hotair--2020-08-20--Cuomo finally admits COVID mistake: I should have mandated masks sooner, even though I did it before

Cuomo finally admits COVID mistake: I should have mandated masks sooner, even though I did it before everyone else

I mean , if I were him and someone asked me what my biggest mistake was , I would have said “ Turning nursing homes into death factories.
” Or maybe “ Doing nothing for weeks in March while the virus went apesh*t on New York City.
” But “ Should ’ ve been slightly more proactive on masks ” works too , as a baby step .
He ’ s not going to admit he presided over an historic disaster on the first try .
We ’ ve got to let him build up to it psychologically .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation to do masks , I should ’ ve done it earlier .
I should ’ ve done masks earlier .
That would ’ ve made a dramatic difference , ” Cuomo told WAMC radio… Cuomo also admitted “ we were wrong ” to say that asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 can ’ t spread the killer bug .
“ That was just wrong , ” the governor said , adding , “ We spent months saying you have to be sneezed or coughed on .
That was just wrong.
” Cuomo said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that articles in a medical journal dating back to January and February showed there was evidence of asymptomatic spread .
But , said Cuomo , “ that ’ s not really a state function , that ’ s really a federal function…with the CDC [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] .
” So , of the two mistakes he admits , one is something on which he was ahead of the curve ( of necessity , thanks to New York ’ s massive outbreak ) and the other was really the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a job interview where they ask you what your biggest fault is and you say “ I ’ m a perfectionist.
” It ’ d be so easy for this guy to just come clean .
“ I made a lot of mistakes early on .
We didn ’ t know what we were dealing with .
We didn ’ t know how long the virus had been here .
It was hard to imagine shutting down the entire state , something we ’ d never done even in times of war .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ overrun , there ’ d be so many sick people .
That ’ s why I made nursing homes take back infected residents , because they could be cared for there and I thought we ’ d need every available bed in ICUs.
” New Yorkers would forgive him for having done his best in an impossible situation .
I think they ’ d appreciate the candor .
He can ’ t do it .
Whether it ’ s a matter of pure ego or because the myth of Andrew Cuomo , COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be coaxed back into the bottle , he can ’ t .
Instead he ’ s tweeting out crap like this : He has a book celebrating his leadership on the pandemic coming out in less than two months .
What the hell is he doing writing a book at “ halftime ” ?
If you ’ re going to do that , at least do it when you ’ re up big going into the second half , not trailing 30,000 to 0 .
Can ’ t argue with results , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get infected and then doing an end-zone dance when they ’ re all either dead or immune has paid off : After I wrote my post a few days ago about New York City possibly having herd immunity , a friend emailed me a link to this story at Gothamist ominously entitled , “ ‘ We All Want To Pretend This Isn ’ t Happening ’ : Mask-Free Pandemic Parties Are Popping Up In NYC ” .
The date of that story ?
July 14 .
Six weeks later , with young idiots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are still no outbreaks in New York .
That curve is flat as a pancake .
The news lately is good elsewhere too .
The “ summer wave ” in the south and California appears to be easing : The Rona Viz site , which tracks the pandemic in all 50 states , reports that over the past week cases are down 17 percent in California , 25 percent in Georgia , 31 percent in Florida , and 34 percent in Alabama .
Cases have fallen so far in Arizona over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven-day average now stands at about where it stood at the start of June .
You look at a curve like this… …and wonder if Arizona isn ’ t also well down the path towards herd immunity , with another massive outbreak unlikely to occur during the “ second wave ” this winter .
The one outlier in all this improvement is Texas , where cases have slowed a bit but not dramatically like in the other summer hot spots .
A mask mandate ’ s been in effect there for nearly two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a panacea , clearly , even if they do help .
There ’ s more good news .
Although cases of people recovering from COVID partially but never quite fully are numerous and alarming , doctors continue to get better at saving patients ’ lives : In Arizona , about 5 percent of those who tested positive for the coronavirus by the end of May died .
The case fatality rate now is about half that figure .
In California , the rate stood at 4 percent in late May , and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7.5 percent of those who tested positive in Minnesota died , a rate that has fallen to 2.7 percent , according to The Hill ’ s analysis of state data .
Health experts pointed to several reasons for the decline : Doctors are learning about better methods of treating those who are ill. Those who contract the virus are now more likely to be younger , rather than older people who are most at risk of dying .
And more widespread testing is identifying cases among those who show few or no symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
There ’ s also been interesting buzz lately about an idea that would break the back of the pandemic and let America return to something approximating normal many months before the vaccine is developed , distributed , and administered to a critical mass of the population .
That ’ s DIY testing — on a massive , massive scale .
A Harvard epidemiologist claims that a basically ( not perfectly ) accurate paper test can be mass-produced for less than one dollar apiece ; instead of spending $ 2 trillion on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feds could spend a fraction of that cost to ensure that every American has , say , a two-month supply of tests .
Every morning when you wake up , you take one .
If you ’ re negative , go to work .
If you ’ re positive , stay home for two weeks .
Most infected people would be removed as vectors of transmission , bringing community spread to a near-halt .
It ’ d be an ersatz vaccine .
Seems perfectly sensible , so … we ’ re definitely not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we did , untold millions of idiots would either forget to take the daily test or would refuse on grounds that it ’ s an infringement of their liberty or something .
In lieu of an exit question , go read about what ’ s happening in Europe .
Even when the virus is “ gone , ” it ’ s never really gone .

I’m treating this as progress.
I mean, if I were him and someone asked me what my biggest mistake was, I would have said “Turning nursing homes into death factories.”
Or maybe “Doing nothing for weeks in March while the virus went apesh*t on New York City.”
But “Should’ve been slightly more proactive on masks” works too, as a baby step. He’s not going to admit he presided over an historic disaster on the first try.
We’ve got to let him build up to it psychologically.
“I was the first state in the nation to do masks, I should’ve done it earlier. I should’ve done masks earlier. That would’ve made a dramatic difference,” Cuomo told WAMC radio… Cuomo also admitted “we were wrong” to say that asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 can’t spread the killer bug. “That was just wrong,” the governor said, adding, “We spent months saying you have to be sneezed or coughed on. That was just wrong.” Cuomo said he has now done his own research and that articles in a medical journal dating back to January and February showed there was evidence of asymptomatic spread. But, said Cuomo, “that’s not really a state function, that’s really a federal function…with the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention].”
So, of the two mistakes he admits, one is something on which he was ahead of the curve (of necessity, thanks to New York’s massive outbreak) and the other was really the feds’ fault. This is like a job interview where they ask you what your biggest fault is and you say “I’m a perfectionist.”
It’d be so easy for this guy to just come clean. “I made a lot of mistakes early on. We didn’t know what we were dealing with. We didn’t know how long the virus had been here. It was hard to imagine shutting down the entire state, something we’d never done even in times of war. I was told that hospitals would be overrun, there’d be so many sick people. That’s why I made nursing homes take back infected residents, because they could be cared for there and I thought we’d need every available bed in ICUs.” New Yorkers would forgive him for having done his best in an impossible situation. I think they’d appreciate the candor.
He can’t do it. Whether it’s a matter of pure ego or because the myth of Andrew Cuomo, COVID Churchill, is too far gone to be coaxed back into the bottle, he can’t. Instead he’s tweeting out crap like this:
COVID is NOT over. At best it’s half time. You don’t call it a win at half time no matter the score. — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 19, 2020
He has a book celebrating his leadership on the pandemic coming out in less than two months. What the hell is he doing writing a book at “halftime”?
If you’re going to do that, at least do it when you’re up big going into the second half, not trailing 30,000 to 0.
Can’t argue with results, though. The master plan of letting everyone get infected and then doing an end-zone dance when they’re all either dead or immune has paid off:
Today's update on the numbers: Of the 80,984 tests reported yesterday, 601 were positive (0.74% of total). Total hospitalizations fell to 518. Sadly, there were 5 COVID fatalities yesterday. pic.twitter.com/hSoWVI9xOp — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 20, 2020
After I wrote my post a few days ago about New York City possibly having herd immunity, a friend emailed me a link to this story at Gothamist ominously entitled, “‘We All Want To Pretend This Isn’t Happening’: Mask-Free Pandemic Parties Are Popping Up In NYC”. The date of that story? July 14. Six weeks later, with young idiots partying the summer away sans masks, there are still no outbreaks in New York. That curve is flat as a pancake.
The news lately is good elsewhere too. The “summer wave” in the south and California appears to be easing:
Our daily update is published. States reported 636k tests, 245k less than last Thursday. Today's case count is 43k, and the death toll is 1,117. pic.twitter.com/n6M4hzXcsq — The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) August 20, 2020
The Rona Viz site, which tracks the pandemic in all 50 states, reports that over the past week cases are down 17 percent in California, 25 percent in Georgia, 31 percent in Florida, and 34 percent in Alabama. Cases have fallen so far in Arizona over the past several weeks that today’s seven-day average now stands at about where it stood at the start of June. You look at a curve like this…
…and wonder if Arizona isn’t also well down the path towards herd immunity, with another massive outbreak unlikely to occur during the “second wave” this winter. The one outlier in all this improvement is Texas, where cases have slowed a bit but not dramatically like in the other summer hot spots. A mask mandate’s been in effect there for nearly two months now. Masks aren’t a panacea, clearly, even if they do help.
There’s more good news. Although cases of people recovering from COVID partially but never quite fully are numerous and alarming, doctors continue to get better at saving patients’ lives:
In Arizona, about 5 percent of those who tested positive for the coronavirus by the end of May died. The case fatality rate now is about half that figure. In California, the rate stood at 4 percent in late May, and is now 1.6 percent. In April, 7.5 percent of those who tested positive in Minnesota died, a rate that has fallen to 2.7 percent, according to The Hill’s analysis of state data. Health experts pointed to several reasons for the decline: Doctors are learning about better methods of treating those who are ill. Those who contract the virus are now more likely to be younger, rather than older people who are most at risk of dying. And more widespread testing is identifying cases among those who show few or no symptoms.
Remdesivir and dexamethasone are helping as well. There’s also been interesting buzz lately about an idea that would break the back of the pandemic and let America return to something approximating normal many months before the vaccine is developed, distributed, and administered to a critical mass of the population. That’s DIY testing — on a massive, massive scale. A Harvard epidemiologist claims that a basically (not perfectly) accurate paper test can be mass-produced for less than one dollar apiece; instead of spending $2 trillion on secondary effects of the pandemic, the feds could spend a fraction of that cost to ensure that every American has, say, a two-month supply of tests. Every morning when you wake up, you take one. If you’re negative, go to work. If you’re positive, stay home for two weeks. Most infected people would be removed as vectors of transmission, bringing community spread to a near-halt. It’d be an ersatz vaccine.
Seems perfectly sensible, so … we’re definitely not going to do it. And even if we did, untold millions of idiots would either forget to take the daily test or would refuse on grounds that it’s an infringement of their liberty or something.
In lieu of an exit question, go read about what’s happening in Europe. Even when the virus is “gone,” it’s never really gone.


hotair--2020-08-21--Biden: If scientists told me we needed to shut down the country to slow the virus, I'd shut it down

A baaaaad answer in terms of policy .
I thought this guy had already had his “ come to Jesus ” moment on the role of federalism in managing the pandemic .
A few months ago he proposed a national mask mandate and suggested that he ’ d use his executive authority to make it happen .
Uh , what executive authority ?
The president doesn ’ t make the rules about how America manages a deadly contagion .
The 50 governors do .
He could encourage a mask mandate ; he could maybe even convince Congress to condition federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s willingness to impose a mandate .
But a true national mask mandate ?
Please .
How would you even enforce it ?
Biden seemed to learn that lesson , though .
More recently when he called for a mask mandate , he acknowledged that America ’ s governors would have ultimate authority .
Now he ’ s back to insisting that he ’ d order a national lockdown if , I guess , Tony Fauci and Debbie Birx told him it was a good idea .
Wha ’ happened ?
Governors are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comply with their own lockdown orders .
Imagine the degree of resistance if the order to close businesses came from far-flung Washington .
How many people in a rural red state where spread is low would give it a second thought ?
Bad policy .
But the politics of this answer are less bad .
The idea of a national lockdown engineered by egghead scientists seems almost tailor-made to piss off populist Trump voters but it ’ s less unpopular with the rest of the electorate .
An NPR poll taken at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent said they ’ d support a two-week national lockdown aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus .
An AP poll taken a few weeks earlier saw nearly half of respondents say they favor requiring Americans to remain in their homes apart from essential trips .
The sort of voter whom Biden ’ s aiming for wouldn ’ t rule out a proposal like this on the merits as instantly as a rank-and-file Republican would .
We also shouldn ’ t overthink what casual voters will take away from the clip .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there trying to puzzle out which constitutional provisional grants President Sleepy Joe the authority to lock down the country .
The takeaway will be “ stopping the pandemic is this guy ’ s highest priority , ” and that ’ s a popular position .
I ’ ve blogged a lot of polls about COVID over the past five months and I can ’ t remember a single one in which people , when asked to choose , favored reopening to get the economy going over controlling the virus .
Literally every last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solid majority preferring the latter over the former .
That ’ s the group Biden ’ s courting with this answer .
He ’ s seizing an opportunity to say in a dramatic — and dubious — way that he ’ ll listen to the scientists and go the extra mile to get the virus under control , even if unprecedented control measures are required .
Safety first .
By giving that answer , he ’ s drawing a contrast with you-know-who .
And he ’ s probably hoping that you-know-who will feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minority position that reopening businesses and schools is better for the country whatever it might mean in terms of community spread .
As a meta-message , this is Biden signaling in neon lights , “ I ’ ll do things differently on COVID than Trump did.
” Considering that his handling of the pandemic is Trump ’ s biggest electoral liability , that ’ s not a bad meta-message to have .
Exit question : How many scientists are even proposing a national lockdown ?
There aresome , but I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed it .
Their attitude has always been that decisions need to be made locally , based on how severe the spread is in a particular city or state .

A baaaaad answer in terms of policy. I thought this guy had already had his “come to Jesus” moment on the role of federalism in managing the pandemic. A few months ago he proposed a national mask mandate and suggested that he’d use his executive authority to make it happen. Uh, what executive authority? The president doesn’t make the rules about how America manages a deadly contagion. The 50 governors do. He could encourage a mask mandate; he could maybe even convince Congress to condition federal funding to states on their governor’s willingness to impose a mandate. But a true national mask mandate? Please. How would you even enforce it?
Biden seemed to learn that lesson, though. More recently when he called for a mask mandate, he acknowledged that America’s governors would have ultimate authority.
Now he’s back to insisting that he’d order a national lockdown if, I guess, Tony Fauci and Debbie Birx told him it was a good idea. Wha’ happened?
“I would shut it down. I would listen to the scientists.” Joe Biden tells @DavidMuir in an exclusive interview that as president, he would shut the country down to stop the spread of COVID-19 if the move was recommended by scientists. https://t.co/2A9r07d7EC pic.twitter.com/Ib99cshlSI — ABC News (@ABC) August 21, 2020
Governors are having a hard enough time getting locals to comply with their own lockdown orders. Imagine the degree of resistance if the order to close businesses came from far-flung Washington. How many people in a rural red state where spread is low would give it a second thought?
Bad policy. But the politics of this answer are less bad. The idea of a national lockdown engineered by egghead scientists seems almost tailor-made to piss off populist Trump voters but it’s less unpopular with the rest of the electorate. An NPR poll taken at the end of last month found 59 percent said they’d support a two-week national lockdown aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus. An AP poll taken a few weeks earlier saw nearly half of respondents say they favor requiring Americans to remain in their homes apart from essential trips. The sort of voter whom Biden’s aiming for wouldn’t rule out a proposal like this on the merits as instantly as a rank-and-file Republican would.
We also shouldn’t overthink what casual voters will take away from the clip. They’re not going to sit there trying to puzzle out which constitutional provisional grants President Sleepy Joe the authority to lock down the country. The takeaway will be “stopping the pandemic is this guy’s highest priority,” and that’s a popular position. I’ve blogged a lot of polls about COVID over the past five months and I can’t remember a single one in which people, when asked to choose, favored reopening to get the economy going over controlling the virus. Literally every last survey I’ve seen has a solid majority preferring the latter over the former. That’s the group Biden’s courting with this answer. He’s seizing an opportunity to say in a dramatic — and dubious — way that he’ll listen to the scientists and go the extra mile to get the virus under control, even if unprecedented control measures are required. Safety first.
By giving that answer, he’s drawing a contrast with you-know-who. And he’s probably hoping that you-know-who will feel baited by this and rush to claim the minority position that reopening businesses and schools is better for the country whatever it might mean in terms of community spread. As a meta-message, this is Biden signaling in neon lights, “I’ll do things differently on COVID than Trump did.” Considering that his handling of the pandemic is Trump’s biggest electoral liability, that’s not a bad meta-message to have.
Exit question: How many scientists are even proposing a national lockdown? There aresome, but I don’t think Fauci or Birx has ever proposed it. Their attitude has always been that decisions need to be made locally, based on how severe the spread is in a particular city or state.


hotair--2020-08-21--The best restoration of Star Wars is the one no one has ever seen

It ’ s Friday afternoon so I ’ m taking a mid-afternoon break from politics to write about Star Wars .
Mike Verta is a composer and visual effects artist .
For the past 20 years he has been working privately on a labor of love .
He is single-handedly trying to restore the original Star Wars into a 4K version he calls the Legacy Edition .
He won ’ t say exactly how much of his own money he has spent on the project but it ’ s a lot .
“ A f**k-ton of money has been spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recent You Tube video .
He continued with a bit of laughter as he said , “ Way more just in the R & D .
Nobody would do this .
It ’ s crazy .
It ’ s fiscally—it is logistically irresponsible of me to have spent this much money and as many years of my life on this stupid restoration that makes no sense .
It ’ s crazy .
It ’ s silly .
It ’ s also fantastic.
” So what has all the money been spent on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five separate 35mm prints of Star Wars and then spent years creating custom software to help him restore it in addition to the high-end , off-the-shelf software he uses .
In a video posted on YouTube in May he described the process he uses .
Using custom software , he stacks individual frames from each of the five prints .
The software then compares each pixel in the stack .
The idea is to literally take the best pixel from every frame of every print .
In the process , his software winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be the result of wear and tear from having been run through a projector too many times .
But as he worked out this process he realized it also did something else unexpected .
By combining the best of five prints , his process effectively grabbed the maximum possible detail from each frame .
In effect , he created frames and shots that had more detail than any single print of Star Wars ever shown in a theater in 1977 .
All of that can sound like hyperbole but once you see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the stacked frames , cleaning the frames and correcting the color , the result can be pretty dramatic .
Verta said he ’ s about 85 percent finished with the Legacy edition but he has vowed he will never release it to the public .
There are other fan edits of the original Star Wars film out there .
One called “ Harmy ’ s Despecialized Edition ” has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times .
A more recent effort called 4K77 is based on just one 4K scan of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is available on usenet .
But again , the Legacy edition which is by far the most detailed restoration , will never be released by Verta .
In part he said that ’ s because the powers that be have warned him specifically that they would likely sue him into oblivion if he did so .
But he said even before receiving those warnings he ’ d decided he wouldn ’ t do it .
“ It ’ s not the right thing to do for a film that meant that much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I want everybody to see it .
Of course I do .
But I wouldn ’ t kill all of its karma and all of its…I just wouldn ’ t do that.
” So for now the film sits on a hard drive in his personal safe .
But Verta said he remains optimistic that things will change one day .
He recently had a meeting with film executives to present the results of his process and to suggest the idea of releasing a 4K restoration of the original film .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of buying Fox and people said it wasn ’ t the right moment , but he said the reaction to his work was universally positive .
So one day , eventually , Disney may finally give the fans back the movie that so many kids cared about in 1977 .
As for why he ’ s doing all of this with no guarantee it ’ ll ever see the light of day ( much less that he ’ ll be paid for decades of work ) , Verta said ultimately he ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if someone else does it and his effort is forgotten .
He said he ’ d buy ten copies if he believed the result was better than what he could do .
“ I ’ ve just never seen those images , ” he said .
In other words he ’ s doing it because no one else has .
“ Star Wars is gone .
Except it ’ s not .
It ’ s still so present we ’ re making Star Wars films and making Star Wars lands [ at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started it all , the original film , is completely gone .
It ’ s nowhere , ” he said .
He added , “ That doesn ’ t make any sense.
” Here ’ s his YouTube clip containing a bunch more restored scenes and a more detailed explanation of how he did it .

It’s Friday afternoon so I’m taking a mid-afternoon break from politics to write about Star Wars.
Mike Verta is a composer and visual effects artist. For the past 20 years he has been working privately on a labor of love. He is single-handedly trying to restore the original Star Wars into a 4K version he calls the Legacy Edition. He won’t say exactly how much of his own money he has spent on the project but it’s a lot.
“A f**k-ton of money has been spent on this,” he said in a recent You Tube video. He continued with a bit of laughter as he said, “Way more just in the R&D. Nobody would do this. It’s crazy. It’s fiscally—it is logistically irresponsible of me to have spent this much money and as many years of my life on this stupid restoration that makes no sense. It’s crazy. It’s silly. It’s also fantastic.”
So what has all the money been spent on? Verta has done 4k scans of five separate 35mm prints of Star Wars and then spent years creating custom software to help him restore it in addition to the high-end, off-the-shelf software he uses.
In a video posted on YouTube in May he described the process he uses. Using custom software, he stacks individual frames from each of the five prints. The software then compares each pixel in the stack. The idea is to literally take the best pixel from every frame of every print. In the process, his software winds up removing hundreds of tiny flaws that could be the result of wear and tear from having been run through a projector too many times.
But as he worked out this process he realized it also did something else unexpected. By combining the best of five prints, his process effectively grabbed the maximum possible detail from each frame. In effect, he created frames and shots that had more detail than any single print of Star Wars ever shown in a theater in 1977.
All of that can sound like hyperbole but once you see the results of his process pulling detail from the stacked frames, cleaning the frames and correcting the color, the result can be pretty dramatic.
Verta said he’s about 85 percent finished with the Legacy edition but he has vowed he will never release it to the public. There are other fan edits of the original Star Wars film out there. One called “Harmy’s Despecialized Edition” has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times. A more recent effort called 4K77 is based on just one 4K scan of an original print of the film. That one is available on usenet. But again, the Legacy edition which is by far the most detailed restoration, will never be released by Verta.
In part he said that’s because the powers that be have warned him specifically that they would likely sue him into oblivion if he did so. But he said even before receiving those warnings he’d decided he wouldn’t do it. “It’s not the right thing to do for a film that meant that much to me,” he said. “I want everybody to see it. Of course I do. But I wouldn’t kill all of its karma and all of its…I just wouldn’t do that.” So for now the film sits on a hard drive in his personal safe.
But Verta said he remains optimistic that things will change one day. He recently had a meeting with film executives to present the results of his process and to suggest the idea of releasing a 4K restoration of the original film. At the time Disney was in the midst of buying Fox and people said it wasn’t the right moment, but he said the reaction to his work was universally positive. So one day, eventually, Disney may finally give the fans back the movie that so many kids cared about in 1977.
As for why he’s doing all of this with no guarantee it’ll ever see the light of day (much less that he’ll be paid for decades of work), Verta said ultimately he’d be happy to see the restoration happen even if someone else does it and his effort is forgotten. He said he’d buy ten copies if he believed the result was better than what he could do. “I’ve just never seen those images,” he said. In other words he’s doing it because no one else has.
“Star Wars is gone. Except it’s not. It’s still so present we’re making Star Wars films and making Star Wars lands [at Disney] and yet the film that started it all, the original film, is completely gone. It’s nowhere,” he said. He added, “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Here’s his YouTube clip containing a bunch more restored scenes and a more detailed explanation of how he did it.


hotair--2020-08-21--Portland federal buildings closed after bomb threat, FBI investigating

The details are still a bit sketchy at this point but the Associated Press reports that sometime Thursday a bomb threat was made against federal buildings in Portland .
At least two buildings are now closed because of the threat : At least two federal buildings in Portland have been closed and the FBI is investigating after a car bomb threat was made , the officials said Friday .
The threat , which was received Thursday , warned of the intention to use a car bomb to target federal property in Portland , according to two law enforcement officials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ area have been closed because of the threat , the officials said .
The officials could not discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity… The Portland office of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court was closed because of a threat of violence in the area , according to the court ’ s website .
Also closed was the Mark O. Hatfield Federal courthouse , which was the site of weeks of violent protests last month .
KGW 8 adds that two child development centers announced last night that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their location : Finally , all federal workers have been told to leave downtown by noon which suggests authorities are taking this threat pretty seriously : In theory , anyone with a case taking place in the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse or the Bankruptcy Court could have called in this threat as a way of delaying their case .
But as you can see from the AP story above , it has already crossed the minds of many that the federal courthouse has been the focus of nightly protests/riots for weeks .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I certainly wouldn ’ t put it past them .
Their motto is “ by any means necessary ” so it ’ s conceivable this is a new tactic they are trying out .
Last night a federal ICE facility in Portland was the focus of a mob of vandals .
An unlawful assembly was declared and police eventually pushed the group away from the building .
A riot was declared in the same area Wednesday night after attacks on the building that shattered windows .
The AP reports that it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility was mentioned in the threat or if it has been closed today .

The details are still a bit sketchy at this point but the Associated Press reports that sometime Thursday a bomb threat was made against federal buildings in Portland. At least two buildings are now closed because of the threat:
At least two federal buildings in Portland have been closed and the FBI is investigating after a car bomb threat was made, the officials said Friday. The threat, which was received Thursday, warned of the intention to use a car bomb to target federal property in Portland, according to two law enforcement officials. A number of federal offices in the area have been closed because of the threat, the officials said. The officials could not discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity… The Portland office of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court was closed because of a threat of violence in the area, according to the court’s website. Also closed was the Mark O. Hatfield Federal courthouse, which was the site of weeks of violent protests last month.
KGW 8 adds that two child development centers announced last night that they would be closed today because of their location:
On Thursday night, Joyful Noise Child Development Center announced its downtown and east federal centers would be closing Friday, citing “a security threat to federal buildings in Portland.” The downtown Portland location is in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers building. The east center shares a Lloyd District building with Metro Regional Center, which was already closed to limit the spread COVID-19.
Finally, all federal workers have been told to leave downtown by noon which suggests authorities are taking this threat pretty seriously:
Just after 10 a.m. City of Portland employees were asked “out of an abundance of caution” to leave the downtown area by noon and stay away through the weekend, due to scheduled demonstrations and an increased potential for dangerous activity.
In theory, anyone with a case taking place in the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse or the Bankruptcy Court could have called in this threat as a way of delaying their case. But as you can see from the AP story above, it has already crossed the minds of many that the federal courthouse has been the focus of nightly protests/riots for weeks. The rioters may not be behind this threat but I certainly wouldn’t put it past them. Their motto is “by any means necessary” so it’s conceivable this is a new tactic they are trying out.
Last night a federal ICE facility in Portland was the focus of a mob of vandals. An unlawful assembly was declared and police eventually pushed the group away from the building. A riot was declared in the same area Wednesday night after attacks on the building that shattered windows. The AP reports that it is unclear at this moment if the ICE facility was mentioned in the threat or if it has been closed today.


hotair--2020-08-21--Kevin McCarthy: QAnon has no place in the Republican Party

It ’ s good that he said so , but don ’ t forget that he ’ s partly to blame for why the GOP is suddenly stuck answering questions on this subject .
McCarthy had a chance last month to throw his weight behind Marjorie Taylor Greene ’ s primary opponent in Georgia ’ s 14th District .
If you believe The Hill ’ s sources , he told her opponent personally that resources were coming from party leadership to help him win that race — and then did nothing .
Greene went on to victory , she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of Congress next year , and the media ’ s in a feeding frenzy about the growing influence of QAnoners within the party .
McCarthy tried to undo some of the damage last night : His point about Omar and Tlaib is sharp and well-taken .
Part of the reason they have cover from Democratic leaders is that they ’ re hardcore ideologues ; crack down hard on them and they ’ ll screech that you ’ re against progressivism .
A better analogue to them on the right than QAnon was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My objection to McCarthy steering the conversation around to Omar and Tlaib isn ’ t that he ’ s wrong to condemn them .
It ’ s that , within the context of a discussion of QAnon , that sort of deflection operates as permission for the wackos on one ’ s own side to carry on .
McCarthy ’ s trying to make the point that Republicans are disclaiming their kooks , now it ’ s on Democrats to disclaim theirs .
But in practice , especially given the extent to which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think many people watch this and think , “ Well , if the Democrats won ’ t disclaim their kooks , why should we disclaim ours ?
” Another way to look at it : The next time Ilhan Omar farts out something anti-semitic and McCarthy righteously condemns her , Democrats will try to change the subject by grousing about Trump and QAnon .
All Trump had to do was say a few discouraging words about it the other day and McCarthy , and the party , wouldn ’ t be on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t , they ’ re forced to clean up his mess , as usual .
Pence is cleaning it up too , sort of : “ There is hardly universal support inside the party for QAnon , ” the Times acknowledged yesterday .
“ Many of its leaders in Congress and powerful donors are privately horrified at the spread of the movement ’ s themes.
” Right , but apart from a precious few they ’ ve been silent because they recognize that there are enough Q-bots out there at this point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCarthy says QAnon has no place in the party , that ’ s really for them to decide .
With big enough numbers , a “ movement ” doesn ’ t need to ask a party ’ s leadership to be welcomed in .
They ’ ll just barge in and claim their spot .
Robert Tracinski shrewdly sees the rise of another movement in QAnon ’ s wake .
Just as Trump ’ s ascendance produced pro-Trumpers , anti-Trumpers , and ultimately anti-anti-Trumpers in right-wing media , there ’ ll be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon enough .
Anti-anti-ism is the preferred template for Trump support among those who still want to maintain some veneer of respectability .
They can ’ t defend Trump ’ s own statements and actions , but they can find plenty to criticize in his critics .
So they won ’ t defend or endorse QAnon , not really .
They will just dismiss as hysterical anybody who thinks that it ’ s important for Trump to disavow QAnon .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany set the tone : “ He believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that love this country .
He is not in the business of ‘ basket of deplorables ’ politics.
” So criticizing wacky conspiracy theorists makes you an elitist snob .
The general line you will see being taken is that real people don ’ t really know or care about QAnon and only “ the media ” is obsessed by it—though Q followers have been showing up at Trump ’ s rallies for years .
And after all , why haven ’ t the Democrats denounced Antifa ?
( Anti-Anti-ism leans heavily on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we got from McCarthy vis-a-vis Omar , isn ’ t it ?
And the deflection about the media ’ s priorities is exactly what we got from Pence this morning , as he went on to complain about “ spending time on a major network to talk about some conspiracy online theory.
” The GOP ’ s anti-anti-QAnon era is upon us already , at the very highest levels of leadership .
I ’ ll leave you with this excerpt from a Times story last week about the final twist in the rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obsession with bogus claims of child sex trafficking has begun to undercut efforts to fight the real thing .
“ I spoke to a number of longtime anti-trafficking activists who were alarmed by QAnon ’ s recent incursion onto their turf .
They had worked for years to expose facts about child trafficking , only to see them distorted and misused by partisan opportunists .
And they worried that in addition to clogging hotlines , QAnon believers could undermine the movement ’ s bipartisan credibility .
”

It’s good that he said so, but don’t forget that he’s partly to blame for why the GOP is suddenly stuck answering questions on this subject. McCarthy had a chance last month to throw his weight behind Marjorie Taylor Greene’s primary opponent in Georgia’s 14th District. If you believe The Hill’s sources, he told her opponent personally that resources were coming from party leadership to help him win that race — and then did nothing. Greene went on to victory, she’s now a near-lock to be a member of Congress next year, and the media’s in a feeding frenzy about the growing influence of QAnoners within the party. McCarthy tried to undo some of the damage last night:
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Thursday night said that "there is no place for QAnon in the Republican party. I do not support it." The GOP lawmaker also took aim at the Democratic party for what he sees as failures to denounce anti-Semitic remarks. pic.twitter.com/t5F9eYRRE3 — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) August 21, 2020
His point about Omar and Tlaib is sharp and well-taken. Part of the reason they have cover from Democratic leaders is that they’re hardcore ideologues; crack down hard on them and they’ll screech that you’re against progressivism. A better analogue to them on the right than QAnon was the Ron Paul movement circa 2010. My objection to McCarthy steering the conversation around to Omar and Tlaib isn’t that he’s wrong to condemn them. It’s that, within the context of a discussion of QAnon, that sort of deflection operates as permission for the wackos on one’s own side to carry on. McCarthy’s trying to make the point that Republicans are disclaiming their kooks, now it’s on Democrats to disclaim theirs. But in practice, especially given the extent to which negative partisanship defines politics nowadays, I think many people watch this and think, “Well, if the Democrats won’t disclaim their kooks, why should we disclaim ours?”
Another way to look at it: The next time Ilhan Omar farts out something anti-semitic and McCarthy righteously condemns her, Democrats will try to change the subject by grousing about Trump and QAnon. All Trump had to do was say a few discouraging words about it the other day and McCarthy, and the party, wouldn’t be on the spot right now. Because he couldn’t, they’re forced to clean up his mess, as usual.
Pence is cleaning it up too, sort of:
https://twitter.com/thebias_news/status/1296830859253669889
“There is hardly universal support inside the party for QAnon,” the Times acknowledged yesterday. “Many of its leaders in Congress and powerful donors are privately horrified at the spread of the movement’s themes.” Right, but apart from a precious few they’ve been silent because they recognize that there are enough Q-bots out there at this point to be affect tight primaries. When McCarthy says QAnon has no place in the party, that’s really for them to decide. With big enough numbers, a “movement” doesn’t need to ask a party’s leadership to be welcomed in. They’ll just barge in and claim their spot.
Robert Tracinski shrewdly sees the rise of another movement in QAnon’s wake. Just as Trump’s ascendance produced pro-Trumpers, anti-Trumpers, and ultimately anti-anti-Trumpers in right-wing media, there’ll be an anti-anti-QAnon contingent along to join the party soon enough.
Get prepared for anti-anti-QAnon. Anti-anti-ism is the preferred template for Trump support among those who still want to maintain some veneer of respectability. They can’t defend Trump’s own statements and actions, but they can find plenty to criticize in his critics. So they won’t defend or endorse QAnon, not really. They will just dismiss as hysterical anybody who thinks that it’s important for Trump to disavow QAnon. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany set the tone: “He believes his supporters are good, hard-working people that love this country. He is not in the business of ‘basket of deplorables’ politics.” So criticizing wacky conspiracy theorists makes you an elitist snob. The general line you will see being taken is that real people don’t really know or care about QAnon and only “the media” is obsessed by it—though Q followers have been showing up at Trump’s rallies for years. And after all, why haven’t the Democrats denounced Antifa? (Anti-Anti-ism leans heavily on Whataboutism.)
Whataboutism is exactly what we got from McCarthy vis-a-vis Omar, isn’t it? And the deflection about the media’s priorities is exactly what we got from Pence this morning, as he went on to complain about “spending time on a major network to talk about some conspiracy online theory.” The GOP’s anti-anti-QAnon era is upon us already, at the very highest levels of leadership.
I’ll leave you with this excerpt from a Times story last week about the final twist in the rise of QAnon, which is that their obsession with bogus claims of child sex trafficking has begun to undercut efforts to fight the real thing. “I spoke to a number of longtime anti-trafficking activists who were alarmed by QAnon’s recent incursion onto their turf. They had worked for years to expose facts about child trafficking, only to see them distorted and misused by partisan opportunists. And they worried that in addition to clogging hotlines, QAnon believers could undermine the movement’s bipartisan credibility.”


hotair--2020-08-21--Marquise Love turns himself in, now facing three felony charges

As recently as yesterday afternoon police said they hadn ’ t been able to locate Marquise Love , the suspect in the assault on Adam Haner in Portland Sunday night .
But this morning , Love finally turned himself in : Portland Police Bureau Detectives and members of the Multnomah County District Attorney ’ s Office coordinated with the attorney for Marquise Love and this morning , Mr. Love turned himself into Detectives .
He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Assault II , Riot and Coercion… “ I am pleased the suspect in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the efforts to facilitate this safe resolution , ” said Chief Chuck Lovell .
“ Thank you to all of the members of the public who have provided information and tips to our investigators .
Your assistance is very much appreciated.
” Love ’ s arraignment is scheduled for Monday .
He likely won ’ t be going home for the weekend as his bail amount was set at $ 260,000 .
Assault II is a class B felony with a maximum sentence of 10 years .
The other two charges are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 5 years each .
Given that the incident was caught on camera it seems very likely that Love will be convicted and spend some time in prison .
And given that this is not his first violent offense , I ’ d guess he won ’ t be given a slap on the wrist .
Love had been arrested seven previous times including once for domestic assault though he wasn ’ t charged in that case : Marquise Love , 25 , has been arrested in Washington County , Ore. , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times since 2012 , according to records provided to Fox News .
In 2017 , he was arrested for domestic assault and domestic harassment .
He wasn ’ t prosecuted , The New York Post reported , but a judge signed a protective order against him .
His rap sheet also includes two separate arrests in 2016 for providing false information in connection with the transfer of a firearm , and domestic assault and criminal trespass .
In 2015 , Love was arrested for interfering with public transportation .
Yesterday , Portland police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man believed to have been in contact with Love who was a possible witness to the attack on Adam Haner .
Today , they said that possible witness has been identified : “ Investigators have also identified the witness from the previous release .
Thank you to the public for their interest and tips on this case.
” Yesterday Adam Haner gave an interview saying he wasn ’ t angry at Love : “ I ’ m not seeking vengeance .
I hope he learns something from what happened.
” Haner ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that night , said she is angry because she ’ s seen the videos of what Love did to Haner .
As of yesterday , Haner still hadn ’ t watched the videos and didn ’ t plan to do so .
Haner said he never said anything to Love or anyone that night that would have provoked the violent reaction .
He said he saw a trans woman being robbed and harassed and tried to intercede .
And once he did that he said , “ Their whole chaos came right at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to aim it at.
” The arrest of Love is a good start but there were 3-4 other people who were harassing and assaulting people that night who also need to be arrested and charged .

As recently as yesterday afternoon police said they hadn’t been able to locate Marquise Love, the suspect in the assault on Adam Haner in Portland Sunday night. But this morning, Love finally turned himself in:
Portland Police Bureau Detectives and members of the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office coordinated with the attorney for Marquise Love and this morning, Mr. Love turned himself into Detectives. He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Assault II, Riot and Coercion… “I am pleased the suspect in this case turned himself in and appreciate all of the efforts to facilitate this safe resolution,” said Chief Chuck Lovell. “Thank you to all of the members of the public who have provided information and tips to our investigators. Your assistance is very much appreciated.”
Love’s arraignment is scheduled for Monday. He likely won’t be going home for the weekend as his bail amount was set at $260,000.
Assault II is a class B felony with a maximum sentence of 10 years. The other two charges are class C felonies with a maximum charge of 5 years each. Given that the incident was caught on camera it seems very likely that Love will be convicted and spend some time in prison. And given that this is not his first violent offense, I’d guess he won’t be given a slap on the wrist. Love had been arrested seven previous times including once for domestic assault though he wasn’t charged in that case:
Marquise Love, 25, has been arrested in Washington County, Ore., which borders Portland to the west, seven times since 2012, according to records provided to Fox News. In 2017, he was arrested for domestic assault and domestic harassment. He wasn’t prosecuted, The New York Post reported, but a judge signed a protective order against him. His rap sheet also includes two separate arrests in 2016 for providing false information in connection with the transfer of a firearm, and domestic assault and criminal trespass. In 2015, Love was arrested for interfering with public transportation.
Yesterday, Portland police said they were also seeking help identifying a man believed to have been in contact with Love who was a possible witness to the attack on Adam Haner. Today, they said that possible witness has been identified: “Investigators have also identified the witness from the previous release. Thank you to the public for their interest and tips on this case.”
Yesterday Adam Haner gave an interview saying he wasn’t angry at Love: “I’m not seeking vengeance. I hope he learns something from what happened.” Haner’s girlfirend, who was also attacked that night, said she is angry because she’s seen the videos of what Love did to Haner. As of yesterday, Haner still hadn’t watched the videos and didn’t plan to do so.
Haner said he never said anything to Love or anyone that night that would have provoked the violent reaction. He said he saw a trans woman being robbed and harassed and tried to intercede. And once he did that he said, “Their whole chaos came right at me instead of the person they were trying to aim it at.”
The arrest of Love is a good start but there were 3-4 other people who were harassing and assaulting people that night who also need to be arrested and charged.


hotair--2020-08-21--Bannon on indictment: I'll fight this "political hit job"

We ’ ll see about that .
“ I am not going to back down .
This is a political hit job .
Everybody knows I love a fight , ” Bannon said on an episode of his show “ War Room.
” “ I was called ‘ honey badger ’ for many years .
You know , ‘ Honey badger doesn ’ t give.
’ So , I ’ m in this for the long haul .
I ’ m in this for the fight.
” … Upon exiting a Manhattan courthouse on Thursday , Bannon declared his arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the construction of the wall — a theme he returned to on his Friday broadcast .
“ This is to stop and intimidate people that have President Trump ’ s back on building the wall .
We are never going to stop pushing the wall , ” Bannon said.
” This stuff is complete nonsense .
I am not going to back down one inch.
” If you ’ re willing to line your pockets with money from well-meaning grandmas who just wanted to secure the border — allegedly — then you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandmas your arrest is a sinister plot by the open-borders lobby and its enforcers .
There are two things to bear in mind about Bannon ’ s legal predicament .
First , he ’ s not the only defendant .
Second , this isn ’ t a light sentence he ’ s staring it .
Whenever someone is arrested for a white-collar crime , it ’ s natural to assume that they ’ ll get off with a wrist slap , as that assumption is frequently correct .
Not so much in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
From Bannon ’ s perspective , it ’ s one thing to defend a case that turns on subtle issues of subjective intent , or that rest on testimony from other co-conspirators .
But it ’ s much harder to defend a case based on black-and-white financial documents .
A good defense lawyer can cross-examine a witness and try to take apart his story — but it ’ s much harder to argue with phony invoices and forged receipts .
The outlook for Bannon is bleak .
He can go to trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of federal trials result in conviction .
He can plead guilty and hope for a slightly lower sentence than if he is convicted by a jury .
Largely because of the amount of the alleged ] fraud — here , prosecutors say , over $ 25 million — Bannon , if convicted , is looking at a sentence of at least approximately seven to nine years under the federal sentencing guidelines ( which are important but not binding on a judge ) , or slightly less if he accepts responsibility and pleads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperate with the SDNY — which could offer him his best chance at a significant sentencing reduction .
It ’ d be one thing if Bannon were 40 and looking at six months , say , for his involvement in the alleged “ We Build the Wall ” scheme .
In that case he might reasonably calculate that it ’ s in his long-term interest to burnish his brand as a populist fighter by going to trial and taking his chances .
If he ’ s convicted , he ’ s out in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to telling his populist fans that he was railroaded by Amnesty Inc. Grandma will believe him .
Maybe ?
“ I feel taken , ” said 56-year-old Barbara Copeland , a Trump supporter in South Carolina who said she donated $ 100 to We Build the Wall last year .
“ I too fell for [ Kolfage ’ s claims that he was ] never going to use a dime of it for personal use.
” Copeland had spent months aggressively promoting the fundraiser on social media and said she had repeatedly encouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I do not donate just willy-nilly , I checked it out — or so I thought , ” she added , noting that in retrospect the “ lavish lifestyle ” Kolfage flaunted on his Instagram account could have been a warning sign .
“ To say that I ’ m upset is a gross understatement.
” The scheme even ripped off children .
One of the biggest donors to We Build the Wall was a 7-year-old in Texas who set up a hot chocolate stand so he could collect donations for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bannon is 66 .
If he gets a stiff sentence , he might not see freedom again until his mid-70s .
Meanwhile , there are three other defendants who are part of this same scheme facing the same prisoner ’ s dilemma that he ’ s facing : They can reduce their own sentences by agreeing to testify for the feds against the rest .
Since Bannon is the biggest name among the four , it ’ s an open question whether the SDNY would even seek to flip him against the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the other three to nail the big prize , Bannon himself .
When Bannon says he intends to fight , in other words , it may be because he has no choice .
He can plead or he can go to trial , but there may be no deals on the table .
…Unless , of course , he has information about crimes committed beyond the scope of the “ We Build the Wall ” scheme .
I mentioned in yesterday ’ s post that the FBI and SEC have been looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to the Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui .
That company is suspected of having violated securities laws in how it placed shares with wealthy donors .
If Bannon has something for them on that , maybe he ’ ll get a deal after all .
But then , taking a deal would mean he ’ s not “ fighting , ” wouldn ’ t it ?
The real intrigue relates to whether he has anything on Trump or his associates .
Giving up a top member of MAGA royalty would ruin whatever cred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he ’ s forced to choose between a long stretch in prison with the respect of Trump fans and living life as a free ( and very rich ) man who ’ s held in contempt by them , it ’ s not a hard choice .
Remember too that Bannon isn ’ t known for following some rigid code of omerta with respect to Trump .
He ’ s notorious for leaking , sometimes even going on the record to dish dirt ; in fact , that ’ s what landed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first place .
There ’ s another possibility .
Maybe Bannon has something on Trump or the Trump family , and Trump knows it , and Bannon knows that Trump knows it and is calculating that that ’ ll eventually land him the same sort of corrupt clemency that Roger Stone received .
In other words , maybe Bannon intends to fight the charges in the belief that even if he ’ s convicted Trump will spring him before long .
If so , that ’ s a ludicrously high-stakes gamble .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be mixed at best and Bannon has powerful enemies in Trump ’ s inner circle , most notably Jared Kushner .
Maybe Trump would pardon him , maybe not .
Manafort ’ s still in prison , isn ’ t he ?
Michael Cohen had dirt on Trump and he didn ’ t get a pardon aimed at inducing him to clam up with the feds , right ?
Maybe Bannon can use this logic as his defense : I get what Shafer means , but at bottom his point is “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have no need !
” If only the world worked that way .
I ’ ll leave you with this amazing clip from last year of Bannon and “ We Build the Wall ” co-founder — and now co-defendant — Brian Kolfage , in which Bannon blurts out the whole point of the alleged fraud and laughs it off as a joke .
Think we ’ ll see this played at his trial ?

We’ll see about that.
“I am not going to back down. This is a political hit job. Everybody knows I love a fight,” Bannon said on an episode of his show “War Room.” “I was called ‘honey badger’ for many years. You know, ‘Honey badger doesn’t give.’ So, I’m in this for the long haul. I’m in this for the fight.”… Upon exiting a Manhattan courthouse on Thursday, Bannon declared his arrest a baseless political ploy designed to halt the construction of the wall — a theme he returned to on his Friday broadcast. “This is to stop and intimidate people that have President Trump’s back on building the wall. We are never going to stop pushing the wall,” Bannon said.”This stuff is complete nonsense. I am not going to back down one inch.”
If you’re willing to line your pockets with money from well-meaning grandmas who just wanted to secure the border — allegedly — then you’re certainly willing to tell those same grandmas your arrest is a sinister plot by the open-borders lobby and its enforcers.
There are two things to bear in mind about Bannon’s legal predicament. First, he’s not the only defendant. Second, this isn’t a light sentence he’s staring it. Whenever someone is arrested for a white-collar crime, it’s natural to assume that they’ll get off with a wrist slap, as that assumption is frequently correct. Not so much in this case, says former prosecutor Elie Honig.
From Bannon’s perspective, it’s one thing to defend a case that turns on subtle issues of subjective intent, or that rest on testimony from other co-conspirators. But it’s much harder to defend a case based on black-and-white financial documents. A good defense lawyer can cross-examine a witness and try to take apart his story — but it’s much harder to argue with phony invoices and forged receipts. The outlook for Bannon is bleak. He can go to trial, of course, but the vast majority of federal trials result in conviction. He can plead guilty and hope for a slightly lower sentence than if he is convicted by a jury. Largely because of the amount of the alleged] fraud — here, prosecutors say, over $25 million — Bannon, if convicted, is looking at a sentence of at least approximately seven to nine years under the federal sentencing guidelines (which are important but not binding on a judge), or slightly less if he accepts responsibility and pleads guilty. Or Bannon can try to cooperate with the SDNY — which could offer him his best chance at a significant sentencing reduction.
It’d be one thing if Bannon were 40 and looking at six months, say, for his involvement in the alleged “We Build the Wall” scheme. In that case he might reasonably calculate that it’s in his long-term interest to burnish his brand as a populist fighter by going to trial and taking his chances. If he’s convicted, he’s out in no time and can go right back to telling his populist fans that he was railroaded by Amnesty Inc. Grandma will believe him. Maybe?
“I feel taken,” said 56-year-old Barbara Copeland, a Trump supporter in South Carolina who said she donated $100 to We Build the Wall last year. “I too fell for [Kolfage’s claims that he was] never going to use a dime of it for personal use.” Copeland had spent months aggressively promoting the fundraiser on social media and said she had repeatedly encouraged her friends and family members to donate. “I do not donate just willy-nilly, I checked it out — or so I thought,” she added, noting that in retrospect the “lavish lifestyle” Kolfage flaunted on his Instagram account could have been a warning sign. “To say that I’m upset is a gross understatement.” The scheme even ripped off children. One of the biggest donors to We Build the Wall was a 7-year-old in Texas who set up a hot chocolate stand so he could collect donations for the effort.
The problem is, Bannon is 66. If he gets a stiff sentence, he might not see freedom again until his mid-70s. Meanwhile, there are three other defendants who are part of this same scheme facing the same prisoner’s dilemma that he’s facing: They can reduce their own sentences by agreeing to testify for the feds against the rest. Since Bannon is the biggest name among the four, it’s an open question whether the SDNY would even seek to flip him against the other three or if they’re recruiting among the other three to nail the big prize, Bannon himself.
When Bannon says he intends to fight, in other words, it may be because he has no choice. He can plead or he can go to trial, but there may be no deals on the table.
…Unless, of course, he has information about crimes committed beyond the scope of the “We Build the Wall” scheme. I mentioned in yesterday’s post that the FBI and SEC have been looking at his involvement in a media company linked to the Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui. That company is suspected of having violated securities laws in how it placed shares with wealthy donors. If Bannon has something for them on that, maybe he’ll get a deal after all.
But then, taking a deal would mean he’s not “fighting,” wouldn’t it?
The real intrigue relates to whether he has anything on Trump or his associates. Giving up a top member of MAGA royalty would ruin whatever cred he has left among populists, but if he’s forced to choose between a long stretch in prison with the respect of Trump fans and living life as a free (and very rich) man who’s held in contempt by them, it’s not a hard choice. Remember too that Bannon isn’t known for following some rigid code of omerta with respect to Trump. He’s notorious for leaking, sometimes even going on the record to dish dirt; in fact, that’s what landed him on the outs with Trump in the first place.
There’s another possibility. Maybe Bannon has something on Trump or the Trump family, and Trump knows it, and Bannon knows that Trump knows it and is calculating that that’ll eventually land him the same sort of corrupt clemency that Roger Stone received. In other words, maybe Bannon intends to fight the charges in the belief that even if he’s convicted Trump will spring him before long. If so, that’s a ludicrously high-stakes gamble. Trump’s feelings about Bannon appear to be mixed at best and Bannon has powerful enemies in Trump’s inner circle, most notably Jared Kushner. Maybe Trump would pardon him, maybe not. Manafort’s still in prison, isn’t he? Michael Cohen had dirt on Trump and he didn’t get a pardon aimed at inducing him to clam up with the feds, right?
Maybe Bannon can use this logic as his defense:
Steve Bannon had an estimated worth of $48 million in 2017 according to Forbes and a purported stake in Seinfeld syndication. Unless absolutely mad, why would he grift $1 million in a build the wall scheme? — Jack Shafer (@jackshafer) August 21, 2020
I get what Shafer means, but at bottom his point is “Rich people would never steal. They have no need!” If only the world worked that way.
I’ll leave you with this amazing clip from last year of Bannon and “We Build the Wall” co-founder — and now co-defendant — Brian Kolfage, in which Bannon blurts out the whole point of the alleged fraud and laughs it off as a joke. Think we’ll see this played at his trial?


hotair--2020-08-21--This Democrat earned delegates in the primary but snubbed at the convention

One former presidential candidate from this cycle ’ s presidential primaries who didn ’ t receive an invitation to speak at the Democrat convention is Tulsi Gabbard .
It is a standard procedure of both major political parties to offer a speaking spot to any presidential candidate who received delegates during the primaries .
Granted , Tulsi only earned two delegates ( from American Samoa ) , but still , she has delegates on the board .
That is more than some of the also-rans received .
So , it ’ s a bit surprising that she was snubbed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are concentrating on women and women of color , in particular .
She confirmed the snub on Twitter , natch .
It ’ s no secret that Tulsi doesn ’ t have a lot of friends among the members of the Democrat establishment .
She made waves during the primary debates when she went after Kamala ’ s record of tossing innocent people into jail .
Who can forget the look on Kamala ’ s face when Tulsi first spoke up and challenged her on her record in California ?
Kamala looked stunned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aggressive , honest attack .
And there was the dust-up with Hillary after Hillary called Tulsi out as a Russian asset .
Tulsi sued Hillary for defamation , then dropped the lawsuit .
The likely reason is that Stephanie Cutter , the convention program executive , decided Tulsi wasn ’ t deserving of a speaking spot because of the pot-stirring she dares to do .
Cutter , an Obama loyalist , and former campaign communications person , no doubt had Tulsi ’ s past performances in mind .
Who knows what she could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , the Democrat convention was filled with musical performances and celebrities who snarled against the current president .
No one was allowed to stray from the script .
The Democrats are masters at groupthink and punishing those who alter the message .
Tulsi Gabbard didn ’ t run for re-election .
She ’ s done with the House of Representatives .
Right now she is in Alaska to fulfill a two-week Army duty requirement .
She will be joining a U.S. Army Reserves Civil Affairs team to assist an Alaska Native Tribe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Readiness Training ( IRT ) program .
IRT provides joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness as well as key services that benefit communities across the country and U.S .
Territories .
Those services include health care , construction , transportation , and cybersecurity for the communities .
I think a lot of people forget that Tulsi is still an active member of the Army Reserves .
While the Democrats were working feverishly to convince the viewers that they care about the military and its members , they were actively suppressing the voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tulsi is on duty , her congressional staff will continue working on her behalf .
Her district has benefitted from her service in the Army Reserves .
They have taken advantage of the IRT program through Tropicare , a two-week annual training event .
Medical professionals provide free health care clinics throughout the islands .
They have offered basic dental , medical , optometry exams , health education classes and pharmaceutical and lab services fo the public at no cost .
I don ’ t agree with Tulsi on political philosophy or with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign dictators but , if Andrew Yang was given a minute and a half to speak , Tulsi deserved the same .

One former presidential candidate from this cycle’s presidential primaries who didn’t receive an invitation to speak at the Democrat convention is Tulsi Gabbard. It is a standard procedure of both major political parties to offer a speaking spot to any presidential candidate who received delegates during the primaries.
Granted, Tulsi only earned two delegates (from American Samoa), but still, she has delegates on the board. That is more than some of the also-rans received. So, it’s a bit surprising that she was snubbed, especially in a year that the Democrats are concentrating on women and women of color, in particular. She confirmed the snub on Twitter, natch.
You're correct – I was not invited to participate in any way. https://t.co/zQBOQB8Zw7 — Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) August 20, 2020
It’s no secret that Tulsi doesn’t have a lot of friends among the members of the Democrat establishment. She made waves during the primary debates when she went after Kamala’s record of tossing innocent people into jail. Who can forget the look on Kamala’s face when Tulsi first spoke up and challenged her on her record in California? Kamala looked stunned, clearly not prepared for such an aggressive, honest attack. And there was the dust-up with Hillary after Hillary called Tulsi out as a Russian asset. Tulsi sued Hillary for defamation, then dropped the lawsuit. The likely reason is that Stephanie Cutter, the convention program executive, decided Tulsi wasn’t deserving of a speaking spot because of the pot-stirring she dares to do. Cutter, an Obama loyalist, and former campaign communications person, no doubt had Tulsi’s past performances in mind. Who knows what she could have gotten out in a minute?
So, the Democrat convention was filled with musical performances and celebrities who snarled against the current president. No one was allowed to stray from the script. The Democrats are masters at groupthink and punishing those who alter the message.
Tulsi Gabbard didn’t run for re-election. She’s done with the House of Representatives. Right now she is in Alaska to fulfill a two-week Army duty requirement. She will be joining a U.S. Army Reserves Civil Affairs team to assist an Alaska Native Tribe with critical community needs through the Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program. IRT provides joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness as well as key services that benefit communities across the country and U.S. Territories. Those services include health care, construction, transportation, and cybersecurity for the communities. I think a lot of people forget that Tulsi is still an active member of the Army Reserves. While the Democrats were working feverishly to convince the viewers that they care about the military and its members, they were actively suppressing the voice of a Democrat still serving.
While Tulsi is on duty, her congressional staff will continue working on her behalf. Her district has benefitted from her service in the Army Reserves. They have taken advantage of the IRT program through Tropicare, a two-week annual training event. Medical professionals provide free health care clinics throughout the islands. They have offered basic dental, medical, optometry exams, health education classes and pharmaceutical and lab services fo the public at no cost.
I don’t agree with Tulsi on political philosophy or with some questionable relationships she has had with foreign dictators but, if Andrew Yang was given a minute and a half to speak, Tulsi deserved the same.


hotair--2020-08-21--Portland BLM group wants everyone to wake up (and to vote for Biden)

Some people take things too literally .
In Portland last night a group of woke BLM supporters marched through residential streets doing their best to wake up entire neighborhoods .
The group used bullhorns , car horns and shouted , “ Wake up , mother****ers , wake up !
” while some pointed flashlights at the windows of houses .
It started after the marchers made a visit to the Portland Police Association building : A few minutes later they were on the move , shouting about waking everyone in the neighborhood .
At this point they still appear to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least partly commercial , i.e .
a mix of businesses and homes .
But a few minutes later they are clearly in a residential neighborhood and the shouting continued : I ’ m sure all of the people living in these homes appreciated this , especially the ones with sleeping children .
But as tempted as I am to feel sorry for these homeowners , I wonder how many of them support these nightly disturbances and how many voted for the pro-BLM , pro-Antifa mayor .
Kind of hard to complain about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids think they ’ re accomplishing though .
I guess they are getting some attention but that ’ s about it .
My guess is this only makes most people slightly less inclined to support them .
After all the shouting the leadership in the back of the pickup asked people for donations and that they get “ more angry everyday.
” And then they endorsed Joe Biden : “ I know Joe Biden f***ing sucks , but vote for him , please , please , please.
” After the endorsement , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white allies saying “ When you see a white person that ’ s on your side it ’ s a very relieving feeling.
” But she added , “ So thank you allies but still f**k your white feelings .
We can still be friends but your job isn ’ t to really speak .
Your job is to protect me and tell other people why you need to protect other black lives.
” After the PDX Black Youth Movement protest wrapped up , some Antifa people showed up at the Portland ICE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal officers came out and pushed the crowd back : The crowd kept coming back and eventually teargas was used : Then the officers went back inside : And immediately the protesters tried to get them to come back out : It looks like it was the Portland police , not the feds , who eventually pushed the Antifa crowd out : And that seems to be it for the night .
So the tally so far this week is : • Thursday night police declared an unlawful assembly at the ICE detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvement in Portland .

Some people take things too literally. In Portland last night a group of woke BLM supporters marched through residential streets doing their best to wake up entire neighborhoods. The group used bullhorns, car horns and shouted, “Wake up, mother****ers, wake up!” while some pointed flashlights at the windows of houses. It started after the marchers made a visit to the Portland Police Association building:
A few minutes later they were on the move, shouting about waking everyone in the neighborhood. At this point they still appear to be on a street that is at least partly commercial, i.e. a mix of businesses and homes.
Public Disturbance in Portland – The protesters have vowed to wake up the entire neighborhood as they march through tonight, an act of non-violent civil disobedience #Portland #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/56UtEQ3Vxn — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
But a few minutes later they are clearly in a residential neighborhood and the shouting continued:
The Portland protesters shine lights into houses in the neighborhood, calling on everyone to come out and march with them as they make their way back towards Keaton Park #Portland #PortlandProtest pic.twitter.com/N5SGmlLczO — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
I’m sure all of the people living in these homes appreciated this, especially the ones with sleeping children. But as tempted as I am to feel sorry for these homeowners, I wonder how many of them support these nightly disturbances and how many voted for the pro-BLM, pro-Antifa mayor. Kind of hard to complain about this now.
I do wonder what these kids think they’re accomplishing though. I guess they are getting some attention but that’s about it. My guess is this only makes most people slightly less inclined to support them.
After all the shouting the leadership in the back of the pickup asked people for donations and that they get “more angry everyday.”
“Honestly, we should be getting paid.” Protesters discussed the summer-long endeavor of organizing marches & demonstrations on the streets of Portland #Portland #PortlandProtest pic.twitter.com/si6HCPn816 — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
And then they endorsed Joe Biden: “I know Joe Biden f***ing sucks, but vote for him, please, please, please.”
“Yes, I know Joe Biden f***ing sucks, but vote for him, please.” Protest leaders reluctantly back Joe Biden as they seek to remove Donald Trump from office in this upcoming election #PortlandProtest #Portland pic.twitter.com/jOjNjMq4mg — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
After the endorsement, the organizer gave a strange thank you to white allies saying “When you see a white person that’s on your side it’s a very relieving feeling.” But she added, “So thank you allies but still f**k your white feelings. We can still be friends but your job isn’t to really speak. Your job is to protect me and tell other people why you need to protect other black lives.”
After the PDX Black Youth Movement protest wrapped up, some Antifa people showed up at the Portland ICE facility and vandalized it:
With the early-night protest concluded on the north side, protesters are now gathering outside an I.C.E. facility in south Portland for a late-night demonstration #Portland #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/eUyB2dhFGQ — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
Antifa spray paint over the security cameras at the I.C.E. facility in Portland #Portland #PortlandProtests #Antifa pic.twitter.com/lwxy0n1W0B — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
Eventually the federal officers came out and pushed the crowd back:
The Feds stormed out after about 30 minutes of protester taunting at the I.C.E. Detention Center #Portland #PortlandProtest pic.twitter.com/q0ED3spBj4 — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
The crowd kept coming back and eventually teargas was used:
Federal agents in Portland fire teargas in an attempt to disperse the crowd #PortlandProtest #Portland pic.twitter.com/qUKc11K7N5 — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
Then the officers went back inside:
After about 20 minutes of standoff and a small amount of teargas fired, federal agents retreated back into the I.C.E. Detention Center in Portland #PortlandProtest #Portland pic.twitter.com/AW8pAK5JWA — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
And immediately the protesters tried to get them to come back out:
Protesters banging on the gates of the I.C.E. Detention Center #Portland #PortlandProtest pic.twitter.com/YQTMta6Wkn — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
It looks like it was the Portland police, not the feds, who eventually pushed the Antifa crowd out:
Portland Police in riot gear push past burning dumpsters as they disperse the protesters #PortlandProtests #Portland pic.twitter.com/p97DG01qwc — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
Police line pushing the protesters north away from the I.C.E. Detention Center in Portland #Portland #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/tNlcTCIBho — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 21, 2020
And that seems to be it for the night. So the tally so far this week is:
Tuesday night a riot was declared.
Wednesday night a riot was declared.
Thursday night police declared an unlawful assembly at the ICE detention center.
This is what passes for improvement in Portland.


hotair--2020-08-21--Postmaster general testifies: We'll prioritize election mail regardless of postage, sometimes ahead

Postmaster general testifies: We'll prioritize election mail regardless of postage, sometimes ahead of first-class mail

This was the sleeper issue of this morning ’ s hearing before Ron Johnson ’ s Homeland Security committee .
For all the hype lately about mailboxes disappearing off of American streets and mail-sorting machines being taken offline in USPS facilities , the question of how much postage voters might need to pay is the one that most troubled Ruth Goldway .
Goldway served on the Postal Regulatory Commission under Clinton , Bush 43 , and Obama , and published an op-ed at the Times a few days ago urging everyone to calm down about the Postal Service ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have the money and the manpower to do it , she noted .
Mail-in ballots aren ’ t some enormous load for the USPS relative to the amount of mail they process every day .
There ’ s no reason to expect undue delays… …unless the Postal Service insists on people paying first-class postage to have their ballot processed efficiently .
Typically the agency treats ballots as first-class no matter what , but it appeared that that policy would be changing this year .
That could potentially result in ballots with less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deadline for submission .
That was the issue to watch when DeJoy appeared before the committee today , Goldway warned .
Most election-related mail is sent at nonprofit rates .
The 1993 National Voter Registration Act requires the Postal Service to charge state and local election offices the same price for postage as nonprofit mailers .
The Postal Service has a history of providing extra care and attention to election-related mail , on the level of first-class mail : usually two to four days for delivery .
A special logo and bar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorters were able to pull election mail out from the routine mail stream to be sure it was delivered as soon as possible .
But a recent letter sent by Thomas J. Marshall , the general counsel for the Postal Service , to election officials around the country seems to suggest that election mail will now be treated like regular nonprofit mail ( typically three to 10 days for delivery ) and may take as long as 15 days .
This is not acceptable .
The Postal Service has the capacity to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time and that ballots dropped into the system by voters are postmarked and delivered in times that accord with state and local guidelines .
In their meeting with Congress next week , the leaders of the Postal Service should guarantee that election mail will continue to be treated as first-class mail .
The Congress should agree that there will be no additional financial support for the Postal Service without this promise .
Democrat Gary Peters put that question to him this morning .
Are you going to deliver ballots with first-class efficiency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who absentmindedly fail to pay full freight at risk of seeing their ballots delayed ?
DeJoy gave him the answer he was looking for .
He also assured Rob Portman that , whatever Trump may think about mail-in voting , DeJoy himself supports it : He promised that “ additional resources ” would be brought to bear in the final 10 days before the election to make sure that ballots are delivered on time , although a concrete plan for that hasn ’ t been developed yet .
That ’ s the good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shenanigans at the USPS appear to be baseless .
The bad news is that to some degree the damage has already been done .
Thanks to Trump saying last week that he opposes money for the Postal Service because he doesn ’ t trust universal mail-in voting , lots of Americans have had their faith shaken in the agency and , to a lesser degree , the integrity of the election process writ large .
Calls began flooding into election offices on Friday , the day after Trump said he would oppose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued since , according to election officials in Michigan , Virginia , Maryland , Georgia , North Carolina and Colorado , among other states… Some voters want reassurance that they can trust the mail .
Others have declared they plan to avoid the mail service altogether .
“ I ripped up my mail-in ballot application , ” said Colleen Connolly-Ahern , a communications professor at Pennsylvania State University , in State College .
“ I will be going to my little polling place , putting on my mask and standing in line.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to scour for funds to install ballot drop boxes across their communities .
Although states and local governments had already adopted plans for hundreds of drop boxes this year , those plans accelerated this week .
Easy prediction : Far fewer people will end up voting by mail this year than polls this summer have indicated .
Which might not be the worst outcome to this fiasco , so long as everyone who wanted to vote by mail ends up voting in person — and of course , so long as more extensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID outbreak .
The more votes are counted by close of business on Election Night , rather than in the days following , the more confident the country will feel in the outcome .
The one thing DeJoy didn ’ t give ground on at today ’ s hearing was the removal of mail-sorting machines from USPS processing centers .
The damage there is also already done , it seems : Reportedly 95 percent of the machines that were scheduled to be taken offline have already been taken offline .
Emails apparently went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last few days warning staff not to reconnect them , notwithstanding DeJoy ’ s order freezing his reorganization of the agency until after the election .
I haven ’ t seen any claim in the reporting this past week that removal of the machines will meaningfully retard the processing of mail ballots ; clearly that ’ s the assumption underlying the freakout about the machines ’ removal , but it ’ s just an assumption .
For now .

This was the sleeper issue of this morning’s hearing before Ron Johnson’s Homeland Security committee. For all the hype lately about mailboxes disappearing off of American streets and mail-sorting machines being taken offline in USPS facilities, the question of how much postage voters might need to pay is the one that most troubled Ruth Goldway. Goldway served on the Postal Regulatory Commission under Clinton, Bush 43, and Obama, and published an op-ed at the Times a few days ago urging everyone to calm down about the Postal Service’s ability to process ballots this fall. They have the money and the manpower to do it, she noted. Mail-in ballots aren’t some enormous load for the USPS relative to the amount of mail they process every day. There’s no reason to expect undue delays…
…unless the Postal Service insists on people paying first-class postage to have their ballot processed efficiently. Typically the agency treats ballots as first-class no matter what, but it appeared that that policy would be changing this year. That could potentially result in ballots with less postage being delivered more slowly, past the deadline for submission. That was the issue to watch when DeJoy appeared before the committee today, Goldway warned.
Most election-related mail is sent at nonprofit rates. The 1993 National Voter Registration Act requires the Postal Service to charge state and local election offices the same price for postage as nonprofit mailers. The Postal Service has a history of providing extra care and attention to election-related mail, on the level of first-class mail: usually two to four days for delivery. A special logo and bar code identifiers were created so that mail sorters were able to pull election mail out from the routine mail stream to be sure it was delivered as soon as possible. But a recent letter sent by Thomas J. Marshall, the general counsel for the Postal Service, to election officials around the country seems to suggest that election mail will now be treated like regular nonprofit mail (typically three to 10 days for delivery) and may take as long as 15 days. This is not acceptable. The Postal Service has the capacity to ensure that ballots sent to voters arrive on time and that ballots dropped into the system by voters are postmarked and delivered in times that accord with state and local guidelines. In their meeting with Congress next week, the leaders of the Postal Service should guarantee that election mail will continue to be treated as first-class mail. The Congress should agree that there will be no additional financial support for the Postal Service without this promise.
Democrat Gary Peters put that question to him this morning. Are you going to deliver ballots with first-class efficiency, as is traditional, or are people who absentmindedly fail to pay full freight at risk of seeing their ballots delayed? DeJoy gave him the answer he was looking for.
NEW: "We will deploy processes and procedures that advance any election mail, in some cases ahead of first-class mail," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testifies amid national outcry over Postal Service changes ahead of the election. https://t.co/7VmACPnLzu pic.twitter.com/EowFyq9Cy2 — World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) August 21, 2020
He also assured Rob Portman that, whatever Trump may think about mail-in voting, DeJoy himself supports it:
SEN. PORTMAN: "So you do support voting by mail?" POSTMASTER GEN. DEJOY: "I do. I think the American public should be able to vote by mail and the postal service will support it." How you feelin' about that one, folks? pic.twitter.com/5nWhlpyAi0 — The Recount (@therecount) August 21, 2020
He promised that “additional resources” would be brought to bear in the final 10 days before the election to make sure that ballots are delivered on time, although a concrete plan for that hasn’t been developed yet.
That’s the good news, that the worst fears about shenanigans at the USPS appear to be baseless. The bad news is that to some degree the damage has already been done. Thanks to Trump saying last week that he opposes money for the Postal Service because he doesn’t trust universal mail-in voting, lots of Americans have had their faith shaken in the agency and, to a lesser degree, the integrity of the election process writ large.
Calls began flooding into election offices on Friday, the day after Trump said he would oppose a Postal Service bailout, and they have continued since, according to election officials in Michigan, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina and Colorado, among other states… Some voters want reassurance that they can trust the mail. Others have declared they plan to avoid the mail service altogether. “I ripped up my mail-in ballot application,” said Colleen Connolly-Ahern, a communications professor at Pennsylvania State University, in State College. “I will be going to my little polling place, putting on my mask and standing in line.” The onslaught of anxiety has prompted officials to scour for funds to install ballot drop boxes across their communities. Although states and local governments had already adopted plans for hundreds of drop boxes this year, those plans accelerated this week.
Easy prediction: Far fewer people will end up voting by mail this year than polls this summer have indicated. Which might not be the worst outcome to this fiasco, so long as everyone who wanted to vote by mail ends up voting in person — and of course, so long as more extensive in-person voting doesn’t feed a COVID outbreak. The more votes are counted by close of business on Election Night, rather than in the days following, the more confident the country will feel in the outcome.
The one thing DeJoy didn’t give ground on at today’s hearing was the removal of mail-sorting machines from USPS processing centers. The damage there is also already done, it seems: Reportedly 95 percent of the machines that were scheduled to be taken offline have already been taken offline. Emails apparently went out within the USPS just within the last few days warning staff not to reconnect them, notwithstanding DeJoy’s order freezing his reorganization of the agency until after the election. I haven’t seen any claim in the reporting this past week that removal of the machines will meaningfully retard the processing of mail ballots; clearly that’s the assumption underlying the freakout about the machines’ removal, but it’s just an assumption. For now.