Monday, August 31, 2020

QOTD -- Lawless Law And Order


"What Trump really represents is the promise of law and order without the rule of law — he stands for this in combination, as part of the same package, often quite deliberately so. But law and order without the rule of law is the wielding of power and violence (both state violence and private vigilante violence) unshackled from law-and rules-bound processes.

"Let’s not flinch from this: Trump is explicitly campaigning on law and order without the rule of law, in all its terrible implications. That makes Trump not the law-and-order candidate, but rather the candidate of arbitrary violence, lawless abuses of power and civil breakdown. [snip]

"Trump is not the “law and order” candidate. He’s the candidate of arbitrary violence, state and private alike. He is the candidate of lawlessness and civil breakdown." -- Greg Sargent in today's Washington Post.  Please read the entire op/ ed for Sargent's thorough gutting of the facade of Trump as a "law and order" candidate.

BONUS:

 

Tweets Of The Day -- It's All They Got



 

  

 

 






See also here.

Meanwhile #TrumpTerrorism has been trending on Twitter.

Book: Trump Played By Saudis Bigly



Foreign leaders, from Russia's Putin to France's Macron and beyond, sized up malignant narcissist and ignoramus Donald "Tovarich" Trump early on: he was a fool who could be bought off by flattery and parades in his honor. As long as a foreign leader, no matter how corrupt or anti-American (e.g. Kim Jong-Un), said "nice" things about him and gave him spectacular photo ops, Trump was their best friend.

Among the first to capitalize on Trump's weakness was the sinister and violent leader of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed "Bone Saw" bin Salman. In a book to be released tomorrow, "Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman's Ruthless Quest for Global Power," authors Bradley Hope and Justin Scheck describe the elaborate machinations that Bone Saw and his United Arab Emirate client state lackeys used to ingratiate themselves to Trump and his corrupt son-in-law Jared "Mr Ivanka Trump" Kushner. From an advance excerpt from their book, they describe the meeting planned by Bone Saw:
"Only months on the job, the upstart prince [Bone Saw] had figured out exactly what to do to get Mr. Trump’s attention: big deals, audacious praise, and treating the elected president of a republic like a visiting king

White House planners hadn’t understood the point of the meeting with leaders from predominantly Muslim countries in advance; some advised against it. “The Saudis want to do it,” Mr. Kushner told the team.

For everyone else in the room, the leaders from Asia and Africa and the Middle East, the point of the meeting was clear: Saudi Arabia was showing that it was back to being the U.S.’s chief ally in the Islamic world, and the man responsible for reviving the relationship was Prince Mohammed, also known by his initials, MBS. It was an overarching theme of the presidential visit and the foreign policy agenda of Mr. Trump’s presidency. Ignoring the recommendations of career diplomats, he’d forged ahead with the plan looking for some early international wins.

What he got instead was headlines about arms sales and the rise of an authoritarian Saudi prince with ambitions to not let his country be bossed around—including by the United States." (our emphasis)
All the trappings were laid out by Bone Saw for the narcissistic Trump, from lavish banquets and extravagant gifts to promises of arms sales and trade so Trump could claim a foreign policy "victory." What Bone Saw got was the U.S.'s stamp of approval to purge his domestic rivals and engage in liquidating his enemies on foreign soil.

If the excerpt is any indication, the book will rip the hide off of Bone Saw and demonstrate once again how cheaply Trump can be bought off with a parade, flattery, and some expensive trinkets.

(photo: AFP)

Today's Tomorrow Cartoon: White Guy With A Gun


(click to enlarge)




Expect more right-wing "white guys with guns" to engage in the vigilantism seen in Kenosha, encouraged by the lawless con man staining the Oval Office and supported by members of his cult in law enforcement.

(Support Tom Tomorrow's great work here)

"His" Military Won't Be Voting For Trump




Active- duty military don't care much for their "Commander in Chief," Cadet Bone Spurs, and the officer corps, in particular, strongly disapproves:
The latest Military Times poll shows a continued decline in active-duty service members’ views of President Donald Trump and a slight but significant preference for former Vice President Joe Biden in the upcoming November election among troops surveyed. [snip]
In the latest results — based on 1,018 active-duty troops surveyed in late July and early August — nearly half of respondents (49.9 percent) had an unfavorable view of the president, compared to about 38 percent who had a favorable view. Questions in the poll had a margin of error of up to 2 percent.
Among all survey participants, 42 percent said they “strongly” disapprove of Trump’s time in office. [snip]
Among active-duty service members surveyed in the poll, 41 percent said they would vote for Biden, the Democratic nominee, if the election was held today. Only 37 percent said they plan to vote to re-elect Trump [snip]
The splits between officer and enlisted views within the poll are notable. More than 59 percent of officers said they have a poor view of the president, with more than half saying they strongly disapprove.
Among enlisted respondents, 47 percent said they have an unfavorable view, and nearly 39 percent a favorable view. Enlisted views of Trump’s performance in office have consistently been more favorable than those of officers in the poll over the last four years.  (our emphasis)
The military, traditionally one of the more conservative sectors of any society, is also laying down a marker in the form of Joint Chief of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, who provided written confirmation that the Armed Forces won't be a party to any Cadet Bone Spurs coup attempt when he loses the election.  They take an oath to defend the Constitution, not Cadet Bone Spurs.  Of course, many retired brass have spoken out against Cadet Bone Spurs (Gens. Mattis, Kelly, Allen, McCaffrey, McChrystal, Dempsey, Clark, and Adms. Mullen, McRaven, Green, etc.) The fact that so many of them are appalled by what's going on in this country and are going to vote their consciences is somehow very encouraging.  When the time comes, they need to step up with the rest of us to make sure Cadet Bone Spurs doesn't steal this election and everything they swore an oath to defend along with it.

(Photo:  two who stood up to Cadet Bone Spurs -- Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman and twin Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman (USA, ret.))

Monday Reading


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

Joe Biden, in addition to calling out mango Mussolini's actions to provoke violence (see post below), also commented on the decision by the Trumpist Director of National Intelligence to end election interference briefings for Congress. Here's a snippet:
Nothing is more important than the security and integrity of our elections. And we know that President Trump is unwilling to take action to protect them. That leaves Congress as the best defender of our democracy. But now President Trump, through his hand-picked DNI — chosen for loyalty, not experience — is attempting to deprive Congress of the information they need to do their part.
There can be only one conclusion: President Trump is hoping Vladimir Putin will once more boost his candidacy and cover his horrific failures to lead our country through the multiple crises we are facing. And he does not want the American people to know the steps Vladimir Putin is taking to help Trump get re-elected or why Putin is eager to intervene, because Donald Trump’s foreign policy has been a gift to the Kremlin.
They're pulling out all the stops to steal this election, from the Low Barr Justice Department to Homeland (In)Security to the ODNI to Moscow.  That's why the vote must be as overwhelming a rejection of mango Mussolini and his fascist party as possible.  We can and we will do it.

Here's pollster/ forecaster Harry Enten --



And David Rothkopf --



Apparently another tell all book from a former insider is out.  Melon Trump's former senior advisor Stephanie Winston Wolkoff dishes largely confirmatory dirt about the First Crime Family, but this nugget about mango Mussolini's inaugural plans stands out:
Donald Trump wanted his inauguration to look like a North Korean military parade. When discussing the parade with Winston Wolkoff and Ivanka during the transition, Trump said: “I want tanks and choppers. Make it look like North Korea,” he told them. Winston Wolkoff wrote: “He really wanted goose-stepping troops and armored tanks? That would break tradition and terrify half the country.” [snip]
For the inauguration, Mark Burnett, creator of “The Apprentice,” the reality-TV show that cemented Trump’s popularity, also wanted to “light the sky with drones, and Donald and Melania loved the idea.” No drones ended up being used to spice up the inauguration — they could have posed a safety risk.  (our emphasis)
Following four years of anger and frustration that boiled over in an epic Twitter rant, comedian Jim Gaffigan talks about his decision to come out forcefully against malignant mango Mussolini, and what "undecideds" should consider:
“I didn’t want to explain to my grandchildren that I didn’t fight to stop Trump,” he wrote. “Maybe they will see that I stood up for decency, rule of law and equality.”
Gaffigan also urged Trump voters to apply that same test to their own actions ― specifically to who they vote for in the coming presidential election. 
“If you are still on the fence I encourage you to vote not for who I want you to vote for but for who your grandchildren would be proud you fucking voted for,” he wrote, followed by an apology to his wife, Jeannie Gaffigan, for his use of profanity.
Lee Drutman at fivethirtyeight.com has a good read about why there are so few "moderate Republicans." Here's his bottom line:
... American political parties are not top-down entities, capable of turning on a dime. They are loose networks and coalitions of many actors and groups. And because the Republican Party has been pulling in a more extreme direction for decades now, most Republican moderates have either quit the team or reoriented themselves in a more combative, Trumpian direction to stay alive. And these forces will most likely continue to tug at the party, leaving would-be moderates with the same choice they’ve faced for decades: Quit, or get on board.
Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein pegged it back in 2012 in their book "It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism,” and others long before that.

We close with our usual recommendation to check out Infidel 753's excellent link round- up for many more "points of light" (we found the Drutman article there).  Don't miss out!

Biden Condemns Trump's "Encouraging Violence"


In a further move to stoke racial tension and fear, and to rile up his cult, unfit demagogue and bigot Donald "Very Fine People" Trump intends to go to Kenosha, WI tomorrow, just days after a violent supporter of his shot and killed two people and wounded a third. His presence there is opposed by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, who asked Trump to reconsider the trip, and who knows that Trump is a magnet for his violent, armed cult members who are looking to engage with Black Lives Matter protesters.

Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden will speak today in Pittsburgh on the racial reckoning underway and Trump's failure to protect America from the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday, he issued a statement aimed directly at Trump's need to provoke violence for political gain:
"We must not become a country at war with ourselves. A country that accepts the killing of fellow Americans who do not agree with you. A country that vows vengeance toward one another. But that is the America that President Trump wants us to be, the America he believes we are. [snip]
What does President Trump think will happen when he continues to insist on fanning the flames of hate and division in our society and using the politics of fear to whip up his supporters? He is recklessly encouraging violence. 
He may believe tweeting about law and order makes him strong — but his failure to call on his supporters to stop seeking conflict shows just how weak he is. He may think that war in our streets is good for his re-election chances, but that is not presidential leadership — or even basic human compassion. [snip]
Donald Trump has been president for almost four years. The temperature in the country is higher, tensions run stronger, divisions run deeper. And all of us are less safe because Donald Trump can’t do the job of the American president." (our emphasis)
Sixty-three days until election day, and earlier if you take advantage of early voting or vote by mail. This is a fight to stop the slide toward fascism, led by a lawless, mentally unstable con man.

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Across The Universe, Cont. -- Edge Of The Blast


(click on image to enlarge)



From NASA/ESA, August 24, 2020While appearing as a delicate and light veil draped across the sky, this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope actually depicts a small section of the Cygnus supernova blast wave, located around 2400 light-years away. The name of the supernova remnant comes from its position in the northern constellation of Cygnus (The Swan), where it covers an area 36 times larger than the full moon. 

The original supernova explosion blasted apart a dying star about 20 times more massive than our Sun between 10 000 and 20 000 years ago. Since then, the remnant has expanded 60 light-years from its centre. The shockwave marks the outer edge of the supernova remnant and continues to expand at around 350 kilometres per second. The interaction of the ejected material and the low-density interstellar material swept up by the shockwave forms the distinctive veil-like structure seen in this image.

Credit:  ESA/Hubble & NASA, W. Blair

Today's Cartoons


(click on images to enlarge)


(Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)


(Monte Wolverton, caglecartoons.com)


(Bob Englehart, caglecartoons.com)


(John Cole, Scranton Times-Tribune, PA)


(Michael Ramirez, Las Vegas Review-Journal)


(R.J. Matson, CQ/ Roll Call)


(Jeff Stahler, gocomics.com)


(Kevin Siers, Charlotte Observer)


(Mike Peters, Dayton Daily News)
 
(Ed Hall, Artizans.com)


(Ed Hall, Artizans.com)


(Phil Hands, Wisconsin State Journal)


(Clay Jones, claytoonz.com)


(Signe Wilkinson, Philadelphia Inquirer/Daily News)


(Tom Toles, Washington Post)

Moscow Eyes Belarus' Civil Unrest



The embattled dictator of former Soviet state Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, got a happy birthday call today from his fellow thug, Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin, as a show of support as pro-democracy demonstration continue. Putin reportedly invited Lukashenko to Moscow for mettings, aimed at subduing the unrest and expanding Russia's influence over it's closest former-Soviet ally. Lukashenko rigged the August 9 elections and spurred massive demonstrations across Belarus, which continued today in its capital Minsk.

While Belarus' strategic importance to Russia is that it creates a buffer with Poland and other NATO countries, Russia has long coveted its former Soviet republic, as Putin dreams of a Greater Russia that would absorb its former Soviet neighbors. A closer embrace between the countries is clearly on Putin's mind and agenda:
"In the biggest sign yet of Russia’s willingness to intervene to prop up Lukashenko, Putin said on Thursday the Kremlin had set up a 'reserve police force' at Lukashenko’s request, although it would be deployed only if necessary."
You'll recall that Putin illegally invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine (Donbass) after his puppet Viktor Yanokovych was toppled in the "Euromaidan Revolution" in 2015 on the pretext of protecting "ethnic Russian" people from oppression. His troops in eastern Ukraine -- wearing no insignia -- continue to hold ground against the government of Ukraine. Putin may be worried that his friend Lukashenko might suffer the same fate, and he's prepared to send in Russian troops -- "invited" of course -- to Belarus to prevent democracy from breaking out once again.

(photo: Protests in Belarus one week ago. Sergei Grits/AP)

Poll: Trump Flat, Biden Gaining Favorability


There are some clickbait, horserace polls showing up out there that would have you believe COVID Donnie's circus last week turned things around and that the presidential race is tightening. The new ABC News/Ipsos poll calls bullshit:
President Donald Trump's efforts to build his appeal and define his opponent at the Republican National Convention, using pageantry and the White House as the backdrop, had little apparent impact on the electorate's impressions of both him and former Vice President Joe Biden, a new ABC News/Ipsos poll finds.
Trump's week of celebration did not improve his favorability, even among his own base, and the country still remains widely critical of his handling of the major crisis of his presidency: COVID-19.
Less than one-third (31%) of the country has a favorable view of the president in the days after he accepted the Republican nomination for the second time -- a stagnant reality for Trump. His favorability rating stood at 32% in the last poll, taken a week earlier, right after the Democratic National Convention.
Trump finds himself in a much different position than his chief rival.
In the new survey, which was conducted using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel, Biden's favorability remains higher than his unfavorability, 46% to 40%, solidifying his improvement in favorability from last week, when attitudes about the Democratic nominee improved to a net positive from his slightly underwater position prior to the convention.
Biden's favorability ticked up from 40% in an Aug. 13 poll to 45% just after the Democratic convention(our emphasis)
We have to be mindful of the polls, especially at the state level, but not be ruled by them.  They serve as signposts to where more effort and resources may need to be directed.  But, Joe Biden's lead has been remarkably steady since the Spring. Now that we have a solid ticket, the campaign will begin in earnest.

This is by far the most important election of our lifetimes, and as we've said so often, we have to keep the foot on the gas up to and through November 3 to make sure our democracy survives.

Forsaken




As we approach 190,000 deaths resulting largely from the bungling, callous response to the pandemic by narcissistic moron Donald "COVID Donnie" Trump, the recently concluded Republican National Convention circus provided a vivid portrait of this party of sociopaths and their Dear Leader.  Whether by their not speaking of the coronavirus and its toll on America, by engaging in an outrageously false narrative that COVID Donnie saved lives, or by their ostentatious flouting of basic public health measures, the message came through loud and clear.

Kyle Whitmire reminds us what others have forsaken while these privileged, self- centered yahoos try to convince themselves that the pandemic is behind us:
Trump’s speech was a meandering greatest-hits of the extemporized rants we’ve heard from him for the last four years, both audacious and simultaneously forgettable.
What shouldn’t be forgettable is the message that event sent the country: Everyone of those folks just showed they don’t care what anyone else in this country has forsaken to beat this disease.
The seniors in long term care centers who have been isolated from their loved ones and don’t understand why.
The grandparents denied their favorite people’s hugs and kisses.
Grieving families who’ve forgone funerals.
Couples who’ve delayed weddings.
The frontline workers in our hospitals and care centers who must isolate themselves from their loved ones to protect them at the same time they put their own lives at risk.
Teachers, administrators and support staff learning to work with mitigation measures so their schools don’t turn into hotspots.
The grocery workers behind those plexiglass dividers at the checkout counter.
It's maddening what the best among us have forsaken and sacrificed for the common good, and that even the most innocuous measures to save lives and stop the spread are ignored and derided by the louts and fools.  When the poll came out showing that 57 percent of Republicans thought the coronavirus death toll was "acceptable", we can't say we were surprised (in fact, we thought the percentage of these "pro- life" hypocrites would be higher).  But when a party adheres to an alternate, non- scientific, fact- free reality in service to a malignant buffoon, a rising death toll becomes "it is what it is."

Sixty- five days until November 3.

(Photo:  Mask-less yahoos on the South Lawn cheering COVID Donnie; Alex Brandon/AP)

Sunday Reflection: Molly Ivins' Wit And Wisdom



The legendary progressive populist journalist, humorist and author Molly Ivins, who passed away in 2007, would have been 76 today. Ivins started out as a police reporter at the Minneapolis Tribune, and later wrote for both the Dallas Times Herald and the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. Her column was carried by hundreds of newspapers, with right-wing blowhards the usual target of her rapier wit (thus the photo above). Some of her broad wisdom is captured in these few quotes from her:

"It is possible to read the history of this country as one long struggle to extend the liberties established in our Constitution to everyone in America."

"The thing about democracy, beloveds, is that it is not neat, orderly, or quiet. It requires a certain relish for confusion."

"What you need is sustained outrage...there's far too much unthinking respect given to authority."

Her voice is missed even more today.

(photo: Mark Perlstein/Getty)

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Today In "Christian" Priorities, Vigilante Edition


A right wing "Christian" crowdfunding site is busy raising funds for the vigilante who shot and killed two people in Kenosha, WI a few days ago. They've set $200,000 as their goal and are around $160,000 currently. Their "story" claims that shooter and Trump cult member Kyle Rittenhouse was acting in "self-defense," despite the fact that no one that he shot was carrying a gun, and falsely claiming he was attacked by "Antifa."  Rittenhouse was videoed stalking the streets looking for trouble, intimidating people and brandishing his AR-15. When onlookers tried to stop him from fleeing after he killed his first victim, Rittenhouse shot two more people and calmly walked by police who let him escape to his home in Illinois. So, he wasn't there to "defend his community" as the grifters claim.

The holy rolling grifters at the fundraising site want you to send in more money, since they collect 3% plus $.30 per contribution. For them, murder pays.

Today's Cartoons


(click on images to enlarge)


(Jeff Darcy, Cleveland Plain Dealer)


(Lalo Alcaraz, LA Weekly)


(Christopher Weyant, Boston Globe)


(Ken Catalino, catalinocartoons.com)


(Rob Rogers, Counterpoint)


(Dave Granlund, davegranlund.com)


(Matt Wuerker, Politico)


(Bill Bramhall, New York Daily News)


(Clay Jones, claytoonz.com)


(Stuart Carlson, gocomics.com)


(David Horsey, Seattle Times)

From abroad:


(Alan Moir, Morning Herald, Sydney, Australia)


(Tjeerd Royaards, Cartoon Movement, Netherlands)


(Dave Brown, The Independent, London)


Chadwick Boseman, 1976-2020




If  "courage is grace under pressure," actor/ writer/ producer Chadwick Boseman was a star in that regard, too:
Chadwick Boseman, who played Black American icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown with searing intensity before inspiring audiences worldwide as the regal Black Panther in Marvel’s blockbuster movie franchise, died Friday of cancer. He was 43.
Boseman died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his wife and family by his side, his publicist Nicki Fioravante told The Associated Press.
Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, his family said in a statement.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more - all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.” (our emphasis)
He hadn't spoken publicly about his diagnosis for four years, while he pursued his acting and other creative pursuits. Think of that:  working on multiple projects for years while silently fighting for your life every day, through chemotherapy and surgeries.

Ironically, he passed away on MLB's Jackie Robinson Day, an icon he portrayed in the 2013 movie "42."  Rest in power.

BONUS:


Good that he saw this happen before he passed:

(Image: Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther/ Marvel Studios)

States Won't "Slow The Testing Down, Please"


In a rebuke to the COVID-19 testing guidelines dictated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by a cynical, reckless White (Supremacist) House, at least 33 states will continue to test people who have been exposed to others but have no symptoms. Under pressure from demagogue and promoter of injecting disinfectants Donald "COVID Donnie" Trump to mask the true extent of the virus for political purposes, the CDC had issued guidance that such testing may be unnecessary. Some of the states rejecting Trump's "slow the testing down" ploy include deep red states like West Virginia, Wyoming and Oklahoma. States with Republican governors that followed
Trump's demand to reopen prematurely like Texas and Florida and were burned as a result have also rejected the latest CDC guidelines.

(click to enlarge map)


Asymptomatic spread is how we got here. From the beginning of the pandemic in the U.S., Trump has been trying to sabotage testing, which reveals new COVID-19 cases and serves as a reminder of his incompetent and negligent handling of the virus' spread as the cases grow.

Tweets Of The Day -- Please Help Me I'm Falling


Ramps:  scary!  Steps:  scarier!

 








 

   

 

Trump Loses TV Ratings Race To Dems




Ha ha ha, loser!
According to initial Nielsen numbers, President Trump’s speech Thursday night drew 14.1 million viewers across the three broadcast networks and three major cable news networks. That is more than three million fewer viewers than the 17.5 million who tuned in to watch Biden’s speech one week earlier.
When those numbers are expanded out across nine broadcast and cable networks, Biden still beat Trump by a fairly wide margin, 23.6 million to 21.6 million.  [snip]
Biden’s DNC beat Trump’s RNC across the board on all four nights, starting with former First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech on night one, which drew about 18.7 million viewers compared to 15.8 million for Donald Trump Jr., Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and others on the first night of the RNC. Night two was closer, but headliner Jill Biden still edged out First Lady Melania Trump, 18.6 million to 18 million.
On night three, Vice President Mike Pence not only lost viewers compared to the previous night but also came in far behind the Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris. While approximately 15.7 million viewers watched Pence, about 21.5 million viewers tuned in to Harris
In fact, while the DNC’s ratings generally grew night by night over the course of the four-day convention last week, the RNC’s numbers appear to have stayed flat or even dropped as the week went on. (our emphasis)
For someone as obsessed with crowd sizes and ratings as COVID Donnie, that's got to leave a yuuge mark.  And to see his wooden running mate, Mike "Dense" Pence, get his alabaster ass kicked by Sen. Harris must give him second thoughts about having kept him on the ticket.  Sad!

Time to cancel the Trump unreality show!

(Image:  Getty/Jessica Kourkounis/Chip Somodevilla/Mireia Triguero Roura)

Friday, August 28, 2020

Celebrate Good Times


USA Today reporter Matt Brown took this photo at last night's crap wrap up of the Republican National Circus, while fireworks were launched from the Mall in D.C. and the continuing pandemic was declared over by the White (Supremacist) House (click to enlarge).


VoteVets Ad: "It Didn't Have To Be"


Great, powerful ad by VoteVets.org:



Sharing is caring!

Quotes Of The Day


Saying the quiet part loud:

The more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, the better it is for the very clear choice on who’s best on public safety and law and order.” -- Kellyanne Conway, Thursday on "Fox and Friends," revealing COVID Donnie's game plan:  trying to benefit from the chaos and violence he's helping sustain in our cities around the country.

A mendacious convention vs. core values:

"If you recognize this as nonsense, you may not be in the target audience. The conjured specter of widespread “'urban violence,'” combined with warnings that the dictatorial Democrats against “'guns, gasoline and God'” would force Americans to wear masks, lock them down and keep them from church, may well resonate with people the GOP is aiming to fire up. And the falsely comforting portrait of the president may soothe those the party is hoping to persuade: giving them permission to support someone whose values jar their consciences by pretending his values are something else altogether.

“'In this election, it is not so much whether America will be more conservative or more liberal, more Republican or more Democrat,'” Vice President Pence said Wednesday night. “'The choice in this election is whether America remains America.'” We agree that the country’s core values are at stake in this election. This mendacious convention just provided more evidence of that."  -- Washington Post editorial this morning on the malicious nonsense peddled throughout the Republican National Convention Circus.

Today's Cartoons -- Republican National Circus Edition


(click on images to enlarge)


(Michael de Adder, Toronto Star)


(Bill Bramhall, New York Daily News)


(Dave Whamond, caglecartoons.com)


(Matt Wuerker, Politico)


(Bas van der Schot, De Volkskrant, Netherlands)


(Ken Catalino, gocomics.com)


(Tom Toles, Washington Post)


(Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)


(Bill Day, Floridapolitics.com)


(David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Daily Star)


(Rob Rogers, robrogers.com)


(Adam Zyglis, The Buffalo News)


(Nick Anderson, Counterpoint)


(Jeff Danziger, The Rutland Herald, VT)