was "disappointed."

r457...so in other words, since the heat is on, Parnas cant get his funds from Russia/Dimitri Firtash any longer without committing another crime to do so...he will either have an accident soon, or flip completely. He has no options, unless like Manafort, he clams up and does time.

^All his funds are probably frozen. No? But why do they not allow him to pay his lawyers?

^All his funds are probably frozen. No? But why do they not allow him to pay his lawyers?

Right...so to get more money that isnt frozen, it would to need to come from Firtash or one of his associates, who is also under scrutiny and indictment in the US

Parnas, I believe, has other judgments against him. That, plus evidence that the money he has represents the proceeds of a crime, would get a lot of his $ frozen. He is entitled to a defense, but he is not entitled to a high priced defense.

Werent his lawyers, or at least one of them, Paul Manaforts lawyer(s) ?...And didnt they rush to help them at the moment of arrest without being retained ?

I really want someone to ask the ever pious and oh so religious Trump what the first line of the bible is. How would the evangelical loons explain away the fact that he has no clue at all what it says? They pretend to base their lives on that book. That might even be too much concrete hypocrisy even for some of the brain-washed masses.

I doubt it, r469.

Never forget that these are the same people who looked the other way regarding his adultery (extensively covered over the years), rape of Ivana, porn stars and the caught on tape pussy grabbing admission. They continue to justify his concentration camps for migrants and caging innocent children. There is no low to the depths they will sink clinging to this puke.

Jesus Himself could appear and tell them the dotard is a fiend and they would turn their backs on Jesus first

They simply DO NOT CARE what a bag of shit he is nor how it makes them look to the rest of the world to cover for him. There is absolutely NOTHING he could do that would turn them. And I mean NOTHING.

They will desert their churches before they desert the traitor. Mark my words.

I doubt it, r469.

Never forget that these are the same people who looked the other way regarding his adultery (extensively covered over the years), rape of Ivana, porn stars and the caught on tape pussy grabbing admission. They continue to justify his concentration camps for migrants and caging innocent children. There is no low to the depths they will sink clinging to this puke.

Jesus Himself could appear and tell them the dotard is a fiend and they would turn their backs on Jesus first

They simply DO NOT CARE what a bag of shit he is nor how it makes them look to the rest of the world to cover for him. There is absolutely NOTHING he could do that would turn them. And I mean NOTHING.

They will desert their churches before they desert the traitor. Mark my words.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas or whatever you do or don't celebrate, to all the Mueller/Impeachment posters!

R470, they usually use the "oh, but that's in the past and he's now saved and has changed blahblahblah". That wouldn't be the case if they could blatantly show that he doesn't even know the first line of their sacred bible in the present. That wouldn't be past behavior that can be forgiven because he's grown. It could only be explained by him being a complete, lying charlatan.

I bet he couldn't even name the first book in the bible. I want that question just quickly thrown at him at a time he couldn't pretend he can't hear it due to some helicopter noise or something. I almost think it could be something stupid like that that could actually turn off evangelicals. Since they are starting to turn now, it might solidify the turn a bit to show how much of a liar and user he's been toward them. Yes, the absolute crazy cultists won't be swayed but maybe just enough of those who have been explaining away his horribleness with "it's in the past" could stay away to make a difference.

Plus, it gives a really simple talking point to our side when he pulls out religious bullshit. Simple is the key.

Remember: Search "Matt Gaetz autoerotic asphyxiation" on Google.

He doesn't even go to church. Or did I miss the Trump at Sunday service family outings in the past 3 years? Why would they care if he knows the bible, if he's even too lazy to go to church.

They don't know the Bible either -- that's the kind of thing that makes the Deplorables love him.

According to the latest Civiqs poll, Trump's job approval rating is -4 in IA, AZ, and WI; he's - 6 in PA; -1 in NC; -6 in GA; - 9 in MI; and -2 in FL. All states he won last time. That should scare the piss out of them.

R478, absolutely none of that matters when Russia will be handing him the election again.

What's going to happen when Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia all interfere for Trump but don't quite coordinate well enough and he ends up with 560 million votes. That'll be difficult to explain.

Remember when Trump harassed his tenants by not letting them put up Christmas decorations?

Remember when Trump harassed his clients by not letting them put up Christmas decorations?

I'm glad churches are protesting kids in cages

ok xmas is over enough of the bullshit unity stories. I hope we get a big negative Trump story for the weekend to chew on.

Washington Post:

In aftermath of Ukraine crisis, a climate of mistrust and threats

Rantings......

Washington Post:

How Ukraine put Trump and Biden on a collision course that imperils them both

Washington Post: U.S. Cybercom contemplates information warfare to counter Russian interference in 2020 election

Military cyber officials are developing information warfare tactics that could be deployed against senior Russian officials and oligarchs if Moscow tries to interfere in the 2020 U.S. elections through hacking election systems or sowing widespread discord, according to current and former U.S. officials.

One option being explored by U.S. Cyber Command would target senior leadership and Russian elites, though probably not President Vladimir Putin, which would be considered too provocative, said the current and former officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity. The idea would be to show that the target’s sensitive personal data could be hit if the interference did not stop, though officials declined to be more specific.

Reuters:

REUTERS EXCLUSIVE-After Cabinet opposed Mexican cartel policy, Trump forged ahead

NBC:

'Liars!': Trump fires off post-Christmas tweetstorm over impeachment impasse

NBC: Tulsi Gabbard banks on billboards, yard signs to get her message out

"Nobody does billboards. You're talking about it right now, you're tweeting about it," Gabbard told reporters in Laconia, New Hampshire.

Some voters say they like what they see.

"Trusting your intuition when you're voting is really important," Brenda Rowe, 55, a resident of Concord, New Hampshire, said. "When I saw someone had a huge, huge poster on their barn in Henniker, I just felt this huge wave that this was coming and that people were behind her, not just my intuition."

Washington Post:

In court, he speaks for Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Ah do declare! Miss Lindsey is being blackmailed!

NYT: A Barrier to Trump’s Border Wall: Landowners in Texas

*

he list of challenges still facing Mr. Trump’s “big, beautiful” wall include an investigation into construction contracts, funding delays and a recent legal decision blocking emergency access to Defense Department funds to build it. The nationwide injunction has, for now, curtailed wall work on 175 miles in Laredo and El Paso, Texas; in Yuma, Ariz.; and El Centro, Calif.

But access to private land like Mr. Drawe’s may be the tallest barrier standing between the president and his wall.

The administration has thus far only built 93 miles of the new wall, nearly all of it on federal land where dilapidated barriers existed or vehicle barriers once stood, according to Customs and Border Protection. The border wall’s final path is not yet set, but 162 miles of it will run through Southern Texas, and 144 miles of that is privately owned, according to the border agency. The Trump administration has acquired just three miles since 2017.

HUGE drop in the polls today. Will dig it up and post later.

And I mean HUGE!!!!

[quote]"Trusting your intuition when you're voting is really important," Brenda Rowe, 55, a resident of Concord, New Hampshire, said. "When I saw someone had a huge, huge poster on their barn in Henniker, I just felt this huge wave that this was coming and that people were behind her [Gabbard], not just my intuition."

This fucking moron should never be allowed to vote again for the rest of her life. Her children should also be banned from voting because stupid this strong is genetic.

R495 ooh I like the sound of that!

She saw a billboard on a barn and felt like there was some wave of support for her? Some of those people in the hick parts of New Hampshire are irredeemably stupid.

The Damage Report:

Trump Cut From Home Alone, MAGAs Go Berserk

R499 heard about that. I wish they would cut Trump out from the movie period and not just in Canada. The movie should be reissued without Trump's cameo

Unfortunately it was only one network and only to make room for more commercials.

[post redacted because independent.co.uk thinks that links to their ridiculous rag are a bad thing. Somebody might want to tell them how the internet works. Or not. We don't really care. They do suck though. Our advice is that you should not click on the link and whatever you do, don't read their truly terrible articles.]

[quote]Some of those people in the hick parts of New Hampshire are irredeemably stupid.

All the best people!

Everything he says is a lie. Every single thing.

Civiqs has data on his job approval rating for each state. He is underwater in several states he won last time (WI, MI, PA, AZ, IA, GA); he's tied in FL. Flip FL and he can't win.

Civiqs has data on his job approval rating for each state. He is underwater in several states he won last time (WI, MI, PA, AZ, IA, GA); he's tied in FL. Flip FL and he can't win.

Civiqs has data on his job approval rating for each state. He is underwater in several states he won last time (WI, MI, PA, AZ, IA, GA); he's tied in FL. Flip FL and he can't win.

that's good news BUT

remember the repub strategy is to increase the unfavorability of whoever the final Democratic nominee is. It will be important to see who is more unfavorable in the battleground states.

In 2016, an annoying amount of battleground state voters who disliked both Clinton and Trump ultimately went for Trump. Democrats will need some of them to vote for whoever the Democrat is. Of course that might not be needed if more people who didn't vote in 2016 actually show up this time

The Democrats will definitely need to improve turnout in Florida if they want to flip it. 2018 was a good Midterms year for the Dems, but they underperformed in Florida with long-time Senator Bill Nelson losing and Gillum narrowly losing Governor.

It's important to remember that Florida has a lot of Republican counties once you get outside Southern Florida. Dems will need better turnout in Broward & Miami-Dade, or less bring up turnout in other areas of the state.

It's also possible that Trump's recent decision to change his official residence from New York to Florida is part of a strategy of trying to keep his edge in Florida in 2020.

Trump tweeted that his followers should confront “liberal snowflake” relatives over the holidays.

Wow, talk about the Christmas spirit! The man is ugly, inside and out.

less = else

The good news about Florida is a ballot measure to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Hopefully all the maids and groundskeepers will turn out to vote, if that happens, we just may flip it. The Democratic Party of Florida should be pushing a massive voter registration plan.

A few thoughts about 2016: the national polls about Hillary were right, she did get 2.85 million more votes than him; if anything hurt her in WI, MI, and PA it was over-confidence in her victory. No one expected her to lose those states and he won them by one percent or less. The anti-Hillary vote of 2016 was their high water mark. His voters are dying off and the new generation of voters hates him.

R510 even worse, his campaign made a website about it, instructing deplorables on talking points to battle with their relatives about

[quote]NBC: Tulsi Gabbard banks on billboards, yard signs to get her message out

For some reason I thought of the Burma Shave billboards.

"Impeachment is a witch-hunt but if you believe vote for a cunt."

[quote]NBC: Tulsi Gabbard banks on billboards, yard signs to get her message out

For some reason I thought of the Burma Shave billboards.

"Impeachment is a witch-hunt but if you believe vote for a cunt."

Putin thugs raid offices of Alexei Navalny

Law & Crime:

Ukraine Whistleblower’s Attorney Calls for Sen. Blackburn’s Resignation from Protection Caucus

Betty Bowers dug up this old tweet that makes Trump sound like a bitchy teen girl yelling at her "haters"

R509? If you think the Florida vote totals had anything to do with the way Floridians actually voted, you need to stop being so naive. Florida Republicans have been cheating in elections since 2000 (remember Al Gore?). I personally know no one who has ever voted for Rick Scott for anything, ever, and it's not because I only know other liberals. Andrew Gillum was set up; as I told my godparents, who voted for him in the Democratic primary, the majority of Floridians will not vote for a black man for governor in my lifetime (yes, I'm old). The only Democrat who could have won across the state was Gwen Graham, daughter of a former Florida Senator and Governor Bob Graham. She would have won on name recognition alone, so someone (Russia? Republicans?) pushed Gillam instead, who, sadly, never had a snowball's chance in hell with all the racist assholes in FL. Hell, I assumed that Republicans would go to the polls just to vote against him.

Florida's politics have not been squeaky clean for quite some time (and maybe never); I certainly wouldn't expect anything to change in 2020.

You’re right, r519, Florida is a cesspool of corruption, but I take solace in the fact that Gillam came close. But yes, his getting the nomination was a shock. Someone/something was pulling the strings.

Someone upthread commented that some pretty bad polling numbers for Trump were released today. Anyone have any ideas? A google search didn’t turn up anything.

[post redacted because independent.co.uk thinks that links to their ridiculous rag are a bad thing. Somebody might want to tell them how the internet works. Or not. We don't really care. They do suck though. Our advice is that you should not click on the link and whatever you do, don't read their truly terrible articles.]

Sorry the above link didn't work. I think the previous poster was referring to the MSN poll, which showed support for Trump's removal at 55%, which was a rise from the week before at 48%.

Congressional generic ballot

DEC 26, 2019

DEMS - 47.4%

REPS - 40.9%

Just think, in a matter of just 4 weeks, we could have a new President.

Now that even Dump Jr. is tweeting about the Home Alone "scandal", maybe Democrats could use this opportunity to explain "quid pro quo" to the deplorables. It is easy to understand and was obviously Trump's preferred modus operandi even back in the 90s: "If you want to use my hotel for the movie, I would like you to do me a favor and give me a cameo in the movie." Classic quid pro quo.

PollTroll, unless I'm reading the old polls wrong, weren't we ahead of the Repugs in the generic congressional ballot by almost 14 points in December of 2017? Now, we're only around 8 points ahead eleven months out from the election. I'm sure it's different during a presidential election year but that doesn't seem like the best news, comparatively. Am I reading the numbers wrong from before the 2018 election?

On Thursday evening, Donald Trump pushed out on Twitter the name of the alleged whistleblower whose complaint led to the president’s impeachment.

Trump’s personal Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump, retweeted a post by the re-election campaign’s official “war room” account that was aimed at the whistleblower’s attorney Mark Zaid. That piece includes the alleged whistleblower’s name in the headline.

Trump had gossiped for weeks about this alleged whistleblower with various friends, media figures, and senior administration officials, and had asked some people if they thought it was a good idea for him to publicly announce or tweet the name. Several people close to the president had privately cautioned him against saying or posting the name in public, arguing it would be counterproductive and unnecessary.

As others have pointed out, R528, he blames the whistleblower for his impeachment. He would have gotten away with the entire Ukraine shakedown scheme if it hadn't been for that guy ratting him out.

Vadim Craft Show:

Breaking Trump News 12/27/19 | President Trump News Today December 27, 2019

I thought this was illegal and the whistleblower is protected. Or can the president just retweet an article with the name in the headline and it's suddenly ok?

It all doesn't matter anyway since there're literally no repercussions for him. He just does whatever he wants and no one can do anything about it. It really is hopeless. How many more corrupt presidents will we have in the future since the presidency is obviously a self-service shop and the president above the law.

The Repukes have been throwing names out there for a few months, but it only sticks if there's confirmation and so far no one has definitively confirmed who the WB is. So fuckTrump. I'd drive him over the edge. I'd get in his face and tell him he guessed wrong and embarrass him publicly.

MSNBC:

Day 1,071: Are There Cracks In Trump's Impeachment Firewall In The Senate? | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

If this Eric C. isn't the WB, all these people (including the President of the US and his family members) plastering his name all over SM have probably ruined this man's life and career. Do they ever think about this?

You know the answer to that, r534.

Here’s the answer, R534.

R531, I suspect it’s against the law and therefore an impeachable offense. This was incredibly stupid for Trump. It’s just vindictiveness on Trump’s part. It doesn’t gain him anything by naming the whistleblower.

[quote] R534: If this Eric C. isn't the WB, all these people (including the President of the US and his family members) plastering his name all over SM have probably ruined this man's life and career. Do they ever think about this?

Actually, whether this guy is the whistleblower or not, Trump has just ruined this man's life and career. I hope this guy sues Trump. Since the whistleblower‘s identity is protected by law, and the President swears to faithfully execute the laws, this should be more grounds for impeachment. Wouldn’t that be great, if Nancy pushes another count through?

R533, That was a typical comment from Trump: “Lots of irrelevant blather...we’re doing very well...we have the best ratings...some completely made-up things...crazy-Nancy hates puppies, she just hates them...”

They're fishing. They probably have two or three candidates and they want someone to either say, "Hey, it ain't me" or confirm it. Process of elimination. But you better believe the atmosphere is toxic in the workplace for every single career Intel or staffer in that White House and the State Department. By the way: Do we have a new CIA Director or is Pompeo still trying to run both the State and the CIA? Along with inviting his Russian counterparts tocome over for some cooperative ventures. Where is the fucking outrage? The media "reports" then moves on so quickly they are hoping we don't have time to notice. But I'm noticing. We have to be vigilant in ways we never were before. Social media helps. But we need to get on certain journalists and media outlets and keep their asses against the wall. They need to know we are paying attention.

U.S. Considers Cyber-Retaliation Against 2020 Russian Intrusion | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

Trump Gets Back To 'Work' At Golf Club Resort | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

NYT: Anguish and Anger From the Navy SEALS Who Turned In Edward Gallagher

*

“The guy is freaking evil,” Special Operator Miller told investigators. “The guy was toxic,” Special Operator First Class Joshua Vriens, a sniper, said in a separate interview. “You could tell he was perfectly O.K. with killing anybody that was moving,” Special Operator First Class Corey Scott, a medic in the platoon, told the investigators.

Such dire descriptions of Chief Gallagher, who had eight combat deployments and sometimes went by the nickname Blade, are in marked contrast to Mr. Trump’s portrayal of him at a recent political rally in Florida as one of “our great fighters.”

Trying to out the whistleblower is evil.

r539...Gina Haspel is the CIA director...she was appointed and confirmed when Pompeo left the CIA.

Newsweek:

Nancy Pelosi's Daughter Says Family Didn't Talk About Impeachment on Christmas, While Trump Tweeted About 'Crazy Nancy'

AP: Iowa swung fiercely to Trump. Will it swing back in 2020?

By 2016, Donald Trump easily defeated Hillary Clinton in Iowa. Republicans were in control of the governor’s mansion and state legislature and held all but one U.S. House seat. For the first time since 1980, both U.S. Senate seats were in GOP hands.

What happened? Voters were slow to embrace Obama’s signature health care law. The recession depleted college-educated voters as a share of the rural population, and Republicans successfully painted Democrats’ as the party of coastal elites.

Those forces combined for a swift Republican resurgence and helped create a wide lane for Trump.

The self-proclaimed billionaire populist ended up carrying Iowa by a larger percentage of the vote than in Texas, winning 93 of Iowa's 99 counties, including places like working-class Dubuque and Wapello counties, where no Republican since Dwight D. Eisenhower had won.

But now, as Democrats turn their focus to Iowa’s kickoff caucuses that begin the process of selecting Trump’s challenger, could the state be showing furtive signs of swinging back? Caucus turnout will provide some early measures of Democratic enthusiasm, and of what kind of candidate Iowa’s Democratic voters — who have a good record of picking the Democratic nominee — believe has the best chance against Trump.

If Iowa’s rightward swing has stalled, it could be a foreboding sign for Trump in other upper Midwestern states he carried by much smaller margins and would need to win again.

Business Insider:

Trump retweeted a 'QAnon' conspiracy theory hashtag to his 68 million followers

r456 His approval rating in IA is 47 percent, with 51 percent disapproving.

[quote]Trump tweeted that his followers should confront “liberal snowflake” relatives over the holidays.

Because the time when many acknowledge the birth of Christ is the perfect time for confrontation. It's what Jesus would've wanted. I'm sure Evangelicals can see that family rows are all for the good.

[quote]It’s just vindictiveness on Trump’s part. It doesn’t gain him anything by naming the whistleblower.

We all knew he'd become yet more low and ugly after impeachment, and so it's proving. The corollary of this is that he'll only look yet more unsound and unbalanced, liable to make yet more crass misjudgements.

A decisive fatal overreaching in election year is to be hoped for, and is not impossible.

Fuck Iowa.

Those idiot farmers will go down with the ship. They're all in and if these stupid tariffs didn't drive them into bankruptcy and away from him then they deserve to be begging in the streets.

Daily Mail:

White House is already searching for a new secretary of state, with Pompeo widely expected to run for open Senate seat in Kansas

R550 - I'm linking this Washington Post article. The majority of the article is how hard they're having to make ends meet. And yes, they're still behind him and think there's a light at the end of the tunnel. To wit:

The Lees got $4,100 in federal bailout money this year, part of the Trump administration’s $28 billion trade aid package for hurting farmers, which has been criticized for benefiting large operations over family farms. A study by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group found that 60 percent of the money that flowed to New York state went to the top 10 percent of farmers.

The Lees are grateful for what they received, but it’s not enough to make a difference when the milk check is down $4,000 a month, Anne said.

In this part of New York — older, whiter, poorer than other parts of the country — voters chose Donald Trump in decisive percentages during the 2016 presidential race, the Lees among them. Like many farmers, they think their taxes are too high, their creeks and streams are over-regulated and that Trump still has their best interests at heart.

“We’ve had unfair trade for years and years. Somebody had to fix it, and he’s trying to fix it,” Anne said.

“I know a lot of people don’t like it but, you know, this was going to have to happen in order to make U.S. products become more competitive,” said Andy. “It’s going to hurt for a while.”

Trump's Plan to Criminalize Homelessness Is Taking Shape

The Hill:

Law professor writes Kentucky newspaper op-ed accusing McConnell of breaking two oaths

NYT:

Congress Wants to Force Trump’s Hand on Human Rights in China and Beyond

People:

Trump Hosted Convicted Navy SEAL at Mar-a-Lago Who Was Described as 'Evil' and 'Toxic' by Platoon Members

This is the reason the word puke was invented....

This headline itself is a doozy. FTA:

A Yale psychologist who has repeatedly sounded the alarm about President Donald Trump’s mental health has cautioned that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is not doing enough to respond to the danger it poses.Bandy X. Lee, a professor of psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine who serves as president of the World Mental Health Organization, began warning about the dangers posed by the president’s mental health before his election. Lee then edited the book “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President” and convened a conference on the president’s mental health at Yale shortly after the president’s inauguration. She was recently joined by psychiatrists across the country in calling for the Judiciary Committee to convene a panel of mental health experts to weigh in on the ongoing impeachment proceedings.

The article at R558 asks the same question I've been asking: why can't Trump be involuntarily committed? Here in FL, the Baker Act provides for three days of involuntary psychiatric evaluation if the person is deemed "a danger to himself or others" - and if there's one thing that motherfucker is for sure, it's a danger to himself or others.

Can't someone do this?

I think its funny...all of the talking heads in the media failing to call out Trump for exactly what he is, and all those with their bothsidererism bullshit will be in the front of the line to trash Trump the MOMENT he leaves office.

[quote] why can't Trump be involuntarily committed?

If you think the tRump sycophants and reich-wing toadies have been screaming mad about impeachment, just let Nancy or any Democrat try to have him involuntarily committed for a mental evaluation. Repukes will be livid and outraged (faux or not) like you’ve never seen before. It would derail the impeachment debate and likely undermine the efforts thus far.

This is not a judgment on the merits of the argument regarding his mental troubles. I think he’s mentally unstable. But the blowback from undertaking this — especially in the middle of impeachment — would be extraordinary. The Rethugs would trot out dozens of “experts” to discredit the move, which, if not successful, would bring a huge amount of negative press for Democrats at a time when we don’t need any.

Miami Herald:

Trump campaign selects Apostolic Miami megachurch for evangelicals campaign rollout

L.A. Times: Trump's North Korea gamble leaves U.S. back at square one. Where'd it go wrong?

*

In the meantime, experts say North Korea continues to add to its nuclear arsenal, producing fissile material for 10 additional bombs in the last 18 months for a total of about 40, according to Siegfried Hecker, a Stanford nuclear scientist who has visited North Korea to inspect its plutonium enrichment facilities.

"The longer the United States waits, the more the overall nuclear threat will grow," he wrote in September on the site 38 North. "The dialogue will need to get past its herky-jerky phase and, through a series of smaller steps, create the momentum crucial to overcoming inevitable bumps in the difficult road ahead."

Trump, for his part, says he continues to have faith in Kim. Earlier this month, Trump tweeted: "He does not want to void his special relationship with the President of the United States or interfere with the U.S. Presidential Election in November."

Kang said North Korea had already proved itself inured to the various economic sanctions placed on the country for its weapons and nuclear testing. Kim doesn't have an upcoming election or term limits; if he doesn't get a deal he wants with the current U.S. president, he can wait for the next.

"This regime has found many, many ways to survive," he said. "Time has been on North Korea's side forever."

I don't know if any of this is true or if it's just fiction, but if it was true, it's amusing to think how frustrated Pence must be at this time, that his plot to ditch Trump and become President was sabotaged by Sondland. And poor Ivanka, always the daughter, never the vice-president.

I liked how, towards the end of the impeachment hearing, the Dems were stating outright that “The President is a threat to National Security”. They didn’t mince words. I hope that bugged Trump. I don’t believe that anyone ever used those words to apply towards Nixon or Clinton during their investigations, or during Clinton’s impeachment process. It’s really astounding.

I think the Dems should call for Trump to testify, like Clinton did. He could testify on video tape from the White House, as Clinton did. Also demand his medical records for evidence of his mental health, addiction, or a slew of pharmaceuticals. Maybe Nancy could strike a deal With Mitch that she won’t call Trump to testify, in exchange for getting all her other witnesses being allowed to testify.

I’ll bet Nancy could goad Trump into demanding that he testify. He’s so easy to manipulate. All it would take, I think, is to say that a weak President would be afraid to testify, and that he’s afraid that his incompetence would be evident if he testifies. Appeal to his vanity and his inability to see how dumb, incompetent, and crazy he is.

So is Netanyahu still running Israel now or what?

Washington Post:

In Israel, a year of political limbo is exacting a toll

Nancy Pelosi's tweet today:

The facts are clear and every witness told the same story, despite the President’s attempts to cover it up. President Trump abused his power for his own personal gain. #DefendOurDemocracy

R550! hear hear i agree with you "FUCK IOWA"....

1) the state that actually fell for the democrats, and hillary in particular was a elitist never mind she WAS THE ONE RAISED in the midwest who came from the middle class! never mind, how in the fuck is a new york real estate developer allegedly a billionaire (who also never did anything for anyone in 7 decades of his life and in fact, didn't know iowans existed or wanted to know they existed!) NOT SCREAM ELITIST?????????! this is LITERALLY one of the greatest upside down brainwashing of the masses of all time!..

2) the state where trump actually stated out loud! at a rally! "how stupid are the people of iowa"!.... well they voted for him so that's how stupid they are!...

Powerful

Looks like Joe Manchin and The lady senator from Alaska have read the polls.

I wouldn’t be so sure that Plump is going to skate through the trial.

There are cracks in the damn and time appears to be on the Speaker’s side.

Too bad it will be May before the taxes come out because that is going to be a doozy when the world finds out that the wretched first family was BROKE in 2015.

Deplorables wont care if it turns out Drumpf was broke. They'll just turn around and say it makes him just like them!

But KellyAnne is allowed to do whatever her pussy wants her to do... who is going to stop her?

^We don't need an Adviser to tell us what our eyes and ears can see clearly.

Link to new thread for when this one maxes out:

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