hotair--2020-05-01--MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace: 'The right is running a smear campaign against Joe Biden'

One day after the hashtag # FireChrisHayes was trending online because the MSNBC host dared to give any time to Tara Reade ’ s story , guest host Nicolle Wallace is telling the network ’ s viewers that “ the right ” doesn ’ t care about the truth .
In fact , she said the “ right is running a smear campaign against Joe Biden.
” I hope that somewhere Justice Kavanaugh is laughing heartily at the idea Joe Biden is having a tough time of it .
Here ’ s the short version : The set up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Biden and his response this morning .
Al Sharpton was quick to suggest that if Republicans try to politicize this , it would wind up looking bad for President Trump .
Andrea Mitchell chimed with an excuse for the media coverage thus far , saying the allegation hasn ’ t gotten much coverage because the Biden campaign isn ’ t out campaigning .
She conveniently overlooked the dozen or so interviews Joe Biden has done in the last few weeks , including one on Morning Joe which took place several days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories about the Reade allegations .
Mitchell went on to point out that Biden was very out front when it came to championing allegations by Christine Blasey Ford .
“ And now the Trump campaign is going after him , Don Jr. and the campaign and Kellyanne Conway , saying ‘ this is , you know , a double standard , you ’ re a hypocrite.
’ She then rambled on about credible allegations against Trump , pushing aside the point about the obvious double-standards exhibited by numerous Democrats and women ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s when Nicolle Wallace got worked up with her claim that the right doesn ’ t care about the truth of Tara Reade ’ s allegations .
Again , her network hasn ’ t touched this until a few days ago and even then it was met with open hostility .
But it ’ s the right that doesn ’ t care about the truth ?
But that ’ s not even the dumbest part of what she said .
The dumbest part is her calling this a “ smear campaign ” when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the MSNBC bubble that Joe Biden has thus far been treated with the softest of kid gloves compared to what Brett Kavanaugh experienced 18 months ago at the hands of Democrats who demanded that a woman ’ s allegation take precedence over his political ambitions .
If what we ’ re seeing now is a smear campaign with no regard for the truth , what the hell was that in 2018 ?
According to Wallace , Democrats are trying “ to have some consistency around statements that I think just about every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the context of the MeToo movement.
” They may be trying , but they definitely aren ’ t succeeding .
And that ’ s really the point here .
We ’ ve been told since Kavanaugh how these allegations are supposed to be handled and that ’ s not at all how the Democrats and the media have been handling this .
There have been several stories about women struggling with that fact .
It ’ s not even really a secret that what we ’ re seeing now is a very different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of media silence , endorsements of Biden by top Democrats and studied silence from women ’ s groups aligned with the Democratic party , Nicolle Wallace thinks the banner headline is that Republicans are naked partisans with no regard for the truth .
It ’ s really just stunning .
I think John Ekdahl summed up my feelings watching some of this play out over the last few days .
The full segment doesn ’ t appear to be on YouTube but Mediatie published it here , so you can click over to @ @ @ @ @

One day after the hashtag #FireChrisHayes was trending online because the MSNBC host dared to give any time to Tara Reade’s story, guest host Nicolle Wallace is telling the network’s viewers that “the right” doesn’t care about the truth. In fact, she said the “right is running a smear campaign against Joe Biden.” I hope that somewhere Justice Kavanaugh is laughing heartily at the idea Joe Biden is having a tough time of it. Here’s the short version:
MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace: "The right isn't running an intellectually honest operation to get to the bottom of whether Tara Reade was victimized. The right is running a smear campaign against Joe Biden." pic.twitter.com/G0QUf9iryN — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 1, 2020
The set up for this is 9-minute-long segment discussing the allegations against Biden and his response this morning. Al Sharpton was quick to suggest that if Republicans try to politicize this, it would wind up looking bad for President Trump. Andrea Mitchell chimed with an excuse for the media coverage thus far, saying the allegation hasn’t gotten much coverage because the Biden campaign isn’t out campaigning. She conveniently overlooked the dozen or so interviews Joe Biden has done in the last few weeks, including one on Morning Joe which took place several days after the NY Times and Washington Post published stories about the Reade allegations.
Mitchell went on to point out that Biden was very out front when it came to championing allegations by Christine Blasey Ford. “And now the Trump campaign is going after him, Don Jr. and the campaign and Kellyanne Conway, saying ‘this is, you know, a double standard, you’re a hypocrite.’ She then rambled on about credible allegations against Trump, pushing aside the point about the obvious double-standards exhibited by numerous Democrats and women’s groups in this case.
That’s when Nicolle Wallace got worked up with her claim that the right doesn’t care about the truth of Tara Reade’s allegations. Again, her network hasn’t touched this until a few days ago and even then it was met with open hostility. But it’s the right that doesn’t care about the truth?
But that’s not even the dumbest part of what she said. The dumbest part is her calling this a “smear campaign” when it’s obvious to almost everyone outside the MSNBC bubble that Joe Biden has thus far been treated with the softest of kid gloves compared to what Brett Kavanaugh experienced 18 months ago at the hands of Democrats who demanded that a woman’s allegation take precedence over his political ambitions. If what we’re seeing now is a smear campaign with no regard for the truth, what the hell was that in 2018?
According to Wallace, Democrats are trying “to have some consistency around statements that I think just about every elected Democrat has made about women in the context of the MeToo movement.”
They may be trying, but they definitely aren’t succeeding. And that’s really the point here. We’ve been told since Kavanaugh how these allegations are supposed to be handled and that’s not at all how the Democrats and the media have been handling this. There have been several stories about women struggling with that fact. It’s not even really a secret that what we’re seeing now is a very different script.
And yet, after weeks of media silence, endorsements of Biden by top Democrats and studied silence from women’s groups aligned with the Democratic party, Nicolle Wallace thinks the banner headline is that Republicans are naked partisans with no regard for the truth.
It’s really just stunning. I think John Ekdahl summed up my feelings watching some of this play out over the last few days.
I can’t even muster any anger over this stuff. I am just frozen jaw-on-the-floor in shock watching this whiplash play out in front of me like this. Do they think the internet wiped its entire history last year? https://t.co/Imf6FnJNiJ — American Journalists Publish Chinese Propaganda (@JohnEkdahl) May 1, 2020
The full segment doesn’t appear to be on YouTube but Mediatie published it here, so you can click over to get the full context.


hotair--2020-05-03--It was always going to be a "referendum election"

The Associated Press published a bit of a think piece this weekend , examining how the current pandemic could potentially impact the outcome of the election in November .
( Gee… ya think ? )
They spoke with a number of Republican analysts who see the usual topics of policy debate going out the window , with the race coming down to basically nothing other than a “ referendum election ” revolving around the novel coronavirus , its impact on the country and how well the President does or doesn ’ t steer us out of these stormy seas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nervous because of this .
And in the opinion of at least one analyst , Joe Biden isn ’ t even a factor in the equation .
You could stick any Democratic name you like on the other side of the ballot and everything would still come down to the other race : Donald J. Trump versus the coronavirus .
“ It ’ s Donald J. Trump versus the coronavirus and the recovery , ” said Scott Reed , the senior political strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce .
“ Biden is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prospect of an election that is almost wholly a referendum on Trump is unnerving .
Though the president ’ s base remains loyal , a significant portion of GOP voters view him skeptically on a range of personal qualities .
He pulled many of those voters to his side in the 2016 election by drawing an aggressive contrast with Democrat Hillary Clinton .
He planned to do the same in 2020 with Biden , with the added tailwind of a surging American economy .
Now , that economy is crumbling around Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost their jobs in the past six weeks as businesses have shuttered due to stay-at-home restrictions aimed at containing the pandemic .
One of the president ’ s own economic advisers predicted nationwide unemployment could reach 20 % by June .
Describing this as a “ referendum election ” is a bit of a misnomer .
Let ’ s face it… in the end , every election is a referendum election .
The two factors always in play are which candidate can create the most powerful cult of personality around themselves and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is .
While many topics were up for debate in 2016 , it ’ s hard to argue against the idea that the vast majority of voters just wanted to know who would do a better job of supercharging the stagnant recession recovery we had under Obama and bring the economy roaring back to life .
And there ’ s little question which candidate generated the most heat in terms of a cult of personality .
The voters decided to take a chance on Donald Trump and , at least until the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rewards of that decision .
The funny thing is that even though we ’ ve had tens of millions of people suddenly going back on the unemployment lines and our GDP is bleeding out like it ’ s been dating Mike Tyson , Trump ’ s approval numbers have barely budged .
In fact , at least according to the very latest Gallup survey and a few others , he ’ s still slowly edging upward .
That ’ s not going to hold forever , though .
It ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy back on and , at least absent a viable vaccine or antiviral drug therapy , we ’ ll be running the risk of a second wave of the pandemic before voters go to the polls in November .
As much as Democrats and their friends in the media may wish it were otherwise , the public is , by and large , not willing to blame the virus on Donald Trump .
It wasn ’ t his fault that we were hit with this pandemic .
But much like the captain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he ’ s asleep in his cabin , President Trump will be judged on how we respond as a country .
If the economy is still largely in the tank at the end of October and people are still dropping from COVID-19 in shocking numbers , the results of the “ referendum ” will be clear and I wouldn ’ t bet a plugged nickel on Trump ’ s chances of victory .
( This applies even if Joe Biden can ’ t string together two coherent sentences . )
But if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst part of this wave and appear to be heading back toward the economy we enjoyed up until a couple of months ago , the President should be well situated .
In that sense , the coming referendum is tied to both the coronavirus and the economy .
And that ’ s because the two are now inextricably intertwined .

The Associated Press published a bit of a think piece this weekend, examining how the current pandemic could potentially impact the outcome of the election in November. (Gee… ya think?) They spoke with a number of Republican analysts who see the usual topics of policy debate going out the window, with the race coming down to basically nothing other than a “referendum election” revolving around the novel coronavirus, its impact on the country and how well the President does or doesn’t steer us out of these stormy seas. Many of them claim to be getting nervous because of this. And in the opinion of at least one analyst, Joe Biden isn’t even a factor in the equation. You could stick any Democratic name you like on the other side of the ballot and everything would still come down to the other race: Donald J. Trump versus the coronavirus.
“It’s Donald J. Trump versus the coronavirus and the recovery,” said Scott Reed, the senior political strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Biden is a sideshow.” For some Republicans, the prospect of an election that is almost wholly a referendum on Trump is unnerving. Though the president’s base remains loyal, a significant portion of GOP voters view him skeptically on a range of personal qualities. He pulled many of those voters to his side in the 2016 election by drawing an aggressive contrast with Democrat Hillary Clinton. He planned to do the same in 2020 with Biden, with the added tailwind of a surging American economy. Now, that economy is crumbling around Trump. A staggering 30 million Americans have lost their jobs in the past six weeks as businesses have shuttered due to stay-at-home restrictions aimed at containing the pandemic. One of the president’s own economic advisers predicted nationwide unemployment could reach 20% by June.
Describing this as a “referendum election” is a bit of a misnomer. Let’s face it… in the end, every election is a referendum election. The two factors always in play are which candidate can create the most powerful cult of personality around themselves and what the most pressing issue of the day is. While many topics were up for debate in 2016, it’s hard to argue against the idea that the vast majority of voters just wanted to know who would do a better job of supercharging the stagnant recession recovery we had under Obama and bring the economy roaring back to life.
And there’s little question which candidate generated the most heat in terms of a cult of personality. The voters decided to take a chance on Donald Trump and, at least until the virus blew into town, they were reaping the rewards of that decision.
The funny thing is that even though we’ve had tens of millions of people suddenly going back on the unemployment lines and our GDP is bleeding out like it’s been dating Mike Tyson, Trump’s approval numbers have barely budged. In fact, at least according to the very latest Gallup survey and a few others, he’s still slowly edging upward. That’s not going to hold forever, though. It’s going to take too long to fully turn the economy back on and, at least absent a viable vaccine or antiviral drug therapy, we’ll be running the risk of a second wave of the pandemic before voters go to the polls in November.
As much as Democrats and their friends in the media may wish it were otherwise, the public is, by and large, not willing to blame the virus on Donald Trump. It wasn’t his fault that we were hit with this pandemic. But much like the captain of a ship that strikes an iceberg when he’s asleep in his cabin, President Trump will be judged on how we respond as a country. If the economy is still largely in the tank at the end of October and people are still dropping from COVID-19 in shocking numbers, the results of the “referendum” will be clear and I wouldn’t bet a plugged nickel on Trump’s chances of victory. (This applies even if Joe Biden can’t string together two coherent sentences.)
But if we manage to make it through the worst part of this wave and appear to be heading back toward the economy we enjoyed up until a couple of months ago, the President should be well situated. In that sense, the coming referendum is tied to both the coronavirus and the economy. And that’s because the two are now inextricably intertwined.


hotair--2020-05-03--The Marianne Williamson zombie campaign marches on, screwing over vendors

The candidate who was going to defeat Donald Trump “ with love ” isn ’ t showing much compassion to vendors who engaged with her campaign .
In case you ’ d already forgotten about her , spiritual guru Marianne Williamson spent some time running for president last year .
She withdrew from the race in January , suspending her campaign operations and removing one of the more entertaining aspects of an otherwise dismal primary .
( Full disclosure : The author was a Marianne Williamson donor .
I sent her a dollar to help her qualify for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hilarious . )
Speaking of campaign contributions , Williamson took in a fair amount of cash during her pointless bid for the nomination .
She also ran up a lot of bills .
And that ’ s the main subject of today ’ s story .
As the New York Post reports , she ’ s still sitting on a ton of campaign debt and doesn ’ t appear to have any intention of making good on those obligations , leaving some smaller vendors in a serious bind .
Meanwhile , she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a campaign that supposedly shut down months ago .
Marianne Williamson is facing a powerful new dark psychic force — campaign debt .
The New Age author ’ s presidential campaign committee still owes $ 238,180 to various election vendors , some of whom now say she is trying to renege on the payments .
Williamson suspended her campaign in January 2020 .
“ She ’ s not paying us , ” Jennifer Marshall , co-founder of Next Digital Connection , told The Post .
“ We are a very small business , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankrupted if she doesn ’ t pay her bill.
” The North Carolina family business Marshall runs with husband Jeffery provided much of the texting and phone-banking services the Williamson campaign used to raise money and build her profile during her quixotic run for the White House .
There are more vendors out there who are getting the short end of the stick , but the story of Next Digital Connections is probably the most damaging for Williamson .
The company is composed entirely of Jennifer Marshall and her husband Jeffrey .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small operation .
And to top it all off , Jennifer Marshall was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last year .
The Williamson campaign owes them more than $ 72K and if they don ’ t get it they will be effectively bankrupted .
But when Jennifer contacted them last month to remind them that the bill was months overdue , Williamson ’ s campaign called them and offered them “ pennies on the dollar ” to eliminate the debt .
They ’ ve thus far received nothing .
Another vendor that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 10K .
They said that at this point , they doubt they will ever see a dime of the money .
So much for being all about love , I guess .
But even that isn ’ t the worst of the story .
Williamson is still plowing through her remaining campaign cash .
Her FEC filings show that the campaign spent more than half a million dollars in the first three months of the year , despite having dropped out of the race .
The bills include more than $ 6,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotel ” in Washington , along with other posh resorts in Los Angeles , Hollywood and New York City .
On top of that , she still has at least five staffers on the payroll who collected a total of $ 30,587 in salaries during the first quarter .
For a campaign that ceased to exist months ago .
At this point , the campaign no longer even has enough money to cover Marshall ’ s bill in full .
Watching her burn through money like that while she still owes the Marshall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be a pleasant pill to swallow .
But there ’ s also probably not much to be done about it .
Thanks to our overly generous campaign finance laws , if Williamson can manage to summon up even a marginally plausible reason why those trips were related to her campaign and if the staffers have performed any trivial tasks for her , her campaign will likely be legally allowed to spend the money .
And the Marshalls will be left standing on the sidelines , watching helplessly .
I have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will still come flocking to her for her spiritual guidance and “ power of love ” nonsense after this story makes the rounds .

The candidate who was going to defeat Donald Trump “with love” isn’t showing much compassion to vendors who engaged with her campaign. In case you’d already forgotten about her, spiritual guru Marianne Williamson spent some time running for president last year. She withdrew from the race in January, suspending her campaign operations and removing one of the more entertaining aspects of an otherwise dismal primary. (Full disclosure: The author was a Marianne Williamson donor. I sent her a dollar to help her qualify for the first debate because I thought she would be hilarious.)
Speaking of campaign contributions, Williamson took in a fair amount of cash during her pointless bid for the nomination. She also ran up a lot of bills. And that’s the main subject of today’s story. As the New York Post reports, she’s still sitting on a ton of campaign debt and doesn’t appear to have any intention of making good on those obligations, leaving some smaller vendors in a serious bind. Meanwhile, she’s still racking up campaign expenses for a campaign that supposedly shut down months ago.
Marianne Williamson is facing a powerful new dark psychic force — campaign debt. The New Age author’s presidential campaign committee still owes $238,180 to various election vendors, some of whom now say she is trying to renege on the payments. Williamson suspended her campaign in January 2020. “She’s not paying us,” Jennifer Marshall, co-founder of Next Digital Connection, told The Post. “We are a very small business, and we will be totally and utterly bankrupted if she doesn’t pay her bill.” The North Carolina family business Marshall runs with husband Jeffery provided much of the texting and phone-banking services the Williamson campaign used to raise money and build her profile during her quixotic run for the White House.
There are more vendors out there who are getting the short end of the stick, but the story of Next Digital Connections is probably the most damaging for Williamson. The company is composed entirely of Jennifer Marshall and her husband Jeffrey. They are two senior citizens with a very small operation. And to top it all off, Jennifer Marshall was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last year.
The Williamson campaign owes them more than $72K and if they don’t get it they will be effectively bankrupted. But when Jennifer contacted them last month to remind them that the bill was months overdue, Williamson’s campaign called them and offered them “pennies on the dollar” to eliminate the debt. They’ve thus far received nothing.
Another vendor that the Post spoke with is owed more than $10K. They said that at this point, they doubt they will ever see a dime of the money. So much for being all about love, I guess.
But even that isn’t the worst of the story. Williamson is still plowing through her remaining campaign cash. Her FEC filings show that the campaign spent more than half a million dollars in the first three months of the year, despite having dropped out of the race. The bills include more than $6,500 for stays in a “five-star ultra-luxe hotel” in Washington, along with other posh resorts in Los Angeles, Hollywood and New York City. On top of that, she still has at least five staffers on the payroll who collected a total of $30,587 in salaries during the first quarter. For a campaign that ceased to exist months ago. At this point, the campaign no longer even has enough money to cover Marshall’s bill in full.
Watching her burn through money like that while she still owes the Marshall family more than $70 thousand can’t be a pleasant pill to swallow. But there’s also probably not much to be done about it. Thanks to our overly generous campaign finance laws, if Williamson can manage to summon up even a marginally plausible reason why those trips were related to her campaign and if the staffers have performed any trivial tasks for her, her campaign will likely be legally allowed to spend the money. And the Marshalls will be left standing on the sidelines, watching helplessly. I have to wonder if Williamson’s many fans will still come flocking to her for her spiritual guidance and “power of love” nonsense after this story makes the rounds.


hotair--2020-05-03--County CEO: Turn in your friends and neighbors, okay? Save lives.

Harris County Texas CEO , County Judge Lina Hidalgo , embraces authoritarianism like a duck takes to water .
That is the takeaway many Houstonians and residents of Harris County have of her behavior during the coronavirus pandemic .
Her far-left liberal credentials became apparent from the beginning after she won the election in 2018 .
This morning the latest example of the judge ’ s overreach was posted on Twitter .
She asks people to go ahead and turn in on any business that isn ’ t following Governor Abbott ’ s guidance on operating during the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ boy .
I know she ’ s young ( 29 years old ) and this is her first elected office but surely there is someone who could have suggested a different type of tweet to get the message across on the importance of everyone continuing to practice social distancing .
In March Hidalgo issued a countywide stay at home order .
Harris County is the nation ’ s third-largest county so that was no small order .
Houston is the largest city in Texas .
Overnight the economy screeched to a halt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the United States .
By April 22 she issued an order mandating the wearing of masks .
The longer the pandemic goes , the more invasive she gets into the everyday lives of Texans in Harris County .
It ’ s not going particularly well for her .
Governor Abbott ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Texas is with less authoritarianism , more calls for personal responsibility .
That ’ s the difference in liberals and conservatives , isn ’ t it ?
He told Texans to stay at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t issue a formal stay at home executive order in as many words .
It was the same for the other social distancing guidelines .
Now Texas is under the guidelines set in motion by the governor ’ s coronavirus task force working to get Texas back to work .
Phase One overrode Hidalgo ’ s mask mandate .
Most people know to wear masks when the need arises and do so on their own .
The same holds true with businesses opening .
Phase One doesn ’ t allow bars , gyms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nail salons to reopen .
Those businesses will be covered in Phase Two .
Hidalgo is concerned that too many people will return to eating inside restaurants , apparently .
I ’ m old enough to remember when Valerie Jarrett asked social media users to tattle on others who criticized Obamacare before it became law .
She told everyone to turn them in and gave out a website URL to do so .
Lina Hidalgo is cut from the same cloth .
If you look at her Twitter bio you will see she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I guess government control of the lives of its citizens is progress to the far left .
The Founding Fathers had other ideas , though .
Ms. Hidalgo caused shockwaves last week when she agreed with a Harris County Commissioner ’ s motion to commit $ 15M of taxpayer money to provide grants to people not covered by the CARE Act – like illegal immigrants .
It ’ s a “ pandemic relief fund ” .
Low-income families , residents in the country illegally , victims of domestic violence and children aging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience for a $ 15 million coronavirus relief fund Harris County Commissioners Court created Tuesday .
The fund , proposed by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis , aims to assist residents who are ineligible for federal aid through the CARES Act or for whom the $ 1,200 stimulus payments are insufficient .
“ I think you can feel the pain of people hurting , ” Ellis said .
“ I also want to make sure … we are sensitive to our small businesses , but also those people who have to go catch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bus tables.
” The Greater Houston Community Foundation and United Way will manage the program , which will provide one-time payments directly to residents to cover essential expenses , including food , utilities and housing .
It is estimated that there are about 500,000 illegal immigrants in Harris County .
Once applications become available , all they have to do is go online and request the money .
What could possibly go wrong ?
If they have a total household income below 70 percent of the federal Area Median Income benchmark , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about $ 53,400 for a family of four .
If they qualify for a federal public assistance program , such as SNAP , WIC or Medicaid , they will qualify for a grant .
Does anyone really believe that this “ one-time payment ” will end up as a one-time payment ?
Not me .
Once the government gives , it rarely takes back .
Democrats are hellbent on keeping Harris County and Houston closed for business .
This morning I watched Rep.Sheila Jackson Lee declare that no state should be reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She wants testing , testing , testing before anything else happens .
Do you know who appreciates Hidalgo ’ s form of authoritarianism ?
Beto O ’ Rourke .
You may remember he ’ s the one who said while running for president , that he ’ s all for law enforcement going door to door to confiscate firearms .
She seems to have learned a bit about the governor ’ s final authority over her own after his Phase One order overrode her own mandates .
She carefully signed what is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s mitigation plan last week .
It focuses on expanded testing , contact tracing , and treatment options .
The mitigation plan announced earlier this week calls for expanding testing , contact tracing and treatment options .
The fourth step announced Friday , what Hidalgo called the fourth “ T ” , is teamwork from residents to continue practice social distancing , wear face coverings and to remain vigilant of the virus , despite Gov .
Greg Abbott ’ s decision to lift the stay-at-home order and reopen some businesses .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right around the corner , ” Hidalgo said of a possible resurgence of the virus .
“ Some see today as a day of celebration…my message to them is not so fast.
” “ Reopening doesn ’ t mean mission accomplished , it doesn ’ t mean the virus goes away , ” Hidalgo said .
Hidalgo ’ s idea of “ teamwork ” is a little different than that of others .
We ’ ll see how well her encouragement to rat out fellow Texans goes in the county .

Harris County Texas CEO, County Judge Lina Hidalgo, embraces authoritarianism like a duck takes to water. That is the takeaway many Houstonians and residents of Harris County have of her behavior during the coronavirus pandemic. Her far-left liberal credentials became apparent from the beginning after she won the election in 2018.
This morning the latest example of the judge’s overreach was posted on Twitter. She asks people to go ahead and turn in on any business that isn’t following Governor Abbott’s guidance on operating during the pandemic. “Help us save lives.”
See a restaurant at full capacity? Businesses open that shouldn’t be? Help us save lives. If you see violations of Governor Abbott’s order, please report them at:
➡https://t.co/mOaXNNI1by⬅ — Office of Judge Lina Hidalgo (@HarrisCoJudge) May 3, 2020
Oh boy. I know she’s young (29 years old) and this is her first elected office but surely there is someone who could have suggested a different type of tweet to get the message across on the importance of everyone continuing to practice social distancing.
In March Hidalgo issued a countywide stay at home order. Harris County is the nation’s third-largest county so that was no small order. Houston is the largest city in Texas. Overnight the economy screeched to a halt, the same as experienced in other places around the United States. By April 22 she issued an order mandating the wearing of masks. The longer the pandemic goes, the more invasive she gets into the everyday lives of Texans in Harris County. It’s not going particularly well for her.
Governor Abbott’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Texas is with less authoritarianism, more calls for personal responsibility. That’s the difference in liberals and conservatives, isn’t it? He told Texans to stay at home to flatten the curve but didn’t issue a formal stay at home executive order in as many words. It was the same for the other social distancing guidelines. Now Texas is under the guidelines set in motion by the governor’s coronavirus task force working to get Texas back to work. Phase One overrode Hidalgo’s mask mandate. Most people know to wear masks when the need arises and do so on their own. The same holds true with businesses opening. Phase One doesn’t allow bars, gyms, barbershops, hair salons, or nail salons to reopen. Those businesses will be covered in Phase Two. Hidalgo is concerned that too many people will return to eating inside restaurants, apparently.
I’m old enough to remember when Valerie Jarrett asked social media users to tattle on others who criticized Obamacare before it became law. She told everyone to turn them in and gave out a website URL to do so. Lina Hidalgo is cut from the same cloth. If you look at her Twitter bio you will see she describes herself as a “progressive”. I guess government control of the lives of its citizens is progress to the far left. The Founding Fathers had other ideas, though.
Ms. Hidalgo caused shockwaves last week when she agreed with a Harris County Commissioner’s motion to commit $15M of taxpayer money to provide grants to people not covered by the CARE Act – like illegal immigrants. It’s a “pandemic relief fund”.
Low-income families, residents in the country illegally, victims of domestic violence and children aging out of foster care are the target audience for a $15 million coronavirus relief fund Harris County Commissioners Court created Tuesday. The fund, proposed by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, aims to assist residents who are ineligible for federal aid through the CARES Act or for whom the $1,200 stimulus payments are insufficient. “I think you can feel the pain of people hurting,” Ellis said. “I also want to make sure … we are sensitive to our small businesses, but also those people who have to go catch the early bus to go wash dishes and bus tables.” The Greater Houston Community Foundation and United Way will manage the program, which will provide one-time payments directly to residents to cover essential expenses, including food, utilities and housing.
It is estimated that there are about 500,000 illegal immigrants in Harris County. Once applications become available, all they have to do is go online and request the money. What could possibly go wrong? If they have a total household income below 70 percent of the federal Area Median Income benchmark, they qualify. In Houston, that is about $53,400 for a family of four. If they qualify for a federal public assistance program, such as SNAP, WIC or Medicaid, they will qualify for a grant. Does anyone really believe that this “one-time payment” will end up as a one-time payment? Not me. Once the government gives, it rarely takes back.
Democrats are hellbent on keeping Harris County and Houston closed for business. This morning I watched Rep.Sheila Jackson Lee declare that no state should be reopening right now, not just Texas. She wants testing, testing, testing before anything else happens.
Do you know who appreciates Hidalgo’s form of authoritarianism? Beto O’Rourke. You may remember he’s the one who said while running for president, that he’s all for law enforcement going door to door to confiscate firearms.
“To have Judge Hidalgo take strong, decisive action in the face of this pandemic; some people are going to be upset,” O’Rourke said. “But for the vast majority of us — I’m not talking as a Democrat, but as a Texan — it’s really exciting to see that kind of leadership.”
So, there’s that.
She seems to have learned a bit about the governor’s final authority over her own after his Phase One order overrode her own mandates. She carefully signed what is being called a fourth step to the county’s mitigation plan last week. It focuses on expanded testing, contact tracing, and treatment options.
The mitigation plan announced earlier this week calls for expanding testing, contact tracing and treatment options. The fourth step announced Friday, what Hidalgo called the fourth “T”, is teamwork from residents to continue practice social distancing, wear face coverings and to remain vigilant of the virus, despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift the stay-at-home order and reopen some businesses. “We can’t ignore what is right around the corner,” Hidalgo said of a possible resurgence of the virus. “Some see today as a day of celebration…my message to them is not so fast.” “Reopening doesn’t mean mission accomplished, it doesn’t mean the virus goes away,” Hidalgo said.
I want our economy and society open YESTERDAY. But now is not the time to let down our guard. Our mission has not been accomplished. Help us get to the finish line by doing your part.https://t.co/scA0BqGpoP — Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) May 1, 2020
Hidalgo’s idea of “teamwork” is a little different than that of others. We’ll see how well her encouragement to rat out fellow Texans goes in the county.


hotair--2020-05-03--New Mexico Gov shuts down traffic in and out of an entire city

Normally when you hear about a Democratic governor doing an imitation of a medieval empress these days you probably think of Gretchen Whitmer .
But she ’ s got some competition in that category this week and it ’ s coming from New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham ( D ) .
In response to a significant spike in COVID-19 cases in the city of Gallup , the Governor not only put everyone on lockdown but ordered a halt to almost all traffic in and out of the city .
Gallup isn ’ t really all that large ( population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s big enough to notice when all commercial and personal travel to and from the city is suddenly brought to a halt .
( The Hill ) New Mexico Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham ( D ) announced she is putting the city of Gallup on lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases in the area .
The governor said in a statement that starting Friday at noon she is closing all roads leading into Gallup from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily and that vehicles can only have two people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged to stay in Gallup except for emergency outings and trips essential for health , safety and welfare… “ The spread of this virus in McKinley County is frightful , ” said Lujan Grisham , “ and it shows that physical distancing has not occurred and is not occurring .
The virus is running amok there .
It must be stopped , and stricter measures are necessary .
A problem in one part of our state , with a virus this dangerous and this contagious , is a problem for our entire state.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , Lujan Grisham didn ’ t take this action singlehandedly .
The city is in the midst of changing mayors , and both the previous mayor and the new one asked the Governor to take this action .
And the request clearly wasn ’ t made on a whim .
The city has reported more than 1,000 cases of the disease , representing nearly five percent of the population .
They also account for more than a third of the reported cases in the entire state .
Still , the language she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more like a school teacher scolding unruly students than an informative public announcement .
She ’ s taking “ stricter measures ” because the residents aren ’ t practicing social distancing .
But can the Governor simply shut down almost all vehicular traffic with a wave of her hand ?
She claims she has the authority under the state ’ s Riot Control Act .
In issuing executive order 2020-027 , she declared that “ All roadways providing access to the City of Gallup shall be closed and only Gallup residents , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the media shall be permitted entry into the municipality.
” .
So this is different than other governors who have “ urged ” people to avoid all nonessential travel .
The State Police are checking all vehicles on the road outside of normal business hours and drivers will need to show a valid reason for commuting if they wish to enter or leave .
We saw a similar situation when the Governor of Rhode Island attempted to stop all cars with New York license plates entering her state .
After being challenged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This order has an even larger impact on the Native Americans of both the Navajo Nation and the Zuni Pueblo people .
Their leaders are livid over this order .
Gallup is the only city within a reasonable travel distance where most of their people can go shopping for groceries and other necessities .
Closing off access to Gallup is going to create an emergency situation for many of them almost immediately .
We ’ ll need to keep an eye on this situation as it develops .
This is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive fiat that we ’ ve seen from any governor thus far during the pandemic .
Rather than simply encouraging the new Mayor of Gallup to work with his citizens and promote greater compliance with social distancing requirements , she ’ s just bringing the hammer down and sending in uniformed troopers to enforce her decree .
I ’ m guessing there is a limit as to how much of this sort of behavior people are going to tolerate .

Normally when you hear about a Democratic governor doing an imitation of a medieval empress these days you probably think of Gretchen Whitmer. But she’s got some competition in that category this week and it’s coming from New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D). In response to a significant spike in COVID-19 cases in the city of Gallup, the Governor not only put everyone on lockdown but ordered a halt to almost all traffic in and out of the city. Gallup isn’t really all that large (population 21,929 as of 2018), but it’s big enough to notice when all commercial and personal travel to and from the city is suddenly brought to a halt. (The Hill)
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced she is putting the city of Gallup on lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases in the area. The governor said in a statement that starting Friday at noon she is closing all roads leading into Gallup from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily and that vehicles can only have two people maximum. Residents of the city are encouraged to stay in Gallup except for emergency outings and trips essential for health, safety and welfare… “The spread of this virus in McKinley County is frightful,” said Lujan Grisham, “and it shows that physical distancing has not occurred and is not occurring. The virus is running amok there. It must be stopped, and stricter measures are necessary. A problem in one part of our state, with a virus this dangerous and this contagious, is a problem for our entire state.”
To be fair to the Governor here, Lujan Grisham didn’t take this action singlehandedly. The city is in the midst of changing mayors, and both the previous mayor and the new one asked the Governor to take this action. And the request clearly wasn’t made on a whim. The city has reported more than 1,000 cases of the disease, representing nearly five percent of the population. They also account for more than a third of the reported cases in the entire state.
Still, the language she chose to use in this announcement sounds more like a school teacher scolding unruly students than an informative public announcement. She’s taking “stricter measures” because the residents aren’t practicing social distancing.
But can the Governor simply shut down almost all vehicular traffic with a wave of her hand? She claims she has the authority under the state’s Riot Control Act. In issuing executive order 2020-027, she declared that “All roadways providing access to the City of Gallup shall be closed and only Gallup residents, those who work in Gallup, and members of the media shall be permitted entry into the municipality.”.
So this is different than other governors who have “urged” people to avoid all nonessential travel. The State Police are checking all vehicles on the road outside of normal business hours and drivers will need to show a valid reason for commuting if they wish to enter or leave. We saw a similar situation when the Governor of Rhode Island attempted to stop all cars with New York license plates entering her state. After being challenged, she backed down on that order.
This order has an even larger impact on the Native Americans of both the Navajo Nation and the Zuni Pueblo people. Their leaders are livid over this order. Gallup is the only city within a reasonable travel distance where most of their people can go shopping for groceries and other necessities. Closing off access to Gallup is going to create an emergency situation for many of them almost immediately.
We’ll need to keep an eye on this situation as it develops. This is one of the harshest restrictions on free movement via executive fiat that we’ve seen from any governor thus far during the pandemic. Rather than simply encouraging the new Mayor of Gallup to work with his citizens and promote greater compliance with social distancing requirements, she’s just bringing the hammer down and sending in uniformed troopers to enforce her decree. I’m guessing there is a limit as to how much of this sort of behavior people are going to tolerate.


hotair--2020-05-03--Birx: Seeing lockdown protesters without masks is "devastatingly worrisome"

They ’ ll feel guilty for the rest of their lives if they come home from the protest and infect grandma and grandpa , she tells Chris Wallace .
Will they ?
The more aggressive “ reopen now ” messengers on social media often remind skeptics that a certain number of the vulnerable will inevitably die in the course of restoring America ’ s economic vitality .
Nothing would signal commitment to the cause of liberating U.S. states from the tyranny of lockdown like sacrificing one ’ s own ancestors .
Health risks aside , it ’ s exquisitely stupid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to follow basic good practices on preventing infection while demonstrating .
At best they look reckless , at worst they seem denialist about the threat from the virus .
I suspect people who might otherwise be persuaded that it ’ s time to lift the restrictions watch the footage and come away thinking , “ They ’ re either idiots or cranks.
” The infestation of anti-vaxxers in the ranks doesn ’ t help .
The protests are uninteresting .
More interesting and much more consequential for a second wave of the epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I looked at data yesterday that proves Americans are going out more , but that data didn ’ t show whether they ’ re getting more slack about social distancing .
For instance , they tended to patronize fast-food spots and liquor stores but not the type of businesses where one might linger indoors for long , like clothing stores or dine-in restaurants .
Today ’ s Wall Street Journal story about states that are reopening does show an uptick in traffic to businesses like that , though : In Georgia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday , the most since March 19 , before the state ’ s stay-at-home order went into effect .
Saturday also brought the most foot traffic retail shops in Oklahoma and South Carolina have had since March… The biggest draw in two of the states were travel-related , which includes visits to hotels , booking agencies , airports , train and bus terminals .
Other popular destinations were clothing and shoe stores and health care , which includes dentistry and nursing homes .
In the three states , about a million more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before and about 70,000 more people went to entertainment venues like movie theaters , bowling alleys or sporting goods operations .
Foot traffic to businesses that specialize in entertainment was up at least 33 percent over the previous weekend in all three states , and in Georgia and South Carolina traffic to apparel stores was up at least 35 percent .
Retail foot traffic in each state was still well below where it was in March , before the pandemic sent Americans into self-isolation , but I bet it ’ ll get close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully normal ) sooner than most people think .
Evidence of a second wave won ’ t show up for weeks even if a rash of infections was seeded yesterday .
It ’ ll be easy to assume that everything ’ s fine until the numbers prove that it isn ’ t .
How much does it matter to foot traffic whether a state is formally “ open ” or still “ closed ” ?
Maybe less than we think .
Nate Silver analyzed several different variables to try to determine which states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t .
It turns out that politics — and weather — were more important factors than whether a stay-at-home order was in place .
Derek Thompson of The Atlantic made a fascinating catch in Apple ’ s mobility data , which I wrote about yesterday .
Here are the trends in driving , walking , and use of mass transit ( per searches on Apple Maps ) in Nashville , Tennessee , which is currently under a lockdown order… …and here ’ s what the trends look like in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city , Stockholm , Sweden : The trends are completely different , with walking and driving on the way up in Nashville and on the way down in Stockholm , but the raw percentages are … almost identical .
Swedes have begun hunkering down just as Nashville residents have begun testing the waters outdoors .
Maybe the lockdowns just don ’ t matter .
People are going to behave in more or less risky ways depending on their perceptions of the risk in their hometown .
Information , not government policy , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch .
What if the information they ’ re getting is incomplete , or downright bad ?
I think there ’ s a sense across the U.S. right now that things have improved , which is partially true .
New York City , the epicenter , has seen deaths and hospitalizations fall dramatically .
And the United States as a whole is no longer seeing the number of new cases climb .
But nationally we ’ re not on the “ down ” side of the epidemic curve ; New York is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the country are steady , not falling .
And the story in many individual states is … not great .
We ’ ll know in a month whether Birx ’ s worries were well-founded or not .
If there ’ s no second wave , states will reopen more aggressively by mid-June .
If there is a second wave , and if it ’ s big , consumer demand will collapse .
Here ’ s a little more from today ’ s interview , with Birx reminding early-reopen states that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

They’ll feel guilty for the rest of their lives if they come home from the protest and infect grandma and grandpa, she tells Chris Wallace. Will they? The more aggressive “reopen now” messengers on social media often remind skeptics that a certain number of the vulnerable will inevitably die in the course of restoring America’s economic vitality.
Nothing would signal commitment to the cause of liberating U.S. states from the tyranny of lockdown like sacrificing one’s own ancestors.
Health risks aside, it’s exquisitely stupid of protesters as a political matter not to follow basic good practices on preventing infection while demonstrating. At best they look reckless, at worst they seem denialist about the threat from the virus. I suspect people who might otherwise be persuaded that it’s time to lift the restrictions watch the footage and come away thinking, “They’re either idiots or cranks.” The infestation of anti-vaxxers in the ranks doesn’t help.
Watch: Dr. Birx says on Fox News Sunday that protesters gathering without face masks in Michigan is "devastatingly worrisome" pic.twitter.com/crUn4NRInM — TV News HQ (@TVNewsHQ) May 3, 2020
The protests are uninteresting. More interesting and much more consequential for a second wave of the epidemic are state experiments on reopening certain businesses. I looked at data yesterday that proves Americans are going out more, but that data didn’t show whether they’re getting more slack about social distancing. For instance, they tended to patronize fast-food spots and liquor stores but not the type of businesses where one might linger indoors for long, like clothing stores or dine-in restaurants. Today’s Wall Street Journal story about states that are reopening does show an uptick in traffic to businesses like that, though:
In Georgia, more than 4 million people visited stores on Saturday, the most since March 19, before the state’s stay-at-home order went into effect. Saturday also brought the most foot traffic retail shops in Oklahoma and South Carolina have had since March… The biggest draw in two of the states were travel-related, which includes visits to hotels, booking agencies, airports, train and bus terminals. Other popular destinations were clothing and shoe stores and health care, which includes dentistry and nursing homes. In the three states, about a million more people went to restaurants than the weekend before and about 70,000 more people went to entertainment venues like movie theaters, bowling alleys or sporting goods operations.
Foot traffic to businesses that specialize in entertainment was up at least 33 percent over the previous weekend in all three states, and in Georgia and South Carolina traffic to apparel stores was up at least 35 percent. Retail foot traffic in each state was still well below where it was in March, before the pandemic sent Americans into self-isolation, but I bet it’ll get close to normal levels (if not quite fully normal) sooner than most people think. Evidence of a second wave won’t show up for weeks even if a rash of infections was seeded yesterday. It’ll be easy to assume that everything’s fine until the numbers prove that it isn’t.
How much does it matter to foot traffic whether a state is formally “open” or still “closed”? Maybe less than we think. Nate Silver analyzed several different variables to try to determine which states are seeing more mobility lately and which aren’t. It turns out that politics — and weather — were more important factors than whether a stay-at-home order was in place.
People are moving around less in states with more COVID-19 deaths, but it's not a huge effect. Whether a state is formally re-open doesn't seem to matter that much, but note that openness/closure is correlated with these other variables so that makes it a bit tricky to evaluate. — Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) May 3, 2020
Derek Thompson of The Atlantic made a fascinating catch in Apple’s mobility data, which I wrote about yesterday. Here are the trends in driving, walking, and use of mass transit (per searches on Apple Maps) in Nashville, Tennessee, which is currently under a lockdown order…
…and here’s what the trends look like in the world’s most famously “open” city, Stockholm, Sweden:
The trends are completely different, with walking and driving on the way up in Nashville and on the way down in Stockholm, but the raw percentages are … almost identical. Swedes have begun hunkering down just as Nashville residents have begun testing the waters outdoors. Maybe the lockdowns just don’t matter. People are going to behave in more or less risky ways depending on their perceptions of the risk in their hometown. Information, not government policy, will shape what they do.
Just one catch. What if the information they’re getting is incomplete, or downright bad? I think there’s a sense across the U.S. right now that things have improved, which is partially true. New York City, the epicenter, has seen deaths and hospitalizations fall dramatically. And the United States as a whole is no longer seeing the number of new cases climb. But nationally we’re not on the “down” side of the epidemic curve; New York is, but new cases and deaths across the rest of the country are steady, not falling. And the story in many individual states is … not great.
Even as more economic activity is restarted, covid is expanding in many states and we face a persistent plateau of 30,000 daily cases and 2,000 deaths. A lot of the spread is clustered in disadvantaged communities and in at risk environments. We must focus intense resources there pic.twitter.com/QDYXL43iHm — Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) May 3, 2020
We’ll know in a month whether Birx’s worries were well-founded or not. If there’s no second wave, states will reopen more aggressively by mid-June. If there is a second wave, and if it’s big, consumer demand will collapse.
Here’s a little more from today’s interview, with Birx reminding early-reopen states that the federal guidelines are there for a reason.


hotair--2020-05-03--Call to Unite: Bush joins celebs in global coronavirus live event

Think of it as a virtual “ We Are the World ” production .
Call to Unite was the brainchild of Special Olympics CEO Tim Shriver .
The purpose of the 24-hour live stream event was to raise money for two organizations – Give Directly and the Points of Light Foundation .
Two hundred celebrities and public figures entertained viewers in their own ways , heavy on inspirational messages .
Everyone from Oprah to Bill Clinton to Julia Roberts and singer Jewel took part in the event .
The list of participants included lots of names with which I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be expected as it included people from around the world .
I had no idea this event was even going on Saturday until I saw a video released by The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas .
At the time , without knowing the back story , I thought it was an odd time for him to be speaking out .
We ’ ve had mostly nothing but radio silence from George W. Bush since he left office , with the occasional story of his hobby of painting or raising money for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George W. Bush made headlines during the 2016 presidential election because his brother Jeb !
was running .
The Bush family decided it was Jeb ’ s turn to be president and when that didn ’ t work out , the family was clearly bitter .
It happens , that ’ s politics .
Instead of remaining silent , though , as he had been throughout the entire Obama administration , George W. spoke up and said he wouldn ’ t be voting for Trump , he ’ d write in a name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Hillary . )
The Bush family , known for a strong sense of sportsmanship and loyalty to the Republican Party , lost a lot of respect from rank and file Republicans at that point .
For years , during each election cycle , whether Republican activists and volunteers were excited about conservative candidates or not , the Bushes were the first to encourage everyone to stick together and support the party .
So , when it was really needed and Trump was running against Hillary , the Bushes decided to choose not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People noticed , especially Texas Republicans .
The message from Bush was a good one .
He even references 9/11/01 and Americans coming together during that horrible time .
Unfortunately , he brings a whiff of politics into his speech , which I guess isn ’ t surprising , given that he is a politician .
I think “ combatants ” is an unfortunate choice of words .
The Bush administration produced two wars that are still on-going .
A nation already divided during the Clinton administration only grew more so after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That dividedness continued to grow during the Obama administration and we all know where we are now .
That part of the video seems to be Bush ’ s attempt to lecture Trump supporters while being a part of an event with people who are definitely not supporters of the current president .
Maybe I misread it but the times are still very partisan though we are all banding together to follow mitigation measures to flatten the curve , as we are asked to do .
It often feels like a war , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats .
During this time , as the curve is flattening and states are beginning to open back up , the political divides between the parties are crystal clear .
Red states are beginning to open up while blue states are not .
It is quite logical to notice that Democrats appear to be using the coronavirus pandemic as a battering ram against President Trump and his administration .
From the finger-pointing and armchair quarterbacking to holding up emergency funding bills in order to add pet projects and social justice initiatives , Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waste .
So , Bush ’ s sudden appearance , no doubt due to the involvement of the Points of Light Foundation , caught my attention .
It did with lots of liberals , too , on social media .
The reactions varied between those who expressed amazement that they now like Bush because of actions like this , and those who questioned those supporters by reminding them that they still remember Bush as a warmonger and war criminal .
That ’ s a reminder that when Republicans like Bush cross over and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough .
Also , ironically , the point that it was the openly partisan Obama administration that ushered in Donald Trump ’ s presidency seems to be lost .
Trump brought back populism as a result of decades of marching toward a uniparty , with voters often unable to distinguish between the two major parties .
Oprah calls upon people to “ reset ” and find ways to “ provide justice and joy ” , whatever that means .
Bill Clinton reminisced about President Roosevelt and the Great Depression .
Conservatives aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s mark on history .
Politics were apparent underneath the warm and fuzzy messages , inspirational speeches , and musical performances .
There is no escaping politics anymore anywhere .
It would be an impossible task for the celebrity world , given how they have been enthusiastic members of The Resistance from the beginning .
Noticeably absent were Barack and Michelle Obama .
With the inclusion of two former presidents , his inclusion would have been understandable .
Were the organizers afraid their inclusion would have been a bit too much on @ @ @

Think of it as a virtual “We Are the World” production. Call to Unite was the brainchild of Special Olympics CEO Tim Shriver. The purpose of the 24-hour live stream event was to raise money for two organizations – Give Directly and the Points of Light Foundation.
Two hundred celebrities and public figures entertained viewers in their own ways, heavy on inspirational messages. Everyone from Oprah to Bill Clinton to Julia Roberts and singer Jewel took part in the event. The list of participants included lots of names with which I am unfamiliar. I suppose that is to be expected as it included people from around the world.
I had no idea this event was even going on Saturday until I saw a video released by The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. At the time, without knowing the back story, I thought it was an odd time for him to be speaking out. We’ve had mostly nothing but radio silence from George W. Bush since he left office, with the occasional story of his hobby of painting or raising money for veterans popping up now and then.
A Message from President George W. Bush@TheCalltoUnite pic.twitter.com/FIn9wuOPTF — George W. Bush Presidential Center (@TheBushCenter) May 2, 2020
George W. Bush made headlines during the 2016 presidential election because his brother Jeb! was running. The Bush family decided it was Jeb’s turn to be president and when that didn’t work out, the family was clearly bitter. It happens, that’s politics. Instead of remaining silent, though, as he had been throughout the entire Obama administration, George W. spoke up and said he wouldn’t be voting for Trump, he’d write in a name. (GHW Bush said he voted for Hillary.) The Bush family, known for a strong sense of sportsmanship and loyalty to the Republican Party, lost a lot of respect from rank and file Republicans at that point. For years, during each election cycle, whether Republican activists and volunteers were excited about conservative candidates or not, the Bushes were the first to encourage everyone to stick together and support the party. So, when it was really needed and Trump was running against Hillary, the Bushes decided to choose not to live by their own mantra. People noticed, especially Texas Republicans.
The message from Bush was a good one. He even references 9/11/01 and Americans coming together during that horrible time. Unfortunately, he brings a whiff of politics into his speech, which I guess isn’t surprising, given that he is a politician.
“Let us remember how small our differences are in the face of this shared threat,” Bush said in the three-minute clip. “In the final analysis, we are not partisan combatants. We are human beings, equally vulnerable and equally wonderful in the sight of God. We rise or fall together.”
I think “combatants” is an unfortunate choice of words. The Bush administration produced two wars that are still on-going. A nation already divided during the Clinton administration only grew more so after the shock of 9/11 began to fade. That dividedness continued to grow during the Obama administration and we all know where we are now. That part of the video seems to be Bush’s attempt to lecture Trump supporters while being a part of an event with people who are definitely not supporters of the current president. Maybe I misread it but the times are still very partisan though we are all banding together to follow mitigation measures to flatten the curve, as we are asked to do.
It often feels like a war, a political war, between Republicans and Democrats. During this time, as the curve is flattening and states are beginning to open back up, the political divides between the parties are crystal clear. Red states are beginning to open up while blue states are not. It is quite logical to notice that Democrats appear to be using the coronavirus pandemic as a battering ram against President Trump and his administration. From the finger-pointing and armchair quarterbacking to holding up emergency funding bills in order to add pet projects and social justice initiatives, Democrats are not letting this crisis go to waste.
So, Bush’s sudden appearance, no doubt due to the involvement of the Points of Light Foundation, caught my attention. It did with lots of liberals, too, on social media. The reactions varied between those who expressed amazement that they now like Bush because of actions like this, and those who questioned those supporters by reminding them that they still remember Bush as a warmonger and war criminal. That’s a reminder that when Republicans like Bush cross over and band with Democrats, it is never enough. Also, ironically, the point that it was the openly partisan Obama administration that ushered in Donald Trump’s presidency seems to be lost. Trump brought back populism as a result of decades of marching toward a uniparty, with voters often unable to distinguish between the two major parties.
Oprah calls upon people to “reset” and find ways to “provide justice and joy”, whatever that means. Bill Clinton reminisced about President Roosevelt and the Great Depression. Conservatives aren’t so fond of the Roosevelt administration’s mark on history. Politics were apparent underneath the warm and fuzzy messages, inspirational speeches, and musical performances. There is no escaping politics anymore anywhere. It would be an impossible task for the celebrity world, given how they have been enthusiastic members of The Resistance from the beginning.
Noticeably absent were Barack and Michelle Obama. With the inclusion of two former presidents, his inclusion would have been understandable. Were the organizers afraid their inclusion would have been a bit too much on the nose?


hotair--2020-05-03--Shepherds and flocks, more distant -- and closer -- than ever: Sunday reflection

Jesus said : “ Amen , amen , I say to you , whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber .
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep .
The gatekeeper opens it for him , and the sheep hear his voice , as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out .
When he has driven out all his own , he walks ahead of them , and the sheep follow him , because they recognize his voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stranger ; they will run away from him , because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.
” Although Jesus used this figure of speech , the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them .
So Jesus said again , “ Amen , amen , I say to you , I am the gate for the sheep .
All who came before me are thieves and robbers , but the sheep did not listen to them .
I am the gate .
Whoever enters through me will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go out and find pasture .
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy ; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.
” Our Gospel reading today offers us one of the most beautiful parables of Christ ’ s ministry on Earth and perhaps the most compelling portrait of His love for us .
This analogy spoke so powerfully to the early Church that the imagery of the Good Shepherd was among its earliest iconography .
The image adorns ancient catacombs and worship spaces .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ravenna , Italy that dates back to the fifth century .
Why did this parable speak so powerfully to the early Church ?
In those days , the role of a shepherd was much more central to the lives of those in the region , so the bond between shepherd and flock was clearly understood .
Jesus used the common knowledge and nuance of the lives of the people to whom He preached to pierce their hearts and open their eyes .
Good shepherds did not willingly separate themselves from their flocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and their flocks grew to love and trust the sound of their shepherd ’ s voices .
This has a darker meaning , though , as Jesus makes explicit to the Pharisees .
Robbers and thieves that enter illegally and pose as shepherds can confuse flocks and lead them to destruction .
After this passage , Jesus continues to point out that “ hired hands ” abandon flocks to the wolves , in an even more pointed barb at the Pharisees and Sadducees .
It is only the shepherds that put their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Jesus declares himself “ the good shepherd ” who will “ lay down my life for the sheep.
” This parable is so important that the Catholic Church includes it annually on the fourth Sunday of Easter , referring to this day as Good Shepherd Sunday .
Its meaning runs deeply enough that bishops ’ croziers are shaped as shepherds ’ crooks .
Priests act in persona Christi for the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Lamb of God , as well as provide the kind of spiritual leadership Jesus discusses that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heaven .
Even under normal circumstances , the teaching of this Gospel passage is critically important to our grasp of theology and the relationship between Christ and His church in this world .
In our present circumstance of global pandemic , Good Shepherd Sunday has special meaning in a world where the flocks are physically cut off from their shepherds .
Through no fault of these shepherds and no fault of community leaders struggling to protect public health , these flocks have been cut off from our shepherds .
The priests and bishops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strays , nor can the flocks easily listen for the call of those shepherds .
Instead , we have all become strays , looking for comfort and security from our shepherds in a time of crisis but unable to venture from where we are hiding from a particularly insidious form of wolf .
Fortunately , we have some opportunities that previous generations would not have known .
Many parishes , mine included , have begun offering Masses and services on live streaming , both daily and on Sundays .
Even those require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was fortunate to serve at Mass last night in my parish as part of the effort to call out to the flock .
Readers know that my household is high risk , but my parish took special care to limit the number of people inside the church to 10 , per state rules on public gatherings .
We have a very large worship space , usually room for around a thousand people , so social distancing was easy to accomplish , and the rest was left to hand sanitizer and personal wisdom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ d physically been in church in two months .
And my primary feeling was one of gratitude for having the opportunity to be there and to serve , followed closely by profound regret that my fellow parishioners could not be there along with me .
However , without telling tales too far out of school , among the strongest impressions I had was of my priest — also a friend of mine — feeling so lost without the flock he loves and for which he feels such strong responsibility .
The irony of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not lost on him , nor do I suspect that it will be lost on many of our shepherds across Christendom today and every day .
However , there is also something beautiful in the yearning and mourning of the pandemic shutdown .
They demonstrate the love that creates the Body of Christ through the Holy Spirit , and our own fully willing participation in that shepherd-flock relationship .
We yearn for kind , self-sacrificing guidance and leadership , as well as community amongst us , even in normal times .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those even more .
Christ understood this movement of our hearts .
His imagery of the Good Shepherd reminds us that this world is full of dangers and snares , but that His gentle and meek leadership will get us past it together to reach the Father ’ s gate .
On that path , we are called to find ways to call out to our fellow flock members and to reassure the shepherds working on His behalf that we still love and follow their call .
For Good Shepherd Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach out to your priests or ministers to remind them that you can still hear their voices .
That would be the best gift possible for any shepherd , even in a time of pandemic .
Image from the mausoleum of Galla Placidia , Ravenna , Italy ( 425-50 AD ) .
“ Sunday Reflection ” is a regular feature , looking at the specific readings used in today ’ s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world .
The reflection represents only my own point of view , intended to help prepare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion .
Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here .
For previous Green Room entries , click here .

This morning’s Gospel reading is John 10:1–10:
Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Our Gospel reading today offers us one of the most beautiful parables of Christ’s ministry on Earth and perhaps the most compelling portrait of His love for us. This analogy spoke so powerfully to the early Church that the imagery of the Good Shepherd was among its earliest iconography. The image adorns ancient catacombs and worship spaces. Our front-page image comes from a mausoleum in Ravenna, Italy that dates back to the fifth century.
Why did this parable speak so powerfully to the early Church? In those days, the role of a shepherd was much more central to the lives of those in the region, so the bond between shepherd and flock was clearly understood. Jesus used the common knowledge and nuance of the lives of the people to whom He preached to pierce their hearts and open their eyes. Good shepherds did not willingly separate themselves from their flocks and would never lead them into harm, and their flocks grew to love and trust the sound of their shepherd’s voices.
This has a darker meaning, though, as Jesus makes explicit to the Pharisees. Robbers and thieves that enter illegally and pose as shepherds can confuse flocks and lead them to destruction. After this passage, Jesus continues to point out that “hired hands” abandon flocks to the wolves, in an even more pointed barb at the Pharisees and Sadducees. It is only the shepherds that put their lives on the line for their flocks, and Jesus declares himself “the good shepherd” who will “lay down my life for the sheep.”
This parable is so important that the Catholic Church includes it annually on the fourth Sunday of Easter, referring to this day as Good Shepherd Sunday. Its meaning runs deeply enough that bishops’ croziers are shaped as shepherds’ crooks. Priests act in persona Christi for the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Lamb of God, as well as provide the kind of spiritual leadership Jesus discusses that will bring their flocks to the gate of Heaven. Even under normal circumstances, the teaching of this Gospel passage is critically important to our grasp of theology and the relationship between Christ and His church in this world.
In our present circumstance of global pandemic, Good Shepherd Sunday has special meaning in a world where the flocks are physically cut off from their shepherds. Through no fault of these shepherds and no fault of community leaders struggling to protect public health, these flocks have been cut off from our shepherds. The priests and bishops cannot physically go out and find the strays, nor can the flocks easily listen for the call of those shepherds. Instead, we have all become strays, looking for comfort and security from our shepherds in a time of crisis but unable to venture from where we are hiding from a particularly insidious form of wolf.
Fortunately, we have some opportunities that previous generations would not have known. Many parishes, mine included, have begun offering Masses and services on live streaming, both daily and on Sundays. Even those require some participation to accomplish, and I was fortunate to serve at Mass last night in my parish as part of the effort to call out to the flock. Readers know that my household is high risk, but my parish took special care to limit the number of people inside the church to 10, per state rules on public gatherings. We have a very large worship space, usually room for around a thousand people, so social distancing was easy to accomplish, and the rest was left to hand sanitizer and personal wisdom.
It was the first time I’d physically been in church in two months. And my primary feeling was one of gratitude for having the opportunity to be there and to serve, followed closely by profound regret that my fellow parishioners could not be there along with me. However, without telling tales too far out of school, among the strongest impressions I had was of my priest — also a friend of mine — feeling so lost without the flock he loves and for which he feels such strong responsibility. The irony of celebrating Good Shepherd Sunday under these circumstances was not lost on him, nor do I suspect that it will be lost on many of our shepherds across Christendom today and every day.
However, there is also something beautiful in the yearning and mourning of the pandemic shutdown. They demonstrate the love that creates the Body of Christ through the Holy Spirit, and our own fully willing participation in that shepherd-flock relationship. We yearn for kind, self-sacrificing guidance and leadership, as well as community amongst us, even in normal times. In a crisis, we feel the need for those even more.
Christ understood this movement of our hearts. His imagery of the Good Shepherd reminds us that this world is full of dangers and snares, but that His gentle and meek leadership will get us past it together to reach the Father’s gate. On that path, we are called to find ways to call out to our fellow flock members and to reassure the shepherds working on His behalf that we still love and follow their call.
For Good Shepherd Sunday, perhaps the best celebration will be to reach out to your priests or ministers to remind them that you can still hear their voices. That would be the best gift possible for any shepherd, even in a time of pandemic.
Image from the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy (425-50 AD).
“Sunday Reflection” is a regular feature, looking at the specific readings used in today’s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world. The reflection represents only my own point of view, intended to help prepare myself for the Lord’s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion. Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here. For previous Green Room entries, click here.


hotair--2020-05-03--Shots fired... on the Korean border

Shots fired... on the Korean border

As if there wasn ’ t already enough bat snack crazy stuff going on for you to worry about on a holiday weekend , amirite ?
It was only this weekend when we learned that things were getting back to whatever passes for “ normal ” on the Korean Peninsula with the reemergence of a very much alive dictator Kim Jong-un .
( Well , either that or they built a very convincing , Westworld-style robot to replace him . )
But just as that situation began calming down , we started getting reports of gunfire breaking out on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited to a single location and didn ’ t escalate beyond small-arms fire .
( Associated Press ) South Korea says its troops have exchanged fire with North Korea along their tense land border .
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul says North Korean troops fired several bullets at a South Korean guard post inside the heavily fortified border between the countries on Sunday .
The military says in a statement South Korea fired two rounds in response after issuing a warning broadcast .
Barring some major , unanticipated escalation , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds a lot worse than the actual details of the story turn out to be .
North Korean state media still hasn ’ t commented on the incident , but if the South Korean press is to be believed , this was more of a random event than anything ominous .
First of all , the South Korean border guard post that the North Koreans were shooting at wasn ’ t even occupied at the time .
When the South Korean guards returned fire , they intentionally aimed out into some unoccupied farming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in thick fog at the time , so nobody could really see what they were shooting at anyway .
No casualties or injuries of any sort have been reported by either side .
As it turns out , gunfire breaking out along the border isn ’ t really all that unusual .
Back in 2017 , Oh Chong Song defected from the North and was shot five times by border guards before making it to safety .
( The whole thing was caught on video . )
For his part , the defector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guards for shooting him and that he would have done the same thing if he were in their shoes .
At other times , the soldiers on both sides of the border have exchanged gunfire for no apparent reason at all .
Of course , that sort of duty can get boring after a while so you ’ ve got to find something to do to pass the time .
As long as these incidents are confined to localized exchanges of rifle fire , we probably don ’ t need to be too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be when Kim resumes his ICMB testing .
Almost exactly one month ago , Kim supervised the launching of two short-range missiles believed to be of a more advanced variety , using solid rocket fuel rather than liquids .
That demonstration came on the heels of some artillery testing on the border .
Kim Jong-un clearly loves to be the center of attention , particularly if he can use these demonstrations to rally the support of his citizens .
Now that he ’ s firmly aligned with China ( and increasingly with Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to worry quite so much about the stalemate he ’ s reached in negotiations with President Trump .
In fact , with the world ’ s attention largely focused on the novel coronavirus pandemic , it ’ s believed that China has been helping the North Koreans violate the sanctions placed on them by the United States and the UN .
In just the past month , Chinese cargo ships have been seen transferring coal and oil from North Korean vessels .
In this depressing era of pandemic madness , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , isn ’ t it ?
Neither North Korea nor the Chinese Communist Party can be trusted further than you could throw them and we should always keep that in mind .

As if there wasn’t already enough bat snack crazy stuff going on for you to worry about on a holiday weekend, amirite? It was only this weekend when we learned that things were getting back to whatever passes for “normal” on the Korean Peninsula with the reemergence of a very much alive dictator Kim Jong-un. (Well, either that or they built a very convincing, Westworld-style robot to replace him.) But just as that situation began calming down, we started getting reports of gunfire breaking out on the Korean border. Fortunately, it was limited to a single location and didn’t escalate beyond small-arms fire. (Associated Press)
South Korea says its troops have exchanged fire with North Korea along their tense land border. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul says North Korean troops fired several bullets at a South Korean guard post inside the heavily fortified border between the countries on Sunday. The military says in a statement South Korea fired two rounds in response after issuing a warning broadcast.
Barring some major, unanticipated escalation, this is probably one of those headlines that sounds a lot worse than the actual details of the story turn out to be. North Korean state media still hasn’t commented on the incident, but if the South Korean press is to be believed, this was more of a random event than anything ominous.
First of all, the South Korean border guard post that the North Koreans were shooting at wasn’t even occupied at the time. When the South Korean guards returned fire, they intentionally aimed out into some unoccupied farming fields. The entire area was covered in thick fog at the time, so nobody could really see what they were shooting at anyway. No casualties or injuries of any sort have been reported by either side.
As it turns out, gunfire breaking out along the border isn’t really all that unusual. Back in 2017, Oh Chong Song defected from the North and was shot five times by border guards before making it to safety. (The whole thing was caught on video.) For his part, the defector said he didn’t blame the guards for shooting him and that he would have done the same thing if he were in their shoes.
At other times, the soldiers on both sides of the border have exchanged gunfire for no apparent reason at all. Of course, that sort of duty can get boring after a while so you’ve got to find something to do to pass the time.
As long as these incidents are confined to localized exchanges of rifle fire, we probably don’t need to be too concerned. A more significant matter will be when Kim resumes his ICMB testing. Almost exactly one month ago, Kim supervised the launching of two short-range missiles believed to be of a more advanced variety, using solid rocket fuel rather than liquids. That demonstration came on the heels of some artillery testing on the border.
Kim Jong-un clearly loves to be the center of attention, particularly if he can use these demonstrations to rally the support of his citizens. Now that he’s firmly aligned with China (and increasingly with Russia), he doesn’t need to worry quite so much about the stalemate he’s reached in negotiations with President Trump. In fact, with the world’s attention largely focused on the novel coronavirus pandemic, it’s believed that China has been helping the North Koreans violate the sanctions placed on them by the United States and the UN. In just the past month, Chinese cargo ships have been seen transferring coal and oil from North Korean vessels.
North Korea sharply stepped up trade in coal and oil products last year in defiance of UN sanctions through the apparent help of China’s shipping industry, a UN panel has said. The annual report to the UN Security Council by sanctions experts went online on Friday and inexplicably disappeared later in the day, with the text itself noting China’s reservations about the findings.
In this depressing era of pandemic madness, it’s nice to see that some things never change, isn’t it? Neither North Korea nor the Chinese Communist Party can be trusted further than you could throw them and we should always keep that in mind.


hotair--2020-05-03--Reade: By the way, there's no point in digging through Biden's records

Somebody cue Emily Litella , please .
I know the New York Times wanted the DNC to investigate the matter , but perhaps they won ’ t need to .
The latest “ blockbuster ” in the Tara Reade/Joe Biden saga has turned out to be a nothingburger .
By the Time Joe Biden finally got around to talking about Reade ’ s allegations on Morning Joe this week , yet another huge development had come out of the story .
Reade doubled down on her allegations , but added in one little detail we hadn ’ t heard before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she filed a complaint with the United States Senate against then-Senator Biden .
This was a major development in the story because assuming the document could be located , it would provide contemporaneous documentation showing that Reade had lodged her complaint through the appropriate channels .
It was big enough news that Mika Brzezinski pressed Biden on it , asking if he would open up all of his Senate records for inspection to see if the damning document was filed away there .
For his part , Biden said that all of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he continued to insist that no such document existed .
But now , after all of this fuss and bother , Reade has come out and said that her complaint makes no mention of sexual assault .
Insert # HeadDesk hashtag here .
( NY Post ) Tara Reade ’ s 1993 complaint against Joe Biden , which she says was filed to the Congressional Personnel Office , does not include any explicit accusations of sexual assault .
“ I remember talking about him wanting me to serve drinks because he liked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it made me uncomfortable , ” Reade told the Associated Press Friday .
“ I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault.
” … AP today reported on notes from its interview last year with Reade in which she said she “ chickened out ” after visiting the Senate Personnel Office .
In the 2019 interview , Reade spoke about Biden making her uncomfortable and inappropriate touching , but did not allege sexual assault .
That last bit about the Associated Press interview from last year is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As of yesterday , the AP admitted that they had interviewed Reade last year about these allegations , but wound up scrapping the piece rather than publishing it .
Now they ’ re saying ( based on the reporter ’ s notes ) that she told them about filing the report in 1993 , but she said she was too frightened to specifically bring up the sexual assault charges .
Whether the document exists or not… whether it ever existed or was lost… none of that matters .
The admission that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any such document essentially irrelevant to the discussion .
Nobody is denying the fact that Reade complained about Joe ’ s handsy behavior and invasion of personal space , saying it made her “ uncomfortable.
” We ’ re talking about Joe Biden here .
That ’ s basically just saying it was another day ending in a Y.
That ’ s baked into the cake as far as Biden ’ s history goes .
The real news was that he was being accused of something far , far worse .
And Reade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be a smoking gun lurking out there .
But if both she and the Associated Press reporter knew that the document , if it exists , made no mention of the assault , why on Earth would they wait for days on end before bringing up this critical detail ?
As I ’ ve written here repeatedly , I ’ ve been going back on forth as to how I feel about the potential veracity of Reade ’ s allegation .
It sounded pretty weak in the beginning , though still stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But then , once we heard from the brother , the neighbor , and the phone call her mom made to the Larry King show , I started thinking there might be some real meat on this bone .
But now I ’ m back to wondering if she didn ’ t just make up the “ pinned against the wall ” part of the story or if she ’ s just misremembering it in some fashion .
Either way , tossing out the claim about having filed a report only to later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it isn ’ t doing anything for her credibility as far as I ’ m concerned .

Somebody cue Emily Litella, please. I know the New York Times wanted the DNC to investigate the matter, but perhaps they won’t need to. The latest “blockbuster” in the Tara Reade/Joe Biden saga has turned out to be a nothingburger.
By the Time Joe Biden finally got around to talking about Reade’s allegations on Morning Joe this week, yet another huge development had come out of the story. Reade doubled down on her allegations, but added in one little detail we hadn’t heard before. Shortly after the alleged assault, she filed a complaint with the United States Senate against then-Senator Biden. This was a major development in the story because assuming the document could be located, it would provide contemporaneous documentation showing that Reade had lodged her complaint through the appropriate channels.
It was big enough news that Mika Brzezinski pressed Biden on it, asking if he would open up all of his Senate records for inspection to see if the damning document was filed away there. For his part, Biden said that all of his records should be available for search, but he continued to insist that no such document existed. But now, after all of this fuss and bother, Reade has come out and said that her complaint makes no mention of sexual assault. Insert #HeadDesk hashtag here. (NY Post)
Tara Reade’s 1993 complaint against Joe Biden, which she says was filed to the Congressional Personnel Office, does not include any explicit accusations of sexual assault. “I remember talking about him wanting me to serve drinks because he liked my legs and thought I was pretty and it made me uncomfortable,” Reade told the Associated Press Friday. “I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault.” … AP today reported on notes from its interview last year with Reade in which she said she “chickened out” after visiting the Senate Personnel Office. In the 2019 interview, Reade spoke about Biden making her uncomfortable and inappropriate touching, but did not allege sexual assault.
That last bit about the Associated Press interview from last year is important to this phase of the story. As of yesterday, the AP admitted that they had interviewed Reade last year about these allegations, but wound up scrapping the piece rather than publishing it. Now they’re saying (based on the reporter’s notes) that she told them about filing the report in 1993, but she said she was too frightened to specifically bring up the sexual assault charges.
Whether the document exists or not… whether it ever existed or was lost… none of that matters. The admission that she omitted the assault from her report makes any such document essentially irrelevant to the discussion. Nobody is denying the fact that Reade complained about Joe’s handsy behavior and invasion of personal space, saying it made her “uncomfortable.” We’re talking about Joe Biden here. That’s basically just saying it was another day ending in a Y. That’s baked into the cake as far as Biden’s history goes.
The real news was that he was being accused of something far, far worse. And Reade got everyone worked up, thinking there might be a smoking gun lurking out there. But if both she and the Associated Press reporter knew that the document, if it exists, made no mention of the assault, why on Earth would they wait for days on end before bringing up this critical detail?
As I’ve written here repeatedly, I’ve been going back on forth as to how I feel about the potential veracity of Reade’s allegation. It sounded pretty weak in the beginning, though still stronger than the Blasey-Ford allegations against Kavanaugh. But then, once we heard from the brother, the neighbor, and the phone call her mom made to the Larry King show, I started thinking there might be some real meat on this bone. But now I’m back to wondering if she didn’t just make up the “pinned against the wall” part of the story or if she’s just misremembering it in some fashion. Either way, tossing out the claim about having filed a report only to later reel back in the most damning aspect of it isn’t doing anything for her credibility as far as I’m concerned.