The Conversation -- August 14, 2025

Marie: Reality Chex still isn't working properly, and it's still not possible to comment. Squarespace admitted yesterday that they're not going to fix it. I had some personal business to take care of yesterday, but I should be able to start working on getting a new venue today. But I should think it will take a week or so to "get settled," and I'm not sure it's feasible. 

Tomorrow the Waskally Wabbit meets Elmer Fudd in Alaska (or as Elmer calls it, "Russia.") ~~~

~~~ Katie Rogers of the New York Times: Donald “Trump on Wednesday suggested that he was powerless to control President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ahead of a planned meeting on Friday in Alaska, saying he could not convince the Russians to stop killing Ukrainian civilians or hacking American court records. Mr. Trump did warn of 'severe consequences' if Mr. Putin did not agree to abandon his grueling invasion of Ukraine during their discussion, scheduled to be held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. But Mr. Trump was dismissive when asked to address matters of national security and the horrors of war, raising questions about whether he has the leverage or the will to convince Mr. Putin to end the invasion. Asked whether he could convince Mr. Putin to stop targeting civilians, Mr. Trump said that it was a discussion he had already had with Mr. Putin.... Some [analysts] view the [upcoming Alaska] meeting as a haphazardly planned get-together that risks damaging American interests and blunting the power of the presidency, if Mr. Trump returns to Washington empty-handed.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I'm far from an expert on diplomatic negotiations, but I can say that typically when leaders of great nations meet to "negotiate" an agreement, the nuts-and-bolts negotiators for both sides have previously agreed on the terms, and the only question is what color ties the principals will wear. ~~~ 

     ~~~ In this and other matters, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times is like a child possessed by magical thinking, one who believes all things are possible and even the cruelest and dimmest of characters may yet be persuaded to see the light. After describing a damning list of Trump's astounding blunders, Kristof settles on the story of an heroic Ukrainian woman and writes, “This extraordinary woman left me with a plea that I hope Trump will contemplate during his meeting with Putin. 'We are grateful to Americans,' she said. 'But we just ask, please don’t leave us halfway. Don’t leave us alone.'”

~~~ Europeans Try to Knock Some Sense into Trump. Victor Goury-Laffont of Politico: “... Donald Trump agreed with European leaders that Ukraine must be part of any discussions about territorial concessions to end the war with Russia, Emmanuel Macron said. The French president was speaking after an hour-long meeting between Trump, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders ahead of the U.S. president’s meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. 'Territorial questions that fall under Ukraine’s authority cannot be negotiated and will only be negotiated by the President of Ukraine,' Macron said, adding that Trump had 'expressed' the same.” A Washington Post story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: BTW, I've heard Donnie Dimento say twice that he's "going to Russia," not to Alaska. ~~~

~~~ From yesterday's New York Times liveblog: “President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and European leaders on Wednesday urged ... [Donald] Trump not to unilaterally strike a peace deal with Russia to end the war it began with a full-scale invasion more than three years ago. The video call came two days before Mr. Trump is set to meet President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Alaska. Speaking in Berlin, Mr. Zelensky and Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany said the leaders had agreed on a strategy for Friday’s meeting, and that Mr. Trump had agreed to prioritize security guarantees for Ukraine.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Also from the Narcissist News liveblog. Trump is to announce Kennedy Center honors this morning. “In his post on Tuesday hyping the new honorees, he wrote: 'GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS.' How much of a 'whoops' that actually was remains to be seen.” (Also linked yesterday.)  ~~~

     ~~~ Update. The Washington Post lists Trump's honorees. The Hill has the list here. (Also linked yesterday.) Also, Trump -- who has nothing better to do -- announces he will host the honors ceremony. On account of what he claims is popular demand. Right. ~~~

     ~~~ Shawn McCreesh & Katie Rogers of the New York Times: Donald “Trump affirmed his growing influence over the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Wednesday morning by announcing the new class of Kennedy Center honorees and revealing that he would host this year’s ceremony personally. Mr. Trump has taken a strong interest in the Kennedy Center’s affairs ever since naming himself chairman in February, when he purged its traditionally bipartisan board of Biden-era appointees and restocked it with loyalists. His news conference made clear that he is in complete control of the Kennedy Center Honors: He suggested he had approved the final list of honorees himself, saying he rejected several prospective names he called 'wokesters.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Here McCreesh provides a bit of the flavor of Trump's rambling speech & his pathetic penchant for nostalgia. Sam Stein & Sarah Longwell of the Bulwark are less kind. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I have come to enjoy some of these Bulwark "takes." This one on Laura Loomer's deposition in a case she brought against Bill Maher had me laughing out loud -- along with Stein, Tim Miller & Will Sommer. I had intended to link it the other day, but the post by Sommer, on which the podcast is based, is firewalled. (It's still kind of worth watching, not just for the giggles, but as a reminder of what an idiot Loomer is, an idiot who is influencing personnel decisions for the top people in our federal government. AND you'll never look upon an Arby's roast beef sammy (if indeed you ever have) in the same way again. We have the meats.

Here is a truly frightening essay by two observers who know how these things work: ~~~

⭐~~~ Steven Simon & Jonathan Stevenson in a New York Times op-ed: “By ordering 800 National Guard troops to Washington, on the pretext of an illusory crime wave..., [Donald] Trump has further dragged the U.S. military into domestic law enforcement, in a move credibly perceived as an ominous 'test case.'... Unfortunately, though we (and others) had hoped that the military would only respond to calls to action in American cities and states kicking and screaming, we no longer expect resistance from that institution. Once, perhaps, traditionalist officers might have leaned on protocol and refused to heed a lawless order, taking inspiration from the generals — Mark Milley and James Mattis — who resisted the uprooting of established military standards in the first Trump term. But today, general officers no longer seem to see themselves as guardians of the constitutional order. It now seems clear to us that the military will not rescue Americans from Mr. Trump’s misuse of the nation’s military capabilities.... Mr. Trump and his allies have incentivized loyalty over legality and professional competence in administering military promotions.... There are structural as well as ad hoc components to Mr. Trump’s mobilization.” The authors go into details about how Trump is going about his takeover of the military.

Bill Kristol in the Bulwark: “... Contemptible men occupy the highest offices in our land.... Last Friday, an American who believed the lies spread by [Robert F.] Kennedy [Jr.] and others ... fired some five hundred shots at the CDC complex [in Atlanta].... White killed a DeKalb County police officer who rushed to the scene, David Rose. After waiting eighteen hours, Kennedy tepidly condemned this attack on his department. On Monday, he paid a brief and perfunctory condolence visit to the CDC. He immediately followed this visit by giving an interview in which he chose once again to reiterate his view that 'the public health agencies have not been honest.'... [Donald] Trump has said not a word about this attack on federal public servants. Nor has he offered condolences or praise for Officer Rose. Rose was 33 years old. He was married with two children, and his wife is expecting their third child. He had served in Afghanistan as a Marine, and graduated from the [police] academy in March.... For their whole lives, Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have run away not merely from danger (recall Trump’s bone spurs) but from responsibility and accountability. They have gotten away with contemptible behavior. They occupy high public office after living sordid lives of wealth and privilege. They have paid no price for their irresponsibility and cowardice. The contrast with David Rose..., who lived far too short a life of courage and public service, is striking.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Alan Feuer of the New York Times: “A federal judge [-- Thomas Cullen of the Federal District Court in Baltimore --] signaled on Wednesday that he had doubts about an extraordinary lawsuit the Trump administration filed against the entire federal bench in Maryland, challenging a standing order intended to briefly slow down the government’s ability to deport undocumented immigrants.... It was clear from the outset of the hearing just how unusual the case was, which amounted to the administration’s latest attack on the judiciary. Because all 15 federal judges in Maryland were named as defendants, Judge Cullen, who normally sits in Roanoke, Va., was asked to ... preside over the matter. The judges themselves were excused from being in the courtroom.... Moreover, the judges managed to get Paul Clement, a former solicitor general who has argued more than 100 cases in front of the Supreme Court, to represent them. Out of the gate, Mr. Clement emphasized the bizarre nature of the government’s efforts.... In his arguments to Judge Cullen, Mr. Clement said the suit was a fundamental violation of the separation of powers laid out in the U.S. Constitution.”

Let us now revisit some of some brilliant deals some brilliant lawyers cut with il capo dei capi and one of his consiglieri. ~~~

~~~ Michael Schmidt & Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: “Two of the law firms that reached deals with ... [Donald] Trump this year to avoid punitive executive orders were connected in recent months with the Commerce Department about working on trade deals.... The firms, Kirkland & Ellis and Skadden Arps, were connected to the department by Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer, Boris Epshteyn, two of the people said. Mr. Epshteyn, who does not hold a government position, played a direct role in brokering the initial deals between Mr. Trump and the law firms, in which the firms agreed to do pro bono work on causes the president has championed, like helping veterans, military families and first responders.... After Mr. Epshteyn helped connect the firms with the government in recent months, Kirkland and Ellis went on to work on the trade deals the administration struck with Japan and South Korea, which were announced in July.... It is unclear if Skadden Arps has done work for the administration.”

Tony Romm of the New York Times: “The Trump administration’s top lawyers urged a federal court this week to uphold its sweeping global tariffs or risk 'financial ruin,' warning that the United States could slip into an economic depression if an adverse ruling forces the government to refund billions of dollars in duties. While experts broadly disputed that a losing verdict would trigger a calamity of that magnitude, many said the government’s extraordinary assertions underscored the risks looming over ... [Donald] Trump, who has widened the scope of his punishing trade war even while its legal basis remains unsettled. At the heart of the wrangling is a 1977 law that empowers the president to impose trade embargoes and sanctions in response to economic emergencies. The word tariff appears nowhere in that statute, but Mr. Trump has nonetheless invoked its powers as the basis for his withering levies, including the steep taxes he imposed on imports from more than 90 countries last Thursday.

“For Mr. Trump, the worst-case scenario would be a resounding defeat at the hands of the Supreme Court, which is likely to take up one of the pending cases.... The prospect [of losing] has spooked Mr. Trump, who took to social media last week to warn that it would be 'impossible to ever recover, or pay back, these massive sums of money' [the tariffs have garnered] if a court ruled against him, adding that a loss could trigger a 'GREAT DEPRESSION!'” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: So Trump is admitting that ordinary citizens, paying these regressive tariffs/taxes, are all that is holding back a Trump-induced national financial collapse. 

Eva Corlett of the Guardian: “A New Zealand woman who is being held at a US immigration centre with her six-year-old son after they were detained crossing the Canada-US border, is being wrongly 'treated like a criminal', according to her friend and advocate. Sarah Shaw, 33, a New Zealander who has lived in Washington state for just over three years, dropped her two eldest children to Vancouver airport on 24 July, so they could take a direct flight back to New Zealand for a holiday with their grandparents. When Shaw attempted to re-enter the US, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detained her and her youngest son, in what was a 'terrifying' ordeal, said Victoria Besancon, Shaw’s friend.... 'Sarah thought she was being kidnapped,' she said. 'They didn’t really explain anything to her at first, they just kind of quietly took her and her son and immediately put them in like an unmarked white van.'... Shaw is on what is known as a 'combo card' visa – an employment visa, which she obtained through her employment at a maximum security juvenile facility, and an I-360 visa, which can grant immigration status to domestic violence survivors. Shaw had recently received a letter confirming her visa renewal, not realising that the I-360 element of her visa was still pending approval.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Guardian: “California governor Gavin Newsom says the state will draw new electoral maps after Donald Trump 'missed'  a deadline on Tuesday night in an ongoing redistricting battle between Democratic and Republican states. 'DONALD “TACO” TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, “MISSED” THE DEADLINE!!!”, Newsom’s office wrote on social media. “CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE 'BEAUTIFUL MAPS,” THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!)'.” Thanks to Julie from Massachusetts for the link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ BUT. Hannah Knowles of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump’s push to redraw the congressional map has fueled a redistricting arms race, with blue and red states rushing to counter each other. But it’s an uneven fight. Republicans appear to hold the advantage in the nationwide scramble, according to strategists and nonpartisan analysts, with more opportunities to shift the lines in their favor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats have vowed to 'fight fire with fire' since the GOP moved to add five red seats in Texas, but they face many barriers. Republicans are eyeing ways to add a dozen or more red House districts across Texas, Florida, Missouri, Ohio and Indiana, despite some legal hurdles and reservations from local Republicans. Democrats are looking to retaliate with five more blue seats in California, and they are exploring other options, including in Maryland and Illinois. They control fewer states than Republicans, however, and they have already maximized their power in others. In some cases, they would have to work around independent commissions set up to prevent gerrymandering.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

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New York. Mara Gay of the New York Times: “The interest ... [President Obama] and those around him [have showed in New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani] is the clearest sign yet that Mr. Mamdani is likely to be embraced by the Democratic mainstream, whether the party’s leaders and donors like it or not. It comes at a time of dueling visions among voters, Democratic politicians and donors over the future of the party.... Mr. Obama governed as a liberal-centrist, and the party’s left flank has grown increasingly progressive since he left office.... Though it has been nearly two decades since Mr. Obama’s 2008 victory, the parallels between the two charismatic Democrats are unmistakable.... [David] Axelrod [-- who was Mr. Obama's chief campaign strategist and has been in touch with Mr. Mamdani --] said he found the reaction of much of New York’s political establishment dispiriting and outdated. “‘Scare the hell out of people and maybe we can get them to vote for our deficient politics,’” he said, describing the approach with brutal efficiency. 'That’s not a politics I want to be associated with. That’s not a politics I think prevails.'”