crooksandliars--2020-03-07--Mike Pence Is Donald Trump's Fourth Wife

Politico reports that Donald Trump and Mike Pence seem to have divided up the chores .
Donald Trump is finally securing the presidency he ’ s always wanted : He rallies the people .
Mike Pence governs them .
As Trump prepares to decamp to his oceanfront club in West Palm Beach this weekend , surrounded by GOP donors and top aides , the vice president will travel to Florida for a Saturday meeting with cruise ship operators about the rapidly evolving coronavirus crisis .
The striking split-screen view that has played out this week and will continue in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the virus and prioritizing his 2020 campaign , while his hyper-focused deputy tackles a life-or-death problem of governance — has put a longstanding Trump practice in its starkest relief yet .
I 'm not sure I 'd describe what Pence is doing as `` governing , '' nor am I certain he 's `` hyper-focused , '' although he 's clearly taking this crisis much more seriously than the president is .
( That 's a low bar to clear , of course . )
But read on .
Trump entrusted his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the government ’ s coronavirus task force , then hit the campaign trail for rallies in the Carolinas and a rowdy speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in between .
... On Thursday , the vice president traveled to a Minneapolis business that manufactures N95 respirators , a type of facemask that can protect health care workers from coronavirus patients , and visit Washington state , where coronavirus deaths reached double digits this week , to meet with Democratic Gov .
Jay Inslee and other local officials .
Prior to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town hall in Pennsylvania , Trump spent his day tweeting more than a dozen times about 2020 Democrats , his approval rating , Super Tuesday results and so-called sanctuary cities .
... On Wednesday , Pence was dispatched to Capitol Hill to assure lawmakers — some of whom have criticized the administration for being slow to respond to coronavirus — that the administration has the outbreak under control .
...
When he arrives in Florida late Friday , Trump is expected to address members of the Republican National Committee ’ s finance team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a person familiar with the meeting .
He will also headline a series of fundraisers throughout the weekend for his reelection effort ... .
Is n't this what a lot of marriages are like ?
The woman doing all the difficult tasks , while the man struts around and does what he esnjoys doing , all while proclaiming himself the king of the castle ?
Oh , and while she 's doing all the drudgework , the wife makes sure to soothe the husband 's fragile ego .
... the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showering his boss with effusive praise during his task force updates , in addition to mentioning items he knows Trump pays attention to —suggesting Pence is keenly aware of the president ’ s sensitivities .
... One former White House official said the vice president quickly learned that Trump responds well to flattery and now incorporates it nearly every time he speaks .
Melania and Ivanka have split the job of First Lady , but Pence seems to be Trump 's fourth wife -- someone who 's supposed to take care of everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making him look like a manly alpha .
I imagine a lot of you think Trump will dump Pence , but why would he ?
Ivanka and Nikki Haley look out for themselves .
Pence does n't .
Why bother to switch ?
Posted with permission from No More Mr. Nice Blog

Politico reports that Donald Trump and Mike Pence seem to have divided up the chores.
Donald Trump is finally securing the presidency he’s always wanted: He rallies the people. Mike Pence governs them. As Trump prepares to decamp to his oceanfront club in West Palm Beach this weekend, surrounded by GOP donors and top aides, the vice president will travel to Florida for a Saturday meeting with cruise ship operators about the rapidly evolving coronavirus crisis. The striking split-screen view that has played out this week and will continue in Florida — of a president dispensing questionable theories about the virus and prioritizing his 2020 campaign, while his hyper-focused deputy tackles a life-or-death problem of governance — has put a longstanding Trump practice in its starkest relief yet.
I'm not sure I'd describe what Pence is doing as "governing," nor am I certain he's "hyper-focused," although he's clearly taking this crisis much more seriously than the president is. (That's a low bar to clear, of course.) But read on.
Trump entrusted his vice president with fighting coronavirus as head of the government’s coronavirus task force, then hit the campaign trail for rallies in the Carolinas and a rowdy speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in between. ... On Thursday, the vice president traveled to a Minneapolis business that manufactures N95 respirators, a type of facemask that can protect health care workers from coronavirus patients, and visit Washington state, where coronavirus deaths reached double digits this week, to meet with Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee and other local officials. Prior to departing the White House for a televised town hall in Pennsylvania, Trump spent his day tweeting more than a dozen times about 2020 Democrats, his approval rating, Super Tuesday results and so-called sanctuary cities. ... On Wednesday, Pence was dispatched to Capitol Hill to assure lawmakers — some of whom have criticized the administration for being slow to respond to coronavirus — that the administration has the outbreak under control. ... When he arrives in Florida late Friday, Trump is expected to address members of the Republican National Committee’s finance team at the party’s spring meeting, according to a person familiar with the meeting. He will also headline a series of fundraisers throughout the weekend for his reelection effort....
Isn't this what a lot of marriages are like? The woman doing all the difficult tasks, while the man struts around and does what he esnjoys doing, all while proclaiming himself the king of the castle? Oh, and while she's doing all the drudgework, the wife makes sure to soothe the husband's fragile ego.
... the vice president has made a habit of showering his boss with effusive praise during his task force updates, in addition to mentioning items he knows Trump pays attention to —suggesting Pence is keenly aware of the president’s sensitivities. ... One former White House official said the vice president quickly learned that Trump responds well to flattery and now incorporates it nearly every time he speaks.
Melania and Ivanka have split the job of First Lady, but Pence seems to be Trump's fourth wife -- someone who's supposed to take care of everything Trump can't be bothered with while making him look like a manly alpha. I imagine a lot of you think Trump will dump Pence, but why would he? Ivanka and Nikki Haley look out for themselves. Pence doesn't. Why bother to switch?
Posted with permission from No More Mr. Nice Blog


crooksandliars--2020-03-07--Tim O’Brien Promises ‘Scorched Earth’ Attacks On Trump Family Corruption

In an AM Joy discussion this morning , Reid pointed out that Republicans are throwing stones from glass houses if they use Hunter Biden to go after Joe Biden in the presidential campaign .
She ran down a very lengthy list of Trump family corruption .
It 's not as though this has not previously been reported .
We saw a graphic of an LA Times headline , “ Trump ’ s children take in millions overseas as president slams Biden ’ s son , ” e.g .
But O ’ Brien promised the scrutiny will be dialed up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the Republicans really want to make an issue out of Hunter Biden , which is very low-hanging fruit that I don ’ t think most Democratic voters care about anyway , there is going to be a scorched earth response aimed at all of the Trump children that is unlike anything they ’ ve experienced thus far in the media .
“ There ’ s a lot of ads you could make on something like that , ” Reid said , pointedly .
And it just so happens that Bloomberg is putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization dedicated to attacking Trump and supporting the Democratic nominee .
That organization will include hundreds of Bloomberg ’ s former campaign staffers .
O ’ Brien laughed without confirming or denying whether Bloomberg might be planning any such ads .
But you don ’ t have to strain to read the tea leaves here .
O ’ BRIEN : I think it ’ s an important moment for the American people to be woke about how rampant the financial conflicts of interest are among Trump ’ s children and the president himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to distance themselves from the Trump organization and all the deals they ’ ve continued to pursue while in the White House , whether it ’ s the Trump International Hotel in Washington , D.C. ; 666 Fifth Avenue , which has a long and ugly history with Jared and the Chinese government ; and Jared and the Russian government ; and Jared and his family ’ s struggling finances at the time – all of this stuff will become , I think , food for thought for everyone .
Reid noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own family .
She cited the family of Trump cabinet member Elaine Chao ( aka Mrs. Mitch McConnell ) , Rudy Giuliani ’ s family , Newt Gingrich ’ s wife , Wilbur Ross , Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos , Attorney General William Barr ’ s son-in-law , Eric Trump ’ s brother-in-law - all of whom have profited from having Trump in the White House .
This looks very promising , indeed .

In an AM Joy discussion this morning, Reid pointed out that Republicans are throwing stones from glass houses if they use Hunter Biden to go after Joe Biden in the presidential campaign.
She ran down a very lengthy list of Trump family corruption. It's not as though this has not previously been reported. We saw a graphic of an LA Times headline, “Trump’s children take in millions overseas as president slams Biden’s son,” e.g.
But O’Brien promised the scrutiny will be dialed up to new levels:
O’BRIEN: If the Republicans really want to make an issue out of Hunter Biden, which is very low-hanging fruit that I don’t think most Democratic voters care about anyway, there is going to be a scorched earth response aimed at all of the Trump children that is unlike anything they’ve experienced thus far in the media.
“There’s a lot of ads you could make on something like that,” Reid said, pointedly. And it just so happens that Bloomberg is putting his fortune to work with a new organization dedicated to attacking Trump and supporting the Democratic nominee. That organization will include hundreds of Bloomberg’s former campaign staffers.
O’Brien laughed without confirming or denying whether Bloomberg might be planning any such ads. But you don’t have to strain to read the tea leaves here.
O’BRIEN: I think it’s an important moment for the American people to be woke about how rampant the financial conflicts of interest are among Trump’s children and the president himself. They’re an absolute failure to distance themselves from the Trump organization and all the deals they’ve continued to pursue while in the White House, whether it’s the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.; 666 Fifth Avenue, which has a long and ugly history with Jared and the Chinese government; and Jared and the Russian government; and Jared and his family’s struggling finances at the time – all of this stuff will become, I think, food for thought for everyone.
But wait, there’s more!
Reid noted that Trump's corrupt ties go well beyond his own family. She cited the family of Trump cabinet member Elaine Chao (aka Mrs. Mitch McConnell), Rudy Giuliani’s family, Newt Gingrich’s wife, Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Attorney General William Barr’s son-in-law, Eric Trump’s brother-in-law - all of whom have profited from having Trump in the White House.
This looks very promising, indeed.


crooksandliars--2020-03-07--Chief Of Staff: Mick Mulvaney OUT, Mark Meadows IN

Acting White House Chief of Staff , Mick Mulvaney , was let go via tweet during a late Friday news dump following Trump 's visit to tornado ravaged Tennessee and his visit to the CDC .
Who is going to be Season 4 's new Chief of Staff ?
None other than Congressman Mark Meadows , the darling of Fox News .
I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff .
I have long known and worked with Mark , and the relationship is a very good one ... .
Firing tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : ... .I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well .
He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland .
Thank you !
Seems like it 's not a coincidence that Mulvaney , who obviously knows various details about various things , landed a nice diplomatic job instead of just getting the boot .
Mark Meadows will be a disaster as chief of staff .
But honestly , I 'm just happy to be rid of Mick Mulvaney , who was low-key one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an administration that is Grand Central Station for evil , vindictive scumbags .
https : //t.co/YFKSb6gCYY I wasn ’ t sure if Trump could downgrade from Mick Mulvaney , but he proved he can : his new chief of staff is Mark Meadows .
Always count on Trump to go lower .

Acting White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, was let go via tweet during a late Friday news dump following Trump's visit to tornado ravaged Tennessee and his visit to the CDC. Who is going to be Season 4's new Chief of Staff? None other than Congressman Mark Meadows, the darling of Fox News.
Announcement (tweet):
I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff. I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2020
Firing tweet that gives Mulvaney a cushy new job:
....I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well. He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2020
Twitter had thoughts:
Seems like it's not a coincidence that Mulvaney, who obviously knows various details about various things, landed a nice diplomatic job instead of just getting the boot. — Philip Bump (@pbump) March 7, 2020
Mark Meadows will be a disaster as chief of staff. But honestly, I'm just happy to be rid of Mick Mulvaney, who was low-key one of the most evil, vindictive scumbags in an administration that is Grand Central Station for evil, vindictive scumbags. https://t.co/YFKSb6gCYY — Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) March 7, 2020
Mick Mulvaney bites the dust.
The equally terrible Mark Meadows replaces him. https://t.co/DuCpbfRSvl — The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) March 7, 2020
Mick Mulvaney has just been fired as Acting Chief of Staff.
Racist birther GOPer Mark Meadows will be permanent Chief of Staff.
This criminal regime is a shitty sewer pit. — Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) March 7, 2020
Amy Siskind nailed it:
I wasn’t sure if Trump could downgrade from Mick Mulvaney, but he proved he can: his new chief of staff is Mark Meadows.
Always count on Trump to go lower. — Amy Siskind 🏳🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) March 7, 2020
Congratulations, Mark. Or something.


crooksandliars--2020-03-07--WH's Larry Kudlow Lies Again To American People: Coronavirus  'Looks Relatively Contained'

In times of any kind of U.S. national crisis , whether it 's in foreign policy , economic or health related , the American people want to rely on the president and their administration to be honest to the American people and inform them as best they can .
That is not the case with the Trump administration .
Instead of getting competent medical and CDC people leading press conferences to the White House press corps , we get narcissistic buffoons claiming that we already have a cure almost done and COVID-19 has been totally contained because Trump is totally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , Larry Kudlow , Trump 's chief economic advisor ( which is ludicrous on its face ) , continued the trend of mis-truths , lies and unconscionable asinine comments about the coronavirus outbreak in America .
And what makes Kudlow 's comments even more dangerous and moronic is that he was appointed to the Coronavirus Task Force .
“ We don ’ t actually know what the magnitude of the virus is going to be .
Although , frankly , so far it looks relatively contained , ” he told CNBC .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll rose to 17 as the state of Florida reported their first fatalities .
Discussing what the Trump administration may do to ease economic tensions , Kudlow said , `` Regarding the containment issue , I will still argue to you that this is contained . ''
He continued , `` It ca n't be airtight but when you look at the numbers here -- - more testing will uncover more cases -- - but in a relative sense , relative to our population , relative to ordinary flus , I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I think it is relatively contained . ''
Kudlow offered up no information or proof that the coronavirus has been contained -- just his empty , slurring words .
In fact , professionals who this administration would never listen to warn that this country is not at all prepared for the magnitude of this pandemic .
The American people deserve much more than this sideshow of an administration that 's populated by carnival barkers , grifters and con-men repeating lied after lied to the American people .

In times of any kind of U.S. national crisis, whether it's in foreign policy, economic or health related, the American people want to rely on the president and their administration to be honest to the American people and inform them as best they can.
That is not the case with the Trump administration. Instead of getting competent medical and CDC people leading press conferences to the White House press corps, we get narcissistic buffoons claiming that we already have a cure almost done and COVID-19 has been totally contained because Trump is totally awesome and handled it perfectly.
On Friday, Larry Kudlow, Trump's chief economic advisor (which is ludicrous on its face), continued the trend of mis-truths, lies and unconscionable asinine comments about the coronavirus outbreak in America.
And what makes Kudlow's comments even more dangerous and moronic is that he was appointed to the Coronavirus Task Force.
“We don’t actually know what the magnitude of the virus is going to be. Although, frankly, so far it looks relatively contained,” he told CNBC.
He said this as the US death toll rose to 17 as the state of Florida reported their first fatalities.
Discussing what the Trump administration may do to ease economic tensions, Kudlow said, "Regarding the containment issue, I will still argue to you that this is contained."
He continued, "It can't be airtight but when you look at the numbers here --- more testing will uncover more cases --- but in a relative sense, relative to our population, relative to ordinary flus, I don't want to downgrade this thing --- but I think it is relatively contained."
Kudlow offered up no information or proof that the coronavirus has been contained -- just his empty, slurring words. In fact, professionals who this administration would never listen to warn that this country is not at all prepared for the magnitude of this pandemic.
American Hospital Association "Best Guess Epidemiology" for #codiv19 over next 2 months:
96,000,000 infections
4,800,000 hospitalizations
1,900,000 ICU admissions
480,000 deaths
vs flu in 2019:
35,500,000 infections
490,600 hospitalizations
49,000 ICU admissions
34,200 deaths pic.twitter.com/GDAADwmg4n — Seth Bannon 👨🔬 (@sethbannon) March 7, 2020
The American people deserve much more than this sideshow of an administration that's populated by carnival barkers, grifters and con-men repeating lied after lied to the American people.


crooksandliars--2020-03-07--Kevin McCarthy Plays The Burisma Fiddle And Calls It Work

So the House leader in `` charge '' of the party of Solyndra Benghazi baby parts pizzagate birther tan suit @ @ @ @ @ tarmac wonders aloud why the party of getting sh*t done for the American people wo @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's how REPUBLICANS govern !
Lawhawk : McCarthy is not without a sense @ @ @ @ @ GOP ignored Bidens altogether for the years they controlled the House and Senate - because @ @ @ @ @ .
It was a sham cooked up by the conspiracy fringe and Putin ppl in @ @ @ @ @ Nothing more .
Instead , McCarthy spent years investigating Clinton and even had her testifying @ @ @ @ @ to the point where his cronies Gowdy and Jordan had to admit they had nothing @ @ @ @ @ emails , Benghazi , any of it .
If we 're going to put Hunter @ @ @ @ @ let 's also investigate the finances of Don Jr , Eric , and the Kushners @

So the House leader in "charge" of the party of Solyndra Benghazi baby parts pizzagate birther tan suit Christmas card lists and the tarmac wonders aloud why the party of getting sh*t done for the American people won't hold more sham investigations. It's how REPUBLICANS govern! Lawhawk:
McCarthy is not without a sense of irony, as the GOP ignored Bidens altogether for the years they controlled the House and Senate - because there was nothing to investigate. It was a sham cooked up by the conspiracy fringe and Putin ppl in Ukraine to damage Biden. Nothing more.
Instead, McCarthy spent years investigating Clinton and even had her testifying under oath for hours, to the point where his cronies Gowdy and Jordan had to admit they had nothing on her about anything - emails, Benghazi, any of it.


crooksandliars--2020-03-07--Florida Woman Charged With Massive Voter Fraud, Changing Registrations From Democrat To Republican

Cheryl Hall , 63 , was employed by 'Florida First ' to collect voter registrations , which seems to be a subsidiary group from 'America First Policies ' , a national group closely related to the Trump administration .
Naturally , questions are being raised , whether this was a rogue operator or is part of a more widespread practice .
You do n't need a tinfoil hat to suspect the worst here , do you ?
CLERMONT , Fla. ( AP ) — A central Florida woman is accused of submitting false voter registration information that switched the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheriff 's investigators said .
Cheryl A .
Hall , 63 , who worked for an organization that helps register voters , turned herself in to Lake County Sheriff 's officials Thursday , according to court records .
She 's charged with 10 felony counts of submission of false voter registration information .
A day earlier Lake County officials had announced that 119 false voter registration applications had been filed , news outlets reported .
Hall submitted the forms to the Lake County Supervisor of Elections Office , authorities said .
Elections officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information , including birth dates , Social Security numbers or driver 's license numbers .
Some of the forms changed the registrations of Democrats or no party affiliation to Republican , officials said .
Sheriff 's investigators said all 119 false forms were assigned to Hall , a registered Republican , to collect .
She worked for Florida First 's office in Winter Haven .
The agency said in an emailed statement that it is working closely with elections officials to `` ensure every voter is properly registered to vote . ''

Cheryl Hall, 63, was employed by 'Florida First' to collect voter registrations, which seems to be a subsidiary group from 'America First Policies', a national group closely related to the Trump administration. Naturally, questions are being raised, whether this was a rogue operator or is part of a more widespread practice. You don't need a tinfoil hat to suspect the worst here, do you?
Source: Associated Press
CLERMONT, Fla. (AP) — A central Florida woman is accused of submitting false voter registration information that switched the party affiliations of voters without their knowledge, sheriff's investigators said.
Cheryl A. Hall, 63, who worked for an organization that helps register voters, turned herself in to Lake County Sheriff's officials Thursday, according to court records. She's charged with 10 felony counts of submission of false voter registration information.
A day earlier Lake County officials had announced that 119 false voter registration applications had been filed, news outlets reported.
Hall submitted the forms to the Lake County Supervisor of Elections Office, authorities said. Elections officials flagged the forms because they included incorrect information, including birth dates, Social Security numbers or driver's license numbers.
Some of the forms changed the registrations of Democrats or no party affiliation to Republican, officials said.
Sheriff's investigators said all 119 false forms were assigned to Hall, a registered Republican, to collect. She worked for Florida First's office in Winter Haven. The agency said in an emailed statement that it is working closely with elections officials to "ensure every voter is properly registered to vote."


crooksandliars--2020-03-07--That Glass Ceiling Looks More Like Concrete

Megan Garber 's `` America Punished Elizabeth Warren for Her Competence , '' in The Atlantic , is the best explanation I 've read for Warren 's struggles in the primaries .
This part seems to be the key : Late last month , the writer Kelli María Korducki wrote a post for Medium , an essay titled “ Why High-Achieving Women Pretend Their Lives Are a Mess.
” Korducki pointed to 30 Rock ’ s Liz Lemon as a particularly revealing kind of archetype : the woman who is successful in her career but who is also , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For Korducki , the trope of the hot mess doubles as an indictment of how American culture perceives feminine ambition and success .
She dubbed the phenomenon “ Hot Mess Syndrome ” ... You can read that syndrome ... , as Korducki does , as a kind of preemptive apology—and as a bid for relatability .
To succeed as a woman on the terms set by the current culture , Korducki writes , “ you ’ d best be a little bit of a fuck-up.
” Reading Korducki ’ s essay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I kept thinking of the ways the most successful woman candidate this cycle , in terms of blunt electoral outcomes , had the logic of the hot mess imposed on her ... .
What Warren ’ s words are ... is unapologetic .
Warren , is , very notably , not a hot mess .
She has presented herself as omnicompetent , in control , not even “ a little bit of a fuck-up ” ...
Such an absence of apology , however , is not something American politics—or , indeed , American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People who are n't comfortable with female achievement want a successful woman to seem like `` a little bit of a fuck-up '' -- but in presidential politics , a woman is rejected as arrogant and condescending if she is n't a fuck-up , and is rejected as not ready to lead if she is .
Women ca n't win .
I 'd add that we accept soaring , Warrenesque rhetoric about hope and possibility from men who are , like her , wonks and not fuck-ups ( Barack Obama ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonks and are fuck-ups ( Bill Clinton in his personal life ) .
We accept it from men who do n't know what the hell they 're talking about and are the hottest of hot messes ( Donald Trump ) .
Do Republicans get more of a break ?
Carly Fiorina would beg to differ , and we 'll see whether Nikki Haley or Ivanka Trump can beat Donald Trump Jr. or Tom Cotton for the 2024 nomination , much less the presidency .
( I doubt it . )
There was Sarah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( to put it mildly ) and an extremely hot mess .
For a while , Palin was treated as presidential material on the right .
But she lost favor on the right fairly rapidly after 2008 .
I do n't know what it is about Americans .
We elect female governor and senators ( at least in some states ) , but that glass ceiling seems more like concrete .
I do n't know what can break it .
Posted with permission of No More Mr. Nice Blog

Megan Garber's "America Punished Elizabeth Warren for Her Competence," in The Atlantic, is the best explanation I've read for Warren's struggles in the primaries. This part seems to be the key:
Late last month, the writer Kelli María Korducki wrote a post for Medium, an essay titled “Why High-Achieving Women Pretend Their Lives Are a Mess.” Korducki pointed to 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon as a particularly revealing kind of archetype: the woman who is successful in her career but who is also, in her personal life, a disaster.... For Korducki, the trope of the hot mess doubles as an indictment of how American culture perceives feminine ambition and success. She dubbed the phenomenon “Hot Mess Syndrome” ... You can read that syndrome ..., as Korducki does, as a kind of preemptive apology—and as a bid for relatability. To succeed as a woman on the terms set by the current culture, Korducki writes, “you’d best be a little bit of a fuck-up.” Reading Korducki’s essay, I kept thinking of Warren.... I kept thinking of the ways the most successful woman candidate this cycle, in terms of blunt electoral outcomes, had the logic of the hot mess imposed on her.... What Warren’s words are ... is unapologetic. Warren, is, very notably, not a hot mess. She has presented herself as omnicompetent, in control, not even “a little bit of a fuck-up” ... Such an absence of apology, however, is not something American politics—or, indeed, American culture—is fully accustomed to observing in women.
People who aren't comfortable with female achievement want a successful woman to seem like "a little bit of a fuck-up" -- but in presidential politics, a woman is rejected as arrogant and condescending if she isn't a fuck-up, and is rejected as not ready to lead if she is. Women can't win.
I'd add that we accept soaring, Warrenesque rhetoric about hope and possibility from men who are, like her, wonks and not fuck-ups (Barack Obama). We accept it from men who are wonks and are fuck-ups (Bill Clinton in his personal life). We accept it from men who don't know what the hell they're talking about and are the hottest of hot messes (Donald Trump).
Do Republicans get more of a break?
Here’s what I believe -- the first woman president will be a Republican. — Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) March 5, 2020
Carly Fiorina would beg to differ, and we'll see whether Nikki Haley or Ivanka Trump can beat Donald Trump Jr. or Tom Cotton for the 2024 nomination, much less the presidency. (I doubt it.) There was Sarah Palin, of course -- a non-wonk (to put it mildly) and an extremely hot mess. For a while, Palin was treated as presidential material on the right. But she lost favor on the right fairly rapidly after 2008.
I don't know what it is about Americans. We elect female governor and senators (at least in some states), but that glass ceiling seems more like concrete. I don't know what can break it.
Posted with permission of No More Mr. Nice Blog


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Sanders Fans Go After AOC After She Calls Warren's SNL Skit 'Legendary'

Alleged supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders ' presidential campaign expressed hostility toward Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) because she @ @ @ @ @ D-MA ) .
After NBC 's Saturday Night Live tweeted a surprise video of Warren @ @ @ @ @ , Ocasio-Cortez called the short clip `` legendary '' in a reply on Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ Ocasio-Cortez were positive , but the tweet struck a number of Sanders supporters the wrong @ @ @ @ @ her of being a traitor to the Sanders campaign , while others suggested that her @ @ @ @ @ fighting for progressive ideals .
Read some of the tweets below .

Alleged supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign expressed hostility toward Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) because she praised Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
After NBC's Saturday Night Live tweeted a surprise video of Warren and cast member Kate McKinnon, Ocasio-Cortez called the short clip "legendary" in a reply on Twitter.
ok this is legendary — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 8, 2020
Many of the responses to Ocasio-Cortez were positive, but the tweet struck a number of Sanders supporters the wrong way.
Some commenters accused her of being a traitor to the Sanders campaign, while others suggested that her time would be better spent fighting for progressive ideals.
Read some of the tweets below.
WOW, dudes getting triggered by women joyfully dancing, amirite?! — Emily Crockett (@emilycrockett) March 8, 2020
Almost every negative response to this seems to be coming from men.
I'm sorry for that nonsense.
You're a shrewd legislator and leader.
May you serve the country a very long time.
Also, it is hilarious and indeed legendary. — Philip Cardella (@PhilipCardella) March 8, 2020
I would love to think that all of the critical responses to this tweet are from Russian trolls - that's how crazy they are -but that seems statistically impossible.
So for those taking aim at @AOC for enjoying a funny video, any sense of embarrassment isn't on her...it's on you. — TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) March 8, 2020
Delete this. Jesus Christ. — Siddak Ahuja (@SiddakAhuja) March 8, 2020
I cried the other night when Warren decided to shit on Sanders instead of endorse him because I don’t have healthcare but yes, this totally makes up or that. Simply epic — wisconsin4bernie (@wisconsin4bern1) March 8, 2020
our planet is dying Alexandria. the extremely powerful white woman with $18 million dollars is actively choosing not to help. it’s not really that tight — will (@wpbeyer) March 8, 2020
We're still dying though.
From preventable diseases i mean, not laughter.
Glad you think it's funny now you've made it to a more comfy class strata though. — Gallifreyan Jedi (@JediofGallifrey) March 8, 2020
Fighting for healthcare would be legendary — wisconsin4bernie (@wisconsin4bern1) March 8, 2020
Bernie Sanders is the only candidate for president with a climate plan bold enough to even give us a small chance of stopping a complete environmental collapse that will occur within our or our children's lifetimes.
Warren is currently withholding her support over snake emojis. — Obiden-Bama Democrat 🦵📉 (@mustlovedongs1) March 8, 2020
what would've been legendary is had she done the bare minimum solidarity in this moment instead — wideofthepost (@wideofthepost) March 8, 2020
good god, Alexandria. Why? — 29 U.S.C. § 157 (@OrganizingPower) March 8, 2020
I hope you get primaried by a real socialist — Ayy, o sì ! (@grain99806254) March 8, 2020
No, it really isn't. — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 8, 2020
you just posted cringe — cut a liberal and a fascist bleeds (@robdesmodus) March 8, 2020
No, it is pretty dumb. — WR_Hart (@William_R_Hart) March 8, 2020
No ..... this is sad — james (@thelook01) March 8, 2020
is this your pivot to the right that you think you’ll need to get Schumer’s seat? — Dmitri (@Rzhevsky) March 8, 2020
Love to praise the backstabbing fake progressive who has smeared and attacked my friend and mentor for months to damage his campaign — James (@pizzaratisdead) March 8, 2020
@AOC Warren is not going to back Bernie, time to call her out on the lies. — Bernie, be MLK extreme (@CaweltiSierra) March 8, 2020
I'm actually disgusted that while the people are fighting for the soul of this country she is dancing and rehearsing fodder for the masses. 🤦♂ — Lewis Royer (@LewisRoyer11) March 8, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--CNN: Six Former Wrestlers Say Jim Jordan Knew About Sexual Abuse By Doctor At Ohio State

It 's long past time someone starts holding Jim Jordan 's feet to the fire over this scandal : Tito Vazquez says he still remembers the day three decades ago when , as a wrestler at Ohio State University , the doctor he 'd gone to see about a bloody nose insisted on examining his genitals .
He also recalls how one of his coaches dismissed his immediate complaint .
`` ' I have nothing to do with this , ' '' Vazquez quoted the assistant coach saying , as he effectively ended the conversation and went on with wrestling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was Jim Jordan , now an Ohio congressman and an influential voice in Republican politics , perhaps best known for his pugnacious defense of President Donald Trump during the recent impeachment proceedings .
Vazquez is one of six former OSU wrestlers who told CNN in recent interviews that they were present when Jordan heard or responded to sexual misconduct complaints about team doctor Richard Strauss .
Eight others say Strauss ' inappropriate behavior was an open secret in the athletic department and that Jordan , among others , must have known about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN they found Jordan 's denials puzzling , because they say they distinctly remember him responding to complaints about Strauss .
One former wrestler , Dan Ritchie , said he remembers a teammate complained about Strauss and that Jordan said , `` If he ever tried that with me I 'd snap his neck like a stick of dry balsa wood . ''
Ritchie said Strauss ' behavior was an ongoing , uncomfortable joke among athletes .
He said Strauss tried to `` groom '' students to accept the inappropriate nature of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
Ritchie said he ultimately quit the team because of Strauss ' behavior .
`` When we heard Jim say he was n't aware , everyone just thought , 'Are you kidding ? '
'' Ritchie said .
`` I like Jimmy , but I think he took the wrong stance off the get go and now he ca n't backtrack . ''

It's long past time someone starts holding Jim Jordan's feet to the fire over this scandal:
Tito Vazquez says he still remembers the day three decades ago when, as a wrestler at Ohio State University, the doctor he'd gone to see about a bloody nose insisted on examining his genitals. He also recalls how one of his coaches dismissed his immediate complaint.
"'I have nothing to do with this,'" Vazquez quoted the assistant coach saying, as he effectively ended the conversation and went on with wrestling practice.
That coach, Vazquez says, was Jim Jordan, now an Ohio congressman and an influential voice in Republican politics, perhaps best known for his pugnacious defense of President Donald Trump during the recent impeachment proceedings.
Vazquez is one of six former OSU wrestlers who told CNN in recent interviews that they were present when Jordan heard or responded to sexual misconduct complaints about team doctor Richard Strauss. Eight others say Strauss' inappropriate behavior was an open secret in the athletic department and that Jordan, among others, must have known about it.
[...]
Multiple former OSU athletes told CNN they found Jordan's denials puzzling, because they say they distinctly remember him responding to complaints about Strauss.
One former wrestler, Dan Ritchie, said he remembers a teammate complained about Strauss and that Jordan said, "If he ever tried that with me I'd snap his neck like a stick of dry balsa wood."
Ritchie said Strauss' behavior was an ongoing, uncomfortable joke among athletes.
He said Strauss tried to "groom" students to accept the inappropriate nature of the examinations, which became increasingly abusive over time. Ritchie said he ultimately quit the team because of Strauss' behavior.
"When we heard Jim say he wasn't aware, everyone just thought, 'Are you kidding?'" Ritchie said. "I like Jimmy, but I think he took the wrong stance off the get go and now he can't backtrack."


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Kevin McCarthy's Biden Attack Fits Trump Kids: 'The Only Reason You Have That Job Is Your Father'

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R-CA ) on Sunday offered a description of former Vice President Joe Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump 's children .
`` This should not be about politics , '' McCarthy @ @ @ @ @ official that uses their office or has their children who uses their office to get @ @ @ @ @ 're getting $ 50,000 a month -- how many Americans do n't make that in @ @ @ @ @ And you have no experience whatsoever , '' he continued .
`` And the only @ @ @ @ @ is because of your father . ''
While McCarthy was referring to Hunter Biden , @ @ @ @ @ his words also described Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner .

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Sunday offered a description of former Vice President Joe Biden's son that also fit President Donald Trump's children.
"This should not be about politics," McCarthy said. "Any elected official that uses their office or has their children who uses their office to get economic gain, where you're getting $50,000 a month -- how many Americans don't make that in a year?"
"And you have no experience whatsoever," he continued. "And the only reason you have that job is because of your father."
While McCarthy was referring to Hunter Biden, Twitter users pointed out that his words also described Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--White House Continues To Lie About Coronavirus, Including Refusing To Tell Seniors Not To Fly

The White House continues to lie , misrepresent and hide information about coronavirus , including the refusal to publicize recommendations from the medical community that would keep the public safer , particularly if it goes against Donald Trump 's false narrative that he has things `` totally under control '' and `` contained '' .
We know coronavirus is not contained .
In fact , it is spreading .
Fast .
And we do not know how fast because testing is not occuring on a scale that it should be ( or at all ) and that means significantly more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our communities , infecting everyone in a type of transmission called `` community spread '' .
AM Joy covered this issue from multiple angles this morning .
VELSHI : I 'm trying to parse the difference between what is really happening with the government about coronavirus and what Donald Trump says because it is a big distraction .
He keeps saying stuff that is not in sync with what the experts are saying .
REID : He tweeted about the perfect plan and everything and I 'm getting all the stories of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is coronavirus .
VELSHI : So now I want the government to think about this .
We have assembly , people at CPAC who have it .
We 're doing rallies .
I 'd love too know what know about how we move forward with this thing instead of the tweets that seem to be down playing it saying the fake news media is responsible .
REID : And you also have to have a government that does believe in the science because they ca n't read act and react if it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then the experts like Dr. Fauci feel comfortable talking about the science .
VELSHI : Actually seeing them take something that is science , weather prediction , and change it for political needs makes me wonder do we have a problem with testing kits or does Donald Trump not want to know how many people have coronavirus .
EXACTLY .
It all comes down to Trump not wanting to know - and worse , not wanting the public to know .
That attitude is what will get people killed .
One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP report that said that the White House did not want to disclose publicly that health officials were recommending that `` elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines . ''
The CDC presented this plan earlier this week as a method of trying to control the virus and reduce exposure to a particularly vulnerable population , but the Trump administration refused to make this public .
After showing a clip of Trump flat out lying about how well the White House is doing in controlling the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the refusal of the White House to inform the public that certain populations should not fly : REID : Except that new reporting underscores just how chaotic and inadequate the response has been from the Trump White House .
A federal official says that the White House overruled health officials who wanted to recommend that seniors not fly due to concerns about their increased vulnerability .
And the Washington Post says `` Squandered Time , How The Trump Administration Lost Control Of The Coronavirus Crisis . ''
And the New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confusion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue , Debate Raged Over What To Tell The Public . ''
How much worse will this get because Donald Trump is desperate to win re-election and is panicked about a downturn in the economy ?
SUBSTANTIALLY worse .

The White House continues to lie, misrepresent and hide information about coronavirus, including the refusal to publicize recommendations from the medical community that would keep the public safer, particularly if it goes against Donald Trump's false narrative that he has things "totally under control" and "contained".
We know coronavirus is not contained. In fact, it is spreading. Fast. And we do not know how fast because testing is not occuring on a scale that it should be (or at all) and that means significantly more cases are out there, roaming around our communities, infecting everyone in a type of transmission called "community spread".
AM Joy covered this issue from multiple angles this morning.
VELSHI: I'm trying to parse the difference between what is really happening with the government about coronavirus and what Donald Trump says because it is a big distraction. He keeps saying stuff that is not in sync with what the experts are saying. REID: He tweeted about the perfect plan and everything and I'm getting all the stories of people encountering Trump supporters who don't believe there is coronavirus. VELSHI: So now I want the government to think about this. We have assembly, people at CPAC who have it. We're doing rallies. I'd love too know what know about how we move forward with this thing instead of the tweets that seem to be down playing it saying the fake news media is responsible. REID: And you also have to have a government that does believe in the science because they can't read act and react if it doesn't believe that it is real and then the experts like Dr. Fauci feel comfortable talking about the science. VELSHI: Actually seeing them take something that is science, weather prediction, and change it for political needs makes me wonder do we have a problem with testing kits or does Donald Trump not want to know how many people have coronavirus.
EXACTLY. It all comes down to Trump not wanting to know - and worse, not wanting the public to know. That attitude is what will get people killed.
One of the more scary news revelations was an AP report that said that the White House did not want to disclose publicly that health officials were recommending that "elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines." The CDC presented this plan earlier this week as a method of trying to control the virus and reduce exposure to a particularly vulnerable population, but the Trump administration refused to make this public.
After showing a clip of Trump flat out lying about how well the White House is doing in controlling the spread of coronavirus, Reid shared more information about the refusal of the White House to inform the public that certain populations should not fly:
REID: Except that new reporting underscores just how chaotic and inadequate the response has been from the Trump White House. A federal official says that the White House overruled health officials who wanted to recommend that seniors not fly due to concerns about their increased vulnerability. And the Washington Post says "Squandered Time, How The Trump Administration Lost Control Of The Coronavirus Crisis." And the New York Times has this he had headline "Utter confusion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Debate Raged Over What To Tell The Public."
How much worse will this get because Donald Trump is desperate to win re-election and is panicked about a downturn in the economy? SUBSTANTIALLY worse.


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Just Days After Matt Gaetz Mocked The Coronavirus, One Of His Constituents Dies

Remember this jerk the other day , wearing the gas mask as Congress voted on the coronavirus response bill ?
Well , he and others like him are starting to reap what they sowed .
One of his constituents has died .
Joy Reid had Republican strategist Rick Wilson on yesterday to discuss this mocking tone by Gaetz , Trump , and others who have hijacked the Republican Party , or what 's left of it .
Days after Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R-Fla. ) wore an enormous gas mask during a House floor vote on an emergency funding package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that a resident in his northwestern Florida district had died of covid-19 .
Gaetz said in a statement late Friday that he was “ extremely saddened to learn of the first fatality in our district , ” a resident who lived in Santa Rosa County .
His message followed the Florida Department of Health ’ s announcement late Friday that two residents had died of the disease , pushing the U.S. death toll to 17 as of that night .
Gaetz even offered his thoughts and prayers , like he actually gives @ @ @

Remember this jerk the other day, wearing the gas mask as Congress voted on the coronavirus response bill? Well, he and others like him are starting to reap what they sowed. One of his constituents has died.
Joy Reid had Republican strategist Rick Wilson on yesterday to discuss this mocking tone by Gaetz, Trump, and others who have hijacked the Republican Party, or what's left of it.
Source: Washington Post
Days after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) wore an enormous gas mask during a House floor vote on an emergency funding package for the coronavirus response, the congressman announced that a resident in his northwestern Florida district had died of covid-19. Gaetz said in a statement late Friday that he was “extremely saddened to learn of the first fatality in our district,” a resident who lived in Santa Rosa County. His message followed the Florida Department of Health’s announcement late Friday that two residents had died of the disease, pushing the U.S. death toll to 17 as of that night.
Gaetz even offered his thoughts and prayers, like he actually gives a ****.
Link


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Melania Is Having A Sadz That No One Is Praising Her Tennis Pavillion Designing Skills

Melania Trump is having a sadz that people are not celebrating her amazing architectural and engineering skills after a photo op of her , complete with construction hat , was blasted out to the media on Thursday showing the progress of the White House Tennis Pavilion .
She expected to receive another college degree and probably the highest honors from international design and architecture firms , I think .
Here is the glamour shot photo tweet : CNN reports that the Tennis Pavilion will be an `` approximately 1,200 square feet in area and approximately 18 feet in height , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and with a `` copper roof '' located on the South Lawn of the White House .
Tellingly , it 's supposed to replace the White House basketball court favored by President Obama .
Melania received almost instant backlash due to the tone-deafness and awful timing of this photo op in the midst of growing panic over the coronavirus pandemic .
But optics are something the Trumps have always had an issue with .
Poor Melania is having a sadz and posted this on Saturday morning : And literally , the best one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she screamed while teetering in her 5 '' Christian Louboutin 's .
# BeBest

Melania Trump is having a sadz that people are not celebrating her amazing architectural and engineering skills after a photo op of her, complete with construction hat, was blasted out to the media on Thursday showing the progress of the White House Tennis Pavilion. She expected to receive another college degree and probably the highest honors from international design and architecture firms, I think.
Here is the glamour shot photo tweet:
I am excited to share the progress of the Tennis Pavillion at @WhiteHouse. Thank you to the talented team for their hard work and dedication. pic.twitter.com/Wzown2ho26 — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 5, 2020
CNN reports that the Tennis Pavilion will be an "approximately 1,200 square feet in area and approximately 18 feet in height," "clad in limestone," and with a "copper roof" located on the South Lawn of the White House. Tellingly, it's supposed to replace the White House basketball court favored by President Obama.
Melania received almost instant backlash due to the tone-deafness and awful timing of this photo op in the midst of growing panic over the coronavirus pandemic. But optics are something the Trumps have always had an issue with.
This level of tone deafness is awe-inspiring. If you told me you were a space alien unfamiliar with our ways, I would believe you. Human would be, like, my third or fourth guess. — Jon Zal (@OfficialJonZal) March 5, 2020
So out of touch. Let them eat cake. — William LeGate 🧢 #ByeDon 2020 (@williamlegate) March 6, 2020
Tennis anyone? We're in a pandemic and she's working on a tennis court. Can these people be any more out of touch with regular people?🙄 — 🏈🌬𝓡𝓪𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮 𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓲𝓬𝓪 🏈🌬 (@monica69_nana) March 5, 2020
29 people were killed by a tornado in Tennessee, the world is shuddering as a pandemic expands and what is a tennis pavilion? — Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 5, 2020
Poor Melania is having a sadz and posted this on Saturday morning:
I encourage everyone who chooses to be negative & question my work at the @WhiteHouse to take time and contribute something good & productive in their own communities. #BeBest https://t.co/03sx0rq2Nx — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 7, 2020
Twitter responded (again):
You are building a "tennis pavillion" while toddlers are in cages. How about you sit the fuck down, Eva Braun. — Red *WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS* Painter (@Redpainter1) March 7, 2020
We're awaiting your updates on the many poor and underprivileged kids playing tennis in your brand new pavillion. I'm sure the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent will be of great benefit to the children of Washington D.C. #Clueless — Michael Petty (@5MilesHigher) March 7, 2020
Yes, a big tennis court in Washington could really turn things around for the average American family. Bless you. — Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) March 7, 2020
Testing for pandemic > pavilion — Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) March 7, 2020
You’re building a tennis court during a health crisis, you insufferable fuckwit. — The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) March 7, 2020
And literally, the best one:
LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL — Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) March 7, 2020
"LET THEM EAT CAKE", she screamed while teetering in her 5" Christian Louboutin's. #BeBest


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Ben Carson Refuses To Reveal 'Plan' For Cruise Ship Patients: 'I Don't Want To'

A Sunday interview with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson may have done more harm than good when it comes to assuring Americans that the Trump administration has the coronavirus under control .
In an interview with ABC 's George Stephanopoulos , Carson -- who is a former neurosurgeon but not an infectious disease expert -- compared COVID-19 to the common flu .
Stephanopoulos noted that the Grand Princess is scheduled to dock in Oakland this week with infected passengers .
`` What plan is in place to deal with the 3,500 people onboard ? ''
the ABC host @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reveal the plan .
`` The plan will be in place by that time , '' Carson said .
`` But I do n't want to preview the plan right now . ''
`` Should n't you be able to do that ? ''
Stephanopoulos pressed .
`` I think it needs to all come from a solitary source , we should n't have 16 people saying what the plan is , '' Carson argued .
The HUD secretary 's interview did not inspire confidence on Twitter , where commenters trashed his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below .

A Sunday interview with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson may have done more harm than good when it comes to assuring Americans that the Trump administration has the coronavirus under control.
In an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, Carson -- who is a former neurosurgeon but not an infectious disease expert -- compared COVID-19 to the common flu.
Stephanopoulos noted that the Grand Princess is scheduled to dock in Oakland this week with infected passengers.
"What plan is in place to deal with the 3,500 people onboard?" the ABC host asked.
Carson, however, declined to reveal the plan.
"The plan will be in place by that time," Carson said. "But I don't want to preview the plan right now."
"Shouldn't you be able to do that?" Stephanopoulos pressed.
"I think it needs to all come from a solitary source, we shouldn't have 16 people saying what the plan is," Carson argued.
The HUD secretary's interview did not inspire confidence on Twitter, where commenters trashed his interview.
Read some of the tweets below.
Really @GStephanopoulos Ben Carson as your “expert”? — Ann Kasun (@AnnKasun) March 8, 2020
Less than two minutes into his interview on @ThisWeekABC and Ben Carson has already lied. He claimed doctors can order tests if the decide they are necessary when we have seen story after story stating doctors have ordered tests and been refused. — Gloria (@itsmommy) March 8, 2020
I’m so relieved @GStephanopoulos has Ben Carson on what the hell of all the idiots to dig up!!!! America we’re screwed 🤬 — mary (@maryseeall) March 8, 2020
Somehow Ben Carson does NOT inspire confidence. He acts like he took a couple doses of xanax before coming on. Wow. #ThisWeek — Lisa J. 🐱💗🐶 (@LTrctrc) March 8, 2020
Ben Carson is humiliating himself on national television right now. — Todd Rensi (@toddrensi) March 8, 2020
Ben Carson isn't answering any questions and he is the President's representative?!?#ThisWeek — Robin Little (@Littlerobc) March 8, 2020
What is wrong with Ben Carson? His interview on This Week (ABC) is ridiculous. He won’t answer questions, his responses are bullshit and he seems zombie-like. — Lori Smith (@LoriNashTN) March 8, 2020
I want to punch @bencarson in the fucking face. He is on George stephanopolous now lying and equivocating about our lives... fuck him ...and the lot of them — Berta bright🗽 (@Bertabright8) March 8, 2020
#Coronavirus What exactly is Ben Carson talking about on #thisweek @ABC ? This is UNBELIEVABLE. The pretzel LIES! — Croc Droc (@Blizeeblazae) March 8, 2020
Sunday morning question, where in the hell did Ben Carson get his medical degree, a Cracker Jack box. Never have I heard such a dumb sounding neurosurgeon. Sure as hell would never want that man as my surgeon. — Slem (@slem63) March 8, 2020
Did Ben Carson pop a couple of Valium before going on the air this morning? #CoronavirusOutbreak #TrumpCrash #TrumpVirus #TrumpNotFitForOffice — David Johnston (@D_M_Johnston) March 8, 2020
Oh brother, they’re trotting out #BenCarson to speak to #COVID19 and as usually he’s saying nothing very slooooooooowly. @GStephanopoulos — CaseysGame (@GameCaseys) March 8, 2020
.@GStephanopoulos has Dr. Ben Carson on This Week and we are so fucked with @realDonaldTrump and his clowns in charge. — Claire Kirch, Minnesota Mama Bear (@ClaireKirchMN) March 8, 2020
Dr Ben Carson’s interview on ABC this morning should scare the hell out of every single American. It was inadequate, confusing and lacked any sort of reassurance that the Trump administration can handle this nationwide emergency. — PC Patriot (@dansb2) March 8, 2020
What I am appalled with Dr Ben Carson saying is that it is ok going to rallies if you are healthy. Since no one has immunity to this ANYONE can get and SPREAD the virus. These mixed messages do not make anyone confident. This is not protecting the public — barbara (@barbara26410281) March 8, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--CPAC Founder Exposed To Virus Patient Insists Trump 'Scrubbed' Hands At Event

Matt Schlapp , chairman of the Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC ) , assured viewers of Fox News that President Donald Trump repeatedly `` scrubbed '' his hands while at the event During an appearance on Fox & Friends , Schlapp spoke about the coronavirus patient who attended CPAC .
`` We had Purell and hand sanitizer stations -- I think over 30 of then all over the conference , '' Schlapp insisted .
`` I think everybody was scrubbing down all the time because they realized they were at a very big public event . ''
Schlapp confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected person .
But he did not say whether it was before or after he shook President Donald Trump 's hand .
`` I can tell you , when the president was on site at CPAC , he lives by what he tells us , '' Schlapp explained .
`` Because I saw him scrubbing down his hands and clean his hands more than once while he was on the premises . ''
`` And I did the same , '' he added .
`` My wife was squirting Purell in my hands @ @ @ @ @

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), assured viewers of Fox News that President Donald Trump repeatedly "scrubbed" his hands while at the event
During an appearance on Fox & Friends, Schlapp spoke about the coronavirus patient who attended CPAC.
"We had Purell and hand sanitizer stations -- I think over 30 of then all over the conference," Schlapp insisted. "I think everybody was scrubbing down all the time because they realized they were at a very big public event."
Schlapp confirmed that he had incidental contact with the infected person. But he did not say whether it was before or after he shook President Donald Trump's hand.
"I can tell you, when the president was on site at CPAC, he lives by what he tells us," Schlapp explained. "Because I saw him scrubbing down his hands and clean his hands more than once while he was on the premises."
"And I did the same," he added. "My wife was squirting Purell in my hands at every moment."


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Coronavirus Prompts White House To Mull Economic Stimulus Plan ... For Trump's Hotels

In order to mitigate the economic fallout from the coronavirus , the White House is considering what economic chief Larry Kudlow called a `` timely and targeted '' intervention in the form of a tax deferment for the cruise , travel , and airline industries .
“ Perhaps on a large scale , some of the sectors might need some temporary assistance , ” Kudlow told Fox Business , adding , “ We don ’ t want to act prematurely.
” Absolutely , Larry .
Whatever you do , do n't try to get out in front of this crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it unfold a bit .
According to The Washington Post , it ’ s not yet clear whether Trump ’ s own hotels would benefit , but White House officials don ’ t appear to be ruling it out .
Perhaps we should consider it a step in the right direction that the White House appears to know something is happening and it 's not good .
Maybe Trump will stop encouraging people to go to work after they 've contracted the coronavirus .
Or maybe that 's a little too much to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic fallout would be widespread , even as many economists suggest that 's plausible and some signs of panic appear to be settling in among investors .
But the travel and tourism industry—and hotels !
—that 's an area of concern for the White House .
Hmm .
So even as a broader stimulus plan does n't appear in the offing yet , a more `` micro '' approach is .
“ We would prefer a targeted approach , a rather micro approach , ” Kudlow said .
“ Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they have to stay home if they get the virus .
Let ’ s think about small businesses that might get hurt by this.
” There 's a lot of people who stand to lose paychecks here and the White House should be moving with urgency to help all of them , not just a select few who happen to work in the very industry from which Trump derives his wealth .

In order to mitigate the economic fallout from the coronavirus, the White House is considering what economic chief Larry Kudlow called a "timely and targeted" intervention in the form of a tax deferment for the cruise, travel, and airline industries. “Perhaps on a large scale, some of the sectors might need some temporary assistance,” Kudlow told Fox Business, adding, “We don’t want to act prematurely.”
Absolutely, Larry. Whatever you do, don't try to get out in front of this crisis. Take a breath, and let it unfold a bit.
According to The Washington Post, it’s not yet clear whether Trump’s own hotels would benefit, but White House officials don’t appear to be ruling it out.
Perhaps we should consider it a step in the right direction that the White House appears to know something is happening and it's not good. Maybe Trump will stop encouraging people to go to work after they've contracted the coronavirus. Or maybe that's a little too much to ask.
Kudlow rejected the idea that the economic fallout would be widespread, even as many economists suggest that's plausible and some signs of panic appear to be settling in among investors.
But the travel and tourism industry—and hotels!—that's an area of concern for the White House. Hmm. So even as a broader stimulus plan doesn't appear in the offing yet, a more "micro" approach is.
“We would prefer a targeted approach, a rather micro approach,” Kudlow said. “Let’s think about individuals who might lose paychecks because they have to stay home if they get the virus. Let’s think about small businesses that might get hurt by this.”
There's a lot of people who stand to lose paychecks here and the White House should be moving with urgency to help all of them, not just a select few who happen to work in the very industry from which Trump derives his wealth.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--On Fox & Friends: Trump’s Prosperity 'Pastor' Paula White Pimps Pro-Trump Propaganda

Prosperity preaching televangelist and White House spiritual adviser Paula White makes her living selling a bogus bill of spiritual goods to gullible Christians .
So , it wasn ’ t surprising to see her on Fox & Friends where she was given a pulpit from which to preach a bogus political bill about Donald Trump !
Sunday ’ s I-love-Trump worship session began with Trump ’ s very patriotic and very Christian CPAC speech in which he claimed that “ they ” ( Democrats , I guess ) want to take your money , speech , guns , choice ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away women ’ s reproductive rights ) and OMG your religion .
The irony continued with Trump ’ s claim that conservatives are driven by a desire to fight for rights “ given by the hand of an almighty god.
” At the end of the video , the ever-smug and oh , so Christian ( a little adultery on the side , who cares ! )
Pete Hegseth asked what religious voters are looking for in advance of Super Tuesday .
Cohost Jedidiah Bila , warmly welcomed Paula White and asked Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” White ( who encourages her followers to donate money to her rather than pay their bills ) began with a testament to Trump ’ s awesomeness .
In what was essentially a campaign endorsement , White effused about how Trump has kept his promises and how Trump ( proud grabber of women ’ s genitals ) “ is the most pro-life president.
” The praise continued unabated with more homage to Trump ’ s anti-abortion positions and appointment of anti-choice judges .
White also referenced Trump ’ s support within the Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual figure ( “ 76 percent of them disapprove of the president ‘ s performance and nearly 80 percent support his removal from office.
” ) After claiming that the Democratic party is “ divided and chaotic , ” White asserted that Trump has “ had deliverables ” and that folks “ are seeing the results over and over again.
” Hegseth asked White ( who owns a $ 3.5 million condo in Trump Tower ) to assess the Democratic candidates .
Naturally , White brought up the hottest-button item for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us that evil Democrats wouldn ’ t sign onto an anti-abortion ( yet another meaningless “ born alive ” ) Senate bill ( GOP Senate leader McConnell pushed this bill while sitting on 395 bills sent from the Democratic House ) .
White continued with the Christian-right Zombie Lie that Democrats support abortion “ up until the moment of birth.
” White veered back to Trump ’ s “ deliverables ” on the economy , courts , prison reform , women ( Uh , WTF ? )
, among others .
She proudly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours ( ?
! )
listing all of “ what this great president has done.
” To Jedidiah Bila ’ s question about how “ character issues ” could impact evangelical support for Trump , White , without skipping a beat , accused dissenting evangelicals of hypocrisy because “ Jesus came for all of us ” and “ we all have character issues.
” ( Read more about White ’ s here . )
She praised Trump for “ never pretending to be a spiritual leader ” and gushed about how “ he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In finishing up with glorification of Trump ’ s “ great character , ” she noted that evangelicals love how Trump keeps his promises .
Meanwhile , on Planet Earth , a global coronavirus was raging and not a word about that .
Oh , right , didn ’ t Trump say that a miracle will put a stop to it ?
Praise Trump – and Fox News !
You can watch the Trump-worship above , from the March 1 , 2020 Fox & Friends .

Prosperity preaching televangelist and White House spiritual adviser Paula White makes her living selling a bogus bill of spiritual goods to gullible Christians. So, it wasn’t surprising to see her on Fox & Friends where she was given a pulpit from which to preach a bogus political bill about Donald Trump!
Sunday’s I-love-Trump worship session began with Trump’s very patriotic and very Christian CPAC speech in which he claimed that “they” (Democrats, I guess) want to take your money, speech, guns, choice (ironic given that Trump wants to take away women’s reproductive rights) and OMG your religion. The irony continued with Trump’s claim that conservatives are driven by a desire to fight for rights “given by the hand of an almighty god.”
At the end of the video, the ever-smug and oh, so Christian (a little adultery on the side, who cares!) Pete Hegseth asked what religious voters are looking for in advance of Super Tuesday.
Cohost Jedidiah Bila, warmly welcomed Paula White and asked Ms. White “what evangelicals are looking for.”
White (who encourages her followers to donate money to her rather than pay their bills) began with a testament to Trump’s awesomeness. In what was essentially a campaign endorsement, White effused about how Trump has kept his promises and how Trump (proud grabber of women’s genitals) “is the most pro-life president.”
The praise continued unabated with more homage to Trump’s anti-abortion positions and appointment of anti-choice judges.
White also referenced Trump’s support within the Black community, but didn’t cite the actual figure (“76 percent of them disapprove of the president‘s performance and nearly 80 percent support his removal from office.”)
After claiming that the Democratic party is “divided and chaotic,” White asserted that Trump has “had deliverables” and that folks “are seeing the results over and over again.”
Hegseth asked White (who owns a $3.5 million condo in Trump Tower) to assess the Democratic candidates.
Naturally, White brought up the hottest-button item for the religious right, abortion. She informed us that evil Democrats wouldn’t sign onto an anti-abortion (yet another meaningless “born alive”) Senate bill (GOP Senate leader McConnell pushed this bill while sitting on 395 bills sent from the Democratic House). White continued with the Christian-right Zombie Lie that Democrats support abortion “up until the moment of birth.”
White veered back to Trump’s “deliverables” on the economy, courts, prison reform, women (Uh, WTF?), among others. She proudly proclaimed that she could sit there for hours (?!) listing all of “what this great president has done.”
To Jedidiah Bila’s question about how “character issues” could impact evangelical support for Trump, White, without skipping a beat, accused dissenting evangelicals of hypocrisy because “Jesus came for all of us” and “we all have character issues.” (Read more about White’s here.) She praised Trump for “never pretending to be a spiritual leader” and gushed about how “he is a great fighter for this country.” In finishing up with glorification of Trump’s “great character,” she noted that evangelicals love how Trump keeps his promises.
Hegseth said, “Absolutely.”
Meanwhile, on Planet Earth, a global coronavirus was raging and not a word about that. Oh, right, didn’t Trump say that a miracle will put a stop to it? Praise Trump – and Fox News!
You can watch the Trump-worship above, from the March 1, 2020 Fox & Friends.
Posted with permission from News Hounds.


crooksandliars--2020-03-09--Historian Warns Trump To Learn From History While He Still Can

Historian Michael Beschloss warned on Sunday on AM Joy that lying to the public in order to keep morale and confidence up will not end well at all , just like it did not end well 100 years ago when Donald Trump 's grandfather died during a similar pandemic -- the Spanish flu .
Joy Reid opened the segment with a brief history lesson on the Spanish flu , including the introduction of the Sedition Act ( !
!
! )
which feels strangely like what we are experiencing now .
Woodrow Wilson was in the midst of World War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to panic or morale to fail among the troops .
Beschloss picked it up from there .
Woodrow Wilson is probably the great negative historical example of how a president should manage a pandemic .
People got sick at a military installation in Kansas and Wilson was told by his medical people do n't ship them to Europe because this pandemic will spread .
Wilson said it is much more important to proceed with the war effort .
He was worried that the president or the government would become unpopular .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ships and in very close quarters .
They were later called coffin ships because they were so close together that the disease spread , a lot of people died .
Got to Europe and the illness spread through Europe .
Under strict censorship and there was n't much known about it and the reason it was called the Spanish flu was because Spain was a neutral country and reported on cases as some of these other countries did not and so it took on this misnomer of Spanish flu .
But Wilson was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I mean , for instance there was a nursing shortage because a lot of the nurses were working on soldiers who were at the front and there were many trained African-American nurses available .
Under the aegis of Wilson 's terrible racism there were African-American nurses that were not called on .
But wait , there 's more .
As Joy explains , there 's a story about how the soldiers then come back to Kansas : And there is even a story in the Smithsonian about just as you are talking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spread it in Kansas because they would n't tell people this idea of not reporting because you do n't want the numbers to be high .
That is something that Wilson did and that Donald Trump is doing now .
The idea of trying to keep the numbers falsely low is in itself poor management because we just do n't know how far it is spreading .
I think that is what scares a lot of people .
Why yes , yes it is what scares people .
When Trump says he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruise ship in international waters rather than allow them back onto shore so he can keep the numbers down , that 's scary .
And infuriating .
And deadly .
`` That is it , '' Beschloss agreed .
`` And Wilson was recommended by his advisers , the medical ones , to say there should be quarantines , Wilson said no quarantines .
They said give a speech and tell Americans who is going on so that they can prepare and protect themselves .
Wilson said no , it is more time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad for morale . ''
`` And he even said in private it is a bad thing that so many people are dying of influenza , but maybe it will hasten the end of the the world war and save a few lives , '' he added .
We can all imagine Trump saying something like that , ca n't we ?
Only it would be a wish for Democrats to get the virus at a rally or something and die quickly .
Joy Reid played a clip of Trump before shouting out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate-watching her show to heed Beschloss warning that transparency is best right now , not lies and more lies .
Heed the warning , Trump .
If you thought Katrina was bad for Bush , you 've got no idea how it will be for you when your lies destroy the country and cause millions of people to die .

Historian Michael Beschloss warned on Sunday on AM Joy that lying to the public in order to keep morale and confidence up will not end well at all, just like it did not end well 100 years ago when Donald Trump's grandfather died during a similar pandemic -- the Spanish flu.
Joy Reid opened the segment with a brief history lesson on the Spanish flu, including the introduction of the Sedition Act (!!!) which feels strangely like what we are experiencing now. Woodrow Wilson was in the midst of World War I, and didn't want anyone to panic or morale to fail among the troops.
Beschloss picked it up from there.
Woodrow Wilson is probably the great negative historical example of how a president should manage a pandemic. People got sick at a military installation in Kansas and Wilson was told by his medical people don't ship them to Europe because this pandemic will spread. Wilson said it is much more important to proceed with the war effort. He was worried that the president or the government would become unpopular. And the result was that they were put on ships and in very close quarters. They were later called coffin ships because they were so close together that the disease spread, a lot of people died. Got to Europe and the illness spread through Europe. Under strict censorship and there wasn't much known about it and the reason it was called the Spanish flu was because Spain was a neutral country and reported on cases as some of these other countries did not and so it took on this misnomer of Spanish flu. But Wilson was just a terrible manager of this. I mean, for instance there was a nursing shortage because a lot of the nurses were working on soldiers who were at the front and there were many trained African-American nurses available. Under the aegis of Wilson's terrible racism there were African-American nurses that were not called on.
But wait, there's more. As Joy explains, there's a story about how the soldiers then come back to Kansas:
And there is even a story in the Smithsonian about just as you are talking about the soldiers then come back to Kansas and spread it in Kansas because they wouldn't tell people this idea of not reporting because you don't want the numbers to be high. That is something that Wilson did and that Donald Trump is doing now. The idea of trying to keep the numbers falsely low is in itself poor management because we just don't know how far it is spreading. I think that is what scares a lot of people.
Why yes, yes it is what scares people. When Trump says he wants to strand 3500 passengers in a cruise ship in international waters rather than allow them back onto shore so he can keep the numbers down, that's scary. And infuriating. And deadly.
"That is it," Beschloss agreed. "And Wilson was recommended by his advisers, the medical ones, to say there should be quarantines, Wilson said no quarantines. They said give a speech and tell Americans who is going on so that they can prepare and protect themselves. Wilson said no, it is more time, I think that that would be bad for morale."
"And he even said in private it is a bad thing that so many people are dying of influenza, but maybe it will hasten the end of the the world war and save a few lives," he added.
We can all imagine Trump saying something like that, can't we? Only it would be a wish for Democrats to get the virus at a rally or something and die quickly.
Joy Reid played a clip of Trump before shouting out to him in the event he was hate-watching her show to heed Beschloss warning that transparency is best right now, not lies and more lies.
Heed the warning, Trump. If you thought Katrina was bad for Bush, you've got no idea how it will be for you when your lies destroy the country and cause millions of people to die.


crooksandliars--2020-03-09--Dr. Anthony Fauci Refuses To Rule Out Italy-Style Regional Lockdown: 'Anything Is Possible'

President Donald Trump 's top infectious disease expert told Fox News that regional travel bans are possible in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
In an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday , Fox News @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration would follow the lead of Italy with a regional ban on travel @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 infections .
`` Anything is possible , '' Fauci admitted .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t think it would be as draconian as nobody in or nobody @ @ @ @ @ continue to get cases like this , particularly at the community level , there will @ @ @ @ @ mitigation , ’ where we have to essentially do social distancing , keep people out @ @ @ @ @ a look at seriousness , do you really need to travel , and I think @ @ @ @ @ among the most vulnerable . ''

President Donald Trump's top infectious disease expert told Fox News that regional travel bans are possible in the U.S. to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday, Fox News host Chris Wallace asked if the Trump administration would follow the lead of Italy with a regional ban on travel in areas with high concentrations of COVID-19 infections.
"Anything is possible," Fauci admitted. “We have to be realistic. I don’t think it would be as draconian as nobody in or nobody out. But if we continue to get cases like this, particularly at the community level, there will be what we call ‘mitigation,’ where we have to essentially do social distancing, keep people out of crowded places, take a look at seriousness, do you really need to travel, and I think it’s particularly important among the most vulnerable."


crooksandliars--2020-03-09--John Oliver Wants You To Know Who Your Sheriff Is

On `` Last Week Tonight , '' John Oliver emphasized the importance of those down ballot races to which people pay so little attention .
For example , do you know who your sheriff is ?
Or even if you have a sheriff ?
That 's important ... and you should find out , because apparently 25 % of local law enforcement officers work for sheriffs .
When you vote for county and state legislators , you 're deciding to whom that sheriff is accountable , because guess what ?
Sheriffs are elected .
Oliver runs down all kinds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : two in South Carolina ( one who produces weirdo PSAs about drugs , and another who made a campaign ad admitting to wearing blackface , but justifying it because HEY !
The dude was a CRIMINAL ! )
There 's one in California , in whose care 40 people have died in the last five years , and 29 women have sued for mistreatment and abuse .
There 's the guy in Alabama who bought a beach house with the money he saved by not feeding the inmates of his prisons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheriffs can KEEP leftover funds meant to feed prisoners , which serves as a great incentive to starve the prisoners .
This sheriff literally bought himself a $ 740,000 beach house with the money he pocketed from not feeing prisoners in his care .
There are , of course , one or two good ones .
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez ( D ) in Texas pushes hard for bail reform , and has even enacted a program wherein he does n't jail folks for non-violent offenses .
But there are way too many like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Sheriff Joe famously prioritized immigration enforcement to the detriment of other concerns , like investigating sexual assault .
And Sheriff Richard Jones , in Butler County , Ohio , has refused to allow his deputies to carry Narcan to rescue people who may have overdosed , which is an incredible policy to adopt , in a place where at one point , overdoses were killing more people than all other causes of death combined .
Jones has argued that it is unsafe for his officers to help revive people , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems that he thinks those people are actually worth reviving at all .
Oliver pointed out that 59 % all sheriffs ran unopposed .
People within law enforcement are loathe to challenge them for fear of retribution .
OLIVER : But that can not be allowed to continue .
Thankfully , the same criminal justice movement that has been putting a spotlight on district attorneys ' races is now increasingly focused on sheriffs ' races , too .
And that is not a moment too soon , because right now we have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority with low accountability , which is always an inevitable recipe for disaster .
So if there is a sheriff 's race in your area this year , now would be an excellent time to start googling , `` Who the fuck is my sheriff ? ''
and learning about them .
This is why it is so important to pay close attention to local government , and the policies of your local law enforcement .
Google is just a few clicks away .

On "Last Week Tonight," John Oliver emphasized the importance of those down ballot races to which people pay so little attention. For example, do you know who your sheriff is? Or even if you have a sheriff? That's important...and you should find out, because apparently 25% of local law enforcement officers work for sheriffs. When you vote for county and state legislators, you're deciding to whom that sheriff is accountable, because guess what? Sheriffs are elected.
Oliver runs down all kinds of examples of problematic sheriffs around the country: two in South Carolina (one who produces weirdo PSAs about drugs, and another who made a campaign ad admitting to wearing blackface, but justifying it because HEY! The dude was a CRIMINAL!) There's one in California, in whose care 40 people have died in the last five years, and 29 women have sued for mistreatment and abuse. There's the guy in Alabama who bought a beach house with the money he saved by not feeding the inmates of his prisons.
That's right, in Alabama, sheriffs can KEEP leftover funds meant to feed prisoners, which serves as a great incentive to starve the prisoners. This sheriff literally bought himself a $740,000 beach house with the money he pocketed from not feeing prisoners in his care.
There are, of course, one or two good ones. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez (D) in Texas pushes hard for bail reform, and has even enacted a program wherein he doesn't jail folks for non-violent offenses. But there are way too many like Sheriff Joe Arpaio and others.
OLIVER: Sheriff Joe famously prioritized immigration enforcement to the detriment of other concerns, like investigating sexual assault. And Sheriff Richard Jones, in Butler County, Ohio, has refused to allow his deputies to carry Narcan to rescue people who may have overdosed, which is an incredible policy to adopt, in a place where at one point, overdoses were killing more people than all other causes of death combined. Jones has argued that it is unsafe for his officers to help revive people, but the more he talks, the more it seems that he thinks those people are actually worth reviving at all.
Oliver pointed out that 59% all sheriffs ran unopposed. People within law enforcement are loathe to challenge them for fear of retribution.
OLIVER: But that cannot be allowed to continue. Thankfully, the same criminal justice movement that has been putting a spotlight on district attorneys' races is now increasingly focused on sheriffs' races, too. And that is not a moment too soon, because right now we have a position that has a tremendous amount of authority with low accountability, which is always an inevitable recipe for disaster. So if there is a sheriff's race in your area this year, now would be an excellent time to start googling, "Who the fuck is my sheriff?" and learning about them.
This is why it is so important to pay close attention to local government, and the policies of your local law enforcement. Google is just a few clicks away.


crooksandliars--2020-03-09--Trump 'Glad Hands' Entire Rope Line After CDC Warns On Handshakes

Trump is a self-proclaimed germophobe .
During a Fox News town hall last week , he said the coronavirus gives him a good reason not to shake hands , but he would probably continue to do it .
The CDC issued warnings against this practice : Authorities around the world , including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , have advised people to stop shaking hands during outbreaks — as well as washing their hands and not touching their faces — to prevent the virus from spreading .
After landing in Orlando , co-hosts Sandra Smith and Jon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he 'd make any remarks to the American people about the stock markets .
As Trump approached the rope-line of supporters , John Scott said , `` In this era when shaking hands is a no-no for many people , the president is not showing any concerns about that at all . ''
`` He ’ s glad-handing this entire rope line , ” a somewhat shocked Scott said .
Sandra Smith tried to thaw the conversation by making jokes , `` What 's the elbow move called , Jon ? ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , just touched down and the Dow selling off 1600 points . ''

Trump is a self-proclaimed germophobe. During a Fox News town hall last week, he said the coronavirus gives him a good reason not to shake hands, but he would probably continue to do it.
The CDC issued warnings against this practice:
Authorities around the world, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have advised people to stop shaking hands during outbreaks — as well as washing their hands and not touching their faces — to prevent the virus from spreading.
After landing in Orlando, co-hosts Sandra Smith and Jon Scott were discussing his arrival and wondered if he'd make any remarks to the American people about the stock markets.
As Trump approached the rope-line of supporters, John Scott said, "In this era when shaking hands is a no-no for many people, the president is not showing any concerns about that at all."
"He’s glad-handing this entire rope line,” a somewhat shocked Scott said.
Sandra Smith tried to thaw the conversation by making jokes, "What's the elbow move called, Jon?"
A perturbed Scott replied, "Elbow bump, I don't know."
Smith continued, "Here is the president, just touched down and the Dow selling off 1600 points."