1/ The wisdom of Frank Rich on the Kavanaugh hearing.....
Meet the new, sensitive GOP. Photo: Tom Williams/AFP/Getty Images
Most weeks, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich speaks with contributor Alex Carp about the biggest stories in politics and culture. Today, the Senate testimony of Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh.
Going into the Brett Kavanaugh hearing, critics questioned the choice of Republicans to cede many of their questions to Rachel Mitchell, a veteran sex crimes prosecutor. Was the hearing fair?
The hearing was a travesty, at once tragic, corrupt, and hateful.
2/ And an outside look from Benjamin Studebaker of how our politics isn't rational, but emotional.....really interesting....
The Kavanaugh Hearings Encapsulate the Rampant Emotionalism of American Politics
The British have a visceral hatred for Donald Trump. It’s not because of his positions on immigration or tax policy–there are plenty of European politicians who are at least as far right as Trump is, substantively. No, it’s because of the way Trump presents himself. He’s combative, he gets angry, he makes flippant, emotional remarks. When British politicians show emotion it exposes them as weak, out of control, and unstable. If a British politician shouts or cries in public–especially in a formal setting–it’s embarrassing. It’s not proper behaviour. Everyone in Britain knows, from an early age, that this is just not how politicians are supposed to behave.
3/ Stephen Colbert was having none of Kavanaugh's indignation - leave it to a comedian to look at his speech for what it really is.....an excellent 8 minutes....
On Thursday night, Stephen Colbert lashed out against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh over his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Colbert mocked Kavanaugh for various remarks, including one when he said that “today… I fear for the future.”
“#MeToo,” Colbert reacted. “Though if you just started that today, you’re a little late to the party.”
He later showed a clip of Kavanaugh talking about his passion for coaching, saying “I love coaching more than anything I have done in my whole life.”
4/ This is the viral video of Jeff Flake being trapped in an elevator by women with survivor stories.....did this make him ask for the FBI investigation and the week's delay of Kavenaugh's confirmation? Who knows, but it's a powerful moment....two minutes....
5/ Very good column from Timothy Egan in the Times.....
Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh in tears at the hearing on Thursday.
If you put a man in the White House who openly boasts of being a sexual predator, a president credibly accused by more than a dozen people of misconduct, you are no friend of women and the good men who love them.
If your rallies are highlighted by “lock her up” chants against a person who has never been charged with a crime, you cannot wrap yourself in due process or presumption of innocence.
If your men of God, led by the Rev. Franklin Graham, say attempted rape is not a crime because “if it was true, these are two teenagers, and she said no and he respected that,” you need a new faith in which to cover your hypocrisies.
Story follows character,
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6/ I like Jimmy Kimmel a lot - he gets right to the heart of issues.....here it's Lindsey Graham....a funny five minutes....
Jimmy Kimmel mocked Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for his fiery speech during the hearing of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Kimmel began by slamming Republicans for being “too scared” to question Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who he thought was an “exceptionally believable witness.”
“Even the gang at Fox News agreed that she was believable,” Kimmel told his audience.
7/ A good article on how this country is living in two realities....
WASHINGTON — At the beginning of the day, she was asked if she was sure that he was the one who sexually assaulted her 36 years ago. “One hundred percent,” she said. At the end of the day, he was asked if he was certain he had not. “One hundred percent,” he said.
One after the other, Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh sat in the same chair before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, separated by less than an hour but a reality gulf so wide that their conflicting accounts of what happened when they were teenagers cannot be reconciled.
With millions of Americans alternately riveted and horrified by the televised drama, Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh left no room for compromise, no possibility of confusion, no chance that they remembered something differently. In effect, they asked senators to choose which one they believed. And in that moment, these two 100-percent realities came to embody a society divided into broader realities so disparate and so incompatible that it feels as if two countries are living in the borders of one.
8/ Stephen Colbert on Trump's triumphant speech at the UN......and our national humiliation.....he's on form for this one.....8 minutes....
On Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump spoke before the United Nations General Assembly and drew audible laughter when he claimed his administration has “accomplished more than any administration in the history of our country.” As the laughs started to die down, he added, “Didn’t expect that reaction, but that’s OK.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. President, they’re not laughing at you,” Stephen Colbert told Trump Tuesday night. “They’re laughing with each other at you.”
9/ Cut and paste this story to Republicans you know.....this is the very definition of "fake news"......no wonder Fox viewers are so stupid and ill informed.....
Fox News edits out the most newsworthy part of Donald Trump’s United Nations speech—the laughter
Is Fox News’ objective to be an instrument for the Republican Party’s propaganda?
10/ South Park nails America's gun problem in forty seconds.....
11/ You may not have heard about Trump's insane press conference, but it was a doozie....Jimmy Kimmel with a very funny 12 minutes, and he also talks to God.....
An LOL moment...
ABC
“I don’t even know where to start,” Jimmy Kimmel said when he took the stage for his monologue Wednesday night, not long after Donald Trump ended his fourth-ever solo press conference as president.
The late-night host described the event as “rambling, angry, jumbled, dishonest, and frequently incoherent,” telling his viewers, “The wheels are off the wagon. It’s time to put grandpa in an assisted living facility because he cannot care for himself.”
12/ The excellent Jane Mayer in the New Yorker where she lays out the near certain way Russia's cyber attacks elected Trump.....a long, scholarly and very persuasive story.....good journalism....
onald Trump has adopted many contradictory positions since taking office, but he has been unwavering on one point: that Russia played no role in putting him in the Oval Office. Trump dismisses the idea that Russian interference affected the outcome of the 2016 election, calling it a “made-up story,” “ridiculous,” and “a hoax.” He finds the subject so threatening to his legitimacy that—according to “The Perfect Weapon,” a recent book on cyber sabotage by David Sanger, of the Times—aides say he refuses even to discuss it. In public, Trump has characterized all efforts to investigate the foreign attacks on American democracy during the campaign as a “witch hunt”; in March, he insisted that “the Russians had no impact on our votes whatsoever.”
Few people, including Trump’s opponents, have publicly challenged the widespread belief that no obtainable evidence can prove that Russian interference changed any votes
13/ Good grief.....a seven year old girl belts out the national anthem at a soccer game.....seven years old!
A talented little girl made “The Star Spangled Banner” look like child’s play.
Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, 7, walked onto the field at the StubHub Center in Los Angeles on Sunday before the LA Galaxy’s game against the Seattle Sounders and completely blew the roof off (if there had been an actual roof to be blown)
14/ Matt Bors making us think.....
A Seth Meyers clip inspired by the Fox interview Kavanaugh gave a week ago......two minutes....
Among the arguments Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh made to defend himself against allegations of sexual assault on Fox News Monday night was the assertion that he was a virgin until well after high school. Seth Meyers isn’t buying it.
“It does not matter if you were a virgin,” the Late Night host said at the end of his monologue Tuesday night. “You are being accused of sexual assault, not sexual intercourse. Those things have nothing to do with each other. It’s the same as saying, ‘I couldn’t have robbed that bank, I’m a virgin.’”
He added, “Devoting yourself to celibacy doesn’t mean you can’t be a sexual assaulter. Just ask thousands of priests.”
15/ The Koch brothers haven't been in the news recently, but since they work quietly behind the scenes this is what they want......a good story on the power of "Americans For Prosperity", and their evil work.....
The cries of “Shame! Shame! Shame!” rang throughout the marbled walls of the Wisconsin state assembly chamber. Disgusted Democratic politicians, some of whom had been up for over 60 hours by this point, punctuated their chants by throwing papers – and even drinks – at their Republican counterparts. Police officers had to be summoned to physically restrain one Democratic representative yelling “Cowards!” across the aisle.
The source of this confrontation, in the early hours of February 2011, was an unprecedented push by Wisconsin Republicans, led by the state’s newly elected Republican governor, Scott Walker, to slash the union rights held by most public workers.https://www.
16/ Movies coming in October.....with trailers!
Talk about an odd quirk of scheduling: No less than three actors will get settled in the director’s chair this month, including Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) Jonah Hill (Mid90s) and Paul Dano (Wildlife). Elsewhere, Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet go toe to toe in an unsparing addiction drama; Ryan Gosling shoots for the stars in a reunion with his La La Land director Damien Chazell; and Tom Hardy gets in the Marvel game via a fan-favorite supervillain. Plus South Korea ships out one of the year’s flat-out best slow-burn thrillers. Here’s what you’ll be seeing a theater near you this October.
Todays old guy joke
Bill and Bob, two friends, met in the park every day to feed the pigeons, watch the squirrels and discuss world problems.
One day Bill didn't show up. Bob didn't think much about it and figured maybe he had a cold or something.. But after Bill hadn't shown up for a week or so, Bob really got worried. However, since the only time they ever got together was at the park, Bob didn't know where Bill lived, so he was unable to find out what had happened to him.
A month had passed, and Bob figured he had seen the last of Bill, but one day, Bob approached the park and -- lo and behold -- there sat Bill!Bob was very excited and happy to see him and told him so. Then he said, ‘For crying out loud Bill, what in the world happened to you?'
Bill replied, 'I have been in jail.'
'Jail!' cried Bob. What in the world for?'
'Well,' Bill said, 'you know Sue, that cute little blonde waitress at the coffee shop where I sometimes go?'
'Yeah,' said Bob, 'I remember her. What about her?
'Well, one day she filed rape charges against me; and, at 89 years old, I was so proud that when I got into court, I pleaded 'guilty'.
'The damn judge gave me 30 days for perjury’.
Todays Irish joke
Todays rich person joke
..."Hello, Señor Bob? This is Ernesto, the caretaker at your country house."
"Ah yes, Ernesto. What can I do for you? Is there a problem?"
"Um, I am just calling to advise you, Señor Bob, that your parrot, he is dead".
"My parrot? Dead? The one that won the International competition?"
"Si, Señor, that's the one."
"Damn! That's a pity! I spent a small fortune on that bird. What did he die from?"
"From eating the rotten meat, Señor Bob."
"Rotten meat? Who the hell fed him rotten meat?"
"Nobody, Señor. He ate the meat of the dead horse."
"Dead horse? What dead horse?"
"The thoroughbred, Señor Bob .."
"My prize thoroughbred is dead?"
"Yes, Señor Bob, he died from all that work pulling the water cart."
"Are you insane? What water cart?"
"The one we used to put out the fire, Señor."
"Good Lord! What fire are you talking about, man?"
"The one at your house, Señor! A candle fell and the curtains caught on fire."
"What the hell? Are you saying that my mansion is destroyed because of a candle?!"
"Yes, Señor Bob."
"But there's electricity at the house! What was the candle for?"
"For the funeral, Señor Bob .."
"WHAT BLOODY FUNERAL??!!"
"Your wife's, Señor Bob.
"Ah yes, Ernesto. What can I do for you? Is there a problem?"
"Um, I am just calling to advise you, Señor Bob, that your parrot, he is dead".
"My parrot? Dead? The one that won the International competition?"
"Si, Señor, that's the one."
"Damn! That's a pity! I spent a small fortune on that bird. What did he die from?"
"From eating the rotten meat, Señor Bob."
"Rotten meat? Who the hell fed him rotten meat?"
"Nobody, Señor. He ate the meat of the dead horse."
"Dead horse? What dead horse?"
"The thoroughbred, Señor Bob .."
"My prize thoroughbred is dead?"
"Yes, Señor Bob, he died from all that work pulling the water cart."
"Are you insane? What water cart?"
"The one we used to put out the fire, Señor."
"Good Lord! What fire are you talking about, man?"
"The one at your house, Señor! A candle fell and the curtains caught on fire."
"What the hell? Are you saying that my mansion is destroyed because of a candle?!"
"Yes, Señor Bob."
"But there's electricity at the house! What was the candle for?"
"For the funeral, Señor Bob .."
"WHAT BLOODY FUNERAL??!!"
"Your wife's, Señor Bob.
She showed up very late one night and I thought she was a thief, so I hit her with your new Ping G15 204g titanium head golf club with the TFC 149D graphite shaft."
SILENCE...........
LONG SILENCE.........
VERY LONG SILENCE............
"Ernesto, if you broke that driver, you're in deep shit."
SILENCE...........
LONG SILENCE.........
VERY LONG SILENCE............
"Ernesto, if you broke that driver, you're in deep shit."
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