All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[Tami]

Okay, this is just sad. The White House official Twitter account just posted, declaring they had their first snowfall of the year. But, its 54 over there and sunny.

Just... just why?

It did happen, back on January 7. So, why did it take them so long to post this? Why bother posting it at all?

[Mister Mets]

It did happen, back on January 7. So, why did it take them so long to post this? Why bother posting it at all?

I'm guessing someone scheduled a tweet and pressed the wrong button

[worstblogever]

I'm guessing scheduled a tweet and pressed the wrong button

Please don't remind us that these chucklef***s have access to THE button.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Mark Esper: I ‘Didn’t See’ Specific Evidence Of Iran Threat To 4 U.S. Embassies

The defense secretary said Iran planned to target the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad but couldn’t back up the president’s claim about the other locations. Perhaps that's because said claim was bogus as ****.

**********

Bernie Sanders Spells It Out For Donald Trump: ‘You’re Going To Lose’

The Vermont senator zaps back at the president’s mocking tweet after Bernie nabs strong Iowa poll numbers. To quote Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction, "That's a bold statement!"

**********

Trump Trying To Reopen Talks With North Korea’s Kim Jong Un: Report

A former North Korean nuclear envoy said this month the country had been “deceived by the U.S,” calling several failed negotiations “lost time.” So, Dolt45 wants to kiss and make up with his BFF. Awww! How cute!

**********

Trump Moans About ‘Stigma’ Of Impeachment; Pelosi Taunts He’s Already ‘Impeached For Life’

He’s already impeached, regardless of any “gamesmanship” by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the House speaker declared. Just like with Bill Clinton, Trump will carry that stain to his grave, to which I say....GOOD!

**********

Trump Called Out For His Hypocrisy Championing A Free Press — In Iran

“We know that he wants reporters to roam free in Iran,” GOP presidential challenger Bill Weld said. But in America, “he says a free press is the enemy of the people.” Well, the Iranian press isn't an 'enemy' of him, simple as that.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

It did happen, back on January 7. So, why did it take them so long to post this? Why bother posting it at all?

Don't try to figure out anything this administration does. That way lies madness.

[Superbat]

Bernie Sanders Spells It Out For Donald Trump: ‘You’re Going To Lose’

The Vermont senator zaps back at the president’s mocking tweet after Bernie nabs strong Iowa poll numbers. To quote Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction, "That's a bold statement!"

Bernie's tweet got 5 times more likes and retweets than Trump's.

That's going to piss off Donnie.

[Tendrin]

Oh WBEeeeeee

https://twitter.com/sanasaeed/status...605514240?s=21

[jetengine]

Oh WBEeeeeee

https://twitter.com/sanasaeed/status...605514240?s=21

That ad is some seriously low quality bait. Who even uses 9/11 as a talking point about patriotism anymore when the war it created was....

A. Unrelated to 9/11 (Wheres the Saudis?)
B. An illegal quagmire

[Tami]

Trump authorized Soleimani's killing 7 months ago, with conditions

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump authorized the killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani seven months ago if Iran's increased aggression resulted in the death of an American, according to five current and former senior administration officials.

The presidential directive in June came with the condition that Trump would have final sign-off on any specific operation to kill Soleimani, officials said.

That decision explains why assassinating Soleimani was on the menu of options that the military presented to Trump two weeks ago for responding to an attack by Iranian proxies in Iraq, in which a U.S. contractor was killed and four U.S. service members were wounded, the officials said.

The timing, however, could undermine the Trump administration's stated justification for ordering the U.S. drone strike that killed Soleimani in Baghdad on Jan. 3. Officials have said Soleimani, the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, was planning imminent attacks on Americans and had to be stopped.

"There have been a number of options presented to the president over the course of time," a senior administration official said, adding that it was "some time ago" that the president's aides put assassinating Soleimani on the list of potential responses to Iranian aggression.

After Iran shot down a U.S. drone in June, John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser at the time, urged Trump to retaliate by signing off on an operation to kill Soleimani, officials said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also wanted Trump to authorize the assassination, officials said.

But Trump rejected the idea, saying he'd take that step only if Iran crossed his red line: killing an American. The president's message was "that's only on the table if they hit Americans," according to a person briefed on the discussion.

[Tendrin]

That ad is some seriously low quality bait. Who even uses 9/11 as a talking point about patriotism anymore when the war it created was....

A. Unrelated to 9/11 (Wheres the Saudis?)
B. An illegal quagmire

IHe's running against Ilhan so of COURSE he's using 9/11 and has a picture of her /burning in the fire/. It's pure Islamaphobic, evangelical-hugging nonsense.

[Tami]

Revealed: US listed climate activist group as ‘extremists’ alongside mass killers

A group of US environmental activists engaged in non-violent civil disobedience targeting the oil industry have been listed in internal Department of Homeland Security documents as “extremists” and some of its members listed alongside white nationalists and mass killers, documents obtained by the Guardian reveal.

The group have been dubbed the Valve Turners, after closing the valves on pipelines in four states carrying crude oil from Canada’s tar sands on 11 October, 2016, which accounted for about 15% of US daily consumption. It was described as the largest coordinated action of its kind and for a few hours the oil stopped flowing.

The five climate activists, members of Climate Direct Action, cut their way through fencing and turned the valves. The activists notified the energy companies whose pipelines were being disrupted and posted videos of their protest online and waited patiently to be arrested.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Revealed: US listed climate activist group as ‘extremists’ alongside mass killers

I'm rather surprised DHS had white supremacists on it's extremist bullet list, seeing that they're among Trump's most loyal supporters.

[jetengine]

Arent Juggalos on that list as well ?

[Tami]

the exchange on immigration and wages is embarrassing -- he [Sanders] sounds confused and doddering

Twitter Link

[worstblogever]

Oh WBEeeeeee

https://twitter.com/sanasaeed/status...605514240?s=21

IHe's running against Ilhan so of COURSE he's using 9/11 and has a picture of her /burning in the fire/. It's pure Islamaphobic, evangelical-hugging nonsense.

Yes, I'm profiling Byrne.

And, before we all think, "Oh lord, not this guy...", remember that he's in the same GOP primary for U.S. Senate in Alabama as Jeff Sessions and Roy Moore.