Seeing Trump's rides to surrender to Georgia for booking on 13 felony counts and return to his home Bedminster, NJ, reverberated with the Trump years.
It was strongest to watch in silence, without the chatter of on-air reporters/analysts/hosts/commentators.
It was during his ride through streets of Atlanta on the way to jail that I sat up. It felt as a communion with fellow citizens.
There was also the relative quiet of his cult. A silence that spoke with possibility of hope down the road.
Below is a gifted link to The Washington Post’s article, ‘Trump’s mug shot was released by Georgia officials. He is the first former president to take one.’
The article includes his mug shot. Look at Trump’s eyes. Those eyes give him away, and they are hard to look at, just as living in The Trump Years have been hell. This shot is our memento for The Trump Years in America, thanks to The Fulton County Jail in Georgia. See the sheriff’s badge on the top right.
WHAT A MUG SHOT! THE TRUMP YEARS! MAY THEY END! IT CANNOT BE SOON ENOUGH!
I’ve been catching remarks throughout the day about the gravity of this moment, such a sad thing for the country to grapple with...The hell with that..Not me, I’m not sad about this, the stupidity of a faction of the American people, power hungry office holders, with no fealty to The Constitution they swore an oath to, or to our founding principles put this fucking grifter family and their pilot fish hangers on into the highest office in the country..The Senate could have prevented all of this shit..From November 2020 to today..
I hope Trump dies in prison if not sooner!! What I am upset about is that it took four trips to be arrested for a mugshot to be taken..There should be four of them..
With Trumps arrests it has demonstrated that there is a two tiered system of justice in this country..one for the rich and well connected and one for everyone else..and that’s without entering into the issue of race..Rule of law my ass!
But I take my hat off to DA Fani Willis of Fulton County Georgia..The only one to see to it that all the procedures were done correctly..
P.S. In my original posting of this reply, as was so eloquently pointed out to me this morning by one of our community, I misused teared instead of tiered..I have since corrected my error..And appreciate with affection having been so corrected..
Sam, there has been a two or three or four tiered justice, economic, health, educational, housing...systems in this country for most of its existence, if not all.
Fern, you are absolutely right..my example is of the moment playing out with the wealthy old white man with societal station and the administration of justice, but the unfairness is systematic throughout all of your other examples..And to a deeper level depending on which one and the racism and bigotry..
For those decrying his mug shot, I think the photographer did him a huge favor: hid his double chin, and put a blinding light over his head. That shielded the view of his scalp under that thinning comb over.
Who of us has ever been posed so flatteringly for our driver's license?
(Appears to be about a pound of makeup on that face, too)
How long do you think he had to spend trying out different looks in the mirror before his mug shot. Somewhere I read he was going for a Churchilian look :)
If you can, read Mary Trump's take on the mugshot. It takes knowing someone really really well to interpret something like that, and I think it's fair to say Mary knows him very very well. She interprets his expression as that of pure rage. On reflection, I think she's right.
What struck me about the mug shot is how much it resembled many ordinary news photos of the guy -- not the posed Oval Office pictures but the ones where he's addressing a crowd. There's less vitality in the mug shot but the expression is familiar. This is consistent with Mary Trump's interpretation, I think. In Trump that undercurrent of rage is always there, and when it erupts there's ketchup on the wall.
This mug shot alone shows how he is receiving extraordinarily special treatment. I have never seen a mug shot showing such defiance. There should never have been a 'pose' allowed. What happened to looking straight into the camera with a neutral expression? This plays right into trump's dirty hands. Makes me gag.
Miselle, I was thinking the same thing! His intention, I think, was to appear menacing, but I'm sure he also was hoping to compensate for all of the candid shots lately, showing how old, pale, fat and ugly he is. I'm sure he posed in the mirror for hours.
I wonder how long it took his makeup person to get his hair and makeup juuuuust right. They must have worked together for days once he chose "the look" to make sure the foundation didn't crack, or the mascara run, in the heat and humidity of the Fulton County Jail. After he got out of his last ever (I devoutly hope) motorcade.
And on a side note, October is going to be a very busy month for him, because HE COULD BE CALLED AS A WITNESS in Cheesybro's trial, now set for October 23. Now, wouldn't THAT be interesting?
Who knew that our symbol, Lady Justice holding the scales of Truth (facts, in this most important matter of our democracy, would be a very intelligent, no-nonsense black woman. The symbology of this moment is stunningly poetic.
However, I'll save the champagne and popcorn for the day we see mugshots for the all or most of the anti-democracy co-conspirators and their arrogant cult leader, including those still in our employment, behind bars. That will be true Justice for us and our democracy.
Agreed. I used to describe the application of criminal law like a pyramid. At it's base, is the conduct, in this case, unlawful conduct. The first few steps as you get narrower are petty crime, property crime, more involved property crime, crimes against persons, then those that rise up the level with increasing injury, to causing death at the pinnacle. I've investigated and made arrests in all levels of those crimes. I have also learned that "justice" is a weird thing. Sometimes, there is no justice as we know it.
There is a defense to conduct that is otherwise criminal; justification. That is the slippery slope that we are looking at as these cases move forward; the justification that those who engaged in the conduct charged employ is their belief that they were wronged, all facts to the contrary. It will be interesting to see how this progresses. I devoutly hope that for all the "sincerely held beliefs" that these criminals are relying on are held to be fallacies and not rising to the level of justification for conduct.
Yes! Lock up the complicit House members, and throw in a few Senators. Maybe build a special facility for them, on the cheap, so they have to live with each other 24/7.
Good for you, Sam. I was elated when the news broke with that stupid caricature for a mug shot. I did a happy dance, I didn't whoop and holler because I didn't want to disturb my neighbors. I do have faith in our legal system that he will be convicted and serve jail time - I hope in Georgia.
That system needs to give way to truth and Justice for all! But as long as nearly one third of the country is led by people who support utterly criminal activity and punish those with very minor infractions, well,… we have a LOT OF WORK TO DO. Thanks HCR and others who work for the good.
Did you know that in Georgia the Republican legislators have enacted a law that can and obviously was intended to yank Fani Willis out of that position so their own self centered abusers can reappoint and attempt to throw this case out. Trump was a grifter, user, and abuser long before he cheated his way into the presidency. He should have been in jail long before this. Stop elevating him and convict him of his crimes the same way any one else would be. We will not fall apart as a nation if we do. We will survive any blow back from this and be all the better for it.
That law takes effect October 1st. They WILL immediately move to oust Fani Willis from her position and move to cancel all the indictments. Will see how the appeals go….all the way to the Supreme Court?
Love your anti-science comment. His muddling of the COVID debacle has angered me so much for the last few years. To me, a COVID (and vaccine) denier is living proof of ignorance. Any middle schooler can explain the reality of viruses. Denying it? Perhaps a sign of an emotional disorder.
Here in West Michigan, anti-maskers and COVID deniers won 9 of 11 seats on our county commission and are trying their best to defund and dismantle the award-winning, nationally recognized health department.
I lived in western Michigan for five years. Geographically, it a lovely place although winter is too cold for me. The population is very conservative, and there are a lot of people of Dutch heritage who forebears brought their Dutch Reformed religion with them.
I read an article about the sexual health educator who is being targeted by the far right reactionary members of the county commission. Those commissioners, like the Puritans In Massachusetts, want freedom of religion. They want others to practice religion THEIR way. Their religious heritage is my way or the highway. The sexual health educator with the Ottawa County Health Department had worked for years to bring down the numbers that we would want to bring down. Fewer teen pregnancies, fewer abortions, more use of contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies in vulnerable populations, especially the poor. Now these radical reactionaries are accusing this woman of being a "groomer" because she has done such a good job of her job. These crazy reactionaries are lying to get attention while they hurt a fine person for working to improve life for vulnerable people.
Ann, the similarities between the library board members teaming with some of the townspeople to vote to defund their own town library in Michigan over a few books they didn't like and those wanting to defund the public health dept are striking and insane! Cutting off your nose to spite your face.
"OUR" anti-science president? He clearly was not OUR president, he even made that clear in words. Alas, and now thanks to an amazingly brave, talented, learned and determined Georgia woman he is "our" Inmate # P01135809. Use that more fitting moniker going forward.
Agreed. My sadness is about all the harm he’s inflicted on others his entire life without consequences. These indictments offer some hope that he will finally be held accountable. This isn’t just about him, it’s about wether or not “justice for all” has any meaning in our nation.
Now, the fate of the Republican Party will be determined by the American voters. There is some hope that on the federal level many of the MAGA people could be pushed out of Congress. Gerrymandering will make it more difficult.
Also, so many red state legislatures are full of MAGA extremists who feel no obligation to follow laws, as demonstrated by how Alabama is defying the Supreme Court.
"It is quite a thing to see leading Republicans—including a former president—in mugshots for their assault on our democracy and to know that party leadership supports their actions. Indeed, it is unprecedented, and for those who remember what a grand party the Republicans have been at times in their history—Lincoln, after all, was a Republican, and so were Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower—it is a sad end.
But an end it is. The authoritarians who have taken over the party have abandoned their history and are now building something altogether different."
We the People will have to make sure that our country is represented by people who believe in and will abide by the spirit and the word of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution as amended. It's our country, of us and by us and for us.
Trump flies in on a private jet, is chauffeured in a motorcade and released on bail, while the single black coconspirator booked thus far still sits in a jail cell in Fulton County. Tiers of justice personified.
I feel your anger, I feel your pain. I almost cheered at his arrest but it was a terrible moment in our history. Biden needs a speech writer to inspire us, to give us hope, and to help us turn a page.
Thanks Kathy, however, I must give credit where credit is due..It came from a description of Lindsey Graham by Steve Schmidt in one of his essays..It's the perfect name for what these cretins are..
Here is a brief description of it's behavior from Wikipedia,
"The pilot fish congregates around sharks, rays, and sea turtles, where it eats ectoparasites on, and leftovers around the host species"
Such an appropriate way to define those in Trump's circle..
Some people get million or more dollar bails for lesser crimes. He jokes about escaping. This might not be a bad idea. I don't think you could be president from Russia or some country which cannot turn him over.
Our best hope is that he does escape and goes to be with his buddy, Putin. The Russians won’t extradite him. But wait, I spoke too soon, maybe his supporters will send money for his ransom. OMG!
By pointing out my periodic poor command of English Grammar, you remind me of my detest friend Julia, who on the most regular basis corrects my besmirching of the same..All I am left with at this point is to thank you for your kind approach in correcting me..And to say that I’m pleased that you have found my error useful..Mine is a constant path of growth and learning..
Alternatively, keep the price the same and market them to MAGAts: "Stick the mug on your mail to stick it to the deep state! Let the post office know where the patriots live!"
Use the couple hundred million in funds to pay for all the new electric trucks! Plus, take note of the return addresses so if someone tries that anthrax thing again we have a good list of where to start looking.
I've seen comments in French to the effect that the picture was obviously well set-up beforehand (hair, makeup, lighting) by expert photographers. I think they're right. Where is that ordinary full-face picture with name and number? This is fake, like everything else he presents to the public.
Call me crazy, but TFG's mugshot is just "off," as in liberally photoshopped.
1) Part of his jowly face (lower right side, in shadow) seems to have been aggressively shaved away in post-photo editing, making him seem thinner than he is (perhaps to support the assertion that he weighs 215 pounds).
2) Look at his left shoulder. Do you notice that his blue suit coat doesn't really have a lapel? There's the hint of one, but much of it has been airbrushed out.
3) I was able to use some of my editing tools to zoom in on the image, and I was surprised to see that not only was the suit itself outlined in a thin black line, but his FACE, especially the entire lower half, has a similar black outline. There is also an outline cutting through his right ear.
4) Move your gaze to the misty blond "hair" -- which looks like a cloud -- on the left side, and compare it to the sharp little hairs out of place above his shoulder on the right side. That little cloud is airbrushed, too, as well as his left eyebrow.
5) The lines on his face have been enhanced by a dark maroon lining to seem more deep and severe than they are, including the vertical line on the brow, and the "shadow" separating light from dark from the bottom of his nose to his upper lip.
6) If the mugshot is indeed authentic, why is the light so dramatically different from the other 17 mugshots that were taken? And what jailhouse photographer in his right mind would let somebody be photographed not facing straight on into the lens?
The editing isn't great, but it's good enough to fool most people into thinking the subject is real.
I honestly don't know why photographers all over the world aren't weighing in on what seems so obvious to me. The only question I have is this: was TFG allowed to provide the mugshot and not have to endure the direct gaze of the unforgiving lens and light?
What always gets me is how the guy is so obviously, cartoonishly evil, and looks the part. Like, even an old-timey comic book artist would think, "Maybe I should tone this down? Leave some room for nuance? Make this guy just a little more human, and less purely gargoyle?" And yet...
Even Hitler and Stalin knew to incorporate a put-together look to draw in the masses, and covered up their epic psychopathy with a well-trimmed 'stache. But here we have their 21st-century wannabe content to just look like a Halloween mask that has been sitting out under a magnifying glass, and some people are still drawn in. Astonishing.
You nailed it! And he's startlingly oblivious to it while we see the effort he put into "making a face" plain as day. What psychopathy allows this person to see what he wishes in his image instead of reality? A healthy person would see the image and, embarrassed, hastily reject it — but this guy publishes it!
That look. Trying to look tough. My first reaction was that he was auditioning for a part in a Marvel movie. He got it wrong. Villains in shows like that display diabolical smiles. Like they have a trick to escape that will surprise everyone. A sick devilish sense of humor. But this old putz of a former pres has nothing to laugh about. He is cornered. This is part of a long spiral dive to oblivion and a special place in history.
He just wants to goad his minions into taking up arms— he wants to look as though he will never back down. I’ve come to believe EVERYTHING he does is for amassing power — so it is with this. He probably practiced in a mirror.
Will, despite his fairly obvious defects in both appearance and behavior, "some people [so many people] are still drawn in" because of a need to belong. I proffer the following about the human condition:
Facts vs. the Tribe
• Humans are herd animals: We want to fit in,
to bond with others, and to earn the respect
and approval of our peers. Such inclinations
are essential to our survival.
• For most of our evolutionary history, our
ancestors lived in tribes.
• Becoming separated from the tribe—or worse,
being cast out—was a death sentence.”
James Clear – Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds, 2018
Facts vs. Beliefs
• Humans need a reasonably accurate view of the
world in order to survive. If your model of reality is
wildly different from the actual world, then you
struggle to take effective actions each day.
• However, truth and accuracy are not the only things
that matter to the human mind;
• humans also have a deep desire to belong.
• In many circumstances, social connection is actually
more helpful to your daily life than understanding
Nail on head, Cali Will! As for your earlier post re: a stamp, you forget that the Postmaster General is the yutz DeJoy who was appointed by TFG and so that whole thing could backfire badly. The USPS is functioning despite him rather than with him.
I would suppose if TUMP had a 'stache' it would be shaggy and have a burnt orange tinge to it. or maybe a hint of pink in it too...thank you for your great reply. It was good.
It's probably all compensatory for what is hidden. He crows and preens and hurls insults and belittles and degrades those who he fears, all to hide his deep sense of inadequacy. All of which appeals to a segment of the population who also feel this way. "Othering" is an ignorant and common way that people try to make themselves feel better, which because it's only temporary, they have to keep it up so as to ward off the terrible feelings and the acknowledgment of their own failings. He looks like a two year old trying to appear tough and unaffected by his humiliation.
It's the red reddened whites of his eyes and the red edges of his lids that got to me--the look of someone who hasn't slept well in a long time.
What stood out to me was that Trump "fired" his lead Georgia attorney for one who has represented rappers in RICO cases in Georgia. I wonder whether Drew Fielding, Trump's previous Georgia lead attorney, withdrew after the after the bond negotiations because Trump stiffed him or because he saw that Trump would not adhere to his legal advice, and would try to intimidate witnesses and co-defendents.
Also on my radar is Chesebro pushing for a speedy trial. There was coverage from MSNBC on You Tube that said that this could be a tactic to test whether Fani Willis is ready to go to trial,and she would to have to try him only on the evidence that is directly linked to his part in the RICO activities--Cheseboro gives up more time to examine the evidence in discovery and the ability to have pre-trial motions, but it would make Fani Willis show her trial strategy in advance of the case against Trump. If Cheseboro is acquitted by a jury it would weaken the overall case. It's like he is choosing to be a stalking horse--which benefits Trump more than it does him. I wonder what Trump has promised him in return--when a pardon clearly cannot be on the table.
Both lawyers, Fielding, who has left, and Sadow, who was hired, have represented rap artists.
'A Georgia judge on Thursday signed off on a quick turnaround to the start of the trial for Kenneth Chesebro, one of 18 defendants charged alongside former President Donald Trump in connection with alleged efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election results.'
'The ruling, scheduling an Oct. 23 start to Chesebro's trial, came just after Trump's newly appointed attorney said he would move to sever the former president's case from Chesebro or any other defendant who sought an expedited timeline.'
'Earlier Thursday, Fani Willis, the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, asked Judge Scott McAfee to set Oct. 23 as the start of the trial for all defendants. Her office's request came after Chesebro had demanded a speedy trial, which under Georgia law gave Willis' office until the end of October to begin the case.' (CBSNews) See link below.
Then why is it mentioned so often? There seems to be some implication. People seem to be implying that a lawyer who would represent a rapper has fewer scruples. In fact why is it mentioned at all if it isn't relevant in some way?
Christopher, I don't know what you are getting at with your suspicion of what? Subscribers do a lot of quoting from articles and reports. Stories that include lawyers, doctors business people, entertainers, etc., often provide background info.
'Atlanta has been aptly dubbed both the “hip hop center of gravity” by The New York Times and “the new cultural capital of America” by The Daily Beast, and has been holding titles like these since the 90’s. Many of the U.S.’s top hip hop and rap artists came from Atlanta: T.I., Gucci Mane, Ludacris, Young Thug, Kelly Rowland, Childish Gambino, Soulja Boy, Future, 2 Chainz, Migos, André 3000 all call Atlanta their hometown.' (USATV) Given the music scene in Atlanta, it seems there are a good number of potential clients.
"Democracy used to mean that anyone can grow up to be president of the United States. Now it seems to mean that anyone who HASN'T grown up can be president of the United States."
Never in my 75 years did I think I would see so many Americans proud of the fact that they will vote for a CRIMINAL to be the president of these United States.
I wish there were stickers to be passed out at voting stations that read, " I voted! For a criminal!"
Thank you for this, Fern. I have posted it to my Facebook page.
On another matter, HCR writes: "In our system, Trump, like any defendant, is presumed innocent until proven guilty."
This is essentially a term of art. What it means simply is that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the facts of the case against Trump (or any other defendant.) I do not presume that he is innocent. The only issue is proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Good to see you, Richard. Yes, we are depending on the prosecutors. I also think that Trump & Enablers gave them a lot of evidence to present. It is a matter of them effectively showing and telling their stories.
There is always the risk that a MAGA could get on the jury and refuse to convict. That will be the defense strategy.
Still, I think that there is a very good chance that the case against Trump will not go to trial, that there will be a plea deal where Trump agrees to house arrest, with conditions, probably for at least five years or the rest of his life. Same with Giuliani, who faces the real prospect of spending the rest of his miserable life in prison.
Richard, if my counting is correct, Trump has three separate criminal cases. Are you thinking that he won't go to trial on any of the three? Could the example you have given be applied, perhaps, in different ways to all three of those cases?
There are a number of shadows with going to trial and not going to trial. On one side, it is important for MAGAs and those aligned with them to witness the process of exposing Trump. It may cool the hatred, of course, just going to trial before the case is in motion could inflame the far-right leading to a lot of political violence. We are in volatile times, Richard!
It would seem Richard that the other issue is finding then picking 12+ jurors who can come to agreement beyond a reasonable doubt. Do more than 12 people exist in Georgia who have NOT been exposed to coverage of TFG??! And if so, what kind of people will they be?
I think it’s more about finding a jury who can put aside what they are already aware of and consider only the evidence. I have a vague memory of recently reading a quote from one of the Georgia grand jurors who said something along the lines of “If everyone knew all the evidence we have seen, this country would not be divided.” Here’s to hoping that the evidence is indeed overwhelming.
AGREED KR! Yet I fret that someone saying s/he "can put aside what they are already aware of" is too much like 80% of male drivers who are convinced they are excellent drivers...
There’s a big difference between presumed innocent until proven guilty and supporting a candidate after they have been convicted. Have none of the VP-wannabes read the Constitution? How can these jackals make Chris Christy seem sensible- even to someone from NJ?
When we have seen his actions and heard his words with our own eyes and ears, we have no doubt of his guilt. The case should be airtight. Let’s hope it is.
Trump did the Kubrick Stare in the vein of Nicholson in The Shining. It's when a stares with a forward tilt to indicate they are at the height of their derangement.
I think that Trump's Mug is a work of art. Warhol, Lichtenstein and Wesselmann, to name of few, would have enjoyed it. Without sticking to pop artists, de Kooning might have thought Donald's face right up his alley. What Trump couldn't control of that picture, ah, control, another subject. What he could not control are the marks of the man's soul that live on his face.
Actually went to high school with "wise guys" who tugged on their overcoats in a like manner to Donald. Could spot them immediately across a crowded room.
Thanks for the mental picture, Fern. Can you imagine that face duplicated numerous times like Campbell soup cans or Marilyn or Monroe? Think I will pass.
Correct re: Nicholson! That has been in the back of my brain this morning and you brought it forward to the thinking part. Coffee helped, but you nailed it!
BlueRootsRadio, right and I know of the cultural reference to Clockwork Orange but never watched it. That would be too frightening for me. But it makes you wonder if the stare was intentionally patterned after Kubrick's.
Yes, the eyes are chilling to look at. The naked rage. The evil, destroying world view...absent of joy, beauty and soul. I feel grateful for his age - that he is 77 and not 47. He can't be gone soon enough.
In the WAPO article, underneath his obviously much practiced (in front of a mirror) menacing expression mug shot, was a photo of him walking to the limo after his booking and showing a stooped, defeated (Never Surrender, my ass) rotted old man.
While TFG may leave us soon, the MAGA/KKK adherents are here for the long haul. They won't be satisfied unless they have installed a White Protestant theocratic autocracy.
If TFG's lawyers are any good, they'll get TFG and the prosecutors to cut a deal - lifetime confinement to house arrest, no public pronouncements, no acceptance of any pardons.
Daniel, I'm certain that the prosecutors will draw up an air-tight agreement. It is almost beyond comprehension that his attorneys would not want to cut a deal. The law and the evidence are against Trump, in big numbers.
Ally, I'm blushing. Thank you for pointing out something I've never dreamed upon. I made several comments, but the way replies are falling, I know know which of my comments you are referring to.
Thanks for that Fern..I was in the process of canceling The Washington Post yesterday, as I did with the NYT..due to some of their political reporters attending a dinner with members of the Trump campaign on the eve of the GOP debate..they offered it to me at one point for a buck a month for a year..I figured that was at least worth Jennifer Rubin..so I accepted..
Everyone should know that political reporters from the NYT, WaPo, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and other outlets were in Milwaukee that night breaking bread with Jason Miller and two other Trump campaign staffers..people like Robert Costa, Dana Bash, Kristin Welker..This transactional political reporting has and is killing the independence of our media..Here, take a listen to this..
Sam, to be polite, I'm under impressed with Olbermann's accusations -- and he says, 'fire them'! Reporters can't get the facts if they don't schmooze, interview, hangout...and that includes spending time with people you don't like or approve of.
There is active investigative reporting and there’s transactional reporting..Olbermann’s podcast is not the only place reporting this..This behavior crossed a line..It undermines credibility, objectivity, integrity and true independence..Olbermann may seem over the top, but he’s right..
Please understand Fern, I like the WaPo..and again, not all reporters are cut from the same cloth. It’s the political reporting that has taken a self inflicted blow..By this kind of behavior and the example of holding onto information for a book.. at the end of the day, who does it serve them the source or the American people?
Sam, I worked in public affairs programing for many years as a researcher, associate producer of news, producer, series and specials producer, which included writing, directing and supervising staff, etc., for PBS; a metropolitan area, public television station and local WCBS-TV. It has been a while since I've been in the business, but I think it is fair to consider myself a vet when discussing aspects of this arena and the crucial role journalism plays in society.
Sam, I would not throw a blanket over all of the reporters with WAPO, NYTimes and the other news organizations. I know a good number of reporters as a reader that are serving us well. Keith Olbermann is very dramatic and assertive. My practice is to take time and effort if a journalist I have respected is called out -- by whom and what are the details. Keith Olbermann may not be the last word.
PS Think about including 'Today's WorldView' in you reading of WAPO. I have a high regard for its work.
Fern, I concur..not all reporters are cut from the same cloth..However, appearances are everything..I have to consider how much inside information was held back for pending book deals..Consider the Woodward recordings at the time.. How many dead due to what Trump was saying in public and compare it to what he told Woodward..
Sam, if you listen to the tapes Woodward pushed him hard, HARD! Again, Sam, the devil is in the details. Are you moving in a direction that would take a machete to what is already a much too small number of journalists in the country. State and local news -- what kind of shape are they in? I hope you slow down. Democracy cannot survive without journalists.
I am with you Fern..we need journalists, And it is important to take things one step at a time. Yes, Woodward pushed him hard..but how long did he hold onto that info? Was the book that came out a year later as helpful as taking what he learned and made it public contemporaneously? I suppose it’s a matter of perspective..in the line item of COVID 19..How many people may have avoided death had that been made public at the time..
Some of these people are just too cozy with their sources..Who benefits from a transactional media?
How about that CNN town hall? Who benefited from that?
HCR writes: "The Republicans on stage last night have abandoned democracy, and in that they accurately represent their party." HCR says this because most of the Republicans at the debate said they will support the multiply-indicted Trump if he is the nominee. HCR's condemnation of the Republicans is based on the presuppositions that (1) Biden fairly won the 2020 presidential election, and (2) Trump and the Republicans knew this and willfully conspired to overturn a lawful election.
But perhaps it was (also) Biden who is no longer democratic. The evidence is clear, based on a pattern of discrepancies from the exit polls, that Biden stole the Democratic nomination from Bernie Sanders. HCR and others continue to wilfully and hypocritically ignore this.
Regarding the Trump situation, former Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz has a very different approach from HCR. He said:
“What if a court ultimately rules that Donald Trump had a right under the First Amendment to make his Jan. 6 speech and to do what he did? Then Jack Smith will have conspired to deny him of that right. That’s how serious this is.
“Jack Smith … deliberately, willfully and maliciously leaves out the words that President Trump spoke on Jan. 6 in his terrible speech, which I disagree with, but what he said was, ‘I want you to assemble peacefully and patriotically.’
“Jack [Smith] leaves that out. That is a lie, a lie, an omission lie, and if you’re going to indict somebody for telling lies, don’t tell lies in the indictment. If you’re going to indict somebody for denying people their constitutional rights, don’t deny them their constitutional rights by indicting them for free speech. That’s how hypocritical this is.”
"Dershowitz: Jack Smith Could Be ‘Indicted’ If Trump Wins Case Against Him"
It seems to me that you believe that Heather, as well as most of the American and foreign media, willfully overlook what you and the mathematician contest to be so: that Biden stole the nomination. When it’s you and the mathematician on one side, and you mention nobody else, I have to wonder if both of your biases have led you to miss something. When I did a search on various search engines, playing around with search terms like “Biden stole Sanders presidential nomination”, I found nothing significantly connected to what you are intimating. More, if what you’re intimating were true, Fox and Breitbart would have been all over it. And would continue so to be. Alas, that’s not the case. So it’s either a grand conspiracy against this mathematician’s findings by both CNN AND Fox, or...more likely...the mathematician and you don’t have all the facts on your side.
More, you diminish yourself by name-calling folks, (whom you should just ignore). We are “Internet people”, which means all this is and isn’t real, and if you get emotional jollies from being disputatious with “Internet people” for no reasonable purpose, I suggest you reevaluate your priorities.
And when the "peaceful and patriotic" folks attacked Capitol police, broke into and trashed the building, tried to hunt down the vice president and others--the former president watched TV coverage of the destruction for hours without saying a word or calling off his mob.
OK, first, polls in this country have been inaccurate for so long that they are laughable. Second, Tr*** is not being charged with his words before the insurrection January 6th -- read the damn charges, sir. Also, I would suggest that you balance out your sources where you get your opinions and you would sound a bit more intelligent.
Trump speaks out of both sides of his mouth all the time. Dershowitz might raise some questions here as "free speech" and what is inciting imminent lawless action are tricky issues, but he seems to me to dump reason for politics. He is welcome to hold that opinion, but should he be teaching law?
Pretty certain that the jury, encouraged by Trump's defense attorneys, will consider your point. That said, Jack Smith will likely offer up a half-dozen similar occasions where Trump played both sides of the field in order to gaslight his audience and explain how it all works. Trump's a master of this technique, but I have to believe that Smith will be prepared to educate the jury and that thoughtful individuals will understand and see through his obfuscation techniques.
Yes, the notion that TFG can't be guilty if he really believes his conspiracies is very popular on the right, and for obvious reasons: it would make a determination of guilt virtually impossible.
Legally, it's total BS.
This might help: https://terikanefield.com/criminal-law-101-trumps-j6-indictment/ "Trump’s motive for committing the crime doesn’t matter because a good motive does not get a person off the hook for committing a crime. “I hit my neighbor with a baseball bat because I genuinely believed he robbed my house” will not fly. I can genuinely believe my neighbor doesn’t have the right to vote, but that doesn’t allow me to go into her mailbox, steal her ballot, and tear it up."
Seriously, that's a four-year-old's "mad face". Anger, frustration, thwarted purpose, fury - and about as menacing as a wet sock. It's a "you're not the boss of me" face. Look past the makeup and blow-dry, and the 70 years of abuse (self- and by and of others - and let's not get into specifics) and you can see it shining forth - one who wants to be taken seriously, but we. just. can't.
Didn't see his walk of shame, but were there "thousands" of his fans lining the streets with I love you signs? I know at some of his other trips to the court house there was a whisper not a roar of minions.
Seeing Trump's rides to surrender to Georgia for booking on 13 felony counts and return to his home Bedminster, NJ, reverberated with the Trump years.
It was strongest to watch in silence, without the chatter of on-air reporters/analysts/hosts/commentators.
It was during his ride through streets of Atlanta on the way to jail that I sat up. It felt as a communion with fellow citizens.
There was also the relative quiet of his cult. A silence that spoke with possibility of hope down the road.
Below is a gifted link to The Washington Post’s article, ‘Trump’s mug shot was released by Georgia officials. He is the first former president to take one.’
The article includes his mug shot. Look at Trump’s eyes. Those eyes give him away, and they are hard to look at, just as living in The Trump Years have been hell. This shot is our memento for The Trump Years in America, thanks to The Fulton County Jail in Georgia. See the sheriff’s badge on the top right.
WHAT A MUG SHOT! THE TRUMP YEARS! MAY THEY END! IT CANNOT BE SOON ENOUGH!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/24/donald-trump-mugshot-georgia/
The USPS should release a new stamp with that mug shot. Value: two cents.
I’ve been catching remarks throughout the day about the gravity of this moment, such a sad thing for the country to grapple with...The hell with that..Not me, I’m not sad about this, the stupidity of a faction of the American people, power hungry office holders, with no fealty to The Constitution they swore an oath to, or to our founding principles put this fucking grifter family and their pilot fish hangers on into the highest office in the country..The Senate could have prevented all of this shit..From November 2020 to today..
I hope Trump dies in prison if not sooner!! What I am upset about is that it took four trips to be arrested for a mugshot to be taken..There should be four of them..
With Trumps arrests it has demonstrated that there is a two tiered system of justice in this country..one for the rich and well connected and one for everyone else..and that’s without entering into the issue of race..Rule of law my ass!
But I take my hat off to DA Fani Willis of Fulton County Georgia..The only one to see to it that all the procedures were done correctly..
P.S. In my original posting of this reply, as was so eloquently pointed out to me this morning by one of our community, I misused teared instead of tiered..I have since corrected my error..And appreciate with affection having been so corrected..
Sam, there has been a two or three or four tiered justice, economic, health, educational, housing...systems in this country for most of its existence, if not all.
Fern, you are absolutely right..my example is of the moment playing out with the wealthy old white man with societal station and the administration of justice, but the unfairness is systematic throughout all of your other examples..And to a deeper level depending on which one and the racism and bigotry..
For those decrying his mug shot, I think the photographer did him a huge favor: hid his double chin, and put a blinding light over his head. That shielded the view of his scalp under that thinning comb over.
Who of us has ever been posed so flatteringly for our driver's license?
(Appears to be about a pound of makeup on that face, too)
How long do you think he had to spend trying out different looks in the mirror before his mug shot. Somewhere I read he was going for a Churchilian look :)
LOL. He just looked very angry that someone dared to take a mug shot.
What? He has no clue of who Churchill was
Churchill, he's not.
https://fsnewsonline.co.za/never-give-in-not-up/
If you can, read Mary Trump's take on the mugshot. It takes knowing someone really really well to interpret something like that, and I think it's fair to say Mary knows him very very well. She interprets his expression as that of pure rage. On reflection, I think she's right.
What struck me about the mug shot is how much it resembled many ordinary news photos of the guy -- not the posed Oval Office pictures but the ones where he's addressing a crowd. There's less vitality in the mug shot but the expression is familiar. This is consistent with Mary Trump's interpretation, I think. In Trump that undercurrent of rage is always there, and when it erupts there's ketchup on the wall.
Which should be added to his stated weight of 215.
I did wonder where that had come from and then read that's what he reported. I wish I could lie to my doctor like that.
He should be weighed in as well as photographed for his next indictment.
I'm 5'6" and have a similar physique. I weigh in at 225.
Yes really, don’t they actually weigh people instead of asking how much you weigh? I estimate Trump closer to 250-275
This mug shot alone shows how he is receiving extraordinarily special treatment. I have never seen a mug shot showing such defiance. There should never have been a 'pose' allowed. What happened to looking straight into the camera with a neutral expression? This plays right into trump's dirty hands. Makes me gag.
Me too. Maybe they took two...the other in repose!
Miselle, I was thinking the same thing! His intention, I think, was to appear menacing, but I'm sure he also was hoping to compensate for all of the candid shots lately, showing how old, pale, fat and ugly he is. I'm sure he posed in the mirror for hours.
Nancy
Google Churchill's photo after his "Never, never, never give up" speech. Booking photo is absolutely a posed rip off.
"You, Sir, are no Churchill!" Poor imitation. Looks like he needs a couple doses of X-Lax.
I wonder how long it took his makeup person to get his hair and makeup juuuuust right. They must have worked together for days once he chose "the look" to make sure the foundation didn't crack, or the mascara run, in the heat and humidity of the Fulton County Jail. After he got out of his last ever (I devoutly hope) motorcade.
And on a side note, October is going to be a very busy month for him, because HE COULD BE CALLED AS A WITNESS in Cheesybro's trial, now set for October 23. Now, wouldn't THAT be interesting?
Too bad it's not filled with lead like that on the face of Elizabeth I.
Why was this professional photographing, primping and planning allowed???
“…systems in this country for most of its existence, if not all.”
Should read, “in this world.”
The subject under discussion was Trump and the US.
But we're supposed to be bending toward justice.
Who knew that our symbol, Lady Justice holding the scales of Truth (facts, in this most important matter of our democracy, would be a very intelligent, no-nonsense black woman. The symbology of this moment is stunningly poetic.
However, I'll save the champagne and popcorn for the day we see mugshots for the all or most of the anti-democracy co-conspirators and their arrogant cult leader, including those still in our employment, behind bars. That will be true Justice for us and our democracy.
Agreed. I used to describe the application of criminal law like a pyramid. At it's base, is the conduct, in this case, unlawful conduct. The first few steps as you get narrower are petty crime, property crime, more involved property crime, crimes against persons, then those that rise up the level with increasing injury, to causing death at the pinnacle. I've investigated and made arrests in all levels of those crimes. I have also learned that "justice" is a weird thing. Sometimes, there is no justice as we know it.
There is a defense to conduct that is otherwise criminal; justification. That is the slippery slope that we are looking at as these cases move forward; the justification that those who engaged in the conduct charged employ is their belief that they were wronged, all facts to the contrary. It will be interesting to see how this progresses. I devoutly hope that for all the "sincerely held beliefs" that these criminals are relying on are held to be fallacies and not rising to the level of justification for conduct.
Yes! Lock up the complicit House members, and throw in a few Senators. Maybe build a special facility for them, on the cheap, so they have to live with each other 24/7.
A deep case of the bends...
Good for you, Sam. I was elated when the news broke with that stupid caricature for a mug shot. I did a happy dance, I didn't whoop and holler because I didn't want to disturb my neighbors. I do have faith in our legal system that he will be convicted and serve jail time - I hope in Georgia.
That system needs to give way to truth and Justice for all! But as long as nearly one third of the country is led by people who support utterly criminal activity and punish those with very minor infractions, well,… we have a LOT OF WORK TO DO. Thanks HCR and others who work for the good.
Did you know that in Georgia the Republican legislators have enacted a law that can and obviously was intended to yank Fani Willis out of that position so their own self centered abusers can reappoint and attempt to throw this case out. Trump was a grifter, user, and abuser long before he cheated his way into the presidency. He should have been in jail long before this. Stop elevating him and convict him of his crimes the same way any one else would be. We will not fall apart as a nation if we do. We will survive any blow back from this and be all the better for it.
That law takes effect October 1st. They WILL immediately move to oust Fani Willis from her position and move to cancel all the indictments. Will see how the appeals go….all the way to the Supreme Court?
Awful R move, Deborah. They have such contempt for truth.
I have read that Kemp is not keen to remove her..
The gravity of the moment, as irrefutable as that apple falling from the tree and striking Sir Isaac on the head. Gravity.
Ironic. Was Gravity got our anti-science president.
Love your anti-science comment. His muddling of the COVID debacle has angered me so much for the last few years. To me, a COVID (and vaccine) denier is living proof of ignorance. Any middle schooler can explain the reality of viruses. Denying it? Perhaps a sign of an emotional disorder.
Here in West Michigan, anti-maskers and COVID deniers won 9 of 11 seats on our county commission and are trying their best to defund and dismantle the award-winning, nationally recognized health department.
I lived in western Michigan for five years. Geographically, it a lovely place although winter is too cold for me. The population is very conservative, and there are a lot of people of Dutch heritage who forebears brought their Dutch Reformed religion with them.
I read an article about the sexual health educator who is being targeted by the far right reactionary members of the county commission. Those commissioners, like the Puritans In Massachusetts, want freedom of religion. They want others to practice religion THEIR way. Their religious heritage is my way or the highway. The sexual health educator with the Ottawa County Health Department had worked for years to bring down the numbers that we would want to bring down. Fewer teen pregnancies, fewer abortions, more use of contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies in vulnerable populations, especially the poor. Now these radical reactionaries are accusing this woman of being a "groomer" because she has done such a good job of her job. These crazy reactionaries are lying to get attention while they hurt a fine person for working to improve life for vulnerable people.
But of course.
You have a lot of work to do! Like me, we are all getting busy with county commisisions, school boards, etc.
Ann, the similarities between the library board members teaming with some of the townspeople to vote to defund their own town library in Michigan over a few books they didn't like and those wanting to defund the public health dept are striking and insane! Cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Ann, the R Party also in MI has went off the rails.
Ann, which county? My daughter goes to school in Kalamazoo.
Just because he feeds on Mar-a-Logo chocolate cake doesnt mean he lives. Just check out his ignorance [?] beside his band of "Renfields."
"OUR" anti-science president? He clearly was not OUR president, he even made that clear in words. Alas, and now thanks to an amazingly brave, talented, learned and determined Georgia woman he is "our" Inmate # P01135809. Use that more fitting moniker going forward.
I like to think of Defendant Donny as POS135809.
Who cares what his number is, get him convicted!
I just call him “The Defendant”.
Agreed. My sadness is about all the harm he’s inflicted on others his entire life without consequences. These indictments offer some hope that he will finally be held accountable. This isn’t just about him, it’s about wether or not “justice for all” has any meaning in our nation.
Perplexing isn’t it, how anyone with an intellect could support this sleaze?
Now, the fate of the Republican Party will be determined by the American voters. There is some hope that on the federal level many of the MAGA people could be pushed out of Congress. Gerrymandering will make it more difficult.
Also, so many red state legislatures are full of MAGA extremists who feel no obligation to follow laws, as demonstrated by how Alabama is defying the Supreme Court.
"It is quite a thing to see leading Republicans—including a former president—in mugshots for their assault on our democracy and to know that party leadership supports their actions. Indeed, it is unprecedented, and for those who remember what a grand party the Republicans have been at times in their history—Lincoln, after all, was a Republican, and so were Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower—it is a sad end.
But an end it is. The authoritarians who have taken over the party have abandoned their history and are now building something altogether different."
We the People will have to make sure that our country is represented by people who believe in and will abide by the spirit and the word of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution as amended. It's our country, of us and by us and for us.
Trump flies in on a private jet, is chauffeured in a motorcade and released on bail, while the single black coconspirator booked thus far still sits in a jail cell in Fulton County. Tiers of justice personified.
I think he assaulted an FBI agent. A level of physical violence none of the others reached.
Yes- that’s interesting and par for the course of different tiers of justice for the one black defendant. Shameful
He also is the only conspirator who assaulted a federal official.
Right, he belongs in jail. I don’t care what color he is, it has to do with his actions.
Yes, quite correct..
I feel your anger, I feel your pain. I almost cheered at his arrest but it was a terrible moment in our history. Biden needs a speech writer to inspire us, to give us hope, and to help us turn a page.
PRESIDENT Biden gives me hope and has turned the page for us with calm and steady, strong and effective governing.
Agree, remember the motto for Biden, Savvy, Seasoned, and Sane!
Agreed. Did Ted Sorensen leave us any English majors?
I agree completely and thank you! it’ll be a happy day when that asshole, and Giuliani, Eastman, Meadows, et Al. all die in prison!
Sam, great comment. Thanks
You're welcome Harvey..I appreciate your kind words..
Love the "pilot fish hangers on"
Thanks Kathy, however, I must give credit where credit is due..It came from a description of Lindsey Graham by Steve Schmidt in one of his essays..It's the perfect name for what these cretins are..
Here is a brief description of it's behavior from Wikipedia,
"The pilot fish congregates around sharks, rays, and sea turtles, where it eats ectoparasites on, and leftovers around the host species"
Such an appropriate way to define those in Trump's circle..
O
Some people get million or more dollar bails for lesser crimes. He jokes about escaping. This might not be a bad idea. I don't think you could be president from Russia or some country which cannot turn him over.
Our best hope is that he does escape and goes to be with his buddy, Putin. The Russians won’t extradite him. But wait, I spoke too soon, maybe his supporters will send money for his ransom. OMG!
Here is an excellent piece on the peril facing Trump:
https://theconversation.com/fulton-county-charges-donald-trump-with-racketeering-other-felonies-a-georgia-election-law-expert-explains-5-key-things-to-know-211582
Amen
Martha,
By pointing out my periodic poor command of English Grammar, you remind me of my detest friend Julia, who on the most regular basis corrects my besmirching of the same..All I am left with at this point is to thank you for your kind approach in correcting me..And to say that I’m pleased that you have found my error useful..Mine is a constant path of growth and learning..
Cheers,
Sam
Alternatively, keep the price the same and market them to MAGAts: "Stick the mug on your mail to stick it to the deep state! Let the post office know where the patriots live!"
Use the couple hundred million in funds to pay for all the new electric trucks! Plus, take note of the return addresses so if someone tries that anthrax thing again we have a good list of where to start looking.
Wonderful idea, Will.
Yes…much better idea!
Right up there with that now classic Ukrainian stamp with the caption "F**k you Russian warship"!
I have the t-shirt with the Ukrainian soldier giving the Russians the finger.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
lol Betsy !
With the Sheriff's badge in place, though.
Printed on toilet paper? (without the badge - it certainly deserves better treatment than being associated with that face in that place)
I've seen comments in French to the effect that the picture was obviously well set-up beforehand (hair, makeup, lighting) by expert photographers. I think they're right. Where is that ordinary full-face picture with name and number? This is fake, like everything else he presents to the public.
I wish to NEVER have to see his face again. He has had enough air time. ENOUGH!
Call me crazy, but TFG's mugshot is just "off," as in liberally photoshopped.
1) Part of his jowly face (lower right side, in shadow) seems to have been aggressively shaved away in post-photo editing, making him seem thinner than he is (perhaps to support the assertion that he weighs 215 pounds).
2) Look at his left shoulder. Do you notice that his blue suit coat doesn't really have a lapel? There's the hint of one, but much of it has been airbrushed out.
3) I was able to use some of my editing tools to zoom in on the image, and I was surprised to see that not only was the suit itself outlined in a thin black line, but his FACE, especially the entire lower half, has a similar black outline. There is also an outline cutting through his right ear.
4) Move your gaze to the misty blond "hair" -- which looks like a cloud -- on the left side, and compare it to the sharp little hairs out of place above his shoulder on the right side. That little cloud is airbrushed, too, as well as his left eyebrow.
5) The lines on his face have been enhanced by a dark maroon lining to seem more deep and severe than they are, including the vertical line on the brow, and the "shadow" separating light from dark from the bottom of his nose to his upper lip.
6) If the mugshot is indeed authentic, why is the light so dramatically different from the other 17 mugshots that were taken? And what jailhouse photographer in his right mind would let somebody be photographed not facing straight on into the lens?
The editing isn't great, but it's good enough to fool most people into thinking the subject is real.
I honestly don't know why photographers all over the world aren't weighing in on what seems so obvious to me. The only question I have is this: was TFG allowed to provide the mugshot and not have to endure the direct gaze of the unforgiving lens and light?
He probably thought this would have a better sale value on a t-shirt.
Cute!
WHAT ??? Haven't we had enough of this morbid chapter in American history?
With FOREVER under this monster face? Buy the T-shirt if you really need reminding.
I want to know how many takes before he was satisfied with it. Oh please speak up witnesses in the room!
Something you would not give two cents for.
It would be funny, but I don't want to see him if I can manage that. Not even in a mug shot!
Not worth two cents. I wouldn't pay two cents for a picture of Trump.
Love it.
overpriced.
What i saw in ''those eyes'' of Donald TUMP, is pure hate, and unrelenting evil. That ugly mug shot defined what TUMP really is, a MONSTER.
What always gets me is how the guy is so obviously, cartoonishly evil, and looks the part. Like, even an old-timey comic book artist would think, "Maybe I should tone this down? Leave some room for nuance? Make this guy just a little more human, and less purely gargoyle?" And yet...
Even Hitler and Stalin knew to incorporate a put-together look to draw in the masses, and covered up their epic psychopathy with a well-trimmed 'stache. But here we have their 21st-century wannabe content to just look like a Halloween mask that has been sitting out under a magnifying glass, and some people are still drawn in. Astonishing.
"...obviously, cartoonishly evil."
You nailed it! And he's startlingly oblivious to it while we see the effort he put into "making a face" plain as day. What psychopathy allows this person to see what he wishes in his image instead of reality? A healthy person would see the image and, embarrassed, hastily reject it — but this guy publishes it!
"Cartoonishly evil". You are a word meister!
That look. Trying to look tough. My first reaction was that he was auditioning for a part in a Marvel movie. He got it wrong. Villains in shows like that display diabolical smiles. Like they have a trick to escape that will surprise everyone. A sick devilish sense of humor. But this old putz of a former pres has nothing to laugh about. He is cornered. This is part of a long spiral dive to oblivion and a special place in history.
He just wants to goad his minions into taking up arms— he wants to look as though he will never back down. I’ve come to believe EVERYTHING he does is for amassing power — so it is with this. He probably practiced in a mirror.
Will, despite his fairly obvious defects in both appearance and behavior, "some people [so many people] are still drawn in" because of a need to belong. I proffer the following about the human condition:
Facts vs. the Tribe
• Humans are herd animals: We want to fit in,
to bond with others, and to earn the respect
and approval of our peers. Such inclinations
are essential to our survival.
• For most of our evolutionary history, our
ancestors lived in tribes.
• Becoming separated from the tribe—or worse,
being cast out—was a death sentence.”
James Clear – Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds, 2018
Facts vs. Beliefs
• Humans need a reasonably accurate view of the
world in order to survive. If your model of reality is
wildly different from the actual world, then you
struggle to take effective actions each day.
• However, truth and accuracy are not the only things
that matter to the human mind;
• humans also have a deep desire to belong.
• In many circumstances, social connection is actually
more helpful to your daily life than understanding
the truth of a particular fact or idea.
• James Clear – Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds, 2018
Facts vs Social Connection
• In many circumstances, social connection is
actually more helpful to your daily life than
understanding the truth of a particular fact or
idea.
• People are embraced or condemned according to
their beliefs, so one function of the mind may be
to hold beliefs that bring the belief-holder the
greatest number of allies, protectors, or disciples,
rather than beliefs that are most likely to be
true.”
• Steven Pinker, PhD (Harvard Psychologist)
Facts vs. Value of Beliefs
• We don't always believe things because they are
correct.
• Sometimes we believe things because they make
us look good to the people we care about.
• False beliefs can be useful in a social sense even if
they are not useful in a factual sense. For lack of a
better phrase, we might call this approach
“factually false, but socially accurate.”
• When we have to choose between the two,
people often select friends and family over facts.
Nail on head, Cali Will! As for your earlier post re: a stamp, you forget that the Postmaster General is the yutz DeJoy who was appointed by TFG and so that whole thing could backfire badly. The USPS is functioning despite him rather than with him.
I would suppose if TUMP had a 'stache' it would be shaggy and have a burnt orange tinge to it. or maybe a hint of pink in it too...thank you for your great reply. It was good.
he practices that in the mirror daily!
A friend’s daughter said it looked like it was from The Simpsons.
You are right on Will
It's probably all compensatory for what is hidden. He crows and preens and hurls insults and belittles and degrades those who he fears, all to hide his deep sense of inadequacy. All of which appeals to a segment of the population who also feel this way. "Othering" is an ignorant and common way that people try to make themselves feel better, which because it's only temporary, they have to keep it up so as to ward off the terrible feelings and the acknowledgment of their own failings. He looks like a two year old trying to appear tough and unaffected by his humiliation.
He's a Droogie, from Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange.
Or a republication of Manson's MUG shot.
It's 7:45 in the morning and I've already lost my lunch.
Understood.
John, yes, hate and evil, but also a performer, a performing huckster and charlatan.
It's the red reddened whites of his eyes and the red edges of his lids that got to me--the look of someone who hasn't slept well in a long time.
What stood out to me was that Trump "fired" his lead Georgia attorney for one who has represented rappers in RICO cases in Georgia. I wonder whether Drew Fielding, Trump's previous Georgia lead attorney, withdrew after the after the bond negotiations because Trump stiffed him or because he saw that Trump would not adhere to his legal advice, and would try to intimidate witnesses and co-defendents.
Also on my radar is Chesebro pushing for a speedy trial. There was coverage from MSNBC on You Tube that said that this could be a tactic to test whether Fani Willis is ready to go to trial,and she would to have to try him only on the evidence that is directly linked to his part in the RICO activities--Cheseboro gives up more time to examine the evidence in discovery and the ability to have pre-trial motions, but it would make Fani Willis show her trial strategy in advance of the case against Trump. If Cheseboro is acquitted by a jury it would weaken the overall case. It's like he is choosing to be a stalking horse--which benefits Trump more than it does him. I wonder what Trump has promised him in return--when a pardon clearly cannot be on the table.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLIboOVKxSI
Both lawyers, Fielding, who has left, and Sadow, who was hired, have represented rap artists.
'A Georgia judge on Thursday signed off on a quick turnaround to the start of the trial for Kenneth Chesebro, one of 18 defendants charged alongside former President Donald Trump in connection with alleged efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election results.'
'The ruling, scheduling an Oct. 23 start to Chesebro's trial, came just after Trump's newly appointed attorney said he would move to sever the former president's case from Chesebro or any other defendant who sought an expedited timeline.'
'Earlier Thursday, Fani Willis, the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, asked Judge Scott McAfee to set Oct. 23 as the start of the trial for all defendants. Her office's request came after Chesebro had demanded a speedy trial, which under Georgia law gave Willis' office until the end of October to begin the case.' (CBSNews) See link below.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-trial-date-fulton-county-georgia-fani-willis-proposal-october-23/
Is there anything wrong with representing rap artists?
No one implied that there was anything wrong with representing rap artists.
Then why is it mentioned so often? There seems to be some implication. People seem to be implying that a lawyer who would represent a rapper has fewer scruples. In fact why is it mentioned at all if it isn't relevant in some way?
Christopher, I don't know what you are getting at with your suspicion of what? Subscribers do a lot of quoting from articles and reports. Stories that include lawyers, doctors business people, entertainers, etc., often provide background info.
'Atlanta has been aptly dubbed both the “hip hop center of gravity” by The New York Times and “the new cultural capital of America” by The Daily Beast, and has been holding titles like these since the 90’s. Many of the U.S.’s top hip hop and rap artists came from Atlanta: T.I., Gucci Mane, Ludacris, Young Thug, Kelly Rowland, Childish Gambino, Soulja Boy, Future, 2 Chainz, Migos, André 3000 all call Atlanta their hometown.' (USATV) Given the music scene in Atlanta, it seems there are a good number of potential clients.
I would suggest you question the media, as we all do, too often, but rightfully.
Her trial “strategy” is simple: put the evidence forward to the jury involving Chesebro which she referred to in the overall indictment.
When I saw the mugshot I immediately thought of a four year old practicing scary faces in the mirror. Trump never got past that age.
I tweaked a quote during his presidency-
"Democracy used to mean that anyone can grow up to be president of the United States. Now it seems to mean that anyone who HASN'T grown up can be president of the United States."
There's a bunch of them out there Pam! Keep your chin up.
Chris, Thank you!
Never in my 75 years did I think I would see so many Americans proud of the fact that they will vote for a CRIMINAL to be the president of these United States.
I wish there were stickers to be passed out at voting stations that read, " I voted! For a criminal!"
a petulant child look, apologies to real children.
Thank you for this, Fern. I have posted it to my Facebook page.
On another matter, HCR writes: "In our system, Trump, like any defendant, is presumed innocent until proven guilty."
This is essentially a term of art. What it means simply is that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the facts of the case against Trump (or any other defendant.) I do not presume that he is innocent. The only issue is proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Good to see you, Richard. Yes, we are depending on the prosecutors. I also think that Trump & Enablers gave them a lot of evidence to present. It is a matter of them effectively showing and telling their stories.
There is always the risk that a MAGA could get on the jury and refuse to convict. That will be the defense strategy.
Still, I think that there is a very good chance that the case against Trump will not go to trial, that there will be a plea deal where Trump agrees to house arrest, with conditions, probably for at least five years or the rest of his life. Same with Giuliani, who faces the real prospect of spending the rest of his miserable life in prison.
Richard, if my counting is correct, Trump has three separate criminal cases. Are you thinking that he won't go to trial on any of the three? Could the example you have given be applied, perhaps, in different ways to all three of those cases?
Perhaps, some sort of global settlement.
There are a number of shadows with going to trial and not going to trial. On one side, it is important for MAGAs and those aligned with them to witness the process of exposing Trump. It may cool the hatred, of course, just going to trial before the case is in motion could inflame the far-right leading to a lot of political violence. We are in volatile times, Richard!
It would seem Richard that the other issue is finding then picking 12+ jurors who can come to agreement beyond a reasonable doubt. Do more than 12 people exist in Georgia who have NOT been exposed to coverage of TFG??! And if so, what kind of people will they be?
I think it’s more about finding a jury who can put aside what they are already aware of and consider only the evidence. I have a vague memory of recently reading a quote from one of the Georgia grand jurors who said something along the lines of “If everyone knew all the evidence we have seen, this country would not be divided.” Here’s to hoping that the evidence is indeed overwhelming.
AGREED KR! Yet I fret that someone saying s/he "can put aside what they are already aware of" is too much like 80% of male drivers who are convinced they are excellent drivers...
There’s a big difference between presumed innocent until proven guilty and supporting a candidate after they have been convicted. Have none of the VP-wannabes read the Constitution? How can these jackals make Chris Christy seem sensible- even to someone from NJ?
When we have seen his actions and heard his words with our own eyes and ears, we have no doubt of his guilt. The case should be airtight. Let’s hope it is.
I like the way you describe this! It absolutely nails it for me.
Yup - those eyes and that mug...
May that bully’s career be over, his influence and affluence gone.
Jean-Pierre, I like where you took the mug shot. Your post reminded me of a Buddy Holly song. I hope that you enjoy it.
'The Buddy Holly Story Maybe Baby'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGFcIVlZrfU&pp=ygUWbWF5YmUgYmFieSBidWRkeSBob2xseQ%3D%3D
Trump did the Kubrick Stare in the vein of Nicholson in The Shining. It's when a stares with a forward tilt to indicate they are at the height of their derangement.
I think that Trump's Mug is a work of art. Warhol, Lichtenstein and Wesselmann, to name of few, would have enjoyed it. Without sticking to pop artists, de Kooning might have thought Donald's face right up his alley. What Trump couldn't control of that picture, ah, control, another subject. What he could not control are the marks of the man's soul that live on his face.
I keep thinking of the side by side montages of Trump and Manson exhibiting their nearly indistinguishable involuntary facial tics.
Actually went to high school with "wise guys" who tugged on their overcoats in a like manner to Donald. Could spot them immediately across a crowded room.
Thanks for the mental picture, Fern. Can you imagine that face duplicated numerous times like Campbell soup cans or Marilyn or Monroe? Think I will pass.
Put this to music, Fern. A best seller!
The forward tilt is evident not only in this photo—it also is seen in his stance.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-fallible-mind/202010/we-are-entitled-ask-president-trump-his-brain-scan?amp
Correct re: Nicholson! That has been in the back of my brain this morning and you brought it forward to the thinking part. Coffee helped, but you nailed it!
Nailed it, BlueRootsRadio. Who could forget Nicholson's "Here's Johnny!" mug pushing through the shards of door.
Think about Clockwork Orange too. Kubrick used this in a lot of films.
BlueRootsRadio, right and I know of the cultural reference to Clockwork Orange but never watched it. That would be too frightening for me. But it makes you wonder if the stare was intentionally patterned after Kubrick's.
Been a while since I've seen it, not my favorite Kubrick work but it didn't damage me for life either. ;-)
I'm glad, BlueRootsRadio!:-)
Those lying lips, those soulless eyes...
His eyes were like Charles Manson's.
Yes, the eyes are chilling to look at. The naked rage. The evil, destroying world view...absent of joy, beauty and soul. I feel grateful for his age - that he is 77 and not 47. He can't be gone soon enough.
In the WAPO article, underneath his obviously much practiced (in front of a mirror) menacing expression mug shot, was a photo of him walking to the limo after his booking and showing a stooped, defeated (Never Surrender, my ass) rotted old man.
While TFG may leave us soon, the MAGA/KKK adherents are here for the long haul. They won't be satisfied unless they have installed a White Protestant theocratic autocracy.
Excellent analysis! As I watched this, it was kind of...”let this be over, soon.”
Let’s get this guy convicted, jailed, or whatever they intend to do with him. But get him out of the political picture.
If TFG's lawyers are any good, they'll get TFG and the prosecutors to cut a deal - lifetime confinement to house arrest, no public pronouncements, no acceptance of any pardons.
And NO RUNNING FOR, OR APPOINTMENTS TO, ANY PUBLIC OFFICE, EVER!
Daniel, I'm certain that the prosecutors will draw up an air-tight agreement. It is almost beyond comprehension that his attorneys would not want to cut a deal. The law and the evidence are against Trump, in big numbers.
Your first four stanzas make up a fabulous beat poem, Fern.
Ally, I'm blushing. Thank you for pointing out something I've never dreamed upon. I made several comments, but the way replies are falling, I know know which of my comments you are referring to.
Thanks for that Fern..I was in the process of canceling The Washington Post yesterday, as I did with the NYT..due to some of their political reporters attending a dinner with members of the Trump campaign on the eve of the GOP debate..they offered it to me at one point for a buck a month for a year..I figured that was at least worth Jennifer Rubin..so I accepted..
Everyone should know that political reporters from the NYT, WaPo, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and other outlets were in Milwaukee that night breaking bread with Jason Miller and two other Trump campaign staffers..people like Robert Costa, Dana Bash, Kristin Welker..This transactional political reporting has and is killing the independence of our media..Here, take a listen to this..
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/countdown-with-keith-olbermann/id1633301179?i=1000625506172
Sam, to be polite, I'm under impressed with Olbermann's accusations -- and he says, 'fire them'! Reporters can't get the facts if they don't schmooze, interview, hangout...and that includes spending time with people you don't like or approve of.
There is active investigative reporting and there’s transactional reporting..Olbermann’s podcast is not the only place reporting this..This behavior crossed a line..It undermines credibility, objectivity, integrity and true independence..Olbermann may seem over the top, but he’s right..
...did you say 'over the top'?
Please understand Fern, I like the WaPo..and again, not all reporters are cut from the same cloth. It’s the political reporting that has taken a self inflicted blow..By this kind of behavior and the example of holding onto information for a book.. at the end of the day, who does it serve them the source or the American people?
Sam, I worked in public affairs programing for many years as a researcher, associate producer of news, producer, series and specials producer, which included writing, directing and supervising staff, etc., for PBS; a metropolitan area, public television station and local WCBS-TV. It has been a while since I've been in the business, but I think it is fair to consider myself a vet when discussing aspects of this arena and the crucial role journalism plays in society.
Yep..
Sam, I would not throw a blanket over all of the reporters with WAPO, NYTimes and the other news organizations. I know a good number of reporters as a reader that are serving us well. Keith Olbermann is very dramatic and assertive. My practice is to take time and effort if a journalist I have respected is called out -- by whom and what are the details. Keith Olbermann may not be the last word.
PS Think about including 'Today's WorldView' in you reading of WAPO. I have a high regard for its work.
Fern, I concur..not all reporters are cut from the same cloth..However, appearances are everything..I have to consider how much inside information was held back for pending book deals..Consider the Woodward recordings at the time.. How many dead due to what Trump was saying in public and compare it to what he told Woodward..
Sam, if you listen to the tapes Woodward pushed him hard, HARD! Again, Sam, the devil is in the details. Are you moving in a direction that would take a machete to what is already a much too small number of journalists in the country. State and local news -- what kind of shape are they in? I hope you slow down. Democracy cannot survive without journalists.
I am with you Fern..we need journalists, And it is important to take things one step at a time. Yes, Woodward pushed him hard..but how long did he hold onto that info? Was the book that came out a year later as helpful as taking what he learned and made it public contemporaneously? I suppose it’s a matter of perspective..in the line item of COVID 19..How many people may have avoided death had that been made public at the time..
Some of these people are just too cozy with their sources..Who benefits from a transactional media?
How about that CNN town hall? Who benefited from that?
Sam, I live in NYC and tried to be helpful in real ways. NYC, Sam! My opinion of Trump, I'm a witness.
HCR writes: "The Republicans on stage last night have abandoned democracy, and in that they accurately represent their party." HCR says this because most of the Republicans at the debate said they will support the multiply-indicted Trump if he is the nominee. HCR's condemnation of the Republicans is based on the presuppositions that (1) Biden fairly won the 2020 presidential election, and (2) Trump and the Republicans knew this and willfully conspired to overturn a lawful election.
But perhaps it was (also) Biden who is no longer democratic. The evidence is clear, based on a pattern of discrepancies from the exit polls, that Biden stole the Democratic nomination from Bernie Sanders. HCR and others continue to wilfully and hypocritically ignore this.
The starting point for analyzing Biden's theft of the 2020 nomination is the Massachusetts primary: https://tdmsresearch.com/2020/03/04/massachusetts-2020-democratic-party-primary/
Regarding the Trump situation, former Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz has a very different approach from HCR. He said:
“What if a court ultimately rules that Donald Trump had a right under the First Amendment to make his Jan. 6 speech and to do what he did? Then Jack Smith will have conspired to deny him of that right. That’s how serious this is.
“Jack Smith … deliberately, willfully and maliciously leaves out the words that President Trump spoke on Jan. 6 in his terrible speech, which I disagree with, but what he said was, ‘I want you to assemble peacefully and patriotically.’
“Jack [Smith] leaves that out. That is a lie, a lie, an omission lie, and if you’re going to indict somebody for telling lies, don’t tell lies in the indictment. If you’re going to indict somebody for denying people their constitutional rights, don’t deny them their constitutional rights by indicting them for free speech. That’s how hypocritical this is.”
"Dershowitz: Jack Smith Could Be ‘Indicted’ If Trump Wins Case Against Him"
https://conservativebrief.com/dershowitz-jack-75443/
Troll! Back under the bridge with ye! We shalt not entertain your cursed riddles!
Um, you're the one whose post lacks both facts and reasoned conclusions. Troll.
It seems to me that you believe that Heather, as well as most of the American and foreign media, willfully overlook what you and the mathematician contest to be so: that Biden stole the nomination. When it’s you and the mathematician on one side, and you mention nobody else, I have to wonder if both of your biases have led you to miss something. When I did a search on various search engines, playing around with search terms like “Biden stole Sanders presidential nomination”, I found nothing significantly connected to what you are intimating. More, if what you’re intimating were true, Fox and Breitbart would have been all over it. And would continue so to be. Alas, that’s not the case. So it’s either a grand conspiracy against this mathematician’s findings by both CNN AND Fox, or...more likely...the mathematician and you don’t have all the facts on your side.
More, you diminish yourself by name-calling folks, (whom you should just ignore). We are “Internet people”, which means all this is and isn’t real, and if you get emotional jollies from being disputatious with “Internet people” for no reasonable purpose, I suggest you reevaluate your priorities.
No sarcasm intended.
David Daniel,
Thank you for being civil.
You avoid any consideration of the rather gross statistical anomoly that is discussed by Theodore de Macedo Soares.
Here is another example of an "invisible" subject that "doesn't exist" in the mainstream news media:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-15-2023/comment/11967315
p.s. Republicans don't talk about it because they've been doing the same thing, notably in Senate races.
"What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"
"What do you mean? African or European swallow?"
This might help:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Gq_bjaI0NTo&si=igR8lcoixydTOR9y
And when the "peaceful and patriotic" folks attacked Capitol police, broke into and trashed the building, tried to hunt down the vice president and others--the former president watched TV coverage of the destruction for hours without saying a word or calling off his mob.
Ann W,
I imagine that your argument will be emphasized by the prosecution. I look forward to seeing what comes up in court.
OK, first, polls in this country have been inaccurate for so long that they are laughable. Second, Tr*** is not being charged with his words before the insurrection January 6th -- read the damn charges, sir. Also, I would suggest that you balance out your sources where you get your opinions and you would sound a bit more intelligent.
Exit polls are different.
Trump speaks out of both sides of his mouth all the time. Dershowitz might raise some questions here as "free speech" and what is inciting imminent lawless action are tricky issues, but he seems to me to dump reason for politics. He is welcome to hold that opinion, but should he be teaching law?
You seem to want to overlook Dershowitz's point that Jack Smith lied by omission in the indictment.
Pretty certain that the jury, encouraged by Trump's defense attorneys, will consider your point. That said, Jack Smith will likely offer up a half-dozen similar occasions where Trump played both sides of the field in order to gaslight his audience and explain how it all works. Trump's a master of this technique, but I have to believe that Smith will be prepared to educate the jury and that thoughtful individuals will understand and see through his obfuscation techniques.
That entire speech on the Ellipse was a lie, so what?
I suspect that the prosecution will have to prove that. Perhaps you could explain your chain of reasoning that led to your conclusion.
To me, Trump’s behavior makes no sense whatsoever unless he believed that the election was stolen.
However, there are three possibilities:
1) His belief was a self-serving delusion.
2) His belief was on shaky ground, but there might be enough evidence to convince a jury.
3) He had solid, smoking-gun evidence that the election was stolen, but it was classified.
We all will wait and see what comes up in court...
Yes, the notion that TFG can't be guilty if he really believes his conspiracies is very popular on the right, and for obvious reasons: it would make a determination of guilt virtually impossible.
Legally, it's total BS.
This might help: https://terikanefield.com/criminal-law-101-trumps-j6-indictment/ "Trump’s motive for committing the crime doesn’t matter because a good motive does not get a person off the hook for committing a crime. “I hit my neighbor with a baseball bat because I genuinely believed he robbed my house” will not fly. I can genuinely believe my neighbor doesn’t have the right to vote, but that doesn’t allow me to go into her mailbox, steal her ballot, and tear it up."
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
NOT
And we fight. We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore.
Know your enemy...
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-23-2023/comment/39053591
Seriously, that's a four-year-old's "mad face". Anger, frustration, thwarted purpose, fury - and about as menacing as a wet sock. It's a "you're not the boss of me" face. Look past the makeup and blow-dry, and the 70 years of abuse (self- and by and of others - and let's not get into specifics) and you can see it shining forth - one who wants to be taken seriously, but we. just. can't.
Didn't see his walk of shame, but were there "thousands" of his fans lining the streets with I love you signs? I know at some of his other trips to the court house there was a whisper not a roar of minions.