The Commentariat -- September 1, 2021

Afternoon Update:

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Wednesday are here: "Unvaccinated people should avoid traveling during the Labor Day holiday, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.... Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the C.D.C., identified vaccination and masking as key factors in preventing the spread of the virus.... Dr. Walensky said that gatherings -- among vaccinated relatives and friends -- should take place outdoors. And everyone, including those who are vaccinated, should wear masks in public indoor settings." MB: Dr. Walensky is just one of those left-coast elite control freaks who is trying to take away my freedom to snort horse dewormer.

Greg Sargent of the Washington Post: "We're now beginning to see just how ugly a House GOP takeover would be for the country. What is unmistakable is that a Republican House would be singularly devoted to using its power to avenge Donald Trump's 2020 loss -- and to whitewashing his efforts to overturn it in every way possible. Case in point: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has now openly threatened to use a GOP-controlled House to punish private companies that comply with lawful subpoenas issued by the House select committee examining the Jan. 6 insurrection.... [He made] an explicit threat to use the 'Republican majority' -- his words -- to punish compliance with congressional subpoenas that serve an investigation into an effort to overturn U.S. democracy through mob intimidation and violence.... One option for Democrats would be to refer McCarthy's threat to the House Ethics Committee, [ethicist Norm] Eisen says, under a House rule against bringing discredit on the House. That could result in punitive action, such as censure or a fine." The Ethics Committee's investigation could lead to a criminal referral to the DOJ. "'I see it as clear obstruction of justice,' Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) told me."

Zak Hudak of CBS News: "One of the two Republicans who sit on the House select committee investigating the deadly January 6 attack on the Capitol said a GOP colleague is 'using language that seems intended to incite violence.' 'I think every member ought to condemn that, and I'd like to see Leader McCarthy very clearly condemn it and explain how dangerous that is,' Wyoming Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney told CBS News. She was talking about freshman GOP Congressman Madison Cawthorn's remarks last weekend; while in his home state of North Carolina, he said that there would be 'bloodshed' if elections continue to be 'rigged' and even suggested he, too, might join the fight." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Looks like Cheney is doing reporters' work for them. Yesterday I linked to a Vice story about Cawthorn's remarks. According to the Vice report, "When asked about Cawthorn's comments about busting out prisoners, [Cawthorn spokesman Luke] Ball said his boss 'wants due process for the prisoners and does not believe that is what they are currently receiving. He was not advocating for any form of illegal action, only that they receive full due process.'..." Patrick, in yesterday's Comments, responded, in part, "GOP person A says something provocatively criminal-ish, and when asked about it his/her bobblehead talker explains it was all OK because it was not intended to be illegal, defamatory, whatever.... We need to get reporters who take the next step and challenge that type of answer, develop the fact that it is evasive and deceitful, and continue to write the story that Rep X advocates political violence despite disclaimers." I agree with Patrick. These spokesmen's after-remarks are not mere clean-up of a garbled message; they're a kind of disingenuous both-siderism, as in both sides of one mouth. The principal says something outrageous, and the spokesperson denies he meant anything outrageous.

Caroline Kitchener, et al., of the Washington Post: "A Texas law that bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy took effect Wednesday, as a midnight deadline for the Supreme Court to stop it came and went without action.... For now, abortion providers in Texas, including Planned Parenthood and Whole Woman's Health, said they will no longer terminate pregnancies more than six weeks from a woman's last period.... The Texas law ... was designed to make it more difficult for abortion rights advocates to win ... pre-enforcement injunctions. The statute empowers individuals, instead of state government officials, to bring legal action in civil court against those who help women seeking a prohibited abortion.... A [federal] District Court judge in Austin said the case could proceed and scheduled a hearing for Monday to consider whether to block the law. But the Texas-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit called off the hearing. That action led to the emergency petition to the Supreme Court requesting a stay of the law[, but the Supreme Court failed to grant the request].... In a tweet on Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the Supreme Court's 'failure to block #SB8 has delivered catastrophe to women in Texas. This radical law is an all-out effort to erase the rights and protections of Roe v. Wade.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: As I understand it, under the Texas law, a Texan could successfully sue me for $10K, as I am a contributor to Planned Parenthood (although I haven't contributed since this morning, when the law went into effect). Maybe it's a good thing I also contribute to the ACLU. ~~~

     ~~~ Donna Cassata of the Washington Post: "President Biden called a Texas law prohibiting most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy a blatant violation of a woman's constitutional right to abortion established under the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling. In a statement Wednesday, the president said his administration is committed to Roe v. Wade and will 'protect and defend that right.'" President Biden's full statement, via the White House, is here.

From the New York Times' live storm updates: Don't Jack with Shaq. "An arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday for a man who angrily confronted an NBC News reporter [Shaquille Brewster] live on TV while covering Hurricane Ida in Gulfport, Miss., screaming, 'Report accurately!' in his face. The man, Benjamin Eugene Dagley, 54, of Wooster, Ohio, will be charged with two counts of simple assault, one count of disturbing the peace and one count of violating an emergency curfew, the Gulfport Police Department said. Mr. Dagley, who is on probation for an incident in Ohio involving a break-in at a metal plating shop, may also be in violation of travel restrictions that are part of his probation, the police said.... t was unclear why Mr. Dagley had been in Gulfport -- about 1,000 miles from his home -- a day after a major hurricane hit the area." MB: Apparently Ben did not go a thousand miles for one of Shaq's smiles.

Aina Khan of the New York Times: "The British TV personality Piers Morgan was cleared on Wednesday by Britain's communications regulator over critical comments he made on air about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, after her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Mr. Morgan had been under investigation by Ofcom, the media regulator, which received a record number of complaints in March after he criticized Meghan on air and said he did not believe her accounts of being poorly treated by the royal establishment." But he isn't likely to get back his old job as host of ITV's "Good Morning, Britain." MB: Morgan is a twit, and I hate to be on his side, but anybody ought to be able to question the veracity of a royal or other public figure.

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The Washington Post's live updates of developments in Afghanistan Wednesday are here. The New York Times' live updates for Wednesday are here.

I don't think enough people understand how much we've asked of the one percent of this country who put that uniform on. -- President Joe Biden, in a speech Tuesday ~~~

~~~ Michael Shear & Jim Tankersley of the New York Times: "President Biden on Tuesday forcefully rejected criticism of his decision to end America's 20-year war in Afghanistan, hailing what he called the 'extraordinary success' of the evacuation of Kabul and declaring the end of an era in which the United States uses military power 'to remake other countries.'... Mr. Biden said the costs to the United States would have been even higher if he had allowed the nation to remain mired for years in a civil war that has dragged on for decades. In blunt terms, he claimed the only alternative to the departure he oversaw was another escalation of the war.... The president sought to justify his handling of the final weeks of the war, saying that the U.S. military and its diplomats deserved credit and thanks for ferrying out more than 120,000 Americans and Afghan allies.... Mr. Biden expressed deep remorse for the loss of lives in the explosions at the airport last Thursday, including scores of Afghans, but he dismissed the argument that his administration should have -- or could have -- conducted the final withdrawal in a 'more orderly manner' by evacuating people earlier, before the Taliban takeover of the country was complete." ~~~

     ~~~ Here's a transcript of the speech, via the White House. ~~~

     ~~~ Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post: "The speech was one of the most forceful of [Joe Biden's] career, as much laying out the rationale for his own actions as an indictment of the mind-set that supports indefinite wars whose cost is borne by others. For a White House on defense for two weeks, this was as robust a defense as one could imagine.... We need to understand how a war built on wishful thinking and cultural ignorance could grind on for two decades and why our intelligence community consistently gets really big issues wrong (from failing to anticipate the fall of the Soviet Union to the nonexistent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq). If we do not address these more fundamental problems, we will repeat the errors of Afghanistan just as certainly as we repeated the errors of Vietnam in Afghanistan."

Barbara Starr & Brianna Keilar of CNN: "The US military negotiated a secret arrangement with the Taliban that resulted in members of the militant group escorting clusters of Americans to the gates of the Kabul airport as they sought to escape Afghanistan, two defense officials told CNN. One of the officials also revealed that US special operations forces set up a 'secret gate' at the airport and established 'call centers' to guide Americans through the evacuation process. While one of the military officials said the arrangement with the Taliban 'worked beautifully,' Americans involved in an unofficial network dedicated to helping Americans and vulnerable Afghans said there were problems -- particularly in the beginning -- as the Taliban turned away US citizens and legal permanent residents the militant group was supposed to allow through."

Left Behind: An Afghan Who Rescued Biden, Other U.S. Senators. Paul LeBlanc of CNN: "White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday praised the Afghan interpreter in hiding who helped rescue then-Sen. Joe Biden during a 2008 rescue mission as she reaffirmed the US' commitment to helping Afghan allies. 'Our message to him is: Thank you for fighting by our side for the last 20 years. Thank you for the role you played in helping a number of my favorite people out of a snowstorm and for all the work you did. And our commitment is enduring, not just to American citizens but to our Afghan partners who have fought by our side,' Psaki said.... The interpreter, who is going only by his first name, Mohammed, told the Wall Street Journal that he is asking the President to 'save me and my family' after US forces allowed him to enter Kabul's airport during their evacuation mission but restricted his wife and children." MB: There's a hint in the story that Mohammed's plight might have been sealed by the Trump administration's slow-walking SIV applications.

Tyler Page & John Hudson of the Washington Post: When the U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan refused to help Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) enter the country with an over-the-limit amount of cash so he could chopper into Afghanistan & rescue an Afghan family, "Mullin was outraged by the response, the officials said -- threatening U.S. ambassador John Mark Pommersheim and embassy staff and demanding to know the name of staff members he was speaking with. The episode marked Mullin's second attempt to travel to Afghanistan in as many weeks for an unauthorized evacuation effort despite the perilous security environment. Last week, Mullin traveled to Greece and asked the Department of Defense for permission to visit Kabul. The Pentagon denied Mullin's request.... Mullin's behavior has alarmed top U.S. officials who say he has gone to extraordinary lengths to defy U.S. warnings.... As of late Tuesday, U.S. officials said they were unsure of Mullin's location.... On Tuesday, [Senate Minority Leader Kevin] McCarthy went silent and walked away after being asked if he had spoken to Mullin or if he knew where the Oklahoman was." A summary report by the Hill is here. MB: It would be a shame if Markwayne was lost & alone in Afghanistan with nothing but a sackload of U.S. dollars.

The New York Times' live updates of developments in Afghanistan Tuesday are here. The Washington Post's live updates of developments in Afghanistan Tuesday are here: "The Taliban took control of the Kabul airport Tuesday as celebratory gunfire echoed across the city, capping the militant group's victory in a 20-year war with the United States after the last U.S. military flight left the country. One of the Taliban's top officials, however, cautioned its fighters to be careful in how they treated the local population. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid called for international investment and national unity in the country during a speech at the airport." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Marie: No Way to Run a Country. It's impossible to look at the photos coming out of Afghanistan without noticing that almost all of the people controlling the new government are carrying repeating rifles.

Philip Kennicott of the Washington Post complains about the meaning attributed to the green night-goggle photos of Army Maj. Gen. Christopher T. Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, whose boots were the last on the ground in our quixotic adventures in Afghanistan. MB: The photos, at least one of which was taken by Army Master Sgt. Alex Burnett are pretty powerful, at least when you know the context.

Myah Ward of Politico: "Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday threatened to use a future GOP majority to punish companies that comply with the House's Jan. 6 investigators, warning that 'a Republican majority will not forget.' McCarthy called out Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for what he called 'attempts to strong-arm private companies to turn over individuals' private data.' He asserted that such a forfeiture of information would 'put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democrat politicians.'... On the substance of McCarthy's complaint, congressional committees have routinely used subpoena power to obtain data from private companies.... The Jan. 6 committee has not identified whose communications it is seeking, but it has made clear that members of Congress are among the potential targets, which would be a departure from past practices.... The Democratic-led committee's investigators are looking for a fuller picture of the communications between ... Donald Trump and members of Congress during the attack. McCarthy is among the Republicans known to have spoken with Trump on Jan. 6."

A Florida Man.... Sometimes a Plot Against a Conspiracy Theorist Is Real. Matt Zapotosky of the Washington Post: "The Justice Department on Tuesday arrested a Florida man over a scheme that involved seeking money from Florida Republican Don Gaetz to help halt the sex-trafficking investigation of his son, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), according to court records and a person familiar with the matter. Stephen M. Alford, 62, was charged with wire fraud in connection with the alleged $25 million plot, which famously came to light months ago -- shortly after the revelation that Matt Gaetz was under investigation. In response to the reporting on that probe in March, the congressman said his family had been cooperating with an FBI investigation of people trying use the investigation of his alleged conduct to extort his father. His father, Matt Gaetz said, had even been wearing a wire for investigators." A Politico story is here.

Lying Is Essential to the GOP. Paul Krugman of the New York Times: "I never thought I'd be nostalgic for the era when big money ruled the right. But traditional corporate influence looks benign compared with where we are now. At this point, to be a conservative in good standing you have to pledge allegiance to blatant lies -- Democrats are Marxists, the election was stolen, basic public health measures are sinister assaults on freedom.... [Possibly because Democrats are a looser, less-organized coalition than the GOP monolith,] the blend of craziness and corruption taking place on the American right is special, without anything comparable on the left. Don't both-sides this." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In yesterday's Comments, PD Pepe pointed to an incident in which a fat old white guy accosted MSNBC reporter Shaq Brewster, who is Black, while Brewster was reporting from Coastal Mississippi on the effects of Hurricane Ida. The fat guy repeatedly shouted at Brewster to "report accurately." It's impossible to know whether or not this was a racist attack: did the guy recognize the MSNBC logo on nearby equipment or did he just assume that Brewster was not "reporting accurately" because he was Black? I'll lean toward the former explanation, which lines up with Krugman's thesis. The white guy no doubt get his "news" from Fox or Worse, where he is fed a diet of lies, lies in which he is invested. So anything any other reporter says about anything, including a fairly nonpolitical event like a hurricane, is not "accurate."

Sony Suits Notice Sexist, Offensive Remarks & Behavior Are Bad for Brand. Michael Grynbaum, et al., of the New York Times: "Sony said on Tuesday that Mike Richards would immediately exit his job as the executive producer of 'Jeopardy!,' completing a stunning downfall for a game-show impresario who just three weeks ago had secured one of the most coveted jobs in television as the replacement for the longtime host Alex Trebek.... Mr. Richards is also set to leave his role as executive producer of 'Wheel of Fortune.'"

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The Washington Post's live udpates of Covid-19 developments Wednesday are here.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Tuesday are here. The Washington Post's live Covid-19 updates for Tuesday are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times: "The actions of Republican governors, some of the leading stewards of the country's response to the virus, reveal how the politics of the party's base have hardened when it comes to curbing Covid. As some Republican-led states, including Florida, confront their most serious outbreaks yet, even rising death totals are being treated as less politically damaging than imposing coronavirus mandates of almost any stripe.... Most top Republicans, including every Republican governor, have been vaccinated and have encouraged others to do so. But most have also stopped short of supporting inoculation requirements and have opposed masking requirements." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ The Pro-Virus Party. Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: “Rather than work with him to vaccinate the country, [President] Biden's Republican opposition has, with only a few exceptions, done everything in its power to politicize the vaccine and make refusal to cooperate a test of partisan loyalty. The party is, for all practical purposes, pro-Covid. If it's sincere, it is monstrous. And if it's not, it is an unbelievably cynical and nihilistic strategy. Unfortunately for both Biden and the country, it appears to be working.... [For instance, after taking aggressive actions to encourage spread of the virus, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Fox 'News.'] 'You know, he said he was going to end Covid. He hasn't done that.... At the end of the day, he is trying to find a way to distract from the failures of his presidency.'... The effect of all of [Republican measures] for the country is a pandemic that won't die. The effect of it for the Republican Party is a substantial part of its base that won't take the vaccine.... [The] Republican effort to prolong the pandemic shows no sign of abating." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Florida. Valerie Strauss of the Washington Post: "Florida officials are now withholding some funding from two counties with tough school mask mandates -- despite a court decision against the state's ban on such restrictions and a move by the U.S. Education Department to investigate states with these bans. Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran announced late Monday that the Florida Department of Education has withheld the monthly salaries of school board members in Alachua and Broward counties who voted to impose mask mandates that only provide for a medical exemption from a doctor." (Also linked yesterday.)

Oregon. Liliana Frankel of the Oregonian: "Kevin Purnell was fired Monday as superintendent of the Adrian School District just one week after students returned to school. The Adrian School Board ... voted 4-1 Monday evening to terminate Purnell after meeting in an executive, or closed door, session for less than half an hour.... The board provided no public explanation for its surprise decision to oust a superintendent who has been on the job for three years and in the district for 14 years. But critics and supporters of Purnell's stance on mask mandates made clear it was a pivotal issue in his fissure with the board." The firing came after Purnell enforced the state's mask mandates in the district.

Beyond the Beltway

The Real Compromisers of Election Integrity Are Republican Officials. Nick Corasaniti of the New York Times: "... as Republican state and county officials and their allies mount a relentless effort to discredit the result of the 2020 contest, the torrent of election falsehoods has led to unusual episodes like the one in Mesa County [where three people, including the county clerk, sneaked into a secure area to copy election machine hard drives], as well as to a wave of G.O.P.-driven reviews of the vote count conducted by uncredentialed and partisan companies or people. Roughly half a dozen reviews are underway or completed, and more are being proposed. These reviews -- carried out under the banner of making elections more secure, and misleadingly labeled audits to lend an air of official sanction -- have given rise to their own new set of threats to the integrity of the voting machines, software and other equipment that make up the nation's election infrastructure. Election officials and security experts say the reviews have created problems ranging from the expensive inconvenience of replacing equipment or software whose security has been compromised to what they describe as a graver risk: that previously unknown technical vulnerabilities could be discovered by partisan malefactors and exploited in future elections." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Meanwhile, because it's not the focus of his story, Corasaniti doesn't mention Congressional Republicans, who to (or almost to) a person oppose passage of a federal voting rights bill nor the state GOP legislators & governors whom Congressional Republicans have freed up to pass & impose draconian voter suppression laws.

Texas. Either the Supremes Are on Vacation or They're about to Overturn Roe v. Wade. Robert Barnes & Ann Marimow of the Washington Post: "A Texas law that bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy went into effect Wednesday, as a midnight deadline for the Supreme Court to stop it came and went without action. The court could still grant a request from abortion providers to halt the law, one of the nation's most restrictive. But both the statute's proponents and opponents had expected word from the high court before the statute went into effect Sept. 1[.] The law effectively eliminates the guarantee in Roe v. Wade and subsequent Supreme Court decisions that women have a right to end their pregnancies before viability, abortion providers said, and that states may not impose undue burdens on that decision." NPR's story is here.

Texas. Legislature Passes Anti-democratic, Anti-Democratic Voter Suppression Bill. David Goodman, et al., of the New York Times: "The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature on Tuesday passed a major bill overhauling the state's elections, overcoming a six-week walkout by Democrats to cement Texas as one of the most difficult states in the country in which to vote. The voting restrictions were a capstone victory in Republicans' national push to tighten voting rules and alter the administration of elections in the wake of false claims about the integrity of the 2020 presidential contest. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, vowed on Tuesday to sign the bill. The legislation takes aim in particular at Harris County, a growing Democratic bastion that includes Houston and is the nation's third most populous county. The legislation forbids balloting methods that the county introduced last year to make voting easier during the pandemic, including drive-through polling places and 24-hour voting, as well as temporary voting locations. It also bars election officials from sending voters unsolicited absentee ballot applications and from promoting the use of vote by mail. The bill greatly empowers partisan poll watchers, creates new criminal and civil penalties for poll workers and erects new barriers for those looking to help voters who need assistance, such as with translations. It requires large Texas counties -- where Democrats perform better -- to provide livestreaming video at ballot-counting locations."

Way Beyond

Isabella Kwai of the New York Times: "The Bank of England has stopped displaying art depicting several former governors and directors after a review found they were connected to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Oil paintings and busts of seven leading figures at the central bank between 1698 and 1814 -- James Bateman, Robert Bristow, Robert Clayton, William Dawsonne, Gilbert Heathcote, William Manning and John Pearse -- have been removed after it was established they had links to slavery, the bank said in a statement Friday. The move was the latest in a difficult reckoning taking place at museums, galleries and longstanding institutions in Britain and other European countries that have begun reframing their exhibitions to more explicitly acknowledge links to slavery and colonialism. Criticism that many had not done enough escalated after the Black Lives Matter protests around the world last summer following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in the United States." MB: George Floyd, and even most of those who organized protests against his murder, would be surprised by the far-flung influence they wielded.

News Ledes

Washington Post: "An extremely rare high risk for heavy rain and flash flooding has been declared for parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, the most severe outlook category the National Weather Service can hoist ahead of an anticipated flood event. They're calling for 'widespread and potentially life-threatening flooding,' with totals of three to eight inches likely in a broad swath hundreds of miles long. Cities such as New York and Hartford, Conn., are included in the outlook bull's eye, with other places including Baltimore, Philadelphia and Providence, R.I., bracing for major disruptions to travel, too. Flash-flood watches stretch from the Blue Ridge in North Carolina to Maine." ~~~

~~~ The New York Times is live-updating the after-effects of Hurricane Ida & its impact on the mid-Atlantic & Northeast states, where heavy rains & flooding are projected.

The Commentariat -- August 31, 2021

Unbelievably, the Comments section may be messed up again. A comment that was posted in today's Commentariat showed up in my email notifications & in my data files -- but not in the viewable comments. After I made a test comment, the first comment showed up -- more than an hour after it was posted. Although I have some stuff to do today that will keep me away from my computer off and on, I'll try to keep an eye on what's going on with the comments. In the meantime, save your work. -- Marie

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Afternoon Update:

The New York Times' live updates of developments in Afghanistan are here. The Washington Post's live updates of developments in Afghanistan Tuesday are here: "The Taliban took control of the Kabul airport Tuesday as celebratory gunfire echoed across the city, capping the militant group's victory in a 20-year war with the United States after the last U.S. military flight left the country. One of the Taliban's top officials, however, cautioned its fighters to be careful in how they treated the local population. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid called for international investment and national unity in the country during a speech at the airport."

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Tuesday are here. The Washington Post's live Covid-19 updates for Tuesday are here.

Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times: "The actions of Republican governors, some of the leading stewards of the country's response to the virus, reveal how the politics of the party's base have hardened when it comes to curbing Covid. As some Republican-led states, including Florida, confront their most serious outbreaks yet, even rising death totals are being treated as less politically damaging than imposing coronavirus mandates of almost any stripe.... Most top Republicans, including every Republican governor, have been vaccinated and have encouraged others to do so. But most have also stopped short of supporting inoculation requirements and have opposed masking requirements." ~~~

~~~ The Pro-Virus Party. Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "Rather than work with him to vaccinate the country, [President] Biden's Republican opposition has, with only a few exceptions, done everything in its power to politicize the vaccine and make refusal to cooperate a test of partisan loyalty. The party is, for all practical purposes, pro-Covid. If it's sincere, it is monstrous. And if it's not, it is an unbelievably cynical and nihilistic strategy. Unfortunately for both Biden and the country, it appears to be working.... [For instance, after taking aggressive actions to encourage spread of the virus, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Fox 'News.'] 'You know, he said he was going to end Covid. He hasn't done that.... At the end of the day, he is trying to find a way to distract from the failures of his presidency.'... The effect of all of [Republican measures] for the country is a pandemic that won't die. The effect of it for the Republican Party is a substantial part of its base that won't take the vaccine.... [The] Republican effort to prolong the pandemic shows no sign of abating."

Florida. Valerie Strauss of the Washington Post: "Florida officials are now withholding some funding from two counties with tough school mask mandates -- despite a court decision against the state's ban on such restrictions and a move by the U.S. Education Department to investigate states with these bans. Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran announced late Monday that the Florida Department of Education has withheld the monthly salaries of school board members in Alachua and Broward counties who voted to impose mask mandates that only provide for a medical exemption from a doctor."

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Elvis Has Left the Building

~~~ Adam Nossiter & Eric Schmitt of the New York Times: "The last United States forces left Afghanistan late Monday, ending a 20-year occupation that began shortly after Al Qaeda's attacks on 9/11, cost over $2 trillion, took more than 170,000 lives and ultimately failed to defeat the Taliban, the Islamist militants who allowed Al Qaeda to operate there. Five American C-17 cargo jets flew out of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul just before midnight, the officials said, completing a hasty evacuation that left behind tens of thousands of Afghans desperate to flee the country, including former members of the security forces and many who held valid visas to enter the United States. 'A new chapter of America's engagement with Afghanistan has begun,' Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said on Monday evening. 'It's one in which we will lead with our diplomacy. The military mission is over.' But the war prosecuted by four presidents over two decades, which gave Afghans a shot at democracy and freed many women to pursue education and careers, failed in nearly every other goal. Ultimately, the Americans handed the country back to the same militants they drove from power in 2001." ~~~

     ~~~ Robert Burns & Lolita Baldor of the AP: "The United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan late Monday, ending America's longest war and closing a chapter in military history likely to be remembered for colossal failures, unfulfilled promises and a frantic final exit that cost the lives of more than 180 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, some barely older than the war.Hours ahead of President Joe Biden's Tuesday deadline for shutting down a final airlift, and thus ending the U.S. war, Air Force transport planes carried a remaining contingent of troops from Kabul airport.... In announcing the completion of the evacuation and war effort. Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said the last planes took off from Kabul airport at 3:29 p.m. Washington time, or one minute before midnight in Kabul. He said a number of American citizens, likely numbering in 'the very low hundreds,' were left behind, and that he believes they will still be able to leave the country." (Also linked yesterday.)

Lara Jakes of the New York Times: "American diplomats have left Afghanistan, and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul will remain closed, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said on Monday, after the military announced that it had completed its withdrawal from the country. The disintegration of U.S. diplomacy was a stunning turnabout from plans to stay and help Afghanistan transition from 20 years of war and work toward peace, however tenuous, with a government that would share power with the Taliban. Earlier this month, Mr. Blinken had pledged that the United States would remain 'deeply engaged' in Afghanistan long after the military left.... What was one of the largest U.S. diplomatic missions in the world will for now be greatly scaled back, based in Doha, the Qatari capital, and focused largely on processing visas for refugees and other immigrants.... Mr. Blinken said any engagement with the Taliban -- a longtime U.S. enemy that seized power when President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan on Aug. 15 -- 'will be driven by one thing only: our vital national interests.'" Here's a transcript of Blinken's speech, via the State Department.

Laura Smith-Spark, et al., of CNN: "Nine members of one family -- including six children -- were killed in a US drone strike targeting a vehicle in a residential neighborhood of Kabul, a relative of the dead told a local journalist working with CNN. The US carried out a defensive airstrike in Kabul, targeting a suspected ISIS-K suicide bomber who posed an 'imminent' threat to the airport, US Central Command said Sunday. The youngest killed was a 2-year-old girl, according to a brother of the one of those killed. They were 'an ordinary family,' he said. 'We are not ISIS or Daesh and this was a family home -- where my brothers lived with their families.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

** Groundhog Day All Over Again. Frank Rich of New York: "... some two-thirds of Americans ... had never been onboard for [George W.] Bush's pivot from a war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban to a naïve and extravagant colonialist exercise in nation building. And so now we're back where we came in.... 9/11 proved to be Groundhog Day as far as the war was concerned.... Many of the loudest voices in the media and in Washington decrying our inept and catastrophic exit ... are the same voices that helped grease the skids for disaster in Afghanistan by promoting a second new war in Iraq on manufactured intelligence in the months after 9/11." Firewalled, but it's the last day of the month, so if you haven't used up your New York hits for the month, this is a fine place to spend one. Thanks to citizen625 for the link.

Ross Douthat of the New York Times: "... [President] Biden deserves plenty of criticism. But like the Trump administration in its wiser moments, he is trying to disentangle America from a set of failed policies that many of his loudest critics long supported. Our botched withdrawal is the punctuation mark on a general catastrophe, a failure so broad that it should demand purges in the Pentagon, the shamed retirement of innumerable hawkish talking heads, the razing of various NGOs and international-studies programs and the dissolution of countless consultancies and military contractors. Small wonder, then, that making Biden the singular scapegoat seems like a more attractive path. But if the only aspect of this catastrophe that our leaders remember is what went wrong in August 2021, then we'll have learned nothing except to always double down on failure, and the next disaster will be worse." Oh, go ahead, read it.

Lawrence O'Donnell noted Monday evening that when the U.S. fled Vietnam, President Jerry Ford never said a word. Ford issued one written statement about the evacuation.

Ryan Nobles, et al., of CNN: "The House Select Committee investigating the deadly January 6 riot has requested that a group of telecommunications companies preserve the phone records of a group of GOP members of Congress and ... Donald Trump, as well as members of the Trump family, who played some role in the "Stop the Steal" rally that served as the prelude to the Capitol insurrection.... [Sources say] the list is ... evolving and could be added to as the investigation steps up. As of now it includes Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Paul Gosar also of Arizona, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Jody Hice of Georgia and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.... The committee will also request the records of the former President be preserved, as well as his daughter Ivanka, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as his daughter-in-law Lara Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is Trump Jr.'s girlfriend." ~~~

~~~ Anna Massoglia of Open Secrets: "... Donald Trump's political operation reported paying more than $4.3 million to people and firms that organized the Jan. 6 rally since the start of the 2020 election. However, questions remain about the full extent of the Trump campaign's involvement in the 'Save America' rally on the day of the Capitol attack as a House select committee's sweeping requests attempt to shine some light on that day's events." Subpoenas from the Jan. 6 Select Committee requested information from 15 social media companies for some of the principals of the rally organizers who were recipients of Trump campaign cash. The committee asked the National Archives, FBI & DOJ to expedite records collection.

Cameron Joseph of Vice: "When Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn was asked [at a GOP event Sunday] about what he's doing to help the hundreds in jail awaiting trial for their roles in the violent January 6 riots, he called them 'political prisoners' -- and said he wanted to 'bust them out.'... Someone in the audience then asked, 'When will you call us to Washington again?' 'We are actively working on this,' Cawthorn responded. 'We have a few plans in motion I can't make public right now,' he said, before calling those facing charges for their role in the January 6 insurrection 'political hostages' for the second time.... Cawthorn's remarks came during a question-and-answer period after his speech, where he claimed that 'Trump obviously won' and repeated false claims that voter fraud had stolen the 2020 election for Democrats. 'Can we actually trust our voting system? Because I'll tell you, anybody who tells you that Joe Biden was duly elected is lying to you,' he said to cheers. 'We all saw the fraud. It was on full display in front of us, we all know it was a stolen election.' Cawthorn even claimed issues with his own state and suggested that North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper had won because of voter fraud too....

It has been a whole day since we have heard a bizarre story coming out of the bizarro Trumpland Fantasy Fun Fair. So time for another one. ~~~

~~~ January 6 (Alleged) Insurrectionists Have Fake Lawyer. Adam Klasfeld of Law & Crime: &"As high-profile conservative attorney John Pierce reportedly grapples with COVID-19, an employee has started appearing on behalf of suspected Jan. 6th rioters. That employee, Ryan Marshall, has been charged with felonies and is 'not a licensed attorney,' federal prosecutors told a judge on Monday. Known for formerly representing Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse in his homicide case, Pierce kept picking up clients fighting federal charges associated with the Jan. 6th siege of the U.S. Capitol. Rittenhouse's family fired Pierce after questioning what he did with the millions he raised for the accused murderer. Now, Pierce's relationship with some 17 other clients stands in limbo for health reasons.... Marshall was the same associate who reportedly told a judge in open court on Aug. 15: 'Mr. Pierce is in the hospital, we believe, with COVID-19, on a ventilator, non-responsive.'... Prosecutors say that they have had no contact with Pierce since Aug. 13." However, other associates of Pierce have denied he has Covid-19 or is on a ventilator.

Coral Davenport of the New York Times: "A federal judge on Monday struck down a Trump-era environmental rule that drastically limited federal restrictions against pollution of millions of streams, wetlands and marshes across the country. The Biden administration had already begun the lengthy process of undoing the policy, which ... Donald J. Trump established in 2020 to please real estate developers and farmers. Mr. Trump's policy allowed the discharge of pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides and industrial chemicals into smaller streams and wetlands. But on Monday, Judge Rosemary Márquez of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona found 'fundamental, substantive flaws' with the Trump administration's policy and said that it was in conflict with the 1972 Clean Water Act. She warned of the 'possibility of serious environmental harm' if the Trump rule remained in place. The Trump policy allowed more than 300 projects across the country to proceed without environmental permitting, the judge noted.... The court ruling is the latest in a series of decisions by federal judges who have struck down Trump environmental policies after noting that the administration had frequently ignored the analysis of career federal scientists."

The Pandemic, Ctd.

Laura Meckler of the Washington Post: "The Education Department opened civil rights investigations Monday into five states for policies banning school districts from requiring masks, upping the Biden administration's battle with Republican governors over pandemic policies for schools. Letters were sent to education officials in Iowa, South Carolina, Utah, Oklahoma and Tennessee, all of which bar local districts from mandating masks. They allege that these states may be preventing districts from meeting the needs of students with disabilities who are at heightened risk for severe illness should they contract the coronavirus. The Education Department did not open investigations in Florida, Texas, Arkansas or Arizona, all of which have tried to ban such mandates as well, because the policies there are not being enforced as a result of court orders or other state actions, the agency said."

Samuel Petrequin of the AP: "The European Union recommended Monday that its 27 nations reinstate restrictions on tourists from the U.S. because of rising coronavirus infections there, but member countries will keep the option of allowing fully vaccinated U.S. travelers in. The decision by the European Council to remove the U.S. from a safe list of countries for nonessential travel reverses the advice that it gave in June, when the bloc recommended lifting restrictions on all U.S. travelers before the summer tourism season."

Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "Federal researchers will not objectively study ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19, the Kentucky senator Rand Paul claimed, because 'hatred for Donald Trump' has tainted their view of those who say the drug used to deworm horses can aid the fight against the pandemic. Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic, does have uses in humans, to treat worms, lice and skin problems.... It is not proven to combat Covid-19." MB: Okay, Rand, Donald claims he singlehandedly caused Covid-19 vaccines to be developed quickly. So why don't federal regulators ban vaccines because of "hatred for Donald Trump"? (Also linked yesterday.)

A Hoax that Proved Deadly. David Gilbert of Vice: "Robert David Steele, a former CIA officer turned conspiracy theorist who claimed to be the first person to call COVID-19 a hoax, has died from COVID-19. Steele, who was among the earliest QAnon promoters and helped the conspiracy theory move from the fringes of the internet into the mainstream, was hospitalized with symptoms of COVID-19 earlier this month. But he continued to spread anti-vaccine and COVID-denial conspiracy theories until the end." One of Steele's fellow conspiracy buffs, Mark Tassi, called Steele's death "very suspicious." MB: Well, of course he did. (Also linked yesterday.)

Ohio. Jake Zuckerman of the Ohio Capital Journal: "A Butler County judge ruled in favor of a woman last week who sought to force a hospital to administer Ivermectin -- an animal dewormer that federal regulators have warned against using in COVID-19 patients -- to her husband after several weeks in the ICU with the disease. Butler County Common Pleas Judge Gregory Howard ordered West Chester Hospital, part of the University of Cincinnati network, to treat Jeffrey Smith, 51, with Ivermectin. The order, filed Aug. 23, compels the hospital to provide Smith with 30mg of Ivermectin daily for three weeks. The drug was originally developed to deworm livestock animals before doctors began using it against parasitic diseases among humans. Several researchers won a Nobel Prize in 2015 for establishing its efficacy in humans. It's used to treat head lice, onchocerciasis (river blindness) and others. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned Americans against the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19, a viral disease. It's unproven as a treatment, they say, and large doses of it can be dangerous and cause serious harm." (Also linked yesterday.) For some nuance, see Patrick's comment in yesterday's thread.

The Commentariat -- August 30, 2021

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

Elvis Has Left the Building

~~~ Robert Burns & Lolita Baldor of the AP: "The United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan late Monday, ending America's longest war and closing a chapter in military history likely to be remembered for colossal failures, unfulfilled promises and a frantic final exit that cost the lives of more than 180 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, some barely older than the war. Hours ahead of President Joe Biden's Tuesday deadline for shutting down a final airlift, and thus ending the U.S. war, Air Force transport planes carried a remaining contingent of troops from Kabul airport.... In announcing the completion of the evacuation and war effort. Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said the last planes took off from Kabul airport at 3:29 p.m. Washington time, or one minute before midnight in Kabul. He said a number of American citizens, likely numbering in 'the very low hundreds,' were left behind, and that he believes they will still be able to leave the country." ~~~

~~~ From the New York Times' live updates, also linked below: "The last vestiges of the American presence in Afghanistan have departed Kabul airport, ending an occupation that resulted in a complete takeover of the country by the adversary the U.S. military spent two decades fighting, U.S. military officials said. In recent days, American military leaders said the United States would continue evacuation efforts and fully withdraw by Aug. 31. But those efforts were wrapped up a full day early. Evacuation flights ended on Monday, and the military finished packing everything it intended to fly out of the airport onto transport planes before loading the remaining U.S. service members onto planes for departure."

Ohio. Jake Zuckerman of the Ohio Capital Journal: "A Butler County judge ruled in favor of a woman last week who sought to force a hospital to administer Ivermectin -- an animal dewormer that federal regulators have warned against using in COVID-19 patients -- to her husband after several weeks in the ICU with the disease. Butler County Common Pleas Judge Gregory Howard ordered West Chester Hospital, part of the University of Cincinnati network, to treat Jeffrey Smith, 51, with Ivermectin. The order, filed Aug. 23, compels the hospital to provide Smith with 30mg of Ivermectin daily for three weeks. The drug was originally developed to deworm livestock animals before doctors began using it against parasitic diseases among humans. Several researchers won a Nobel Prize in 2015 for establishing its efficacy in humans. It's used to treat head lice, onchocerciasis (river blindness) and others. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned Americans against the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19, a viral disease. It"s unproven as a treatment, they say, and large doses of it can be dangerous and cause serious harm."

Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "Federal researchers will not objectively study ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19, the Kentucky senator Rand Paul claimed, because 'hatred for Donald Trump' has tainted their view of those who say the drug used to deworm horses can aid the fight against the pandemic. Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic, does have uses in humans, to treat worms, lice and skin problems.... It is not proven to combat Covid-19." MB: Okay, Rand, Donald claims he singlehandedly caused Covid-19 vaccines to be developed quickly. So why don't federal regulators ban vaccines because of "hatred for Donald Trump"?

A Hoax that Proved Deadly. David Gilbert of Vice: "Robert David Steele, a former CIA officer turned conspiracy theorist who claimed to be the first person to call COVID-19 a hoax, has died from COVID-19. Steele, who was among the earliest QAnon promoters and helped the conspiracy theory move from the fringes of the internet into the mainstream, was hospitalized with symptoms of COVID-19 earlier this month. But he continued to spread anti-vaccine and COVID-denial conspiracy theories until the end.

Laura Smith-Spark, et al., of CNN: "Nine members of one family -- including six children -- were killed in a US drone strike targeting a vehicle in a residential neighborhood of Kabul, a relative of the dead told a local journalist working with CNN. The US carried out a defensive airstrike in Kabul, targeting a suspected ISIS-K suicide bomber who posed an 'imminent' threat to the airport, US Central Command said Sunday. The youngest killed was a 2-year-old girl, according to a brother of the one of those killed. They were 'an ordinary family,' he said. 'We are not ISIS or Daesh and this was a family home -- where my brothers lived with their families.'"

~~~~~~~~~~

The Washington Post's live updates of developments in Afghanistan Monday are here: "Rockets were fired at Kabul airport early Monday but as many as five were intercepted by a missile defense system, highlighting the continual threat to the international rescue mission ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline for American troops to pull out. There were no initial reports of U.S. casualties, reported Reuters, citing an unidentified American official. A Taliban spokesman said that there were no reports of Afghan deaths and that the Islamist group was investigating the attack." ~~~

     ~~~ The Guardian's live updates of developments in Afghanistan Monday are here. The New York Times' live updates Monday are here. ~~~

~~~ Hannah Ellis-Petersen of the Guardian: "Several rockets were fired at Kabul airport on Monday, less than 48 hours before the United States is due to complete its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Eyewitnesses said the rockets were launched from a car and were aimed towards the airport on Monday morning. It appears Salim Karwan, a neighbourhood adjacent to the airport, was hit in one of the blasts. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack."

Lara Jakes of the New York Times: "The United States and 97 other countries said on Sunday that they would continue to take in people fleeing Afghanistan after the American military departs this week and had secured an agreement with the Taliban to allow safe passage for those who are leaving. The Taliban's chief negotiator, Sher Mohammed Abas Stanekzai, had announced on Friday that the group would not stop people from departing, no matter their nationality or whether they had worked for the United States during the 20-year war. The joint statement released on Sunday on behalf of more than half of the world's governments and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said that they had 'received assurances from the Taliban' that people with travel documents showing they were clear to enter any of those countries could safely depart. The countries also pledged to 'continue issuing travel documentation to designated Afghans' and cited a 'clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban' of their safe passage.... Notably missing from the statement were Russia and China, two permanent members of the U.N. Security Council who have pledged to help the Taliban rebuild Afghanistan." The Hill's story is here.

Aamer Madhani of the AP: "President Joe Biden met in solemn privacy Sunday with the families of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the suicide attack near the Kabul airport as the remains of their loved ones returned to U.S. soil from Afghanistan. Biden and first lady Jill Biden were also to attend the 'dignified transfer' of the fallen troops while at Dover Air Force Base, a military ritual of receiving the remains of those killed in foreign combat." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) The New York Times story is here.

Kathy Gannon, et al., of the AP: "A U.S. drone strike Sunday struck a vehicle carrying 'multiple suicide bombers' from Afghanistan's Islamic State affiliate before they could target the ongoing military evacuation at Kabul's international airport, American officials said. There were few initial details about the incident, as well as a rocket that struck a neighborhood just northwest of the airport, killing a child. The Taliban initially described the two strikes as separate incidents, though information on both remained scarce and witnesses heard only one large blast Sunday in the Afghan capital." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ David Zucchino of the New York Times: "A U.S. drone strike on Sunday destroyed an explosives-laden vehicle that the Pentagon said posed an imminent threat to Afghanistan's main airport, as the massive airlift of Afghans fleeing Taliban rule shut down just two days before the scheduled final withdrawal of American forces. Afghans said the drone strike killed as many as nine civilians, including children, and the U.S. military said it was investigating the assertions. The U.S.-led coalition told Afghans awaiting transport out of the country that for them the airlift was over. 'We regret to inform you that international military evacuations from Kabul airport have ended,' it said in a text message sent late Saturday night, 'and we are no longer able to call anyone forward for evacuation flights. 'The airlift has flown more than 117,000 people out of the country since Aug. 14, most of them Afghans, and some Afghans may already be in the airport waiting for flights, but it is leaving untold thousands behind. The desperate, dangerous scramble to reach Kabul's international airport and the deadly attack there last Thursday by an Islamic State branch have defined the chaotic and bloody end to America's longest war."

Farnaz Fassihi of the New York Times: "Hundreds of students and alumni of American University of Afghanistan gathered at a safe house on Sunday and boarded buses in what was supposed to be a final attempt at evacuation on U.S. military flights, students and alumni said. But after seven hours of waiting for clearance to enter the airport gates and driving around the city, the group met a dead end: Evacuations were permanently called off. The airport gates remained a security threat, and civilian evacuations were ending Monday.... [An] email asked the 600 or so students and alumni to return home. The U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan must be completed by a Tuesday deadline, so the U.S. military is turning from evacuating civilians to bringing its own personnel home. The group was then alarmed to learn that the university had shared a list of names and passport information of hundreds of students and alumni with the Taliban guarding the airport checkpoints, said four students...."

David Edwards of the Raw Story: "During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell argued that the Afghanistan war had been a 'complete success' and that the U.S. could safely maintain an indefinite military presence in the country with just 2,500 troops. But [host Chris] Wallace pointed out that President Joe Biden's Pentagon advisers have said that at least 10,000 more troops would be required if the war continues.... McConnell insisted that the assessment was 'totally not accurate.'"

Sammy Westfall & Paulina Villegas of the Washington Post: "Marine Corps Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who was relieved of command after a video of him criticizing senior U.S. officials for 'failures' in Afghanistan went viral, said Sunday that he will be leaving the Marine Corps after 17 years. 'All I asked for was accountability of my senior leaders when there are clear, obvious mistakes that were made,' he said in a video posted on LinkedIn this weekend."

A Marine & His Dogs. Gina Harkins of the Washington Post: Former British Royal Marine Paul "Pen" Farthing, who ran an animal shelter in Afghanistan, airlifted dogs & cats to Heathrow airport in a private plane, apparently after the Taliban let the dogs out, but not Farthing's staff. He vows to evacuate his human friends, too. "But some British leaders said Farthing was pulling precious resources from the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Kabul.... British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace ... [said] that Farthing's supporters had 'taken up too much time of my senior commanders.'"

Prospect of Hard Evidence Makes Jungle Gym Jordan Change His Story. Tom Boggioni of the Raw Story: "... Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) confessed to a Politico reporter that he probably had multiple talks with the president that day instead of just one. In July, Jordan claimed, 'I spoke with him that day, after? I think after. I don't know if I spoke with him in the morning or not. I just don't know.... I don't know when those conversations happened,' reported Rolling Stone. According to Politico's Olivia Beavers, the Ohio conservative is altering his story on the heels of the House select committee on the Jan 6th insurrection asking phone companies for records on phone calls during that day.... Politico's Playbook is reporting, 'Look, I definitely spoke to the president that day. I don't recall -- I know it was more than once, I just don't recall the times,' Jordan explained when pressed." MB: Jordan is like criminals in murder mysteries; under questioning, they claim they didn't speak to someone during a critical time period -- till the detective shows them their phone records. Cuff him! ~~~

     ~~~ According to the Politico report, which is down the page here, "After a group of lawmakers were evacuated from the House chamber to a safe room on Jan. 6, Jordan was joined by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for a call during which they implored Trump to tell his supporters to stand down, per a source with knowledge of that call. The source declined to say how Trump responded to this request."

Marie: If you think a news story seems bizarre, it's probably more bizarre than you think. ~~~

     ~~~ The Lady Disappears. Matt Shuham of TPM: As we've learned, "Tina Peters, the clerk in conservative Mesa County, Colorado, [is] now under investigation for allegedly helping facilitate the leak of sensitive election software information to a QAnon influencer.... Peters ... has acknowledged taking digital images of her election machines' hard drives both before and after a May 25 software update [in an effort to prove election law violations.... But] someone [else] in the room took surreptitious video and pictures[, too]." Next, QAnon Guy Ron Watkins released footage of the sensitive hard drive on his Telegram account, and investigators swarmed Peters' office. Meanwhile, Peters went to speak at Mike Lindell's flop of a "cyber-symposium"; in keeping with the theme of the event -- "Cyber-symposium Flops" -- Peters' 'revelations" of election-machine irregularities were "unimpressive." But wait. A story set in Colorado & South Dakota surely needs ... a surfer! Back on stage, QAnon Guy suddenly alleged surfer Conan Hayes had stolen the Mesa County harddrives. Whereupon, whereupon, "Tina Peters leaped to the stage, denying that any county property had left her office -- and seemingly setting off a recording of a duck quacking.... And then, and then -- Peters disappeared! And who helped her in this dramatic after-act? Why, Mike Lindell, the MyPillow Guy. He first ferried Peters to Texas, then accidentally leaked her location, then moved her again. Tune in for the next exciting episode. Will officers find Tina? Or is she in disguise, hanging out in a wetsuit & hanging ten of them toes over the edge of a surfboard? (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Geoffrey Fowler of the Washington Post: Even if you never use Facebook, Facebook is collecting intimate details (your brand of underwear!) about you. "Facebook has become too big to escape.... Facebook is so big, it has convinced millions of other businesses, apps and websites to also snoop on its behalf. Even when you're not actively using Facebook. Even when you're not online. Even, perhaps, if you've never had a Facebook account.... Facebook provides its business partners tracking software they embed in apps, websites and loyalty programs. Any business or group that needs to do digital advertising has little choice but to feed your activities into Facebook's vacuum: your grocer, politicians and, yes, even the paywall page for this newspaper's website. Behind the scenes, Facebook takes in this data and tries to match it up to your account.... Facebook may be free, but you pay for it with your privacy. And Facebook keeps raising the price."

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Monday are here: "The daily average for hospitalized Covid-19 patients in the United States is now more than 100,000. That average, calculated over the last seven days, is higher than in any previous surge except last winter's, before most Americans were eligible to get vaccinated.... Hospitalizations nationwide have increased by nearly 500 percent in the past two months, particularly across Southern states, where I.C.U. beds are filling up, a crisis fueled by some of the country's lowest vaccination rates and widespread political opposition to public health measures like mask requirements." ~~~

     ~~~ Update: The NYT's stand-alone story, by Dan Levin, on the 100,000+ daily average of new cases is here.

~~~ Mississippi. Richard Fausset of the New York Times: "... the health care system in the nation's poorest state is close to buckling under the latest avalanche of cases triggered by the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus.... The current coronavirus spike has hit the South hard, but a combination of poverty and politics made Mississippi uniquely unprepared to handle what is now the worst coronavirus outbreak in the nation. The state has fewer active physicians per capita than any other. Five rural hospitals have closed in the past decade, and 35 more are at imminent risk of closing, according to an assessment from a nonprofit health care quality agency. There are 2,000 fewer nurses in Mississippi today than there were at the beginning of the year, according to the state hospital association.... Mississippi has waged decades of political battles over health care policy.... Most crucially, the state rejected a proposal to expand Medicaid.... What Mississippi has been left with, after years of infighting, is a system believed to be the weakest in the nation."

Florida. Mark Harper of the Daytona Beach News-Journal: "Marc Bernier, a talk radio host in Daytona Beach for 30 years, died after a three-week battle with COVID-19, WNDB and Southern Stone Communications announced on Twitter Saturday night. Bernier, 65, of Ormond Beach, has been remembered in recent days as a conservative who sought out and aired others' points of view while airing a morning comment, three-hour afternoon show, weekend shows and specials.... He also was an outspoken opponent of vaccinations." Emphasis added. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Texas. Fake "Freedom Defender" Dies. AP: "A man who led efforts in his Central Texas community against mask wearing and other preventative measures during the coronavirus pandemic has died from COVID-19, one month after being admitted to the emergency room. Caleb Wallace died on Saturday, his wife Jessica Wallace said on a GoFundMe page where she had been posting updates on his condition, the San Angelo Standard-Times reported Saturday. He was 30 years old and a father of three children. His wife is pregnant with their fourth child." More on Caleb Wallace in yesterday's Commentariat. MB: Let's see. He's 30 years old, has three children, a pregnant wife who had to rely on GoFundMe to survive, he refuses the vaccine, takes horse dewormer & Vitamin C instead, encourages others to put themselves & associates at risk. Everything about this guy was irresponsible. I don't "wish him dead," as his wife implies; I wish he had behaved like a responsible adult so he'd still be alive & he'd have a family he took care of. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

News Ledes

New York Times: "Rescue teams fanned out across Louisiana on Monday searching for people left stranded in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, even as New Orleans emerged from its most serious onslaught since Hurricane Katrina confident that its levees had held. While city residents could take a measure of relief at having dodged a catastrophic flood, several surrounding communities remained cut off by the storm, with the extent of the devastation in those areas still coming into focus. More than a million people, including most of New Orleans, were left without electricity, more than 300,000 were without water and some 2,000 were in shelters, officials said." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Appreciated some of the comments I heard on the teevee from the Man on the Flooded Street, which ran to, "Wow! We never thought it was gonna be this bad. We thought we was gonna die." Yeah, how could they have known? ~~~

~~~ Weather Channel: "Roads are covered in water, buildings have been ripped apart and rescue calls were coming in after Hurricane Ida roared ashore in southeastern Louisiana Sunday with crushing storm surge and extreme winds. The storm made landfall near Port Fourchon and is ripping a path of destruction as it marches inland." ~~~

     ~~~ The Guardian's live updates of storm developments Monday are here. The New York Times' live updates are here. ~~~

     ~~~ The New Orleans Times-Picayune front page has links to numerous stories. MB: I don't know whether or not these -- or some of these -- are firewalled. ~~~

     ~~~ AP: "A fearsome Hurricane Ida left scores of coastal Louisiana residents trapped by floodwaters and pleading to be rescued Monday while making a shambles of the electrical grid across a wide swath of the state in the sweltering, late-summer heat. One of the most powerful hurricanes ever to hit the U.S. mainland weakened into a tropical storm overnight as it pushed inland over Mississippi with torrential rain and shrieking winds, its danger far from over. Ida was blamed for at least one death -- someone hit by a falling tree outside Baton Rouge -- but the full extent of its fury was still coming into focus at daybreak." ~~~

Near St. Pius Church, Marrero, Louisiana.     ~~~ New York Times photographers dispatched to Louisiana to document some of the damage. Marie: In the one photo, there is a sign of eternal hope: it appears Very White Jesus has been saved, if just barely. There is little to laugh about in a hurricane/flood situation, and I don't mean to make light of this great difficulty, but that photo did cause me to laugh out loud. I can see where a lot of people would not find this at all funny.