Impeachment Monday 2/3

[curbsideprophet]

I only caught part of what Schiff had to say but the part I heard was great.


Is anyone else listening to the senators?

Listening to Manchin and he says he is still undecided.

[mbcdefg]

President Donald Trump has repeatedly said all Americans should “stand proudly” during the national anthem, and publicly chastises those who don’t as disrespectful of the troops.

But during the national anthem at his own Super Bowl watch party Sunday night, a brief video posted to Instagram shows Trump greeting guests, adjusting his chair, and straightening his suit jacket as other attendees — including first lady Melania Trump (@ mention) — stand with their hands over their hearts. As “The Star Spangled Banner” crescendoes, Trump raises both of his hands in the air, and twirls them around as if conducting the music.

The video was included in an Instagram story by a real estate agent for a Russian-American firm who frequents Mar-a-Lago and other Trump properties and events.

www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article239913588.html

[mbcdefg]

President Trump’s re-election campaign escorted a Bloomberg News reporter from an event in Iowa, following a pledge no longer to approve credentials for the news organization.

Bloomberg reporter Jennifer Jacobs was walked out of the room ahead of a press conference in West Des Moines Monday. A campaign official said the move was in keeping with the campaign policy.

The Trump campaign announced in December that it would no longer approve credentials for Bloomberg News reporters after the company said it wouldn’t investigate Democratic presidential candidates while its owner, Mike Bloomberg, sought the party’s nomination. The organization said it would continue to investigate Mr. Trump and his administration.

Bloomberg News declined to comment.

www.wsj.com/livecoverage/2020-election-democratic-iowa-caucuses/card/1580772358

*****

I really wonder if this is going to happen in the future with reporters from publications who endorse Trump’s eventual opponent. Frightening.

[krystee]

I am dining alone in DC on my blissful solo day here before work meetings tomorrow, and the two middle-aged white men next to me are joking about how they’re liberal in public but really conservatives (one guy noted that his liberal wife believes he’s a liberal), and then they start talking about how Epstein wasn’t such a bad guy. OMG.

Impeachment related, they then say, “With the impeachment, I mean sure he did stuff that was wrong, but all politicians do things for their personal benefit.”

One then says, “I mean kids in detention centers doesn’t look good, but he is probably just doing something crazy temporarily so that when he proposes the long-term solution he really wants, it seems much more palatable and is accepted.”

They will rationalize anything. My delicious shrimp and grits are not worth the rage stroke.

Also, can you imagine finding out your “liberal” spouse was a Trump voter after he’d told you for years that he hated him?

[penguingrrl]

Feb 4, 2020 13:15:35 GMT -5 krystee said:

I am dining alone in DC on my blissful solo day here before work meetings tomorrow, and the two middle-aged white men next to me are joking about how they’re liberal in public but really conservatives (one guy noted that his liberal wife believes he’s a liberal), and then they start talking about how Epstein wasn’t such a bad guy. OMG.

Impeachment related, they then say, “With the impeachment, I mean sure he did stuff that was wrong, but all politicians do things for their personal benefit.”

One then says, “I mean kids in detention centers doesn’t look good, but he is probably just doing something crazy temporarily so that when he proposes the long-term solution he really wants, it seems much more palatable and is accepted.”

They will rationalize anything. My delicious shrimp and grits are not worth the rage stroke.

Also, can you imagine finding out your “liberal” spouse was a Trump voter after he’d told you for years that he hated him?

That level of deception would seriously be divorce-worthy for me. Not just because we clearly have different beliefs and values, but also because he was lying about having a moral compass.

[mbcdefg]

Feb 4, 2020 13:24:01 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Feb 4, 2020 13:15:35 GMT -5 krystee said:

I am dining alone in DC on my blissful solo day here before work meetings tomorrow, and the two middle-aged white men next to me are joking about how they’re liberal in public but really conservatives (one guy noted that his liberal wife believes he’s a liberal), and then they start talking about how Epstein wasn’t such a bad guy. OMG.

Impeachment related, they then say, “With the impeachment, I mean sure he did stuff that was wrong, but all politicians do things for their personal benefit.”

One then says, “I mean kids in detention centers doesn’t look good, but he is probably just doing something crazy temporarily so that when he proposes the long-term solution he really wants, it seems much more palatable and is accepted.”

They will rationalize anything. My delicious shrimp and grits are not worth the rage stroke.

Also, can you imagine finding out your “liberal” spouse was a Trump voter after he’d told you for years that he hated him?

That level of deception would seriously be divorce-worthy for me. Not just because we clearly have different beliefs and values, but also because he was lying about having a moral compass.

I’d be willing to bet that she knows, and she’s probably the same. Putting on the liberal show to look all woke and PC, then acting like assholes when there’s nobody around to impress or fool.

[penguingrrl]

Feb 4, 2020 13:34:59 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Feb 4, 2020 13:24:01 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

That level of deception would seriously be divorce-worthy for me. Not just because we clearly have different beliefs and values, but also because he was lying about having a moral compass.

I’d be willing to bet that she knows, and she’s probably the same. Putting on the liberal show to look all woke and PC, then acting like assholes when there’s nobody around to impress or fool.

Fair point. God, that's even worse than supporting it. Supporting it quietly and hiding behind what you know the right thing is.

[nessness]

Feb 4, 2020 13:15:35 GMT -5 krystee said:

I am dining alone in DC on my blissful solo day here before work meetings tomorrow, and the two middle-aged white men next to me are joking about how they’re liberal in public but really conservatives (one guy noted that his liberal wife believes he’s a liberal), and then they start talking about how Epstein wasn’t such a bad guy. OMG.

Impeachment related, they then say, “With the impeachment, I mean sure he did stuff that was wrong, but all politicians do things for their personal benefit.”

One then says, “I mean kids in detention centers doesn’t look good, but he is probably just doing something crazy temporarily so that when he proposes the long-term solution he really wants, it seems much more palatable and is accepted.”

They will rationalize anything. My delicious shrimp and grits are not worth the rage stroke.

Also, can you imagine finding out your “liberal” spouse was a Trump voter after he’d told you for years that he hated him?

I am fairly confident my stepdad is a closet Trump-supporter and just pretends to be a Democrat to avoid fighting with my mom over it. And she is getting ready to divorce him, though for reasons unrelated to politics (or maybe I should say, not directly related to politics. He has many of the stereotypical Trump-supporter personality traits, which is most of the reason why I think he's a closet-Trump supporter and a lot of the reason she's planning to divorce him).

[downtoearth]

Feb 4, 2020 15:04:25 GMT -5 nessness said:

Feb 4, 2020 13:15:35 GMT -5 krystee said:

I am dining alone in DC on my blissful solo day here before work meetings tomorrow, and the two middle-aged white men next to me are joking about how they’re liberal in public but really conservatives (one guy noted that his liberal wife believes he’s a liberal), and then they start talking about how Epstein wasn’t such a bad guy. OMG.

Impeachment related, they then say, “With the impeachment, I mean sure he did stuff that was wrong, but all politicians do things for their personal benefit.”

One then says, “I mean kids in detention centers doesn’t look good, but he is probably just doing something crazy temporarily so that when he proposes the long-term solution he really wants, it seems much more palatable and is accepted.”

They will rationalize anything. My delicious shrimp and grits are not worth the rage stroke.

Also, can you imagine finding out your “liberal” spouse was a Trump voter after he’d told you for years that he hated him?

I am fairly confident my stepdad is a closet Trump-supporter and just pretends to be a Democrat to avoid fighting with my mom over it. And she is getting ready to divorce him, though for reasons unrelated to politics (or maybe I should say, not directly related to politics. He has many of the stereotypical Trump-supporter personality traits, which is most of the reason why I think he's a closet-Trump supporter and a lot of the reason she's planning to divorce him).

I know that Pew had a study a year of so back that supported that women often get more liberal with age and men get more conservative... so I can see that a round of divorces with 50-60 year olds could come from growing apart like that and realizing political differences matter more than previously, huh? And although my XH was a democrat, we still had differences in our passion about politics and our views as to what was important. I feel that he often didn't want to talk about politics with me because he is of the mindset that you can't really do much about it anyway, so why bother trying to change the world. That "worldview" isn't really political, but it also probably is why he didn't take interest in my interests in politics. 

That being said, it's amazing that these partners would not discuss this difference with their wives and actively try to hide their conservative views and lie about their voting to their partners. I know marriage has compromise, but what a crappy world where you are passionate and like discussing politics with your partner and they actively lie to you about that?! I don't get that motivation at all. What do they gain aside from not being authentic or respectful of their partner? Are they just voting for lower taxes and know they are wrong in other ways, but don't want to be true to their own ideals or are they really ideologically Republicans and just actively lie/hurt their own loved ones? 

[downtoearth]

Feb 3, 2020 19:25:46 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

President Trump’s re-election campaign escorted a Bloomberg News reporter from an event in Iowa, following a pledge no longer to approve credentials for the news organization.

Bloomberg reporter Jennifer Jacobs was walked out of the room ahead of a press conference in West Des Moines Monday. A campaign official said the move was in keeping with the campaign policy.

The Trump campaign announced in December that it would no longer approve credentials for Bloomberg News reporters after the company said it wouldn’t investigate Democratic presidential candidates while its owner, Mike Bloomberg, sought the party’s nomination. The organization said it would continue to investigate Mr. Trump and his administration.

Bloomberg News declined to comment.

www.wsj.com/livecoverage/2020-election-democratic-iowa-caucuses/card/1580772358

*****

I really wonder if this is going to happen in the future with reporters from publications who endorse Trump’s eventual opponent. Frightening.

This is all very odd and interesting. So many hurdles to access to the president while he rage-tweets and rally-yells his messages. It's frightening.

[winecat]

I don't think I have enough wine to keep up with a SOTU thread. I definitely don't have enough to watch.

[carmenere]

Feb 4, 2020 16:40:20 GMT -5 winecat said:

I don't think I have enough wine to keep up with a SOTU thread. I definitely don't have enough to watch.

I’m boycotting. Care to join me?

[winecat]

Feb 4, 2020 20:50:25 GMT -5 carmenere said:

Feb 4, 2020 16:40:20 GMT -5 winecat said:

I don't think I have enough wine to keep up with a SOTU thread. I definitely don't have enough to watch.

I’m boycotting. Care to join me?

There's usually a thread and someone takes one for the team.  

[sakoro]

Feb 4, 2020 21:09:44 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

Feb 4, 2020 13:15:35 GMT -5 krystee said:

I am dining alone in DC on my blissful solo day here before work meetings tomorrow, and the two middle-aged white men next to me are joking about how they’re liberal in public but really conservatives (one guy noted that his liberal wife believes he’s a liberal), and then they start talking about how Epstein wasn’t such a bad guy. OMG.

Impeachment related, they then say, “With the impeachment, I mean sure he did stuff that was wrong, but all politicians do things for their personal benefit.”

One then says, “I mean kids in detention centers doesn’t look good, but he is probably just doing something crazy temporarily so that when he proposes the long-term solution he really wants, it seems much more palatable and is accepted.”

They will rationalize anything. My delicious shrimp and grits are not worth the rage stroke.

Also, can you imagine finding out your “liberal” spouse was a Trump voter after he’d told you for years that he hated him?

I feel like there’s a sizable contingent in the Bay Area like this. They know it’s not socially acceptable to be conservative so they fake it. Or maybe they even vote Dem and convince themselves they’re liberal, but they don’t really see why all the Trump stuff is a BFD.

My experience in the Bay Area is similar. There are plenty of people who are outraged by Trump/GOP but others who think he might have a point (but won’t say so out loud).
ETA: If you really want to know people’s beliefs bring up the subject of housing and homelessness. “You should have studied STEM if you want to live here” is not a progressive position (or a realistic understanding of how a society/ economy operates).

[curbsideprophet]

Called and left messages for both of my Senators this morning. Not that they will care. Has anyone in North Carolina gotten through to talk to a person recently?

[CrazyLucky]

Feb 5, 2020 8:01:09 GMT -5 curbsideprophet said:

Called and left messages for both of my Senators this morning. Not that they will care. Has anyone in North Carolina gotten through to talk to a person recently?

I haven't tried calling.  The responses I get from Tillis make me so angry.  I thought Burr at least might have a tiny bit of integrity since he says he's not running again, but no.

I'm scared of Dan Forest being the next governor.

[anodyne]

MSNBC reporting that Doug Jones will vote to convict

[kdubs923]

I just turned on the the individual senator speeches to listen while working.

Harris is talking right now and she's just SO good. I'm still so sad she's not still running for president.

[eclaires]

Doug Jones has integrity. I hope he holds onto his seat even if it’s a long shot.

[msmerymac]

Feb 5, 2020 11:18:59 GMT -5 eclaires said:

Doug Jones has integrity. I hope he holds onto his seat even if it’s a long shot.

He's a decent human being, that's for sure. And he has nothing to lose. It's not like voters in Alabama will vote for him over the Republican BECAUSE he voted to let Trump off the hook. 

[mbcdefg]

Even after Democrats began impeachment proceedings, Mr. Giuliani continued trying to collect information from Ukrainians who he argued would prove that Mr. Trump was justified in calling for Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and the ledger.

In December, Mr. Giuliani told an associate that he briefed Mr. Trump before traveling to Budapest and Kyiv to film interviews with former Ukrainian officials. As soon as Mr. Giuliani returned from the trip, Mr. Trump reportedly asked him what he had collected. “More than you can imagine,” he replied.

Mr. Giuliani has told his associates that he played the videos of his interviews for an appreciative Mr. Trump.

www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-ukraine-evidence.html

[smock]

Feb 5, 2020 13:43:18 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Even after Democrats began impeachment proceedings, Mr. Giuliani continued trying to collect information from Ukrainians who he argued would prove that Mr. Trump was justified in calling for Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and the ledger.

In December, Mr. Giuliani told an associate that he briefed Mr. Trump before traveling to Budapest and Kyiv to film interviews with former Ukrainian officials. As soon as Mr. Giuliani returned from the trip, Mr. Trump reportedly asked him what he had collected. “More than you can imagine,” he replied.

Mr. Giuliani has told his associates that he played the videos of his interviews for an appreciative Mr. Trump.

www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-ukraine-evidence.html

But, but . . . Susan Collins told me Trump learned his lesson!

[Velar Fricative]

Mittens is voting to convict:

www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/impeachment-vote.html

[tessalb]

Romney speaking now. Twitter tells me he will vote to convict.

[eclaires]

Feb 5, 2020 14:08:37 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Mittens is voting to convict:

www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/impeachment-vote.html

Wow.

I am legit impressed.

[tessalb]

Feb 5, 2020 14:10:52 GMT -5 eclaires said:

Feb 5, 2020 14:08:37 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Mittens is voting to convict:

www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/impeachment-vote.html

Wow.

I am legit impressed.

Me, too. He’s the first senator to ever vote to convict a president of their own party.

[heat40]

Romney. Wow. May this be what media shows over and over , so that it makes the other senators look like complete fools.

[Velar Fricative]

I mean, Troubled Susan Collins could have said she'd convict to without screwing up the GOP victory, but she's not so I will put aside my feelings about Romney for a brief moment and appreciate his decision.

[raangoli]

Who knew mittens had a spine?

[mbcdefg]

This vote from Romney makes it bipartisan, at least?