DL Open Thread: Friday, March 8, 2024
He Gave The Speech He Needed To Give. A ‘Give ‘Em Hell, Harry’ speech, with a dose of ‘You think I’m too old, let’s see Trump do this’ thrown in for good measure:
President Joe Biden’s fourth and possibly last speech to a joint session of Congress on Thursday night was the feistiest and most direct of his presidency, telling Americans he has delivered on many of his promises while warning them of the threat that predecessor and potential successor Donald Trump poses to democracy itself.
From its start, Biden’s speech put Republicans on defense, leaving House Speaker Mike Johnson to sit in silence as the president rallied in favor of a slew of popular causes: the war in Ukraine, in vitro fertilization and defending American democracy against the man who inspired the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
Biden never mentioned Trump’s name, but a half dozen times he lit into his “predecessor” for praising Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and abandoning America’s allies in NATO. For bragging about being able to overturn Roe v. Wade. For mismanaging the COVID pandemic response. For trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. For boasting about doing nothing to crack down on assault rifles. And for telling his allies in Congress to kill a border security bill that would have given Republicans most of what they have been demanding for years.
I, for one, love that he called out the members of the Supreme Court for ridicule.
He did what he had to do. Leaving me with but one question that nobody has answered to my satisfaction: Is Mike Johnson a real person or an AI construct? Which do you like best?:
Mike Johnson looks like the ventriloquist went to take a leak and just left the dummy there on the chair.
Mike Johnson looks very disappointed in your browser history.
Mike Johnson looks like the kid whose parents forgot him at school.
Plenty more where those came from.
Speaking Of AI Constructs, Man, This Katie Britt…:
With a sunny, inviting smile, Senator Katie Britt of Alabama welcomed Americans into her kitchen on Thursday night.
Many soon backed away nervously.
In the Republican Party’s official response to President Biden’s State of the Union address, Ms. Britt delivered a jarring speech that toggled between an increasingly strained cheerfulness and a fierce glare as she gave ominous warnings about illegal immigration.
Ms. Britt, 42, has been seen as a rising Republican star and floated as a possible running mate for former President Donald J. Trump. But in the biggest moment of her fledgling political career, she delivered a tonally uneven speech that was made more unusual by the setting of her own house in Montgomery, Ala., where she sat at her kitchen table and painted a dark picture of an America in decline.
Not only wasn’t last night her night, but I’m wondering who thought it was a good idea to double-down on Alabama right about now.
“Pay Up, Chump Trump.” Judge isn’t having it. Where’s Trump gonna get it?:
A New York federal judge has denied Donald Trump’s demand for an administrative stay of $83.3 million defamation judgment to writer E. Jean Carroll.
In a court filing on Thursday, United States District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan rebuked the former president, who requested more time to stay an $83.3 million defamation award to Carroll, claiming a threat of “irreparable injury.”
“Mr. Trump’s current situation is a result of his own dilatory actions,” Kaplan wrote. “He has had since Jan. 26 to organize his finances with the knowledge that he might need to bond this judgment, yet he waited until 25 days after the jury verdict — and only shortly before the expiration of Rule 62’s automatic 30-day stay of judgment — to file his prior motion for an unsecured or partially secured stay pending resolution of post-trial motions.”
That’s been Trump’s modus operandi his entire career. Finally came up against a judge who won’t put up with it. Pretty sure Monday’s the deadline. I have no idea what happens if he doesn’t provide payment.
“Only The Best”. Just another confluence of pro rasslin’ and Trump:
A former pro wrestler who won a prominent endorsement from Donald Trump while unsuccessfully running for Congress in Nevada surrendered to authorities on Wednesday on an arrest warrant for murder.
Daniel Rodimer, 45, was booked in connection with the slaying of 47-year-old Christopher Tapp, who was reportedly beaten to death in Resorts World Las Vegas on 29 October.
KLAS reported that a witness told authorities about Tapp allegedly offering cocaine to Rodimer’s stepdaughter, prompting Rodimer to respond: “If you ever talk to my daughter again, I’ll … kill you.”
Another witness claimed to have seen Rodimer “knock [Tapp] to the ground, at which time [Tapp’s] head hit a small table,” KLAS reported, citing the police documents. “[Rodimer] proceeded to punch [Tapp] throughout his head and body”.
Police reportedly later recovered a text message from Rodimer’s wife that read: “I watched you murder somebody like let that sink in your head.”
Rodimer ran for Nevada’s third congressional district seat in 2020 as a Republican, labeling himself as a candidate who believed firmly in the “right to life”. He lost to Democratic representative Susie Lee by just three percentage points.
Before losing the presidency to Joe Biden, Trump endorsed Rodimer, saying he would be “an incredible congressman for Nevada!”
The good news?: One more example of why “The Dark Side Of The Ring” will never die. After all, Rodimer is at least the second wrestler accused of murder this year. Plus, we’ve already got the absolutely sickening text messages from Vince McMahon to females who he placed under his thumb in WWE.
Del. House Waters Down, Then Passes, Permit To Purchase’ Bill. The roll call tells you that the bill would have passed by virtually the same margin without the weakening amendments. All Rethugs voted no, Michael Smith was fortuitously absent for this vote although he was in attendance, and two D’s, Carson and Matthews voted no. The good news? Both Carson and Matthews are supposedly retiring. Gene Mauch said it best: “Sometimes you add by subtracting.”
Political Weekly is gonna be late–I’ve got stuff to do.
What do you want to talk about?
Trump even owes money in England. Looks like he can’t skate on this one:
https://www.inquirer.com/news/nation-world/donald-trump-steele-dossier-legal-fees-20240307.html
and his bond for the fraud conviction is due by sunday
Why so divisive? (I only watch Fox News.)
Worth noting when looking at the roll call votes… Rep. Wilson-Anton voted in favor of two of the “watering down” amendments (HA 2 and HA 6), including an unfriendly filed by a Republican (HA 6), and then was the only Democrat absent for the last few amendments and the final vote.
Not sure why she disappeared (obviously could have been very legit stuff since it was a late session day), but if you’re discussing the roll calls, she voted to “water down” the bill and then wasn’t there to vote on the bill itself.
Will be interesting to see what the Senate does though. Do they strip out some stuff and send it back? Or pass as-is and try to make changes with a new bill?
Wilson-Anton is good on many things but she’s shitty on a lot too. This behavior is case-in-point. If we’re playing purity tests for progressivism, she’s pretty bad on gun issues. She also has done more to give mike smith cover with dems than any other member of the legislature – by far. She deserves some criticism like the rest of them do. just my opinion.
I didn’t watch the Republican rebuttal to the SOTU, but based on reviews I’m picturing something like…
Senator Kate Britt: “Right now in America a woman is choking a baby to death, and that woman is me. (raises baby into frame, its eyes beet red and bulging) President Biden, WHY (sob) are you allowing me to murder this baby? WHY!?!?!”
lol, thanks for that. 🙂
SNL simply MUST open with a parody of this skit.
Trump posted e carroll bond – does he have to report where the money came from or just how many shell companies it made it through till the courts received it?
“Insurance company Chubb underwrote the bond for Trump, which the former president signed on Tuesday. Under the terms of the bond, Chubb will only secure the appeal of the $83.3 million judgment, not any future appeals.
The bond size is greater than the judgment because the district court generally requires a party to post 110% of the bond.
Trump also faces a March 25 deadline to put up another $454 million in the New York attorney general’s civil”
via cnn
Hahaha, look into the background of the relationship between Chubb and trump
The 7 people who picked “$10 million-$100 million” in the poll took a step closer to being correct.
So far.
Please alert your readers to the fact that Rep. Baumbach’s amendment to his own HB 281 effectively guts the bill and is against the interests of retirees current and future. The bill removes Medicare Advantage (privatization of health care insurance) as an option and the amendment restores it making the boil as worthless to employees as used toilet paper. John Kowalko
Well at least used TP can test you for colon cancer:)
You guys will love this. I was feeling good about last night til this just got posted on wapo.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/08/that-one-last-phone-call-joe-biden-always-needs-make/
Oh, Gawd. If Biden gets reelected, PLEASE have him appoint Coons to a cabinet position.
Ambassador to Switzerland???
Ambassador to Yemen…
How much more could he fuck Yemen up?