From May 3, 2016. Here the Stable Genius implies Senator Ted Cruz’ father was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. None of this is true, of course. Trump had read the story in the National Enquirer.
Trump also attacked Cruz’ wife Heidi: “Be careful, Lyin’ Ted, or I will spill the beans on your wife!”
Most recently, on 1/28/2020, Lyin’ Ted defended Trump during his Impeachment Trial. “The president was entirely justified in asking for an investigation concerning Ukraine and potentially Hunter Biden and Joe Biden.”
For years, media and political elites refused to acknowledge the growing racism and radicalism of the Republican party. Their “both-sidesism” led to Trump’s GOP takeover.
By Joan Walsh for THE NATION
I’ve always resisted the notion that new decades are news events, bestowed on us in pre-measured pallets of history to be analyzed later as self-contained units of meaning. But as we ring in 2020, it’s hard not to feel like we’ve been through an epoch we should pause to acknowledge. Being ornery, I’ll date it to 2009, and the beginning of Barack Obama’s presidency. However we count them off, we have to admit: These last 10 (or 11) years saw the rise of a sometimes violent right-wing American extremism, fueled by racism, and an even bigger story — the utter failure of political elites and mainstream media to figure out how to handle it.
I finally became convinced I had to write about this decade—or as I like to call it, “this f&$%ing decade”—when I read the Rolling Stone interview with Meet the Press host Chuck Todd that burned down the Internet just before Christmas. The decent person in me, who is withering to nothing given the lack of nutritive decency around us, wants to give Todd credit, however belated, for realizing the obvious: that the Trump administration, but more important, Republicans generally, have used his show to spread lies and then double down on them when caught, for a long time.
From Trump toady Kellyanne Conway’s mind-fracturing “alternative facts” defense in the first week of the administration, to alleged anti-Russia hawk Senator Ted Cruz inviting himself on Todd’s show to spout pro-Russia Continue reading →
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich) appeared on Fox News’ a day after Donald Trump mocked her late husband during a reelection rally in the congresswoman’s home state (photo courtesy Fox News)
Rick Wilson on Trump’s Cruelty
We probably didn’t share a single issue. We used to occasionally scrap on Twitter in good fun. For a guy in his 80s when he hit Twitter, he was damn good at it, and that was for a reason. He’d been to the big show. He’d seen it all. For a guy in his 80s when he hit Twitter, he was damn good at it, and that was for a reason. He’d been to the big show. He’d seen it all.
I know that people I admired and admire thought the world of him personally. Republicans. Democrats.
In my long life in politics, I’ve always loved sitting down with anyone who knows the real, lived history of our time. I regret I never got to do that with John. I bet he had some hella stories.
Both parties to live too in the now and believe nothing existed before today.
What Trump’s attack betrayed, in case you missed the four obvious points of it, was as follows.
A. For Trump, the cruelty IS the message. He knew Debbie’s wounds were fresh, her pain real. He’s a sadist of the worst order; one who exploits the pain of the grieving.
B. He always projects. Trump knew in MI Dingell is still a beloved figure, and respected. Trump knows he’ll never have that. He’ll be a figure of fun, a term of insult, a sad clown womp womp laugh track.
He knows he’s more likely to be “looking up” from Hell.
C. His boundless, ravenous ego is a singularity of need, an insatiable maw demanding abject loyalty when he shows even the most minimal courtesy. Everything is transactional and disproportionate. Nothing is ever enough. It’s always “What have you done for me lately?” and FYPM.
D. Trump exists only in Trump nation, the agitprop bubble of his media lackeys and enablers.
He plays only to the mob, the unwashed and furious masses of a cohort educated only in their grievances and the imagined slights of their betters.
I wish to the gods there was one goddamn elected Republican in the world to call out his b.s.
Just. One.
But Profiles in Cowardice is the order of the day, and it is a party not only without stalwarts but one where the collaborators with evil see themselves are heroes.
So endeth.
Source: The Twitter account of Rick Wilson. HOBBLEDEHOY apologies to Mr. Wilson, as this was originally written as a multi-part tweet, and not a proper news piece, with all the limitations of Twitter. Mr. Wilson describes himself as “Apostate GOP Media Guy, writer, NYT #1 best-selling author of ETTD. “Digital assassin.”
(CNN) President Donald Trump attacked Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell and her late husband, Rep. John Dingell, during a rally on Wednesday, implying the former congressman was “looking up” from hell.”Debbie Dingell, that’s a real beauty,” Trump said of the congresswoman, noting he was watching her on television during impeachment proceedings.Trump said that he gave the family the “A-plus treatment” after John Dingell died, and that the congresswoman, who now holds his seat in the House, told Trump during an emotional call following John Dingell’s funeral that her husband would have been “thrilled” by the respect shown for him during his funeral and “he’s looking down” on the ceremonies.”Maybe he’s looking up,” Trump said, drawing some moans and groans from those in Battle Creek, Michigan, about two hours away from Debbie Dingell’s district. “Maybe, but let’s assume he’s looking down.”
