I'm sure the Globe thinks I am one.
Trump Bashing Reaches Epic Proportions
The ugly truth is Trump is pissing off certain people (did you see those names?) while others point out the fascist and authoritarian tendencies (as if all presidents were not imperial these last few decades).
Maybe we should all ask a thoughtful black man for his perspective on things. Is Trump another white knight riding to the rescue? There sure are good reasons to like him.
Sitting out the general is looking better and better to me.
What I gave you above was what I read during a quick sweep of the blog roll this morning before beginning with the slop the Globe served up today.
Related: Super Thursday
Wasn't so much for the local teams; will see how the boys do tonight.
"The anti-Trump train is leaving the station. Are you on board?"
No, it's already left (ha-ha) and I guess I'm under the bridge!
"In the Northeast, it shouldn’t be too hard for Republicans to spurn Trump and his army of trolls."
HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!
I think he wins New York and New Jersey anyway.
How INSULTING was the Globe today!
"Insults fly during GOP debate" by Matt Viser and Annie Linskey Globe Staff March 04, 2016
DETROIT — Front-runner Donald Trump, who has led in almost all national polls since the fall, has won 10 of the first 15 contests and has a large lead in the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination.
Senator Ted Cruz has emerged as one of his strongest rivals, with several Super Tuesday victories, including in his home state of Texas, that gave him a delegate boost. He is one of the only candidates with a record of winning.
The debate also brought a rematch between Trump and a trio of Fox News hosts that included Megyn Kelly.
At this point I realize nearly all the rest has been altered, etc., from the print copy.
“Mr. Trump. Hi,” Kelly said about 30 minutes into the debate.
“Nice to be with you, Megyn,” Trump said. “You’re looking well.”
Kelly pressed Trump to direct The New York Times to release a tape from a Jan. 5 off-the-record meeting with editors of the paper.
Gail Collins, a Times columnist who attended the meeting, wrote recently that during the meeting Trump revealed he doesn’t actually believe many of the positions he takes, but instead his hardline views on issues represent an opening position for what he realizes would be a negotiation.
He's a politician, right?
“The optimistic analysis of Trump as a presidential candidate is that he just doesn’t believe in positions, except the ones you adopt for strategic purposes when you’re making a deal,” Collins wrote.
Trump, during the debate, said he would not direct the paper to release the tape of the conversation because he has too much respect for the off-the-record agreement made with the Times.
“I think being off the record is a very important thing,” Trump said. “It’s a very powerful thing.”
Although journalists may agree to speak off-the-record, general practices would allow the information to become public if both sides agreed to it.
Is there anyone who takes seriously what propaganda the NYT trowels out on a daily basis anymore?
Trump also found himself on the defensive when Kelly walked through some of the civil litigation surrounding Trump University, a real estate training program he launched in 2005.
Kelly pointed out that a certified class of plaintiffs numbering about 5,000 people claim they were defrauded by the program, which offered to teach them the tricks to successful real estate investing but instead provided little instruction.
Trump dismissed the case as minor and encouraged viewers to take a long view and wait three years for the lawsuits to be resolved.
“Oh stop it,” he said. “It’s a minor civil case.”
Cruz took on a patronizing tone, sounding like an aggrieved father when he addressed Trump.
I'm glad I only saw the first five minutes that were below the belt.
Not only does it show that the political cla$$ in this country is completely decadent, the ma$$ media are just as bad. They set up Rubio (who looked like a kid who would be overwhelmed by the presidency) with a question that led to all the disgustion.
The truth is, they have to talk all this petty meaningless stuff because they all basically agree on the structure of the economic system and the endless wars.
Is it fooleying you like its supposed to?
Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Maine are slated to vote on Saturday, followed Idaho, Hawaii, Michigan, and Mississippi on Tuesday. In all the states where there has been recent polling, Trump holds a double-digit lead.
Cruz does have a shot in Mississippi.
The biggest contests on the horizon are March 15 winner-take-all primaries in Rubio’s home state of Florida and Kasich’s home state of Ohio. Trump is currently leading in polls in both.
“We will go all-out, and I will win Ohio,” Kasich told reporters in a hotel conference room several hours before the debate. “If I win Ohio, then we’re probably going to go to a convention. It’s going to be the most exciting time.”
If Trump is denied there will be fights and blood on the floor.
Print that was cut for the web version:
"But Kasich also pointed out that he has struggled to capture the attention of the media.
"I've never really gotten the opportunity to be heard in this country," he said.
"This has become an awful lot about eyeballs. I'm not here to blame the press, I've worked with the press. . . . But you don't even put me in the stories anymore."
What a whining butthole!!!
Here he is IN the PRE$$ (unlike Ben Carson) and he is COMPLAINING after he was awarded New Hampshire after the NYT and BG endorsed him!
Web adder:
The harsh exchanges not notwithstanding, Rubio, Kasich, and Cruz declined to join Romney and several prominent politicians — including Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts — in their vow not to support Trump if he wins the nomination.
As the debate closed, every candidate said they would back him.
Then they are all phonies.
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Speaking of phonies:
"Romney calls Trump ‘phony’ while businessman shrugs off attacks" by Matt Viser Globe Staff March 03, 2016
DETROIT—Mitt Romney on Thursday morning unleashed a full-throated indictment of Donald Trump — criticizing everything from his temperament to his personal qualities to his business acumen — as he urged Republican Party voters to select anyone but Trump as their nominee.
My print copy paragraph said:
Mitt Romney unleashed a scathing indictment of Donald Trump Thursday, lambasting the New York businessman for everything from his bullying temperament to his failed businesses and calling on Republicans to back anyone but Trump as their nominee.
That means he endorsed Cruz, right?
Second paragraph was removed altogether:
The spectacle of the GOP's 2012 standard-bearer heaping scorn on the 2016 front-runner was unprecedented and put on full display the rupture in the party over Trump's renegade candidacy and the growing desperation -- and lack of a clear counteracting strategy -- within the establishment wing.
Now he's a "renegade."
Then the “ ... ” from Romney is verbatim.... and awaaaaaaay we go!!
Romney never mentioned the Trump endorsement in 2012, which he gladly accepted at Trump’s gold-gilded hotel in Las Vegas.
Related:
“There are some things that you just can’t imagine happening in your life. This is one of them,” Romney gushed then, sounding like a teen on a date with the homecoming queen. “Being in Donald Trump’s magnificent hotel and having his endorsement is a delight.”
Romney's credibility was just obliterated -- had he any left.
Just after Romney’s speech was finished, the 2008 Republican nominee, John McCain, joined him in criticizing Trump.
Can only help Trump. McCain never met a war he didn't like.
Hogan Gidley, a Republican consultant, said, “When the establishment attacks Donald Trump, Trump gets stronger and the establishment candidates get weaker. It’s an odd dynamic and it’s a weird paradox they find themselves in.”
HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!
They MADE THEIR OWN BED and now they can SLEEP IN IT!
Romney -- a father of five, a venture capitalist who built a fortune of several hundred million dollars, and a devout Mormon who doesn't curse in public or private -- was personally offended by Trump's behavior [and] outlined what he views as a world desperately in need of a strong and responsible leader.
You had your chance, and f*** off!!!
“Think of Donald Trump’s personal qualities, the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics,” Romney said. “We have long referred to him as “The Donald.” He is the only person in America to whom we have added an article before his name. It wasn’t because he had attributes we admired.”
“He inherited his business, he didn’t create it,” Romney said. And what ever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there’s Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks, and Trump Mortgage? A business genius he is not.”
So did you, liar!
So how much wealth did Bain and Romney create all these years shutting down factories, other than the sizabable paychecks they got, and shipping jobs overseas?
Whatever happened to Mitt Romney's candidacy anyway?
While most of Trump's rivals have avoided bringing up Trump's personal life -- including his three marriages -- Romney showed no such hesitancy.
He is IN THE GUTTER with all the rest!!!
“There is dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War while John McCain, whom he has mocked, was imprisoned and tortured,” he said.
That is where the print copy ended, and what imagery to leave with you.
Of course, none of that washes when you consider AmeriKa's torture and the ongoing presence of Gitmo.
I wonder what harsh interrogation techniques The Donald would like to apply to Mitt.
Mitt went on to say “his domestic policies would lead to recession, and America would cease to be a shining city on a hill.”
Well, it has had stains of blood on it for decades now and we are in the middle of a depression (all except those in Mitt and Donald's cla$$), so....
--more--"
Oh, Romney’s speech could come too late?
Ya' think?
The Republican Establishment Has 4 Options It Can Try To Stop Trump, And None Of Them Are Good
"Will GOP stalwarts defect for a third-party candidate?" by Scot Lehigh Globe Columnist March 03, 2016
Republican officeholders know it’s highly unlikely that Trump will win in November.
Why?
Democrat turn out is way down and Trump is bringing in millions.
At least, that is what I was told yesterday.
GOP Voters Head to Polls in Massive Numbers, Democrat Turn Out Falters
Cling to that self-delusion and myth with all your might!
Or have the voting machines already been rigged?
GOP strategists also know that, in the face of those realities, conservatives may stay away in November.
After flocking to Trump for the primaries?
And that depressed conservative turnout could very well spell the end of Republican control of the Senate, as well as a serious erosion of its House majority.
What the hell is he talking about?
It was the "most significant sign yet that Democrats see the court and the candidacy of Donald Trump as twin liabilities for Republicans."
Oh, that is lens through which he is looking.
Losing the presidency for the third time in a row and sacrificing part or all of their congressional stronghold would obviously be a political disaster for the Republicans.
So how do you bring out discouraged conservatives?
You would have to find some first.
Simple: With a third-party conservative crusade.
OMG, now it is a CRUSADE to stop Trump!!!
There certainly will be an appetite among the base for such a candidacy.
Among who?
That small sector of the Republican Party that has led to Trump?!!
And it would have at least a-wink-and-a-nod of support from scores of congressional Republicans, who need a strong Republican turnout to stay in office.
They are getting it!
Doesn't he read his own paper???
Or does he just spout convenient conventional myths so those in Cambridge and Bo$ton will be reassured?
For such an effort to work, it would have to start relatively soon, given the various ballot deadlines around the nation.
But there’s still time.
Is there?
What’s needed, obviously, is a credible conservative willing to take on that mission.
Or Mike Bloomberg.
Such a conservative crusade would in all likelihood doom Trump’s presidential prospects.
There is that word again, and you have to LAUGH at the SELF-DELUSION!!!
The supply-siders, pointing to his past support for higher taxes on the wealthy, are convinced he’s not one of them. Indeed, the social-issue conservatives doubt the sincerity of his conversion to the antiabortion cause. The neocons and other foreign-policy types are apoplectic about his favorable stance toward President Vladimir Putin of Russia — and distraught at his disavowal of the Iraq War.
You know, Democrats' best friends -- like Larry Summers!
So what is next for union leader Larry Summers? Posing as a global health advocate?
Some of those groups have had, and continue to hold, too much sway over the GOP; part of their animus is likely driven by a fear of losing their influence as gatekeepers.
We can only hope and pray.
But whatever the cause among the party’s organized constituencies, there’s little or no allegiance to Trump himself.
Yeah, "whatever" the cause?
As for their loyalty to party?
Expect it to be handily outweighed by their allegiance to power or influence.
Just the kind of people we want running the show!
Oh, right, they ALREADY ARE RUNNING the SHOW!!!
--more--"
Oh, Scotty, toilet. Smell coming from your pants.
Related:
"Romney wants desperately to be a party elder, the adult who can steer his party to some safe harbor. But Trump’s fans are motivated by frustrations that the GOP’s so-called establishment barely grasp. How do you stop a revolt that’s partly against you? Trump’s fans don’t care what Mitt thinks. These are hard times for the GOP’s wise men. Romney is far from alone in wanting Trump to go away. But many of them have a history of embracing Trump, too. Little did they suspect what those expedient choices would unleash."
Why didn't he run again then?
He could have been the Maine man:
"Despite Trump visit, Maine caucuses expected to be low-key" by James Pindell Globe Staff March 04, 2016
Maine caucuses are a chance for candidates not named Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to sneak in a win, but the caucus format is unpredictable.
Sixteen states have already had nominating contests — many of which boasted record high voter turnout. Several states are holding caucuses or primaries this weekend, including Louisiana, Kansas, Nebraska and Puerto Rico. But those on the ground in Maine said they are missing out on the big show.
Scotty, Scotty!
To be sure, some candidates are visiting Maine this week: US Senator Bernie Sanders made his second appearance in Portland Wednesday, and Trump made his second stop in the state Thursday en route to the GOP debate in Michigan.
On Friday, US Senator Ted Cruz will visit Orono, a town less than 100 miles from Canada.
He's the CONSERVATIVE CRUSADER you should all get behind!
But other than this, few candidates have made the trek to Maine.
The attention Maine receives this week is a fraction of what was showered on its neighbor, New Hampshire, but that said, many Maine political strategists view a Trump win in the state as inevitable given his momentum coming out of Super Tuesday and the LePage endorsement.
Good thing the caucus is on a Saturday night.
Pre$$ will be able to keep it (and him) quiet.
On the Democratic side, the Sanders campaign recognizes a Maine win could help shift Clinton off her path to the nomination.
Not likely. Not according to yesterday's reporting.
I mean, if Bernie couldn't win in Massachusetts.....
On Wednesday, Sanders’ campaign strategist Tad Devine told reporters that to cut into Clinton’s large delegate lead, the campaign has to “win a lot of places, including this weekend.”
Bates College political science professor John Baughman agrees, saying Sanders must win Maine.
“Not because it wins him a lot of delegates, but because it’s just the kind of state he ought to win — northern New England, disproportionately white,” Baughman said.
With a flourishing chapter of Klan, I'm sure (btw, no Duke sighting again today).
Related: Sanders agrees to forum with Fox without Clinton
OMG, Bernie is making a play for the racist vote!
But as much as Maine’s caucuses are unique, locals are not sure the results will be this weekend — at least compared to the rest of New England. Much like neighboring New Hampshire, they expect voters to go with candidates they see at outsiders: Trump and Sanders.
Oh, yeah?
“Maine is not immune from the forces at play in the broader national electorate,” said Michael Cuzzi, a Maine-based Democratic strategist who works for VOX Global. “The faithful of both parties are looking for a nontraditional candidate willing to shake up the Washington establishment.”
In other words: As the nation goes, so goes Maine....
Then why is Sanders trailing?
--more--"
"Security logs of Clinton’s e-mail server are said to show no evidence of hacking" by Matt Apuzzo New York Times March 04, 2016
WASHINGTON — A former aide to Hillary Clinton has turned over to the FBI computer security logs from Clinton’s private server, records that showed no evidence of foreign hacking, according to people close to a federal investigation into Clinton’s e-mails.
What a shock.
They didn't have to hack; she sent the information to them through a server.
They scrubbed 'em real good, didn't they?
The security logs bolster Clinton’s assertion that her use of a personal e-mail account to conduct State Department business while she was the secretary of state did not put US secrets into the hands of hackers or foreign governments. The former aide, Bryan Pagliano, began cooperating with federal agents last fall, according to interviews with a federal law enforcement official and others close to the case.
You really don't need to read anymore.
This is the government's way of burying the Clinton extortion racket and money laundering through their Foundation.
Pagliano described how he set up the server in Clinton’s home in Chappaqua, N.Y., and according to two of the people, he provided agents the security logs.
The law enforcement official described the interview as routine. Most of those close to the case spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the continuing investigation.
Clinton’s work-related e-mails as secretary of state, which have been made public as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, show that she received spam e-mails intended to try to lure her into clicking a malicious link. Those e-mails, known as “spear-phishing” attempts, were traced to Russia, but it was not clear from the e-mails alone whether anyone clicked on those links or whether the security was compromised.
Meaning it was the Jewish mafia poking around.
Pagliano told the agents that nothing in his security logs suggested that any intrusion occurred. Security logs keep track of, among other things, who accessed the network and when. They are not definitive, and forensic experts can sometimes spot sophisticated hacking that is not apparent in the logs, but computer security experts view logs as key documents when detecting hackers.
Clinton’s campaign reiterated Pagliano’s information on Thursday. “We’re not aware of any evidence whatsoever that the server was hacked,” said Brian Fallon, a campaign spokesman.
That's a non-denial denial.
Clinton’s exclusive use of a private e-mail server prompted an FBI investigation into whether she or her aides mishandled classified information. Of 30,068 e-mails released by the State Department, 22 have now been classified by the State Department as “top secret,” 65 are classified as “secret,” and 2,028 have received the lowest classification level of “confidential.”
The question of whether Clinton’s server was hacked is separate from whether a crime occurred. But if the information was never compromised, it provides a basis for her supporters to portray Clinton’s use of a private account as a mistake, but ultimately an inconsequential one.
That's what they would like us to believe, but we know better.
Barring any changes, the FBI investigation could end by early May. Then the Justice Department will decide whether to file criminal charges and if so, against whom.
I'm thinking they try and drag it out before dropping the investigation and charges.
--more--"
Related: Obama tips hand, says he’ll likely remain in D.C.
But he will be changing addresses, right?
UPDATES:
Trump’s triumphs demolish Netanyahu’s Fortress GOP strategy
Does a JFK, RFK, MLK Moment Await Trump?
Summers says stop issuing high-denomination bills
Another step towards a ca$hle$$ society.
