The Commentariat -- May 22, 2020

Afternoon Update:

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Friday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Friday are here.

** Doctor Trump, Medicine Man, Ctd. Ariana Cha & Laurie McGinley of the Washington Post: :A study of 96,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients on six continents found that those who received an antimalarial drug promoted by President Trump as a 'game changer' in the fight against the virus had a significantly higher risk of death compared with those who did not. People treated with hydroxychloroquine, or the closely related drug chloroquine, were also more likely to develop a type of irregular heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, that can lead to sudden cardiac death, it concluded." This story is free to nonscribers. The Raw Story has a summary report here. ~~~

~~~ Jill Colvin of the AP: "Twice this week, Trump has not only dismissed the findings of studies but suggested -- without evidence -- that their authors were motivated by politics and out to undermine his efforts to roll back coronavirus restrictions. First it was a study funded in part by his own government's National Institutes of Health that raised alarms about the use of hydroxychloroquine, finding higher overall mortality in coronavirus patients who took the drug while in Veterans Administration hospitals.... The Lancet, one of the world's oldest and most well respected medical journals, published a new study Friday that echoed those findings. 'If you look at the one survey, the only bad survey, they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape. They were very old, almost dead,' Trump told reporters Tuesday. 'It was a Trump enemy statement.' He offered similar pushback Thursday to a new study from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. It found that more than 61% of COVID-19 infections and 55% of reported deaths -- nearly 36,000 people -- could have been been prevented had social distancing measures been put in place one week sooner.... 'Columbia's an institution that's very liberal,' Trump told reporters Thursday. 'I think it's just a political hit job, you want to know the truth.'"

Alayna Treene of Axios: "President Trump announced Friday that he was declaring churches and places of worship as 'essential places that provide essential services,' and said that he would override governors to allow them to open 'right now.'... 'Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential, but have left out churches and other houses of worship. It's not right,' Trump said from the White House podium." Mrs. McC: Trump took no questions & of course he didn't elaborate on what authority a president* has to "override governors." Because Article I maybe.

Laura Reiley of the Washington Post: "The Trump administration withdrew one of the largest contracts in its signature effort to use farm surplus to feed hungry Americans, capping a chaotic process that industry experts say relied too heavily on companies with little demonstrated experience in farming, food chains or food banks. Contracts totaling more than $107 million went to a San Antonio event planner, an avocado mail-order company, a health-and-wellness airport kiosk company and a trade finance corporation, according to the Agriculture Department's announcement of contract awards. But the USDA bypassed the country's three largest food distribution companies, as well as nonprofit organizations with long histories of feeding the poor on a large scale, according to Tom Stenzel, president of the United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA).... The contracts were awarded under the Farmers to Families Food Box program, launched last week with a visit by Ivanka Trump to a Laurel, Md., wholesale produce company. About $1.2 billion in contracts have been awarded." Mrs. McC: Obviously, food is rotting & people are going hungry unnecessarily because the Trump administration can't do anything right. But, hey, all that matters is that Ivanka got a nice photo-op out of it.

New York. Bernard Condon, et al., of the AP: "More than 4,300 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to New York's already vulnerable nursing homes under a controversial state directive that was ultimately scrapped amid criticisms it was accelerating the nation's deadliest outbreaks, according to a count by The Associated Press.... Whatever the full number, nursing home administrators, residents' advocates and relatives say it has added up to a big and indefensible problem for facilities that even Gov. Andrew Cuomo -- the main proponent of the policy -- called 'the optimum feeding ground for this virus.'... Cuomo, a Democrat, on May 10 reversed the directive, which had been intended to help free up hospital beds for the sickest patients as cases surged. But he continued to defend it this week...."

Quint Forgey of Politico: "Former Vice President Joe Biden told a popular black radio personality Thursday that he 'ain't black' if he was still weighing whether to support ... Donald Trump in November's general election -- provoking outrage from the White House's Republican allies and inducing queasiness among even some Democratic operatives." Mrs. McC: Chuck Todd was very upset by Biden's remark. I'm not.

Lisa Lerer, et al., of the New York Times: "The lawyer for Tara Reade, the former Senate aide who has accused Joseph R. Biden Jr. of sexual assault, said Friday that he was no longer representing her, just two weeks after taking her on as a client.The lawyer, Douglas H. Wigdor, has been a leading plaintiff's attorney of the #MeToo era. His firm is best known for bringing discrimination cases against Fox News -- and its former star host Bill O'Reilly -- and Harvey Weinstein, and his presence at Ms. Reade's side gave her claims added legal heft.... Mr. Wigdor, a conservative Republican [who supported] ... President Trump in 2016 ..., had a parting shot for the news media.... 'Much of what has been written about Ms. Reade is not probative of whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted her, but rather is intended to victim-shame and attack her credibility on unrelated and irrelevant matters,' he said." This is an update of a story linked earlier. A Politico story is here.

Senate Race. South Carolina. Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post: "A new ad out today from LindseyMustGoPAC, a super PAC with an obvious objective, uses the three-term senator's own words to dramatize what happened to [Lindsey] Graham in an effort to destroy his credibility and sow doubts about his character." ~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Thursday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Thursday are here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Arman Azad of CNN: "In new guidance for mathematical modelers and public health officials, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is estimating that about a third of coroftrumnavirus infections are asymptomatic. The CDC also says its 'best estimate' is that 0.4% of people who show symptoms and have Covid-19 will die, and the agency estimates that 40% of coronavirus transmission is occurring before people feel sick. The agency cautions that those numbers are subject to change as more is learned about Covid-19.... Still, the agency says its estimates are based on real data collected by the agency before April 29." ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Since the vast majority of those tested in the U.S. before April 29 did have symptoms, what this means to me is that the number of coronavirus infections in the U.S. is much higher than the 1.61 million American residents with confirmed cases, a number that of course does not include those who did have symptoms but could not or did not get tested.

Seeing Way Too Much Fuckface on von Clownstick. Brett Samuels of the Hill: "President Trump on Thursday did not wear a mask during a tour of a Ford factory in Michigan being used to produce ventilators, despite the company's policy requiring everyone to wear personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The president walked around the factory floor without a face covering, even as Ford executives who joined him wore masks." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

Who Was That Masked Man? Mark Meadows (I think) with an unidentified MOOM at a Michigan Ford factory Thursday. One clue as to the ID of the masked MOOM: short fingers. Photo via Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.). H/T to Rachel Maddow.

     ~~~ Update. Alana Wise of NPR: "President Trump on Thursday briefly wore a protective face mask during his visit to a Ford Motor Co. plant -- away from reporters' view -- after stoking concern about his resistance to wearing the expert-recommended gear.... Ford said in a statement that Chairman Bill Ford had 'encouraged President Trump to wear a mask when he arrived. He wore a mask during a private viewing of three Ford GTs from over the years. The President later removed the mask for the remainder of the visit.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Kevin Liptak of CNN: "... Donald Trump brought a navy blue mask stamped with the presidential seal to a Ford plant in Michigan on Thursday. But he refused to wear it in front of cameras. 'I didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it,' Trump said before showing off his fabric face covering, which he said he'd briefly strapped on backstage before removing for a tour of the factory. 'It was very nice. It looked very nice. They said not necessary.'" Mrs. McC: Another lie. Ford chair Bill Ford said Trump should wear the mask. That made it "necessary." ~~~

~~~ Paul Farhi of the Washington Post: "By ultimately not wearing a mask in front of the cameras at Ford, Trump managed to subvert the carefully-arranged 'optics' of the visit -- which for any other president would serve as a feel-good story about leadership, corporate nimbleness and the production of lifesaving medical gear. Instead, his mask-querade dominated news coverage." ~~~

~~~ David Nakamura of the Washington Post: "Since resuming their travel schedules, President Trump and Vice President Pence have focused on battleground states crucial to their reelection chances, staging official government events at a time when presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his top surrogates say they are unable to safely return to the campaign trail.... The president's trips, in particular, have taken on clear campaign overtones as he pushes for states to move beyond the pandemic and restart their economies despite continuing public health concerns and the rising death toll. Supporters have lined the streets to greet his motorcade as they hold American flags and Trump campaign signs, disregarding social distancing rules and outnumbering a smaller set of protesters. 'This country is poised for an epic comeback. This is going to be an incredible comeback. Watch. It's already happening,' Trump told the audience at the Ford plant. He added: 'I think we're going to do better the second time and it's very important that we win the second time or everything that we've done, including manufacturing jobs, all this, it's going to be not in a very good position.'"

Michigan. Beth LeBlanc of the Detroit News: "A Court of Claims judge ruled Thursday that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had the legal authority to extend Michigan's state of emergency under the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act, calling claims to the contrary 'meritless' in a ruling GOP leaders vow to appeal. But Judge Cynthia Stephens noted the governor exceeded her authority by trying to extend the emergency under the Emergency Management Act of 1976, which requires legislative authority. But Stephens upheld the constitutionality of the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945."

Tom Winter & Dareh Gregorian of NBC News: "Michael Cohen is just the latest well-connected federal prisoner to be sent home early because of the coronavirus, even though he has served only a third of his sentence -- well shy of the 50 percent threshold federal officials often cite in denying requests for early release. By contrast, prisoners like Eddie Brown, an Oklahoma man who has served a bigger portion of his sentence than Cohen and also cites health problems, remain behind bars, raising questions about the Bureau of Prisons' opaque process and its fairness.... Groups and relatives advocating for the release of prisoners at risk from the virus say they don't begrudge well-connected people achieving that goal. The problem, they said, is that many other people who could meet [AG William] Barr's criteria languish in prison, without legal help, unable to understand the complex process or lacking connections to help them as the pandemic spreads.... The release process has been marked by foot-dragging and confusion, critics say, and a federal judge in a ruling Tuesday labeled the results 'paltry.'"

Julian Barnes & Adam Goldman of the New York Times: "President Trump has blamed many others for his administration's flawed response to the coronavirus.... In recent weeks, he has also faulted the information he received from an obscure analyst [named Beth Sanner] who delivers his intelligence briefings. Mr. Trump has insisted that the intelligence agencies gave him inadequate warnings about the threat of the virus, describing it as 'not a big deal.' Intelligence officials have publicly backed him, acknowledging that ... Sanner ... underplayed the dangers when she first mentioned the virus to him on Jan. 23.... But by focusing on a single briefing, some former officials said, his criticism seemed both personal and misplaced.... In blaming Ms. Sanner, a C.I.A. analyst with three decades of experience, Mr. Trump ignored a host of warnings he received around that time from higher-ranking officials, epidemiologists, scientists, biodefense officials, other national security aides and the news media about the virus's growing threat. Mr. Trump's own health secretary had alerted him five days earlier to the potential seriousness of the virus.

"Mr. Trump ... is particularly difficult to brief on critical national security matters, according to interviews with 10 current and former intelligence officials familiar with his intelligence briefings. The president veers off on tangents and getting him back on topic is difficult, they said. He has a short attention span and rarely, if ever, reads intelligence reports, relying instead on conservative media and his friends for information. He is unashamed to interrupt intelligence officers and riff based on tips or gossip he hears from the former casino magnate Steve Wynn, the retired golfer Gary Player or Christopher Ruddy, the conservative media executive. Mr. Trump rarely absorbs information that he disagrees with or that runs counter to his worldview, the officials said. Briefing him has been so great a challenge compared with his predecessors that the intelligence agencies have hired outside consultants to study how better to present information to him."

Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha. Do As We Say, Not As We Do. Tommy Christopher of Mediaite: "The denizens of Fox & Friends urged New York businesses to reopen en masse despite lockdown orders and a still-deadly coronavirus pandemic, but they did so from the safety of their own homes and secure locations. On Thursday morning, the trio of regular hosts were joined by legal analyst Andrew Napolitano to discuss Thursday's New York Post cover, which features a photograph of the city's skyline and a giant headline that blares 'IT NEEDS TO END. NOW.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

David Sanger of the New York Times: "President Trump has decided to withdraw from another major arms control accord, according to senior administration officials, and will inform Russia on Friday that the United States is pulling out of the Open Skies Treaty, negotiated three decades ago to allow nations to fly over each other's territory with elaborate sensor equipment to assure that they are not preparing for military action. Mr. Trump's decision may be viewed as more evidence that he is preparing to exit the one major arms treaty remaining with Russia: New START, which limits the United States and Russia to 1,550 deployed nuclear missiles each. It expires in February..., and Mr. Trump has insisted that China must join what is now a U.S.-Russia limit on nuclear arsenals." A Hill summary report is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Edward Wong & Lara Jakes of the New York Times: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "has not tried to hide his political ambitions. But he has chosen not to disclose certain meetings that appeared to be linked to those plans while on taxpayer-funded trips. The exact number of the meetings is unclear, though there is a pattern of activity.... In [at least three such meetings], Mr. Pompeo did not put the visits on his public schedule. He and his aides avoided telling the reporters traveling with them about the meetings.... Such activities are coming under greater scrutiny after congressional aides said last weekend that the State Department inspector general, Steve A. Linick, who was fired by Mr. Trump last Friday at Mr. Pompeo's urging, had opened an investigation into potential misuse of department resources by Mr. Pompeo for the personal benefit of him and his wife." ~~~

~~~ Lara Seligman, et al., of Politico: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disregarded the advice of high-level officials at the State Department, Pentagon and within the intelligence community in invoking an emergency waiver last year to circumvent congressional review of billions of dollars in arms sales to the U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf region, according to two former administration officials and three congressional sources. That decision was under investigation by a government watchdog who was fired last week at Pompeo's urging, and it has fueled renewed accusations from lawmakers that the Trump administration bucked the will of Congress and even violated the law when it fast-tracked the weapons sales.... During meetings last spring of the National Security Council at several levels, high-level career and political officials from the Pentagon, State Department and intelligence community agreed that there had been no change in Tehran's behavior to justify invoking emergency authorities and advised against doing so.... 'Our conclusion was, "Nobody supports this being an emergency, so we think that the declaration wouldn't have any grounds and we shouldn't do it,"' the ex-official added." ~~~

~~~ Kylie Atwood of CNN: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed State Department officials to find a way to justify the emergency declaration that he had already decided to implement in order to fast-track the $8 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia last year -- stunning career diplomats, four sources have told CNN. 'They seemed to have a game plan and it had to be justified,' said a State Department official who told CNN they had communicated what happened to the State Department's Office of the Inspector General during an interview late last year, as part of the watchdog's investigation into Pompeo's move to fast track the sale. 'The attitude was very Trumpian,' the official added. Pompeo's demand meant State Department officials had to reverse engineer the situation to provide the justification for a decision which was made in an aggressive and unconventional manner, the sources said. The probe into the secretary's push on the Saudi weapons sale is in the spotlight after ... Donald Trump fired State Department inspector general Steve Linick, at Pompeo's request last week."

All the Best People, Ctd. Martin Matishak of Politico: "The Senate on Thursday confirmed Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) as ... Donald Trump's top intelligence official, in a move aimed at ending nine months of reshuffling at the top of the nation's spying establishment. Lawmakers voted 49-44 in a party-line vote to confirm Ratcliffe as the sixth director of national intelligence since the office was created in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.... Trump had originally picked Ratcliffe for the job in July, after the Texas Republican had put on an aggressive public display in his grilling of ... Robert Mueller. But ... [Ratcliffe] soon withdrew his name amid questions about whether he had inflated his resume." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Kyle Cheney of Politico: "The federal judge overseeing the tumultuous case of former national security adviser Michael Flynn has until May 31 to explain his rationale for declining to immediately dismiss the case against Flynn after the Justice Department moved to drop the matter. A panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia say district court judge Emmet Sullivan must respond within 10 days to a request by Flynn that the higher court force him to drop the case. Circuit Court Judges Karen Henderson, Robert Wilkins and Neomi Rao also offered the Justice Department a chance to weigh in on the matter by the same deadline."

Elections 2020

Mr. President, it is a federal crime to withhold money from states with the purpose of interfering with people's right to vote. So, you may want to talk to your lawyer, Bill Barr, about that. -- Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) on MSNBC, Wednesday

Every once in a while you get the president of the United States popping up and screaming against vote-by-mail, but states and both political parties are organizing their people for it. It's a bizarre cognitive dissonance. -- Michael Waldman of the Brennan Center for Justice ~~~

~~~ Michael Wines of the New York Times: "By threatening on Wednesday to withhold federal grants to Michigan and Nevada if those states send absentee ballots or applications to voters, President Trump has taken his latest stand against what is increasingly viewed as a necessary option for voting amid a pandemic. What he has not done is stop anyone from getting an absentee ballot. In the face of a pandemic, what was already limited opposition to letting voters mail in their ballots has withered. Eleven of the 16 states that limit who can vote absentee have eased their election rules this spring to let anyone cast an absentee ballot in upcoming primary elections -- and in some cases, in November as well. Another state, Texas, is fighting a court order to do so. Four of those 11 states are mailing ballot applications to registered voters, just as Michigan and Nevada are doing. And that does not count 34 other states and the District of Columbia that already allow anyone to cast an absentee ballot, including five states in which voting by mail is the preferred method by law." ~~~

~~~ Trump Lied about Why He Voted Absentee. Anthony Man of the Orlando Sun Sentinel: "On April 7, Trump said he voted by mail 'because I'm allowed to.' When a reporter asked about his mail ballot for the March primary, he explained it's 'called "out of state." You know, why I voted? Because I happen to be in the White House and I won't be able to go to Florida to vote.' [White House Press Secretary Kayleigh] McEnany [said] ... Wednesday that [Trump] voted by mail in Florida's presidential primary [because] his job kept him away from his legal residence in Palm Beach County.... [BUT] Trump was in Palm Beach County ... on March 7 and 8, the first weekend of early voting for the March 17 presidential primary. He didn't leave until Monday morning March 9.... White House press pool reports show he spent part of the both weekend days at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The golf club is across the street from a library where early voting was offered from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days." ~~~

~~~ Another Trump Election Conspiracy Theory Falls Apart. Marc Caputo of Politico: "A Trump election conspiracy theory has fallen apart after Florida's law enforcement agency said it had found no widespread voter fraud in the 2018 races for Senate and governor.... Donald Trump had complained repeatedly about election 'fraud' and theft in heavily populated, Democrat-rich Broward and Palm Beach counties, which had slowly but erratically updated their vote totals after polls closed on Election Day.... As Republican margins shrank, Trump stepped up his misleading attacks on 'the Broward Effect' of 'found' votes and, later, 'missing or forged' ballots. In all, he tweeted Florida election conspiracy theories and complaints 10 times over the course of a week. Two days after the election, [then-Gov. Rick] Scott [R] was perilously close to losing his Senate bid to unseat incumbent Bill Nelson. He held a rare press conference at the governor's mansion to demand an investigation and said he was suing Palm Beach and Broward counties."

Michigan is a great state. I've gotten tremendous business to go to Michigan. Michigan is one of the reasons I ran. I was honored in Michigan long before I thought about -- I was honored as the Man of the Year in Michigan at a big event. I remember so well. -- Donald Trump, Wednesday ~~~

An absolutely authentic portrait of me, Mrs. Bea McCrabbie, back when Time named me "Person of the Year."~~~ Michigan's Man of the Year. Daniel Dale, CNN's Trump fact-checker, has a good post on Trump's oft-repeated false claim that he was once named Michigan's Man of the Year. Dale also found a explanation that seems to solve the mystery of the genesis of Trump's crazy claim.

Kate Taylor & Sarah Mervosh of the New York Times: "The actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, a fashion designer, have agreed to plead guilty to charges that they conspired to get their daughters admitted to the University of Southern California as crew recruits, prosecutors announced on Thursday, a reversal for the couple after months of maintaining their innocence in the nation's largest-ever admissions prosecution. Under the terms of the agreement, which still needs approval by a judge, Ms. Loughlin, 55, agreed to serve two months in prison, pay a $150,000 fine and serve two years of supervised release with 100 hours of community service. If the deal is approved, Mr. Giannulli, 56, is expected to serve five months in prison, pay a $250,000 fine and serve two years of supervised release with 250 hours of community service." An ABC News story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Beyond the Beltway

California. Lisa Lerer, et al., of the New York Times: "Defense lawyers in California are reviewing criminal cases in which Tara Reade, the former Senate aide who has accused Joseph R. Biden Jr. of sexual assault, served as an expert witness on domestic violence, concerned that she misrepresented her educational credentials in court. Then known as Alexandra McCabe, Ms. Reade testified as a government witness in Monterey County courts for nearly a decade, describing herself as an expert in the dynamics of domestic violence who had counseled hundreds of victims. But lawyers who had faced off against her in court began raising questions about the legitimacy of her testimony, and the verdicts that followed, after news reports this week that Antioch University had disputed her claim of receiving a bachelor's degree from its Seattle campus. The public defender's office in Monterey County has begun scrutinizing cases involving Ms. Reade and compiling a list of clients who may have been affected by her testimony, according to Jeremy Dzubay, an assistant public defender in the office." Politico's story is here. ~~~

~~~ Alexander Nieves of Politico: "University of California regents voted Thursday to stop requiring high school students to submit an SAT or ACT score for admission, the biggest blow yet to the traditional standardized tests as leaders of the elite public system attempt to address fairness concerns. UC's new policy, proposed by system President Janet Napolitano, calls for the SAT and ACT to be suspended through 2024 as the university attempts to develop its own testing standard. The tests will be completely eliminated in 2025, regardless of whether a new or modified UC-specific standard has been approved for use.... The vote comes after decades of opposition to standardized testing from civil rights groups and education experts who say it favors wealthier, predominantly white students who can pay for extensive test prep." A New York Times story is here.

Georgia. Rick Rojas of the New York Times: "The man who filmed the pursuit and shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old black man who was killed after an encounter with two white men, was arrested on Thursday in connection with the killing, Georgia authorities said. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement that the man, William Bryan, 50, [who is white,] was arrested on charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. The two other men, Gregory McMichael, 64, and Travis McMichael, 34, were charged with murder and aggravated assault this month.... Mr. Bryan was considered a participant in the pursuit long before the video emerged online.

Way Beyond

China/Hong Kong. Keith Bradsher, et al., of the New York Times: "China is moving to impose new national security laws that would give the Communist Party more control over Hong Kong, threatening to erode the freedoms that distinguish the global, commercial city from the rest of the country. The proposal, announced on Thursday, reignited the fear, anger and protests over the creeping influence of China's authoritarian government in the semiautonomous region. It also inflamed worries that Beijing is trying to dismantle the distinct political and cultural identity that has defined the former British colony since it was reclaimed by China in 1997." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

News Lede

New York Times: "A Pakistan International Airlines plane with at least 99 people aboard crashed on Friday in a residential neighborhood near the airport in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, and rescue officials reported dozens of casualties. The plane, Flight 8303, an Airbus A320, was en route from the eastern city of Lahore to Karachi and crashed at 2:37 p.m., officials said. There were at least 91 passengers and eight crew members on board, Pakistani officials said. Nasir Hussain Shah, a provincial minister, said at least two people had survived the crash but had injuries."

Comments

[Ken Winkes]

Just as I perhaps too generously gave the Ukrainian president too much credit in yesterday's comment, I'm going to go out on a limb and give a little credit to the Pretender, too, for his unmasking.

Someone told him that the mask's primary purpose was to protect other people, and we know how little he thinks of anyone but himself.

Squat.

[Akhilleus]

Ken,

C’mon now. Fatty said he did wear a mask. In the back area. What, on his ass? Where did they find one that big?

This refusal to wear a mask is not hard to figure out. He’s a superior person. The greatest. Superior people are above things like rules and caring about others. It also sends a more pointed message.

My nine year old has become taken with the song “What a Wonderful World”. He enjoys getting me to do my Louis Armstrong impersonation when I sit at the piano (“that guy with the rough voice...”). The bridge has one of my favorite lyrics:

“I see friends shaking hands, saying ‘how do you do’
They’re really saying ‘I love you.’”

But Trump’s world is far from wonderful. There are no friends, at least not in any capacity a normal person would recognize. There are only losers to be stomped on, toadies and groveling sycophants, women to be sexually abused, and those who can be useful to his goals of self aggrandizement and further undeserved enrichment.

“I see Trump tour the plant, no mask to muss his ‘do.
He’s really saying “‘Drop dead, fuck you.’”

Message received, douchebag. Right back at you.

So much for masks. Or empathy, or any decency or basic human concern for the well being of others. And while he’s at it, a roadmap to dangerous douchebaggery for his drooling minions.

[Akhilleus]

A mask with the presidential seal embossed on it? Really? How much did that cost? How much will you bet that this narcissistic putz has the presidential seal stitched onto the ass of his XXXL tighty-whities? He probably prances around the residence in front of all the new mirrors he’s had installed, wiggling his taxpayer-embossed rotund rear in every one of them.

I’ll bet he has cereal bowls with the seal on the them so he can marvel at his own awesomeness as his Frosted Flakes disappear down the presidential pie hole. “Each one of you itty bitty flakes has the honor of being ingested by the greatest person in history:me!” he must think to himself.

Likely the only thinking he does all day.

I’d love to get a look at how much taxpayer money he spends on himself for stupid shit like a mask with the fucking presidential seal.

[PD Pepe]

SIGNS OF THE TIMES:

Eric Hogue, mayor of Wylie, Texas, has informed the ledge that it's shameful for any woman to lead the City Council's invocations cuz, by jove, it's shameful for women to speak in church––ever! The reason? The Bible tells us so–-and here ya go–––:

He noted that 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 states:

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”

And he said 1 Timothy 2:11-12 warns:

“Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

I'm not sure, but a goodly number of Wylie citizens must have voted for this guy which says a whole lot about that goodly number. So again––when we refer to Americans as one gigantic lump of like-minded star spangled flag waving lovers of democracy we might want to reevaluate–-the word divided doesn't come close to describe the discrepancies.

[PD Pepe]

To Our Masked Man of the Year:

The story above re: the probable reason why Trump thinks he got that Michigan accolade is priceless! Will someone finally tell him the skinny? Who will be brave enough to say to his face to shut the fuck up about it? "How many lies will you tell today?" should be the cries from the throngs that use to yell at LBJ–-"How many lives have you killed today?"

And thinking about his reluctance to wear a mask, despite the usual political reasons–-it becomes sweaty inside that covering which means if you are wearing makeup it's gonna run––revealing, once that mask is removed the real color of the face albeit somewhat streaked. Now if this isn't a great metaphor then.... it's like the truth behind the tailor's dummy.

[Jeanne]

FF declared yesterday that he would fix the flooding in Michigan. All the people clapped their hands and thought about how much they loved this miracle worker... There must be a drain someplace, and FEMA will just pull the plug, and FIXED!

Now, where is the next treaty to weasel out of? Gosh, so busy. He plans to make a vaccine himself by tonight. You might want to go to your nearest bar to celebrate with your closest (literally) friends.

There is simply no end to this monster's idiocy.

[Akhilleus]

This business of yet another hard won treaty being torn up by this colicky infant points up another (a major) hallmark of this administration* specifically, and the Party of Traitors generally.

They’re great at saying no. Kicking stuff over, criticizing the hard work of others as unworthy of their greatness, excellent at destroying things. Building things up? Doing the hard work necessary to make things work, make the world a safer, more livable place?

Nah. Much easier to piss out the window than to invent indoor plumbing.

The thing that continues to baffle me is how all this destruction is considered “doing something” by the bots and the bobble head dolls at Fox.

It would be one thing if Trump, even once, backed out of a treaty or an international or domestic agreement and replaced it with something else. Even if it wasn’t something you or I or any sane person thought was good or workable. But he never does.

He’s just the mean little kid who struts up and down the beach stomping on sand castles built by others with hard work and creativity. And when he’s kicked over everything in sight, tells the little bullies who follow him around how hard he works and how great he is but how he gets no credit for doing such difficult things.

Commander in Chief of pissing out the window.

[Bobby Lee]

So many treaties, so little time. It's almost become a race to exit every pact the United States has ever entered. Pompeo seems to be on board, but alas, isn't capable of starting any new worthwhile pacts.

[Akhilleus]

Bobby Lee,

Because they’re self-serving incompetent idiots. Much easier to blow things up than to build something from scratch. That would take work. And competence. And time away from ordering your lackies to walk the dog, pick up the dry cleaning, and attack any who question your abilities.

[Marie Burns]

@Akhilleus: Yes, Trump seems to have only two primary skills: boasting & whining, his talents for which he often combines: "I'm the best person in the world & the fake news is picking on me." When Trumpbots claim Trump "is one of us," I think that's what they mean. And in that sense, the whining bullies are right.