Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Iraq snapshot Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

 Iraq snapshot

The Common Ills

Tuesday, October 29, 2024.  The hate rally in Madison Square Garden promoted a range of reactions  -- and we note some of them including one sour grapes gal whose been overlooked.

Let's start with a new ad from Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.


Yesterday in Philadelphia, Kamala spoke with reporters:

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi.  Good morning, everyone.  Good morning. 

Well, it is good to be back in Philadelphia, and we’re going to have a — an active day of speaking with folks in various neighborhoods around town and really highlighting something you hear me say often, which is: I truly believe it’s a lived experience to know the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us. 

And so, we’ll be visiting with folks in different parts of town, talking with them about what we all have in common and — and a collective desire to bring the country together and to set a tone that really is about unifying our country around common desires and challenges, whether it be bringing down the prices of everyday necessities or what we can do to invest in our small businesses and lift up our families. 

And this obviously will be in stark contrast to Donald Trump, who increasingly is using dark and divisive language, even more than he — he has done in the past. 

He talks about America being the garbage can of the world and just continuously, I think, demeans the character and nature of who we are as America and who the American people are.  And clearly, it is intended to keep fanning the flames of — of hate and division; referring to beautiful American, historic American cities like Detroit and Philadelphia in such disparaging words.  And as we said, even just this morning, I think people are ready to turn the page.  And — and that is about all I have.


     AIDE:  Julia —

     (Cross-talk.)

     AIDE:  Hold on.  Julia.

     Q    Oh, thank you.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi.

 Q    Madam Vice President, Pennsylvania has been such a focus of this election for both campaigns.  What do you make of some of the activity that Elon Musk is involved in in this state?  Do you — do you worry about, you know, any little difference, including (inaudible) —

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I haven’t really been paying attention.  I’m focused on our work.  (Laughs.)  But thank you for asking.

     (Cross-talk.)

Q    Madam Vice President, you’ve talked about new homebuyers and $25,000 for them. 

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yes.
    
Q    What about people who are currently in their homes as neighborhoods gentrify and prices go up?  What would you do for them?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, for cor- — current homeowners, there are — still facing the challenges, whether it be what we need to do around an issue I’ve addressed over the last four years, dealing with fair appraisal values and making sure that the appraisal system is fair, especially for people living in minority- and Black-owned communities — in terms of housing and home- — high levels of homeownership, we’ve seen bias there. 

But also just bringing down the price of everyday living, whether it be groceries and what I’m going to do to address things like price gouging, or what we need to do to expand the Child Tax Credit to help people have more resources at the fundamental phases of their child’s development; the work that we are doing that is about small businesses.

A lot of neighborhoods, as we know here in Philadelphia and around the country — those homeowners often are also small-business owners and need more support.  So, a lot of my plan is about giving them tax cuts, but also cutting a lot of the red tape so that they can continue to grow and prosper. 

So, there are a multiple — multitude of issues that affect homeowners, including, obviously, the challenges for homeownership itself. 

     AIDE:  Joey.

Q    Yeah, Madam Vice President, are you getting the turnout that you need right here in Philadelphia to win Pennsylvania, particularly among Black voters?  Are you concerned that you’re going to get the level that you need to to win this state?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I’m very excited about the reports that we’re getting about enthusiasm here in Philadelphia.  And to your point, Philadelphia is a very important part of our path to victory, and it is the reason I’m spending time here, have been spending time here.  But I’m feeling very optimistic about the enthusiasm that is here and the commitment that folks of every background have to vote and to — to really invest in the future of our country. 

I think people are exhausted with things as they’ve been, and they’re prepared to act on their feelings about that.

     AIDE:  Akayla.

Q    Madam Vice President, the former president has said he’s spoken to Prime Minister Netanyahu multiple times this month.  Are you concerned that those conversations are undermining what the administration is trying to do in the Middle East?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  No.  And I do believe that it is critically important that we, as the United States of America, be an active participant in encouraging, one, that this war ends, that we get the hostages out, but also that there is a real commitment among nations to a two-state solution and the day after, and we have to fulfill that responsibility.


     AIDE:  O.J.

Q    Yes, Vice President Harris, as you go out in the community today, what is it that you can do or do you have a strategy to dispel all the informa- — all the mi- — misinformation in the political ads and what —

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.

Q    — your opponent is spewing?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, to your point, there is a lot of misinformation, and he’s putting tens of millions of dollars into various TV markets around the country.  And what I’m heartened by is that folks in the community, when I am there, they are aware of it and, frankly, don’t want to be played.  They are aware of fact. 

And what I am seeing is that not only are they aware of the misinformation, but they are also aware, if not eager, to know and hear more details about my plan for them, whether it be, again, on the issue of homeownership; bringing down costs; investing in small businesses; investing in families, including families with children.  And — and folks are very receptive to that. 

I think people really do want to know and see and feel that their leaders and that their president is prepared to do the hard work of thinking about them, not themselves, unlike Donald Trump, and has a plan that will be implemented on day one.  And I’ve been very clear about that as well. 

Look, just imagine the Oval Office on January 20th.  It’s going to be one of two people.  It’s going to be either Donald Trump or me. 

If it’s Donald Trump, you can see what’s going — what that day is going to be.  It will be him sitting at that desk, stewing over his enemies list.  He is full of grievance.  He is full of — of dark language that is about retribution and revenge. 

And so, the American people have a choice.  It’s either going to be that or it’ll be me there, focused on my to-do list, focused on the American people and getting through that list of — of goals and plans to improve the lives of the American people. 

     AIDE:  Last one.  Jeff.

Q    Madam Vice President, can you give us a sense of your internal polling at the campaign and how that is making or influencing your decisions on what to do over the next nine days?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  So, to be very frank with you, my internal polling is my instinct.  (Laughs.)  I let the campaign people deal with the poll- — all that other stuff.  And I am responding to what I’m seeing. 

I mean, just two nights ago, we had 30,000 people show up — I think it was actually more than 30,000 people — with an incredible amount of enthusiasm.  If you see the people showing up last night, every event that we do — and the feeling is one of energy and excitement. 

What I love about the folks who are showing up is it’s every walk of who we are as a country and as Americans, every race, age, gender, from all different kinds of backgrounds together under one roof.  It’s very exciting.  The number of young people.  You know, I’ve begun to really point out the first-time voters who are there, because now people are actually registered.  And — and it’s — it’s very exciting.  And the momentum is with us.


     Q    Do you need to win Pennsylvania —

     AIDE:  Thank you.

     Q    — to win this election (inaudible)?

     AIDE:  Thank you.

     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Pennsylvania will be key, no doubt.  No doubt.

Olivia Rosane (COMMON DREAMS) reports:

Bishop and Poor People's Campaign co-chair Rev. William Barber II joined more than 1,000 religious leaders on Sunday in endorsing U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris for president over former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Other prominent faith leaders who have signed on to the endorsement include Rev. Kevin R. Johnson of New York City's Abyssinian Baptist Church; Rev. Teresa L. Smallwood, vice president and dean of academic affairs at North Carolina's United Lutheran Seminary; and the Rev. Andrea C. White, who teaches theology and culture at New York City's Union Theological Seminary. Barber and the other leaders offered their endorsement in their personal capacities and not on behalf of any congregation or institution they are affiliated with.

"In a moment like this, I am compelled to be clear that every voter must make a choice, and my choice is to oppose the dangerous politics that Trump and the MAGA movement have unleashed by supporting the ticket that can defeat this potential for American fascism," Barber wrote in a statement explaining his endorsement on social media.

"I'm endorsing Harris and Walz because we are in the midst of a crisis of civilization and democracy."

Barber gave several reasons for his opposition to Trump, including the former president's frequent lies, embrace of guns, inflammatory anti-immigrant statements, and economic agenda that favors the wealthy over the poor and marginalized. In particular, he blamed Trump for undermining the strong economy he inherited from former President Barack Obama by giving massive tax cuts to the wealthy while refusing to raise the minimum wage

"I must oppose Donald Trump and his policies of catering to the greedy, attacking healthcare, and working against living wages," Barber wrote.

He also alluded to Trump's violent rhetoric, such as his recent threat to deploy the National Guard against his political enemies if elected.

"I must prophetically oppose Trump's candidacy because he is threatening to use the office of the president for retaliation and destruction and refers to himself as the only answer to the troubles of America, which is a form of idolatry," Barber said.

In contrast, Barber said he was endorsing Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz because they "are seeking to speak truthfully about the issues of our nation, and, at the same time, to lead us toward a way of working together on issues that matter."

In particular, Barber praised their economic agenda, such as their commitment to increasing wages and expanding healthcare access. He also said they would offer equal protection to all U.S. residents and tackle the climate crisis.

"I'm endorsing Harris and Walz because we are in the midst of a crisis of civilization and democracy," Barber said. "We don't need more despotism. We must work together for a Third Reconstruction."

Endorsements continue to be made.  Except by two large newspapers.  There's THE LOS ANGELES TIMES which was already unimportant.  It was only for their two US senators's sake that they were available in DC -- and that dates back to when the two senators were Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.  It's an unimportant little paper that bleeds readers both online and offline.  The other is THE WASHINGTON POST.  In both cases, their money bags owners decided not to endorse.  And did so after the paper's editorial boards had completed the endorsements.

Jeff Bezos and no name (he is a no name, the owner of THE LOS ANGELS TIMES, and let's keep him that way) insist that they are doing journalism and so they're just going to provide information and not tell people how to vote.  

Maybe the first clue that the wrong person owns a paper is when they say something like that.  Editorials are journalism.  They're not reporting, no.  But they are journalism -- as is any opinion column.  


More to the point, Bezos and no name both bought papers in order to have influence.  Which, please note, means they're not killing off editorials.  They're just killing off endorsements in the presidential campaign.

This has resulted in a lot of commentary -- some might say too much.

For example, bitter, failed journalist Glenn Greenwald.  As Sam Seder has explained in his podcast, Glenn's been attacking Rachel Maddow and others for years just because she stopped inviting him as a guest on her program.  All those 'critiques' he offered?  Just the sour grapes of a loser turned away.  He better that soon to be released prisoner in the US is lying or at least can prove the relationship the prisoner says he and Glenn had online is true.  That will really put the nail into Glenn's coffin with the public.

If the prisoner is telling the truth and you recoil because the prisoner is even uglier than Glenneth, just remember that Glenneth was feeling lonely because his husband was in the hospital.  Oh wait.  That excuse only make GG more disgusting, doesn't it?

Glenneth knows all about press freedom.  You may remember he quit THE INTERCEPT.  As he told it, they would not publish his column on the Hunter Biden laptop.  He told them to publish it as is and they wouldn't.  We defended Glenn and I would so on that for anyone.  But we also noted how dumb Glenn was.  If he had a contract -- and this half-wit faux lawyer said he did -- that required THE INTERCEPT to publish what he wrote, then why quit?


Why walk out on money you're owed and a place you created.  All you have to do is file and appear before a judge.  Most likely, THE INTERCEPT would have published the column the minute they learned Glenny had filed a lawsuit.  

Contract law is not vague.  Contract law is very specific.  I made millions for doing nothing but filing against someone I had a contract with when they refused to honor it.  I was iffy on endorsing anyway but I did like the product -- a shampoo -- and when they failed to honor their end of the written contract -- at the very start -- I filed and in the end got the money and didn't even have to record one commercial.  

Glenn's the biggest idiot on the block.  I've always noted -- as far back as the '00s -- two things about the wretched Glenneth Greenwald: He promoted the war on Iraq and he didn't know a damn thing about the law.

So maybe it's his bitterness that makes him attack various columnists for THE WASHINGTON POST right now?

Or maybe it's just his well known stupidity.

Well known and otherwise, we're seeing a lot of stupidity as six days remain in this US presidential election.  A lot of stupidity from people who should know better and should grasp how important it is that we elect Kamala Harris.  But she's a woman.  And she's Black.  And she's this and she's that and they just can't seem to get behind her.  

Really?  Brandy Zadrozny (NBC NEWS) reports:


U.S. intelligence agencies have identified domestic extremists with grievances rooted in election-related conspiracy theories, including beliefs in widespread voter fraud and animosity toward perceived political opponents, as the most likely threat of violence in the coming election. 

In a Joint Intelligence Bulletin that was not distributed publicly but was reviewed by NBC News, agents from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security warn state and local law enforcement agencies that domestic violent extremists seeking to terrorize and disrupt the vote are a threat to the election and throughout Inauguration Day. 

The report identified the potential targets as candidates, elected officials, election workers, members of the media and judges involved in election cases. The potential threats include physical attacks and violence at polling places, ballot drop boxes, voter registration locations and rallies and campaign events.

The October internal report was among several intelligence documents obtained through public records requests by Property of the People, a nonprofit group focused on government transparency. Federal agents regularly provide that type of threat assessment to state and local law enforcement agencies through formal bulletins. Before Jan. 6, 2021, they were more reluctant to distribute them because of concern that investigations of Americans might appear to violate free speech protections.

“The United States remains in a heightened, dynamic threat environment and we continue to share information with our law enforcement partners about the threats posed by domestic violent extremists in the context of the 2024 election,” DHS spokesperson Mayra Rodriguez said in a statement. “Violence has no place in our politics, and DHS continues to work with our partners to evaluate and mitigate emerging threats that may arise from domestic or foreign actors.”

Still, the reports “are not typical election threat intelligence,” said Ryan Shapiro, executive director of Property of the People. “The documents are unmistakably a product of a radically heightened threat environment.”

Former President Donald Trump has claimed elections have been rigged against him since 2016, when he won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote. In 2020, he and his allies ramped up false claims of cheating — lies the courts quickly struck down — but the claims became fuel for a violent attack at the Capitol, which aimed to overturn the election.

Add to that Sunday when Convicted Felon Donald Trump held his hate rally in Madison Square Garden -- see yesterday's snapshot.  Here's AOC on CNN addressing that hate rally.

And Greg Evans (DEADLINE) reports:

  Comic and podcaster Marc Maron is calling out his peers who use their positions to drive what he terms “the new fascism” just a day after right-wing comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made racist and sexist jokes at Donald Trump‘s Madison Square Garden rally.

Other comics also slammed Hinchcliffe who, among other things, called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.”

Tweeted Michael Ian Black, “I think America just found its next Jim Breuer!”

Maron’s statement, posted in full on his WTF With Marc Maron website and shared in part on social media, did not specifically name Hinchcliffe, but the message seems clear.   




We noted reactions yesterday and there are some more.  A lot of reactions have been noted.  There's one though that everyone keeps missing.

Drivel.

I wasn't aware of Donald's hate rally and how awful it was on most of Sunday.  I was speaking to one group after another about the importance of voting for Kamala and making her our next president.  It was after 10:00 pm when we finally got done speaking.  At which point, Ava and I wrote "Media: The double standard."  I then wrote the Sunday night piece here.  I was pulling from things that had happened that day -- and that's when I learned of the rally.  And I came across garbage.

I left a comment noting that it was drivel.

I need you to picture Sunday and the hate rally.  Think about how offended you were.

Because apparently not everyone was.  Marianne Williamson elected to make Sunday night about how there is good on both sides and we need to love each other and we need to know that we will come together and blah blah blah.

Drivel.

In the face of threats of violence from the far right and  following what took place in Madison Square Garden hour before she posted, Marianne taped a garbage video. 

What is the point?  You'll note that she can't endorse Kamala but she can do videos making excuses and apologies for those taking part in a hate rally.  

Sour grapes?  Maybe so.  She wanted the nomination.  She thought she had it sewn up.  She got all these YOUTUBERS to get on board with her in 2023 and she just knew they were going to take her to the nomination.  That didn't happen.  In fact, some of the YOUTUBERS pimping her pimped way too hard thereby ensuring that she wouldn't get the nomination.

Then with no traction at all, she dropped out.  This was followed by a re-merence when some people were trying to get Joe Biden not to run and voting "uncommitted."  So she relaunched her failed campagn and we saw her faila gain and drop out again.

Then, after dropping out twice, when Joe finally stepped aside, she announced she wanted the nomination.  No one gave a damn about what she wanted.  And as she realized that, she refused to rally behind Kamala which was bad enough for a Democrat.  But she also began excusing away things that cannot be excuse.  Sunday the hate rally took place at Madison Square Garden and, before teh day concluded, Marianne had another one of her grifting videos up saying we're all wonderful and we're all going for the same thing.

No, dear, that's a lie.

Some of us are going for freedom and equality and smoe of us are going for hate and violence.

Only in your airhead dot hose goals seem similar.

Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "From Big Nose's Harlem Mansion" went up last night.

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