I hope people in other countries weren't watching .. (Updated)

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted.)

(9/29/20 images, embedded copies:)

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↓Partial screen-captured image. No copyright claimed or assumed. No blog endorsement. Unaffiliated source link.

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(9/29/20 copy, no affiliation. Coarse language:)

"That debate was a disgrace." @jaketapper

"It was a shit show." @DanaBashCNN

They are absolutely right, and there's simply no other way to say it. #debates

— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) September 30, 2020

9/29/20 commentary article link: 

"Trump’s baffling debate strategy was to tweet out loud for 90 minutes"

Brief excerpt:

"...[Trump's] approach was the approach he takes on Twitter: lifting up various unfounded allegations, shouting at everyone for hours on end, celebrating obscure memes and jokes. Biden found himself debating @realdonaldtrump and not the president of the United States.

It was an odd gambit for Trump. Sure, it meant that he flooded out Biden’s own attacks or Biden’s presentation of his policy ideas. (Trump, famously, has offered little in the way of a second-term agenda.) The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson noted that it was the human equivalent of a distributed denial-of-service attack, a hostile effort in which a website is flooded with so much garbage traffic that good requests can’t get through. Few rational debate topics survived Trump’s tsunami."

 

↓9/29/20 copy:

Chris Wallace is embarrassing, and trying to pretend that the problem isn’t 100% Trump.

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) September 30, 2020

"Raise your hand if you paid more in federal income tax than President Trump" (Updated)

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted. Note: Video playing sound (some viewers) is located further below, in the preceding post.)

(↓9/27/20 copy. No affiliation:)

🙋‍♂️ if you paid more in federal income tax than President Trump. https://t.co/4Q1nQmHSWa

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 27, 2020

(9/27/20 copy:)

It is a sign of President Trump’s disdain for America’s working families that he has spent years abusing the tax code while passing a GOP Tax Scam for the rich that gives 83 percent of the benefits to the wealthiest 1 percent. https://t.co/FXfxlc7wfY

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) September 28, 2020

9/28/20 article link: "Speaker Pelosi says Trump's taxes reveal 'national security' issue"

......... 

(Brief comment:) *BTW, Trump dupes and sycophants -- more than a few of whom will not be "let off the hook" following Trump's 2020 election loss ... 

..Hillary was on to 'Don the Con' in 2016, and told us about it (repeatedly):

YT video link. No copyright claimed or assumed. Also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkKKTETDaXg

(9/28/20 article link:"Republicans greet the news of Trump’s tax avoidance with silence")

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9/27/20 article link: 

"Trump lashes out at New York Times report alleging years of tax avoidance

According to The New York Times, Trump paid only $750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency and again during his first year in office."

More: 9/27-28/20 copies. No afflation:

Teachers paid $7,239
Firefighters paid $5,283
Nurses paid $10,216

Donald Trump paid $750 pic.twitter.com/5YE1cbYsBN

— Team Joe (Text JOE to 30330) (@TeamJoe) September 28, 2020

🚨 🚨 I have been leading Congress’s fight to get the trump tax returns since he took office. I’m going to be reading every word of this blockbuster to see how far the crimes go. Wow. https://t.co/1iD4tLwOpe

— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) September 27, 2020

 

The mcconnell republican party in one tweet. https://t.co/IqlMyhcbjL

— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) September 28, 2020

If tax cheat trump makes you mad, remember mcconnell republicans’ *only* legislative achievement of his entire presidency is a massive tax cut to big business tycoons. My gop colleagues admire trump’s fraud and criminality. https://t.co/Q6UVMsrG6G

— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) September 28, 2020

 

Last year Republicans blasted a firehose of hatred + vitriol my way because I treated myself to a $250 cut & lowlights on my birthday.

Where’s the criticism of their idol spending $70k on hairstyling?

Oh, it’s nowhere because they’re spineless, misogynistic hypocrites? Got it. https://t.co/xCQGwW7EK5

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 28, 2020

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via GIFER

"Vote him out... Vote him out..."

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted. Blogger note: We'll 'pause' this blog here for awhile, as the protesters' main message in the video below is mine, also.)

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9/24/20 article link: "Trump booed as he pays respects to Ginsburg at court"

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↓Partial screen-captured image, aggregate poll data as of 9/24/20. Unaffiliated source link for more info.

(..As usual Donald Trump seemed vague and inarticulate, but..) Partial quote: "...Get rid of the ballots and...there won't be a transfer, frankly, there'll be a continuation. The ballots are out of control..." (Updated)

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted.)

9/23/20 source article link (incl. quotation):

"Trump Declines To Promise Peaceful Transfer Of Power After Election"

Another: 

"Trump on peaceful transition if he loses: 'Get rid of the ballots' and 'there won't be a transfer'"

>>9/24/20 update: (Comment:) Republican leader statements (today, link below) are appreciated, but on this one we need to 'err' on the side of caution and take (party leader) Donald Trump on his words...

(9/24/20 article link, subscription:) "Republicans Insist There Will Be a Peaceful Transfer of Power, but Stop Short of Rebuking Trump"

↓Nightmare. (Opinion/analysis article link:) 

"The Election That Could Break America"

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(Brief commentary:)

"Vote like your lives depend on it"

YT video link. No copyright claimed or assumed. No affiliation.

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Related: 9/1/20 press release (link): "“Protect the Results” Expands To 80 Groups As Coalition Prepares To Mobilize Should Trump Contest Election"

200,000 Americans die as Donald Trump lies

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted.)

(Updated:) Unaffiliated 9/22/20 partial screen captured image. Data as of 9/22/20. Source is linked.

↓Embedded copy. Source link:

8/12/20 news analysis article link: "The True Coronavirus Toll in the U.S. Has Already Surpassed 200,000"

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9/10/20 news article link: "Trump admitted to Woodward he downplayed coronavirus threat in early days of outbreak"

9/21/20 news story link: "Biden marks grim coronavirus milestone, says ‘Trump panicked’ on pandemic"

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I obviously think I'm some kind of wonderful prognosticator, so here's an early, broad outline suggesting what's likely to happen related to the SCOTUS vacancy

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted.)

FWIW, I reserve the right to modify the outlined predictions, especially over the next few weeks:

(Sources reviewed for the following are linked:)

-- Donald Trump will likely nominate a woman. Here is a link to one current "short list". Part of the reason will be a cynical attempt to -- belatedly -- appeal to women voters.

-- Polling might help guide whether Republicans will nominate someone before Election Day, vs. shortly thereafter. (Caveat:) Reminder: Donald Trump likes to pick fights, divide...and he rarely "does the right thing". Mitch McConnell is one of his chief enablers. 

...Trump has already indicated that he wants a nomination 'without delay'. One report suggests a nomination announcement before the first presidential debate.

-- Trump (and Republicans) will use the SCOTUS battle to distract from other issues, including probably worsening overall U.S. COVID-19 numbers this fall.

via GIPHY

-- Democrats will fight hard to delay a SCOTUS nomination until at least after election day, if not further. Large/energetic protests are likely to occur at some point. Can Democrats convince the public that it's wrong to nominate/confirm someone before the election, and/or before (its) results are in? (Also ref. 'polling', above.) Conversely, Republicans (overall) may be willing to "go to the mat" over this nomination (i.e., almost "no matter what.."), as it seems to be a rare opportunity to shape the court for years.

-- (To Republicans' delight..) 'Obamacare' may be in peril. (Ref. link.)

-- Subject to revision in the weeks ahead, as things generally look right now, Donald Trump will lose the presidential election -- both by popular vote and in the electoral college. Complete voting results however, will not likely be available on or around November 3rd, leading to disputes and at least some delaying (..and dividing) tactics. Also: As things look right now the most likely election vote outcome for the U.S. Senate may be a 50-50 split. 

-- If you 'buy' the last prediction above, Democrats (in general) will subsequently fight with everything they can muster to delay the SCOTUS appointment until after the 2021 presidential inauguration. 

-- Ultimately, Democrats may be unable to prevent a SCOTUS nomination from Trump/Republicans prior to the 2021 inauguration. If they gain power, Dems. may (then) consider "structural changes", including expanding (or 'packing') the Supreme Court, ending the filibuster, etc.

....We will see how this develops...

via GIPHY

Climate change? What climate change? There is no climate change:

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted.)

Partial screen-captured image, info. as of 9/14/20. Unaffiliated source link:

..........🥵🔥🥵🔥🥵🔥🥵🔥...........

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↓.. Just a few pertinent article links. Subscriptions may be required:↓

"Global Temperature"

Brief excerpt:

"Nineteen of the 20 warmest years all have occurred since 2001, with the exception of 1998."

"Climate Change Is Making Hurricanes Stronger, Researchers Find"

"Climate Change: How Do We Know?"

(↓Two 9/13-14/20 article links:)

"In Visiting a Charred California, Trump Confronts a Scientific Reality He Denies"

"Climate change: Warmth shatters section of Greenland ice shelf"

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"Make America Rake Again: Finland baffled by Trump's forest fire raking claim"

(Copies, no affiliation:)

Here in Finland we rake the forests even in winter, just in case.#rakenews #RakeAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/XAjZpgWEbw

— Ilmari Kamila (@IlmariKamila) November 18, 2018

pic.twitter.com/fjKzscPwF2

— RustyBertrand (@RustyBertrand) November 18, 2018

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(Copies:)

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

(Reposted + updated:) Donald Trump as interviewed by Bob Woodward on Feb. 7th, 2020 about COVID-19: "This is deadly stuff."

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted.)

(9/9/20 comment:) ...As the U.S. now approaches 200,000 COVID-19 deaths ...

(Embedded copy. Source link:)

(↓Reposted image, cropped:)...Per the 9/9/20 developing story, below...(in addition to referring to U.S. war dead as 'losers' and 'suckers'...:) 

↓This is the clueless + heartless liar that spineless Senate Republicans would not remove from office.. 

...How has that been working out ?

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

9/9/20 news report (link): 

"'Play it down': Trump admits to concealing the true threat of coronavirus in new Woodward book"

Excerpts, same source, different 9/9/20 article:

"According to audio Bob Woodward's interviews with President Trump for his new book "Rage," the President on Feb. 7 said coronavirus could be "more deadly" than strenuous flus.

"It goes through air, Bob. That’s always tougher than the touch. You know, the touch, you don’t have to touch things. Right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed. And so, that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than your – you know, your, even your strenuous flus. You know, people don’t realize, we lose 25,000, 30,000 people a year here. Who would ever think that, right?" Trumps said according to the audio.

Trump went on to say that coronavirus was maybe five times "more deadly" than the flu.

"This is more deadly. This is five per- you know, this is five percent versus one percent and less than one percent. You know? So, this is deadly stuff," Trump said, according to the audio.

But 20 days later, while speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said "we don't know exactly" what the fatality rate of coronavirus is...."

9/9/20 update . Per Bob Woodward's reporting Donald Trump was warned about the coronavirus outbreak in late January, 2020:  ""This will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency.”"

Source article link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bob-woodward-rage-book-trump/2020/09/09/0368fe3c-efd2-11ea-b4bc-3a2098fc73d4_story.html?

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(Reposted video:...Sorry about the 'beeps', below...Please watch your earphones' volume.)

YT video link. No copyright claimed or assumed. No affiliation.

(↓5/12/20 article link:) ...No matter what -- especially in difficult times -- the President of the United States speaks, people listen...:

"Accidental Poisonings Increased After President Trump's Disinfectant Comments"

...🩸..🩸..🩸..🩸..🩸..🩸..🩸..🩸....

(Copy:)

via GIPHY

(Updated:) American war dead are reportedly "losers and suckers" to Donald Trump. No human would give that reprehensible + soulless point of view any kind of a 'pass', ever

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted.)

9/4/20 update: Significant aspects of The Atlantic's reporting (below) have now been confirmed (by major news outlets) here, here and here. (Subscriptions may be required.)

Additional reporting, 9/5/20 article link: "Trump referred to Marines buried at cemetery in France in crude and derogatory terms, a former senior administration official says" 

9/5/20 story link: "Fox News Reporter Snaps Back As Trump Demands Her Firing For Confirming War Dead Story"

(More, further below..) 

(Comment:) No one should let this latest Trump abomination "slide". We may again 'pause' this blog soon, but a new mission will be to (strive to) make certain Trump's words + attitudes about U.S. military service will always be associated with him, and never be forgotten.

A 9/5/20 article link: "'Miracle on the Hudson' pilot 'Sully' Sullenberger blasts Trump over a report he disparaged fallen US service members"

(↓Previously posted material:) 

Here's the 9/3/20 story (link): 

"Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’"

Brief excerpt:

"...Trump rejected the idea of the visit because he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain, and because he did not believe it important to honor American war dead, according to four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day. In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as “suckers” for getting killed.

Belleau Wood is a consequential battle in American history, and the ground on which it was fought is venerated by the Marine Corps. America and its allies stopped the German advance toward Paris there in the spring of 1918. But Trump, on that same trip, asked aides, “Who were the good guys in this war?” He also said that he didn’t understand why the United States would intervene on the side of the Allies."

>>> (Inserted comment:) **Your tiny-blog writer's U.S. Marine grandfather fought in and survived the Battle of Belleau Wood -- and five more World War I battles in France, 1918.** (A little more about Belleau Wood is excerpted further below.. P.S. My grandfather's battalion was awarded France's fourragère of the Croix de Guerre following the victory at Belleau Wood.)

("This file is in the public domain, because the two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the U.S. before 1923; its copyright has also expired in countries with copyright terms of life of the author plus 50 years. This photograph of the work is in the public domain in the United States (see Bridgeman Art Library v. Corel Corp.)")

(Insert:) Compare and contrast (with the image above:)

YT video link. No copyright claimed or assumed. No affiliation.

>>>↓Insert: 9/7/20 copy, no affiliation:

Meet Trump campaign Director of Strategic Response @FrancisBrennan mocking Joe Biden for visiting the grave of his late son who is a US military vet. It's not just Trump- it's the entire Trump team that hates our veterans! #TrumpHatesOurVeterans https://t.co/eQYbX2iy6Y

— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) September 7, 2020

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(Copies:) ↓Five brief Twitter excerpts from the story linked above:

1/ President Trump, who never served in the military, canceled a 2018 visit to a cemetery where American troops are buried, saying: “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” https://t.co/25GkwyjjJM

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) September 3, 2020

2/ The remark is one of several new revelations about Trump’s seeming contempt for military service, @JeffreyGoldberg reports: https://t.co/25GkwyjjJM

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) September 3, 2020

3/ When Senator John McCain died in August 2018, Trump reportedly told his senior staff, “We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral.” https://t.co/25GkwyjjJM

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) September 3, 2020

4/ Why does Trump seem to disdain military service? “He has a lot of fear,” one officer with firsthand knowledge of Trump’s views said. “He doesn’t see the heroism in fighting.” https://t.co/25GkwyjjJM

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) September 3, 2020 

5/5 While Trump took great interest in staging a military parade in D.C., sources say he rejected the idea of such a parade including wounded veterans, because “nobody wants to see that.” https://t.co/25GkwyjjJM

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) September 3, 2020

Update: 9/4/20 unaffiliated article link: "Trump Says He Never Called McCain A ‘Loser.’ Here’s The Evidence He Did"

(↓Excerpt. Copy, no affiliation:)

Trump tonight: "I never called John a loser"

Video: Trump calling John McCain a loser pic.twitter.com/CKOBsVoBuo https://t.co/sa2lncSJcm

— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) September 4, 2020

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Some additional (early) reporting (link): "Trump denies report claiming he called dead American soldiers 'losers' and 'suckers'"

Brief excerpt:

"...White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere also denied the report in a tweet, calling it "anonymously sourced story." The Atlantic said it spoke with multiple sources on the condition of anonymity. The Associated Press said they confirmed some details in the Atlantic report. NBC News has not independently verified the report."

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More (early) reporting (link):

"'We only have one truly sacred obligation': Biden hits back at Trump for reportedly calling dead US troops 'losers'"

Excerpt:

"...Biden, whose son Beau served in Iraq, said in his statement that he considers the protection of "generations of American troops have shed blood around the world in defense of our freedoms and to protect US vital interests" the "one truly sacred obligation" of a president.

"Duty, honor, country — those are the values that drive our service members. Those are the values that have formed the core of America's defense for centuries," Biden said. "And if I have the honor of serving as the next commander in chief, I will ensure that our American heroes know that I will have their back and honor their sacrifice — always.""

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Brief excerpt, online encyclopedia article, "Battle of Belleau Wood" (footnotes omitted, emphasis added):

"...After the battle, the French renamed the wood "Bois de la Brigade de Marine" ("Wood of the Marine Brigade") in honor of the Marines' tenacity. The French government also later awarded the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments the Croix de guerre. An official German report classified the Marines as "vigorous, self-confident, and remarkable marksmen ..." General Pershing—commander of the AEF—said, "The deadliest weapon in the world is a United States Marine and his rifle." Pershing also said "the Battle of Belleau Wood was for the U.S. the biggest battle since Appomattox and the most considerable engagement American troops had ever had with a foreign enemy."

Legend and lore has it that the Germans used the term "Teufelshunde" ("devil dogs") for the Marines. However, this has not been confirmed, as the term was not commonly known in contemporary German. The closest common German term would be "Höllenhunde" which means "hellhound".

Regardless of the term's origin, ten years after the battle, Lieutenant Colonel Ernst Otto, from the Historical Section of the German Army, wrote of the Marine Corps; "Their fiery advance and great tenacity were well recognized by their opponents."...

...Marines actively serving in the Fifth and Sixth Marine regiments are authorized to wear the French Fourragère on the left shoulder of their uniform to recognize the legacy and valor of their regimental predecessors."

(Frank Schoonover / Public domain)

Ladies and gentlemen. This is your current President of the United States. ...Is authorized with nuclear launch codes:

 (Commentary, including reposted material. Temporarily posted.)

9/2/20 news/analysis article link:

"Trump Returns To Fox News To Make 3 More Bananas Claims And Accusations"

Some samples. Copies, no affiliation:

Part two of Trump's never-ending interview with Laura Ingraham begins with Trump calling on Bill Barr to prosecute the likes of Obama and Biden pic.twitter.com/O9Vjw2YsZz

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 2, 2020

The President says the governors control college football and street signs pic.twitter.com/MH3AWQjQQJ

— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) September 2, 2020

he's out of his mind pic.twitter.com/qH8ZzUiNhu

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 2, 2020

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(Copy:)

Halloween is coming up soon. I think I will dress up as a mailbox since nothing terrifies Republicans more.

— Jesse Daniel Lifson (@DoYouEvenLif) September 1, 2020

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(Copy:)

wut pic.twitter.com/fP1HO4MY7L

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 2, 2020

via GIPHY