I previously criticized former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair Howard Dean for his view of unprotected speech under the first amendment. He is now taking a different tack than government censorship. He has announced that he will boycott MSNBC until it yields to his demand to stop airing President Donald Trump’s daily briefing. He is calling on other commentators to join his boycott. Dean has curiously not pledged to boycott the other networks, which are also carrying the briefings. The reason is simple: it is news. Moreover, the public in a pandemic has been watching the briefings even though some of us object to some of President Trump’s comments, particularly his attacks on political and media figures. Yet, Dean is only the latest liberal figure or group to try to censor the briefings to prevent public access.
Recently, the liberal group “Free Press” petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to curtail direct airing of the briefings or imposed disclaimers to protect the public from false information. The frivolous “emergency” filing was rejected by the FCC. Free Press co-CEO Jessica González seemed entirely oblivious to the assault on free speech and its implications for government censorship: “Today’s decision shows that when the Republican ideologues sitting in the majority at the FCC are asked to provide guidance and protect people against medical misinformation aired on broadcast outlets, they don’t take that request seriously.” It is free speech, not the request, that was taken seriously in this case.
Free Press is not alone. Many Trump critics have called for networks to stop airing the briefings even though many viewers want to watch them for the updates on key data. They insist that Trump is using the briefings for political purposes and spreading false information or evading responsibility. However, polls show that more Americans approve than disapprove of Trump’s handling of the crisis. Indeed, the country remains about where it was with Trump, though his favorable ratings have climbed. We remain effectively split down the middle along party lines (with independents generally more critical than supportive of Trump). In other words, those who did not want to hear from Trump before the outbreak do not want to hear from him now. Conversely, those who support him want to hear him on a daily basis.
The problem is that many in the public are equally leery of the media as a source for news. A recent poll showed the media being given the lowest levels of trust by the public. Indeed, only the media is given more negative than positive marks.
Nevertheless, Dean has threatened that he will not go on until MSNBC cuts off President Trump at the briefings:
“I just told MSNBC I wasn’t going on their shows as long as they were broadcasting trump’s [sic] press conference. I won’t make much difference if it’s just me but if 50 of you did it it would make a difference.”
Last week, CNN anchor Don Lemon seemed to suggest that the need to cut off Trump was that he is succeeding with the public:
“It is all a plot. It is all orchestrated. And if you can’t see it, I don’t know what you’re looking at. It’s obvious, it’s transparent to me. This has become — those press briefings have become his new ‘Apprentice.’ They’ve become his new rallies. And he treats the press and the media as if he’s talking to the people at his rallies. It’s the same thing. It’s no different except the audience isn’t there.”
Dean’s threat comes across as both pedantic and frankly a tad pathetic. Faced with a refusal of the networks not to air clearly newsworthy briefings (or the public to stop watching them), Dean leaves the impression of stomping out in an over-dramatized fit.
The media has done a good job in hitting Trump for false or misleading statements. I have been tweeting daily and have taken exception to both statements from Trump and from the media on different occasions. With the media at an all-time low in trust, the solution is not to force the public to rely more on its editorial judgment on what to sure with viewers. The fact is that there has been biased reporting as well as brilliant reporting. The public wants as much direct data and information as possible. I have watched every briefing and, while I have criticized some of Trump’s comments, they have consistently made news and offered new information.
Finally, if Dean was trying to make a point, he might not be quite so selective. It is like saying that he will protest fast food by refusing to eat only at Burger King. Dean is an able advocate for Democratic values and he should put aside this drama — and stop conditioning his commentary on networks denying access to viewers to these briefings during a pandemic.
To be clear alias earlier Paulie stated that OANN is “not a real news network”
I asked: “Tell us what makes OANN not real aside from you don’t agree with them.”
The headline April 7 th.”Joe Biden Suggests Travel Restrictions Useless During Pandemic Despite Dr. Fauci’s Recommendations”
Fauci was quoted: “One of the things we did right was very early cut off travel from China to the United States…”
Alias Paulie claimed shoddy journalism because he wanted a video and a library of evidence other than the quote.
How many people don’t know that this has been Biden’s opinion since the Ban was enacted and Fauci changed his mind later agreeing with Trump.
This guy Paulie is doing everything he can to run away hoping no one notices.
This was just one of the articles this guy Paulie used in failed attempts to push an untenable position. It seems he doesn’t read what he cites , doesn’t understand it or doesn’t know what journalism is.
Hey everyone look over here! Here I am not running away.
And you’re certainly confused aren’t you, Allan? Again, produce a quote from *Biden* where he actually says travel restrictions with China were worthless. I’m waiting for you to not run from that, it’s been a long wait. And the reason I posted the OANN article was to exhibit their shoddy journalism by not actually quoting Biden while alluding to him actually saying something he didn’t say.
Deflecting by bringing in Fauci is weak.
And this travel restriction is just an excuse the Trumpies make to deflect from Trump’s woefully weak pandemic response. It doesn’t mean anything because it didn’t stop Covid from getting into the States.
It’s rather sad seeing you trying to call attention to this issue to others on the blog because they don’t care. You’re making yourself look extremely foolish.
Better yet, have just a shred of empathy. Yes, the peak may be coming within days in NY, and there is a positive correlation between hospitalization rates declining and death rates going up…, but my god, it’s not a time to start with the Trump denials again. People are dying needlessly by the thousands. Have a bit of sensitivity to that. Stop being such a b hole.
“Again, produce a quote from *Biden* where he actually says travel restrictions with China were worthless.”
Where did anyone quote Biden using the word “worthless” in the article? A wordsearch doesn’t reveal that word being used in the article. It seems the accuracy you seek is not something you ever practice.
I’ll wait to give you a chance to redeam yourself by finding the word “worthless ” in the article. The use of the word “worthless” is what you are basing your opinion on. If it is not there I am sure you will make up another claim or run away.
“People are dying needlessly by the thousands.”
Thank goodness Trump instituted the Travel Bans and stopped airlines from certain places weeks earlier. Trump was way ahead of the curve and was even criticized by WHO for his Ban.
You’re right. The word you used was “useless”, not “worthless”.
Either way, no direct quote. You’re missing that point. Flagrantly. There is no direct quote at all in the article. That means something in quotation marks or on video from Biden. This is important in journalism. Whenever I’ve written for a newspaper or magazine, or even assignments I do for production companies, if you’re going to quote someone you use quotation marks. Basic journalism technique.
OANN skirts this by not quoting, just saying Biden said something is not enough. It’s a technique to get the gullible to believe a subject said something without actually using proper quotation journalistic principles. It’s why OANN doesn’t put out respectable work product for anyone but it’s base.
“You’re right. The word you used was “useless”, not “worthless”.”
Oh my, there you are being wrong again and quoting things that don’t exist. Even now correcting your lie you still don’t get things right. We are not discussing what I said “The word you used”. We are discussing why OANN should be kept out of the press briefings. Look at how many errors you have made to this point. Virtually every response has an error and an attempt to cover up your bias compounded by your ignorance.
With all that garbage we have to listen to you promoting yourself “Whenever I’ve written for a newspaper…” as if you have ‘expertise’ a word discussed a bit earlier. You do this type of self-promotion non-stop. You are a braggard that tries to use things you make up as evidence.
So far you haven’t proven that OANN has done anything different than the major newspapers such as the NYTimes and the Washington Post. OANN didn’t commit the dishonesty of those major left wing media sources, or rely on anonymous sources or make definititve statements that weren’t true. OANN said what appeared to be obvious to all the left wing media at the time. Now that the Chinese Travel Ban seems to have worked you and the left wing are desperate to change sides and tell everyone how you suddenly agree with the Travel Ban and more. Of course that is BS but that is what you are peddling.
No, we’re discussing what the article I posted from OANN said. You’re playing games trying to save face because it’s an example of why OANN is not allowed in the press room. Remember that? How this is all started before you lost your mind (again)?
“No, we’re discussing what the article I posted from OANN said.”
You didn’t post the article. You posted a citation to the article in order to prove “that OANN is “not a real news network” Previously I had brought up the fact that OANN was not at the press briefings.
I posted the headline from your citation and then you tried to prove the headline totally wrong or a lie (whatever you were trying to say with that thing in your head that substitutes for a brain.) While trying to prove your case you quoted from the article a word that was never even used. That is the accuracy you talk about. You make up words and put them in quotes pretending the quotes are real.
So far you haven’t proven that the article wasn’t substantially accurate.
Instead you run away by making statements that do not pertain and do not prove your case.
Now, go to the article and show what the article said that wasn’t true. You won’t as you will continue to dance and then eventually run away.
As predicted alias Paulie here and on several other recent responses has run away again. He couldn’t defend his position and instead of doing so he lied, used quotes that didn’t exist, went off topic, and never dealt with the question at hand. The article that alias Paulie suggests was a lie even tempered its headline using the word “Suggests” which makes alias Paulie even a bigger fool and one that doesn’t know what he is reading.
The question was what Biden said, but it is difficult to reproduce all the different ways Biden said essentially the same thing that caused OANN to say ”Joe Biden Suggests Travel Restrictions Useless During Pandemic …”
I will reproduce one of those statements by Biden that is difficult to reproduce because of slurring and temporary loss of focus.
“You know, we have right now a crisis with the a Coronavirus emanating from China In moments like this this is where the credibility of the president is most needed as he explains what we should and should not do. This is no time for Donald Trump’s record of hysteria xenophobia hysterical xenophobia to a and fear mongering to lead the way instead of science.”
The above is just one of Biden’s many statements and until recently his lack of concurrence over the Chinese Travel Ban.
Posted an OANN article to start off this whole freak show of a ‘discussion’. In other words: I posted toilet paper in order to make a point.
That aside, we know the game here Allan…, tide goes against you in a ‘discussion’ >> immediately accuse people of “running away” & ‘no you didn’t post anything to read’ and >> hey I don’t like talking about that point that I’m losing ground with so let’s talk about this other (fictional) point that is floating around on Fox in their talking points and accuse other person of avoiding the issue.
It’s your go to.
But rather than continuing those crazed discussions with you, and since no one on the internet ever has convinced someone to change positions and/or beliefs, I’m most curious why you believe the talking points you toss out on here? I have a theory in left vs. right discussions: what the left really doesn’t get about the right is that the left thinks it’s about correcting the facts about Trump and Trumpism to the right, they can’t understand why they believe Trump’s b.s. and that if they knew the facts they’d just be forced to change their mind about him…
Hell, I’ve even worked one degree of separation from the guy and seen how he rips people off all up close and personal…
But the best assessment I’ve seen about Trumpism comes from the comedian Jim Carrey ( think it’s from him anyway)…, he said we’ve reached the point where one third of the U.S. population would gladly kill one third of the population while the last third stood by and watched…
I think this explains a lot, everything from 2nd amendment arguments, to CV-19, to generalized MAGA beliefs. Trumpists want to kill leftists and minorities and women, at least on some level if not physically, and the center may stand around and watch.
Granted, the center is probably closer to fifty percent of the population and the right and left are closer to twenty five percent each…, but I think that’s where we stand…
The left can’t believe Trumpers believe the b.s….Trumpers are like it’s okay with me I basically just want you off the planet and I’ll go with whatever politician can make that a reality and the center is like cool let’s watch the battle and pick a winner on the other side.
The right is convinced if it comes down to civil war they and they’re weaponry will come out on top. Never mind they couldn’t even take a block of the Bronx (unless it’s decimated by CV-19 yay!!) and they know it. But a blog is where something like that could play out. Something like a fantasy role play gig. Cosplay all politics style.
Fascinating times.
Trump’s going to lose in November by the way and I think we all know it deep down. No one wants to really continue with his schtick, after all, THE APPRENTICE got cancelled after a run about this length of time.
It’s kind of like one of those parties where everything got really weird the night before and people have to wake up and look at each other in the eye and carry on with the new day while not acknowledging that, yes, my neighbor Bob actually swung from the chandelier while his wife got high openly with teenagers and they ran around throwing darts at the other guests…
So what say you, Allan?
Alias, Paulie’s method of debate relies on the theory of the Mouse that Roared. Declare war and lose. The only problem is in this case the loss doesn’t provide financial aid which is his ultimate goal in life based on his political theory. Instead the Paulie method provides a view into a pretty sad looking and ignorant person that is only able to pretend. That is why instead of providing debate, Alias Paulie continuously announces victory.
What a foolish person.
“Hell, I’ve even worked one degree of separation from the guy and seen how he rips people off all up close and personal…”
And once again Paulie provides us with another fantasy story of his life that provides him his expertise and n=1 anecdotes. He makes up these stories because everyone else in life is moving forward while he is standing still.
If you only knew, Allan.
“If you only knew, Allan.”
Next we will learn that the one who wrote the screenplay for the Mouse that Roared relied on alias Paulie’s ‘vast’ knowledge of history and US foreign policy.
I am expecting alias Paulie to drop off the blog because Biden wants him to silently run his campaign.
“Thank goodness Trump instituted the Travel Bans and stopped airlines from certain places weeks earlier. Trump was way ahead of the curve and was even criticized by WHO for his Ban.”
This is incoherent, Allan. No one criticized Trump for his limiting travel to the States from affected countries. No one. Not Biden. Not the WHO. Not Dems. Not Fauci. No one…
My guess is you’re confusing the criticism he got for his Muslim travel bans where he did receive much criticism for being racist and xenophobic. Rightfully so.
But there was no criticism around pandemic response travel limitations. The issue is a complete red herring anyway, it’s just a deflection to get people to not look at how badly the Trump administration mangled pandemic response in every other way.
Elvis J – Now you are lying as much as Natacha. Biden called his travel bans xenophobic as did other in the MSM and DNC
Hi PaulCS!
What are you doing up this time of the night???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky – rewatching Midsomer Murders.
“This is incoherent,”
What is incoherent? Trump instituted the Chinese Travel Ban and the WHO didn’t agree with that decision.
“No one criticized Trump for his limiting travel to the States from affected countries. No one. Not Biden. Not the WHO. Not Dems. Not Fauci. No one…”
Take note how you expand the discussion to all sorts of people when my supposedly incoherent statement only referred to the WHO. The incoherence you wrongfully see is actually your lack of critical reading skills. I wait for you to actually learn about the WHO and what they said so you can then state that you knew it all. You are a liar and a BS er.
“My guess is you’re confusing the criticism he got for his Muslim travel bans where he did receive much criticism for being racist and xenophobic. Rightfully so.”
Rightfully so then and rightfully so once again. Your fact checker provided you with that neat explanation but it doesn’t work. Trump was right on both accounts and the left was wrong on both accounts yet he received criticism from the left and the MSM for both.
“But there was no criticism around pandemic response travel limitations.”
I think even those people that want to believe that cr-p know it’s a lie having seen the media response.
You are incoherent.
You have were just proven wrong again. You can spell the word incoherent but you don’t know what it means. You have been incoherent as I pointed out to you. You have quoted things that didn’t exist. You have forgotten the difference between providing a citation and posting an article. You are ignorant and a coward.
Elvis J says:April 9, 2020 at 6:53 AM
“You are incoherent.”
+1000
Allan’s one of these people who loves the sound of his own voice. As for others? Not so much. Which is why Allan lives here.
Take note how don’t define your position. You seem to live here as well and it seems to bother you. You post under numerous names including anonymous.
I’m happy and satisfied. You aren’t.
‘Clueless’ is a word that describes Allan well, but he’s making a real difference in the world, one useless comment at a time.
(He needs some friends, but he’d have to hire them.)
And as doggedly as you stick to the fantasy the Trump administration was anything but way behind the curve in dealing with CV-19, just return to this:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/09/us/detroit-hospital-workers-sinai-grace-coronavirus/index.html
What is your point? Sinai-Grace wasn’t prepared like they were supposed to be? Detroit under Democratic administrations hasn’t done its job? The State of Michigan is inept? People can suddenly die from an infectious disease? What is your point?
Somethng not discussed on this blog very much is preparednessj by the states thorough to the local level. From some articles it appears that though the hospitals said they were prepared as they were supposed to be around 85% weren’t.
We touched on this once. In 2015 NYState found itself unprepared. They were short almost 16,000 ventilators according to NYState experts but Cuomo a Democrat refused to buy them. We all saw how Trump provided NY with those ventilators and to date NYState has had adequate ventilator capacity despite the agitated press conferences of the earlier Cuomo. Trump made sure to keep some ventilators in reserve for other states despite the fact that Cuomo wanted them all as if NYState citizens were more important than the rest of the country.
You make yourself look more foolish by the minute.
Refer back to the Atlantic article I posted to you about Trump’s lies re CV-19.
I did .and I copied their first claim of a lie and then demonstrated what you believed was totally wrong. Then you ran away
This was my first response. You tried but failed to handle it so you ran away.
—
At the time the Coronavirus first appeared no one knew much about it and everyone was making their predictions. Predictions for US deaths were between 500 and 2-3 million. That is a wide variance and definitely a wide error range. Let’s take #1 from the article.
When: Friday, February 7, and Wednesday, February 19
The claim: The coronavirus would weaken “when we get into April, in the warmer weather—that has a very negative effect on that, and that type of a virus.”
The truth: It’s too early to tell if the virus’s spread will be dampened by warmer conditions. Respiratory viruses can be seasonal, but the World Health Organization says that the new coronavirus “can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather.”
Today is April 8 and the onslaught of the virus has weakened. NYC, the hotspot, is seeing less admissions and less people on ventilators while ventilators are being released as not needed from several states. It appears the Presidents belief was correct, but you wouldn’t recognize fact from fiction because your brain only functions in the direction of hate Trump.
Let’s take one of the most important controversies where action had to be taken. Trump Jan 31 EO: The Chinese Travellers Ban opposed by Biden, Fauci, the MSM and all or almost all people from the left on this blog. Who was right? The President.
Take note how the first item on the list provided by your source that you obviously didn’t understand or read is now debunked.
It’s anything but debunked.
Almost 800 people died in NY yesterday. No matter where a virus may be on it’s trajectory that many deaths is staggering. One third or all CV-19 cases are in the States with many cities still a couple weeks off their peak trajectory.
Only in Allan land does this qualify as debunked. You’re a sad and bitter man.
Alias Paulie, you don’t even learn from post to post. I would think you would have picked up a few facts up in the interim but apparently that is above your paygrade.
The deaths we are seeing now come from earlier days. Some have been on ventilators for a long time. The key is the number of admissions to the hospital and the number of people placed on ventilators. Last I looked the numbers were down which indicate that we hit the peak. There may be other spikes but the overall numbers seem to be falling except for the expected deaths. If you listened to the Trump press briefings you would have known that since Trump and everyone else has explained this day after day.
Elvis:
“Almost 800 people died in NY yesterday. No matter where a virus may be on it’s trajectory that many deaths is staggering.”
******************
Staggering! Must be the result of your consumption. What’s staggering is that we’ll have more deaths from overdoses and suicides individually than the “deadly” virus this year not to mention cancer, influenza and lots of over things like traffic fatalities Perspective is something you really don’t value is it? Here’s something you do value since you are all over the place:
Left out gun deaths there, Mespo.
Point is, needless deaths helped along by an inept president. Never a good look.
Dare you to go work in a supermarket for a day. Or a nursing home. Or an ER.
Elvis:
Gun deaths won’t make it even if you include suicides (~40K total). Let’s shut the country down for all of them in sequence. It’s the “compassionate” thing to do. Liberals really do need counseling.
We’ve “discussed” this repeatedly, F piece Allan.
Indeed, it was highlighted in depth in the first statistics crunch I attached to you weeks ago. Your comments here show you’re just coming around to understand what it meant.
Yes, as the virus peaks hospitals have less admissions, the number of known cases goes up (at least in countries that didn’t fail so epically with diagnostic testing) and deaths rise because CV-19 is basically a 2-3 week run. Glad to see you’re finally catching on…
But it doesn’t excuse your sheer ignorance, arrogance and lack of empathy over seeing 800 people die from what was largely a preventable situation. Your tune would change in a heart beat were you to experience it yourself.
You’re a moron.
But don’t worry. That tennis ball is still down there in the concrete. Go get it.
“We’ve “discussed” this repeatedly, F piece Allan.”
Yes, and you have continuously been on the wrong end. Over and over I explained it to you and now suddenly you read a talking point saying what I said is correct and now you want to take credit for it. That is typical for you and people of your ilk that say one thing one day and do a complete about face the next. The blog is loaded with your stupidity on this subject. I’ve already repeated some of the posts to remind you.
You are making up a story about your number crunching much like all your other stories that provide you with the expertise of an Einstein…. Einstein Bagel that is.
You talk of empathy. Do you know what the word means? It means working together and putting your hate away so more lives can be saved but what do you care. As long as you can use dirty language like a street thug you feel good about yourself.
Elvis, for perspective, there are about 16,000 homicides in the US in a year, so that was 5% in one day.
Oh so the cutoff point is 40k — and 32k gun deaths don’t rank?
While you cherry pick your research why don’t you go find out how many people die in a normal day in NY and compare it to the 800 from yesterday, and nearly 800 the day before that.
And then go work in a nursing home for a day. Oh wait, since testing is so awful in the States, many Covid + deaths aren’t even known. Go out and work in it rather than sitting back, watching Fox and getting clueless.
Thanks, Book. Yeah, Mespo is sitting back playing divide and conquer and thinking he’s clever. It all falls down with just a bit of comparable statistic filtering.
DID YOU GUYS KNOW GLEN CAMPBELL WAS A STUDIO MUSICIAN?
HE PLAYED FOR ELVIS AND THE BEACH BOYS
this was actually on NPR which for a moment, seemed interesting for once
studio 1a they call it. that means once in a while it’s interesting
https://the1a.org/segments/the-sounds-of-america-wichita-lineman/
I did know, Kurtz. Glenn Cambell could shred. Played with that group of studio musicians, the wrecking crew they were called or something like that…
Wichita Lineman. Great song.
Today’s NYTImes headline:
“The number of people hospitalized in New York State has nearly leveled out, an indication that the curve is flattening even as deaths rise.”
This is from the paper you like and I dislike. Your problem is you only read talking points from the left.
Exactly what I just told you above. Have some sensitivity, man. 800 dead in a day is awful no matter where in the trajectory it occurs. And the only reason the curve is flattening is by social distancing.
I suppose you can keep on saying I don’t understand what I post to you — but it just proves you don’t. Which is kind of sad actually because it means you’re swimming in waters that must be really threatening because you don’t understand the currents…
Don’t worry, man. Just deal with bits of information a step at a time. it gets better. You can start to understand the essence of what’s behind the stats. They get a lot less intimidating at that point.
“Exactly what I just told you above.”
You lie, but that is OK. We are all used to it and no one expects you to change your ways.
Your best retort a couple of weeks ago was “Screw it. I’m done.” https://jonathanturley.org/2020/03/24/arizona-man-dies-after-using-fish-tank-cleaner-to-treat-covid-19/comment-page-1/#comment-1934667 You were done then and you are done now. It took so many posts to get you to realize you didn’t know what you were talking about on the travel ban either.
We can go back to another favorite of yours after you screw up on the ventilator and drug problems. “Now STFU.” https://jonathanturley.org/2020/03/24/arizona-man-dies-after-using-fish-tank-cleaner-to-treat-covid-19/comment-page-3/#comment-1934955
The only thing you seem to be good with is foul language, abusive behavior and changing aliases.
Kurtz: I dug that podcast. Quite awesome. I’m a Glenn fan.
Thanks for posting the King, Mespo. it’s always King o’ clock.
Elvis, Diaper Man routinely accuses commenters of ‘running away’ from him. He’s half right. Diaper Man is so relentlessly boring, one needs to get away!
Paint Chips, it has to do with facts and the problem is that AnonX2 lie and have very few significant facts. You don’t either but that is another case. In any event I don’t see you running away from me far enough that you exclude my name from your comments.
Understand as your Diaper Man I am the one that supplies you fresh diapers so if I stop you will stink even more and maybe people will completely run away from you. Fresh diapers are coming with complementary paint chips.
There are no words.
Allan, in the last 24 hours you’ve identified yourself as a diaper man and a dog staring into the concrete for a ball he thought disappeared into the center of the earth. All while boasting about your intelligence.
Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
The “Wuhan Flu Hoax” is the most extensive act of militaristic authoritarianism and the most prodigious scandal in global political history.
The communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats) induced a panic and mass hysteria to destroy the American economy and pave the way for the global conquest of communism.
China and the communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats) in America conspired to release the novel coronavirus as a last resort against the looming, historic, landslide victory of President Donald J. Trump.
_________________________________________________________________
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”
– Rahm Emanuel
_____________
“The end may justify the means as long as there is something that justifies the end.”
– Leon Trotsky
“Coronavirus in Louisiana: Hospitalized patients, people on ventilators decrease; see full data”
https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_24af4cc4-79b5-11ea-8779-635c0d71d500.html
Im not sure what to make of this one
At what point does America acknowledge that the communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats) are committing treason per the definition provided by the Constitution? The communists in America are not only traitors “…adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort…,” they ARE the enemy.
Everything the communists accept and promote, the entire American welfare state, is antithetical, anti-American and unconstitutional consisting of affirmative action, quotas, welfare, food stamps, rent control, social services, forced busing, minimum wage, utility subsidies, WIC, TANF, HAMP, HARP, TARP, Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Labor, Energy, Obamacare, Social Security, Social Security Disability, Social Security Supplemental Income, Medicare, Medicaid, “Fair Housing” laws, “Non-Discrimination” laws, etc.
The communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats) and their unconstitutional laws and programs ARE the enemy of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the American thesis and the American nation.
The communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats) are committing treason by adhering to, aiding and comforting the enemy because the communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats) are the enemy.
Just as America has been invaded by its enemy, China, through the release of a biological weapon, America has been undermined and subverted by its enemy, communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats) in America.
At some point, rational Americans must acknowledge the enemy among U.S.
Comrade Howard Dean IS the enemy.
So what does Joe Biden say about former staffer Tara Reade who accuses him of sexually assaulting her?
https://twitter.com/CathyYoung63/status/1248003984150925312?s=20
Is joe just ignoring this or– he can’t remember?
I want to hear his side of the story just to be fair. Everyone is presumed innocent!
Tara Reade says he shoved her up against the wall some years ago and reached up her dress and fingered her. That’s not rape strictly speaking just what some states call “criminal deviate sexual conduct” so I want to hear from Joe about this just to be fair. I know we are supposed to “believewomen” or so the Democrats have told us but I believe in the presumption of innocence.
I’m not going to let all these other weird stories of Joe Biden “sniffing hair” and hugging all over women who didn’t like it influence me, I ‘m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
her story:
“TARA:
Well, the story starts when I went to work for Joe Biden. That was in 1992. I was hired that fall, the year that Bill Clinton was inaugurated as our president. Before that I was out West and I had worked on a congressional race. Before I was working in politics, I was an actress and a model and I had studied classically and I really loved the arts and I come from a family of artists and activists and whatnot. And then I got interested in college in political science and I went and interned for Leon Panetta when he was a Congressman and worked on an animal rights issue that ended up being put into law and signed into law. So it was very exciting and it was a very successful experience.
And then when I applied for Joe Biden’s office, I had a phone interview and then they offered me an in-person interview. And so I went out to DC and I interviewed in person and when I was there, the scheduler interviewed me and Joe Biden happened to walk past. He saw me and she introduced me and we were in the inner, kind of alcove office. And he asked me my name. I told him and he said, “Oh, that’s a good Irish name.” And she offered to him, “Hey, she worked as an intern for Leon Panetta.” And he’s like, “Oh, he’s a good guy.” And then he looked back and smiled at me and said, “hire her.” And the scheduler looked at me and said, “I guess you’re hired.”
KATIE:
What was the position for?
TARA:
It was for a staff assistant position. So you know, pretty low on the totem pole, but you’re able to work through it. So, I supervised the intern program and made sure all the mail was distributed where it was supposed to be. I would go to a hearing and take notes. So it’s sorta like you just did what you had to do, all hands on deck sort of…
KATIE:
And you were how old at this point?
TARA:
Mid twenties.
KATIE:
And how long did you work for Biden in total?
TARA:
Nine months.
KATIE:
You would later come forward [about something that happened in 1993] after Lucy Flores came forward.
TARA:
I actually did come forward in 1993 but not to the press. But I went through protocol and complained.
KATIE:
What was your complaint about?
TARA:
Sexual harassment. I did not complain formally about the other piece of what happened that I’ll talk about in a few minutes. But I talked about what was witnessed, and the general atmosphere of the office, the way I was treated. Because I would see him at meetings and he would basically put his hands on me, put his hands on my shoulder, run his fingers on my neck… He was very handsy with a lot of people. But like I have said in the press before, it made me feel like an inanimate object. I didn’t feel like a person. He didn’t make conversation with me or talk with me or ask me anything relevant. It was just definitely that kind of vibe. So it was uncomfortable.
So it was really after that incident when I walked in and everyone was arguing. I [had been] called into the office and I was very nervous because I thought I did something wrong. Like I remember feeling almost sick to my stomach, nervous, like, you know, this was a big deal of getting called in rather than them just coming and talking to me. When I walked in, people’s voices were raised. They were arguing. There was a legislative assistant there, a senior aide. She worked on women’s issues, I believe among other issues. I know judiciary issues for sure. But anyway, she turned to me and she said, the Senator thinks that you’re pretty and that you have nice legs. And he wants you to serve drinks at this fundraising event. And you don’t have to do that, Tara, you don’t, you know, that’s not part of your job. And then the scheduler kind of interrupted her in the middle of what she was saying and then said whatever she said. I can’t remember everything that was exchanged, but basically everyone kind of looking at me and I just froze because I didn’t know what to say to anybody. And I was uncomfortable and I knew that no matter what I decided to do, I was gonna either make my immediate supervisor very unhappy or I was going to look bad in the eyes of the legislative assistant. She was sticking up for me, obviously, and didn’t think I should be objectified. So it was a strange position to be in. And I just left. I didn’t say anything actually. I called my mom and she was very adamant that I document it and file a report and she said, and her exact words were—and I remember because we got into like a little bit of an argument about it—she said, you just march in there and you tell them this is sexual harassment and you file a complaint. And I tried to explain to my mother that that wasn’t easy. You couldn’t just march into Ted Kaufman’s office, who was the chief of staff, and that there was a protocol, that there was a way to do that. And my mother said, you tend to be a little passive sometimes, you know, sometimes you stick up for yourself, but sometimes you let people take advantage of you, you need to stand up and you need to address this. So I already kind of had those feelings. I wanted to look at taking some actions. So I did a non-formal thing by just going to my supervisor. That’s when I was met with some of [my supervisor’s] attitude about the whole thing. Like why wasn’t I complimented, that people would be flattered to be liked by Joe Biden. And basically she was also admonishing me to keep my head down if I wanted to last. She said that a couple of times and she took me in the hallway a couple of times and kind of chewed me out a few times. Nothing was in writing.
But the time frame for me from this event [request to serve drinks and my taking it up with supervisors] to when I met him with the gym bag and the [assault] incident is compressed for me and I don’t know like how much time passed, but I do know a couple things happened between those two events. One that was significant was being told I had to dress differently and that I was too provocative and that was [said] by the assistant and by the scheduler. And they were finding fault with my work all the time, like every little thing. And it was almost to the point where three or four times a day there would be something, something, something wrong. And, my mother, I called my mom just one day in tears, you know, and she was like, you know, this is retaliation. They know that you want to file something. You’re already going through the motions. Because I, I had gone as far as to talk to Ted, to Dennis Toner who was the next person up after [Tara’s supervisor], and Dennis Toner then was below Ted Kaufman and there was just like this protocol you followed.
I eventually did talk to Ted Kaufman. Dennis really wasn’t even talking to me anymore. It was Dennis Toner that dealt with me up to this point. Working for Biden had been kind of tense…his public persona is very different than what he’s like at work. It’s more like working for a corporation. It’s very top down and it’s very tense and he doesn’t treat staff that well. In my opinion…that was my experience of it. And some other people that were complaining about it would leave abruptly. In fact, the position that I had—they were having trouble keeping a person in it. So I don’t know what that’s about, but that’s one of the things that they made clear at the interview, that people kept leaving. And that they wanted me to stay and asked if I had plans to stay. And I said yes, that I wanted to make a career on the Hill. And that I’d eventually like to run for office someday.
It was this beautiful time—this was before all the scandals, before the impeachment. This is when Bill Clinton first was president. I got to go to the inauguration. I got to go to the inaugural balls because I was working for Senator Biden. And it was this magical time in a sense. I walked the bridge of hope. I met Maya Angelou, which is one of the highlights of my life. And it was just amazing and wonderful. I was like a puppy, with enthusiasm. I was so happy to be there. I just went in with the attitude of doing everything I could to be a good employee. And I was very excited and honored to be there.
KATIE:
And so did you serve drinks at that event?
TARA:
I did not… It kind of just went away. I said no, and then when I said no, I sort of got attitude about it. And then, pushed back on another thing that had nothing to do with sexual harassment. I pushed back about the intern program because I was given a stack of resumes by Ted Kaufman, the chief of staff. And he directed me firmly to hire DuPont employees’ children only. And I pushed back and I said we need more diversity and I want to hire some women and I want to hire from other places, like [how] you hired me. And then after this whole conversation, I was like, how did I get hired? I’m not from Delaware. So he said 50 percent, he relented to 50 percent [of DuPont employees’ children]. It was still just strange. So I’d have these interns that were more diverse and working class and then I had these really privileged interns. So that kind of stuff was happening. There were regular work challenges happening.
KATIE:
So how much interaction did you have with Biden?
TARA:
I would see him, on and off quite a bit, but wouldn’t necessarily talk with him. He was always breezing out, breezing in with his people that would stay around him, usually the upper level staff, and they usually kind of kept right with him. But once in a while I would see him and he would just do that thing that guys do, you know, when they look you up and down and then smile and stuff. It just was obnoxious. I found myself getting more and more withdrawn and timid about speaking out because of the atmosphere. And because the scheduler was so closed down [when it came to] hearing about it. One of the things she said to me was, you know, the Senator likes you. You know, most women would really like that attention. She goes, you know, I don’t understand your attitude, like what is the problem? I definitely started feeling like I just didn’t really belong there. It definitely wasn’t a progressive office. I was told to just do what I was told.
And then it wasn’t long after that, that the scheduler called me in and said, I want you to take this to Joe. He wants you to bring it, hurry. And I said, okay. And it was a gym bag. She called it an athletic bag. She said he was down towards the Capitol and “he’ll meet you.” And so I went down and he was at first talking to someone, I could see him at a distance and then they went away. And then, we were in like the side area. And he just said, Hey, come here, Tara. And then I handed him the thing and he greeted me, he remembered my name. And it was the strangest thing. There was no like exchange really. He just had me up against the wall. I was wearing a shirt and a skirt but I wasn’t wearing stockings. It was kind of a hot day. And I was wearing heels and I remember my legs had been hurting from the marble of the Capitol, walking on it. So I remember that kind of stuff. I remember it was kind of an unusually warm day. And I remember he just had me up against the wall and the wall was cold. It happened all at once. The gym bag, I don’t know where it went. I handed it to him. It was gone and then his hands were on me and underneath my clothes. And then he went down my skirt, but then up inside it and he penetrated me with his fingers. And he was kissing me at the same time and he was saying something to me. He said several things, I can’t remember everything he said. I remember a couple of things. I remember him saying first before, like as he was doing it, “do you want to go somewhere else?” And then him saying to me when I pulled away, when he got finished doing what he was doing and I pulled back and he said, “come on man, I heard you liked me.” And it’s that phrase [that] stayed with me because I kept thinking what I might’ve said [to make him think that]. And I can’t remember exactly, if he said “I thought,” or “I heard,” but it’s like he implied I had done this.
And for me it was like everything, everything shattered in that moment. I looked up to him, he was like my father’s age. He was this champion of women’s rights in my eyes. And I couldn’t believe that was happening. It seemed surreal. And I just felt sick because when he pulled back, he looked annoyed and he looked angry and he said something else to me that I, I don’t want to say. And I must’ve looked shocked [by what he said]. And he grabbed me by the shoulders and he said, you’re okay. You’re fine. You’re okay, you’re fine. And then, he walked away and he went on with his day.
And what I remember next is being in the Russell building, like where the big windows are and the stairs by myself and I was shaking everywhere because it was cold all of a sudden. I was trying to grasp what had just happened and what I should do or what I should say. But I knew it was bad because he was so angry. Like when he left, I could feel, you know how when you know someone’s angry, they don’t necessarily say anything. Like he smiles when he’s angry and you can just feel it.
So then I went home and I called my mom because I didn’t know who else to call and she was wanting me to go make a police report, like right away. My mom was very adamant that I do that. And I said, no. And we had an argument about it. I said, Mom, you can’t do that. […]I tried to bring it up later to the scheduler and she just wouldn’t hear it. She shut me down before I could even get there and [she] said, I can’t believe you’re trying to bring things like this up. And she said, how can I bring this to Ted Kaufman? He’ll just think we’re all on our periods.
KATIE:
Wow. And she could tell you were talking about something more than the harassment or she was just saying that about the harassment?
TARA:
I can’t project onto like what that conversation was because I was starting to tell her… I didn’t tell her. I started to try to go there and she shut it down. Like I don’t want to hear this. Like that’s enough. Like, you know, kind of basically letting me know like if I didn’t like it I could just go. And so I would see Biden after that, he would just not look at me, he looked angry. You know, someone walks by and instead of greeting you and smiling like they normally do, they won’t look at you. He was pissed. So then the final interaction I had…it was a mandatory meeting where I had to be there and he came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and then put his thumb or finger, I don’t even know what, up and down my neck in the back and the back of my hair. And I remember I just froze because I didn’t know what that meant and it just was uncomfortable. And I again told my mom about it because it was just weird and mom said, that’s just power. He’s trying to dominate you.
KATIE:
So this was after the assault that happened.
TARA:
Yeah. Those are the last times I ever really interacted because they put me in a windowless office. I didn’t have the one with a window anymore. And I was cut off from staff. I was not supervising the interns anymore. Literally, my job was to show up and just look for another job. I wasn’t allowed to go to legislative hearings, nothing. So the chronology was that I was then looking for a job. And in June I was volunteering for the RFK Memorial, the 25th anniversary. I did the VIP tent and I was talking to a person in Kennedy’s office who was trying to help me backdoor, to get [Biden’s office] to stop what they were doing. And anyway, technically I think my Senate record goes until August, but I remember leaving before then. I didn’t have a job. I couldn’t get a job. Once word got around unofficially about my trying to file a complaint, filling out a form and stuff, it’s like no one, no one on the Hill…Usually when I would send out resumes, I would get responses right away.
KATIE:
I just want to make sure I’m clear on this. You considered reporting the harassment.
TARA:
I did try to complain about the harassment internally, but I was going through protocol. You go to your supervisor first, then to Dennis Toner, then to Ted Kaufman. I was following the protocol how you [were supposed to do] it, right? Yeah. But they didn’t do anything right. And then it got worse and then that [the assault] happens. So then I went outside and tried and there was like this office set up and I can’t remember if it was in the Rayburn office building…if it was in there…it seemed to me like it was in a congressional office building, not the Russell Senate. Longworth or Rayburn. And it was this little tiny office and you go up and there was literally a clipboard and I filled out a form and someone kind of was just out[side] the window, but it was weird and it wasn’t very confidential and it was just odd. So I filled out the form and I know it existed. They took it and then I don’t know what happened to it. I’ve tried to track that form down and I was told it was probably returned to Biden’s office. So it’s an archival material.
KATIE:
Okay. So, okay. So you, there’s sexual harassment that you witness and experience. You go through protocol, then nothing happens, then you have the incident in the alcove with Biden. You tell your mom, she encourages you to file a police report. You say, no, but I will do something external about the harassment, not the assault.
TARA:
Right. Yeah. And I thought about trying to talk about it. I did. I tried. I just couldn’t, I couldn’t even now, like I, it’s so hard. I mean, I, I’ve worked as an advocate for domestic violence cases and help[ed] kids…but it’s just, there was no framework back then and to be fully clear, my mom educated me after it happened that it was sexual assault. I felt, I felt like it was my fault, that I did bring it on…”
source “Current Affairs”
I want to zero in on the relevant accusations:
“And then it wasn’t long after that, that the scheduler called me in and said, I want you to take this to Joe. He wants you to bring it, hurry. And I said, okay. And it was a gym bag. She called it an athletic bag. She said he was down towards the Capitol and “he’ll meet you.” And so I went down and he was at first talking to someone, I could see him at a distance and then they went away. And then, we were in like the side area. And he just said, Hey, come here, Tara. And then I handed him the thing and he greeted me, he remembered my name. And it was the strangest thing. There was no like exchange really. He just had me up against the wall. I was wearing a shirt and a skirt but I wasn’t wearing stockings. It was kind of a hot day. And I was wearing heels and I remember my legs had been hurting from the marble of the Capitol, walking on it. So I remember that kind of stuff. I remember it was kind of an unusually warm day. And I remember he just had me up against the wall and the wall was cold. It happened all at once. The gym bag, I don’t know where it went. I handed it to him. It was gone and then his hands were on me and underneath my clothes. And then he went down my skirt, but then up inside it and he penetrated me with his fingers. And he was kissing me at the same time and he was saying something to me. He said several things, I can’t remember everything he said. I remember a couple of things. I remember him saying first before, like as he was doing it, “do you want to go somewhere else?” And then him saying to me when I pulled away, when he got finished doing what he was doing and I pulled back and he said, “come on man, I heard you liked me.” And it’s that phrase [that] stayed with me because I kept thinking what I might’ve said [to make him think that]. And I can’t remember exactly, if he said “I thought,” or “I heard,” but it’s like he implied I had done this.
And for me it was like everything, everything shattered in that moment. I looked up to him, he was like my father’s age. He was this champion of women’s rights in my eyes. And I couldn’t believe that was happening. It seemed surreal. And I just felt sick because when he pulled back, he looked annoyed and he looked angry and he said something else to me that I, I don’t want to say. And I must’ve looked shocked [by what he said]. And he grabbed me by the shoulders and he said, you’re okay. You’re fine. You’re okay, you’re fine. And then, he walked away and he went on with his day.”
I looked it up and apparently under the DC Penal code this is the following (force was shoving against the wall)
“§ 22–3002. First degree sexual abuse.
(a) A person shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, and in addition, may be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, if that person engages in or causes another person to engage in or submit to a sexual act in the following manner:
(1) By using force against that other person;
(2) By threatening or placing that other person in reasonable fear that any person will be subjected to death, bodily injury, or kidnapping;
(3) After rendering that other person unconscious; or
(4) After administering to that other person by force or threat of force, or without the knowledge or permission of that other person, a drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance that substantially impairs the ability of that other person to appraise or control his or her conduct.
(b) The court may impose a prison sentence in excess of 30 years only in accordance with § 22-3020 or § 24-403.01(b-2). For purposes of imprisonment following revocation of release authorized by § 24-403.01(b)(7), the offense defined by this section is a Class A felony.”
MAYBE PROFESSOR TURLEY CAN COMMENT ON THESE ALLEGATIONS?
IM NOT SURE WHAT THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IS. CAN JOE STILL FACE CHARGES?
JOE BIDEN HAS THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE AND THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT….AND HE IS DEFINITELY REMAINING SILENT!
Kurtz, are you and George the same commenter??
only in your imagination. answer the question seth
Could be – I’ve read the accusation – but there are no others stories remotely like this one and as recently as a couple of months ago she made the accusation, but it was like the others – he made her uncomfortable by running his finger up her neck. Is there an explainable dynamic for making a public accusation that is like the 8 others, but hardly criminal and open to interpretation, then a couple of months later it’s suddenly criminal and doesn’t fit the pattern? Could be true or she could be unhinged.
Book, for some peculiar reason, Kurtz wants to change the subject today. The Trumpers are having a hussy fit because Bernie failed to split the Democrats.
I don’t have a big beef with howard dean, I think the pressers are good, I don’t care if cnn covers them or not, cnn can cover whatever they like. in a way the other thread is kind of ho hum too. I don’t need to discuss black on white crime for the ten thousandth time in my life
so what do you think about Tara Reade? you didn’t answer so I guess that is your answer. you are playing a blackout do not reply strategy on her
Seth obviously saw like i did however that a lot of bernie supporters didn’t fail to notice it. well, that’s for you guys to figure out I guess… but the good news for you guys is that if the convention is cancelled I guess that cancels the bernie bros pitching a hissy fit too huh. silver lining?
Anytime you want to pitch in on Tara Reade seth just say so, I’ll probably be back to ask you again
Kurtz, regarding Paint Chips above though statements have been made that Bernie left the field for Biden the funny thing is he didn’t give up his delagates and didn’t stop the process of getting more. I don’t think Paint Chips understands politics.
While Paint Chips thinks supporters of Trump didn’t know what would happen to Bernie (happened before) I think it is timely to hear what Trump has to say:
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Bernie Sanders is OUT! Thank you to Elizabeth Warren. If not for her, Bernie would have won almost every state on Super Tuesday! This ended just like the Democrats & the DNC wanted, same as the Crooked Hillary fiasco. The Bernie people should come to the Republican Party, TRADE!
Diaper Man says “No woman should challenge Bernie”.
Paint Chips, why would I worry that a woman would challenge Bernie? Hillary did it and scr-wed him so one gets used to the challenges even when they stretch decency. Why would I be concerned over Warren challenging him?
Bernie followers can see what has happened to their champion and how he was pushed aside once again this time by a candidate who is showing mental signs of mental decline. They must be saying ‘our guy was pushed aside by a guy with the mental acuity of a rabit.’ Once again I think a lot of those supporters of Bernie will suffer disappointment and it will be for a second time. Trump is right. Bernie supporters should vote for Trump.
so seth do you think biden sexually assaulted his former staffer tara reade or not?
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/03/tara-reade-tells-her-story
it’s tough for the lady because there were no witnesses.
but, case law says that a jury can convict for sex crimes based solely on the word of the accuser.
i find it surprising this is not being much discussed. is this deliberate ignoring, or is there information which suggests that she is not credible?
I’m keeping an open mind about it for now
It’s really not such a surprise it isn’t being discussed, Kurtz. Whether true or not, this would’ve dominated headlines some years back. Just this one allegation would’ve been staggering. But Trump has just blown up that whole gear with his multiple allegations of harassment, the rape allegation in the department store, his paying Stormy to spank him with a rolled magazine before she banged him so he’d leave her alone, the pussy grabbing tape…
However screwed up it is, a solitary allegation isn’t enough to move the needle at all in Trump’s America.
Stormy said their acts were consensual. Tara Reade says not
Tara Reade was a Biden staffer.
there are other suits and so forth alleging bad acts by trump but they had their many many days in the press. tara reade is being ignored.
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/03/tara-reade-tells-her-story
ignored by the mass media and by seth
book made a reply and so have you. i havent seen paulie here but i kind of think maybe you are paulie, i dont know., but what about Natch? She said trump was a puxxy grabber so many times im not sure why but this lady claims Biden grabbed hers. shouldn’t Natch be interested in that too?
Yup. Paulie got censored from the blog.
“Yup. Paulie got censored from the blog.”
Such a surprise with such foul language and abusive behavior.
What is a Howard Dean and why would I care what it is?
I love CNN – “Our ethical concerns require us to cut away from the coronvirus task force briefing to bring you one of our anchors interviewing his brother the governor.”
The delicious, delicious irony.
““It is all a plot. It is all orchestrated. And if you can’t see it, I don’t know what you’re looking at. It’s obvious, it’s transparent to me. ” – No sane person, ever.
Howard is the Dean of the snake wrestlers associated chuckseilers in Texas
Howard Dean has a very valid point. Giving President Trump and his Coronavirus Task Force any daily briefing airtime on their network, completely undermines the other 22+ hours of progressive propaganda they are pumping out. I’ve tried watching these lefty networks and it’s not difficult to figure out where Natacha, Book, FishWings and Paint Chips and the rest of their ilk get their unhinged screeds.
OMG. The world quakes when Howard (Who is he?) Dean boycotts.
Avoid misinformation by not watching Trump’s press briefings. Remember, thousands of people in your state may die, because your governor didn’t compliment the President enough. Do not take any drugs that Trump promotes on Twitter or briefings. Trump is a former-reality TV star and failed casino owner who gets his news from conspiracy websites and once claimed global warming was a hoax created by the Chinese. It’s terrifying watching someone so mentally ill, making life and death decisions on our behalf.
Fishy, are you saying something? All I hear is “Orange Man Bad”!
FishWings – for someone who is supposedly mentally ill, he daily ripped the press corps a new one. It is fun to watch. Obama required reporters to submit questions in advance, Trump takes them on the fly. He still grounds them into the dirt when necessary.
they’re about 5 minutes of pep talk from trump, relevant information from other experts, and then a lot of questions and answers from the media. which although poorly delivered and snarky, and sometimes answered by trump in a not-nice way, do sometimes elicit more good info.
actually the press should be glad they have this kind of daily access at this difficult time as it gives them a chance to do their jobs which still are socially useful no matter how incompetently they have been done of late. i guess we all just need to “keep hope alive” that the lamestream media will somehow cut through their editorial bias, constant sabotage, and public mischief, to deliver the product that an educated citizenry needs.
Hey Jonathan If I wanted to hear Trumps lies I could always go to talk radio Fox News Channel or your blogsite You can’t believe all of the bulls. That you are wolfing You need to start behaving like a serious scholar not a complete f. Off
Zinoviv is going to show up here every day with one insulting irrelevant comment a day i guess
if you don’t like it then you can just say away perhaps? or is your life so boring
If you can’t act like an adult take your marbles and go home
Who watches that channel anyhow? Dean who?
Trump’s Approval During Pandemic Is 48%
Can It Hold Amid Depression?
Historically Presidents see significant spikes to their approval during periods of national trauma. Yet Trump’s current approval, according to Fivethirtyeight, is only 48%. That number leaves little room for erosion in the trying months to come.
In the not-so-distant future, millions of Americans will realize their jobs are gone for good. At that point we shall find ourselves in an economic ‘Depression’, as opposed to ‘Recession’. So one has to ask if Trump’s 48% approval can weather a Depression.
For 3 years Trump supporters have gushed about his ‘plain-speaking’ manner and how refreshing it is to see the president ‘hitting back’ at critics. The idea seems to be that we need a president intimidating ‘enemies’. And chief among those enemies is mainstream media, an institution loathed by Trump supporters.
So here we are, the most perilous global crisis since World War II, and Professor Turley tells us that Donald Trump’s approval is not much worse than the media’s. Turley neglects to tell us, however, that Trump’s relentless attacks on the media have resonated with his base. That accounts, to a large extent, the media’s current standing.
Therefore America is entering a Depression with a president hated by half the country and a media hated by the other half. This is not a good reality! It is, in fact, a horrible indictment of Donald Trump’s leadership. With the challenges we face, this country can scarcely afford the divisions we have.
As I noted, by the time this quarantine lifts, millions of Americans will have no job to return to. The new normal will be defaults, evictions and hunger. When that reality sets in, Donald Trump’s approval could melt by 20% or more. We shall see, in fact, how loyal Trump’s base really is.
“the most perilous global crisis since World War II”
More perilous than the Cuban Missile Crisis when we came within an inch of nuclear annihilation? Clearly not.
“We shall see, in fact, how loyal Trump’s base really is.”
You should be more concerned about your own candidate’s obvious deficiencies that’s causing independents to run for the hills. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect candidate to represent the hypocritical left.
Ivan, the Cuban Missile Crisis was over in a week. Whereas the Depression awaiting us could last several years. We’re in truly uncharted territory.
The Cuban Missile crisis was far more *perilous* than this virus. To say otherwise is to show yourself as the ignorant poster we all know you to be. The difference in threatened harm is off the scale.
During the missile crisis, Russian commanders on the ground in Cuba had tactical nukes ready to launch on their own say so. We did not know this. If an invasion of Cuba had occurred, as Kennedy’s military advisers wanted, then we would have had a nuclear exchange. More perilously, Russia had sent four diesel powered nuclear armed submarines to Cuba…these were stopped by the blockade, but the tense confrontation lead one of the commanders of one of those subs to order the launch of it’s nuclear tipped torpedo. His number two concurred and that would normally have been enough to have started WW3, but it so happened that the admiral of this fleet of subs was on board and he stopped the launch of the nuclear torpedo.
That’s a little more frightening than what amounts to a very bad flu.
Ivan, you’re the one who’s ignorant. Back in 1962, we still had significant nuke advantage over the Soviets. Krushev never seriously considered starting a nuclear war over Cuba. We didn’t know that then, of course.
But Krushev admitted it years latter. He actually thought Castro was an idiot for pressing nuclear war.
Peter – he is holding that while getting 95% negative press reporting.
Paul, Kurtz, I just read this NYT’s story regarding rent defaults:
The National Multifamily Housing Council, a trade group for big apartment owners and developers, compiled data tracking rent payments across some 13.4 million units nationwide. It showed that through the first five days of April, 31 percent of tenants had so far failed to pay their rent, compared with 18 percent in the same period a year ago.
Some tenants are simply moving out. College students are breaking leases to move home. Laid-off workers are showing up at rental offices to exchange their keys for their deposits, saying they are moving in with family members.
………………………………………
31% of rental tenants seem to be defaulting. Invariably Trump’s Approval Rating is going to default.
Seth, that is interesting. yes the crisis for tenants and landlords is acute. Perhaps it’s time to get people back to work. I have been fully on board with social distancing but the harm to the economy is massive.
the cause is a virus, not trump
I guess we’re gonna see about that
Hey Seth! What do you think of Tara Reade?
She is a former staffer of JOe Biden’s, accusing him of pushing her up against a wall and fingering her without consent
this allegation could be charged as:
“§ 22–3002. First degree sexual abuse.
(a) A person shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, and in addition, may be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, if that person engages in or causes another person to engage in or submit to a sexual act in the following manner:
(1) By using force against that other person;
(2) By threatening or placing that other person in reasonable fear that any person will be subjected to death, bodily injury, or kidnapping;
(3) After rendering that other person unconscious; or
(4) After administering to that other person by force or threat of force, or without the knowledge or permission of that other person, a drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance that substantially impairs the ability of that other person to appraise or control his or her conduct.
(b) The court may impose a prison sentence in excess of 30 years only in accordance with § 22-3020 or § 24-403.01(b-2). For purposes of imprisonment following revocation of release authorized by § 24-403.01(b)(7), the offense defined by this section is a Class A felony.
ISNT A FORMER STAFFER ACCUSING BIDEN OF SEXUAL ASSAULT NEWS?
IT’S BEEN OUT THERE A WEEK
i WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR FRIENDS HERE ABOUT THIS AND I WILL BE RAISING THE ISSUE A LOT, JUST OUT OF FAIRNESS TO JOE BIDEN WHO IS PRESUMED INNOCENT OF THESE CHARGES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
I feel like maybe you guys just havent heard of it!
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/03/tara-reade-tells-her-story
Mr Kurtz – it appears the scheduler was acting as a pimp for Biden.
Seth what about Tara Read who says biden her former boss shoved her against the wall, went up her skirt and fingered her….. and also this:
“TARA:
Yeah. The something he said that I didn’t want to say, and I didn’t want to say it because it’s the thing that stays in my head over and over, like it’s the thing that kind of stayed with me over the years. But he said, when he had me against the wall after he had done, after I pulled away and he had said, “Hey, c’mon, I heard you liked me?” And I knew he was angry right after [that because] he took his finger, he just pointed at me and he said, “You’re nothing to me.” And then he, he just looked at me and he goes, “You’re nothing, nothing.” And then I must have reacted. And I think he only said it twice… but I just heard the word nothing. And…and I must’ve reacted because that’s when he took me by the shoulders and he said, you know, you’re okay, you’re fine. You’re okay. But then afterwards, like it kept replaying in my head…last April when all that stuff came out, I got really, really sad about it. And the thing that I remember most, almost more than the assault itself was just being told I was nothing. And he was right. That’s how people treated me off the street. And I have no platform. I am no one. And to him I’m nothing.”
WAITING FOR YOUR REPLY SETH QUIT DODGING THE QUESTION
First of all, these aren’t “daily briefings” because Trump isn’t qualified to speak about COVID-19. These are merely substitute campaign speeches since he can’t hold campaign rallies. I’d like to know why equal time isn’t provided to the Democrats when he starts talking about what a good job he is doing, when he pivots to blame the WHO and various governors for this pandemic, and when he lies by saying no one could have predicted this, or that it is the states’ responsibility to marshal equipment and supplies to care for the sick. How about the whopper that America has done more tests than any other country? Comparatively speaking only 0.6% of Americans have been tested, which is way less than almost all other countries. Trump quotes raw numbers, which is intentionally misleading. Also, since the only persons qualified to speak about COVID-19 are physicians, why does this fat slob have to waddle out there and take center stage? Also, why does he co-opt the 6:00 local news slot? I know–free campaign publicity.
Secondly, he constantly lies, and when he gets caught lying, which he can’t deny or spin, he claims his job is to cheer us up. No doubt, this is from the fevered brain of Kellyanne: “I lied, but it’s because I love you and want to cheer you up”. No, Kellyanne, he lies because he’s a sociopath and narcissist. He thought he could save the economy, one of his big bragging points, but it has since gone to hell.
Third, he spars with journalists who quote him or dare to question something he has done, so it’s more about politics than briefing about this pandemic. If these were not substitute campaign speeches, he would behave like a POTUS should behave and tell the truth, which is something he is incapable of. Just yesterday, he denied knowing anything about Navarro’s January memo warning about this pandemic. I guess Kellyanne hadn’t come up with the cover lie for this one. He also keeps lying about how wonderful he is for closing the border to China, which is deceptive. There were so many exceptions, that it really made no discernible difference: for example Americans returning from China, those with visas, and so forth, so that about 400,000 people still came into the country after the “travel ban”.
Fourth, and very significantly, is his doubling down on pushing for hydroxychloroquine as a safe and effective treatment, when it hasn’t been tested for COVID-19, when he has stock holdings in the company that sells this drug, and most of all, when he claims that it is safe to try this drug. He actually said: “what do you have to lose”? Isn’t it illegal for a non-physician to make representations about the safety and efficacy of a prescription drug? Plaquenil, which is hydroxychloroquine. can cause heart arrhythmias, even in young people, and even in someone who doesn’t have underlying heart disease or whose heart muscle isn’t inflamed by the COVID-19. Heart arrhythmias can be fatal. It has never been tested for safety or efficacy for COVID-19, and there is a limited study showing no benefits whatsoever. So, why does he keep pushing this? It’s because of his pathological mental illness–he can never be wrong. He pushed this as a “game changer”, so it has to be a “game changer”. Never mind what the experts say. He simply pushes them aside, just like he did Dr. Fauci when a journalist asked him about whether he still felt it was appropriate to use hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19. Trump knew what he said would contradict him, so he muzzled him.
Turley: I really don’t like the fact that you have taken a cue from Fox News and post unflattering photos of people you are criticizing. Also, you left out the fact that Howard Dean is a physician. So, when he complains about networks airing Trump’s daily substitute vainglory rallies, he knows whereof he speaks.
And, this isn’t about curtailing free speech. No one is saying he can’t speak–just that networks shouldn’t feel compelled to air these sessions because these are nothing but substitute vainglory rallies. We have a lying narcissist who is using the occasion of a pandemic to get free publicity. Because of the extent of his lying and the dangerousness of his baseless prescription recommendations, and because he has no expertise, there is absolutely no reason for him to appear at all. But, his tender ego couldn’t stand it if Anthony Fauci became an American hero, so he’ll keep showing up, lying, and heaping praise on himself. Why should major networks feel compelled to air this pathetic dog and pony show? It’s about time someone stood up and took a stand against this abuse of the media.
Another thing: Trump still hasn’t captured 50% approval of the American people who were cheated out of their choice for POTUS. And…where’s Jared? Canned after only one day?
Natacha – still waiting on your BMI scores and then there are your GREs and LSATs. Trump owns stock in a mutual fund that owns stock in a company that manufactures this drug among so many others it wasn’t even listed last time for the major stock holders. The drug is also a generic. 29 M doses have been donated.
He keeps saying, if you would listen, that it needs to be prescribed by a physician. It may work, it may not work. But if you are dying, what the hell. It is very effective in NYC were a trial of 1500 people is being done. There is good anecdotal evidence from doctors.
Howard Dean is a Family Physician, an honored profession. However, it does not make him qualified to speak on this pandemic.
Trump has hit the magic 49% needed to get him re-elected. I have no idea what he did with Jared.
BTW, he is putting in 2 new CT of Appl JTs and 7 new IGs.
Did it ever occur to you how sad and small you appear when you demand someone’s BMI score instead of being capable of responding to the merits of points raised? It shows just how shallow and pathetic a person you really are, like the Dear Leader you worship.
Trump REFUSED to put his assets in a blind trust, like every other POTUS has done, and this is a fine example of why that should be required. Your argument that somehow Trump isn’t pushing hydroxychloroquine for financial reasons is baseless. He lied about this to try to downplay the risk, in order to prevent the stock market from going into free-fall, because one of his main bragging points was the economy, something else he has taken credit for that he didn’t create.
And, yes, a physician or NP or PA must prescribe the drug, but Trump is not qualified to promote a drug that is not approved nor tested for COVID-19. He does this because of his mental illness–he said it was a “game changer”, and he’s not going to back down because he can never admit he is wrong. Anecdotal statements are not “evidence”, and Fox News cherry-picks information it spews to back up the Dear Leader. I believe they could possibly be liable if someone dies of heart failure after taking hydroxychloroquine. The watered-down “maybe it won’t work” is way overshadowed by the enthusiastic claims that it is effective, followed up by anecdotal statements that lay people don’t understand mean nothing–certainly not proof of safety or effectiveness. It’s all for political, not medical reasons.
Howard Dean is far more qualified to speak about almost anything in the world because he is not a malignant narcissist who has spent his life lying about everything for purposes of self-aggrandizement. There’s no “magic” about Trump–most Americans: 1. did not vote for him; 2. have not approved of him, in historic numbers and for an historic period of time; 3. wanted him to be kicked out of office, and 4. will not vote for him. Keep dreaming, and stop harping about BMI.
natacha:
“Did it ever occur to you how sad ….”
*************************************
Do you ever read poetry? I suggest it. It’s value is in the economy of words conveying great impact and hence meaning. Wordy prose has the opposite effect and, as Churchill said, “by its very length, it assures the author that it will never be read.”
The rhythm of Natacha raining facts on your head is poetic unto itself, Mespo. Something more akin to forms originated in the South Pacific.
On the western front: suggested reading for you: the poetry of James Merrill.
Poetry, as we know, covers every thing from prose poetry to haiku.
Elvis J – Natacha rains half-truths. Part truth, mostly lie. I watch the President and I know she is lying.
That rain is urine she leaks out on the heads of her fellow citizens who dared to not take her advice and vote for Hillary in 2016. For this she will keep on passing water in our direction indefinitely.
Mr Kurtz – I will not allow her to p**s on my parade. 🙂
Extended that metaphor out pretty quickly, Kurtz. Hmmm….
I’ve asked you before and I’m asking you again: what have I lied about?
Natacha – I pointed it out to you. You would have to be blind to miss it. Still waiting on the BMI score.
No, you didn’t, so like your Dear Leader, you lie and try to belittle anyone who speaks truth to you.
Natacha – just back up a few thousand posts, it is there. You may have deleted it accidentally. Still waiting on that BMI score.
It’s a rhythm alright a post-menopausal replacement flow of infertile mental excess verbiage which should find its way into a sanitary napkin and then the garbage.
Unlike your response Kurtz, every issue Natasha raises is based on facts which you could at least try to counter instead of offering disgusting personal and sexist insults on. Karen writes similarly lengthy posts, and while she protests that I insult her personally – and she me – neither of us devolve into the sexist tripe you and Paul favor and I try to start with her top paragraph or 2 and respond on that. You’re not adding anything with these attacks, something I never expect of Paul but I do from you.
I know it’s just that she fills the comments with so much trolling I can’t bring myself to treat them seriously. I know an obnoxious harridan from about 3 seconds into a conversation and I don’t waste my life on them
now about a week ago i think she said a few things without all the excess insults and I was able to take them seriously. she can start by keeping it to about one paragraph and subtracting all the snark
otherwise it’s not a serious attempt at conversation, and I’m going to keep treating it that way
FIne, just cut the gross and sexist insults please. It reflects on you, not her.
btb – I have only asked for Natacha’s BMI since she was so focused on the President’s weight. Fair is fair. I gave her my Miller results and have not gotten her promised results from the GRE and LSAT. None of that is sexist. It is just tit for tat. Show me where the sexism is.
Paul, the president is a public figure and one who unlike any president in the past lowers himself and the office by calling other public figures insulting names and by especially insulting women for their physical appearance. Since they mostly won’t retaliate out of their sense of propriety, the hypocrisy of someone who has not exactly taken care of himself while mocking others deserves insults from someone – citizens. Natasha hasn’t either asked about your physical attributes, nor is it relevant to our discussions here. Until she does, why don’t you drop it?
btb – she asked for my grad school entry scores and I gave her mine. She has not responded with hers. I will be happy to trade her BMIs
vUnlike your response Kurtz, every issue Natasha raises is based on facts
Some of us have been skipping over her rants for three years, because they are altogether repetitive and continually allude to debunked rubbish. But who should we believe, you or our own eyes.
You can’t debunk it or you would.
You can’t debunk it or you would.
In a sense, you’re correct. Her rants remain nothing but bunk.
Elvis:
When it comes to raining facts, natacha is a desert.
Natacha – still waiting on those BMI scores.
Apparently you’re still waiting on social sense as well.
Elvis J – there is a method to my madness. 😉
I want the list of lies I told. Still waiting.
hmm, let me see, I have to go back and fish them out of that pile of verbal dung you heaped up on the page above… . hmm on second thought, not. feel free to believe you are correct in everything you poo’ed forth with customary glee
I want the list of lies I told.
The list is endless, assuming there is such a thing as objective truth. But as Kurtz pointed out yesterday; you keep moving the goalposts, so everything you post is your truth. However, by any objective standards, you’re a blatant liar and a hypocrite. Not that you or any of your ilk would rationally and reasonably admit it. So we’re at an impasse. It won’t change. No HCQ for you.
blah blah blah trump narcissist blah blah puxxy grabber blah blah Dear leader blah blah
A real fan of Trump, I suspect? 🙂
blah blah blah she says
When Howard Dean ran for President, he claimed he didn’t have a TV in his house because he wouldn’t allow it. Now he’s watching MSNBC?
Stephen Parkhurst – Maybe Dean watches MSNBC on his computer. I watch everything on YouTube.
No one cares what he says except Stalinist.
Yeah, Jack, all the Stalinists down at the bar dig him.
Trotskyites are into Amy Klobuchar.
I’m sorry, the next band my wayward brother plays out with absolutely has to call themselves STALINISTS DOWN AT THE BAR.
Awesome.
I think we will all miss Dean’s commentary in the same manner we now miss the sprig of parsley that used to decorate our meals at restaurants.
i do not watch msnbc or cnn because this gov. is on with a blaby mouth