DL Open Thread: Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024
Netanyahu To Biden: “Fuck You”. Waits until Blinken has almost completed delicate negotiations, then blows them up:
Calling Hamas’ position “delusional,” Netanyahu renewed a pledge to destroy the Islamist movement, saying there was no alternative for Israel but to bring about its collapse.“The day after is the day after Hamas. All of Hamas,” he told a press conference, insisting that total victory against Hamas was the only solution to the four-month-old Gaza war.
Israeli forces bombed areas in the southern border city of Rafah where more than half of Gaza’s population is sheltering on Thursday, a day after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a proposal to end the war, reports Reuters.Israeli planes bombed areas in Rafah on Thursday morning, witnesses told Reuters, killing at least 11 people in strikes on two houses. Tanks also shelled some areas in eastern Rafah, intensifying the residents’ fears of an imminent ground assault.
Aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if Israel follows through on its threat to enter one of the last remaining areas of the Gaza Strip that its troops have not moved into during its ground offensive.
UN secretary general António Guterres said on Wednesday that pushing into Rafah on the border with Egypt would “increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with untold regional consequences.”
A brutal and deceptive series of ads featured the veterans accusing Kerry of lying about his military record and the injuries that had earned him medals. His lead soon evaporated. The campaign never recovered, and “swift boating” entered the lexicon as shorthand for a dishonest political smear. The man largely responsible for the ads was a Virginia political consultant named Chris LaCivita. He now works for Donald Trump as a senior advisor and co-campaign manager. And if history is any guide, Democrats should be very, very worried.When Trump announced a presidential run in 2015, the reality TV star’s campaign was widely considered a joke; the Huffington Post made a show of covering it in its entertainment section. The effort was frequently a disorganized mess, run by a revolving cast of characters, several of whom would be convicted (and ultimately pardoned) for crimes related to the special counsel’s investigation into the campaign’s links to Russian efforts to influence the election. Their victory over Hillary Clinton seemed to come as a surprise even to Trump.
But 2024 is shaping up to be very different. “Donald Trump is a movement,” explains former Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.). “That’s how he won this thing originally. But it was kind of rag tag. This time he has everything going for him. He has a huge, disciplined ground operation, a coordinated message operation.” A lot of that, Davis suspects, can be credited to LaCivita, whom he’s known for decades from Virginia politics. “He’s the kind of guy that Trump listens to outside of the family and can take control.”
Hey, you haven’t been worrying enough. Thought I’d give you something to worry about…which reminds me: Inevitable fodder for campaign ads?
The Justice Department special counsel investigating President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents has completed his inquiry and a report is expected to be made public soon to Congress and the public, Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers in a letter Wednesday.
Garland did not detail the conclusions of the report from special counsel Robert Hur, but said he was committed to disclosing as much of the document as possible once the White House completes a review of the document for potential executive privilege concerns.
The yearlong investigation centered on the improper retention of classified documents by Biden from his time as a U.S. senator and as vice president. Documents were found at his Delaware home, and at a private office that he used in between his service in the Obama administration and becoming president.
James Comey Part Deux? Why yes, I think so.
Claire DeMatteis IS Darth Vader:
Delaware is appealing a ruling from May over its failure to follow proper administrative procedures when opting for Medicare Advantage coverage for state retirees’ health care, fearing the decision opens the door to legal challenges on contracting decisions across state agencies.
The case has been tied up in the state Supreme Court ever since Delaware appealed an order issued by Superior Court Judge Calvin Scott, Jr. in May. The concern stems from a stay order issued in October 2022 in Superior Court – which temporarily halted Delaware from making the switch to Medicare Advantage – potentially creating a precedent for state agencies on future contract awards.
“The reason the state is pursuing the appeal is because of the significant impact the Superior Court ruling would have on all other state agencies when negotiating and awarding contracts,” said Claire DeMatteis, secretary for Delaware’s Department of Human Resources.
Delaware argues in court papers that the benefits committee is not required to follow the Administrative Procedures Act because it has “explicit” statutory authority to select health care providers.
Delaware, in this case, being John Carney and his bloodless bureaucrats. Val Longhurst had better get those bills protecting state retirees to the floor ASAP after having slow-walked them through January. Whose side are you on, Val? Clock’s ticking.
What do you want to talk about?
This is the time to walk away from Israel. Until they agree without precondition to a two state solution, they can go pound sand. They kicked that hornets nest for years and finally got stung. The US involvement with them since ‘48 has been nothing but trouble. They have cynically weaponized the horror of the holocaust to wring concessions out of American leaders for far too long. Any US citizens who have dual citizenship should be given 3 months to pick a side and renounce the other.
I think it’s also time we start talking about reparations being paid to the Palestinian people. Not just from the Israelis, but global Jewish institutions that promoted generations of hate and warmongering against these people
global Jewish institutions
Oh dear.
Oh, those Elders of Zion and their protocols. Will they never learn?
More like the protocols of the elders of AIPAC. Let’s stop
pretending that these groups haven’t ginned up the pro-Israeli rage machine and funneled money to the war machine
Beheaded babies was a lie
Hamas command center at hospital a lie
UN workers in the 7 Oct offensive a lie
Zero evidence of rapes on 7 Oct
No babies in ovens – total fake
Now Israel prepares to cleanse the last bit of Gaza, the refugee camps at the border in Rafah.
But Kevis does an awkwardly worded trope… very sick stuff
W-wait–aren’t you both on the same side?
He’s bitching at those who mocked Kevis.
“Awkwardly worded trope.” Heh.
A pox on anyone who thinks either side is the “good guys.” There’s plenty of hate to go around no matter where you look.
feckless joe
FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!
FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!
FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!
Wow. On a news day like today, Mexico is calling. Perhaps Macedonia, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, or Costa Rica. Anywhere but here or Gaza.
Why is john carney willing to spend this much political capital on the one issue of retiree’s medical benefits?
Carney doesn’t have any political capital to spend. His bar tab is fully paid for by the corporate special interests and the Delaware Way power brokers who infest leg hall like termites. His name recognition will carry the day despite his total lack of ideas and commitment. Bring in the clown car Wilmington the special interest circus is in town.