From The Gospel Of Ted Cruz

It's always amusing to see racist demagogue Donald "Two Corinthians" Trump's political hack preachers line up to defend him after some clearly un-Christian outrage. His coterie of charlatan Bible-bangers, from the greedy, new age "prosperity gospel" scammers to old-time Southern bigots like Franklin Graham and Pat Robertson, can be counted on to provide creative, holy-rolling excuses for his evil behavior, as long as he continues to breach the line between church and state on their behalf.

One of Trump's primary foes in 2016, Texas right-winger Sen. Ted "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz thought he had the right wing "evangelical" vote locked up in the primaries. He misjudged the corrupt cynicism and opportunism of the Bible-bangers. In Tim Alberta's fascinating new book, "American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump," Cruz is quoted as saying:

“If you’re a faithful person, if you believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, emerged from the grave three days later and gives eternal life, and you’re supporting Donald Trump, I think there’s something fundamentally wrong with you.”

Of course Tailgunner Ted, fearing the wrath of Trump's red cap cult, later became a staunch supporter of the man that not only insulted his wife, but suggested that Cruz's father was involved in the assassination of President Kennedy. Ted's nothing if not a soulless weasel.

There's something fundamentally wrong with him.

(photo: "Oh Lord Donald, deliver us your cult's votes!")

QOTD -- Telling The Truth About Trump

Margaret Sullivan, media columnist, in today's Washington Post:

It makes good sense for media organizations to be careful and noninflammatory in their news coverage. That kind of caution continues to be a virtue.

But a crucial part of being careful is being accurate, clear and direct. When confronted with racism and lying, we can’t run and hide in the name of neutrality and impartiality. To do that is a dereliction of duty. [snip]

Journalists don’t need to see themselves as political advocates when they say obvious things in plain terms. And doing so doesn’t make them Democratic operatives as their pro-Trump critics are sure to charge.

It just means they are doing the most fundamental job they have: telling the truth as plainly and directly as possible.

Her own paper is (finally) getting the message, both in its reportage and its editorial page, clearly labeling malignant dimbulb Donald "Not Exonerated" Trump's recent racist outbursts for what they are.  Other media outlets are finally reaching the point where they can't avoid the obvious, but far too many are still using euphemisms or couching his racist remarks as "some are calling" or other weaselly crutches.  We see you, and history will judge you harshly.

BONUS: The Daily Show has a humorous take on the not-so-humorous weaselly euphemisms.

Today's Cartoons -- The Racist-In-Chief

(click on images to enlarge)


(Pat Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune)


(Steve Sack, Minneapolis Star Tribune)


(Steve Breen, San Diego Union-Tribune)


(Jack Ohman, Sacramento Bee)


(Jim Morin, Miami Herald)


(Mike Smith, Las Vegas Sun)


(Signe Wilkinson, Philadelphia Daily News)


(John Darkow, Columbia Missourian)


(Kevin Siers, Charlotte Observer)


(Jeff Stahler, gocomics.com)

 
(Jen Sorensen, gocomics.com)

House Resolution Condemns Trump's Racism

The House of Representatives will vote tonight on a resolution condemning bigot and sociopath Donald "Not Exonerated" Trump's racist tweets on Sunday, aimed at four female minority Members of Congress. The 4-page resolution includes positions on immigration taken by previous Presidents, including St. Ronnie of Hollywood, who said:

"Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we're a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier… If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost."

Way to throw Rethug hypocrisy back in their faces. We'd be shocked if the resolution gets more than a couple of Rethugs to vote for it despite the wickedly clever inclusion of the Reagan statement.

It's the first resolution that will be passed by the House of Representatives that rebukes a sitting President for racism. Another first for Trump.

Apollo 11 Real-Time Experience

Fifty years ago this morning (at 9:32 EDT), the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, FL.  If you want to experience the Apollo 11 "real- time mission experience," go immediately to "Apollo 11 In Real Time."  It's just an incredible tour de force that enables you to watch either from 1 minute to launch or from the in- progress time.  If you link before 9:32 EDT today, click on "Now" for the in- progress to feel the excitement of the launch as it happened exactly 50 years ago. Regardless, you can view the in- progress at any time until July 24, when the mission ended. We've never seen anything quite like this, to say the least.

The real- time mission experience includes:

• All mission control film footage
• All TV transmissions and onboard film footage
• 2,000 photographs
• 11,000 hours of Mission Control audio
• 240 hours of space-to-ground audio
• All onboard recorder audio
• 15,000 searchable utterances
• Post-mission commentary
• Astromaterials sample data

Late Night Takes On Trump's Racism

Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert took on the racism of malignant dumbass Donald "Not Exonerated" Trump last night.

Tweets Of The Day -- Media, Do Your Damn Job! (UPDATED)

A real problem is that politics in Trump’s era has taken on a moral dimension that news outlets either aren’t equipped to cover, or think it’s their duty to avoid. And if they avoid it, they avoid their job, which is to accurately represent to their audience what’s happening.

— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) July 15, 2019

NBC News is far from alone.  Here's word artisan Peter Baker, access journalist, New York Effing Times:

Racial fire. Racially infused. Racially tinged. Racially charged. Racial animus.

Does the NYT pay by the euphemism these days holy shithttps://t.co/kbZs291bFc pic.twitter.com/wj2peN2ue4

— Ari Schwartz (@arischwartz) July 15, 2019

NY Times: "racially infused" 🧐 pic.twitter.com/wosBr94jw8

— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) July 15, 2019

LOL, everyone made fun of @nytimes for using "racially charged" too much in their copy so they switched to "racially infused" instead. https://t.co/53VnPUdGiH

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) July 15, 2019

Here's a round- up of more spineless stenographers.

Masha Gessen was right:  our institutions will not save us.

UPDATE: Credit where due -- The Washington Post's reporters finally get it right.

Today's Cartoons

(click on images to enlarge)


(Monte Wolverton, caglecartoons.com)


(Marty Two Bulls, m2bulls.com)


(Dave Granlund, davegranlund.com)


(Tom Toles, Washington Post)


(Nick Anderson, Washington Post Writers Group)


(Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press)


(Ted Rall, gocomics.com)

 
(Darrin Bell, darrinbell.com)

Trump Toady Graham Attacks Minority Congresswomen

After bigot and demagogue Donald "Rump" Trump was blasted for his series of racist tweets yesterday (by everyone who's not a Rethuglican, that is), Trump's most reliable towel boy and sycophantic hack Sen. Lindsey "Huckleberry" Graham unleashed an unhinged attack on the four Congresswomen this morning on "Fux and Trump's Friends" saying:

“We all know [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and this crowd are a bunch of communists. They hate Israel, they hate our own country. They’re calling the guards along our border, Border Patrol agents concentration camp guards. They accuse people support Israel doing it for the Benjamins. They’re anti-Semitic. They’re anti-America." [snip]

“They’re socialists. They’re anti-Semitic,” Graham declared. “They stand for all the things that most Americans disagree with. Make them the face of the future of the Democrat Party. You will destroy the Democrat Party.”

A plain and simple smear, nothing about the obvious, rancid racism displayed in Trump's ugly tweets, directed at the four Congresswomen (all American citizens, elected by Americans, three born in this country) suggesting they should go back to "their own countries". Graham, who in 2015 called his new master "a race-baiting, xenophobic bigot", has devolved into Trump's close ally and slobbering defender, a development that must have his erstwhile friend and Trump nemesis Sen. John McCain doing somersaults in his grave. He's full of sweaty fear about his re-election bid in 2020, about being primaried, and about crossing his unstable, racist leader.

Twitter reactions to Graham's Trump-stroking performance were dead-on and brutal:

Lindsey Graham is a modern day Joseph McCarthy, with an extra soupçon of crazy in his Smithers-like sycophancy. Like McCarthy, Graham's name, too, will go down in infamy for his dishonesty and baseless attacks in support of a mad king.

— S (@Yes_Its_Me_S) July 15, 2019

Wow what a surprise that Lindsay has gone full-on Klan

— Anita Creamer (@AnitaCreamer) July 15, 2019

Someone remind me. What does Trump have on Graham that's making him grovel to stay out of trouble?

— kalbzayn (@kalbzayn) July 15, 2019

Lindsey Graham has no spine and no soul. He will sell himself to anyone who has power. So pathetic.

— DogsGoneCrazy (@3DogGoneCrazy) July 15, 2019

Wow! Guess you got more than a pep talk during that golf game with trump. Did he remind you that Putin has your emails too, not just the DNC's?

— Sandy B (@sandy_b_good) July 15, 2019

Kompromat Graham got his marching orders at golf yesterday

— Eileen Stern (@estern839) July 15, 2019

"You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell." - Lindsey Graham, before he met him there.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) July 15, 2019

South Carolina Dem Jaime Harrison is running against the despicable Huckleberry and could use some support in a challenging race. Donate here.

(photo: Huckleberry trying to appear tough to his leader. Andrew Harnik/AP)

New Trump Regime Rule Would Effectively End Asylum For Migrants

The miserable, fascist rats:

The Trump administration on Monday moved to end asylum protections for most Central American migrants in a major escalation of the president’s battle to tamp down the number of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to a new rule published in the Federal Register, asylum seekers who pass through another country first will be ineligible for asylum at the U.S. southern border. The rule, expected to go into effect Tuesday, also applies to children who have crossed the border alone. [snip]

The policy is almost certain to face a legal challenge. U.S. law allows refugees to request asylum when they arrive at the U.S. regardless of how they did so, but there is an exception for those who have come through a country considered to be “safe.” But the Immigration and Nationality Act, which governs asylum law, is vague on how a country is determined “safe”; it says “pursuant to a bilateral or multilateral agreement.”

Right now, the U.S. has such an agreement, known as a “safe third country,” only with Canada. Under a recent agreement with Mexico, Central American countries were considering a regional compact on the issue, but nothing has been decided. Guatemalan officials were expected in Washington on Monday, but apparently a meeting between Trump and Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales was cancelled amid a court challenge in Guatemala over whether the country could agree to a safe third with the U.S.

Let's hope the policy is challenged successfully, though if it ends up in the Republican Supreme Court, their affinity for Trump's white nationalism would likely result in a bad decision.

Of course, half of migrants to the U.S. are Guatemalans fleeing one of the most violent, poverty- stricken countries in Latin America, so this presumably won't affect a large part of the flow, since Mexico isn't showing signs of signing such an agreement either (Canada is our only neighbor who has).  Moreover, conditions in Guatemala are as bad or worse than in the countries the migrants are fleeing;  the corrupt Guatemalan government couldn't handle a refugee influx from El Salvador or Honduras, so this would be a disaster waiting to happen, should the Guatemalan government proceed with the agreement.

While at the moment this amounts to yet another gesture to Trump's knuckle- dragging base that he hates poor, brown people as much as they do, leave it to the white nationalist fascists to continue to pressure these weak governments to make a horrible situation even worse.

Monday Reading

As always, please go to the links for the full articles/ op eds.

Charles Blow reacts to white nationalist dimbulb Donald "Rump" Trump's racist tweetstorm on Sunday:

... There can be no more discussion or debate about whether or not Trump is a racist. He is. There can be no more rhetorical juggling about not knowing what’s in his heart. We see what flows out of it.

White people and whiteness are the center of the Trump presidency. His primary concern is to defend, protect and promote it. All that threatens it must be attacked and assaulted. Trump is bringing the force of the American presidency to the rescue of white supremacy. And, self-identified Republicans absolutely love him for it.

We are watching a very dark chapter in this nation’s history unfold in real time. We are watching as a president returns naked racism to the White House. And we are watching as fellow citizens — possibly a third of them — reveal to us their open animus for us through their continued support of him.  (our emphasis)

Goldie Taylor says it plain and simple:

Trump is not a fine person. His words Sunday were not racially “charged,” “fueled,” or “tinged.” They were unapologetically racist.

And, if you support him, so are you.

The rotted out Republican Party has also once again revealed itself, through its silence, as the Trump Party of white nationalism.  (Hell, even UK Prime Minister Theresa May called him out.)

If there ever was a timely reminder who and what Democrats are fighting against, this is it.

Kyle Pope discusses how Trump manipulates the media, the latest example being the ICE show raids, to distract from unpleasant headlines or failures -- and how the media should respond:

Unfortunately, for a press corps engineered to serve up heart-pulling melodramas, all of this will likely prove too juicy to ignore. We’ll watch the horror show, and then we will be subject to panel discussions about the latest partisan “controversy,” with Trump strolling out jut-jawed to declare his toughness on the border, while Democrats and human rights activists loudly protest the raids as immoral and unjustified. Who’s in the right?, the media will ask. Who knows? [snip]

What makes this all so difficult for reporters is that Trump’s actions can not be dismissed as media gambits; the drama unfolding merits urgent attention. Odds are that there will be even more pain as a result of Sunday’s raids. Journalism’s job must be to frame the immigration crackdown as a campaign event—not a policy response—that claims lives as collateral damage. Trump’s manipulation of a crisis is the point. That is the heartbreaking story that needs to be told.  (our emphasis)

Speaking of unpleasant headlines, today is the day sex predator and trafficker Jeffrey Epstein has his bail hearing. Stretching credulity, his lawyers want him released on bail and restricted to his Upper East Side $77 million mansion wearing a GPS monitor.  But,

Prosecutors are not buying those arguments.

They said in court filings that Epstein's wealth makes him a major flight risk, as he owns a private jet as well as six homes, including a private island in the US Virgin Islands. The plan proposed by Epstein's attorneys is "little more than a barely-secured bond masquerading as a 14-point plan," prosecutors said.

They argued that his proposal to use the home as collateral is pointless because the government is seeking to seize the property if he is convicted. They also dismissed his offer to agree to extradition in any country as "unenforceable," and they said electronic monitoring would do little but "merely give the defendant less of a head start in fleeing," according to the court filing.

Further, prosecutors said Epstein could use his wealth to tamper with the investigation -- and has a history of doing just that.

Meanwhile, the case of Trump rape victim E. Jean Carroll may not be over:

“I hadn’t thought about pressing charges, but now people are convincing me that it's smart,” she told The Daily Beast. “If I get a really smart attorney, we might be able to get around [the statute]. I’ll be exploring it.”

The attorney would have to find a way around New York state law, which lifted the statute of limitations on rape years after Trump's assault occurred.

If there was justice in the world, Epstein's sex predator partying pal Trump would be in an adjoining cell right now.

We close, as always, with our strong recommendation to go over to Infidel 753's link round- up, which seems to offer even more great links week upon week.

Across The Universe, Cont.

(click on image to enlarge)



From NASA/ ESA, July 11, 2019:  The shape and structure of this Spiral galaxy are plainly visible thanks to this perspective. Galaxy NGC 3147 galaxy is relatively close by, at a distance of roughly 130 million light-years, and can be found in the constellation of Draco (The Dragon).

Credit:  ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Riess et al.

(To fully appreciate this, at 130 million light-years from Earth, the picture represents this galaxy as it appeared 130 million years ago, in the Mesozoic Era, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.)

Racist Trump Refers To His Regime As "Worst, Most Corrupt" In Racist Tweetstorm

The daily vile outrages from corrupt, would-be dictator and Russian asset Donald "Not Exonerated" Trump continue uninterrupted. Earlier today, the mango-hued shitgibbon tweeted that four minority females in the House of Representatives who have been especially critical of his xenophobic and racist policies should go back "to the countries they came from" to fix the "totally broken and crime infested places" there. The tweeting toddler, who should have better things to do, apparently didn't realize that three of the women were born in this country -- Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib. (Rep. Ilhan Omar came as a child from Somalia.)  It should go without saying that all are Americans -- and good ones.

Given that, when Trump tweeted that they should return to (their) "countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all)", he actually was referring to the U.S. under his regime. The words certainly fit: "complete and total catastrophe," "the worst, most corrupt and inept."

No truer words from a pathological liar were ever spoken.

BONUS:  Surprise not surprised --

During the 2016 campaign, whenever Trump made racist or xenophobic comments there was a small but reliable chorus of Republican office holders who spoke out. Today, there’s silence, nine hours later.

— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) July 14, 2019

(Image: The Very Stable Genius strikes again)

Today's Cartoons

(click on images to enlarge)


(Steve Sack, Minneapolis Star Tribune)


(John Darkow, Columbia Missourian)


(Jim Morin, Miami Herald)


(Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press)


(Phil Hands, Wisconsin State Journal)


(David Horsey, Seattle Times)


(Jack Ohman, Sacramento Bee)


(Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Blackouts And Bad Timing

Yesterday, on the 42nd anniversary of the city's infamous 1977 blackout, large portions of Manhattan went dark, caused by a mechanical failure at a power substation. Mayor Bill De Blasio, who's been running a traction- less campaign for the Dem nomination, was in Waterloo, IA during the blackout, and the comparisons to Napoleon's downfall ensued.

Bill de Blasio facing tough questions about why he isn’t in New York during a major blackout while running a long no- shot presidential campaign from a city called Waterloo is a bit too on the nose

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) July 14, 2019

Waterloo is a bit on the nose pic.twitter.com/3RI1BXROrL

— Lizzie O'Leary (@lizzieohreally) July 14, 2019

Others commented on De Blasio's AWOL from the city at a critical time:

New Yorkers will no doubt be typically forgiving of Mayor de Blasio for being in Iowa as a summer blackout plunges Times Square, Midtown, and the Upper West Side into darkness.

— Warren Bass (@warren_bass) July 14, 2019

The Mayor of New York is too busy in Iowa right now running for President to be the Mayor of New York during the blackout.

We're taking applications now.

Some experience desired but clearly not required given the current office holder.

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) July 14, 2019

Hi @BilldeBlasio

There's a black out in NYC.

You know nothing about it, since you're running a campaign you have zero chance of winning.

— Mike (@FuctupMike) July 14, 2019

De Blasio's not the most popular of mayors to begin with, and this confluence of events won't help with New York City voters. Time to bid the Presidential hustings bye-bye?