The Conversation -- November 13, 2024

Matt Viser & Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post: "President Joe Biden and ... Donald Trump met face-to-face on Wednesday morning in the Oval Office, an extraordinary moment for two men who have repeatedly expressed public disdain for one another as they go through one of the most unusual transfers of power in American history.... For Biden, the meeting meant welcoming and legitimizing a man he has condemned as an authoritarian and an existential threat to American democracy."

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: ... Donald J. Trump addressed jubilant House Republicans on Wednesday morning, delivering triumphant remarks centered around his own electoral victory and drawing laughter when he hinted that they could pave the way for him to serve a third term in office.... 'I suspect I won't be running again unless you say, "He's so good we've got to figure something else out."' (The Constitution limits presidents to two terms, though Mr. Trump has mused before about circumventing that restriction.)" MB: Trump is not "drawing my laughter." If he isn't comatose in January 2029, he will not voluntarily leave the White House.

Liz Goodwin, et al., of the Washington Post: "Senate Republicans chose Sen. John Thune of South Dakota to be their new leader, rejecting an outside pressure campaign from Donald Trump's allies to break with the establishment in the secret-ballot election, according to two people familiar with the vote. Thune, a close ally of retiring leader Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), has been critical of Trump in the past but has worked to repair that relationship in recent months. He reassured senators in a closed-door meeting that he would work hand in glove with the new administration and would not butt heads with Trump even on issues such as continuing U.S. aid for Ukraine, which Trump opposes, senators said.... Trump himself avoided weighing in on the race directly so far, despite his allies going all in on Scott.? The NBC News story is here.

Rhian Lubin of the Independent: "Melania Trump is likely to spend most of her time away from the White House as first lady -- but she is still 'a constant voice' in her husband's ear. Instead, Melania will spend most of her time between New York City, where 18-year-old Barron is studying at NYU, and Palm Beach, Florida, sources familiar with her plans told CNN.... On Wednesday she snubbed tea with Jill Biden while the president-elect and President Joe Biden met in the Oval Office to discuss the transition schedule." (The CNN story is firewalled.) MB: So I guess this means she'll be farming out the Christmas-decorating chores. What a shame.

Guardian: "We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X.... We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere. This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism. The US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse. X users will still be able to share our articles, and the nature of live news reporting means we will still occasionally embed content from X within our article pages.

Devlin Barrett & Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: "Jack Smith, the special counsel who pursued two federal prosecutions of Donald J. Trump, plans to finish his work and resign along with other members of his team before Mr. Trump takes office in January, people familiar with his plans said. Mr. Smith's goal, they said, is to not leave any significant part of his work for others to complete and to get ahead of the president-elect's promise to fire him within 'two seconds' of being sworn in.... Department regulations call for him to file a report summarizing his investigation and decisions -- a document that may stand as the final accounting from a prosecutor who filed extensive charges against a former president but never got his cases to trial." An NBC News story is here.

Adam Goldman & Seamus Hughes of the New York Times: "A C.I.A. official has been charged with disclosing classified documents that appeared to show Israel's plans to retaliate against Iran for a missile attack earlier this year, according to court documents and people familiar with the matter. The official, Asif W. Rahman, was indicted last week in federal court in Virginia with two counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information. He was arrested by the F.B.I. on Tuesday in Cambodia and brought to federal court in Guam to face charges."

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Everything Bad You Thought Could Happen Is Beginning to Happen.

All the Best People:

The Nazification of the U.S. Is Underway. Michael Shear & Eric Lipton of the New York Times: "Mr. Trump said on Tuesday that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead what he called the Department of Government Efficiency. It will ... driv[e] 'drastic change' throughout the government with major cuts and new efficiencies in bloated agencies.... The statement left unanswered all kinds of major questions about an initiative that is uncertain in seriousness but potentially vast in scope.... The statement by Mr. Trump also did not address how Mr. Musk in particular would handle this task, without creating conflicts of interest, given that SpaceX has secured more than $10 billion worth of federal contracts over the last decade.... Ccompanies Mr. Musk created ... have ... been targeted recently in at least 20 different investigations or lawsuits by federal agencies. That means Mr. Musk will somehow be watching over agencies that police his companies." The Huffington Post's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The Times reporters note that the "Department of Government Efficiency" -- i.e., "DOGE" -- "appeared to be a play on ... one of Mr. Musk’s many investments: the cryptocurrency Dogecoin...." Okay, fine. But it's such a Nazi thing that the whole enterprise would be farcical if it weren't something that is likely to happen until the principals give up on it. Also, the Times writers themselves are just plain quaint in their expressed concern about the ethics of it all. Ha! The idea that Trump and his "government efficiency" czars would have any ethical standards (or feel a need to comply with legal ones) is preposterous. These people are going to do what they want and everybody will do his best to hide under Miss Trumpy's Supreme-stitched immunity skirt. ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Colleen Long & Jill Colvin of the AP explain more about this little venture: "... Donald Trump on Tuesday said Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new 'Department of Government Efficiency' -- which is not, despite the name, a government agency.... Trump said in a statement that Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House 'advice and guidance' and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget.... Federal employees are generally required to disclose their assets and entanglements to ward off any potential conflicts of interest, and to divest significant holdings relating to their work. Because Musk and Ramaswamy would not be formal federal workers, they would not face those requirements or ethical limitations."

It's Creepy Celebrity Apprentice Time at the Pentagon. Helene Cooper & Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump on Tuesday chose Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to be his next defense secretary, elevating a television ally to run the Pentagon and lead 1.3 million active-duty troops. The choice of Mr. Hegseth was outside the norm of the traditional defense secretary. But he was a dedicated supporter of Mr. Trump during his first term, defending his interactions with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, embracing his 'America First' agenda of trying to withdraw U.S. troops from abroad and energetically taking up the cause of combat veterans accused of war crimes.... Mr. Hegseth is a co-host of 'Fox & Friends.' He joined the network as a contributor in 2014 and has been the host of Fox's New Year's coverage for years." Marie: We're into "Dr. Strangelove" territory here. ~~~

     ~~~ Lolita Baldor & Tara Copp of the AP: "... Donald Trump stunned the Pentagon and the broader defense world by nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as his defense secretary, tapping someone largely inexperienced and untested on the global stage to take over the world's largest and most powerful military. The news was met with bewilderment and wide-eyed worry among many in Washington.... Hegseth's choice could bring sweeping changes to the military, as he has made it clear on his show and in interviews that, like Trump, he is stridently opposed to 'woke' programs that promote equity and inclusion. He's also questioned the role of women in combat and advocated pardoning service members charged with war crimes." ~~~

     ~~~ Joe Gould, et al., of Politico: "... even grading on [a] curve, [national security officials and defense analysts] say the announcement of ... Pete Hegseth caught them totally off-guard.... 'Who the fuck is this guy?' said a defense industry lobbyist.... Hegseth's selection drew immediate backlash from veterans group leaders who opposed him when he was floated for Veterans Affairs secretary during Trump's first term. He is a former executive director for Vets for Freedom and former CEO of Concerned Veterans for America -- a group advocating for outsourcing of health care for veterans that was funded by the Koch brothers. 'Hegseth is undoubtedly the least qualified nominee for SecDef in American history. And the most overtly political. Brace yourself, America,' Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Independent Veterans of America, said in a post on X Tuesday night.... 'Wow. Trump picking Pete Hegseth is the most hilariously predictably stupid thing,' former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a frequent Trump critic, posted on social media."

     ~~~ Paul Campos in LG&$: "I mean I guess it could have been Vince McMahon or Ted Nugent." ~~~

~~~ Missy Ryan, et al., of the Washington Post: "Hegseth's nomination suggests a coming battle over social and personnel issues within the armed forces, historically one of the nation's most diverse institutions.... Throughout his campaign, Trump made a distinction between fighting generals and 'woke' generals, vowing to fire the latter. Asked in a podcast interview ... published last week what he would do, Hegseth ... [said,] 'First of all, you've got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs,' ... referring to Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. 'Any general, any admiral, whatever,' who was involved in diversity, equity and inclusion programs or 'woke s---' has 'got to go,' Hegseth said.... The breakneck speed of the Hegseth nomination also underscores the value Trump places on TV personalities who have used their platform to promote his agenda." ~~~

     ~~~ Ellen Mitchell of the Hill: "The transition team for ... Trump is working on an executive order that would speed up the firing of top military brass if signed, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The draft executive order would set up a 'warrior board' of retired generals and noncommissioned officers given power to review three- and four-star officers and to recommend anyone 'lacking in requisite leadership qualities,' according to the document, reviewed by the Journal. If signed by Trump once he takes office, it could allow the quick removal of generals and admirals and purge the ranks of those the future commander-in-chief takes issue with for whatever reason." See also Akhilleus' commentary at the top of today's thread.

Joby Warrick & Ellen Nakashima of the Washington Post: "John Ratcliffe, a fierce Donald Trump loyalist and a director of national intelligence during the first Trump term, was named Tuesday as the president-elect's choice to head the CIA. Trump's choice of Ratcliffe puts the former Texas congressman and noted China hawk in line to head an agency that he helped oversee in the final months of the Trump White House, at times drawing criticism from Democrats who accused him of using intelligence to gain political advantage.... Ratcliffe's eight-month term as director of national intelligence was beset by controversy over his decision to declassify unvetted Russian intelligence documents that purported to show Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton approving a scheme to create a scandal falsely tying Trump to Moscow." ~~~

     ~~~ Dan De Luce & Zoe Richards of NBC News: "Ratcliffe, who was the U.S. representative for Texas' 4th District from 2015 to 2020, was a controversial pick for director of national intelligence in Trump;s first term -- so much so that the first attempt to install him, in 2019, failed. Ratcliffe had been a federal prosecutor in Texas, and he boasted on his website about having 'put terrorists in prison.' NBC News and other news organizations found no evidence that he had ever prosecuted a terrorism case. He also misrepresented his involvement in the U.S. v. Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case, NBC News previously reported. In the wake of those stories, Trump announcedthat Ratcliffe had removed himself from consideration.... As director of national intelligence, Ratcliffe appeared to go out of his way to help Trump politically, but he was said to have balked after the election when Trump and his aides were seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election."

Katherine Doyle of NBC News: "... Donald Trump said he intends to nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel.... During his 2016 presidential run, Huckabee staked out an arch-conservative position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rejecting the notion of an 'occupied' West Bank. Instead, he referred to the area using the biblical term 'Judea and Samaria.'... Top Israeli officials celebrated the news later Tuesday.... In a separate statement Tuesday, Trump announced he would appoint businessman Steve Witkoff ... to be his special envoy to the Middle East. Witkoff, who spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, is a longtime friend and political donor of Trump's." ~~~

     ~~~ Adriana Licon of the AP: "Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee..., Donald Trump's pick to be ambassador to Israel, has long rejected a Palestinian state in territory previously seized by Israel and has repeatedly signaled his staunch support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Huckabee, a former TV host and Baptist preacher, frequently visits Israel and once said he wanted to buy a holiday home there. He has maintained throughout the years that the West Bank belongs to Israel, and recently said 'the title deed was given by God to Abraham and to his heirs.'... His argument for a so-called 'one-state solution' contradicts longstanding official U.S. support for the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state.... Here are some things Huckabee has said over the years about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Okay, all you Arab-Americans who voted for Trump because Gaza, are you happy now? Maybe you're waiting for the Muslim ban???

What I Said. Charlie Savage of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump's demand that Senate Republicans surrender their role in vetting his nominees poses an early test of whether his second term will be more radical than his first. Over the weekend, Mr. Trump insisted on social media that Republicans select a new Senate majority leader willing to call recesses during which he could unilaterally appoint personnel, a process that would allow him to sidestep the confirmation process. His allies immediately applauded the idea, intensifying pressure on G.O.P. lawmakers to acquiesce. The demand to weaken checks and balances and take for himself some of the legislative branch's usual power underscored Mr. Trump's authoritarian impulses. While there is no obvious legal obstacle to Mr. Trump's request, it would be an extraordinary violation of constitutional norms. There is no historical precedent for a deliberate and wholesale abandonment by the Senate of its function of deciding whether to confirm or reject the president's choices to bestow with government power." Emphasis added.

Julia Ainsley, et al., of NBC News: "The incoming Trump administration is considering locations and talking to private prison companies about drastically expanding immigrant detention centers that would hold immigrants before they are deported as part of President-elect Donald Trump's promised mass deportation plan, two sources familiar with the planning told NBC News. The goal is to double the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention beds -- 41,000 are now allocated by Congress -- to hold vast numbers of migrants for short periods of time while they await deportation after their arrests inside the U.S., the sources said. The plan would also include restarting the policy of detaining parents with their children, known as family detention, which immigration advocates have criticized and the Biden administration stopped in 2021, the sources said." See also Akhilleus's comment on this in today's thread.

Kyle Cheney & Betsy Swan of Politico: "The judge overseeing the criminal case in Arizona against some of Donald Trump's top allies recused himself from the case on Tuesday after defense lawyers accused him of anti-Trump bias. The allegations against Judge Bruce Cohen stemmed from a revelation that he had implored white male colleagues to speak out against attacks on Kamala Harris' race and gender. Cohen also invoked resistance to the Nazis to describe the current political moment.... One of the defendants [Jake Hoffman] -- represented by a lawyer who also worked on the Trump campaign -- said the comments warranted Cohen's removal from the case.... In the court document announcing his decision, Cohen defended his comments. But he conceded they could create concerns about his fairness."

digby: “Our mediaecosystem is in deep, deep trouble and regardless of the macro political influences, we are going to be under threat of this fascist movement.... In fact, I think Trump isn't even a political figure at all. He's a celebrity cult leader. And the right wing media is what makes him accessible to the fan base.... Trump and MAGA are creatures of the rightwing media ecosystem not the other way around. It's not that there's some super talented 'messaging' team that understands exactly how to reach all those Trump voters with what they want to hear. Their right wing media (and their audiences) are telling them what they want to hear.... Terrifyingly, they are just getting started. They are hoovering up newspapers everywhere with their eyes on the last of our papers of record. They want total dominance and they have the money to buy it. Just look at what Musk has done with twitter." Digby cites Michael Tomasky of the New Republic, who backs up her theory. ~~~

~~~ Callie Holtermann of the New York Times: "Bluesky, [a social media platform] which began in 2019 as a project by the Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, is among several challengers that have each experienced bursts of momentum since [Elon] Musk's acquisition of Twitter in 2022 and subsequent rebranding of it.... It now has 14.7 million users, the company said.... The accounts created on Bluesky this week, many of which are left-leaning, shared cat videos alongside their hopes that the platform might offer a reprieve from the misinformation and hateful speech that have swirled on X since Mr. Musk's takeover. That is still far fewer than Threads, Meta's competitor to X, which this month reported that it had reached 275 million monthly active users."

Maya Schwayder & Eileen Sullivan of the New York Times: "Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of sharing classified government records online, was sentenced on Tuesday to 15 years in prison for one of the most damaging national security leaks in history.... The sentencing brings to an end a case that raised questions over how easily a relatively low-level member of the guard had obtained a top-secret clearance that gave him access to some of the country's most sensitive secrets." The AP report is here.

Rick Rojas of the New York Times: "A federal judge in Louisiana blocked a state law on Tuesday that would have required the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom.... The decision was a setback for supporters of the measure, but not an unexpected one: Proponents have braced themselves for pushback and, in many ways, have invited a lengthy legal fight, as part of a larger effort by conservative Christian groups to amplify public expressions of faith. John W. deGravelles, a U.S. District Court judge appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, found that the law, which was scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, was unconstitutional. He forbade the state from enforcing it.... Attorney General Liz Murrill of Louisiana, a Republican, said in a statement that she ... would immediately appeal [the decision]. Supporters of the bill expect a friendlier reception from the appeals court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which is considered to be one of the nation's most conservative courts." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: You know this case will end up in the Supreme Court. Sam Alito must have had an anticipatory orgasm just reading the opinion. "Oh God, oh God oh God, bring it on!"

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New York. Karen Matthews of the AP: "Former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who resigned from Congress following a tax fraud conviction, is paralyzed from the chest down after being thrown from a horse during a polo tournament, according to friends who are raising funds to pay for the ex-lawmaker's medical care. Grimm, 54, suffered the devastating injury in September and is now being treated at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey, where the late actor Christopher Reeve was treated after a similar equestrian accident in 1995, according to Vincent Ignizio, a friend of Grimm's who is a former New York City Council member."

The Conversation -- November 12, 2024

This is the last time I will stand here at Arlington as commander in chief. It’s been the greatest honor of my life, to lead you, to serve you, to care for you, to defend you, just as you defended us generation after generation after generation. -- President Biden, at Arlington National Cemetery, Monday ~~~

~~~ Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Biden urged Americans to take a moment to honor those who serve in the military and their families on Monday, using the backdrop of Arlington National Cemetery to observe Veterans Day one last time as the country's commander in chief.... As president, Mr. Biden spent considerable effort trying to increase benefits and services for veterans and their families. He helped push through the PACT Act, which provides care for veterans who suffered the consequences of toxic fumes from so-called burn pits while deployed overseas. The president also directed his administration to speed up the delivery of benefits, expand access to doctors and confront high rates of suicide among veterans. Jill Biden ... spent much of the past four years focused on helping military families economically.... Now, with Mr. Trump elected to a second term, some of Mr. Biden's policies with regard to veterans and the military may be reversed." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is the last time in the near future that a U.S. President will honor the service of those who sacrificed for the greater good.

"I Call Him 'Little Marco.' He's a Very Nasty Guy." -- Donald Trump, 2016. Maggie Haberman, et al., of the New York Times: :... Donald J. Trump is expected to name Senator Marco Rubio of Florida as his secretary of state, three people familiar with his thinking said on Monday.... Mr. Trump could still change his mind at the last minute, the people said, but appeared to have settled on Mr. Rubio, whom he also considered when choosing his running mate this year. Mr. Rubio was elected to the Senate in 2010, and has staked out a position as a foreign policy hawk, taking hard lines on China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba in particular. He initially found himself at odds with those Republicans who were more skeptical about interventions abroad, but he has also echoed Mr. Trump more recently on issues like Russia's war against Ukraine, saying that the conflict has reached a stalemate and 'needs to be brought to a conclusion.'" NPR's report is here.

Maggie Haberman & Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump has chosen Representative Michael Waltz of Florida to be his national security adviser, two people familiar with the decision said on Monday, turning to a former Green Beret who has taken a tough line on China to oversee foreign and national security policy in the White House. Mr. Waltz is the second Republican House member to be selected by Mr. Trump for a high-level job in his next administration, after his choice of Representative Elise Stefanik of New York for ambassador to the United Nations. Mr. Waltz, 50, has been a member of the Armed Services, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs Committees in the House and would join the Trump administration as it addresses Russia's war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East and confronts an increasingly aggressive China. His wife, Julia Nesheiwat, was homeland security adviser in the first Trump administration." ~~~

~~~ Marie: Oh, I forgot this about Elise Stefanik: ~~~

~~~ Mike Lillis & Mychael Schnell of the Hill: "President-elect Trump's nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations sets the stage for one of the organization's most vocal and combative critics to have a powerful seat at its table. Stefanik, 40, the fourth-ranking House Republican and a devoted Trump loyalist, has little foreign policy experience. But she has built a reputation over the last year as a leading champion of Israel, in part by repeatedly hammering the U.N. for its reproach of the country's military response to last year's attacks by Hamas. In September, she accused the organization of being infected by 'antisemitic rot.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Kaitlin Collins of CNN: "... Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, according to two people familiar with the selection. Noem will be tapped to take over the agency as two key immigration hardliners -- Stephen Miller and Tom Homan -- are slated to serve in senior roles, signaling Trump is serious about his promise to crack down on his immigration pledges. With his selection of Noem, Trump is ensuring a loyalist will head an agency he prioritizes and that is key to his domestic agenda. The department saw an immense amount of turmoil the last time Trump was in office. Then, DHS had five different leaders, only two of whom were Senate-confirmed. The agency has a $60 billion budget and hundreds of thousands of employees." MB: I suppose Kristi the Puppy Killer will be fine with shooting asylum-seekers crossing the Rio Grande.

Cruelty Is of the Essence of the Scheme. Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump is signaling with his staffing decisions his intention to carry out a campaign promise of widespread deportations of undocumented immigrants and tightening of measures that allow some of them to stay in the country legally. Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner and adviser to Mr. Trump, is taking over policy planning for the transition and is expected to be named deputy chief of staff in his administration, people briefed on the matter said on Monday. And late Sunday, Mr. Trump announced on social media that Thomas Homan, the acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency during Mr. Trump's first term, would be his 'border czar.' It remains to be seen how broad Mr. Miller's portfolio will be, but it is expected to be vast and to far exceed what the eventual title will convey...."

Oliver Milman of the Guardian: "Donald Trump has picked Lee Zeldin, a former New York congressman, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).... Trump, who oversaw the rollback of more than 100 environmental rules when he last was US president, said that Zeldin was a 'true fighter for America First policies' and that 'he will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet'.... Zeldin, who has a score of just 14% from the League of Conservation Voters on his votes on environmental issues in his 15 years in Congress, is expected to oversee an overhaul of the EPA that will rival anything seen since its foundation in 1970."

Theodore Schleifer of the New York Times: "Susie Wiles, the next White House chief of staff, privately told a group of Republican donors on Monday that ... Donald J. Trump would move on his first day in office to reinstate several executive orders from Mr. Trump's first term that President Biden had revoked, according to two people in the room.... It is common for presidents to immediately issue a series of executive orders upon taking office, and Ms. Wiles did not specify which orders from Mr. Trump's first term would be reinstated."

Ken Dilanian, et al., of NBC News: "FBI Director Christopher Wray and Donald Trump's team are planning for the possibility that the president-elect will replace Wray during the new administration, three people familiar with the matter told NBC News.... Replacing might not mean firing. Wray could resign if he was told Trump wants him gone, as is widely expected. Trump campaigned in part on the idea of cleaning house at an FBI he has claimed is full of politically motivated and corrupt executives. He has frequently criticized Wray...."

Tara Suter of the Hill: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said on [Xitter] Monday that ... 'Donald Trump and his transition team are already breaking the law.'... 'I would know because I wrote the law. Incoming presidents are required to prevent conflicts of interest and sign an ethics agreement.'... Warren was responding to a report from CNN on Saturday that said a conflict of interest pledge included in the Presidential Transition Act was, in part, keeping multiple transition agreements from being submitted by the president-elect's team to the Biden administration."

Marie: As I read about these potential appointments, I can't help but wonder what would drive a person to accept one of them. Any intelligent person would realize that s/he is in for a series of bashings & beratings, eventually culminating in public humiliation. They seem to want to get dumped in a tweet while sitting on a toilet suffering from diarrhea. Look at Little Marco: He already knows what it's like to have Trump belittle him. He is about to give up a good job for a very temporary, unsatisfying one. Just the thought of having to regularly think up new, fake compliments to feed Trump's ego makes me shudder. Yet that is the future these people have planned for themselves. Very wacky.

David Nasaw, in a New York Times op-ed: "So sorry, Elon Musk, but the bromance is not going to last. I know the president-elect put you on the phone with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine the night after the election. And I know that in Donald Trump's victory speech..., he celebrated your super-genius as only he could, in a disjointed, discombobulated, wildly overextended paean and declaration of love. 'Oh, let me tell you, we have a new star,' he said. 'A star is born, Elon.' Yet therein lies your problem, Mr. Musk. There's room for only one star, one genius in the Trump White House.... He is not going to share his victory and center stage with anyone. And why should he? What more would you have to offer, having spent in excess of $100 million to help secure his election?"

Some People Are Realistic. Marisa Iati of the Washington Post: "Women are seeking out abortion medication in higher-than-usual numbers ahead of a Donald Trump presidency that they fear could severely curtail access to reproductive care." Iati cites a prescriber and a supplier of abortion pills as well as an abortion information site that have received extraordinarily high traffic since the election results were announced. "Reproductive-health organizations and companies also said demand for emergency contraceptive -- or 'morning after' -- pills and long-lasting birth control, like intrauterine devices and vasectomies, has increased.... Planned Parenthood said that on Wednesday, vasectomy appointments scheduled increased by 1,200 percent and IUD appointments scheduled rose more than 760 percent compared with the previous day.... Trump has repeatedly shifted positions on abortion, calling himself 'the most pro-life president in history' but promising to veto a federal ban on the procedure."

More Realists. Patricia Cohen of the New York Times: "Deep uncertainty about the Trump administration's policies on trade, technology, Ukraine, climate change and more is expected to chill investment and hamstring [European economic] growth. The launch of a possible tariff war by the United States, the biggest trading partner and closest ally of the European Union and Britain, would hammer major industries like automobiles, pharmaceuticals and machinery. And the need to raise military spending because of doubts about America's guarantees in Europe would further strain national budgets and increase deficits. In addition, the president-elect's more confrontational attitude toward China could pressure Europe to pick sides or face retribution. 'Europe's worst economic nightmare has come true,' said Carsten Brzeski, chief economist at the Dutch bank ING. The developments, he warned, could push the eurozone into 'a full-blown recession' next year. With political turmoil in Germany and France, Europe's two largest economies, this latest blow could hardly come at a worse time." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: As for me, I spent the day yesterday planning ahead: I looked for and purchased a refrigerator, a stove and a dishwasher goats and seed potatoes (see yesterday's Comments for context).

David Edwards of the Raw Story: "... Donald Trump's reelection was credited for emboldening a group of people waving Nazi flags in Michigan over the weekend.... According to [a WLNS report], 'many people' were seen displaying flags with swastikas on Saturday night as the Fowlerville Community Theater performed the 'Diary of Anne Frank.' The same group was also seen outside the American Legion Post in Howell.... Witness Alex Sutfill told WLNS, 'They were sticking their arms up and yelling hail Hitler and Hail Trump and everything like that."

⭐ Emily Brooks of the Hill: "Republicans are projected to keep control of the House of Representatives, handing the party total control of Washington with former President Trump back in the White House in January." (Also linked yesterday.)

News Ledes

New York Times: Married to each other for 54 years, two Democratic Missouri poll workers died together in an Election-Day flood.

New York Times: "Law enforcement officials have captured a man who was wanted for murder in rural Tennessee, ending a multistate manhunt in a bizarre case involving a suspicious emergency call, a false identity and a fake bear attack. Sheriff Tommy J. Jones II of Monroe County, Tenn., announced on Sunday that Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, had been taken into custody in Columbia, S.C., more than three weeks after police found a dead body near a bridge on the Cherohala Skyway.... Mr. Hamlett faces first-degree murder charges related to the death of Steven Douglas Lloyd, 34, of Knoxville, Tenn.... Mr. Lloyd's body was discovered by the police as they responded to a 911 call made on Oct. 18. The caller, who had identified himself as Brandon Kristopher Andrade, told the dispatcher that he had been chased off a cliff by a bear, leaving him injured and partially submerged in the water. When the police arrived at the scene, they found a deceased man with the ID of Mr. Andrade. But the injuries on the body, the sheriff's office said, weren't consistent with a bear attack or a fall. And neither the deceased man nor the 911 caller, they determined, were Mr. Andrade. It was a case of stolen identity, and Mr. Andrade's name had been used on multiple occasions in other fraudulent schemes."

The Conversation -- November 11, 2024

⭐ Emily Brooks of the Hill: "Republicans are projected to keep control of the House of Representatives, handing the party total control of Washington with former President Trump back in the White House in January."

Marie: Oh, I forgot this about Elise Stefanik: ~~~

~~~ Mike Lillis & Mychael Schnell of the Hill: "President-elect Trump's nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations sets the stage for one of the organization's most vocal and combative critics to have a powerful seat at its table. Stefanik, 40, the fourth-ranking House Republican and a devoted Trump loyalist, has little foreign policy experience. But she has built a reputation over the last year as a leading champion of Israel, in part by repeatedly hammering the U.N. for its reproach of the country's military response to last year's attacks by Hamas. In September, she accused the organization of being infected by 'antisemitic rot.'"

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So It Begins. Adios, Advice and Consent Clause. Perhaps Trump plans to snip away at the Constitution clause-by-clause. Sunday's casualty? Not a clause, but a prepositional phrase that gives the Senate power to control presidential appointments: "... and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate...." Just correcting Article II, which gives Trump "the right to do whatever I want." ~~~

~~~ Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump and his allies signaled Sunday that they will try to call the shots in the Republican-led Senate, pushing the candidacy of Sen. Rick Scott (Florida) for GOP leader and demanding that Republicans allow Trump to make appointments to his administration and the courts without Senate approval.... Writing on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said: 'Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner.' Within minutes, [Sen.] Rick Scott [R-Fla.] vowed to fulfill Trump's request if he becomes Senate Republican leader, writing on X: '100% agree. I will do whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible.' Top Trump allies -- including billionaire CEO Elon Musk -- and a number of far-right influencers have quickly lined up behind Scott's bid. 'Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader!' Musk posted Sunday." ~~~

     ~~~ Anthony Adragna of Politico: Neither of the other two candidates for Majority Leader, John Thune (S.D.) and John Cornyn (Texas), ruled out caving to Trump. "In addition, the president-elect said the Senate should refuse to confirm any further judicial nominations put forth by President Joe Biden in the waning days of this Congress, saying 'Democrats are looking to ram through their Judges as the Republicans fight over Leadership.' However, Trump's request is almost certain to fall on deaf ears. Democrats maintain control of the Senate through the end of the year and have made filling judicial vacancies a top priority for the lame duck session."

     ~~~ Marie: Here is a newly-reelected U.S. Senator (Scott) voluntarily ceding the Constitutional rights and duties of the Senate in order to accommodate a MAGAlomaniac, and two other seasoned Senators refusing -- at least publicly -- to rule out abrogating a Constitutional duty. This whole story, BTW, is wrapped up in how the Senate in recent years has rendered recess appointments impossible, so the reporters are able to ignore the underlying issue of Advice & Consent. We shrug at our own peril. If Trump can do this to a powerful elected official, he sure can deprive any one of us of our Constitutional rights.

Mike Ives of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump said late Sunday that he had named Thomas D. Homan, a senior immigration official in his last administration, as the 'border czar' in charge of the nation's borders and its maritime and aviation security.... 'I've known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders,' Mr. Trump wrote in [a] post. 'Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Guardian: "A Heritage fellow and Project 2025 author, Homan told this summer's Republican national convention in Milwaukee he had 'a message for the millions of illegal aliens who Joe Biden allowed to enter the country in violation of federal law -- start packing, because you're going home.' At a panel on immigration policy in July, Homan said: 'Trump comes back in January, I'll be on his heels coming back, and I will run the biggest deportation force this country has ever seen.' Homan was also reported to have accepted an invitation to a white nationalist conference hosted by Nick Fuentes, the Holocaust denier and Hitler admirer who dined with Trump and Kanye West at Mar-a-Lago in 2022." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: BTW, the Times article reveals nothing more negative about Homan than that he told CBS News last month that large-scale worksite raids seeking to capture undocumented workers would resume in a Trump administration. Otherwise, Ives reports only Homan's work history, which would suggest he is just another highly-qualified guy worthy of a top job.

CBS/AFP: "... Donald Trump has offered N.Y. Rep. Elise Stefanik [R] the job of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and she has accepted the offer, they told the New York Post Sunday night." MB: This is just another indication of how little Trump thinks of the U.N.

Marie: Here's a wacky idea I love, even though I know it's not gonna happen:~~~

~~~ Jennifer Bahney of Mediaite: "Jamal Simmons, former communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, made a bold suggestion Sunday that shocked the CNN panel discussing Donald Trump's transition to the White House. 'Joe Biden's been a phenomenal president, he's lived up to so many of the promises he's made. There's one promise left that he could fulfill, being a transitional figure,' Simmons said. 'He could resign the presidency in the next 30 days, make Kamala Harris president of the United States -- ... It would absolve her from having to oversee the January 6th transition, right, of her own defeat. And it would make sure, it would dominate the news, at a point where Democrats have to learn, drama and transparency and doing things the public want to see -- this is the time, this is the moment for us to change the entire perspective of how Democrats operate.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: AND it would mess with all the MAGA nitwits who bought 47 merch.

Ellen Nakashima, et al., of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.... During the call, which Trump took from his resort in Florida, he advised the Russian president not to escalate the war in Ukraine and reminded him of Washington's sizable military presence in Europe, said a person familiar with the call.... The two men discussed the goal of peace on the European continent and Trump expressed an interest in follow-up conversations to discuss 'the resolution of Ukraine's war soon.'..." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Oh, yeah? Seems maybe Putin is ignoring Trump: ~~~

~~~ Julian Barnes, et al., of the New York Times: "The Russian military has assembled a force of 50,000 soldiers, including North Korean troops, as it prepares to begin an assault aimed at reclaiming territory seized by Ukraine in the Kursk region of Russia, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials. A new U.S. assessment concludes that Russia has massed the force without having to pull soldiers out of Ukraine's east -- its main battlefield priority -- allowing Moscow to press on multiple fronts simultaneously. (Also linked yesterday.)

Ben Davis, in a Guardian op-ed: "Despite the trauma and death of Covid and the isolation of lockdowns, from late 2020 to early 2021, Americans briefly experienced the freedom of social democracy. They had enough liquid money to plan long term and make spending decisions for their own pleasure rather than just to survive. They had the labor protections to look for the jobs they wanted rather than feel stuck in the jobs they had. At the end of Trump's term, the American standard of living and the amount of economic security and freedom Americans had was higher than when it started, and, with the loss of this expanded welfare state, it was worse when Biden left office, despite his real policy wins for workers and unions. This is why voters view Trump as a better shepherd of the economy.... [President] Biden wanted to continue many of these policies, but there wasn't a political pathway. Instead, they quietly expired. To voters, however, the material reality is that when Trump left office, this safety net existed, and by the time of the 2024 election, it had evaporated." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This essay is a good example of burying the lede. But I think Davis is onto something I missed, probably because I took the economic effects of the pandemic too personally. Trump raised my taxes even as Covid lowered my income, so the Trump years were far from a boon for me. But for many working people, as Davis points out, the social safety net enhancements forced upon Republicans by the Covid crisis was a boon. As a number of opinionators have noted, many voters chose Trump at the same time they chose Democrats' policies where that was an option. Davis' theory fits into that picture.

Greta Reich of Politico: "Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will not allow Sen.-elect Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) to participate in Senate orientation this week because he doesn't consider the race to be resolved yet. Though the Associated Press projected Thursday that McCormick defeated Democrat incumbent Bob Casey in Pennsylvania's Senate race, Casey has yet to concede, claiming that there are still thousands of ballots left to be counted. 'With over 100,000 ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania, the race has not been decided. As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted,' a spokesperson for Schumer wrote in a statement. As of Sunday at 4:30 p.m., McCormick was ahead by approximately 39,000 votes."

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Haiti. Frances Robles of the New York Times: "The former United Nations official tapped to lead Haiti through a gang-fueled crisis has been fired by the country's ruling council, following a political power struggle that unfolded amid a wave of kidnappings and killings. The official, Garry Conille, 58, a medical doctor who previously ran UNICEF's Latin America regional office, was hired in late May to serve as interim prime minister of Haiti. He and the country's ruling council are supposed to pave the way for elections next year to choose a new president. Haiti's transitional council named Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, the owner of a chain of dry cleaners and a former candidate for the Haitian Senate, as his replacement, according to an executive order published Sunday afternoon in the country's official gazette, Le Moniteur."