Within Treason: To Whom It May Concern (The Impeachment Trial, Part 25)

Link to previous thread for reference.

HAHAHAHA LOVE YOU OP

Susan Collins IS the Concern-Troll and she never stops concern-trolling us

I hope her ass is voted out in November

man I really hope something very damning breaks Monday or Tuesday so the repubs look as disgusting and pathetic as possible when they cast their acquittal votes Wednesday

There is a lot more Lev Parnas material to be leaked on Pres Bone Spurs and company.

Trump thought Kansas City was in Kansas instead of Missouri! What an ignorant idiot.

Susan Collins is completely without morals or a conscience.

And her pussy smells like dead fucking cheese. Fuck that bitch.

It’s nothing a Sharpie can’t fix.

I want all the Dems to be there as usual, but after Trump makes his first personal attack; or big lie about impeachment, I want Nancy to stand up and walk out. That sophomore serve as a signal for all the Dems to exit as well. Staggered, so it goes on and on. Trump would Lose his mind on national live TV!

The SCOTUS justices boycotted Clinton’s SOTU speech after he was acquitted. They all ought to do the same now.

Shhhh. Soon it will be over.

He’s going to use the codes, isn’t he, r9?

Trump is a cunt

Trump now thinks he is invincible. What could possibly go wrong?

Sleep well, Senators.

holy shit this week is going to be INSANE

-wrapping up the sham impeachment trial/sham impeachment trial vote

-Iowa primary

-state of the union

-Dem debate on Friday!!!!!! I didn't know there was one until just now. Wow

So Thursday will be the only "down day" this week. Just nuts

and I kinda want to get to Thursday already because I don't want to hear the gloating of Trump and the despicable repubs following their sham vote to acquit the bastard

And I look forward to the announcement of the House Committee on Administration corruptions and crime.

bump

I won’t watch the sotu address. I’ll tune in before and after but I refuse to give him any ratings.

Reuters:

Verbal fireworks likely at Trump's State of the Union speech

^

"We’re really looking to giving a very, very positive message," Trump told reporters during a Super Bowl party at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

But the president held out little hope for bipartisan cooperation this year in the wake of the bitterly divided impeachment fight, saying he doubted Democrats would want to work with him.

"I’m not sure that they can do it, to be honest. I think they just want to win and it doesn’t matter how they win," Trump told the Fox network in a Super Bowl Sunday interview.

[quote]"I’m not sure that they can do it, to be honest. I think they just want to win and it doesn’t matter how they win," Trump told the Fox network in a Super Bowl Sunday interview.

Rich.

From FUX:

"I think she's a very confused, very nervous woman," Trump said, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, who reluctantly announced impeachment proceedings last year after months of resisting the progressive wing of her party.

"I don't think she wanted to do this," Trump continued. "I think she really knew what was going to happen, and her worst nightmare has happened. I don't think she's gonna be there too long, either. I think that the radical left -- and she's sorta radical left too, by the way -- but I think the radical left is gonna take over."

*

Asked what he felt about Bloomberg, Trump didn't hold back.

"Uh, very little. I just think of little," Trump said. "You know, now he wants a box for the debates to stand on. OK, it’s OK, there’s nothing wrong. You can be short. Why should he get a box to stand on, OK? He wants a box for the debates. Why should he be entitled to that? Really. Does that mean everyone else gets a box? ... I would love to run against Bloomberg."

*

Trump added that the U.S. has offered assistance to China amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak, and hinted that more aggressive action may be taken as the problem worsens.

"Well, we've pretty much shut it down, coming in from China. We have a tremendous relationship with China. ... We’re offering 'em tremendous help," Trump said. "But we can’t have thousands of people coming in who may have this problem, the coronavirus. So, we're gonna see what happens."

*

Separately, Hannity asked Trump to quickly describe what he thought of other prominent Democrats.

On Joe Biden: "I just think of 'Sleepy.' I just watch him. He's sleepy. Sleepy Joe."

On Hunter Biden: "Where's Hunter? Where is he? He made millions of dollars -- he went from having no job, no income, he had nothing. As you know, he had a very sad experience in the military. He has nothing, to making millions and millions of dollars a year. Not just from Ukraine. From China. And from other countries. How can you do this? This is crooked as hell. What they did is very dishonest."

On Bernie Sanders: "Well, I think he's a communist. I mean, you know, look, I think of communism when I think of Bernie. You could say 'socialist.' Didn't he get married in Moscow?" (Hannity then interjected that Sanders had honeymooned in the Soviet Union.)

"At least he's true to what he believes," Trump concluded, by way of contrast with Elizabeth Warren.

On Warren, Trump said: "She's not true to it. I call her 'fairy tale.' Because everything's a fairy tale. That's how Pochahontas got started. This woman can't tell the truth."

On Hillary Clinton: "I think of emails. I think of the email scandal. How she got away with that is a disgrace."

NYT:

Impeachment All but Behind Him, Trump Celebrates and Keeps Focus on Bloomberg

AP:

Michigan governor to take national stage to rebut Trump

As Harvey Keitel told us in Thelma & Louise, "Luck always runs out."

R4, FCI, what are you hearing about John Bolton? It's a little too late, but I still want to hear some bombshells from him, too. Hopefully what Lev and Bolton have to say will have an impact on the Republicans running for reelection in Nov. and they will lose. Are the Republicans worried about that?

Who the fuck blocked FCI @ R4? Who? I will kick your ass from Monday to Sunday if I find out. You Cunt.

r18, more like verbal flatulence.

r26, probably the swarm of GOP/Bernie Trolls.

I'm confused, r26. How is FCI @ r4 blocked?

[quote] Who the fuck blocked FCI @ [R4]? Who? I will kick your ass from Monday to Sunday if I find out.

Ummm, not “blocked” for the rest of us. If you can’t see it, in the words of the Scarecrow to the Cowardly Lion, “you did it to yourself.”

Thank you, r30, I thought that might be what that meant but I didn't want to cast stones.

God, I love you OP.

Get a room r32.

Gladly, R33.

OP, join me when we have that DC meetup!

Dump is like the little Dutch boy, with his finger sticking in the dyke, thinking he's going to block his tidal wave of criminality from bursting the dam of public information. Here's some news for ya, Donnie: that bitch is going to break and fall just like your fucking wall did!

[quote]Dump is like the little Dutch boy, with his finger sticking in the dyke

Please, rephrase that.

Senate Republicans say "let the voters decide". But they voted to withhold documents and new testimony that would be highly informative to voters.

Senate Republicans have done further cover-up in behalf of Trump. Disgusting!

Meanwhile he is rigging the election in his favor doing god only knows what...the Repuke Senator's are okay with it.

They only win by cheating, r38.

Exactly, R39 and the Republicans have been doing it for years. 2000, 2004, 2016 They can't win unless they cheat. And right now, Bernie is the beneficiary. The fact is, right now,dark money and foreign interference is busy with Bernie. Putin loves the symmetry of ruining the Democratic Party in the same way he ruined the Republicans with extremist takeovers.

Always fun to go back to this....

R30 - No, I didn’t block R4. I love FCI. I also can’t see Rs 2 and 3. Strange. Seems to me that those posts may have struck somebody’s nerve.

R26

And....

Those of us who didn't personally block r2, r3, and r4 can see them, r42.

Would love to see some of Trump’s crew dragged out in cuffs during the SOTU.

I want the SDNY to announce Rudy has been indicted on the day of Trump's SOTU. If not then, certainly today, the day before. Yes. Now you want to see insanity? Watch Trump have a meltdown if Rudy gets fucked. Or. Maybe the Lev Parnas crew will release some blockbuster audio and video of Trump actually talking about hitting someone like the Ukraine ambassador Yanakovich. Actually saying something clearly violent.

[quote] No, I didn’t block R4. I love FCI.

This is a really easy puzzle to figure out: go into your list of blocked posters and see if FCI is there. If he is — as most of us suspect — then just unblock him.

It is fairly easy to unintentionally block someone. So, while you may not have consciously done it, you may have accidentally done it.

Very true, R47. I’ve blocked myself.

I think the person might also be saying that someone has FFd FCI enough that the posts aren't showing up for them, depending on what they have their delicate filter set to.

Thanks for these clips of Barr being grilled. They're great.

The lies flying out of Trump's lawyers mouths today is vomit inducing.

r49, yes, I believe that's exactly what those posters are referring to and nothing to do with individual block lists.

Me block alla you.

You and you and you and YOU. And you.

You too.

And you.

Now shut up. I say so. You just wait, Joe. My hubban get you. After erection day. Donnie 4ever. Yah.

Cipolene shut your fat fucking mouth. Stop jerking off those co-conspiratorial fucks in the Senate chamber

Maisie Horono of Hawaii is really something. She comes across in interviews as subdued, but she can be lethal in her questioning. She does not play.

when do we get the Flynn sentencing? I know the DOJ can suggest no jail time all they want but the judge has the ultimate decision

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but FCI has stated that he doesn’t always remember to sign his posts as FCI.

Does anyone know - is it possible for someone to block one of his non-FCI signed posts only to have all his posts, FCI or not, blocked?

r57, seriously? Did you just get here?

Trump Charges Taxpayers $3.4 Million For His Super Bowl Party

did I hear correctly that the SC is going to be hearing a case about whether or not electoral college members have to follow the popular vote of their states/districts in elections?

I mean that would be crazy if the SC decides no. Imagine you got some deplorables and they go against a state that votes for the Democratic nom over Trump. Then what?

What Happens If John Bolton Speaks Out Before The Final Impeachment Vote? | MSNBC

Thank you R30 R47 R48 R49

I meant to give FCI a WW, and hit FF by mistake. He is now unblocked.

R26

Ken Starr covered up sexual assaults at Baylor. Brett Kavanaugh, on the Starr team to impeach Bill Clinton, wrote the sexual language in the report.

Why are the women's groups not protesting Starr speaking in the Senate chamber?

Can you answer that, Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The above post is from me, R42. Thanks again.

I thought Adam Shiff made a good closing argument. Not that it will change the Republican vote, but it was a good speech.

Does that mean I'm off the case , r62?

If the GOP don't feel like shit after Schiff’s closing argument then they had ear plugs in. They are SHAMEFUL.

R55, you have come to understand the Maisie Hirono Realness. She is always direct, honest, and scathing.

Manchin just called for Trump to censured.

I gotta admit, I'm very surprised.

On the flip side, he's probably setting himself up for his vote to acquit. Dickhead.

That Joni Ernst woman is appalling. If Iowa votes Bernie and keeps her around; that's one fucked-up state among others.

A vote to acquit will be this decade’s “Iraq War vote”; by which I mean, it will look awful in retrospect, and will disqualify those Senators from higher office and possibly from re-election.

You know, this is a terrible situation we face, and Trump is a profoundly evil man. The Republican Senators are corrupt, craven, cowardly pigs. I get it. But the hyperbolic descriptions by the TV punditry, the prescriptions of doom are sort of over the top in my opinion.

Yes, dangerous precedent is being established. And if we think of this in the old, traditional, legal way we may as well slit our wrists. But the Republicans aren't thinking about the Law or the Constitution. They are thinking politically. Pure partisan politics.

That's what a lot of people don't recognize. Or if they do, they still see everything in a legal context. It's not about history, it's about rope-a-dope. Games. They want to win and don't give a fuck about the costs. They don't even pretend to look at public office as a stewardship. They don't think of themselves as lawmakers. They're hacks.

I've studied American History for a very long time. Decades. And while all of this terrible shit the pundits a re saying is true up to a point,, it can be reversed. I remember my study of Plessy vs Ferguson. The world didn't end. We changed it. So we all need to stand on the shoulders of our ancestors.

We need to look for examples from the heros who had no discernable power but their ability to resist, and they managed to force change on the world. Nelson Mandela, MLK, Jr. labor organizers or political leaders like Lech Walesa, Malala Yousefgai etc. etc. We are faced with incomprehensible evil. But we can win this fight. The main thing is, we have to fight.

R71, I read this somewhere else but her numbers are not great. She's moderately leading but she's not over 50% support and has scandal problems.

I bet some Senators are thinking that they don’t want to vote to convict because that would make them the target of relentless negative tweets from Trump. Especially those running this year for re-election. Though, I can’t understand Lamar Alexander’s position. Maybe he wants some lucrative positions on corporate boards.

I am still holding out hope that some Republicans vote to convict and we at least get a bipartisan majority.

WEIRD — A mysterious Hawaii company has donated $150k to a super PAC created solely to benefit Susan Collins…. who is from Maine.

If Trump is removed...HE CANT DO SHIT TO THEM....HE WILL BE IN PRISON

Aquitting Trump will be as exhilarating as a day of sashaying, shoplifting, and getting spitroasted, all in one.

Washington Post:

Sen. Manchin calls for censuring Trump over pressuring Ukraine to investigate his domestic political rival

Lamar Alexander is a close personal friend of Mc Connell's.

Oh, right, R80, and from neighboring states.

[quote]A mysterious Hawaii company has donated $150k to a super PAC created solely to benefit Susan Collins…. who is from Maine.

I bet that company was founded a couple of days after she had lunch with Trump in November and promised him to stick with him in the impeachment process. That's also probably that day that they awarded her one of the two dissident republican votes on witnesses to help with her election in Maine, the other one going to Romney who was also at that lunch.

You guys are making me blush! I think I have been mentioned more in this thread than La Senatrice!

That is pretty funny if I am being FF'd by a swarm of people. I've been inexplicably attacked in the Mueller threads before. Anybody remember that? It would come out of the blue and last for hours. Somebody even made a competing thread about impeachment while speaking of me negatively.

The Bolton stuff is hard to pin down because he has been a bit cagey. GOP seems very worried.

[quote] Bloomberg Adviser Mocks Trump: Only Things in His Head Are ‘A Putter, a Cheeseburger, a Porn Video, and Somebody Else’s Credit Card’

I love this quote. Hardcore!

Rather than shouting “you lie” on Wednesday - which will make them look as big a waste of space as Walsh was - they need to get any Republicans who aren’t going to convict, but claim tRump’s behavior was wrong (like Alexander) to censure.

R83, I've been attacked a lot on this board too.

r74 Dump's approval rating in Iowa is -9, that can't be helping Ernst.

Today's WWII Tweet from 1942 is about Quisling. Some people are copying this timely tweet about traitors to Sen. Graham and other Republican leaders.

If Trump goes nasty at the SOTU, and I think he will, the Dems can't just sit there and take it. They should start talking among themselves, even boo, Nancy should shake her head and/or grimace behind his back. Can't just sit there and take his shit.

They should all just take out their phones en masse and play Angry Birds.

Vanity Fair:

“Trump’s playbook is simple: go after people who crossed him during impeachment.” Several sources said Bolton is at the top of the list. “Trump has been calling people and telling them to go after Bolton,” a source briefed on the private conversations said.

The source added that Trump wants Bolton to be criminally investigated.

[quote]jerking off those co-conspiratorial fucks in the Senate chamber

Pics please.

r63, because they're actually working there and don't have time to hang around in the gallery wearing pussy hats and shouting.

[quote]I think I have been mentioned more in this thread than La Senatrice!

Nice try, FCI. But you are not as popular as La Sénatrice. 😌

[quote]I’m convinced that President Trump has several photos of a buck-naked Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) holding an equally naked goat in a seedy hotel room lit only by Russian-prostitute-urine-scented candles, as we’ve not seen this level of commitment...

( from Crockett article, The Root, 1/06/20)

There goes The Root again being homophobic. Instead of saying it was a human male(s). Do they have to say a goat? They wouldn't even say it's a male goat or the gender of the Russia prostitute who produced the urine.

Washington Post:

‘The guardrails are gone’: Democrats brace for emboldened Trump at State of the Union

I'll be very disappointed if Amy doesn't throw a stapler at his head.

I think she might get another couple of % points with that, R96. I want to see Amy go Full Bitch in public.

Bump

Politico:

DeVos threatened with subpoena by House oversight panel

I just a text exchange with the only deplorable I know. I was curious about her opinions on impeachment.

OMG! She lives in an alternate reality where Biden was fixing the election and Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff are criminals. Told her that's insane and defies any logic. I asked why she choses to believe a known liar and con artist? I was astounded. I wrote I've read about people like you on the internets. Told her that deep dow she knows Trump is a criminal and so do the R senators.

yeah that is actually tragic r100, and I don't know that anything you tell her will make the slightest difference. It really is a goddamn cult.

R100, with a lot of Trump supporters words seem to be divorced from any meaning. It's all just sounds they utter when asked questions they can't answer.

CNN:

Justice Department releases more Mueller documents to CNN and BuzzFeed

Republican lawyer leaves the Party and slams Trump on her way out | Sophia Nelson

Does anyone take Youtube seriously as a news source?

CNBC:

Powerful Trump supporters urge donors to shun John Bolton's super PAC after bombshell book revelations

R100 here..Yeah then she told me she heard Adam Schiff was a horrible boss, horrible to work for. I said to her, that means nothing and I would take his character over Trump any day.

Bolton had to know that writing a book critical of Trump or his administration wasn't going to win him friends in the Republican Party as we know it. So WTF didn't he just jump in with both feet and testify? What a rotten piece of shit he is. He really could have had an impact...unless he knows stuff we don't know about the Senators in the Republican Party.

He's a coward who wants $$$, r108.

Nothing else matters to these grifters.

Nothing.

Yeah, he got a lot of publicity and generated interest in his book.

Shit! Tomorrow Trump will be saying the Dems couldn’t run a two car funeral. Iowa really let us down.

Good for you r100. Give them a rope to climb out when they come to their senses.

Al least you’re not an enabler. I don’t tolerate this deplorable crap for one second. I won’t hear it. Life’s too short.

Did you see that on Fox News, R111? Or maybe Epoch Times?

Bump

I’m not upset that the Iowa results are messed up it highlights how vulnerable every district and state is to “glitches”. Hoping it spurs a much closer evaluation of all upcoming races.

Stupid fucking Iowa. I hate that cornpone state.

[quote] Does anyone take Youtube seriously as a news source?

Also, who has time to watch those things? I never click on them.

NYT: The Money Behind Trump’s Money - the inside story of the president and Deutsche Bank, his lender of last resort.

Over the course of two decades, the bank lent Trump more than $2 billion — so much that by the time he was elected, ­Deutsche Bank was by far his biggest creditor. Against all odds, Trump paid back most of what he owed the bank. But the relationship cemented ­Deutsche Bank’s reputation as a reckless institution willing to do business with clients nobody else would touch.

If they ever become public, the bank’s Trump records could serve as a Rosetta Stone to decode the president’s finances:

Deutsche Bank managed tens of millions of dollars of Trump’s personal assets. The bank also furnished him with other services that have not previously been reported: providing sophisticated financial instruments that shielded him from risks and outside scrutiny, and making introductions to wealthy Russians who were interested in investing in Western real estate. If Trump cheated on his taxes, ­Deutsche Bank would probably know. If his net worth is measured in millions, not billions, ­Deutsche Bank would probably know. If he secretly got money from the Kremlin, ­Deutsche Bank would probably know.

And, here we go...

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

The Democrat Caucus is an unmitigated disaster. Nothing works, just like they ran the Country. Remember the 5 Billion Dollar Obamacare Website, that should have cost 2% of that. The only person that can claim a very big victory in Iowa last night is “Trump”.

"Against all odds, he paid back most of what he owed to the bank."

New Gallup poll has Trump at a 49% approval rating ... his highest since taking office.

This horror will never end.

NYT:

Pelosi Says Democrats Have ‘Pulled Back a Veil’ on Trump’s ‘Unacceptable’ Behavior

Reuters:

U.S. senators on the spot to explain their coming vote at Trump trial

Newsweek: Lara Trump Suggests Bernie Sanders Is Trump Campaign's Preferred Candidate

*

"Bernie looks very strong right now and I think whenever you're talking about comparing on November 3 of 2020 two different candidates they couldn't be more different between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders," Lara Trump, a Trump campaign adviser, told Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Monday night amid the Iowa caucuses.

"It doesn't really matter to us at the Trump campaign who it is because we really feel like people are feeling the results of the Trump presidency in very positive ways every day across this country so we feel great as we go into November.

"But listen, if you want a stark contrast and you want to show people really how frightening it could be out there I guess Bernie Sanders could be that person but we'll have to see what the people of Iowa and all across this country decide."

Madame Speaker pulled back the veil of Trump's criminal malfeasance and half of Americans don't have any problem with what got exposed. In fact, most of them love it.

It's Always Darkest before the Dawn.

R121, I don’t understand that at all. Who are these people?

How accurate are these surveys these days especially the ones that are conducted via phone?

I’m sure they’re mostly talking to older voters. I don’t even have a landline and I don’t pick up unknown calls. (Or gentlemen)

Instead of giving a SOTU address, Dump is going to give a STFU address...There is NO WAY those skewed poll results are accurate. They're just another lie bought and paid for by the rethuglucans and their 'fat little king'.

The Daily Beast:

During a Senate floor speech today, Sen. Rand Paul repeatedly revealed the name of the alleged whistleblower at the heart of Trump’s impeachment while displaying a poster that identified the person.

Forbes: for the past three quarters GDP growth has been 2.0%, 2.1% and 2.1%, respectively. This is a far cry from Trump’s claim that the economy could growth 4%, 5% or maybe even 6% when he was President.

That article on Trump and Deutche Bank must have really pissedhim off.

Who in their right mind would watch the sotu tonight? It’s going to be a campaign ad full of lies and distortions. I would watch a live blog if they go in and set it straight as we go. A no lie zone, if you will.

This isn't the first time the DNC has attempted to fudge a caucus or primary (or national convention) that threatened not to go the way they wanted.

[quote]This isn't the first time the DNC has attempted to fudge a caucus or primary (or national convention) that threatened not to go the way they wanted.

The DNC plays no role in orchestrating or tallying the IDP’s caucus results, they only mandated that first and second alignments be reported along with delegates, per the request of Bernie’s campaign last time.

We’re not doing that here. We are not going to drag the DNC like it’s 2016.

No sir, take your crap elsewhere.

Sanders fans are trying to spin his loss every which way they can. Fact: the 30-year D.C. insider got 49.5 percent of the vote in 2016 and last night he came in second to the 37 year-old moderate former mayor of a small town in Indiana. Clue to Sanders fans: Pete is not the DNC's preferred candidate, they didn't fake a win for someone they don't want. LOL.

These fuck ups a re exactly traceable to the "reforms" Bernie and his Bots insisted on in the Iowa caucuses because they were pissed off that Hillary won.

[quote]During a Senate floor speech today, Sen. Rand Paul repeatedly revealed the name of the alleged whistleblower at the heart of Trump’s impeachment while displaying a poster that identified the person.

Even if he’s naming the wrong person, can’t Rand Paul be arrested for that.

And if he did, in fact, name the wrong person, can’t that person sue him?

I don't understand Rand Paul's obsession with the whistleblower. He seems like a full-size manbaby.

To put that in perspective, R127, Trump’s aggregated approval rating is usually about 48%.

Brian Tyler Cohen:

Schiff goes viral with MUST-SEE finale in Trump impeachment trial

R139, Paul has largely escaped scrutiny with all the other chaos going on, but he is due for at least a Rachel segment. Someone needs to do a deep dive.

Clearly he’s on the payroll of you-know-who.

There are two things bubbling up that could use some clarity:

Is the senate seriously considering censure??

Is the house making moves to check Barr??

FCI?

I doubt it. repubs would be scared of Fox, the base and Trump attacking them on twitter. Remember he wants them to say there was nothing wrong with his phone call at all.

Trump's approval rating: 43.6.

The Hill:

Buttigieg supporter asks to take back vote after learning he's gay

Bloomberg:

Impeachment Vote Dilemma Traps Senate Moderates of Both Parties

Washington Post:

Trump exits impeachment apparently unscathed as his poll numbers reach highs

Reuters:

Top Senate Republican lashes out at Democrats over Trump impeachment

"I'll never stop being a piece of shit!" vows Rand Paul

R148, Gallop does not have a sterling reputation. As the article itself notes, most polls put Trump at 43%, 44% at most. This is where he always is.

Never underestimate the unspoken depth and breadth of Trump's support. Millions of people of all races and classes secretly support Trump but wouldn't admit it to a pollster.

Is anyone going to start an official SOTU watch thread?

[quote]Is anyone going to start an official SOTU watch thread?

Speaking of, AOC tweets this within the last hour:

After much deliberation, I have decided that I will not use my presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump’s lawless conduct & subversion of the Constitution.

None of this is normal, and I will not legitimize it.

Consequently, I will not be attending the State of the Union.

AOC's declaration is very regal.

Collins will vote to acquit.

[quote] Is anyone going to start an official SOTU watch thread?

I thought scat threads were banned on DL.

Is everybody sitting down? Get ready for a shocker!

NYT: Susan Collins Announces She Will Vote to Acquit Trump, Calling Conduct ‘Wrong’

[quote]Collins will vote to acquit.

I am shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you!

Susan Collins just assured her defeat in November!

Here's another shocker:

Bill Bar's DOJ Monday night backed President Donald Trump in the Supreme Court fight over congressional subpoenas for his financial documents, telling the justices that lawmakers must meet a higher bar when seeking a sitting president’s personal records.

The Trump administration weighed in Monday to argue that the subpoenas are unconstitutional because the House did not make enough of a showing of the need for the information for a “legitimate legislative purpose.”

One of my lobbyist friends went to a lunch with Senator Warner today. He had just been briefed by the CDC and said apparently China is under-reporting their corona virus deaths by 100 times.

So...not 425 deaths. Actually more like 42,500.

I'm about as shocked about Collins' statement as she is concerned.

Fuck Collins and her dance of the seven veils.. nobody buys it and nobody cares. The old cunt is gone in November.

Collins looks like Ian McKellan in drag.

DYKE.

She voted for witnesses because? Yet, didn't get them and of course votes to acquit.

You know what- fuck them all. They deserve another 4 years of him. We don't and the nation/world don't but some people never learn their lesson. They think it is cute he causes so much anger and hurt. They believe he is benign and it is all show- that he isn't really doing any harm. They deserve him. Why can't we live in a world where we would have to live under the person's policies we vote for. Oh how there would be so many fewer conservatives!

My ex is a school teacher and told me he was in the lounge when two teacher aids for special education, both women, were discussing politics. Both of them went off on women's rights, how a woman's place was in the home, they shouldn't be allowed in the military or be police officers, how women's right were crap and they want to slap people when they hear other women talk about it. They placed the blame for society on women working. My ex said some of the worst kids and worst parents were from homes where the mom was a stay at home.

^ So two women with jobs were saying women should stay home?!

For these Senators who think Trump's behavior will change... is anyone asking them if they will resign if they are wrong?

Why do the people of Maine keep electing this dumb bitch??

R143 The Senate is looking at censure seriously but don't expect them to hurry to do it unless Pres Bone Spurs does something else.

Collins is shameful but not surprising. The GOP has done real damage to this country. Staffers on the House side (even on the Republican side) are a bit apoplectic at the moment. However, as I've said, internal polling seems very favorable to the Dems.

My friend did not mention anything about Barr, yet.

Why would anybody watch the SOTU? You can read the lies later. He is expected to go hard on the economy. He will take credit for things he has nothing to do with and will lie and exaggerate his large ass off.

The deplorables are getting more brainwashed from Facebook than Fox News. It’s meme after meme of dysfunctional behavior and promoting of destructive ideas and creating software that leads to addiction, isolation, depression and anxiety The software itself mimics classic brainwashing techniques (picture 1950s test subjects being exposed to prolonged visual images - memes- for hours on end)

This irresponsible, and out right deadly behavior from Silicon Valley goes largely unpunished and even encouraged at the highest levels of government.

It is behind the deterioration of this country and needs to be managed as the epidemic that it is. It is just as destructive as crack cocaine/opioid/Obesity you name it.

Vodka may not smell on your breath, but it seeps out your pores. Like Pig Pen, there are wavy little stink lines around some of these posts.

Whoever said it was correct: This isn't 2016, your reindeer games aren't going to work here.

Trolls are out today. They are all over this site.

R171 - Thank you FCI.

Hillary was so mean to Tulsi!

I, Slut deserved it, R176.

Hillary went easy on her. She deserves far worse.

Gabbard support is such low level trolling. Her 'momentum' isn't real, because a pear shaped non-Christian, non-white woman was doing things publicly, and she was not being attacked for any of those things. That NEVER happens.

I was riding my motorcycle today through Bumfuck, North Central Florida (land of horse farms and cattle ranches) and of all things, I saw a Tulsi campaign sign! On a rural two lane back country road! While I hate Tulsi and think she's a Russian plant, at least that's one less vote for Trump, for which I am very grateful.

Claude Taylor's Mad Dog Pac is looking to do a billboard: "Mitch McCoverup."

r180 They'll vote for him in the general seeing as Tulsi isn't installed as the Dem nominee. Bernie has that wrapped up. I don't kid about that but I would still vote Bernie over the current one- we would at least get liberal judge. He acts crazy like the current one while prez and I will be ALL for impeachment and removal.

A vote for Tulsi, like a vote for Stein = a vote for Trump.

Any good tv shows or new movie releases that I should watch during the SOTU?

Tulsi will run Independent from what I have heard. She is determined to be a spoiler. None of that is a secret. She is trying to damage the eventual Dem nominee.

Brian Tyler Cohen:

Lindsey Graham really gives off the vibe of a pig bottom full of cum. His nose is not helping the inevitable porcine comparison.

I am curious how many Democrats will boycott the SOTU. I can't imagine sitting there and listening to this criminal spew lies and nonsense for hours.

R188: as of this afternoon, 8 house members.

I think that every democrat and and independent needs to BOYCOTT this brainwashing operation speech. It’s going to be so chock full of lies, it’s beneath the dignity of the elected bodies to sit before this usurper.

It’s not unprecedented.

Susie "Skidmarks" Collins: "He's been very naughty, but he promises to be good."

They need to hold a seperate press conference during the SOTU to address the low minium wage, rising health care costs and increasing expenses due to the tarrifs.

If only tRump was that Introspective, Susan...

r191 Did she REALLY say that? Holy SHIT that dumb bitch.

I HATE how the media keeps highlighting a few Dems in the House voted against Impeachment but fail to do the same for the arch conservative who voted for it.

Is there a SOTU thread?

Also, she's been branded #SidekickSue. Do be sure to use it.

[quote]They need to hold a seperate press conference during the SOTU

No, they need to sponsor a football game or a special episode of This Is Us during the SOTU.

God fucking hell. Susan collins. What a useless waste of space. A senior longterm United States Senator basically sitting in an interview and saying, yes, I am one of the stupidest bitches in Washington and I fully believe that Donald J Trump (?!?) actually has shame and thoughtfulness and the ability to reflect on his actions and strive to be better.

r197 if a huge celebrity has to die, can it be during the SOTU?

She did NOT say that? She DID NOT! SHE.DID.NOT. There isn't a low, low enough for that party but she came very close.

I desperately want the Democrats to either chat and laugh with each other during his speech or spend the whole time looking at their phones. Just ignore him. NOTHING will get to him more than that.

SOTU thread

WaPo’s Josh Dawsey:

Asked about Sen. Susan Collins saying he’d learned a lesson, Trump told the anchors he did not agree. He had done nothing wrong. “It was a perfect call.”

^ there's the ad against her. 'Susan Collins voted to acquit Donald Trump, certain he learned his lesson. What did Trump say? It was a perfect call.'

Gov. Whitmer seemed to do very well.

I didn't watch President I Jumped The Shark. Boring. Same script, different day.

To all the Maine dataloungers - Please do your best to get Susan Collins out of there! We're pulling for you.

has Romney said if he's acquitting too?

r207 You don't have to be nostradamus to figure that one out, sweetie!

Also Maine dataloungers, please explain what that useless bitch is doing there in the first place. Then explain LaPage.

r209 So many people like to claim being an "independent" because it feels better? The hell if I can figure them out. They LOVE voting for any moderate-ish Republican to give them street cred or something. This is rampant up north. Being independent is almost its own cult as well.

The Department of Energy has released 41 pages of records in response to American Oversight's Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking documents regarding the Trump administration's Ukraine pressure campaign.

Saying "hi" to Kellyanne?

That's just what this thread needed....

Lá Sénatrice's and Bone Spur's secret love child is at odds with Mom and Dad:

[quote]has Romney said if he's acquitting too?

I expect he will but may make a pretty damning statement. He's plainly positioning himself for a Trump defeat so as to run as the only candidate that didn't suck up for 2024.

Breaking: House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says House Democrats will “likely” subpoena John Bolton and continue with more investigations after today. “I think it’s likely yes,” he told Manu Raju. .

I would laugh if Romney simply did not show up for the vote.

Romneys announcing his decision on the Senate floor at 2pm

Doug Jones is voting to convict, God bless him.

Natasha bertrand on twitter said Christopher Wray is testifying today for the House Judiciary Committee

Miss Lindz is announcing she will be giving her "As God is my Witness!" speech!

Good for Doug Jones! That can’t have been an easy decision.

Republicans, are you paying attention? This is what courage looks like.

I'm so glad Doug Jones won instead of Roy Moore

Yowza, that ad at r223!

have Sinema and Manchin stated how they're voting?

[quote]Republicans, are you paying attention? This is what courage looks like.

I can't really be courageous. My concerns are acting up again.

Who put out that ad? It’s quality.

Sorry, Donny, the audience for your lies appears to be dwindling:

The State of the Union address drew a considerably smaller audience on the broadcast networks than it did a year ago, at least in the preliminary ratings from Tuesday. They're down about 25 percent from the comparable figure last year.

Hope Manchin and Sinema vote for removal. It would be great if all Democratic Senators hold together on this.

Romney on tv now. Sounds like he’s in tears. Says he is profoundly religious and takes his oath to defend the constitution very seriously.

Antici......pation.

^And therefore it's very difficult but he has asked the Lord and the Lord says he must acquit anyway!

Rethugs always get together and allow 1 or 2 to dissent, depending on who needs it most. Romney will probably get one of them.

Don’t sound like it.

Holy Shit, he's going to convict.

Damn it, Mitt, don't make me respect you a smidge.

CTR, Willard. CTR.

He really sounds in tears. My promise before God..enforce impartial justice. It would expose my character to History’s rebuke.

Said oath before God again.

Mormons will back him up.

Voting against Trump, sounds like.

He even defended Bidens,, said they did nothing illegal, therefore no cause to investigate them. Makes sense.

[quote]Rethugs always get together and allow 1 or 2 to dissent, depending on who needs it most.

That is not what's going on here. Romney is bucking McConnell and Trump, and what has become of the Republican party. He may very well be hounded out of the party, a la Justin Amash.

Or he may become the standard-bearer for a Republican party rebirth once the evil of Trump is vanquished.

What a world we're in that Mitt Romney is the least objectionable Republican in Congress.

Before all of this is over we're going to find out that Ivanka was having an affair with Christopher Steele. I'm calling it. Not that I'd need to be Nostradamus to figure that out.

Romney is voting to convict.

Wow, an honorable and honest man. It will be a bipartisan impeachment!

YES

bipartisan vote!!

Romney will vote to convict on at least 1 of the articles!!!!!

hahahaha FUCK FOX and repub cowards

good for Romney

CNN: “a profile in courage.”

CNN's John Avlon: "This was a true profile in political courage. He will catch hell from the right."

Romney is all about "A being A." He doesn't play around with facts.

Hope he has a bodyguard.

Oh, please. Romney isn't honorable. If he votes to convict you better believe he's doing it for his own purposes.

[quote]Mormons will back him up.

They’re going nuts. The texts are rolling in, some in all caps, and my sister just called me, sobbing.

YES!!! Go, Mitt!!!

That should put the pressure on Sen Manchin.

yeah I'm not calling Romney honorable but I'm glad he's doing it

now they can't say it's a strictly partisan vote

we'll have 2 independents and 1 repub

you just know Romney never forgot the embarrassing press coverage when he tried getting a role in this administration but Trump made a fool of him. I'm sure Romney is actually happy to vote to convict but he has to play the sad role on tv

Susan Collins is voting to acquit. But she did express "concern" for weeks.

In my fantasy, a bunch of other Repubs join him at the last min and vote Aye for impeachment.

[quote]Susan Collins is voting to acquit. But she did express "concern" for weeks.

She announced today that she's not concerned enough to vote for censure, however.

SidekickSue: He has learned his lesson.

[Footage of Trump talking about the "perfect call."]

Narrator: He had not learned his lesson.

I can't bring myself to watch this. Are the Senators voting in order of state, or seniority, or what?

So now we only need what... 18 more votes?!?!?!

If you'd told me when I woke up this morning that I'd discover that Doug Jones and Mitt Romney were the two bravest men in the Senate, I would have half-believed you.

I’m no fan of Mitt Romney or Republicans, but I will give him his due. I didn’t like the tears though... he should have just been very forceful and angry rather than sad.

Romney is the right age to have grown up with the White Horse Prophesy being taught in seminary (maybe not as part of the official curriculum, but it was taught nonetheless). It concerns a time in the future in which “the Constitution hangs by a thread” and a Mormon rides in and saves it.

Too little, too late.

I wonder how Trump will get revenge on Romney

Watch Trump go nuts over this!

He'll just call him Mittens and say he's bitter that he wouldn't hire him in his cabinet.

Doug Jones is a good guy. Alabama, a very red state, would be foolish to vote him out.

He'll also probably also say that Mitt is no religious man... a religious man wouldn't kill his dog!

Like corporations, the Bidens are people, too.

Convict on Abuse of Power but acquit on Obstruction of Congress.

This makes Romney the very first senator to vote to convict a president belonging to the same party.

the repub party can't touch Romney in Utah. He's the golden child there.

If your name is Mitt, you must not acquit! Take that Dershowitz!

That said, there were only 9 Democrats in the Senate when Andrew Johnson was impeached.

If you feel so inclined, throw some coin at Jones thru ActBlue.

[quote] This makes Romney the very first senator to vote to convict a president belonging to the same party.

Which is really incredibly pathetic when you think about it.

[quote]the repub party can't touch Romney in Utah. He's the golden child there.

Believe me, Justin Amash was golden in West Michigan until he defied Trump. Now he may not get another term.

Text of Romney’s speech

Jennifer Rubin:

Between Schiff, Romney, a gay man winning in Iowa and Nancy Pelosi I have the comfort of knowing this country can be great if it chooses.

I'm not trying to be too kind to Mitt, but I really respect the liberal chattering class giving Romney props. They all said that they have problems with him, but unreservedly praised him for doing this.

His SOTU speech was stepped on by Nancy and his “partisan” impeachment was killed by Mitt.

Romney is quite problematic that is indisputable but today he is doing the right thing. It's good to hear Democrats and liberals praising him because it makes all the other repubs look like the pieces of shit they are. I would praise any of them for joining Romney but that's not going to happen.

I was dreading the vote this afternoon, but now I’m kind of looking forward to it.

Will the vote happen today? Any guesses?

just when Fox was focusing all their faux outrage on Nancy, they have to scrap that.

You can bet Lou Dobbs, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham are planning their hit piece segments on Romney for tonight as I'm typing this

[quote]I really respect the liberal chattering class giving Romney props.

Yes. From Neera Tandem, one of Hillary Clinton's 2016 advisors:

The only thing that gives the GOP any kind of permission structure to disobey Trump is support when they do the right thing. If you attack them even when they do the right thing, you’re just helping McConnell’s vote whipping team.

R277 but what are the demographics of Amash's district?

The Mormons in Utah largely do not like Trump. They don't like his vulgar language and they don't like the idea that he was fucking porn actresses and playboy bunnies while his wife was pregnant. They like a lot of the policies he's advocated for but not his character.

R284 The vote is scheduled for 4:00 this afternoon.

R284 - It's supposed to happen around 4:00 pm today as per CNN.

In my fantasy scenario, Susan Collins' body will shake so bad that she'll say "aye" instead of "nay" to remove Trump. Then la Senatrice will sashay across the Floor, demand her fainting couch right next to her and sigh "aye" before fainting after her favorite gentleman caller told her it's "aye" or it's good-bye. Then, you know, Roberts will have to break the tie but not before the Notorious RBG whispers him words of wisdom from behind the kaleidoscopic candelabra.

Maine newsman Gregg Lagerquist:

Just spoke with Sen. Collins.

She now says she probably shouldn't have said that she "believes" Pres. Trump has learned his lessons from the fallout from his dealings with Ukraine and impeachment.

She now says a better word would have been "hopes."

Nazi Jr's angry reactionary tweet!!!

[quote]Mitt Romney is forever bitter that he will never be POTUS. He was too weak to beat the Democrats then so he’s joining them now. He’s now officially a member of the resistance & should be expelled from the @GOP .

Another Profile in Courage from Sidekick Sue.

Who even cares anymore ? (R285) Most Americans know their playbook by now and are no longer entertained by their antics. I don't think that they have the influence that they used to have.

Romney and Am ash are the seeds to a new Republican Party.

WV’s Manchin will vote to convict.

I think Romney gave him cover.

Manchin's statement

reportedly Manchin and Sinema are voting to convict as well!

so no Democratic crossover! only repubs! the bipartisan vote is expected to go the right way and all the partisan bullshit will be on the repub end!

Kyrsten Sinema will also vote to convict.

I know they need 67 votes to convict, but I would love it if at least a majority votes to convict. That means a few Republicans being a surprise vote. I would take that.

Manchin on the right side of history, risking a re-election. WV progressives exist and are proud.

this is going to take a while

they aren't even starting yet

oop here we go lol starting now

Good for these red state democrats. That’s courage.

And much as people are saying that the Mormons all hates Trump, I don’t believe one of them would have punished Mitt for voting to acquit. I’m not saying is vote is an act of bravery exactly, but it isn’t cowardice, either. He’s actually doing the right thing.

I am really surprised at Manchin. You gotta respect that much.

[quote]Or he may become the standard-bearer for a Republican party rebirth once the evil of Trump is vanquished.

I'm sure that's what gave him the courage of his convictions.

I hate this so much.

Told ya he was hardcore.

Junior likes to pretend he is this tough guy, but does anyone get triggered more than him? He must be insufferable to be around.

R310, He's kinda like Prince Harry I reckon... dominated and fired up by a smarter woman who's just fucking awful. And in both cases, smarter is a low bar.

I feel nauseous. Like I’m watching the death of our country in real time.

I know. Mary!!

R312 you're not far off and you're not alone in that sentiment.

We owe Romney major thanks. His speech was deadly. He just handed every Democrat a series of great talking points that puts every Republican Senator on the defensive.

Just listen to the tone of voice on these motherfucker Republicans as they shout out their vote. They sound like a bunch of snapping turtles. See you in November you cocksuckers.

The clerk: Ms Collins?

Collins: Not guilty, bit I am [italic]very[/italic] concerned.

AP:

Trump cleared of abuse, impeachment acquittal on track

CNN:

Witnesses who put careers on the line in House impeachment inquiry brace for fallout of Senate trial

Business Insider:

'Wrong, wrong, wrong move': Mitt Romney incurs the Republican Party's wrath after breaking ranks with vote to convict Trump for abuse of power

Mark Kelly is running against Butch McSally in AZ. He's currently leading her by four points. If you have the means, he could use your donations.

Mark Kelly is running against Butch McSally in AZ. He's currently leading her by four points. If you have the means, he could use your donations.

Mark Kelly is running against Butch McSally in AZ. He's currently leading her by four points. If you have the means, he could use your donations.

Politico:

Trump’s about to be acquitted. But he’s not getting what he wanted.

lmao apparently Romney's speech announcing he would vote to convict on article 1 led to the WH canceling their photo-op moment between Trump and the Venezuelan opposition leader

Trump's gonna be FUMING

good thing Romney is rich because he's going to be relentlessly attacked from the GOP propaganda machine

It's just like the day O.J. got off.

DLers- be happy. This is the best thing for the Dems (though not the country, sadly) and a Nov reckoning is looming.

[quote]And much as people are saying that the Mormons all hates Trump, I don’t believe one of them would have punished Mitt for voting to acquit.

Do you know any? I think you'd be surprised at the depth of the enmity.

Now if you're talking about a handful of DezNat types, that's a different story.

[quote]Sen. Collins now says she probably shouldn't have said that she "believes" Pres. Trump has learned his lessons from the fallout from his dealings with Ukraine and impeachment. She now says a better word would have been "hopes."

David Simon replies in his characteristically understated way:

That a shit-filled, James Madison-shaped zeppelin will not appear above this senator’s head, open the back flap on its pantaloons, and bury her in the viscous and infirm byproduct of a late-18th-Century diet is proof fucking positive that both God and the US Constitution are dead.

Pelosi stole Trump's thunder at the SOTU; Romney stole Trump's thunder at his "acquittal". I can live with these small wins while awaiting the big one in November.

Sherrod Brown: In private, Republicans admit they acquitted Trump out of fear

Some of them did. There are plenty of true believers in that shit pile.

"Both sides" Times asks mostly Republicans how they feel about the trial.

Disgusting.

Can somebody copy the Brown piece? I am out of freebie from the NYT and they generally make me puke, so unable to pay.

Technical question: Do Mormons swear? Like, privately, did Romney say: Let's make that fucker's head explode.

Second the request for unpaywalled text

Comforting but I'm not sure it's correct. I think most voting Americans have no clue what happened.

In Private, Republicans Admit They Acquitted Trump Out of Fear

One journalist remarked to me, “How in the world can these senators walk around here upright when they have no backbone?”

By Sherrod Brown

Mr. Brown is a Democratic senator from Ohio.

Not guilty. Not guilty.

In the United States Senate, like in many spheres of life, fear does the business.

Think back to the fall of 2002, just a few weeks before that year’s crucial midterm elections, when the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq was up for a vote. A year after the 9/11 attacks, hundreds of members of the House and the Senate were about to face the voters of a country still traumatized by terrorism.

Senator Patty Murray, a thoughtful Democrat from Washington State, still remembers “the fear that dominated the Senate leading up to the Iraq war.”

“You could feel it then,” she told me, “and you can feel that fear now” — chiefly among Senate Republicans.

For those of us who, from the start, questioned the wisdom of the Iraq war, our sense of isolation surely wasn’t much different from the loneliness felt in the 1950s by Senator Herbert Lehman of New York, who confronted Joe McCarthy’s demagogy only to be abandoned by so many of his colleagues. Nor was it so different from what Senator George McGovern must have felt when he announced his early opposition to the Vietnam War and was then labeled a traitor by many inside and outside of Congress.

History has indeed taught us that when it comes to the instincts that drive us, fear has no rival. As the lead House impeachment manager, Representative Adam Schiff, has noted, Robert Kennedy spoke of how “moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle.”

Playing on that fear, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, sought a quick impeachment trial for President Trump with as little attention to it as possible. Reporters, who usually roam the Capitol freely, have been cordoned off like cattle in select areas. Mr. McConnell ordered limited camera views in the Senate chamber so only presenters — not absent senators — could be spotted.

And barely a peep from Republican lawmakers.

One journalist remarked to me, “How in the world can these senators walk around here upright when they have no backbone?” Fear has a way of bending us.

Late in the evening on day four of the trial I saw it, just 10 feet across the aisle from my seat at Desk 88, when House Manager Adam Schiff told the Senate: “CBS News reported last night that a Trump confidant said that Republican senators were warned, ‘Vote against the president and your head will be on a pike.’” The response from Republicans was immediate and furious. Several Republican senators groaned and protested and muttered, “not true.” But pike or no pike, Mr. Schiff had clearly struck a nerve. (In the words of Lizzo: truth hurts.)

Of course, the Republican senators who have covered for Mr. Trump love what he delivers for them. But Vice President Mike Pence would give them the same judges, the same tax cuts, the same attacks on workers’ rights and the environment. So that’s not really the reason for their united chorus of “not guilty.”

For the stay-in-office-at-all-cost representatives and senators, fear is the motivator. They are afraid that Mr. Trump might give them a nickname like “Low Energy Jeb” and “Lyin’ Ted,” or that he might tweet about their disloyalty. Or — worst of all — that he might come to their state to campaign against them in the Republican primary. They worry:

“Will the hosts on Fox attack me?”

“Will the mouthpieces on talk radio go after me?”

“Will the Twitter trolls turn their followers against me?”

My colleagues know they all just might. There’s an old Russian proverb: The tallest blade of grass is the first cut by the scythe. In private, many of my colleagues agree that the president is reckless and unfit. They admit his lies. And they acknowledge what he did was wrong. They know this president has done things Richard Nixon never did. And they know that more damning evidence is likely to come out.

So watching the mental contortions they perform to justify their votes is painful to behold: They claim that calling witnesses would have meant a never-ending trial. They tell us they’ve made up their minds, so why would we need new evidence? They say to convict this president now would lead to the impeachment of every future president — as if every president will try to sell our national security to the highest bidder.

I have asked some of them, “If the Senate votes to acquit, what will you do to keep this president from getting worse?” Their responses have been shrugs and sheepish looks.

They stop short of explicitlysaying that they are afraid. We all want to think that we always stand up for right and fight against wrong. But history does not look kindly on politicians who cannot fathom a fate worse than losing an upcoming election. They might claim fealty to their cause — those tax cuts — but often it’s a simple attachment to power that keeps them captured.

As Senator Murray said on the Senate floor in 2002, “we can act out of fear” or “we can stick to our principles.” Unfortunately, in this Senate, fear has had its way. In November, the American people will have theirs.

Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown), a Democrat, is the senior United States senator from Ohio and is the author of “Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America.”

Those of us in states with senate races this year (and in 2022) need to donate and/of volunteer. Those piece-of-shit traitors need to be flushed out of office.

[quote]Comforting but I'm not sure it's correct. I think most voting Americans have no clue what happened.

When the impeachment was announced, I said this would end up helping Trump rather than hurting him. "Mark my words" I said, and I was widely scorned for it. Some even told me that once his crimes were aired the floodgates would break and he'd be out.

Well, I hate to be right. Obviously the true-believer nonsense about him being convicted was a foolish fantasy from the start, and it turns out that the impeachment without conviction is probably going to help him in November as well. Trump is still in havy negatives in approval, but his numbers have been on a slight but steady uptick in the past 2-3 weeks.

Worst of all, only 42% of independents think Trump should have been removed. A strong majority thinks he shouldn't have been. And independents are going to decide who the next president is, in Michigan, PA, Wisconsin, etc.

Nancy, as usual, was right all along.

335-340 are blocked by me. Trolls are triggered like no other time. They are OWNED!

Sorry 336-340

Some please tell r344 that 336-340 is the article. TIA.

R342 needs a link for that fuzzy math.

Impeachment was an excellent idea, not threat they had a choice given their constitutional duty, but it set up all these rethugs to be axed in November.

Furthermore, Nancy stole the show last night and the narrative, as did Romney today.

The people wanted to watch a reality show, she she is giving the people what they want.

Winning isn't winning if you cheated. trump cheats, he does not win, he steals.

The repukes have been cheating our democracy for years. He's simply a giant boil on a diseased ass.

Fuck him and the cheating cheaters who rigged him into office. May they be swept away come November. It's got to be huge to overcome the cheaters.

I was impressed by Nancy Pelosi ripping up Trump's SOTU speech. She knows how to needle Trump like no other.

Anyone who thinks this was good for Trump needs to review the polling data on the following link...

What does Collins fear most? Being primaried? Because had she voted to convict, this is Maine - Angus King is elected as an independent and he voted without reserve for conviction, so Maine is not a hard or solid Republican state. She's damned if she does, damned if she doesn't so I don't know why didn't try to run the gauntlet with some dignity. She's loathsome and pathetic but I'm curious about what her driver is.

I'm never posting an article's text again.

Uday Trump, who loves triggering libtards, has some tender fee-fees of his own

LOL, R352 - no good deed goes unpunished. I empathize. The paranoia around here during elections makes it twice as hard to justify any effort. Thanks from a reader.

Reading Brown's piece the thing that bothers me these people knew what was right to do. And they chose not to do it to protect themselves. They expect young men and women to put their lives a risk in the military but they won't put their jobs at risk to do the right thing. If their beloved founders were around, they'd be running from the tar and feathers.

Big props to Romney who explained why he voted the way he voted on FOX NEWS. Laid out the importance of the oath, that he is a religious man and had to do the right thing. There by implying that all of his rethug colleagues shirked their oath and their integrity. I heard it on Michael angelO signoreli On my way home but here’s the link. **Warning** this link goes to the Fox News site! (So sorry it pains me but I am glad he said it to the cult members in their living rooms)

[quote]She's loathsome and pathetic but I'm curious about what her driver is.

Kompromat—to wit, a sextape that shows off her essential-tremor-enhanced pussy-eating skills.

Where can one listen to Michael S these days?

[quote] What does Collins fear most? Being primaried?

Yes. They’d all rather take their chances in the general, hoping that by then, this will all be forgotten and/or forgiven.

That’s our job then; to make sure that the voters of our states neither forget nor forgive. Hound these bastards. Hound them every single day until we drive them from office.

I look at the infuriating, embarrassing fuckup at the Iowa caucus, such typical chaotic DNC asshattery and disorganization, and then I look at the Republicans in the Senate voting in near-unison to acquit Trump like a perfectly engineered machine, and I'm proud to be a Democrat.

Washington Post:

Pelosi calls Trump’s State of the Union address a ‘pack of lies’ amid Democratic frustration

Nancy directly put Collins, McSally, and a few other senators over the ropes.

It’s the voting public’s job to take it from there.

The Hill:

Supreme Court to consider taking ObamaCare case this month

Romney's vote has probably also given hope to evangelicals who oppose Trump.

Romney basically shamed and called out his worthless colleagues but he did it in his gentile way.

The ultimate shade.

Have any of you encountered anyone who thinks that Nancy ripping up her copy of the speech was problematic?

I had a conversation with a friend who, like Susan Collins, is very concerned that Nancy doing that was a misstep and is handing Rethugs a win, by making it look like Democrats are petty and giving them new fuel.

Just wondering what the general thoughts have been on Nancy doing that. I thought overall people seemed to be glad she did but what are your thoughts or what are you hearing people say?

[quote] Romney basically shamed and called out his worthless colleagues but he did it in his gentile way.

Oy, vey!

Everybody's going to be talking about Kirk Douglas for the next few days, NOT Trump. HAHAHAHAHAHA he is going to SHIT HIS BAGGY PANTS OFF

My initial reaction was is looked bad on her. Petulant, childish. A day later I don't think it matters and like how it totally skewed the SOTU coverage.

I didn’t see it in real time but I have to admit that while I understand the point she was making it also came across like the turd had gotten under her skin. Then again she has allowed her anger to show with him plenty of times. So i dunno.

r366 I don't give a flip what anybody else thinks about what she did. If anybody is offended by her doing what she did and it causes them to switch sides or have a lower opinion of the Dems, so be it. They aren't worth two cents to begin with. We get nonstop debasing from Pres Bone Spurs. Anybody upset about Nancy is a Class A dumbfuck.

Personally, I'd vote for Collins if it would keep her sex tape under wraps. Sorry, but some threats are real.

R371 wins ironic post of the day.

Have all those who are criticizing Nancy for ripping up the speech forgotten that Trump refused to shake her hand when she extended it at the beginning?

Is it ok when Trump does it because we don't expect more from him?

He's a grown ASS man who acts like a 6 year old and far too much time has been spent in the last 3 years trying to NORMALIZE him.

Fuck that shit.

We expect it from him.

R358 he’s on xm progressive station 127 weekdays 3-6pm. He played the audio, then chuck todd did too on msnbc.

R352 thank you for posting and I hope you will post again. You know there are a couple nutty posters who label everyone a troll around here

Who is Michael S?

Do you mean Michaelangelo Signorile?

I’ve been wondering where he went since they closed the Gay channel.

Wish they would bring that back.

WEHT Derek & Romaine?

Payback, Donnie Dump!

R366 I honestly don't give a fuck if anyone is offended by Pelosi ripping up the bullshit, lie-ridden speech. I cheered when I saw the clip (didn't watch it live for obvious reasons). In 2016 I was afraid of Democrats saying any little wrong thing to upset the flip voters but I don't care.

People who like Trump aren't going to change. People who don't like him won't either. repubs have no qualms about being as offensive as possible. Ripping up a bullshit speech isn't even that major. It's time for Democrats to fight back. Nancy is a QUEEN

Nobody asked anyone to give a fuck about it...

The question is simply what are you hearing about it?

Nobody watched the speech. It had terrible ratings so not much of a risk. Only hardcore politicos were watching.

R382 the only negative chatter I heard today were the fb trolls and twitter wackos. Not an anti Nancy peep from human beings I encountered, rather lots of praise.

deplorables are enraged she did it.

most other people think it's funny, amazing or immature but not a big deal . It won't cost her her current popularity that's for sure

I love him.

Pelosi ripped up sheets of paper.

Trump ripped off a children's cancer charity!

The Trumpers are boasting all over social media. I hate that my so called Christian relatives get to take this victory lap and be so obnoxious about it.

CNN:

Brooke Baldwin reacts to Trump honoring Rush Limbaugh

I'd like to note that Romney did not vote for both articles of impeachment. He voted for the first one - the Ukraine aid being withheld - and voted against the second one, obstruction of Congress.

yeah it is weird that Romney was 1 of the senators who wanted to hear Bolton testify yet then voted not to convict on obstruction

so now the Senate is shifting from the impeachment rushed sham trial/vote to investigating Hunter Biden. Grassley and I think Johnson have called for Hunter's travel records while Joe Biden was VP.

so the attack on Biden's candidacy is not over either. We're going to hear the narrative that "Trump is completely exonerated but what about Hunter?" and they'll do the drip drip of non-scandals and turn it into a scandal. Unless/until Biden drops out, the repubs are going to use his son to go after him. Despicable

When are we going to shut down these threads?

80,000 posts in the Mueller threads were not enough. We had to add 15,000 (25 threads * 600) more posts on a failed impeachment. This was valuable time we could have been spending with friends and family.

No apologies will ever come from those who were dead wrong, of course.

The Treason continues, even if the impeachment is over.

OP pivoted for impeachment. Which was pretty seamless.

Not sure where he will go from here.

I'm sure the next impeachment charge is just around the corner.

Miss Hall Monitor at r394 thinks she can demand certain threads that are offensive to her delicate eyes should be shut down.

If it's that traumatic to you, maybe you're on the wrong fucking site.

R394 Thinks we were wrong? He WAS impeached. He IS impeached FOREVER. Just because the GOP is thoroughly corrupt does not reflect badly on us here.

Reality check:

FF right wing propaganda site @r400. Do not click on that site. It will suck up your data and you don’t want to be on that list.

r400 You're seriously quoting an article from Russian-funded The Federalist, the rag that Meghan McCain's husbear writes for? On the DL? As fact?

Reality check yourself, tool.

He did the Ukraine call the day after Mueller's report came out, so you can be certain Treason was committed as soon as the acquittal came through. He does deplorable things daily; he commits Treason with no conscience.

R401 and R402, still trying that old "It will suck up your data", trick?

You do realize the more you try to censor content, the more curious people will be to view it?

So what's he going to do tomorrow?

r404 I merely mentioned that the Russian-funded The Federalist site is no friend to democracy or the United States. But you knew that, Boris.

R405, declare himself Emperor.

I just want to remind you all of something we did a while ago. Anyone remember Eric Cantor? He was B of the campaigns. I mean it. Turn off the noise. Boehner's House Majority Leader, which is what Kevin McCarthy was to Paul Ryan. Cantor was despised, and rightly so. He was defeated in the primary. So McConnell is vulnerable too.

Now I truly believe they have the fix in in statewide elections. We were able to defeat them in district elections for the House, but statewide they will be able to cheat and steal. We have to begin now to expose them. Because they are also sowing chaos right now with Bernie, Pete and Joe.It seems the only one they haven't got a strategy for is Amy. If ELizabeth pulls in front, they will savage her. Or try to.

Weeks ago, months ago, I said turn off the noise and do not get pulled in to the hype and bullshit. I mean it. Turn off all the fucking election coverage. The media hypes it and gets all melodramatic, making mountains out of molehills. Their breathless coverage of a fucking caucus in Iowa is an example.

Covering campaigns, staging debates and town halls is cheap. It is not a huge investment for a network. But the ad revenue it generates more than compensates. And the ads they politicians run is even greater. Lots of money. If you notice, ever since Citizens United the media has been paying more attention to politics as a way to generate revenue.

The Media has to know that whether Trump wins or loses he will be a news maker until his death...and even after. They will be doing specials and investigative reports on Trump for the next 20-30 years. But they need to generate revenue, too. So who among the Democrats will do that for them? Bernie is too old. He is great for the short term. Pete's boring. No, he really is. Amy? Elizabeth? The Bidens? IMO they need a few assholes to focus on. And the only ones who come to mind are Republicans.

Excerpts from Miss R394’s post:

1. “ When are we going to shut down these threads?“

blah..., blah..., blah..., 2. “This was valuable time we could have been spending with friends and family”.

3. “No apologies will ever come from those who were dead wrong, of course.”

1. No shutdown until the asshole-in-chief is at least out of office. Then will start another thread when the Southern District of New York and countless law enforcement agencies gets their hands on that rat bastard.

2. Then go spend time your fucking time with family and friends. No one is coercing you to participate in these threads, Mary.

3. Apologize for what? Being dead wrong that Mueller concluded he could not exonerate dump, and sited 10 instances of corrupt behavior; AND that the House impeached the bastard.

4. Shaadd up!

Piere Delecto came through. Good on him.

If you would have asked me 3 years ago, I would have thought someone like Rand Paul would have been the rogue holdout.

Boy was I wrong.

r410 I think it's because people projected his father's positions and maverick-yness on him, when in reality he's just another Matt Gaetz.

Weren’t their other whistle blowers?

I want to know what’s going on in all these departments like education with shady cabinet secretaries.

That could be the next show to drop. Betsy Devil? Dr. Ben “Sleepy” Carson?

Rick “can’t count to 3” Perry?

What have those creeps been doing?

The treasury guy with the gold digging wife?

I predict we move from Treason to Impeachment to Ongoing Corruption investigation.

Yes, R413, keep the bastards under a microscope and pounce when he's caught again. If we can get the Senate and the House and the asshole is reelected he can be impeached again.

Yes remember there is a rumored whisteblower in the IRS

also did anyone catch Schiff tonight on Maddow? He said last week after the repub senators voted down on hearing Bolton testify, the House offered Bolton the chance to sign an affidavit about Trump's Ukraine behavior. Bolton refused. So FUCK HIM. That piece of shit only was willing to testify in front of the repub senate otherwise he wants everyone to get his book. I hope it flops hard

What are these republican senators going to do/say when the book comes out and says yes he did it?

[quote]What are these republican senators going to do/say when the book comes out and says yes he did it?

Not one fucking thing.

Reuters:

Trump to speak after his acquittal in U.S. Senate impeachment trial

The Republicans modified their earlier denials and their current positions acknowledge wrong doing. The new thinking, and the new language is,"Yes, he did it. It was "inappropriate." It was wrong, even.But it did not rise to the level of convict and remove. And he's not goingto do it again. Because if he does we'll be really disappointed.

From FUX: GOP introduces resolution to condemn Pelosi for ripping up Trump’s State of the Union speech

The privileged resolution, which was introduced Wednesday by Texas Republican Rep. Kay Granger, blasted Pelosi’s public shredding of the text of the address as “a breach of decorum” and said it brought “discredit on the House.”

The privileged resolution, which was introduced Wednesday by Texas Republican Rep. Kay Granger, blasted Pelosi’s public shredding of the text of the address as “a breach of decorum” and said it brought “discredit on the House.”

[quote]So what's he going to do tomorrow?

First up: Needling NY's Schumer, Nadler and Hakeem Jeffries by suspending Global Entry and Trusted Traveler Programs for New York residents.

Trump opens up his appearance at the prayer breakfast by whining: "Everybody knows that I've been put through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people. I don't like people who use their faith to justify doing things they know are wrong. Nor do I like people who say they pray for you when it's not true."

Susan Collins herself must be visiting these treads what with all that concern of hers!

Love how a troll can't help but air its frustrations about how much these threads upsets it. How bothered must you be to not only keep coming into a thread that "wastes your time," but keep track of the post count?!?!?

Hilarious.

New poll results from Morning Consult released Monday showed all five of the leading contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination defeating President Donald Trump in hypothetical match-ups.

We really need to stop relying on polling data. It did us in last time.

The only accurate polls are exit polls. Exit polls were always correct until the 2000 election fraud. If the exit polls don't match the tallies, the vote has been tampered with. It's that simple. Back away from the fortune tellers. They're con-men.

[quote]I don't like people who use their faith to justify doing things they know are wrong. Nor do I like people who say they pray for you when it's not true.

Rich.

NBC:

'Dishonest and corrupt': Trump unloads at National Prayer Breakfast after acquittal

Does anybody fear 2024 and nominee Donald Trump Jr. as much as I do, or am I just feeling the effects of the last few days. Can I hope the attendees at the National Prayer Breakfast were offended by his self pity?

[quote]Can I hope the attendees at the National Prayer Breakfast were offended by his self pity?

Do you know any religious Americans? They think they're the biggest victims in the history of the world. They'll love what Trump said.

r425....no...the polling was correct....Russia did us in last time. If you dont believe that the vote was hacked, you need to speak to Reality Winner.

[quote]The privileged resolution, which was introduced Wednesday by Texas Republican Rep. Kay Granger, blasted Pelosi’s public shredding of the text of the address as “a breach of decorum” and said it brought “discredit on the House.”

Rep. Granger is correct of course. The ripping up of a piece of paper was clearly a bridge too far. I hope President Trump thanks the congresswoman later by grabbing her pussy.

[quote]you need to speak to Reality Winner.

No, I really do not need to do that.

Brian Tyler Cohen:

Susan Collins forced to admit she was wrong ON AIR over Trump defense

[quote]You know what to do Maine

You are far more confident of that than I.

WH Press Sec Stephanie Grisham previews the President's 12pm ET impeachment remarks:

"I think he's also going to talk about just how horribly he was treated and, you know, that maybe people should pay for that."

Did t he just give a speech like 2 days ago? Can it, fattie!

We miss you Al.....

Pelosi says Trump was sedated at the SOTU address.

She can troll him better than anyone.

Trump will react unhinged.

She knows that.

R439, did she really say that? The gloves are off! I love it. He WAS sedated. She should imply he’s a drug addict, because HE IS.

ABC:

Trump displayed ‘state of mind that had no contact with reality’: Pelosi

Yahoo News: Treasury Department sends Hunter Biden financial records to Senate

Since when is the Treasury Department allowed to share records with Members of Congress that belong to a private citizen?

Lord, that orange baboon is back on the teevee spreading lies and falsehoods. All I heard was something about the 2016 election. He’s going to be babbling about that until the day he croaks.

Please don’t disparage baboons, r444.

I’m going to vomit listening to this crazy vindictive paranoid narcissist who calls himself POTUS. It’s unfair! The other side is corrupt! They’re lying! He is completely innocent! Aaaggghhhh.....

Worse than Hitler - literally.

And yet Trump's tax returns are concealed.

USA Today: Trump slams impeachment as 'evil' and 'corrupt' in White House speech following acquittal

*

"He is going to be honest, going to speak with honesty and with humility," said White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham on Fox News. "He and the family went through a lot.”

"I think he's gonna also talk about just how just horribly he was treated and that maybe people should pay for that," she added.

How can McConnell and some of the other grown ups in that room sit there and listen to that big baby whine and brag and slander? Do they find it amusing? Benign? Humorous? They are creating a monster.

And Trump is out of control today.

Batten down the hatches...

So undignified.

R423 - Exactly! Please... with these people; excuse me trolls.

R409

Every American should be forced to sit and listen to Trump rant and rave this afternoon. Nobody could believe he is sane.

On a shallow note, Hunter Biden is hot

I posted this in the NY thread but it also fits here:

Ironically, a Hollywood actress mom is going to jail for cheating to get her daughter in a desirable college. Meanwhile, cheater trump, who has scammed on a grand scale his entire life, is rewarded by a corrupt system.

I'm buffered in a very blue county in a blue state but it's not enough for me to feel safe and happy. I actually care about others, unlike the puke in the white house and his puke allies, I, and a legion of others, do not support destroying democracy and our earth to profit a few assholes. I truly fear for the future of freedom on this earth, as well as for our planet.

Bill Barr Makes Himself Gatekeeper Of Investigations Of Campaigns | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

R454 deplorables LOVE when Trump does stuff like this. I'm not talking about the repubs who simply love the policies Trump advocates. The deplorables LOVE hearing Trump blasting Democrats. They love hearing him call Pelosi and Schiff "horrible people". They want retaliation against Romney now too. Trump gets to publicly air what they feel are their grievances. They like how the country is forced to listen to them. It's pathetic but that's what they think.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi....

Pelosi was brilliant today. And she speaks in the quiet voice, and I just love her. I have this fantasy where Barr, Pompeo, Pence, McConnell, Graham, and Trump, Donnie, jr, and Eric & Laura, and Mel all get on a plane,.......

And they fall to pieces?

CNN:

CNN debunks Trump's claim about Ivanka during speech

They're using him as cover to distract while they burn everything down.

And the stupid media eats it up.

What is Barr up to during all of this? Goiter man pompeo? Munchkin? They're ALL up to no good right now while fat Donnie distracts.

Chris Matthews: In Rambling Speech, Trump Asks Allies To Fight Democrats ‘To The Death’ | MSNBC

I fucking LOVE Nancy Pelosi!!!!! If you haven’t yet watched her press conference at R459, I urge you to do so. She’s not taking any grief from any of those reporters about anything. Thank goodness that woman is the Speaker of the House.

Add the CNN guy at R462 to the "things you hate to hear mispronounced" thread.

Perhaps only we eldergays know this, but substantive is NOT pronounced "sub-STANT-ive" and Crimea is NOT pronounced "Crim-AAA-a."

Reuters:

Senate report criticizes Obama administration handling of Russia election meddling

The Trump "team" all had a big celebration dinner last night in D.C. Trump Hotel. Miss Lindz had a glow and looked fabulous. Made Sekelowdown perky.

Reuters:

Courts are the next front in Trump's battle over presidential powers

it's annoying we have to wait until June for the Trump tax decision

I'm also worried how they're going to rule on the case of whether electoral college members have to vote with the popular vote of their state.

USA Today:

Trump administration 'undermined our democratic institutions,' says ex-ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch

She ripped up his speech perfectly. It was perfect. The most perfect ripping of paper of all time.

I said this to a deplorable on FB.

I want to see Yovanovitch in an authority position in the next Democratic administration.

The trial is over. But the glaring questions remain: what the hell is going on inside that White House?

#pettysburgaddress is trending on twitter 😮

and this is appalling.

Politico:

House Democrats drowning GOP in money chase

Jon Meacham: Adam Schiff & Nancy Pelosi Are Progressive ‘Guardians’ | The Last Word | MSNBC

Rep. Tim Ryan Walks Out Of State Of The Union: ‘Give Me A Break!’ | The Last Word | MSNBC

Nancy seems to be the one person who understands perfectly how to deal with this whole situation.

Bump

FL Bar files ethics complaint against Matt Gaetz for endangering national security.

I'm afraid Brooks is right here.

The Right thinks the media is biased when they criticize this "president". The media thinks they are biased if they don't air every lying talking point from the Right. That is not how this works but they have played into the Right's hands with rampant whataboutisms. This has facilitated the rise of this thing we have in the WH.

We need a little humor: Triumph goes after Lindsay Graham...

r483 - "Fourth, Trump has cleverly reframed the election. I can see why Nancy Pelosi ripped up his State of the Union speech. It was the most effective speech of the Trump presidency."

No, it wasn't and no, that's not why Nancy tore it up.

Nancy tore it up because it would have been rude for her to drop trou and wipe her ass with it in public.

This is what she would call 'courteous'.

r483 sorry, your first mistake is assuming professional Concern Troll David Brooks is EVER right. His record is about as bad as Bill Kristol (who has reinvented himself as a Never Trumper).

The media also has been saying this was a really bad week for Democrats. Ummm no, it wasn't. The Democrats did the right thing in every way. The nation had a really bad week. Our Constitution had a really bad week. Our republic had a really bad week. The Senate had a really bad week.

I have to tip my hat to Romney. He is a flip flopping SOB but he did the very right thing at the very right time in the face of this cult. That takes something. Maybe he finally found that something deep in him he hasn't seen or come to know much of until now. I'll take it.

Can you BELIEVE Manchin voted to convict!!!!!!!!!!! And some of you want him out of the party?

I have 483 blocked for good reason. The Russian trolls are out like crazy this week. They are TRIGGERED by Nancy and Romney who stole ALL the thunder.

Btw- all the economic stats are fake. We are in a recession. He is rigging the numbers. All fake news. Unemployment is quadruple. And Obama created more jobs in 3 years than Pres Bone Spurs.

R490 is a paranoid freak.

The big winner of this was ADAM SCHIFF. I agree with Streisand that he he will move on to bigger things. He also loves children.

Adam Schiff, proud vegan.

According to a very vocal set of assholes on DL, that would mean he has a mental illness.

I think not.

Then so am I, R491, because R490 is CORRECT.

Somethings been bothering me for a long while and especially now that the repukes have cleared cheater trump of wrongdoing.

For all of our lives most of us have been raised to behave with integrity, honesty, courtesy, and kindness, even when our elders were sadly lacking in those traits. But still we tried. We got educations, applied for jobs without lying on the applications or smearing fellow applicants. In the case of "upstanding" white people (in their own minds), they claimed a moral and ethnic superiority over people of color, gays, and others they deemed different or not good enough.

All the while this group of moral supremacists are actually a bunch of cheating, lying, entitled depraved assholes who are no better than anyone else and really worse than many others. That's who is in the Senate and White House, a pack of immoral inferior stupid creeps. And they think they are better and smarter than everyone else.

Something has . . . ^

It's late and I have outrage fatigue.

[quote]Trump opens up his appearance at the prayer breakfast by whining: "Everybody knows that I've been put through a terrible ordeal…"

Odd that Trump considers it a 'terrible ordeal' when he's insisted all along his Ukraine phone call was 'perfect', and like all of us he knew The Senate would acquit. He had no need to worry if his actions were entirely unimpeachable.

However the shameless childish stable genius will of course now play the self-pity card. It's right up there with all his other psychological infirmities. No other President has ever stooped so low. Droll to consider what Daddy Putin thinks of such a tactic. A head-shake and a snort of contemptuous laughter, perhaps.

Lá Sénatrice' has had a bit too much acquittal celebration sex. Her pussy needs adjusted.

EWWWWWWWWW

Sam Seder explains how the Iowa caucus app illustrates the suckage that has undermined such Democratic institutions as Air America, the DNC, and Pod Save America, while Michael the snarkiest Marxist roars with lulz.

President Trump’s company charges the Secret Service for the rooms agents use while protecting him at his luxury properties — billing U.S. taxpayers at rates as high as $650 per night, according to federal records and people who have seen receipts.

Those charges, compiled here for the first time, show that Trump has an unprecedented — and largely hidden — business relationship with his own government. When Trump visits his clubs in Palm Beach, Fla., and Bedminster, N.J., the service needs space to post guards and store equipment.

Trump’s company says it charges only minimal fees. But Secret Service records do not show that.

I never thought I'd see this country become what it has. It's like we're living in two different realities. What I've come to realize when it comes to Trump supporters is that his cruel, manic, stupid, false statements are like catnip to them. They celebrate his stupidity and lies with glee. I am scared for what lies ahead for this country.

CNN:

Mick Mulvaney's job in doubt now that impeachment dust has settled

r502

They're living in a bubble of Fox News, religious TV shows like Joyce Meyers, and conservative talk radio. It's a totally contained ecosystem. They don't talk to "liberals" except online and that's just to vent their anger and unhappiness over their lives at someone, and Republicans have said "look at those liberals. They hate you, and everything you stand for!"

At some point it becomes about fueling the rage and salamander-brain emotions, because they aren't powered by logic.

Having had a conversation recently with my Republican mother, it's essentially like night and day with them - Democrats are evil and wanting to destroy everything. Bernie Sanders' viewpoints and socialism are seen as representative of the ENTIRE left. There is no moderate thinking. And she doesn't even watch Fox News, just local news stations.

Bloomberg:

White House Weighs Ouster of Aide Who Testified Against Trump

USA Today:

In 1999, Bill Clinton was 'humbled' by impeachment. Today, Donald Trump unloaded on a 'phony, rotten deal'

R504, we are in our own bubbles too.

I interrupt this thread to say that this morning I had a small bit of heaven!!!!! Yes. I was watching Morning Joe as I got ready for work, and Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney of New York was on . They gave him a nice bit of time and since I adore him, I was thrilled at such an unexpected delight during the 7 AM segment. I rarely can tolerate Joe and Mika, but this morning, was special. I love him.

BTW: Have we posted about the Russian blogger who was anti Putin, who was murdered in his PARIS apartment by a hit squad? Happened a few days ago...

Maybe, R507, to some extent we are...but one of the things I like about MSNBC, is that they cover the "bad news" too, and they try very hard to stay factual. They do not spout propaganda. Yes, they have a Liberal perspective, but they a re not out here actively promoting lies and smearing their political adversaries. In fact I think those of us who consider ourselves Liberal are far more likely to get our news from a variety of sources and we stay away from conspiracy sites that do nothing but re enforce pre cooked bullshit.

[quote] we are in our own bubbles too.

While that may be true in some sense, it is largely because, by default, we live in the “reality“ bubble, where we use facts, evidence, and science to inform our opinions and actions.

There's reality and then there's the Fox News bubble. There can be liberal enclaves but the vast majority of us prefer honesty and actual reality over spin. They are not the same thing, despite r507's "both sides"-style comment.

R492... not with pictures like that floating around. ;)

Deplorables = Scientology

Liberals = suppressive persons

[quote] we live in the “reality“ bubble, where we use facts, evidence, and science to inform our opinions and actions.

Confirm my assumption when you say live, you mean when we're not posting on DL. Because facts, evidence and science... not so much really. .

r515 I'm thinking you're a troll and English is not your first language.

R507 is the epitome of whataboutism.

CNN's Shimon Prokupecz:

Appeals court in Washington overturned a ruling from a trial-level judge, and will dismiss the Democrats’ lawsuit alleging that Trump violated the emoluments clause of the Constitution by refusing to allow them to review and approve his financial interests.

^^The Circuit Court determined that the Democratic members of Congress lack standing to sue the President.

From what I'm understanding that ruling isn't that big of a deal - they actually don't have standing according to the law.

If Congress doesn't have standing to take action against a grifting President, who does?

Don Winslow @donwinslow -

I have multiple sources inside the Justice Department that tell me when Barr became Attorney General he shut down *six* separate investigations into Trump and Trump related companies and surrogates. I'm told Barr has also prevented *two new* investigations from moving forward.

R521, ask the Ukraine people what they did to their Trump.

Barr needs to be investigated if Dems win.

PLEASE...after his last turn as AG, the fucking republicans confirmed him again...knowing full well that he was corrupt and having witnessed what he did during Iran Contra by arranging pardons for all those fucking criminals.

Barr gets away with it.

Barr gets away with it.

R483 is quoting David Brooks? Without mocking him?!

Whose boot is Mitch fucking?

Whose boot is Mitch fucking?

NBC:

Vindman, who provided key impeachment testimony, 'escorted' from White House, attorney says

Mulvaney will be next.

R531, this upsets almost more than anything that’s happened during this impeachment process. A righteous, honest patriot, and this is how he’s treated. NEVER FORGET WHEN YOU VOTE IN NOVEMBER. I’m so angry I want to vomit.

I actually don't understand what McTurtle gets out of all of this. His wife is worth millions so what's his deal? Why does he care? Is it just about power?

r534 he's a sociopath.

And he wants to fuck up the courts with conservative judges for as long as he possibly can. I am sure I heard at that bizarre fest in the White House yesterday that he's gotten more than a hundred twenty maybe close to two hundred conservatives through. He is fucking this country for decades. As bad as Trump, possibly worse.

Nomimate Vindman for a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award -- Individuals at all levels of government—federal, state and local—are eligible for the award. An emphasis will be placed on contemporary acts of political courage.

Can't think of a more worthy honoree -- and it would really chap Trump's ass.

Mitch McConnell was discharged from the Army for sodomy.

Never Forget!

The Profile awards could really make some effective statements in the next while.

Thanks, r537. Done!

I know DL hates but when you think what he did and when you think what it will do to Trump... Mitt Romney meets the criteria...

ward Criteria

Ordinarily, the award will be made to living Americans who are or were elected officials. Individuals at all levels of government—federal, state and local—are eligible for the award. Emphasis will be placed on contemporary acts of political courage. On occasion, in rare and special circumstances, awards have been made to foreign officials.

R541, I actually agree. I don’t care for Romney at all, but that took guts.

Thanks r537, I did as well.

Lawrence: Prayer Breakfast Rant Shows Trump Doesn't Understand What Love Is | The Last Word | MSNBC

Thank you, r537! Brilliant idea!!!

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand Vindman’s lawyer tells me his twin brother Yevgeny has been fired from NSC, too, and was also escorted from the White House.

Not that it is unusual for someone to be escorted out of the building when it is not their decision to leave their job, but you know Trump wanted to make it as embarrassing as possible. He is nothing if not small and petty and vindictive.

This firing is a clear statement to all Republicans "see? Fuck with me and step out of line, you're toast." Sick.

I hope that whichever Dem is elected in November will bring the Vindman twins back to the White House. It’s the right thing to do — and it would piss off Cheatolini.

Can we get a go fund me going for the vindmans as an FU to Trump??

It's also a clear statement that they feel more and more emboldened to do whatever the fuck they want to.

We need the pee tape and audio of him saying the N word on the Apprentice set NOW!

All October surprises need to come out now.

NBC:

President Donald Trump said Friday that his impeachment should be invalidated, and he gave an ominous warning when asked how he'll pay back those responsible, saying, "You'll see."

[quote]He is nothing if not small and petty and vindictive.

I was gonna say that's all he is, but that's actually the best of what he is, when you think about it.

I saw "Birds of Prey" today and it's mentioned that Harley Quinn is a Bernie voter.

It's a seriously overstimulating film. A fight almost broke out in the theater where I saw it.

Vox :

“We’re losing our damn minds”: James Carville unloads on the Democratic Party

*

We have candidates on the debate stage talking about open borders and decriminalizing illegal immigration. They’re talking about doing away with nuclear energy and fracking. You’ve got Bernie Sanders talking about letting criminals and terrorists vote from jail cells. It doesn’t matter what you think about any of that, or if there are good arguments — talking about that is not how you win a national election. It’s not how you become a majoritarian party.

For f---’s sake, we’ve got Trump at Davos talking about cutting Medicare and no one in the party has the sense to plaster a picture of him up there sucking up to the global elites, talking about cutting taxes for them while he’s talking about cutting Medicare back home. Jesus, this is so obvious and so easy and I don’t see any of the candidates taking advantage of it.

The Republicans have destroyed their party and turned it into a personality cult, but if anyone thinks they can’t win, they’re out of their damn minds.

[quote]Anyone who thinks this was good for Trump needs to review the polling data on the following link...

Anyone who doesn't think impeachment was good for Trump needs to review the polling data at this link. You will see [bold]a steady increase in his approval rating[/bold] since the impeachment headed toward an acquittal. Just as I predicted.

The Hill:

Trump says he's going to continue hosting rallies if he wins next term

Of course, that's how a demagogue rules. And regarding Trump, he's a narcissist who needs to have big crowds worshipping him, so that's another reason.

Does anyone with a brain really think he's hosting these to "campaign for re-election?"

What the next Democratic President should do is award EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO TESTIFIED AGAINST TRUMP a Medal Of Freedom. Same with all the FBI agents Trump targeted...Stroyk, Page, etc

Figliuzzi Blasts Trump And Barr After President Calls FBI 'Scum' | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

CNN:

GOP Trump challenger ends bid and calls party a ‘cult’

Of course he's going to continue holding rallies. He never intends to leave.

The Republican controlled Senate gave Trump the green light to do whatever he wants. Barr is pursuing Trump's adversaries. Trump is treated as a monarch by his cult.

Of course he got a bump in the polls. The media plays everything out of his mouth, and the nasty, lying tweets, over and over. Then the cable bimbos and turds rationalize his behavior and quote sycophants such as priss-pot Lindsey. The corporate media will force a horserace which gives Trump an advantage in the electoral college.

MSNBC may be preferred, but they have had Jason Johnson, and a few anchors, bashing Pete Buttigieg to continually poison black voters again him. Jason must be a Bernie Bro. Shouldn't he be going after Trump instead of a primary candidate currently doing well?

Then there's the DNC Chair, Tom Perez. He needs to be going on CNN, MSNBC, etc. demanding that this fractionalizing efforts end. There's more to the DNC job than pandering to Jorge Ramos. A Terry McAuliffe or a John Dean needs to be running this show. James Carville is right.

NYT:

Trump Fires Gordon Sondland Hours After Dismissing Impeachment Witness Alexander Vindman

I hope Gordon writes a book.

Kimmel:

Trump Celebrates Almost Getting Kicked Out of the White House

Yeah, Trump is clearly unchecked now. Wonder what next week will bring?

[quote]Pelosi said she was "stunned" by Colonel Vindman's dismissal. "That's such a shame," she told reporters. "What a patriotic person. This goes too far."

I hope she's being facetious because I don't know why anyone would be surprised at this.

Trump uses the "escort out of the building" thing only for people he dislikes. It's been a trend with him.

As Drumpf often projects on to others what he himself does... let's hope that one day soon we see him, "escorted out of the building..."

In handcuffs.

Donald Trump Signals His Intention To Seek Revenge Against Perceived Enemies | Deadline | MSNBC

Is this legal?

Do you think they care, R574?

So we've entered the Night of the Long Knives stage of the proceedings?

AFAIK, Vindman was never elected to anything, which disqualifies him from the Profiles in Courage award. However, I'd be willing to nominate Romney. Who'd have thought he'd be the one Republican to grow a spine?

Dump is emboldened and going full-on fuhrer with the traitorous GOP senators and Billy "candy" Barr backing up. I can't help but wonder how far "Der Fuhr8" intends to go with his reprisals....

Well, I can't wait for him to turn on the Senatrice and McTurtle. You know it's only a matter of time.

Why would he, R579? They do everything he wants.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein: "This is as clear a case of retribution as I've seen during my 27 years in the Senate. Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and Ambassador Gordon Sondland should be celebrated for their courage to testify before Congress."

Joe Biden: "[Trump] should have been pinning a medal on Vindman and not Rush Limbaugh. I think we should all stand and give Colonel Vindman a show of how much we supported him. Stand up and clap for Vindman. Get up there! Who we are. That's who we are. We are not what Trump is."

Buttigieg: "This is not about Hunter Biden or VP Biden or any Biden. This is about an abuse of power by the president ... To be the kind of president, to be the kind of human being, who would seek to turn someone against his own son ... is an unbelievably dishonorable thing."

I'm seeing a lot of Dems speaking out about this but of course not a single Rethug.

He'll turn on them, just wait. If not for some petty grievance it'll be just for sport, since he'll be more and more confident he can get away with anything without consequence.

He already does.

Well, we're nearing the end of these threads. Not sure if you all want another thread to continue the discussion but I started one anyway. I transitioned it into a Treason watch thread that we can use to discuss all the new acts of treason that will no doubt occur as we watch in horror. I kept the number count since I didn't see a point in changing it.

Hope that works for everyone.

Link below to the new thread for when this one maxes out:

@ananavarro

Republican Senators, you chose to acquit a petty, vindictive, unstable, corrupt fake-leader. Please spare us your meaningless responses about how “troubled” or “disturbed” you are.

A man with shrapnel in his body just got escorted out like a common thief. You own this.

Link to new thread for when this one maxes out.

Closing

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