I’m starting late again, but today it’s intentional. I napped this morning, because I sleep best when it’s chilly, and because I have to stay up all afternoon. It’s a grocery delivery day, and I have to stow them. Later Wendy is coming to ruffle and rinse the stinky TomCat.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:18 (average 6:17). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Staff Notice:
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Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: If Chris Christie faces prosecution for an alleged role in the so-called Bridgegate scandal, his endorsement of Donald Trump could play a crucial role in an insanity defense, legal experts believe.
Harland Dorrinson, a defense attorney who has represented many politicians in high-profile criminal cases, believes that Christie’s endorsement of Trump earlier this year could persuade a jury that the New Jersey Governor is “completely incapable of rational thought.”
“An insanity defense is always a long shot, because the bar for insanity is set very high,” Dorrinson said. “Having said that, I believe that Christie’s endorsement of Trump easily meets that standard.”
If Christie is prosecuted, his defense team is likely to show the jury footage of Trump routinely humiliating the New Jersey Governor on the campaign trail. “It will become abundantly clear that Christie endorsed Trump and received absolutely no conceivable benefit for doing so,” Dorrinson said. “Legally speaking, the only word for that is insane.”
Andy has returned to reporting again, but how about an InsaniTEA defense?
From NY Times: The Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon G. Adelson and his wife are giving more than $40 million to groups backing Republican congressional candidates, according to campaign filings and interviews with Republican strategists, disregarding repeated entreaties for support from allies of Donald J. Trump and dealing a major setback to Mr. Trump’s efforts to rally the deepest-pocketed Republican givers.
The contributions will again make Mr. Adelson and his family among the largest known donors in American politics, after several years in which they played a more subdued role in national Republican fund-raising. But Mr. Adelson’s decision to deploy his wealth down ballot, less than two months before Election Day, also reflects the reluctance of most of the biggest Republican donors to invest in their party’s standard-bearer.
Adelson’s biggest hot buttons are more welfare for the super-rich, and unqualified support for and unlimited spending on Butcher Bibi’s criminal one-state solution in Palestine. We can’t compete with his money, but we must do all we can to defeat Republicans in down-ballot races.
From TPM: Despite Donald Trump’s admission that President Obama was born in the United States, Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, on Tuesday pledged to continue pushing birtherism.
“I don’t care where he’s from,” Arpaio said while speaking to the Surprise Tea Party, according to the Arizona Republic. “We are looking at a forged document. Period.”
I’m so glad I left Phoenix in 1979!
Cartoon:
8 Responses to “Open Thread – 9/21/2016”
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5:46 Umm – are you going to take them on? Good luck.
New Yorker – That photo of him right after the endorsement, IMO, showed he realized exactly how insane he was at the time, and should help to undercut such a defense. Prosecutors, are you listening?
NYTimes -Well, that's a hopeful sign, and the way the polls are going, we could use one.
TPM – I was just astounded that the "Surprise Tea Party" is a real thing – if a small one – and seemingly limited to Arizona for now – but OMG!
Cartoon – Doing what they do best!!!
NYer: Feeling it for the folks in NJ with this nutjob! Thanks, Andy.
NYT: Well, that's encouraging, hope that it works with DT NOT getting in the WH.
TPM: What a jerk! The guy been out in the sun waaaay too, too long. He's gotta go. (somewhere)…lol.
Cartoon: Of course.
Tomorrow is the 1st day of Autumn. I'm still baking and sweating, I look forward to cooler temps.
Enjoy your evening, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
NY'er: This bonzo blowhard governor, and his sleaze have indeed made it hard to be a Jerseyite! He has vetoed any piece of legislation that would possibly add to the welfare and comfort of the people of the state! History writers, I beleive, will look on his time in office as a low point for the state, from projecs that would have brought employment, along with federal money, to cutting the voter roles, not to mention continuing the tax cuts for the wealthy, joining his Republican predessor, Crusty Whitman. I think it will take along time for the suction marks of his lips on Rmpy's rump to fade.
NYT: Adelson, of course, would have loved it if Pignoccio had been the candidate.
TPM: Talk about insanity!! I think Arpaio must have sat on his pistol one too many times, if you get my drift.
The New Yorker: This is a perfect outcome for Christie, too bad it is satire. Andy is great.
NY Times: Adelson and the Koch Brothers give enough to the Republican party that they shouldn't need any other donatons. The Koch Bros. are having a big influence on races in Kentucky this year by having their Americans for Prosperity donate to the candidates of their choice. UGH!
TPM: Arpaio is nuttier than Trump. His mistreatment of prisoners alone should be enough to have him kicked out of office, but Arizona keeps re electing him.
Cartoon: Perfect description of the Republicans of today, and sadly many Democrats.
Puzzle — 4:12 Pretty babies!
The New Yorker — An InsaniTEA defense is indefensible!
NY Times — It is past time for Adelson to get out of Dodge, and take Bibi with him. Time to overturn Citizens United.
TPM — Arpaio, "America's Toughest Sheriff", is responsible for tent city jail, pink prison garb, endorsing Drumpf, and now, continuing the birther crap! Arpaio might be tough, but he is definitely not smart.
Cartoon — Titanic II is bow heavy and going down . . . to . . . the . . . bottom . . . of. . . the . . . sea! Republican pollution!
I smell roses again so I know Wendy has been there and fluffed the Puddy Tat.
I hope you sleep (slept?) well last night, TomCat, all sanitized and smelling of catnip after a hard day's work.
TNY: Andy does it again, paraphrasing in a humorous way what we all have been thinking all along. But Pignocchio is dangerously mad and a menace to his state and country and should be prosecuted and locked up where he can do no more harm. If that's the loony bin, so be it.
NYT: If Adelson is one of the largest investors in Republican politicians (sounds just like he's buying shares in them, doesn't it) imagine how much of American politics is directly influenced by a foreign country, i.e. Israel. Not that Americans would notice the difference, as the Republican House has aleady invited Nethanyahu to speak in Congress by bypassing Obama/the administration, and Congress has now voted to increase financial/military aid to Israel to a record amount of American taxpayer's money. It must hurt Drumpf, though, seeing all these beautiful dollars go to the guy he's such close friends with and not towards his campaign. Adelson's not stupid, he's rather has ten birds in his hand than one in the air, one which may never land and when it does will not keep its promises.
TPM: According to some Care2 messages going around we've all got it terribly wrong here and Sheriff Joe is the best thing that's happened to Arizona, its inmates and its stray dogs. I'm sure that with a fan base as big as that, Obama can be sure to be impeached even after he's left office.
Cartoon: Is that the yacht Drumpf bought, crashed and nearly sunk and sold after a day? Let's hope that's not an allegory for what's going to happen in November. Vote Blue at every opportunity.
Imagine what 40 million dollars COULD do in a good, positive way….I hope Adelson is throwing his money down the toilet because that's where it belongs if it's supporting more Republican obstructionists.
And he can take Sheriff Joe with him…be nice if that man had a single brain cell so he could see what an ass he is.
Thanks all! Exhausted hugs!!