Four years ago, I started saving the best of the incredibly bizarre, stupid and bad vibes photos being rapidly produced by the Trump administration to cathartically post today. Here is my Surreal Trump Photo Dump
More from Trump
OK, #Squidigation fans, I think we need to talk about the new Wisconsin suit Donald Trump filed - personally - in Federal Court last night. The suit is (as usual) meritless. But it's meritless in new and disturbing ways. This thread will be
Not, I hope, Seth Abramson long. But will see.
I apologize in advance to my wife, who would very much prefer I be billing time (today's a light day, though) and to my assistant, to whom I owe some administrative stuff this will likely keep me from 😃
First, some background. Trump's suit essentially tries to Federalize the Wisconsin Supreme Court complaint his campaign filed, which we discussed here.
If you haven't already, go read that thread. I'm not going to be re-doing the same analysis, and I'm not going to be cross-linking to that discussion as we go. (Sorry, I like you guys, and I see this as public service, but there are limits)
Also, @5DollarFeminist has a good stand-alone thread analyzing the new Federal complaint - it's worth reading as well, though some of the analysis will overlap.
\U0001f6a8BREAKING: Trump files new federal court lawsuit in Wisconsin challenging the results of the election.https://t.co/LfKb2PUIkq
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) December 3, 2020
Not, I hope, Seth Abramson long. But will see.
I apologize in advance to my wife, who would very much prefer I be billing time (today's a light day, though) and to my assistant, to whom I owe some administrative stuff this will likely keep me from 😃
First, some background. Trump's suit essentially tries to Federalize the Wisconsin Supreme Court complaint his campaign filed, which we discussed here.
OK, #squidigation fans. This is a new Wisconsin case not filed by the Krake[n/d] team of Powell and Wood and NOT focusing on wild conspiracy theories. It's a competent and professional filing that raises things that would be real issues ... if you don't understand why they aren't https://t.co/ETvUiWV5du
— Akiva Cohen (@AkivaMCohen) December 1, 2020
If you haven't already, go read that thread. I'm not going to be re-doing the same analysis, and I'm not going to be cross-linking to that discussion as we go. (Sorry, I like you guys, and I see this as public service, but there are limits)
Also, @5DollarFeminist has a good stand-alone thread analyzing the new Federal complaint - it's worth reading as well, though some of the analysis will overlap.
Every one of these Trump election suits is the same gobbledygook garbage barge:
— Liz Dye (@5DollarFeminist) December 3, 2020
FRAUD!
It coulda happened.
Well, no, we can't prove it.
But just to be safe, best let the gerrymandered legislature give us all the electoral votes!https://t.co/Z926668H05 pic.twitter.com/xGZsJKIO7Y
Enough! Reporters doing it again. Both-sidesing. U enable Trump's propaganda by doing this
Reporter's both-sides question:
"What was your role in what happened at the Capitol?
Proper question:
"Are you going to take responsibility for your role in inciting insurrection?"
The press enabled the storming of the Capitol because they never held GOP accountable for pushing #TheBigLie that election was stolen
I have been yelling about this for months. Starting here where @TerryMoran got it right
But after press returned to form
Not long after Nov 4th press started both-sidesing again. Question Republicans were asked over & over was:
"Do u think Biden won?"
This enabled the coup
The proper question at minimum:
"Why are u enabling this charade? Why are u spreading
After repeatedly yelling that press wasn't demanding answers of GOP for spreading #TheBigLie I hoped this political violence on Dec 10th would finally get press to demand answers. But no. They continued to both-sides
I noted how impotent the American press was acting by treating #TheBigLie as credible. The press is supposed to hold people in power accountable, but beside @TerryMoran on election night, they by and large
Reporter's both-sides question:
"What was your role in what happened at the Capitol?
Proper question:
"Are you going to take responsibility for your role in inciting insurrection?"
Disgraced President Trump claims his speech was analyzed and people thought it was totally appropriate and MSNBC cuts away pic.twitter.com/sg5yIxWWBc
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) January 12, 2021
The press enabled the storming of the Capitol because they never held GOP accountable for pushing #TheBigLie that election was stolen
I have been yelling about this for months. Starting here where @TerryMoran got it right
But after press returned to form
ABC News on Trump's speech:
— Texan (@Texan_21C) November 4, 2020
"This isn't law... It's theater. Let's be blunt. It's the theater of authoritarianism"
"It's an attempt to end the election illegitimately to remain in power"#ABCNews #TerryMoran #Authoritarianism pic.twitter.com/t0pfZaReOz
Not long after Nov 4th press started both-sidesing again. Question Republicans were asked over & over was:
"Do u think Biden won?"
This enabled the coup
The proper question at minimum:
"Why are u enabling this charade? Why are u spreading
Media should shove a mic in every Republicans face & demand to know why they are going along with this charade!
— Texan (@Texan_21C) November 11, 2020
These, \u201cdo you think Biden won the election\u201d questions are weak bothsidesism that allowed a conman to become president
After repeatedly yelling that press wasn't demanding answers of GOP for spreading #TheBigLie I hoped this political violence on Dec 10th would finally get press to demand answers. But no. They continued to both-sides
Maybe political violence most likely inspired by Trump saying Dems are stealing the election will cause press to actually hold GOP accountable? Probably nothttps://t.co/1VZXCwuPc6
— Texan (@Texan_21C) December 11, 2020
I noted how impotent the American press was acting by treating #TheBigLie as credible. The press is supposed to hold people in power accountable, but beside @TerryMoran on election night, they by and large
Reminder that there was political violence 2 days ago bc the GOP is conning their supporters & actively engaging in a coup
— Texan (@Texan_21C) December 11, 2020
I am trying to come up with an analogy that fully captures how much American press is behaving as if it's impotent, during Americas 1st coup attempt!
Yes.. https://t.co/wntoQdyMZs
1. Yes, Trump will claim to intend to target GOP senators up for reelection in '22 (like he did to Thune with Kristi Noem) if they don't join in @HawleyMO's sedition on Jan. 6, but the fact is, it's not clear whether Trump will be successful in ANY of those efforts & voting yes
2. to hedge off these threats will also create fissures & fractures for these incumbents among other elements of their party that could complicate their renominations. Indeed, what worries me the most about the potential for the country to slip into @anneapplebaum territory is
3. that what should be robust and intense push back from the party establishment against actually ending democracy- bc that's what Trump's request would do, if it was granted, is fairly muted. What we SHOULD be seeing from the mainstream of the party is threats to strip committee
4. assignments, chairs, privileges, even reelection funds, if anyone gets involved in this bullshit- in the House & the Senate, and the fact that you don't see it is more than a story of McConnell & McCarthy being afraid of Trump & his base. Its a story of receptivity, of the
5. level of receptivity the congressional and party leadership is dealing with both within the rank and file membership of the party and within its donor class, and THAT, my friends, is why you find me so concerned. That, and my decision to finally pull @anneapplebaum's book
A lot of conversations today among Republican senators over move by @HawleyMO to challenge the certification of Biden\u2019s Electoral College victory. Small groups of Rs were huddling on & off the floor trying to game out the politics of what will happen Jan. 6
— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) January 1, 2021
2. to hedge off these threats will also create fissures & fractures for these incumbents among other elements of their party that could complicate their renominations. Indeed, what worries me the most about the potential for the country to slip into @anneapplebaum territory is
3. that what should be robust and intense push back from the party establishment against actually ending democracy- bc that's what Trump's request would do, if it was granted, is fairly muted. What we SHOULD be seeing from the mainstream of the party is threats to strip committee
4. assignments, chairs, privileges, even reelection funds, if anyone gets involved in this bullshit- in the House & the Senate, and the fact that you don't see it is more than a story of McConnell & McCarthy being afraid of Trump & his base. Its a story of receptivity, of the
5. level of receptivity the congressional and party leadership is dealing with both within the rank and file membership of the party and within its donor class, and THAT, my friends, is why you find me so concerned. That, and my decision to finally pull @anneapplebaum's book
