Trump's Card

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

I'm impressed that in a society so shallow and appearance obsessed, and where politics seems to be built around personable alpha maleness, combined with symmetrical features, height and vigorous hair, Mitch McConnell is really a throwback to a gentler age when all that really mattered was that you were rich, white, protestant and old.

[WOM]

McConnell has a gravitas and stoicism that many mistake for depth and thoughtfulness. He looks like a Serious Man.

[Tubby Isaacs]

He wears glasses.

To quote Jerry Seinfeld, do you assume he got that way reading lots of very intellectual stuff? Do you look at people with hearing aids and assume they got that way by listening to lots of clever things?

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

So do the turtles he so strongly resembles. The obvious problem is that his job is fucking impossible, and someone that is more directly appealing to his base, would lose a good chunk of senators permanently, with no guarantee that they would be any good at the various bits and pieces that mcConnell has to do as part of his main job description. I can't imagine that too many people want that job, particularly given the tidal wave of sewage that is already breaking over his head.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Joshua RozenbergVerified account
@JoshuaRozenberg
Charlie Gard: Melanie Phillips (in whom I declare an interest) lays into the US right’s arrogant, unthinking cruelty

He's cool, isn't he?

[ursus arctos]

McConnell has optic neuritis and was discharged from basic training because of the condition.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Whoops.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Charlie Gard has died.

[ursus arctos]

Well, one could think that suffering from a debilitating chronic condition might make him particularly sensitive to everyone's need for quality health care.

But then, you could say the same about his childhood polio.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Tabby nails it again.

Canadians watch Americans grapple with health care and it’s like we’re watching early man, standing frozen half to death in midwinter. We’re all like “Guys, just rub two sticks together!”

But, no, 300 million Americans stand there, teeth chattering, each holding a stick, arguing day-in-day-out, “What is to be done?”

[Incandenza]

Scaramucci's wife has filed for divorce.

Rough week.

[ursus arctos]

Meanwhile, during a photo op rally in front of a phalanx of cops on Long Island, 45 urges them (to cheers) to be less careful when arresting suspects.

[Tubby Isaacs]

He's been learning off Giuliani.

[ursus arctos]

And Priebus is gone.

The new Chief of Staff is "General" John Kelly, formerly head of the Department of Homeland Security

[Incandenza]

Reince Priebus/Rinse Pubis has been fired as Chief of Staff. He's being replaced by the head of Homeland Security.

[Eggchaser]

He's knocking off his advisors quicker than Livia went through anyone posing a threat to her plans in I, Claudius.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Some of these job changes are incredible to me.

It's not that I don't believe it transferable skills. But Nick Timothy moving sideways to head the National Crime Agency or something.

[Tubby Isaacs]

He's knocking off his advisors quicker than Livia went through anyone posing a threat to her plans in I, Claudius.

Very good. That's the best gag you've done since you said West Ham should play Game 39 on the Costa del Sol and sell the stadium out with Cockney villains. And that was a good gag.

[San Bernardhinault]

So, Trump's purge of anyone connected to politics or real media continues. It's all military dudes and guys from the more corrupt end of Wall Street. They're the only people he's comfortable with.

This is dangerous for him, though. Because Priebus was his link back to the RNC, and to all those senators who never really liked him.

He's already pissed them off by attacking their favourite racist elf. He hasn't got Reince as a buffer. He's basically just left with Price, Perry and Zinke, I think, of Republican Politicians in his cabinet.

I won't be surprised when more of the Senate Republicans start gunning for him.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Is there any chance Bannon will be out the door as well?

Gloria Borger on CNN (sorry, Ursus, this is novel for me watching foreign breaking news) thinks it could happen.

[ursus arctos]

He hasn't fired Sessions yet.

And there's Pence, and Ms. McConnell (Elaine Chao)

[Tubby Isaacs]

Is Pence likely to walk out?

[ursus arctos]

(sorry, Ursus, this is novel for me watching foreign breaking news)

I'm less judgmental when there's no real cricket on.

I'd be surprised. The Long Island speech was pure Bannon/Miller American Carnage, as is Sessions' trip to El Salvador.

Is Pence likely to walk out?

Have you lost your mind?

[Satchmo Distel]

Did Reince do anything to upset Trump or is it just a scapegoating for a bad week?

[Tubby Isaacs]

I thought you were suggesting Pence could be sacked, but I understand that he can't.