Open Mic 2pm ET

Chatroom open today at 2pm ET. I’ll be talking to a Virginia politics player about the election there in 12 days, showing off my newly re-potted African Violets, and checking today’s demolition schedule for democracy.

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Author: craigcrawford

Trail Mix Host. Lapsed journalist, author & retired pundit happily promoting nothing but the truth for Social Security checks.

58 thoughts on “Open Mic 2pm ET”

  1. Attribution: Metaphor for Trump Presidency by Dave Whamond, Canada, PoliticalCartoons.com

    METAPHOR FOR TRUMP PRESIDENCY

  2. Craig, cartoonist Whamond’s toon today not a bad idea to inquire of folks next time you do interviews at dupont circle.
    which metaphor for the trump presidency do you think would win a man-on-the-street poll: trump demolishing the white house or trump dumping feces on his own people?

  3. in other news

    President Trump wants taxpayers to pay him $230M to settle his own lawsuits against the Department of Justice while he’s busy tearing apart the White House, apparently there’s a peace prize named after disgraced former President Richard Nixon, and ICE is struggling to expand its ranks because a high percentage of applicants can’t pass a basic physical fitness test.


    While thousands of government employees are working without pay during the ongoing government shutdown, Donald Trump is squeezing $230 million from the Department of Justice as compensation for the “damage” of being federally investigated. Michael Kosta breaks down the conflict of interest that’s so bad, it even has legal experts saying “duh,” and Troy Iwata gives a peek into what new grifts the president is cooking up in his corruption lab.

  5. This just in (now it’s $300 million)…
    White House ballroom donors:
    Altria Group, Inc.
    Amazon
    Apple
    Booz Allen Hamilton
    Caterpillar, Inc.
    Coinbase
    Comcast Corporation
    J. Pepe and Emilia Fanjul
    Hard Rock International
    Google
    HP Inc.
    Lockheed Martin
    Meta Platforms
    Micron Technology
    Microsoft
    NextEra Energy, Inc.
    Palantir Technologies Inc.
    Ripple
    Reynolds American
    T-Mobile
    Tether America
    Union Pacific Railroad
    Adelson Family Foundation
    Stefan E. Brodie
    Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
    Charles and Marissa Cascarilla
    Edward and Shari Glazer
    Harold Hamm
    Benjamin Leon Jr.
    The Lutnick Family
    The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation
    Stephen A. Schwarzman
    Konstantin Sokolov
    Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher
    Paolo Tiramani
    Cameron Winklevoss
    Tyler Winklevoss

  8. Couldn’t happen to a nicer den of snakes. I guess 53% f the public isn’t hearing or buying the nonsense the Goopers are hissing into the microphones and the 37% are liking the snakese they’re hissing.

  9. Well, you can look at that list and not wonder, “How can they afford to donate all that money?”

  12. The Buckingham Palace ballroom is approximately 7,200 square feet (calculated from its dimensions of 120 ft long by 60 ft wide). This is the largest of the palace’s State Rooms.
    Buckingham Palace is approximately 828,820 to 830,000 square feet

    The new White House ballroom is planned to be 90,000 square feet, with demolition of the East Wing currently underway to make way for the project.

    The White House’s East and West wings together total approximately 12,000 square feet. This is in addition to the main Executive Residence, which is about 55,000 square feet, for a combined total of around 67,000 square feet.

    Buckingham Palace ballroom can seat 175 people
    White House ballroom planned for the new White House ballroom will have a seated capacity of approximately 650 people, with the ability to hold up to 999 guests for standing events.

  13. Before giving Trump too much credit for the Russian sanctions, I saw our former Ukraine ambassador William Taylor point out those two companies sell mostly to China, which didn’t get sanctioned.

  15. The Ballroom at Buckingham Palace was built in the 1850s and completed in 1856. Designed by James Pennethorne, it was inaugurated with a ball in May 1856 to celebrate the end of the Crimean War. 175 years of reasonably good taste.

  17. The federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides food benefits to millions of low-income Americans. On average, SNAP provides $188 per month, or about $6 per day, in benefits to help seniors, people with disabilities and families purchase household food staples.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in an Oct. 10 letter to state agencies that if the shutdown continued, there would be “insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits” for approximately 42 million Americans who rely on the program. In the days that followed, multiple U.S. states issued alerts to SNAP recipients, warning that they may not receive their benefits in November if the shutdown was not resolved.

  18. Palace. Buckingham PALACE. It’s not normal to have a giant ballroom. He doesn’t plan to leave and I hope to heaven I’m not the only one yelling at Congress about the destruction of public property.

    Also, the $230 million of taxpayer money he’s giving himself because he was investigated will go toward the ballroom. He will pocket whatever the bootlickers gave him for the ballroom, or the other way around.

    As Sturg named it last night, The EPSTEIN Ballroom. Call it that at every opportunity.

    Sincerely hope Orange Adolf never sees its completion.

    The East wing was for the FLOTUSes; he destroyed where women set up their office in the WH, the old pig.

    Is he upgrading the bunker below the East wing? Hope he ends up in that bunker like Hitler ended up in his, except Orange Adolf is too big a coward to do himself in.

  19. Loss of SNAP will also hurt grocery stores who are the actual recipients of the SNAP funds. They may have to cut hours or lay off employees, especially small stores like in my town. Then, those folks won’t have money to spend. I do believe it also starts as a subsidy to food producers. It touches a lot of folks along the way. Tax exemptions for the ultra-wealthy do not end up as money multipliers in the economy.

    FDT

  20. The MAGAt-Fascist-Republican Party can find money for Gestapo Babue’s private jetS and $40 billion to Adolf’s crony in Argentina, and now he’s giving himself $230 million for pain & suffering due to valid investigations which would’ve put him jail if folks hadn’t dragged their feet after J6, and raise the debt ceiling and make tax cuts permanent for billionaires…but they can feed folks.

    FDT and his followed who call themselves Christians should are celebrating food assistance being cut off.

  21. Republicans only care about food stamps during shutdown debates. As I recall from past shutdowns all the federal govt has to do is issue a promise to reimburse states, and no recipients are affected.

  23. That’s what Orange Adolf & Stephen Mitler would like, a large riot.

    It would be a reason to invoke the Insurrection Act.

    How long before the US military is all just tRUMPsky’s private force? Clock is a-ticking.

  24. https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardon-binance-changpeng-zhao-crypto-exchange-e1cb3fe516bc42b4c7ce5c107a280dc7

    President Donald Trump has pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who created the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange and served prison time after failing to stop criminals from using the platform to move money connected to child sex abuse, drug trafficking and terrorism.

    He has deep ties to World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture that the Republican president and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. launched in September.

    Trump’s most recent financial disclosure report reveals he made more than $57 million last year from World Liberty Financial, which has launched USD1, a stablecoin pegged at a 1-to-1 ratio to the U.S. dollar.

    World Liberty Financial also recently announced that an investment fund in the United Arab Emirates would be using $2 billion worth of USD1 to purchase a stake in Binance. Zhao also has publicly said that he had asked Trump for a pardon that could nullify his conviction.

    *Drug trafficking. CHILD sex abuse. Terrorism. Crypto is great for money laundering & nefarious activities.

    FDT

  26. Looking for leverage to flip Republican seats in rural areas?
    How about reduced mail service?

    Under a recent consolidation effort by the U.S. Postal Service, though, rural areas farther away from processing hubs are seeing more reductions in service compared to their urban counterparts, even in areas that haven’t technically seen parts of the plan go into effect yet.

    “The mail, it’s awful. Sometimes we don’t even get things that were sent to us,” said Leah Lawson, vice president of the Bank of New Madrid in southeast Missouri.

    The bank and its customers rely heavily on mail delivery to pay their bills. But more and more people are getting slapped with late fees because their payments don’t make it on time.

    “It’s their light bill or water bill, and if it gets lost it doesn’t matter,” said Lawson. “You’re getting a late fee, because they say it’s your responsibility.”

    In late July, USPS cut back on services in 540 — nearly half — of Missouri’s ZIP codes by reducing mail collection from morning and evening to morning-only collection.

    It’s part of USPS efforts to cut costs under former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s “Delivering for America” plan, which launched in 2021.

  27. Replace The term “Snap benefit” with the description “food for old people and families with children”. Because that is what it is about.

    Nearly 40% of the 42 million SNAP recipients nationwide are children 17 and younger, according to the USDA. About 20% are seniors aged 60 and older and the remaining 40% are adults aged 18 to 59.

    Jack

  28. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_to_Treasury_Building_tunnel

    The White House to Treasury Building tunnel is a 761-foot (232 m) subterranean structure in Washington, D.C. that connects a sub-basement of the East Wing of the White House to the areaway which surrounds the United States Treasury Building. It was initially constructed in 1941 to allow the evacuation of the president from the White House to underground vaults inside the Treasury in an emergency.

    The Treasury Building is the center of a network of tunnels. In addition to the tunnel connecting it to the White House, another connects to the Treasury Annex and H Street NW, constructed in 1919 and known since 2015 as Freedman’s Bank Building.[10][14][15] Unlike the White House to Treasury Building tunnel, which was constructed as an emergency exit, the other tunnel was built to facilitate freight movement and access to utility lines.

    According to a 1996 issue of U.S. News & World Report, a 150-foot (46 m) tunnel was dug into the White House connecting the Oval Office to a location in the East Wing. The tunnel is purportedly accessed through a door adjacent to the president’s restroom, which leads to a staircase used to enter the tunnel. The excavation of this tunnel, called “Project ZP”, was undertaken in 1987 to provide a route for the president to be quickly and privately moved to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center in the event of an emergency. During the last days of the Reagan presidency, the Project ZP tunnel was allegedly used, in combination with the White House to Treasury Building tunnel, to allow Richard Nixon discreet access to the Oval Office for at least one consultation with Ronald Reagan.

  29. https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/10/21/snap-benefits-november-shutdown/

    On average, SNAP provides $188 per month, or about $6 per day, in benefits to help seniors, people with disabilities and families purchase household food staples.

    *Are we great yet, when politicians (most of whom claim to be Christian) obstruct food assistance? Starving folks is cruel…and long term it’s eugenics. Poor nutrition in childhood has long-lasting repercussions, even if starvation isn’t imminent.

  30. Regular Americans won’t be invited to the Epstein Ball but the big donor/dancers who will actually own it will always get to bump the line.

  31. When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game. The establishment will irritate you – pull your beard, flick your face – to make you fight. Because once they’ve got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don’t know how to handle is non-violence and humor

    —Long John Lennon

  35. I like Carolyn, she is smart.
    Her correction that You can’t call him an idiot, because an idiot has an excuse. Is one I’ll remember.

    Jack

  36. Craig
    There are a number of things coming together right now that aren’t good for the Republicans, it is almost a perfect storm situation. My fear is that everything is a year too early and by election time it will all be forgotten.
    But then again never bet against Trumps ability to stir sht up.

    Jack

  39. Jamie – That’s the energy! Tie everything to pedophiles and the Congresspeople who protect them. EPSTEIN!

  41. That is the safe bet with this crew. Always bet on the under and never assume there is any plan except to stay in power for one more day.

    Jack

  43. First – twitter is a hell hole, and it is in a cess pool. It is getting weirder than usual.

    I am there to deal with russians and those against Ukraine, but there is a lot of spill over because of russian involvement in global politics. Especially in American politics. You cannot go very deep in gop/magat politics without running into russian garbage. Many others point it out, I’m saddened at what happened to the party of Nixon.

    In an analytic view, watching a third world country, russia, control what used to be the premiere and dominate country of the world, USA, is a lesson on how to look ahead, decades ahead, and criminal activities. Epstein was good at the same things. Get someone on the way up, temptation, stuff happens, oops audio and video of finest quality, blackmail, and more criminal activities. Yup. krasnov really exceeded all expectations. And, getting the white christian nationalists to join in. Yup, it all paid off.

    The big question is what will break it? SFB goes room temp? That is a start. magat cult disintegrates? That is starting to happen. Odds are that stupid leaves the WH soon. That starts the fighting. Vance, has to pick a veep, if he does not pick mickie that could start a 2025 war. It will not be like 1974 with Ford. I have not seen much beyond “oh Vance is bad”. What is needed is more looking at veep choices, replacement of mickie, turmoil from magat cult thinking a new civil war is to take place.

    And, will the next president get rid of the crap in the WH?

    Predicting the future is best done by predicting the past. That is why I have a desire to reread several of Barbara Tuchman books.

  44. You know, after a while you just get really tired of saying the word “pig” over and over.

  46. i think targeted actions like this might do more than a general strike…
    Maryland-based construction company ACECO has become a target for online scorn because of its association with the White House demolition work. — WTOP

  47. AI Search Assist

    18 U.S.C. Section 1031 addresses major fraud against the United States, making it a federal crime to knowingly execute or attempt to execute schemes to defraud the government or obtain money through false pretenses, particularly in contracts or grants valued over $1 million. Violators can face severe penalties, including fines up to $10 million and imprisonment for up to 10 years.

    *So, a contractor can go to jail. I read that there were NO PERMITS before hand. Was there even a required bid?

  48. https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacheverson/2025/10/22/trump-white-house-east-wing-demolish-tower-bonwit-teller-art-deco/

    Trump’s White House Demolition Isn’t His First Time Leveling A Building — Or Ignoring Preservationists

    AI Search Assist
    It is unclear if the necessary permits were issued for the demolition of the East Wing, as the National Trust for Historic Preservation has requested a pause in the demolition until the plans undergo required public review processes. Legal actions may be considered by preservation groups or Congress to address this issue.

  49. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%BChrerbunker

    The Führerbunker (German pronunciation: [ˈfyːʁɐˌbʊŋkɐ] ⓘ) was an air raid shelter located near the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex constructed in two phases in 1936 and 1944. It was the last of the Führer Headquarters (Führerhauptquartiere) used by Adolf Hitler during World War II.

  52. ‪Marc Elias‬, Democracy Docket

    The old rulebook is gone. It’s not coming back and we all need to accept that. The DOJ is weaponized. the GOP is rigging elections. Trump is literally bulldozing the White House.
    Democrats need to operate under this new reality, fight hard, and play by the same rules.

  53. https://www.newsweek.com/trump-admin-warns-argentina-beef-might-be-diseased-but-us-may-still-import-10917370

    Trump admin warns Argentina beef might be diseased but US may still import

    On Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on CNBC that Trump is “in discussions with Argentina” regarding the proposal, but said that the country is facing a “foot-and-mouth disease issue.”

    Trump’s plan to import Argentine beef—framed as an effort to lower U.S. prices while supporting the country’s ailing economy—has faced significant criticism from farmers, agricultural groups and a handful of Republican lawmakers.

    In her interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Rollins noted that over 80 percent of the beef consumed in America is domestically produced. She said Argentina’s own production capacity would likely limit the impact of their imports on America’s overall supply, before adding that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is monitoring the potential risks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

    In May of this year, however, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) declared the country a “FMD-free zone with vaccination,” meaning there are no active outbreaks, but that animals continue to receive inoculation as a precaution.

    Beyond potential health concerns, Trump’s plan has faced pushback from farmers and farming groups in the U.S. Those who spoke with Newsweek expressed frustration at the administration’s plan, viewing it as supporting foreign ranchers over America’s own agricultural sector.

  54. The destruction of the White House is brought to you by these companies, organizations and individuals looking for political favors: x.com/NewsWire_US/st…

    Altria Group, Inc.
    Micron Technology
    Edward and Shari Glazer
    Amazon
    Microsoft
    Harold Hamm
    Apple
    NextEra Energy, Inc.
    Benjamin Leon Jr.
    Booz Allen Hamilton
    Palantir Technologies Inc.
    The Lutnick Family
    Caterpillar, Inc.
    Ripple
    The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter
    Coinbase
    Reynolds American
    Foundation
    Comcast Corporation
    T-Mobile
    Stephen A. Schwarzman
    J. Pepe and Emilia Fanjul
    Tether America
    Konstantin Sokolov
    Hard Rock International
    Union Pacific Railroad
    Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher
    Google
    Adelson Family Foundation
    Paolo Tiramani
    HP Inc.
    Stefan E. Brodie
    Cameron Winklevoss
    Lockheed Martin
    Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
    Tyler Winklevoss
    Meta Platforms
    Charles and Marissa Cascarilla

    *All of the usual suspects. Tax the hell out if them!

  55. Wouldn’t it be delightful if enough white folks got screwed over by this administration that all of the gerrymandering didn’t matter.

    Of course, that’s why they had to have a Republican operative by Dominion voting machines (now Liberty).

    And they can still refuse to accept the results, refuse to swear in Dems (AZ Dem had been waiting a month to be sworn in), and have ICE goons crack the skulls of protesters.

  56. The Epstein Ballroom saga continues. WaPo.

    The work also drew thousands of tourists to Pennsylvania Avenue this week to watch — or rather listen to — the heavy machinery. The Trump administration has restricted the public from most vantage points, ordering employees of the adjacent Treasury Department not to share photos and escorting away journalists trying to shoot video.
    …
    The White House did not respond to questions about the trucks traveling to East Potomac Park. But officials defended the administration’s disclosures about the project, despite shifting details about the ballroom’s cost, capacity and scope.

    “The president has been incredibly transparent,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing Thursday. “I would reject any notion otherwise when it comes to this ballroom project.”

    When Leavitt introduced the project to the public in July, she said the wing would be “modernized,” not demolished. Trump said then that it would cost about $200 million and hold 650 guests, estimates that have increased to $300 million and nearly 1,000, respectively.

    Transparency? You tell me. Oh, those lips…

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