The Conversation -- October 30, 2023

Trump Gags on Gag Order. Rachel Weiner & Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post: "On Thursday, former attorney general William P. Barr made some less-than-flattering comments about Donald Trump. Twice over the weekend, the former president snarled back -- first insulting Barr's appearance in a campaign speech, then calling Barr 'gutless' and 'weak on social media. But one of those comments came just after a court order barring Trump from going after witnesses -- such as Barr -- who could testify at trial about his attempts to undo the 2020 election results. Minutes before the Truth Social post, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan had reimposed a gag order barring Trump from comments that 'target ... any reasonably foreseeable witness' in the federal case in D.C. charging him with illegal interference in the 2020 election. When he posted about Barr, Trump had not yet been told by his attorneys that the gag order was in effect and was not intending to violate it, according to a campaign aide. A few minutes after the Barr insult, Trump wrote that he had just learned the gag order was reinstated...." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If what I heard on MSNBC is true (and I'm not sure of the source but I think it was an expert lawyer), the Trump is still in trouble: although he may or may not have known Judge Chutkan's gag order was back in force when he wrote his twoot,* he has not taken it down.

     * Twoot: A "truth," as Trump calls his tweets, uttered by a bratty child from a Long Island borough with a tendency to rhotacization; thus, "tr" sounds like "tw" & "th" sounds like "t."

No Country for Old Men. Michael Bender & Michael Gold of the New York Times: "On Sunday in Sioux City, Iowa, [Donald] Trump wrongly thanked supporters of Sioux Falls, a South Dakota town about 75 miles away, correcting himself only after being pulled aside onstage and informed of the error. It was strikingly similar to a fictional scene that Mr. Trump acted out earlier this month, pretending to be [President] Biden mistaking Iowa for Idaho and needing an aide to straighten him out.... As the 2024 race for the White House heats up, Mr. Trump's increased verbal blunders threaten to undermine one of Republicans' most potent avenues of attack, and the entire point of his onstage pantomime: the argument that Mr. Biden is too old to be president."

Texas. Patrick Svitek of the Texas Tribune: Texas state "Attorney General Ken Paxton's long-delayed trial on securities fraud charges has been set for April 15. State District Judge Andrea Beall scheduled the trial during a hearing Monday morning in Houston.... Paxton was indicted on the charges over eight years ago, months into his first term as the state's top law enforcement official. The charges stem from accusations that in 2011 he tried to solicit investors in a McKinney technology company without disclosing that it was paying him to promote its stock. Paxton has pleaded not guilty."

Virginia. Laura Vozzella of the Washington Post: "Gov. Glenn Youngkin's elections team has admitted in the run-up to pivotal General Assembly elections that it removed nearly 3,400 qualified voters from the state's rolls, far higher than the administration's previous estimate of 270. Elections officials under Youngkin (R) acknowledged what it called the mistaken removal of about 3,400 voters in a news release Friday -- five weeks after early voting began for Nov. 7 General Assembly elections.... The news release claimed that local registrars had already reinstated all but 'approximately 100' of the voters, all of whom had been convicted of felonies, had their voting rights restored and then went on to violate the terms of their probation. The state's computer software had erroneously counted the probation violations as new felonies that disqualified them from voting, administration officials have said.... Democrats say the administration's shifting accounts [of the purge] cast doubt on the intentions and competence of Youngkin, who won the governorship two years ago promising to bring 'election integrity' and business-world management savvy to state government."

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"Lord of the Flies." Ben Jacobs of Vox: "After more than three weeks without a speaker, the elevation of the previously obscure Mike Johnson of Louisiana to lead the House was a signal that finally the chamber could get back to governing. In the next day, members forced votes next week on two resolutions of censure and one of expulsion. In other words, things aren’t getting less weird anytime soon. But they won't be returning to the status quo under former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, either. There will now be a new normal as Congress has to deal with pressing issues. The government will shut down at midnight on November 18, Israel and Hamas are at war after the horrific attack Hamas launched on October 7, much of Ukraine is still occupied by Russia, and lawmakers are grappling with how to address the near-record numbers of undocumented immigrants entering the country. The House will face this new normal with a weak speaker in a scenario that one veteran Republican insider compared to 'Lord of the Flies' after the defenestration spree of the past three weeks...."

Sam Fossum & Manu Raju of CNN: "Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who has held up military promotions for nine months, slammed a proposal being floated to change the chamber's rules to allow a vote on many of the nominations en masse and attacked the White House and Senate Democrats for not negotiating with him. 'It's typical of this place. This administration would rather burn the Senate down and that's what would happen.... If you change the rules of the Senate then it lasts forever,' Tuberville told CNN's Manu Raju.... All Senate Democrats would have to join with nine Republicans for this latest plan to work. The bloc of nominees wouldn't include some higher-level military promotions, which senators would still want to confirm one at a time. The proposal could go to the Senate Rules Committee as soon as this week, a source told CNN Thursday.... Tuberville's hold is affecting a number of senior military posts in the Middle East as the US deploys units to the area amid heightened tensions after a series of attacks on coalition bases and the crisis in Israel and Gaza."

Alan Feuer of the New York Times: "A federal judge reinstated a gag order on ... Donald J. Trump on Sunday that had been temporarily placed on hold nine days earlier, reimposing restrictions on what Mr. Trump can say about witnesses and prosecutors in the case in which he stands accused of seeking to overturn the 2020 election. In making her decision, the judge, Tanya S. Chutkan, also denied a request by Mr. Trump's lawyers to freeze the gag order for what could have been a considerably longer period, saying it can remain in effect as a federal appeals court in Washington reviews it.... Prosecutors working for Mr. Smith argued that the gag order needed to be put back in place at once because while it was on hold, Mr. Trump had violated it by attacking Mr. Smith at least three times by name. The former president, the prosecutors noted, had also violated the frozen order by twice making public comments about Mark Meadows, his former chief of staff, who could appear as a witness in the case." The ABC News story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Jesse Wegman of the New York Times: "At a pivotal moment during one of the Watergate hearings in 1973, President Richard Nixon's counsel, John Dean, asked a question that still resonates: 'How in God's name could so many lawyers get involved in something like this?'... Fifty years after Watergate, the nation is once again confronted with a president who grossly abused the powers of his office, leading to criminal prosecutions. And once again, that abuse relied heavily on the involvement of lawyers. If Mr. Trump's 2020 racket was 'a coup in search of a legal theory,' as one federal judge put it, these lawyers provided the theory, and the phony facts to back it up. In doing so, they severely tarnished their profession.... A disturbing number of experienced attorneys, some of whom once held prestigious posts in government and academia, were willing and eager to tell transparent lies and concoct laughable legal arguments to help a con man stay in the White House against the will of the American people." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I am struck that Wegman, although he names names, skips right over Bill Barr, suggesting to me that Barr's self-serving & very tardy come-to-Jesus turnabout is faring well.

Presidential Race 2024

Trump Forgets Where He Is. Scott Lemieux in LG&$: "The press is still trying to EMAILS! Biden's age while his almost equally old opponent keeps saying stuff like this on a daily basis: 'Though Donald Trump often makes fun of Joe Biden for his old age, Trump himself apparently forgot where he was at during a speech in Sioux City, Iowa, Sunday, greeting the crowd with, "Hello to a place where we've done very well, Sioux Falls. Thank you very much."' Sioux Falls is located more than 80 miles north in neighboring South Dakota."

Adam Nagourney of the New York Times: "The decision by Mike Pence to end his presidential campaign on Saturday was a bow to what had finally become inevitable.... The root of his campaign's collapse -- and, very possibly, his political career -- goes back to 2016, when Mr. Pence accepted [Donald] Trump's offer to be his running mate.... He had never learned to manage his relationship with Mr. Trump, to navigate the deep cultural and personal differences between a taciturn Midwestern governor and a flashy New Yorker who never played by the rules of politics that had governed Mr. Pence's career." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Ken Meyer of Mediaite: "...Donald Trump made it clear he expects Mike Pence to endorse his 2024 campaign.... [Trump said in Las Vegas,] 'People are leaving now and they're all endorsing me. I don't know about Mike Pence. He should endorse me. You know why? Because I had a great, successful presidency and he was the vice president. He should endorse me. I chose him, made him vice president. But people in politics can be very disloyal. I've never seen anything like it.'... In the past, Trump has repeatedly defended his supporters who besieged the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, including those who wanted to 'Hang Mike Pence.' Trump's former aides have testified under oath that the former president thought Pence 'deserved' to be hanged by the riotous mob." (Also linked yesterday.)

Marcy Wheeler: Mike Pence just solved one big gag-order problem: "So long as Pence was in the race running on the policy of upholding the Constitution, as he did on January 6, there was a clear conflict between the gag's restrictions on Trump's attacks on witnesses and its explicit permission to attack the policies of his rivals in the 2024 Presidential race. That conflict has been resolved. These First Amendment questions are still difficult. This appeal may still give Trump a vehicle to get SCOTUS to protect the kind of mob incitement that is at the core of the indictment. But [Saturday], Pence resolved the most difficult of the questions."

Motown Plus. Neal Boudette of the New York Times: "After winning major gains in wages and benefits from two of the three Detroit automakers, the United Automobile Workers union is looking beyond th Motor City to car companies operating nonunion factories across the South. In a speech to union members live-streamed on Facebook Sunday night, the U.A.W. president, Shawn Fain, said the union planned a push to organize plants at some of the nonunion automakers, such as Toyota, Honda and Tesla. 'One of our biggest goals coming out of this historic contract victory is to organize like we've never organized before,' Mr. Fain said. 'When we return to the bargaining table in 2028, it won't just be with the Big Three. It will be the Big Five or Big Six.' The statement was one of Mr. Fain's clearest to date that the U.A.W. intended to renew efforts to unionize the plants of foreign-owned automakers and Tesla, which operates nonunion vehicle plants in California and Texas."

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Maine. Shimon Prokupecz, et al., of CNN: "CNN's reporting raises new questions about the lack of follow-through to make sure [Robert Card] was not a danger despite serious warning signs that were known by authorities and are now being detailed for the first time.... The Maine National Guard asked local police to check on the reservist who killed 18 people after a soldier became concerned he would 'snap and commit a mass shooting,' according to information shared with CNN. Officers from the Sagadahoc County and Kennebec County Sheriff's Offices responded and tried to contact Robert Card on September 16.... The Sagadahoc County sergeant called for backup, tried without success to talk to the reservist and then received disturbing details from the Maine National Guard and the shooter's family. The responding sergeant from the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office was told 'when [he] answers the door at his trailer, in the past he usually does so with a handgun in hand out of view from the person outside,' according to the source familiar with the welfare check report."

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Israel/Palestine

The New York Times' live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Israel's military said on Monday that it had hit hundreds of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip over the last few days, continuing to bomb and expand ground operations in the enclave, as President Biden called on Israel to prioritize the 'protection of civilians.' Several health facilities in Gaza were damaged over the weekend and hospitals there continue to receive evacuation orders from Israel, the World Health Organization's office that operates in Gaza said overnight. The agency again urged Israel to rescind its evacuation order, saying it was impossible to clear hospitals without risking the lives of patients.... The largest shipment of food, water, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid since the start of the war reached Gaza on Sunday, according to the United Nations. The 33 trucks that entered are a fraction of what civilians need in Gaza. The Israeli military said overnight that it had responded to fire from Syrian and Lebanese territory. Fighting on those borders has been nearly constant during the war with Hamas. Israeli forces were also fighting in the West Bank, according to accounts in Palestinian media." ~~~

     ~~~ CNN's live updates are here.

Ronen Bergman, et al., of the New York Times: "The most powerful military force in the Middle East had not only completely underestimated the magnitude of the [October 7] attack, it had totally failed in its intelligence-gathering efforts, mostly due to hubris and the mistaken assumption that Hamas was a threat contained. Despite Israel's sophisticated technological prowess in espionage, Hamas gunmen had undergone extensive training for the assault, virtually undetected for at least a year. The fighters, who were divided into different units with specific goals, had meticulous information on Israel's military bases and the layout of kibbutzim. The country's once invincible sense of security was shattered.... It is clear the attacks were possible because of a cascade of failures over recent years -- not hours, days or weeks.... Overall, arrogance among Israeli political and security officials convinced them that the country's military and technological superiority to Hamas would keep the terrorist group in check." This is a longish article that outlines causes of Israel's failure to detect the October 7 attack.

Michael Tov of Haaretz: "Facing a barrage of criticism, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deleted a controversial social media post on Sunday in which he blamed the defense and intelligence establishment for giving him faulty assessments before the deadly Hamas attack on October 7. The prime minister then published a new tweet. 'I was wrong,' he wrote, adding that 'the things I said following the press conference should not have been said, and I apologize for that. I fully support the heads of [Israel's] security services.' In a post overnight Saturday, Netanyahu asserted that he had never received any warning about Hamas' intentions to start a war against Israel and blamed the defense establishment -- citing Aharon Haliva and Ronen Bar, the heads of Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet security service -- for Israel's failure to anticipate the attack on October 7." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Isabel Kershner of the New York Times: "For many Israelis, the episode confirmed suspicions of rifts and disarray at the top during one of the worst crises in the country's 75-year history and reinforced qualms about Mr. Netanyahu's leadership.... Among the first to call out Mr. Netanyahu's middle-of-the night comments was Benny Gantz, the centrist former defense minister and military chief who, for the sake of national unity, left the ranks of the parliamentary opposition to join Mr. Netanyahu's emergency war cabinet in the days after the massacre by Hamas.... Opinion surveys since Oct. 7 have indicated overwhelming public trust in the military and plummeting faith in government officials."

Abu Bashir, et al., of the New York Times: "On Friday at sunset..., the weak phone and internet service that had allowed some semblance of life to continue inside the blockaded enclave was suddenly severed. Two American officials said the United States believed Israel was responsible for the communications loss.... Panic rippled through the territory.... The blackout stirred terror -- and fury -- across the Gaza Strip.... Connectivity restarted spontaneously on Sunday around 4 a.m., said Abdulmajeed Melhem, chief executive of Paltel Group, the main Palestinian telecommunications company. The company had made no repairs and had no understanding of how or why service had partly returned, he said.... Isolated from the outside world -- and each other -- Gazans faced scenes from an apocalyptic movie."

Russia/Israel. CBS/AP: "Hundreds of people stormed into the main airport in Russia's Dagestan region and onto the landing field Sunday, chanting antisemitic slogans and seeking passengers arriving on a flight from Tel Aviv, Israel, Russian news agencies and social media reported. Russian news reports said the crowd surrounded the airliner, which belonged to Russian carrier Red Wings. Authorities closed the airport in Makhachkala, the capital of the predominantly Muslim region, and police converged on the facility. Dagestan's Ministry of Health said more than 20 people were injured, with two in critical condition. It said the injured included police officers and civilians.... Video on social media showed some in the crowd waving Palestinian flags and others trying to overturn a police car. Antisemitic slogans can be heard being shouted and some in the crowd examined the passports of arriving passengers, apparently in an attempt to identify those who were Israeli."

The Conversation -- October 29, 2023

Alan Feuer of the New York Times: "A federal judge reinstated a gag order on ... Donald J. Trump on Sunday that had been temporarily placed on hold nine days earlier, reimposing restrictions on what Mr. Trump can say about witnesses and prosecutors in the case in which he stands accused of seeking to overturn the 2020 election. In making her decision, the judge, Tanya S. Chutkan, also denied a request by Mr. Trump's lawyers to freeze the gag order for what could have been a considerably longer period, saying it can remain in effect as a federal appeals court in Washington reviews it.... Prosecutors working for Mr. Smith argued that the gag order needed to be put back in place at once because while it was on hold, Mr. Trump had violated it by attacking Mr. Smith at least three times by name. The former president, the prosecutors noted, had also violated the frozen order by twice making public comments about Mark Meadows, his former chief of staff, who could appear as a witness in the case." The ABC News story is here.

Adam Nagourney of the New York Times: "The decision by Mike Pence to end his presidential campaign on Saturday was a bow to what had finally become inevitable.... The root of his campaign's collapse -- and, very possibly, his political career -- goes back to 2016, when Mr. Pence accepted [Donald] Trump's offer to be his running mate.... He had never learned to manage his relationship with Mr. Trump, to navigate the deep cultural and personal differences between a taciturn Midwestern governor and a flashy New Yorker who never played by the rules of politics that had governed Mr. Pence's career." ~~~

~~~ Ken Meyer of Mediaite: "...Donald Trump made it clear he expects Mike Pence to endorse his 2024 campaign.... [Trump said in Las Vegas,] 'People are leaving now and they're all endorsing me. I don't know about Mike Pence. He should endorse me. You know why? Because I had a great, successful presidency and he was the vice president. He should endorse me. I chose him, made him vice president. But people in politics can be very disloyal. I've never seen anything like it.'... In the past, Trump has repeatedly defended his supporters who besieged the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, including those who wanted to 'Hang Mike Pence.' Trump's former aides have testified under oath that the former president thought Pence 'deserved' to be hanged by the riotous mob."

Michael Tov of Haaretz: "Facing a barrage of criticism, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deleted a controversial social media post on Sunday in which he blamed the defense and intelligence establishment for giving him faulty assessments before the deadly Hamas attack on October 7. The prime minister then published a new tweet. 'I was wrong,' he wrote, adding that 'the things I said following the press conference should not have been said, and I apologize for that. I fully support the heads of [Israel's] security services.' In a post overnight Saturday, Netanyahu asserted that he had never received any warning about Hamas' intentions to start a war against Israel and blamed the defense establishment -- citing Aharon Haliva and Ronen Bar, the heads of Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet security service -- for Israel's failure to anticipate the attack on October 7."

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Mohar Chatterjee & Rebecca Kern of Politico: "President Joe Biden will deploy numerous federal agencies to monitor the risks of artificial intelligence and develop new uses for the technology while attempting to protect workers, according to a draft executive order.... The order, expected to be issued as soon as Monday, would streamline high-skilled immigration, create a raft of new government offices and task forces and pave the way for the use of more AI in nearly every facet of life touched by the federal government, from health care to education, trade to housing, and more." (Also linked yesterday.)

David Corn of Mother Jones: "Rep. Mike Johnson, the newly elected Republican House speaker, used to conduct a seminar in churches premised on the idea that the United States is a 'Christian nation.'... The seminar ... was organized by Onward Christian Education Services, Inc., a company owned by his wife, Kelly Johnson, a Christian counselor and anti-abortion activist.... After one such presentation on February 24, 2019, at the First Baptist Church in Bossier City, Louisiana, where they are members -- an event that also featured Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council -- a local television news show reported that the seminar's goal was to 'keep God in Government.' Johnson posted the article on his congressional website.... [At a seminar held in April 2019,] Mike Johnson referred to the Bible as the 'owner's manual' for 'how things are supposed to operate' and called for Biblically-sanctioned government.'"

The GOP Detente That Wasn't. Jordain Carney of Politico: "Republicans hoped Mike Johnson's ascension marked a detente from the personal vitriol of a three-week speaker fight. That ceasefire appears to be over already. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), the architect of ousting Kevin McCarthy from the speakership, is openly sparring with multiple members, including taking aim at a key committee chair. New York Republicans want to expel Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from the House, a vote with consequences for their thin majority. Former acting Speaker Patrick McHenry is venting to reporters about his 'pure anger' when McCarthy was booted.... A handful of conservatives are already signaling that they're going to spur part two of a centrist vs. hardliner shutdown fight.... Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a member of the Freedom Caucus, said there are likely at least five Republicans who couldn't support a short-term spending bill into January[, which Johnson advocates]. With Republicans' four-seat majority, that would be enough to require Johnson to get support from Democrats -- a complaint that doomed McCarthy."

Presidential Race 2024. God Trips Up This Mike. Alex Isenstadt & Myah Ward of Politico: "Former Vice President Mike Pence announced on Saturday that he was suspending his presidential campaign in a speech before the Republican Jewish Coalition conference. 'The Bible tells us that there's a time for every purpose under heaven. Traveling across the country over the past six months, I came here to say it's become clear to me that this is not my time. So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today,' Pence said, to audible gasps from the audience gathered at the Venetian resort on the Las Vegas strip. Attendees gave Pence a standing ovation. One person yelled, 'Thank you Mike!' At the conclusion of the speech, Pence invited his wife, Karen, onstage. 'We thank God for his amazing grace. He gave us the courage to step forward so many years ago. And the wisdom to step aside,' Pence said." (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times story is here.

Neal Boudette of the New York Times: "The United Automobile Workers union announced on Saturday that it had reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, Jeep and Ram. The agreement came three days after the union and Ford Motor announced a tentative agreement on a new contract. The two deals contain many of the same or similar terms, including a 25 percent general wage increase for U.A.W. members as well as the possibility for cost-of-living wage adjustments if inflation flares.... Shortly after announcing the tentative agreement with Stellantis, the union expanded its strike against General Motors, calling on workers to walk off the job at the company's plant in Spring Hill, Tenn. The plant makes sport utility vehicles for G.M.'s Cadillac and GMC divisions."

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Maine. Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs & Chelsia Marcius of the New York Times: "A sheriff in Maine says he sent an alert to all law enforcement agencies in the state last month after learning that an Army reservist had made threats against his base, a notification that came weeks before the reservist fatally shot 18 people in America's deadliest mass shooting this year. Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry said he sent the alert sometime in September in an effort to find the reservist, Robert R. Card II, 40, who was said to have made threats regarding the Army Reserve center in Saco, Maine. He said he sent a deputy to Mr. Card's home but that the deputy did not find him there, prompting the sheriff to send out the notice. The revelation is the strongest sign yet that law enforcement was aware that Mr. Card was a potential danger before he carried out a rampage at a bowling alley and bar in Lewiston on Wednesday night." ~~~

     ~~~ Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs & Amelia Nierenberg of the New York Times: "The man who killed 18 people and wounded 13 more in Lewiston, Maine, the deadliest mass shooting in America this year, had paranoid beliefs that people were talking about him, and he may have been hearing voices, the authorities said on Saturday. The man, Robert R. Card II, 40, had legally purchased several guns, some as recently as several days before the attack, officials said, and may have previously visited the two businesses -- a bar and bowling alley -- that he attacked on Wednesday evening."

Michigan. Ken Kolker of 8 News (Grand Rapids): "A West Michigan state legislator paid tribute Friday to two men acquitted in the failed plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, with Rep. Rachelle Smit saying she was doing so on behalf of the state.... 'This goes beyond the pale,' [Whitemer's] press secretary Stacey LaRouche wrote in an email to News 8. 'These types of actions normalize and incite violence against our political figures, and only serve to shake our faith in our values and our institutions. This tribute will further encourage and embolden radical extremists trying to sow discord and harm public officials or law enforcement.' Smit gave William and Michael Null, of Allegan County, the hometown hero treatment on the steps of the Allegan County courthouse, along with their defense attorneys." MB: This is like lionizing Al Capone & O.J. Simpson for beating murder charges. (Also linked yesterday.)

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Israel/Palestine

The New York Times' live updates of developments Sunday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "The Israeli military on Sunday signaled a heavier assault on the Gaza Strip, saying it was 'expanding its operations' and increasing the 'urgency' of its warning for civilians to move south from Hamas strongholds.... [Telecommunications] connectivity was being restored [according to Netblocks] on Sunday. And, the Israeli military said, without giving details, that humanitarian efforts to send more aid to Gaza -- led by Egypt and the United States -- would be expanded on Monday." ~~~

     ~~~ CNN's live updates are here.

Ukraine, et al. Perhaps Not the Best-laid Plans. But They Do Gang aft a-gley." Marc Santora of the New York Times: "A Ukrainian former lawmaker whom the Kremlin had handpicked to lead a puppet administration in Kyiv, Ukraine, was shot and wounded in occupied Crimea in an apparent assassination attempt, Ukrainian and Russian officials said on Saturday. The former lawmaker, Oleg Tsaryov, 53, a pro-Russian business executive, who participated in Moscow's invasion, was shot as part of a 'special operation' carried out this week by Ukraine's domestic security agency, according to a senior Ukrainian intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. According to Western intelligence agencies, had the Russian invasion succeeded, the Kremlin would have installed Mr. Tsaryov as Ukraine&'s leader." (Also linked yesterday.)

Vatican. Where "Urgent" Matters Are Postponed. Jason Horowitz & Elisabetta Povoledo of the New York Times: "A monthlong meeting convened by Pope Francis to determine the future of the Roman Catholic Church ended Saturday night with a document that said it was 'urgent' that women have a larger role but postponed discussion of major issues such as ordaining women as deacons and failed to address outreach to L.G.B.T.Q.+ Catholics. Vatican officials instead sought to emphasize common ground during the meeting, which was characterized by liberals and conservatives alike as a potential culmination of Francis' 10-year pontificate and the vehicle through which he might make changes. Instead, it echoed another characteristic of Francis' tenure: kicking the can on major issues as he sought to build deeper support through the global church."

The Conversation -- October 28, 2023

Presidential Race 2024. God Trips Up This Mike. Alex Isenstadt & Myah Ward of Politico: "Former Vice President Mike Pence announced on Saturday that he was suspending his presidential campaign in a speech before the Republican Jewish Coalition conference. 'The Bible tells us that there;s a time for every purpose under heaven. Traveling across the country over the past six months, I came here to say it's become clear to me that this is not my time. So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today,' Pence said, to audible gasps from the audience gathered at the Venetian resort on the Las Vegas strip. Attendees gave Pence a standing ovation. One person yelled, 'Thank you Mike!' At the conclusion of the speech, Pence invited his wife, Karen, onstage. 'We thank God for his amazing grace. He gave us the courage to step forward so many years ago. And the wisdom to step aside,' Pence said."

Mohar Chatterjee & Rebecca Kern of Politico: "President Joe Biden will deploy numerous federal agencies to monitor the risks of artificial intelligence and develop new uses for the technology while attempting to protect workers, according to a draft executive order.... The order, expected to be issued as soon as Monday, would streamline high-skilled immigration, create a raft of new government offices and task forces and pave the way for the use of more AI in nearly every facet of life touched by the federal government, from health care to education, trade to housing, and more."

Perhaps Not the Best-laid Plans. But They Do Gang aft a-gley." Marc Santora of the New York Times: "A Ukrainian former lawmaker whom the Kremlin had handpicked to lead a puppet administration in Kyiv, Ukraine, was shot and wounded in occupied Crimea in an apparent assassination attempt, Ukrainian and Russian officials said on Saturday. The former lawmaker, Oleg Tsaryov, 53, a pro-Russian business executive, who participated in Moscow's invasion, was shot as part of a 'special operation' carried out this week by Ukraine's domestic security agency, according to a senior Ukrainian intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.... According to Western intelligence agencies, had the Russian invasion succeeded, the Kremlin would have installed Mr. Tsaryov as Ukraine's leader."

Michigan. Ken Kolker of 8 News (Grand Rapids): "A West Michigan state legislator paid tribute Friday to two men acquitted in the failed plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, with Rep. Rachelle Smit saying she was doing so on behalf of the state.... 'This goes beyond the pale,' [Whitemer's] press secretary Stacey LaRouche wrote in an email to News 8. 'These types of actions normalize and incite violence against our political figures, and only serve to shake our faith in our values and our institutions. This tribute will further encourage and embolden radical extremists trying to sow discord and harm public officials or law enforcement.' Smit gave William and Michael Null, of Allegan County, the hometown hero treatment on the steps of the Allegan County courthouse, along with their defense attorneys." MB: This is like lionizing Al Capone & O.J. Simpson for beating murder charges.

Mohar Chatterjee & Rebecca Kern of Politico: "President Joe Biden will deploy numerous federal agencies to monitor the risks of artificial intelligence and develop new uses for the technology while attempting to protect workers, according to a draft executive order.... The order, expected to be issued as soon as Monday, would streamline high-skilled immigration, create a raft of new government offices and task forces and pave the way for the use of more AI in nearly every facet of life touched by the federal government, from health care to education, trade to housing, and more."

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Michael Crowley of the New York Times: "President Biden met with China's top diplomat on Friday to prepare for Mr. Biden's planned meeting with President Xi Jinping next month as relations remain strained between Washington and Beijing. Amid cordial talk of cooperation between the United States and China, the official, Wang Yi, wrapped up a visit to Washington. During the three-day trip, the diplomat also met twice with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and with Mr. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan. In all, the meetings lasted about 10 hours, U.S. officials said."

Family Man. Jennifer Bendery of the Huffington Post: "The wife of newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) runs a counseling business that advocates the belief that homosexuality is comparable to bestiality and incest, according to its operating documents.... [Mike & Kelly Johnson] co-host a podcast, 'Truth Be Told,' where they talk about political and social issues from a conservative Christian perspective. Their podcast is up to 69 episodes.... Kelly Johnson features the couple's podcast on the website of her company, Onward Christian Counseling Services, which promotes Bible-based pastoral counseling. Her website also includes a link to its 2017 operating agreement, which lays out the corporate bylaws for the company ― and embraces a number of socially conservative beliefs about LGBTQ+ people and women's reproductive rights."

Paul Krugman of the New York Times: "There are no moderate Republicans in the House of Representatives. Oh, no doubt some members are privately appalled by the views of Mike Johnson, the new speaker. But what ... matters is what they do -- and every single one of them went along with the selection of a radical extremist.... Johnson's extremism, and that of the party that chose him, goes beyond rejecting democracy and trying to turn back the clock on decades of social progress. He has also espoused a startlingly reactionary economic agenda.... [Johnson's policy proposals call] for the evisceration of the U.S. social safety net -- not just programs for the poor, but also policies that form the bedrock of financial stability for the American middle class.... [Under Johnson's policies,] we would become a vastly crueler and less secure nation, with far more sheer misery.... The G.O.P. has gone full-on extremist, on economic as well as social issues. The question now is whether the American public will notice." Thanks to Ken W. for the link. See also his commentary below. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: We have been living for decades on the promises of the 20th century: the expansion of the social safety net, of public higher education, and of civil rights for minorities and women. But that entire time, the right has been fighting tooth-and-nail against the liberal trend that began during FDR's long presidency and expanded up through the 1960s & even 1970s. But beginning with the election of Reagan, the trend slowly reversed. It has been thanks to Democrats that the federal government and some state governments have managed to stave off -- and effectively mask -- right-wing excesses. That's why, as Krugman writes, the American people may not notice what's going on. People keep voting for Republicans either because they are selfish SOBs themselves or because they don't believe those nice Christiany Republican politicians would leave them without the rights and benefits they have enjoyed all or most of their lives. I am old enough (and white enough!) that I will probably survive the worst Republican efforts to ruin my life, but that is not true for the next generations. Those of us in my generation who wanted to leave at least our part of the world a better place have failed. ~~~

~~~ Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "The far-right extremism and open contempt for democracy that marks much of modern Republicanism is not an aberration.... And while Trump may, for either legal or political reasons, eventually leave the scene, there's no reason to think the Republican Party will revert to a state where the Mike Johnsons are back on the sidelines."

More Bad News for Jim Comer, Hunter Hunter. Betsy Swan of Politico: "The top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles confirmed to congressional investigators that he declined to bring tax charges against Hunter Biden last year, but insisted his decision did not hamper the probe into the president's son Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney for central California who made those remarks in closed-door testimony, told the investigators that the Delaware prosecutors running the Hunter Biden probe have long been able to file charges in California. In fact, Estrada said, at least two Delaware prosecutors were given special authority to operate in California long before their boss, David Weiss, was appointed a special counsel earlier this year.... 'My understanding is where an individual has not paid taxes in the first instance but later paid those taxes with penalties and interest before a prosecution is initiated or an investigation is initiated, we have never brought criminal charges,' he said in the House Judiciary interview."

Grace Ashford of the New York Times: Rep. George "Santos, Republican of New York, pleaded not guilty on Friday to 10 new federal charges, but could face a House expulsion vote as soon as next week.... At the hearing, Judge Joanna Seybert approved a litany of minor issues related to discovery and scheduling, and set a tentative trial date: Sept. 9, 2024.... The announced court date was met with audible groans from a small group of constituents in the gallery. After the hearing, the group, many of them members of Concerned Citizens of NY-03, which has been vocal in calling for Mr. Santos's resignation, said that they deserved a more immediate resolution.... The [House] resolution [to expel Mr. Santos], which mentions both the 23-count indictment against Mr. Santos and his voluminous biographical lies, is not the first attempt to remove him from the House, but it is the first to be carried by members of his own party.... The newly elected House speaker, Mike Johnson, said in a television interview on Thursday evening that he would not move to expel Mr. Santos, noting his party's slim majority in the chamber." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Yes indeedy, Mike. The best thing is to keep an (alleged!) criminal around to help you get things done.

Jennifer Haberkorn of Politico: "The Biden administration hit back Friday on Speaker Mike Johnson's recent comments that placed blame for mass shootings in the United States on Americans' 'hearts,' calling the remarks 'offensive.' In a statement, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said the administration 'absolutely' rejected 'the offensive accusation that gun crime is uniquely high in the United States because of Americans' "hearts."' 'Gun crime is uniquely high in the United States because congressional Republicans have spent decades choosing the gun industry's lobbyists over the lives of innocent Americans,' Bates added."

Jennifer Peltz of the AP: "... Donald Trump is set to testify Nov. 6 in the civil business fraud case against him, following testimony from his three eldest children, state lawyers said Friday. It was already expected that the ex-president and sons Donald Jr. and Eric would testify. The timing became clear Friday, when the judge ruled that daughter Ivanka Trump also must take the stand.... Ivanka Trump was dismissed as a defendant months ago. Defense attorneys and her lawyer contended that she shouldn't have to testify, noting that she moved out of New York and left her Trump Organization job in 2017. The state's lawyers argued that [she] ... has relevant information. Judge Arthur Engoron sided with the state, citing documents showing that Ivanka Trump continued to have ties to some businesses in New York and still owns Manhattan apartments."

Donald Trump Is Not Very, Very Smart. Michael Luciano of Mediaite: "Former Attorney General Bill Barr demeaned Donald Trump's vocabulary, stating that the former president's 'verbal skills are limited' as evidenced by his incessant use of the word 'very.' During an event at Harvard's Institute of Politics on Thursday night, Barr spoke about his former boss in largely unfavorable terms. At one point, CBS Chief Correspondent Jan Crawford asked him if he thinks Trump is losing his mind. She cited the former president's comments calling Hezbollah 'very smart.' 'That was appalling,' Crawford said. 'I mean, do you think he's -- is he losing it?' 'His verbal skills are limited,' Barr replied, prompting chuckles from the audience. 'And so he, you know, if you get him away from "very, very, very," the adjectives sort of -- they're unfamiliar to him and they sort of spill out and he goes too far. You know, he's not very disciplined when it comes to what he says.'"

Presidential Race 2024. Isabella Murray & Kelsey Walsh of ABC News: "Rep. Dean Phillips is running to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2024. The three-term Minnesota congressman will challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2024.... 'I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country. But it's not about the past. This is an election about the future. I will not sit still I will not be quiet in the face of numbers that are so clearly saying that we're going to be facing an emergency next November,' Phillips said as he announced his run on CBS News on Friday morning. He filed for the New Hampshire primary election later on Friday morning and then formally announce his candidacy at the Statehouse plaza in Concord. He'll now embark on a bus tour through New Hampshire.... Phillips, a millionaire businessman who stepped down from Democratic House leadership last month -- had engaged in a number of media interviews since July, calling for high-profile Democrats like 'moderate governors from the heartland' to jump in."

Liberals, Biden at Fault for Maine Mass Murder. Tara Suter of the Hill: "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) pointed to 'liberal, soft on crime' policies in the wake of a mass shooting in Maine that left 18 people dead earlier this week. '[Y]ou look, a lot of the guys who commit violent crime, and yes, less than what we saw in Maine, a lot of these people go in and out of the justice system because of liberal, soft on crime policies,' DeSantis, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, said in a Fox News interview Friday. 'You do a crime, you should do the time; stop cycling people back out,' DeSantis continued. 'That will make communities safer, and Biden doesn't wanna do that.'" MB: Not sure if DeSantis offered thoughts and prayers.

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Palestine

The New York Times' live updates of developments Saturday in the Israel/Hamas war are here:"Israeli forces were still on the ground in Gaza at least 12 hours after entering the territory, the military said on Saturday, in what would be their most extensive ground operation in the enclave since the Hamas attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 civilians and soldiers. On Friday evening, Israel made incursions into the Gaza Strip after launching an intense bombardment, with artillery and airstrikes, military officials said.... The Israeli military said in a statement on Saturday that its forces had hit tunnels, underground command posts and other infrastructure.... Telecommunications and internet networks went down overnight, and most people in Gaza could not be reached by phone. The widespread blackout sparked fear and panic in Gaza.... The head of the World Health Organization said on X that the blackout was 'making it impossible for ambulances to reach the injured.'..." ~~~

     ~~~ CNN's live updates are here.

Yasmeen Abutaleb, et al., of the Washington Post: "The Biden administration is urging Israel to rethink its plans for a major ground offensive in the Gaza Strip and instead to opt for a more 'surgical' operation using aircraft and special operations forces carrying out precise, targeted raids on high-value Hamas targets and infrastructure, according to five U.S. officials familiar with the discussions. Administration officials have become highly concerned about the potential repercussions of a full ground assault, the officials said..., and they increasingly doubt that it would achieve Israel's stated goal of eliminating Hamas. They also are concerned that it could derail negotiations to release nearly 200 hostages, particularly as diplomats think they have made 'significant' advances in recent days to free a number of them, potentially including some Americans.... The Biden administration also is worried that a ground invasion could result in numerous casualties among Palestinian civilians as well as Israeli soldiers, potentially triggering a dramatic escalation of hostilities in the region, the officials said." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: No doubt the Biden administration has anonymously "leaked" this story to let nations in the region know the U.S. does not back the mass killing of Arabs.

     ~~~ Yeah But. Karen DeYoung & Claire Parker of the Washington Post: "David Satterfield, President Biden's special envoy to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, has been in Israel this week seeking progress on both aid and egress to Egypt. But according to U.S., United Nations, Egyptian and Israeli officials..., no substantive progress has been made. The administration's public promotion this week of humanitarian pauses came after what one U.S. official said was 'a lot of the groundwork in private communications.' But it still left the United States behind the curve of international opinion, as the U.N. General Assembly Friday overwhelmingly approved an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a complete ceasefire. Only 14 of the 193 U.N. member nations voted against the measure, including the United States, Israel and several Pacific island and eastern European states. Most close U.S. allies were in favor or abstained from the vote." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Either Satterfield & others have made progress on releasing hostages, or they haven't. Surely Israel's stepped-up attacks on Gaza, along with cutting off all Gaza's Internet service, are not helping. Particularly during the 20th century, people -- some in high places -- figured out that war is not a solution to most problems. One would think this concept was a no-brainer. Apparently not.

News Ledes

NBC News; Actor "Matthew Perry died Saturday of an apparent drowning at his Pacific Palisades home, a representative for the actor and a law enforcement source say. Perry was 54. A 911 call came in at 4:07 p.m. local time and was treated as a water rescue, according to a law enforcement source. There was no indication of foul play and no confirmed cause of death, the source said. An investigation is ongoing." A New York Times obituary is here.

New York Times: "The man suspected of killing 18 people and injuring 13 others at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday, officials said, ending a sweeping manhunt that had forced thousands of residents throughout the region to remain in their homes. The body of the man, Robert R. Card II, 40, was found at a recycling center [in Lisbon Falls, Maine,] where he used to work, according to authorities briefed on the matter...." The Washington Post story is here. BUT ~~~

     ~~~ CNN: "... authorities found Card's body at 7:45 p.m. Friday near the Androscoggin River in the Lisbon Falls area, some 10 miles from Lewiston, said Sauschuck, the state public safety commissioner. Card's body was found near a recycling center from which he had recently been fired, a law enforcement source told CNN. Earlier this week, authorities had found Card's vehicle abandoned after the shooting near a boat launch in the Lisbon area. The body was in a wooded area, multiple sources told CNN." ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Washington Post: "Maine police had twice searched and cleared a recycling center before they found the body of the 40-year-old gunman who killed 18 people and triggered an intensive police manhunt that forced thousands of people to shelter in place. The body was discovered only after the center's owner called local police to say that Army reservist Robert Card was familiar with the property, urging investigators to check the trailers in an overflow parking lot across the street from the main facility. Just before 8 p.m. Friday, a state police tactical team discovered the body near the sliding door of an unlocked trailer full of scrap plastic and metal. Card had died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound."