By PatD, a Trail Mix Contributor
Seems we have truly descended down the rabbit hole with Alice.
On #MTP, @RudyGiuliani tells @chucktodd “Truth isn’t truth,” when it comes to the Mueller investigation.
Definition of Truth (Merriam-Webster)
1a (1) : the body of real things, events, and facts : actuality (2) : the state of being the case : fact (3) often capitalized : a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality
b : a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true truths of thermodynamics
c : the body of true statements and propositions2a : the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality
b : chiefly British : true 2
c : fidelity to an original or to a standard3a : sincerity in action, character, and utterance
b : archaic : fidelity, constancy4 : capitalized, Christian Science : god
More Posts by PatD
up is down? in is out?
so could it be the twit isn’t president?
maybe this is all a twilight zone bad bad nightmare and when we wake it will still be morning in America with birds singing and all is right with the world.
fascinating recount in wapo today of long ago feud that still festers. dramatis personae: trump, cuomo, guiliani and McCain. here’s an excerpt for you from
“The family feud behind the Trump-Cuomo battle: ‘Sometimes you have to hold a grudge’”:
[….]
In 1995, Trump, who was the lead developer for the project, applied to HUD for mortgage insurance on a $356 million loan, according to an agency memorandum. Federal guidelines stipulated that mortgage insurance was appropriate when a development furthered aims of “concentrated housing, physical development, and public service activities” geared toward “neighborhood improvement, conservation or preservation,” the memorandum stated. Trump’s agreement with the city dictated that he set aside 20 percent of the units for low-income housing, New York media reported at the time.
The Giuliani administration wrote a letter of support for the HUD application, arguing that the site — along the Hudson River, near Lincoln Center — was in a “blighted area,” according to the New York Daily News, which deemed this description “ludicrous.”
HUD initially accepted the designation, but local community groups brought litigation in federal court, according to the 1997 memorandum.
[…]
It wasn’t only local leaders, unnamed in the memorandum, who were leery of Trump’s methods.
In the Senate, McCain took aim at the Riverside South project. He offered an amendment to a 1997 appropriations bill giving Congress oversight power over HUD’s potential use of taxpayer dollars to underwrite mortgages for luxury housing developments.
McCain spoke in laudatory terms about Trump — calling him “the venerable Donald Trump” — but said the mortgage application under review would misallocate public funds.
“I certainly have nothing against luxury apartments nor do I have anything against very successful project developers, including Mr. Trump,” McCain said on the floor of the Senate. “I do object, however, to asking the taxpayer to bear the risk of a development for one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the country, to help finance a project that will predominantly benefit upper income Americans.”
The federal program eyed for the project — “targeted to families who earn in excess of $100,000,” McCain said — “is designed to promote vital urban renewal.” Downtown Manhattan, he judged, should not be a public priority, at least compared to “Harlem, South Chicago, South Central Los Angeles, and South Phoenix.” Projects meriting public support, he said, should support “the needy in the most seriously depressed areas.”
“Moreover,” McCain added, “the Donald Trumps of the world can more than afford to bear the risk of their endeavors, and should not be indemnified with taxpayer dollars.”
Still, Trump pressed ahead.
In his 2004 self-help book, “How to Get Rich,” Trump recounted how he phoned Mario Cuomo, who had recently lost his reelection bid to Republican George Pataki, to ask for a favor.
For years, Trump noted, he had supported the three-term governor — “I was one of his largest campaign contributors” — and received nothing in return. (Trump also gave generously to the younger Cuomo.) His repayment, Trump observed ironically, was “a tax on real estate so onerous that it drove many investors away from the city.”
“I called Mario to ask for a perfectly legal and appropriate favor involving attention to a detail at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which at the time was being run by his son Andrew,” Trump recalled. He doesn’t go into detail about his request, but the question of mortgage insurance was before the agency at the time.
Cuomo demurred, saying he “rarely calls the ‘Secretary’ on business matters,” Trump wrote. He persisted: “I said to him, ‘Mario, he is not the Secretary. He’s your son.”
Trump reiterated that he was making “a simple, aboveboard request,” and recounted, “Finally, I asked Mario point-blank, ‘Well, are you going to help me?’”
“In a very nice way,” Trump wrote, “he essentially told me no.”
The real estate mogul was incensed.
“I did the only thing that felt right to me,” Trump wrote. “I began screaming. ‘You son of a [b—-]! For years I’ve helped you and never asked for a thing, and when I finally need something, and a totally proper thing at that, you aren’t there for me. You’re no good. You’re one of the most disloyal people I’ve known and as far as I’m concerned, you can go to hell.”
[…continues…]
in the twit’s (he-who-should-not-be-acknowledged no less than named) own words july 24, 2018:
“Just remember, what you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.”
I don’t get Rudy’s fanatical support for Trump. He can’t possibly like him. Nobody does. There has to be something else to it.
As usual, Rudy’s walk back takes him over the same cliff. From his morning tweet:
“My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic ‘he said she said’ puzzle. Sometimes further inquiry can reveal the truth other times it doesn’t.”
huffpo:
John Oliver Reassures Trump After Giuliani Flub: ‘Don’t Worry, Donald, Prison Isn’t Prison’
The “Last Week Tonight” host mockingly reassured Trump after Giuliani’s bizarre comments.
[…]
“What is Giuliani doing and why does the White House keep letting him go on TV?” Oliver asked.
https://youtu.be/QJ7OHuLG_8o
Craig – is there the possibility that Guli went off and had a bit of help from some people with heavy Russian accents and now they are pulling his strings? Is it also possible that the Russian attacks in England were aimed for people in the U.S.? I would not call these longs shots right now.
Why does Guli do it? His wife left him. He clearly wasn’t too popular at this law firm, He did it to keep his ugly mug in front of the public. He is a giant nothing burger trying to keep relevant
The verse – “And Ye Shall Know the Truth and the Truth Shall Make You Free,” John 8:32 – is carved into the wall in the Original Headquarters Lobby (OHB). It now stands as the Agency motto. CIA webpage
guess they’ll have to take a chisel to the motto now, amending to read:
“And ye shall know the truth isn’t truth and the untruth shall or shall not make you free.”
the hill:
President Trump on Monday dared former CIA Director John Brennan to sue him over his decision to revoke his security clearance.
In a tweet, Trump claimed a lawsuit would reveal reams of documents that “show only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt.”
“I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our country’s history, brings a lawsuit,” Trump wrote.
[7:13 AM – 20 Aug 2018 tweet…I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our country’s history, brings a lawsuit. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He won’t sue!]
Because of the damaging information he claims would come out, Trump added of Brennan: “He won’t sue!”
The comments marked the latest volley in the war of words between Trump and Brennan following the president’s controversial decision to pull the former spy chief’s security clearance.
Brennan, one of the president’s most vocal critics, said Sunday he is considering taking legal action against the Trump administration to block the president from revoking other officials’ clearances.
“If my clearances and my reputation as I’m being pulled through the mud now, if that’s the price we’re going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me it’s a small price to pay,” Brennan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“I’m going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future and if it means going to court, I will do that,” he added.
After revoking Brennan’s clearance, Trump said he is considering pulling the clearances of several other former intelligence officials involved in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Great the bully IMPOTUS –using cyber media while his wife Melanoma talks about the need for a safe space
she’s as big as ass as he is (he’s got a big fat ass but she’s not far behind)
White Republicans in Georgia are afraid of Black Tracey and have closed 75% of the precincts in one of the counties with high black registration. Where is the outcry? Jeff Sessions you are a criminal keeping people from their right to vote
“Where is the outcry?”
kgc, the ACLU to the rescue according to atlanta journal yesterday:
[…]
The Georgia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights organizations have assailed the proposed changes, which local elections officials have said were partly motivated by cost concerns and compliance with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act.
“This proposal is reminiscent of Georgia’s ugly, discriminatory past, and that is where it needs to stay,” said Andrea Young, executive director of the state ACLU chapter.
She and others repeatedly questioned whether race factored into the decision. U.S. census figures show roughly 60 percent of the county’s 7,000 residents are black, and one of the polling places on the chopping block is in a precinct where more than 95 percent of voters are African-American.
“The bottom line with this — it’s about race. That’s the problem this is creating,” said Henry Cook, a Randolph County resident who ripped into the proposal at the Thursday meeting. “We might as well get our act together with the ACLU and get ready to file a lawsuit.”
Randolph County officials said the closures aren’t discriminatory and that conditions of the polling sites forced the change. Mike Malone, a consultant hired by the elections board, said the seven polling locations are not accessible to people with disabilities and that there’s not enough time for a fix before the election.
“Your polling places are not ADA-compliant. Period,” said Malone, who outlined moldy conditions and electrical problems at some sites. “That’s all I can say about them.”
Pressed on alternatives to residents concerned about getting to the polls, Malone outlined another option: “Voters have 45 days prior to the election to apply and secure an absentee ballot by mail.”
[…continues…]
It’s right to be afraid because the goopers have been cheaters and liars for the life of the party and are perfectly happy to exploit racism and homophobia for their own purposes fortunately only 30% of the current registered voters are stupid or venal
The goopers will work to keep the other 70% from the polls
BB – Thats what I’ve always thought about the UK poisoning. It wasn’t about the Skripals. Putie just wanted to let everyone know that he could get to them…and that it might be years, you feel safe & then…gotcha.
President Mushmouth knows Mueller closing in & folks aren’t gonna be loyal to him unless they’ve hung their cheese out in the cold, Siberian wind. He’s getting desperate.
Sorry, not sorry, that I missed Rudy yesterday. Maybe he just misses being important…nah, prolly Red Mafia.
Neighboring South American countries stiffen borders as chaos in Venezuela triggers exodus https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/20/americas/venezuelan-humanitarian-crisis/index.html
Democrats need to organize rapid response teams on the local level. By regional media markets. How hard can this be to do –the Republicans do it
crackers – Melania was poking at her lard-headed hubby. -Children are more saavy when it comes to social media than some adults.- That was directed at Twit.
Between Melania’s spokesperson responding to the words & actions of IMPOTUS in direct opposition to his vile message, and now this direct, public, thinly-veiled comment, she’s had it.
Still, as long as she is suckling on the Trump tweet…I hear ya.
The potential of a “million percent inflation” by the end of 2018? Jeez, I hope Venezuela’s head honcho goes have a “magic formula.”
Probably like Trumpsky’s magic beans of being a great negotiator.
Fifty years ago, before: cell phones, personal calculators, computers running cars, man had not landed on the Moon, Nixon and Agnew in office, Roe, China as a manufacturing giant, DVD’s, online anything, Rock Hudson out, Disco, or almost much of what we live with today, we had color television (for a price – BW televisions were cheaper). Colombo had been a pilot but not a series.
Returning to that era takes some hard work. The first is finding a decent 1960’s car that works, and a mechanic to help keep it running. Try finding a dumb refrigerator. A microwave would be a monster and very costly. Television signals are no longer is sent out over the air in analog. At least you might find a transistor radio to listen to your favorite station. There are still a few boxes of forty watt light bulbs somewhere. At least you can find turntables to play your favorite albums and 45’s.
Pollution was massive hurting the U.S. and the world. A few people were starting to pay attention to it. One of my high school projects got a resounding “D” because I went there and the teacher thought I should have focused on industrial consumer goods, not industrial output.
Socially, there is a big push to go back fifty even one hundred years.
Vietnam was at its peak, but we did not know that yet. There was a push to expand it. Cities were burning.
But, we were enjoying the peak of US industrial might, unions had made a solid middle class and we were optimistic. And I had not been drafted (yet).
The soft power impact of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s decorative collars https://www.cnn.com/style/article/ruth-bader-ginsburg-collars/index.html
Interesting. RBG’s collars are like Madeleine Albright’s pins.
Alexandra petri:
Rudy Giuliani does not exist
Rudy Giuliani: When you tell me that [Trump] should testify because he’s going to tell the truth and he shouldn’t worry, that’s so silly, because it’s somebody’s version of the truth. Not the truth.
Chuck Todd: Truth is truth.
Giuliani: No, it isn’t truth. Truth isn’t truth.
The thing you have to understand is that there is nothing to testify about. Certainly, objective reality does not exist. None of my actions have consequences because there is no world outside myself. That is why I work for the Trump administration. (Which does not, of course, exist — a fact that is a constant balm to the consciences of those who work there, assuming they can be said to work for a thing whose existence is in doubt, and assuming they possess consciences.)
You, Chuck, are, I believe, limited by the notion that we share a frame of reference. That what one of us does affects another. This is, of course, untrue.
When I move my hand in front of my face, in reality there is no hand. When someone shouts “Lock her up!” at a rally, it does not make a sound. The only thing keeping Merrick Garland off the Supreme Court is his belief that he is not on the Supreme Court.
Don’t you see? You are trapped in a prison created by your own mind, is what I would like to tell the children at the border, who, again, do not exist, and are only stimuli generated by a bored demon tormenting my mind in a jar.
All I know is the line between law and crime, between truth and untruth, between reality and fantasy — there is no line. They are infinitely fungible. Everything is real, or, perhaps, more simply, nothing is real. This is a belief system that the president and I share, although he is of course not real, merely a cruel joke concocted by my mind, like a dream metaphor that feels too on-the-nose. (I often have dreams that are too pointed; flying, falling, mainly falling. I have not troubled myself to understand them.)
You can give me money for information, Chuck. You can give me information in exchange for the promise of influence. You can meet me in a place — let us call it Trump Tower. I will laugh, because, of course none of these things actually exist.
There was no meeting, no influence, no money, no information, because, fundamentally, none of these concepts are anchored in anything that can be called a shared reality. People may think they had a meeting. Porn stars may think they accepted hush money. But really — nothing happened, because no one is real but myself. I shut my eyes, and the world is snuffed out.
I am not here and (of course) you are not here with me. It is no insult to call the news fake: Everything is fake.
The point is, it is good that I work for the Trump administration.
Why should we not lock Hillary Clinton up? Why should we not pack the courts with judges? Why should we not build the wall?
I snap my fingers — the wall exists already! It is beautiful and tall. I close my eyes; my hands become enormous, large enough to engulf entire cities. I merely wish, and I am an expert upon any subject. The instant I cease to recollect the existence of Puerto Rico, it ceases to be a problem. I am the measure of all things. When I say that there are good people on all sides, it becomes so. Global warming is, of course, not real, because, again, nothing exists.
Why should we not do whatever we wish, truly? This is not reality. This is a playground for our minds.
History is a series of agreed-upon lies. It has no objective existence; we like to imagine we will be seen and judged, but we are neither seen nor judged. The only lesson I took from “Hamilton” (a musical my mind invented for my own amusement) is that if two people walk into a room and no one else is in the room when it happened, literally it is impossible to say what occurred in that meeting. And that assumes you live in a universe where a meeting is possible, which, again, I am not certain I accept.
Maybe there is no one in the White House. Maybe there are no insides to other people, and you can act on them however you wish. Certainly that must be true of women.
Maybe there is no morality or law. Does the Constitution exist? Is not the existence of any kind of law or truth not the greatest lie of all?
Our actions have no consequences, and we move aimlessly in a void. How do I sleep at night? How do you know I am not sleeping now?
It appears to me that Julie Annie needs to visit his psychiatrist and have his antipsychotic medication levels checked. BTW unlike IMPOTUS he has NO claim of immunity against suit for his attacks on Brennan.
No Manafort verdict today. Jury gone home.
Drive By Comment…
Bla Bla Bla…..
How many cycles will you keep HOPING for the demise? You have been hanging out there since the Hilary loss in November 20??. Maybe there is honor in that loyalty?
The Manafort verdict? Even if guilty of tax evasion and fraud had NOTHING TO DO WITH POTUS !!! But if it gets you off,,, great. So SAD that this is your world today.
I am joining the MAJORITY of AMERICANS that are enjoying BIGGER PAYCHECKS and GREATER WEALTH. And you too are getting this benefit! Check your retirement accounts.
How wonderful the news cycles are focused on this garbage and not NK shooting missiles HOWEVER how sad that under the DEMOCRATS the losses in Chicago are greater than Americans losses in the middle east. But you most likely you are not getting the full news.
No Blue Wave….
And Brennan is a Political Hack! He may also be the PLUG OF THE SWAMP! Supporting him is such a JOKE. But he is playing your song, but SADLY off key.
He, Brennan, is such a contradiction of logic and common sense. Brennan has no honor and is a disgrace, but hey it pays well (those with TDS). He also must know to much about the deep state as to be the reason he is in such an irrational state, Trying to protect the full collapse that he participated in creating this Witch Hunt!
Ping Pong = The Average Real American
NO BLUE WAVE – Just move to Venezuela
mr. pong, glad to see you back. love your avatar. tho’ don’t agree with your comments above, still you’ve got a right to post ’em. diversity of opinions is good for the trail….gets our juices flowing.
.
once again news fatigue sets in…. as avenatti so eloquently puts it: BASTA!
Hey there Ping. Where ya been? Whatcha smoking?
The price of everything keeps going up.
I see more of my money in the paycheck, but I sure don’t feel it…because after monthly expenses, the little GOP critter scam to line the pockets of the 1% did nothing for regular folks.
Health insurance will go up, too, so that will actually make it worse.
And, who knows what will happen when it’s time to file tax returns.
Plus, this tax scam is the kind of thing Gooperz have always been against, since it’s draining the country’s bank account…and ending up in the pockets of the ultra-wealthy.
You’re right about the blue wave, though. Dems gotta step it up. There’s no cohesive message. (Any yes, crackers, I know the Dems stand for every, decent, American ideal aka all of the things that Trumpsky seems intent on destroying.)
The Repugz are already marketing themselves as the new Nazi party; the hiding behind the flag & anthem when they are really commie-puppets party; the hiding behind the Bible while acting like devil worshippers party.
It should be really easy to take them down at the ballot box but, like with the paycheck thing, I don’t feel it.
The Dems need a branding manager.
I started polishing Rosie at 1100 this morning–finished just as I was being interrupted by the third squall of the day at about 1930. She looks amazing with her eyebrows done along with her nails and grill. But, I am really pooped.