In the movie A Bronx Tale, the character played by Robert De Niro tells his son that “the saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” Yesterday, the actor appears to have forgotten his own cinematic advice in a bizarre press conference organized by the Biden campaign in front of the Manhattan courthouse during the trial of former President Donald Trump. In a raving, disconnected press conference, De Niro predicted the end of democracy and then the world if Trump is not stopped in New York.
De Niro offered a rambling monologue and exposed the danger of an actor speaking without a script:
It’s a good time to reflect on how Americans fought and died so that we may enjoy the freedoms guaranteed to us by a democratic government, a government that as President Lincoln said of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from the earth.
Under Trump this kind of government will perish from the earth.
I don’t mean to scare you.
No, no, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you.
If Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss these freedoms goodbye that we all take for granted.
And elections, forget about it.
That’s over.
That’s done if he gets in, I can tell you right now, he will never leave, he will never leave.
You know that he will never leave.
De Niro has gone full Travis Bickle. However, now 80, it came across as De Niro screaming at the courthouse for Trump to get off his lawn.
The diatribe is consistent with the messaging of Democrats, including President Biden, that “democracy is on the ballot” and that this may be our last election. De Niro was not satisfied with that alarmist message and decided to take it to an apocalyptic level in predicting a global meltdown.
As I have previously written, it is a narrative that ignores our history and our values. To suggest that this may be our last democratic election is to suggest that both branches (and the population at large) would stand idly by as a president assumed tyrannical powers. That did not occur, even when this country was united by wars and national emergencies. With the nation now divided right down the middle, it is even less likely.
That is why the “democracy is on the ballot” claims border on defamation against our Constitution. We have the most successful and stable democratic system in history. The success of that system is not measured by those who would riot or challenge our values. It is measured by how the system responds. Our system works because it was not only written for times of relative unity and calm, it also was written for times like these.
What was particularly weird is that the Biden campaign succeeded in reinforcing the view of this case as lawfare, an effort to stop Trump at any cost.
That message was also reaffirmed by President Biden stating that he will hold a press conference on the verdict. After the third highest ranking official in the Biden Justice Department joined the prosecution to bring the case, the announcement only magnified the view of a case that is being used for political purposes.
De Niro walked away pursued by hecklers and proceeded to exchange profanities.
The question for the Biden campaign lingered as to what was achieved by the chaotic scene outside of the courthouse. I am a great fan of De Niro’s artistic work, a legacy of great movies that are now an indelible part of our culture. That is precisely why, as I watched from the Fox camera location near his presser, I was more sad than surprised by the spectacle. As another De Niro character said in the movie Stardust, “reputations, you know, a lifetime to build, seconds to destroy.”
Little Bobby D is dumber than he looks.
Ukraine blew up some fairies!
It never fails to amuse me how famous actors and ball players seem to think that they have a special ability and insight into political matters that stands above the rank and file citizen. If I wanted the opinion of someone who can catch a ball, I would ask my dog.
It is too bad. I liked him In Godfather.
The beauty of modern technology is the on off switch.
The biggest issue facing Americans is the reckless White House policies (or the lack thereof) that have caused lawlessness to flourish, the invasion of the southern border and the cost of living to skyrocket. The pain at the grocery store checkout will be a determining factor in the upcoming election. It is crushing working class families.
Deer Hunter.
E.M.
Well said.
Lending Tree conducted a survey recently.
78% of Americans now consider eating fast food a luxury.
“We are not a democracy and you should NEVER refer to us as a democracy because the communist has chosen that word carefully in his quest to have us ruled by the mob.
Never use the communist’s language because all communist language is chosen specifically to deceive.” @JesseKellyDC
Trump Parrots Turley Talking Point
Moments before the defense, prosecution and reporters scurried back into the courtroom Wednesday afternoon, a Trump fundraising email went out raising a dire possibility for the former president: “PATRIOT – I COULD BE IN JAIL TOMORROW!”
Trump posted more than 50 times to his social media on Wednesday about the trial being a sham.
“I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE CHARGES ARE IN THIS RIGGED CASE,” he added after exiting the courtroom midday.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/29/trump-trial-jury-deliberations-00160523
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Theoretically Trump could simply ask his lawyers what the charges are. And if his lawyers are unsure, they could ask Judge Merchan to have the court clerk read the charges again. However the charges were more than likely on the indictment papers that Trump’s lawyers should have kept for reference.
But followers of mainstream media have known all along that charges concern the falsification of business records. And that could be the problem here: ‘Neither Trump nor Turley follow mainstream media’.
Turley, in fact, gets most his news from Floyd Estovir’s puppets. Which explains why the professor is increasingly confused by events of the day. It’s what happens when you build an echo chamber. As time goes by, you’re hearing the echoes of echoes; unsure who’s echo you’re really hearing.
unsure who’s echo you’re really hearing.
Or maybe it’s the crystal meth you’re doing?
If there is one smart juror, that juror will hold out for a not guilty verdict, producing a hung jury. Then, Juan “the Con” Merchan will do what lawyers call an “Allen charge,” but taken to an extreme. “The Con” Merchan will call the jury back in and he will give them a speech telling them to go back into the juror room and reach a “unanimous” verdict on any of the purported crimes. But Merchan will also tell the jury that he finds there’s sufficient evidence to find Trump guilty of any or all three of the purported crimes, with the usual “proviso” that the jury has to reach its own opinion and conclusion. But if there’s a smart juror in that group of Trump-hating Libturds, the smart (and honest) juror will say not guilty regardless of the pressures put upon him or her. Then, that juror will become rich after Trump becomes President, thanks to book deals, movie deals, lecture circuits, etc. Sure, the Democrats will hate this juror, but when the juror accumulates $30 million within 2 years from the deals and career offers, that juror will care less.
Ben Shapiro said it best – “Raging Bullsh!t.”
All this for a professional actor
Why did Obama and the communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats, RINOs, AINOs) try Real President Donald J. Trump in New York City?
76% to 23%.
That’s why.
That’s how they expect and designed their corrupt New York City jury to vote.
____________________________________________________________________________________
“Overall in New York City, Biden received 2,321,759 votes, 76%, to Trump’s 691,682 votes, or 23%; a margin of 1,630,077.”
– Gotham Gazette
It could also be because Trump committed the alleged crimes there.
Yeah riiiiiight. Idiot.
You take being a moron very seriously, it sounds.
Let’s have a crack at redemption: articulate 1 of the alleged crimes. I’ll wait.
Not even the prosecutor knows what that crime is, however, as the case was rested without ever naming what the subsequent crime was supposed to be. The judge instructed jurors that they don’t have to agree on what the subsequent crime was.
I’ve never heard of anyone getting a felony conviction for an unstated crime.
@Karen,
The crimes have been articulated multiple times, they are spelled out in the indictment, by the grand jury, the judge in his instructions to the jury and by Trump’s own lawyers. Being willfully in denial does not remove the fact that the crimes are indeed spelled out. They are not hard to find.
George, (coplaying his mangina to play Biden’s Spokes Liar Cringe Jean-Pierre) tried this sophomoric lie
The crimes have been articulated multiple times, they are spelled out in the indictment
As everybody here including you knows, that’s just you blatantly Lyin’ Like A Proud Biden. If they had been spelled out in that police state fascist indictment that left you orgasmic, defense counsel wouldn’t have repeatedly asked the judge to have either the prosecutor or the judge himself articulate them. AND, the judge wouldn’t have given vague jury instructions about not having to agree on some unnamed crime – he would have listed the crimes you claim were articulated.
You missed your age George. A few generations earlier you could have gotten your sexual gratification from being one of Lavarentiy Beria’s henchmen prosecuting Joseph Stalin’s political enemies.
After all… Stalin had a perfect record at convicting his political enemies. Just the same as Obama and Biden have now managed a perfect record of prosecuting and convicting the opponents they’re terrified of most in their reelection bids.
George, the Soviet Democrat police state fascist and Banana Republic Amerikan. Could an Illegal Alien be any worse as an American as these evil police state fascists?
What will be the story when this Soviet style show trial gets thrown out for dozens of reasons on appeal – just as the 2012 conviction of Obama/Biden’s most feared opponent was thrown out, with Jack Smith being called out by name as “a threat to the separation of powers”?
That’s when you’ll post: “That’s why we police state fascist Soviet Democrats MUST stack the Supreme Court – our convictions thrown out on appeal like this is embarrassing”.
It is now very clear who wears the flags in the Alito household.
Police reports from their neighbors confirm that his wife started the confrontation. Apparently she yelled at them in the street, calling them fascists, and spat at them. NY Times obtained police records of calls made by neighbors asking for help in controlling Mrs. Alito in February, long after the flag was flown upside down.
No wonder Alito doesn’t want to retire. Imagine having to spend the entire day with a witch like his wife.
Why do you think W nominated him?
And bottom line: since nobody, certainly not Sammy, would dare cross her, this whole flag kerfluffle turns out to be garbage manufactured by desperate Dems.
@anonymous,
If professor Turley thinks judge merchan should recuse himself because his daughter works for a consulting firm associated with the Democratic Party then Justice Alito’s wife clear political bias and flag problem is enough to demand recusal. Even Republican legislators are concerned about the bad image of impropriety the evolving scandal is producing.
Trump’s Closing Argument: ‘Access Hollywood No Big Deal’
In Tuesday’s closing arguments of Trump’s hush money trial here, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told the jury that the revelation of the “Access Hollywood” tapes — Trump’s “grab ’em by the p—y” moment, which set off the fateful effort to buy Stormy Daniels’s silence — was not the earthshaking event we all remember it being for the 2016 Trump campaign. Rather, Blanche said, it was just one of those things “that happens all the time in campaigns”.
“The government wants you to believe that the release of that tape, from 2005, was so catastrophic to the campaign that it provided a motive, a motive for President Trump to do something criminal. But there is no evidence of that,” Blanche said. Rather, Trump’s lawyer maintained, “it was not a doomsday event,” and Trump “never thought that it was going to cause him to lose the campaign.”
Blanche was also suggesting that Trump’s own former White House assistant, Madeleine Westerhout, perjured herself in the trial when she testified about conversations at the Republican National Committee, where she then worked, about replacing Trump on the ticket.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/05/29/closing-arguments-trump-hush-money-trial-milbank/
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The Republican nominee was caught on tape saying he likes to grab women by the crotch. And Todd Blanche would have the jury believe it was just ‘one of those things that happens all the time in campaigns’.
By telling us, repeatedly, the prosecution has no case, Johnathan Turley has been making the same fantastical argument as Blanche: ‘Access Hollywood was no big deal and Trump had nothing to fear’
^^ Paid DNC troll. Ignore. ^^
What I have seen over the last few years is that DeNiro in real life has adopted the gangster thug image that he played so well in the movies.
Fits right in with the Democrat Party.
I hope if Trump wins he will assign a 50 special prosecutors to the various players in this court, DoJ, FBI, Hillary, DNC, etc and in traditional American style, drain them with legal bills until they are out on the street. Then just to be an ass, pardon them when they are penniless. They embarked on America 2.0, not Trump.
Great news in Texas. Children and their concerned parents win bigly.
Also, voter anti-establishment threw out a bunch of GOP who are anti-school school.
Greg Abbott
@GregAbbott_TX
The Texas legislature now has enough votes to pass School Choice.
Congratulations to all of tonight‘s winners.
Together, we will ensure the best future for our children.
https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1795641162629595565
Before these jurors deliberate whether the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Trump was guilty of a crime, they must first deliberate beyond a reasonable doubt whether the prosecution articulated a crime was actually committed.
It’s fun to see Turley become so wildly up in arms about DeNiro exercising his freedom of speech rights. Turley also presumably believes Trump’s Defense Secretary, Mark Esper, & Trump’s White House Communications Director, Alyssa Farah Griffin, went full Travis Bickle when they voiced their own personal observations about Trump.
Mark Esper: “Yes, I do regard him as a threat to democracy, democracy as we know it, our institutions, our political culture, all those things that make America great and have defined us as, you know, the oldest democracy on this planet.
Alyssa Farah Griffin: “Fundamentally, a second Trump term could mean the end of American democracy as we know it, and I don’t say that lightly.”
It’s fun to watch Turley blow a fuse when Americans exercise their freedom of speech rights.
Blow a fuse? In your fever dreams. Turley consistently defends everyone’s free speech rights. And he also criticizes people who use those rights to say whacked out things like Mr Unhinged Deniro did. Those two things are not incompatible. Think about it for a few minutes and you will see why, if you have a brain that is.
“Think about it for a few minutes and you will see why, if you have a brain that is.”
Well, since you asked so nicely, I really did think about it for a few minutes before offering verbatim quotes from Trump’s Defense Secretary & Communications Director about their experiences working day in & day out at the White House with Trump.
Glad to hear Turley defends Mark Esper & Alyssa Farah Griffin’s freedom of speech rights to unabashedly state that Trump is a threat to democracy.
And while Turley (and I) would gladly defend the speaker’s constitutional right to express those thoughts, they are nonetheless so ridiculous that they only show that the speaker has become detached from reality. As such they reflect poorly on the speaker, not on Trump.
Huh? It reflects poorly on speakers such as Trump’s Defense Secretary & Communications Director to express their honest opinions about their experiences with Trump?
Turley & you are clearly right DeNiro is using his constitutional right to express his partisan views about Trump. But let’s be honest. No other President in US history has had as many cabinet members & advisors call him unfit for office. Good luck trying to make the case that only reflects poorly on all of those speakers, not on Trump.
Just read the quotes themselves. They’re so over the top as to be laughable. They reflect only one thing: Trump derangement. Trump’s record of achievement speaks for itself. America was soooo much better off. These people are saying things that are patently absurd. Get a grip. Sheeeeesh!
“These people are saying things that are patently absurd. Get a grip. Sheeesh!”
It’s remarkable how much hatred you have for Trump’s Defense Secretary, Communications Director, Chief of Staff, John Kelly, National Security advisor, John Bolton, & other Trump White House staff, simply for being honest with the American public about Trump. Trump’s Homeland Security adviser, Tom Bossert said “The President undermined American democracy baselessly for months. As a result, he’s culpable for this siege, and an utter disgrace.”
Trump’s own Vice President Pence refuses to endorse Trump & said “Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years.”
Definitely the first time in US history that someone says a President’s own Cabinet members & advisors suffer from some form of derangement. Yep, downright laughable!
Trump Promises Mass Round-Ups!
Now, with immigration a top issue for voters in November, Donald Trump says, if elected again, he’s determined to carry out his threat: to round up and deport millions of migrants living in the U.S. without legal permission.
To do so, the former president said he would use local law enforcement and the National Guard to find such migrants living across the U.S. He also hasn’t ruled out building detention camps on U.S. soil or activating the military as part of the effort.
There are about 11 million unauthorized migrants living in the U.S., according to the most recent estimates from the Department of Homeland Security. The overwhelming majority of the population (79%) have been in the country since before 2010.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/closer-donald-trumps-2024-vow-deport-millions-migrants/story?id=110469177
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When a presidential nominee promises mass round-ups, we should take him seriously!
However logical these round-ups might sound to Trump supporters, the business establishment and White middle class would learn very quickly that ‘everyone’ will be effected.
Several industries could face severe labor shortages including hospitality, food processing, construction and agricultural.
Yet these 11 million also perform grunt jobs in hospitals and nursing homes. Plus they serve as nannies to working mothers and caretakers to the elderly.
Such a round-up would require politically vetted soldiers who believe in the mission. That could lead to a political military branch uncomfortably like Nazi Germany’s S.S.
if Trump promises to round up trolls like you I will vote for him as many times as it takes.
^^ Scare mongering by paid DNC troll ^^
Where do you get 11M? There were reported 24M under Obama and Biden just let in another 10M. I believe that makes it more likely 40M, the recent Federal % of foreign people make up was reported at 16%, 16% of 350M is …..56M. That’s alot of assistance checks, health care and school lunches for citizens to pay for! Round em up and head them out. Vett them and see who offers a benefit to our Nation, expel the rest.
And, of course, the immigration law of the Founders, the Naturalization Act of 1802, was never licitly or constitutionally abrogated, and, like much of American law that was illegally extirpated by “Crazy Abe” Lincoln, that law is still in full force and effect.
______________________________________________________________________________
The Naturalization Acts of 1790, 1795, 1798, and 1802 (four iterations for clarity)
United States Congress, “An act to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization,” March 26, 1790
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That any Alien being a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen thereof….
I come back from a several-hour break and all I see 100,000 comments from George. What a dipstick. And what a pr!ck to ruin the entire site for everyone else.
Turley often prescribes a solution for this. It’s more speech. Not less. It brings out robust discussion. Instead of hurling insults and personal attacks maybe better speech is needed. There’s always the option of ignoring comments.
You’re a psychotic, attention seeking, broken, no moral compass, unfulfilled, lonely, pitiful troll.
Indeed, more speech is the answer so as to educate others about φυcκ ups like you.
When 90% of comments are shrill left-wing flames from one psychotic, obsessive-compulsive commenter (George), it definitely ruins the whole comment section for everyone else. The fact I even had to explain that to you shows how self-unaware you are.
So viewpoint diversity is not welcome? The griping seems doesn’t seem to be about me. It’s likely the fact that there is a countervailing opinion that upsets some here. That’s just part of normal discourse. I have noticed that other commenters have posted just as much as I have, sometimes very long winded posts. I get that some people are upset or tense about the prospect that Trump may be found guilty soon. Maybe not. When emotions are frazzled and on edge it’s understandable there would be some acrimony towards an opposing view.
If you truly think the issue with your obsessive commenting is “viewpoint diversity,” then you’re not only ideologically extreme but stupid as well. OTOH, I doubt that’s what you really think. Instead, I think you’re being disingenuous. You know that’s not the issue and are trying to make yourself look good. Newsflash: it won’t work.
More speech, New George, means Trump is not gagged, diverse viewpoints aren’t censored, etc. Good people want free speech and will put up with Moron Speech to have such diversity. Moron Speech on this blog is annoying because there is no intellect on the left, but it is better than no speech which is all the left has to offer.
New George = Moron Speech
@S. Meyer,
You’re not making any sense.
Moron Speech is what you practice New George. I note the many responses you walked away from after demonstrating your stupidity. I provided an example, your claim that the record falsified was in the form of a check. You can’t explain yourself but continue on with your Moron Speech.
@S. Meyer,
I have provided multiple examples and links to your requests. I even encouraged you to find out for yourself. But it is apparent that you just ignore whatever I provide and engage in constant circular arguments and insults. The best option to is to ignore you and leave you to your struggle to make sense.
@Moron Speech, AKA New George
When not providing empty words you consistently make dumb comments not based on fact. You neglect all opposing arguments where proof of your lies are demonstrated.
The latest example is your claim that the record falsified was in the form of a check. You left that and other things hanging demonstrating you spew nothing but BS.
S. Meyer,
Well said.
I generally just scroll past.
This morning, I have scrolled past most of the anonymorons, the stupid George, and read the good comments, like yours.
A guilty verdict is perhaps the worst thing that could happen to judge Marchan just now.
The malodorous stench of his judicial conduct will linger for months, maybe years.
He has bared his behind to Lady Justice and let go. He will be happy until he realizes he will never be able to pull his pants up again. I can envision a statue of him.
Meanwhile, between him and the other NY judicial loons I suspect the state has lost its reputation as a safe place for business. As with the federal government one has to wonder who is really in charge?
Jury reconvenes tomorrow to continue deliberations. Bummer.
Colombian, Banana-Republic and Savage, Jungle Justice on orders from Chief Obongo.
Trump is definitely not napping now. It seems there is a nervous energy in the court room from the defense side.
Looks like they might come to a decision today. Oh the suspense!