May 9, 2017

Slayer of Ted Cruz, Defender of Justice: Sally Yates walked out of an Aaron Sorkin script on Monday

Slayer of Ted Cruz, Defender of Justice
On Monday, Sally Yates walked out of an Aaron Sorkin script and into liberals’ hearts.
Slate

Article includes some great tweets.
Stephen Colbert:
"Wonder Woman is in theaters June 2nd. But if you want a sneak preview, watch Sally Yates' performance in front of the Senate."

Very Long snip, then this:

Even the legal world’s most prominent critic of Yates’ move against Trump’s travel ban, former Office of Legal Counsel head Jack Goldsmith, seemed to approve of her testimony. In a post for Lawfare published Monday night, Goldsmith wrote that the legal arguments Yates made at the hearing for defying Trump’s executive order were different and “more defensible” than the ones she’d laid out in her Jan. 30 directive. Back then, Goldsmith had taken Yates to task for saying only she was “[not] convinced” the order was lawful—as opposed to saying she was convinced it was unlawful—writing that he didn’t think that uncertainty was a legitimate basis for refusing to defend it. On Monday, he noted, Yates was more forceful in her analysis, telling the senators in no uncertain terms she believed the order was unconstitutional. Goldsmith speculated in ways unflattering to Yates as to why she didn’t strike that note originally—“perhaps … she did not express herself well because she wrote the letter under time pressure,” he wrote—but ultimately seemed more convinced than before that her legal reasoning had been sound.
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If Goldsmith was impressed with Yates’ lack of equivocation, the newest members of her fan club were likely reacting to something else: her precision. For nearly three hours, she maintained impeccable control over every word that came out of her mouth. When she started a sentence, you knew she had an ending already planned. When she was asked a question, you could tell she was actually listening and would respond to all of its particularities rather than reciting some stock answer she had brought to the hearing in her back pocket.

Yates was specific, too. At one point, she realized she’d made a mistake earlier in her testimony when she’d stated that she and White House Counsel Don McGahn had “two in-person meetings and one phone call” about retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn in the days before her dismissal from the Justice Department. After being asked to go back over that timeline, Yates caught her error and corrected herself. There had actually been two phone calls, not one: She’d forgotten that in addition to the substantive phone conversation between herself and McGahn on Jan. 30, McGahn had also called her on Jan. 27 to set up their second meeting.

“Sorry about that,” Yates said, signaling just how seriously she takes detail and accuracy even when making a minor procedural point.

This was the opposite of the posture Americans have gotten used to since the dawn of the new administration. Unlike Yates, President Trump and his circle prefer vagueness because it allows them to evade the truth more easily and to avoid getting caught not knowing things. There is a slackness to much of what Trump says—a simultaneously strained and effortless quality to the haze of incomplete thoughts, generalizations, and meaningless phrases that dribble out of him wherever he goes. When Trump does try to get specific, he tends to get things wrong. On the same day Yates sat before the Senate subcommittee and performed the legal equivalent of surgery, the president misspelled “White House Counsel” on Twitter.

Yates was already an avatar for the anti-Trump resistance before her performance Monday. Now it’s official: She is the Democratic Party’s new star. In the months ahead, she should expect to hear a lot of talk about what office she’ll run for and when. Liberals now know who Sally Yates is, and they really, really like what they see.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/05/sally_yates_walked_out_of_an_aaron_sorkin_script_and_into_liberals_hearts.html?wpsrc=newsletter_tis&sid=589dfd6ebcb59c58118b45d5

May 9, 2017

Sen. Kamala Harris Slams GOP Reps Health Care Claim: What The F**k Is That?

Sen. Kamala Harris Slams GOP Rep’s Health Care Claim: ‘What The F**k Is That?’
California Democrat draws cheers for her blunt talk.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) had some blunt words for a Republican lawmaker who made an outrageous claim about health care last week.

“Nobody dies because they don’t have access to health care,” said Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), who voted for the American Health Care Act, aka Trumpcare.

Harris didn’t refer to Labrador by name during the interview with Pod Save America, a progressive podcast hosted by former aides to President Barack Obama.

But it was pretty clear whom she was referring to.

“This guy, this congressman, you might as well say, ‘People don’t starve because they don’t have food,’” Harris said during the interview with Pod Save America released Monday. “What the fuck is that?”

The interview was recorded Saturday in San Francisco in front of a live audience, which erupted in laughs and cheers as Harris had moments earlier stopped herself from saying “bullshit.”

Harris then turned serious, telling the progressives to work on voting out Republicans who supported the Obamacare repeal, focusing especially on GOP lawmakers in districts that went for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Listen to the full interview here. It begins around 42:30.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kamala-harris-health-care-bill_us_59112f30e4b0d5d9049f6705?y204&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

May 7, 2017

Correction: Republican bloodsuckers who sentenced poor to die didnt drink Bud Light

Yesterday, we reported that a passel of grotesque Dickensian caricatures gathered in the House of Representatives to vote, by a margin of 217-213, to let poor people die and to punish women for the blasphemy of having a vagina, effectively putting some 24 million Americans at the perpetual risk of poverty should they fall victim to accident or debilitating disease—a monstrous display of selfishness that, by their own admission, many of them performed solely out of adherence to partisan dogma and unabashed spite, and a ghoulish, symbolic bloodletting ritual that they then commemorated by drinking Bud Light. However, we have now learned that they did not, in fact, drink Bud Light.

We hereby offer this retraction.

snip

Amid the rush to report on the passage of a bill that removes mandates to insure people with pre-existing conditions—which now includes everything from alcoholism to sexual assault—essentially defunds Planned Parenthood, and rolls back Medicaid protections for low-income families, and cover the celebration that President Trump had subsequently organized in the Rose Garden so that he and his fellow gloating jackasses could laugh at all the people whose wellbeing they’d put into jeopardy, just to prove that they’re big, strong boys, many writers—ourselves unfortunately included—seized upon sightings reported from inside the Capitol of a cart laden with Bud Light, and we irresponsibly repeated it.

snip

We assumed, incorrectly, that this Bud Light was intended to be the cheap swill that would briefly douse the taste of brimstone licking the throats of these pasty wraiths as they boarded a bus headed toward their feast of bones, where they would cackle over their selfish destruction of millions of lives while slapping each other on the back, the utter hollowness inside creating a reverberating, tympanic sound that was barely discernible over their thick-tongued clucking about all the blood money they would reap and the aluminum crush of beer cans against skulls.

However, it turns out the Bud Light wasn’t actually for them.

snip

In this era of “fake news,” it’s more important than ever to not let unverified rumor or libelous insinuation get in the way of the facts of the matter, which is that a bunch of soulless, greedy, waterlogged copies of Atlas Shrugged stuffed inside ugly suits stood around the White House yesterday, laughing and jacking each other off about how they’d successfully sentenced so many of their constituents to die just so they and their cronies could get a huge tax break, but while doing so, they most definitely did not drink Bud Light.

snip

http://www.avclub.com/article/correction-republican-bloodsuckers-who-sentenced-p-254871?utm_content=Main&utm_campaign=SF&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=SocialMarketing

May 7, 2017

Fox News Host Tells the Truth About GOP Healthcare Bill - Gets Slammed By Co-Hosts

snip

video at link

Of course Fox News still leans decidedly toward the Republican view. Their reports are unabashedly anti-ObamaCare. Since the House vote, Fox News has been portraying it as a major victory for Donald Trump. Never mind that it still has a long and arduous path to becoming law. The Senate is already predicting that the House bill will not even be brought up. Instead, they will draft their own legislation, which will likely be unacceptable to House conservatives.

In the midst of the debate, one of the co-hosts of The Five on Fox News managed to get worked up about the misinformation surrounding coverage of the bill (video below). Juan Williams broke from the mandatory Fox orthodoxy to unleash a stream of truth-telling not often seen on Fox. He began by declaring that GOP bill was "a fraud." He continued with criticisms aimed directly at Trump:

"This is a guy who didn't get anything done. No legislative accomplishments the first 100 days. Desperate for something that he can call a victory."

At that point Williams was interrupted by co-host Meghan McCain. She wondered "Then why are Democrats so hysterical today if nothing happened?" Williams ignored her question, but the answer was pretty obvious. Democrats, and most Americans, are outraged by the efforts of the GOP to throw millions off of their healthcare plans. Just because Republicans haven't yet achieved success doesn't mean that the attempt isn't reprehensible. But Williams kept his stride saying that:

"Here's the details you have not heard about, America. Uninsured, more uninsured people. ... If you're a senior in this country, so many older people voted for President Trump. Guess what? Now you can be charged five times more for your medical coverage. ... Hospitals are going to pay more for Medicare. ... What about the poor? Paying more for premiums and deductions. It's a fraud!"

And that's about as far as Williams was allowed to go. He was pounced on by the other four conservative panelists on the program. (That's why every panel on Fox News is heavily over-weighted with wingnuts). The subsequent shouting and cross-talk made everyone unintelligible, thereby suppressing Williams' arguments.

snip

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/5/5/1659447/-A-Fox-News-Host-Tells-the-Truth-About-GOP-Healthcare-Bill-Gets-Slammed-By-Co-Hosts

May 7, 2017

SNL: Kate McKinnon & Alex Moffat Unveil Morning Joe Routine

UPDATE With Video Saturday Night Live gave Morning Joe what it had coming tonight, with Kate McKinnon and Alex Moffat introducing cooing, note-perfect impressions of Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough – and Alec Baldwin literally phoning in his Donald Trump.

Moffat’s grouchy, exasperated “Oh, Mikaaaa” just might be a new SNL catchphrase.

Just days after the real-life Morning Joe cohosts announced their engagement, McKinnon and Moffat, who’ve clearly been doing their homework, unveiled a new SNL cold open bit, complete with classic-rock intro (a Morning Joe staple) and the MSNBC duo’s familiar talking-over-one-another style that soon devolved from political debate into heavy-breathing sweet nothings.

As Kate/Mika rambled on about the health care bill and Republican moral bankruptcy, Alex/Joe interrupted with “Oh, Mika, that’s enough, ok, you’re being sickening because you know it…pushes…my…buttons…”

Cut to a stunned Mike Barnicle (Bobby Moynihan), then Mark Halperin (Beck Bennett) and finally Willie Geist (Mikey Day).

Baldwin – live, on the phone – called into Morning Joe as “John Miller,” a White House spokesman who sounded suspiciously like Donald Trump, boasting about the “amazing” success of the health care bill. Reminded by Scarborough that the proposal still has to pass the Senate, “Miller” responded, “The what now?”

http://deadline.com/2017/05/snl-kate-mckinnon-alex-moffat-unveil-morning-joe-saturday-night-live-1202086131/

May 7, 2017

New SNL Game Show: Where In The World Is Kellyanne Conway?

“She used to be on TV, on like every single panel. Then one day we all woke up and she was no longer there.”

What happened to Kellyanne Conway? The White House counsel who was everywhere at the very start of Donald Trump’s presidency has pretty much dropped out of sight.

So “Saturday Night Live” introduced spoof game show “Where in the World Is Kellyanne Conway?” — modeled on the classic PBS kids show “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?”

Cue trench coat-wearing Kate McKinnon playing Conway. Enter a cappella singers crooning: “Where in the world is Kellyanne Conway? She used to be on TV, on like every single panel. Then one day we all woke up and she was no longer there.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/snl-where-kellyanne-conway_us_590eafefe4b0e7021e984325?gve&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

May 7, 2017

What American Television Should Tell You About Trump's ties to Russia (Zembla -Dutch news)

Hasna El Maroudi, Contributor Journalist and columnist
What American Television Should Tell You About Donald Trump’s ties to Russia

ZEMBLA-journalists have found that Trump had business and personal ties to oligarchs from the former Soviet Union. Among his contacts are powerful billionaires, suspected of money laundering and fraud.

Noteworthy:
"In the Netherlands, we have great public broadcasting. There are six different agencies - all with their own signature, be it political, religious or secular. Thanks to government funding all agencies can focus on their journalistic duties. Public broadcasting is necessary to make sure all Dutch citizens have access to well-made television- and radio programs. Without having to worry too much about advertisers, we can do our job. It is thanks to this funding my colleagues at VARA could do some serious investigative journalism and dig into Donald Trump’s ties with Russia. They translated their Trump-documentary in English for American audience."

(Searched but couldn't find link to referenced documentary in English, but search does show Zembla has all kinds of dirt on Trump/Russia)

EDITED TO ADD documentary, thanks to turbineguy in post below.

A ZEMBLA investigation suggests that the American real estate company Bayrock, through which Donald Trump constructed hotels and apartment complexes, siphoned off $1.5 million by setting up a corporate structure in the Netherlands in 2007. ZEMBLA discovered that the corporate construction was established on the advice of an external legal counsel, namely Bracewell & Giuliani, also known for Rudi Giuliani, former mayor of New York and Trump confidante. The ultimate beneficiary owners of the Dutch business construction: the director of Bayrock and the Khrapunov family from Kazakhstan. Head of the family is Viktor Khrapunov, a former mayor and governor from Kazakhstan, who has been accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of state assets. In 2013 the Khrapunov family bought three apartments in Trump SoHo: Bayrock and Donald Trump are owners of that hotel-condominium.

One of the Bayrock owners is the Russian born Felix Sater, Trumps former business partner. Though Sater spent years trying to line up deals with Donald Trump’s real estate organization all over the world, Trump has denied knowing Sater. The two met in 2003 when Trump was looking to expand his business globally. Because Sater failed to divulge his criminal history to Trump, he became a liability, putting the president’s financial interest at substantial risk. Should civil or criminal misconduct be proven in the care of Bayrock, Trump could be found complicit, possibly costing him millions of dollars in fines and/ or penalties. The president has announced he will get to the bottom of the matter, but documents from the Bayrock corporation show otherwise: Trump actually tried to benefit from the situation, even risking leverage from anyone who knew of his jeopardy.

snip

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-the-american-television-should-tell-you-about_us_590ba121e4b056aa2363d331

May 5, 2017

Rachel interviewing constitutents who went viral confronting their reps at recent town halls

Both of these went viral at the time.
RAchel just interviewed the guy who spoke at Tom McClintock town hall in CA about his wife needing care and meds due to extensive heart surgery.

Now interviewing young woman who confronted her congressman; this is the one who got her congressman (New York - John Faso) to say on record, and it went viral, that he wouldn't vote for repeal and he just did.

May 4, 2017

Girl, 12, Brings Down the House With Adoption Proposal Song to Stepdad During Talent Show

Link has video.

For the past 10 years, Hailey Quinones has felt in her heart that Juan Gamez was her rightful father. But now she wants to make it official.

Twelve-year-old Hailey stood before some 150 people at her school’s talent show and sang a song she wrote just for Gamez.

"I would be so pleased if you would adopt me," she crooned while fighting back tears.

Gamez was left stunned, covering his mouth with his hand.

And his answer was most definitely yes.

“He was in shock,” Alishea Conroy said of her husband. “He’d have never thought that she would do that.”

Her daughter, Conroy said, is very shy and very reluctant to show any emotion when it comes to feeling sad or sentimental.

But in this important case, she was able to muster the bravery to bare her heart.

“I love you Juany and there’s no more I can say, I smile every time I see your face,” she sang to her stepfather.

She had to stop and restart several times because she was crying.

"She didn’t know if she was going to be able to get it out,” her mother said.

But she did just fine.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/girl-12-brings-down-the-house-with-adoption-proposal-song-to-stepdad-during-talent-show/ar-BBAs2aP

May 4, 2017

Trump Supporters Celebrate Imminent Loss of Their Health Insurance (Borowitz)

Satire from the Borowitz Report
Trump Supporters Celebrate Imminent Loss of Their Health Insurance
By Andy Borowitz 06:07 P.M.

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Moments after House Republicans voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, millions of Trump supporters celebrated the imminent loss of their health insurance.

From coast to coast, Americans who cast their votes for Donald J. Trump expressed jubilation at finally being relieved of the burden of being insured in the event of catastrophic illness.

“Ever since President Trump was inaugurated, I’ve been counting the days for him to take away my health insurance,” Carol Foyler, a Trump supporter in Houston, said. “Today I just want to say thank you, Mr. President, for keeping your promise.”

Harland Dorrinson, a Trump voter from Tallahassee, Florida, said that he was “excited as hell about losing my health insurance” but sounded a more cautious note.

“I just hope the Senate doesn’t come in and give me back my health coverage,” he said. “Right now this all feels too good to be true.”

Most Trump supporters, however, would not let such gloomy predictions about the future ruin what for them was a day of unbridled celebration.

“Knowing that Trump could take away my Obamacare makes me feel super optimistic about what he’s capable of,” Tracy Klugian, of Columbus, Ohio, said. “I can’t wait until he gets rid of my Medicare.”

Andy Borowitz is the New York Times best-selling author of “The 50 Funniest American Writers,” and a comedian who has written for The New Yorker since 1998. He writes the Borowitz Report, a satirical column on the news, for newyorker.com.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-supporters-celebrate-imminent-loss-of-their-health-insurance?mbid=nl_050417%20Borowitz%20Newsletter%20(1)&CNDID=49083371&spMailingID=10954160&spUserID=MTgzMjI2MTM1NTc2S0&spJobID=1160374382&spReportId=MTE2MDM3NDM4MgS2