Donald J. Trump as Fred Astaire: Happy Dancing All the Way to the White House

See I told you: “She's crooked Hillary – Lock her up”

Now back to the road to the Oval Office – thanks to the FBI

(Happy Dance Time) 

UPDATE ON HILLARY CLINTON’S EMAIL MESS – FIRST SOME BACKGROUND:

Trump’s campaign set off a wave of concern about its tactics on Thursday after a senior campaign official was quoted describing a sophisticated “voter suppression effort” the term usually connotes aggressive attempts to keep people from polling places as reported by Businessweek in which an unidentified Trump official used the term to describe the team’s approach to three core groups of Hillary Clinton’s supporters. That was on Thursday reported by numerous sources including the NY Times, the HILL, Bloomberg, Politico, CBS News, Washington Post, and yes, FOX that referenced the HILL article on the same subject.

The three major voter suppression operations underway as described by that Trump campaign official are three group that Clinton needs to win overwhelmingly – they are: (1) idealistic young liberals, (2) young women, and (3) African-Americans.

Then in Toledo, Ohio just today again like he said yesterday: “Just thinking to myself right now, we should just cancel the election and just give it to Trump. Her policies are so bad. Boy, do we have a big difference.” (Tongue in cheek, right)?

NOW THIS UPDATE VIS-À-VIS THE FBI DIRECTOR’S LETTER TO CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES THAT HIT THE WIRES TODAY:

I lead with this from Ronald Reagan, worth repeating right now again: “TRUST BUT VERIFY” – and that tidbit is from here:

Suzanne Massie, a writer on Russia, met with President Ronald Reagan many times between 1984 and 1987. She taught him this Russian proverb, “Доверяй, но проверяй” [Doveryai, no proveryai] which means: Trust, but verify. She advised Mr. Reagan that the Russians like to talk in proverbs. He never forgot that and it applies in this email case vis-à-vis Hillary Clinton and 11 days remaining before the general election, based on this startling but yet so typical GOP-issued headline:

How one Congressman punked the media on the FBI letter about Clinton’s emails

P.S. – No, the FBI did not say it would “reopen” its previously closed investigation that we all saw on national TV and heard everything since.

All that chatter is mostly from the Trumpettes.

The source of this update is from here (ThinkProgress.org) here in part:

FBI Director James Comey alerted Republican members of Congress on Friday (October 28, 2016) that bureau investigators would review some additional emails that might relate to Hillary Clinton’s email server. BINGO – GOP kicks into high gear:

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), the chairman of the House Oversight Committee who has already vowed to spend the next several years investigating Clinton should she be elected president, quickly rushed to announce the news, falsely claiming that the case had been “reopened.” The FBI director’s letter said no such thing – not even close.

However, it went downhill from there with tweets from Speaker Ryan, and several other House members as listed in this update link.

But, one more time, nothing in Director Comey’s letter said the case was being “reopened,” even though an array of news outlets repeated Rep. Chaffetz’s incorrect characterization.

Examples:

1.  NBC News initially posted a story with this framing, later changing the headline and lede or lead, to drop the claim.

2.  USA Today tweeted, falsely, that the FBI director had said the probe was being reopened.

3.  The Hill and Bloomberg also got the facts wrong.

Needless to say, Trump broke into his “happy dance” all day – and that is likely to continue, since his previous lighthearted comment falls against the backdrop of his repeated and serious questioning of the legitimacy of the presidential election in recent weeks as he keeps calling the election “rigged blaming the media and establishment politicians who are conspiring to sink his campaign” as he keeps warning supporters that the presidency could be stolen from them due to voter fraud – instances that are extremely rare, that is unless he wins – then all bets are off.

So, based on these wild GOP outbursts, w/o any facts, per se, it is safe to say that this election may truly be rigged – but in favor of Donald J. Trump – if he wins based on this so far, flimsy BS mood. 

Stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by – what an historic and completely insane election cycle.

Get This Nitwit Off the Airwaves: Preferably Behind Bars or in Straight Jacket

New Conservative Voice or New Conspiracy Nutcase 

On a Pedestal of Craziness and Wild Accusations 

(Should land her under indictment)

The headlines tell it all (from here):

“Conservative Internet Sensation Tomi Lahren Suggests Clintons Were Involved in Murders”

Folks, this is more than her right to “free speech, or freedom of the press” or anything even close … what she says and implies is slanderous and libelous and this women must be held to account.

In a word this is insane talk, but sadly and widely these days, it’s all over rightwing Talk Radio and print media from that same slant and yes, it is dangerous, very dangerous, and as I strongly believe it is NOT an argument for “free speech” or anything even remotely close to that precious freedom.

She must be held accountable and taken off the public airwaves immediately if not sooner and as applicable, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

That’s my right to free speech, too, if anyone bothers to say I’m infringing on her rights; which I am not.

Thanks for stopping by.

“If I Go Down, I Will Take the Country Down” — /s/ Donald J. Trump (Spoiled Brat)

Show us any differences from then and today, Mr. Trump

NOTE: Before you read this blog and the update that follows below, please read this article regarding the restrictions on voters this election cycle. This is a first in our history of such widespread voter restrictions. The update continues below. I hope this will be both informative and interesting.

(Reader comments are always welcome).  

Now the update on a very timely subject, in part from here and with this introduction:

In both tweets and speeches, Trump has moved from Breitbart-based crazy theories about the Clinton's, to Info wars-based crazy (Alex Jones) theories about the whole of humanity.  The most damaging of these rants are Trump’s assault on the first amendment, and his increasingly prominent declaration that election results can’t be trusted. From one of his latest string of tweets:

“Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before Election Day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive!”

FACT: No study has found large-scale, or even more-than-minuscule, voter fraud. However, Republicans have been passing off this idea for years a pretense for voter ID laws, making this fertile ground for Trump’s conspiracy crop. Donald Trump is going to fall, he knows it, and he wants to take democracy down with him.

MORE: Trump continues to offer broad assertions about the potential for voter fraud and the complaints that 9 women have alleged he sexually accosted them, are part of an effort to smear his campaign and win for Clinton.

There is no evidence voter fraud is a widespread problem in the United States. A study by a Loyola Law School professor found that out of 1 billion votes cast in all American elections between 2000 and 2014, there were only 31 known cases of impersonation fraud. (Also, more here from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU and from here and from here, and from here, all regarding the myth of voter fraud).

THEN TRUMP SAID THIS WHILE HE WAS IN NC: “It's one big ugly lie, it's one big fix. And the only thing I say is hopefully, hopefully, our patriotic movement will overcome this terrible deception.” 

WE HAVE GONE A BRIDGE TO FAR AS THEY SAY: Trump's supporters appear to be taking his grievances seriously. For example, about 1/3 of Republicans said they have a great deal or quite a bit of confidence that votes on Election Day will be counted fairly.

Re: The firebombing of a RNC HQ office in Hillsborough, NC (pop 6,000) NC (which is Orange County Seat and home of UNC at Chapel Hill) (pop 133,000). He and Hillary Clinton issued two contrasting responses to that act which had this graffiti message “Nazi Republicans leave town or else” left on the building. It inflicted extensive damage to the office, according to police officials in Hillsborough, but no one was hurt in the incident. The police are still investigating.

From Hillary Clinton: “The attack on the Orange County HQ is horrific and unacceptable. We are very grateful that everyone is safe.”

From Donald Trump (as usual, quick to assign responsibility for the incident to Clinton supporters, despite a lack of evidence from authorities, tweeted): “Animals representing Hillary Clinton and Dems in North Carolina just firebombed our office in Orange County because we are winning.”

Trump's motivations for stoking these sentiments seem clear and his tactics or ploy:

1.  One of his last hopes of winning the election is to suppress turnout by making these final weeks so repulsive to voters that some just stay home.

2.  Trump advisers privately say they hope to turn off young people in particular. This group leans Democratic but doesn't have a long history of voting and is already skeptical of Clinton.

3.  Trump is also likely considering how he would spin a loss to Clinton, given that he's spent decades cultivating a brand based on success and winning.

4.  His years in public life offer few examples where he's owned up to his own failings and plenty where he's tried to pass the blame on to others, as he's now suggesting he would do if he's defeated

The question of course is simple: Will Trump act the way he implies if he loses or will they accept the election outcome like we Americans always do? Theories will abound until Election Day and thereafter for sure.

The public must be prepared for any “revolt *that Trump talks about and at any level by anyone for any reason anywhere and at any time. That is hard for me to say and I do not like to speculate – it is not my nature, but the question is: How many radicals trust and believe in what Trump is spewing? That is key for any rational person to ponder.

Thanks for stopping by.

Donald J. Trump: “I am the smartest person ever. Don't Believe It, Just Ask Me”

Two of a Kind; Birds of a Feather; Cut from the Same Cloth; Mirror Image

Trump always has been, still is, and will try to be the only show in town (or so he says). He would be a “one-man administration” in the Oval Office running it like a new business, some fancy new product line, or new TV reality show.

The latest: Trump apparently does not trust U.S. intelligence agencies and especially when it comes to talking about threats now or ever from Russia and Vlad Putin. This story from here, and in part below (Chicago Tribune from the Washington Post).

Former senior national security officials are dismayed at Trump and his repeated refusal to accept their judgment and that of many intelligence professionals about it was Russia who hacked and stole files from the DNC computers in an effort to influence our national election, and to some extent still are hacking and attempting to spoil or totally destroy our entire electoral process.

Former officials, who have served presidents in both parties for decades, say they are still bewildered even after Trump cast doubt on Russia's role even after he received a classified briefing on the subject and then again after he heard or read an unusually blunt statement from those agencies saying they were “confident that Moscow had orchestrated the hack attacks.

Trump for his part has assured supporters that, if elected, he would surround himself with experts on defense and foreign affairs, where he has little experience, but when it comes to Russia, he also made it clear that he is not listening to intelligence officials, some former officials have said.

Some officials and their statements and views on this:

Retired Gen. Michael Hayden former director of the CIA and the NSA said about Trump's pronouncements: “It defies logic. He seems to ignore their (agency) advice. Why would you assume this would change when he is in office? It's remarkable that he's refused to say an unkind syllable about Vladimir Putin. He contorts himself not to criticize Putin,” Hayden concluded.

Note: Trump has consistently adopted positions likely to find favor with the Kremlin. He has, for instance, criticized NATO allies for not paying their fair share and defended Putin’s human rights record, like bombing civilians all over Syria.

Then this irony: Trump's VP mate, Gov. Mike Pence (R-IN), said in his vice-presidential debate that the United States should “use military force” against the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. Trump disagreed with Pence saying we should in essence join Assad and Russia and Iran to fight ISIS and I guess, continue to bomb Syrians back to the Stone Age (or so he implies).

Former acting CIA director John E. McLaughlin said that all previous presidential candidates took the briefings to heart, adding: “In my experience, candidates have taken into the account the information they have received and modulated their comments. Mr. Trump, on the other hand, is playing politics. He's trying to diminish the impression people have that a Russian hack of the DNC somehow helps his cause.

  

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said information she received has led her to conclude that Russia is attempting “to fix this election,” and she called on Trump and elected officials from both parties “to vocally and forcefully reject those efforts.”

Former CIA Lawyer John Rizzo, who served under seven presidents and became the agency's acting general counsel said: “I don't recall a previous candidate saying they didn't believe or trust the information from an intelligence briefing. These are career people. They are not administration officials. What do those comments do to their morale and credibility?”

Other former intelligence officials interviewed believe Trump is either willfully disputing intelligence assessments, has a blind spot on Russia, or perhaps doesn't understand the nonpartisan traditions and approach of intelligence professionals. For example, in the first presidential debate, right after intelligence and congressional officials stated Russia almost certainly broke into the DNC computers, Trump quipped on national TV: “I don't think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC. I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, okay?”

Continue the story here (Chicago Tribune from the Washington Post).

This story illustrates another serious side of Trump that displays his total arrogance and stupidity. It reinforces that I called his act as “a one-man show” who wants to handle everything by himself and now adds this to his long string of other stupid comments like: “I know more about ISIS than the Generals do” or “I am the only one who can fix things.” 

Donald J. Trump should never be near the White House except maybe on a visitor’s weekend tour, but certainly never on duty as the CINC. He is a menace to national sanity by any standard.

Thanks for stopping by – come again and vote on November 8^th like everything depends on it – because it does.

“Preserve, Protect, and Defend the Constitution” Utter Bullshit: /s/ Donald J. Trump

Trump v. America

GOP Meets Trump

Yeah, this is the one-man show hoping to become Dictator of America, or worse. Read this rundown – a keeper for sure from here.

During that Sunday night 2^nd Presidential debate (October 9^th in St. Louis), Donald J. Trump told Hillary R. Clinton in part that, “If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your [email] situation.”

FYI for “The Donald:” That would constitute presidential abuse of power. To wit:

Presidents are not supposed to “instruct” their AG to appoint a “special prosecutor” which BTW: is now called “Independent Counsel.”

In fact, the AG makes that decision apolitically, based on her (or his) judgment of whether the DOJ can impartially investigate the case. By pledging that she (the current AG, Loretta Lynch) would follow the advice of any Trump-mandated FBI investigation looking more into Clinton’s email controversy, the AG’s legal considerations would become partisan.

By promising that he, Donald J. Trump would “instruct” his AG to appoint a special prosecutor, he would be in essence pledging exactly a partisan approach and that sounds more like Putin in Russia or Castro in Cuba than any American president. BTW: Richard Nixon tried that in Watergate and look what happened to him … oops.

But Mr. Trump didn’t stop there. He not only said he would make his attorney general appoint an independent counsel, he also vowed to determine the outcome of that counsel’s investigation. If he becomes president, Trump said, Hillary Clinton will “be in jail.” That is a first in any American presidential campaign – ever.

Under our Constitution, Mr. Trump, presidents do not decide who goes to jail – juries do after a lengthy set of procedures that we call “due process” something you apparently do not care for or quite frankly know nothing about.

Presidents do however have the constitutional power to issue a pardon. But, as I said, courts, Mr. Trump, not presidents decide who goes to jail based on their assessment of whether someone broke the law, usually after a trial, not pledged in a debate.

So, chew on that awhile, while you’re at it, go back to school and retake civics 101.

Thanks for stopping by.