On NBC news, they showed Trump running his old Obama birther play. He says Rudy is coming back from Ukraine, with "lots of stuff" - sound familiar? Remember when Trump claimed he sent private investigators to Hawaii after Obama's birth certificate and "They can't believe what they are finding." Turns out Trump never sent anybody and there was nothing to find. But Trump got the airtime. Same play here, Rudy will be back and he will have some crackpot theory that Trump's base will eat right up. Won't this nightmare ever end?

John Dean on CNN looks confused. Back in his day, they would have long ago run Trump out of office on a rail. He flat out says what we already know is worse than Nixon. Then the "younger" panel has to explain to him how Fox, Twitter, and general assholes like Jordan and Nunes change things. You almost feel sorry for Dean. The new America, where a crook openly does crimes in the White House, is something he can't understand. Join the club, John.

Trump is a maze of psychological problems. You have to admit, in 2016 he tried everything he could to lose. That was the whole plan. He did not want to win, he just wanted to come in second and up his brand. The whole thing fell apart when he won. Now Trump went through some phases. First, shock he won. Next, he got used to the job and got rid of people that tried to contain him. Then he ran the Presidency like his business. But he discovered he could not do that, and more and more he is taking heat. The pressure must be getting to him. So maybe on a subconscious level he wants to be impeached. If he was removed from office, the pressure is gone. He could claim it was all a witch hunt, go back to mar-a-lago, play the victim and not have to do any of the work of President. Of course Pence would pardon him as he went out the door. Everybody wins. You never know with Trump. Look at today when he made remarks about the whistle blower to a crowd of over 50 people. He had to know somebody was recording. Like a criminal that wants to get caught and sent back to prison. Only in Trumps case, he wants to be sent back to the golf course.

Trump calls Fed "boneheads", wants zero interest rates! This from the genius that bankrupted a casino. Sure, I want to take my money and put it in a bank and see it actually lose value due to inflation! Trump can't be satisfied ruining foreign policy, voting, confidence in the Presidency, etc. He has to ruin the international monetary system too! If the rich folks are actually running the country, now is the time to get rid of the real "bonehead"

[link:https://www.thestreet.com/investing/fixed-income/trump-calls-federal-reserve-officials-boneheads-demands-zero-interest-rates-15085897|

You have seen him. Trump wearing a baseball cap, with MAGA or USA on it. He uses press "gaggles" to wear the hats and get national exposure. Of course, he sells them. $40 for the USA cap. You can buy other junk on his website too. Of course, it is all for his reelection but you can be sure some of that money is flowing into his pocket. First, Trump looks ridiculous wearing that junk like he is rooting for a team at a sporting event. And if Obama had done such a thing Fox news would have spent hours on how "unpresidential" it was. Overall, Trump looks like a sleazy salesman wearing that crap. And wearing it while discussing people shot dead with guns, hurricanes, tariffs, and other serious topics. I can't believe anybody wants this loser to be President. Or would even buy a used car from him.

Mattis sitting with CBS, saying he "won't speak ill of a sitting President" and Trump is "unusual" - Yeah, right. Does it dawn on him that the American people need those that actually worked with Trump to tell the truth? If Trump is on top of it as commander in chief, fine, tell us that. If he's a moron, who should not be anywhere near nuclear weapons, we need to know that too. Amazing that some voters are still backing Trump to the degree that he could win again. We need those that can to come out, tell the truth about Trump and not hide behind the nonsense of the old decorum. All bets are off, and Trump proves that every day. Mattis and his inside view won't mean much when Trump pushes the nuclear button because he's an idiot.



[link:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7411935/Jim-Mattis-says-not-speak-ill-sitting-president.html|

A long article in the Washington Post today had me drifting back to my second job after college. CNN, and Techwood Drive in Atlanta. We all got paid minimum wage. There were only 3 networks, and us. We had 3 TVs, big old tube beasts, hanging from the center of the newsroom and tuned to ABC, CBS, and NBC. We were on 24/7, and would commonly beat the networks to the punch. It was great to be first, to bring breaking news to the country. And the funny thing was, what we all hated was big corporate news. CNN today is nothing like what it once was. It is big corporate news, chasing the dollar. I left CNN long long ago. Now, very rarely, somebody will say "didn't you work for CNN?" And I mumble something about it being long ago and we were just doing straight news. Amazing how it all turned out, and sadly not for the better.
[link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/cnn-and-jeff-zucker-plot-2020-election-coverage-and-promise-things-will-be-different/2019/07/29/6d6f59a8-b21f-11e9-951e-de024209545d_story.html?utm_term=.461a2e57f68d|

I was at the library a week ago and found John McCain's book "Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir". After reading it, you really understand why he despised Trump. The sense of duty, honor, and patriotism come right through the pages at you. The torture he and other POW's endured was horrific. And McCain gets the big picture, about life in general after Vietnam. It certainly explains how he was able to tolerate Trump, a draft dodging weasel that McCain had every reason to hold in contempt. Worth the read if you are so inclined.

I had lunch with a friend of mine a few weeks ago and we both hope the nominee is not Biden. Sadly, I don't think he is up to the task. First, he is old. Old is not what America needs now. Next, he is a gaffe machine and has tons of baggage. Picture Anita Hill over and over. Trump will label him "sleepy Joe" or some crap and there you go. Usually the job of President ages someone, but not Trump. That's because he does not do the job. He screws off, golfs, tweets, and eats fried chicken. He will look the same on the debate stage. Of course he will skate away from all his crimes and incompetence. So when it is two old guys on a debate stage, Trump wins. We need a young man or woman that can say "I'm young, it's time for a change, vote grandpa out" - that might work. Otherwise buckle up for 4 more years of Trump. And even more when he refuses to leave. Getting him out of the White House will be like unclogging a stubborn toilet.

If the Democrats don't begin impeachment proceedings, they will forever have to live with the fact that the President was unfit for office and they did nothing. As the story goes, the house will impeach, the senate will not convict, and Trump will rise stronger and more powerful. I don't see that. If Trump is a spectacle on TV, with his crimes laid out over and over, the tide may turn. Even the most dim Trump voter will have to have doubts or conclude it is all a plot against their dear leader. But I don't see but a small minority not having some doubts when impeachment dominates the news. Make the GOP go on record that they are supporting the corrupt Trump. Make them vote and stand by it. When the election comes, perhaps most voters will be simply sick and tired of Trump and the endless crimes and investigations. They might vote for whoever runs against him, and since Hillary is out of the picture what can they find so bad that Trump is better? I refuse to believe that given a choice Americans will vote for a crook. They got conned once, but twice?