gotta be a Tough Choice
for tfg djt to hafta Choose
'twixt de Santos and Tucks
for a brand new soon to be
tossed Under the Bus VeePee

based on Lies alone
de Santos is nearly on
a Par with the trumpfster
but 'Tucks' Carlson's just got
that RWNJ next door good looks

and all the Charm of a
snake oil Salesman
on Ecstasy

damn.
Tough Choice
wouldn't wanna
be You mr soon to
be running for Prez
from a jail cell twice-
impeached Many times
Indicted Loser. but at least
you've still got your anti-Truth Social.

Will E. Jean Carrol’s success inspire women like Tara Reade and Juanita Broaddrick to pursue civil cases against their attackers?
Could be interesting.

Feinstein's return gives the Dems a majority on the JUDICIARY committee again, 11-10. That was the whole issue.

They were still 50-49 in the full Senate without her.

My fave part of the Santos story is that he's not just refusing to resign, but states he'll be seeking re-election! Fuck yeah, I'm doing a full 180 and jumping on the bandwagon in full support. Didn't like Charles Manson or someone always used to run for President back in the day? Santos should run for President is what I'm saying. Him & OJ Simpson seem like they'd make for a fun & marketable ticket. Bet they'd shake things up, drain the swamp, etc...

@3 Sure... go for it.
Only if you got time to spare from Hunter diggin...

@6
Not sure what Hunter Biden has to do with it, but OK then.

I'm sorta curious if Carroll's lawyer is calling up Trump's lawyer and asking if his client is looking to give up another $3M in defamation damages.

@7: Whataboutism begets whataboutism.

@9
It only looks like whataboutism to someone who judges the merit of a claim based on the political affiliation of the person the allegations are made against.

"Voters already put him office once knowing he’s a fucking creep."

Not to be all "the system works", but we had much less understanding of Trump when he was voted in. He made it clear that he was a dirtbag, but over the course of his Presidency he doubled down on that again and again. People are used to all sorts of crazy things being said during a campaign, then things calming down once office is taken (this systemic problem is part of the reason our society was vulnerable to Trump to begin with). When he proved that he had no intention of calming down and continuously doubled down on his dirtbaggery, he got voted out.

And this is not to discount the number of people who still support him. More than 45% of voter still supported him, and that is very concerning, and also highlights how completely incompetent our electoral system is at finding consensus within the country. But his behavior does have an impact on the small number of voters who unjustly have the power to decide who is President, regardless of the broader opinions within our society (RCV for single-candidate offices like the president and proportional party-based voting for group offices like congress would be good incremental progress).

@6,

I'm STILL waiting on the long form birth certificate that allegedly exists, but somehow mysteriously never seems to be available upon request.

@9 Thank you. That is what I was going for.

@10 Never voted for Clinton, so no axe to grind there. Those women want to go after Bill? Fine by me, he deserves it, former president and all...

The topic at the moment is E. Jean Carroll, and that other guy. But yeah, let's re-litigate stuff from 30 years ago.

Oh wait... count me out on that.

YOU can do it. Go Speed Racer!

I love how people believe COVID is over. After 3 years of near total isolation and doing only the very necessary (like going to the grocery store), always masking, and engaging in social distancing, my mother (in her 70s and my primary caregiver) and I (in my 50s with a serious neuromuscular disease) both have COVID right now. We have absolutely no idea how we got it and no one we know or have been near in any way has it.

Neither of us can take Paxlovid. My mother was prescribed another antiviral by her doctor that my doctor says just "flat out doesn't work" and the last option for 3 hour IV infusions, 3 days in a row, of remdesivir isn't available where I live. My doctor doesn't seem to understand why I can't get to Portland for the infusions (really? I can't drive, my caregiver has COVID, traveling to Portland is arduous, would require a hotel stay - not a good idea for people with COVID, etc. (so much for just calling your PCP and getting help).

We just have to wait it out and just hope that I won't have to be hospitalized. Today I feel worse than ever (it's moved into my lungs, a dangerous situation for me). I am terrified of having to be hospitalized (hospitals are no place for sick people, especially people who actually want to stay alive). And if both make it through unscathed, then we get to see what damage has been done after we "recover."

My mom's friend (a decade younger than her) had a massive heart attack after having COVID. Another friend has long haul COVID and can't function. But yeah, everyone else has just moved on and the elderly, disabled, and everyone suffering with long haul COVID symptoms are just left twisting in the wind.

I hope everyone is enjoying getting back to normal.

@10: so it looks like Whataboutism to you, then?

anyone can file a defamation suit. "interesting" that neither Reade nor Broderick have done so.

@15: Gosh that's tough. Sure hope you both recover! Best of luck and get well wishes.

I’m glad that the debate about vaccinations is winding down. Next time there’s a pandemic, and if there’s a vaccine against the illness, we should just get it and let those who refuse to get sick. The exception is children. Don’t you know there were numbskulls back in the 50s who said no to the Salk vaccine, “Not my kid!” – putting kids at risk of death or lifelong disability? As for the adults, nature’s way of removing that gene pool from the general population perhaps, but they shouldn’t be allowed to indirectly harm their children by withholding medicines, blood transfusions, etc. Humans, unfortunately, seem to have no pre-set limit to accepting wild, cooked-up shit.

The United States of America is not East Germany, but if our federal government doesn’t do something about uncontrolled immigration, I can see a time, if the right leader/fascist comes along, when there’ll be a No Man’s Land at the border and soldiers with machine guns in watchtowers overlooking it with permission to fire-at-will. I know global poverty sucks. No one can blame someone who wants a better life for themselves and their families. No one can blame someone wanting to escape a dangerous, brutal regime. In some third-world countries (coughcough*Mexico*cough*), working your way up out of poverty is pretty much a pipedream because wealth is the province of a few. That said, you cannot move anywhere in this world without filling out some forms and having an interview or two. You just can’t. And for many, many good reasons. The alternative is utter chaos. I look forward to a world without borders in several hundreds of years if we are still around then, but right now we need to control that flow.

Very disappointed that Pagliacci’s was stealing tips. Man. I mean Pagliacci’s is Old Seattle, kinda, and I used to order from them regularly to support non-corporate, local pizza (Belltown Pizza, too). Well, I guess those memories are gone.

It never really ended, but it’s starting again. T** is on every news channel every day. I mean, if he cracks a fart. When is someone going to say, “Hmm. Not today. Not until he does or says something significant.”? That thing in NH last night? It was a night at the VFW post with folding chairs and lime sherbet punch. Please stop.

@19: East Germany?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NjNL4Nsa4Q

One other thing. Well, two.

I really, really, really want to see a study on how something like Santos even happened. That Long Island district is not MAGA-intensive. He got some moderate Democrat support because they believed all the falsehoods. How did that happen?

And how did the Democratic candidate not pick up on such overt lies? Why wasn’t his staff all over it?

And in a kind of related issue: Where are the Democrats on the debt ceiling? Seems they are being very Emily Post about it. The Republicans are holding this hostage because they say they want spending cuts, right? If the US defaults on its payments, just as a credit card company would do, the creditors will raise interest rates – adding humongous amounts of debt to the budget. So, no, Republicans aren’t doing this out of fiscal concern. They want to eliminate services that they themselves don’t need. Why aren’t the Democrats ringing cowbells with this information?

20: Yes, well, when the DDR was the DDR, 'drop. I am referring to the severity with which the borders were controlled.

@15
xina-hope you and your mother get better very soon! I wish my message could be more comforting
I had Covid in March after 2 years of avoidance, and will never know why or where it was from.

well damn that truly Sucks xina
let's Hope it's a defanged covid

my 8yo immuno-compromised
Grandaughter got it maybe six
months ago; was affected for
about a week but not badly
and seemingly hasn't had
any further complications

FUCK Covid and hang In there Grrrrl
we Need you & your Mom here

Get Better SOON.
Prayers & covid-
free Hugs!

@15: "no one we know or have been near in any way has it."

How do you know that, especially with asymptomatic cases?

hey xina if you
ever wanted to chat
I'd welcome the opportunity

Hope you're feeling
Better today!

@15 xina: I am so sorry to hear that you and your mother are currently struggling with COVID, and with your neuromuscular disease! That really sucks.
I hope you both recover and feel better soon, and can avoid hospitalization.
Sending cyber hugs, positrons, and VW beeps from my beloved and me.

@21 Bauhaus I: I share your curiosities and outrage regarding George Santos and the RepubliKKKans holding the U.S. economy hostage over the debt ceiling. Sending cyber hugs, positrons, and VW beeps.

@23 Candy Lips: I'm sorry that you had to deal with an inconsiderate asshole with COVID at your doctor's office. That sucks, too. Sending cyber hugs, positrons, and VW beeps.

@24 pat L: Sending cyber hugs, positrons, and VW beeps for having had COVID in March. I'm glad you're feeling better now. I must be among the asymptomatic. After getting vaccinated and thrice boostered I have repeatedly tested negative for COVID. If I ever had it any symptoms have been mild and undetected.
I really feel sorry for xina, her mother, and all others equally vulnerable to COVID.

@25 kristofarian: I'm sorry your immune compromised granddaughter caught COVID.
I'm glad to hear she's okay now. Sending cyber hugs, positrons, and VW beeps.

@26 stinkbug: I am vaccinated, boostered, and have tested negative every time over the last three years. Nonetheless I still mask up on buses, stores, and particularly in doctor's offices. As you aptly pointed out, I could be asymptomatic. I would hate to unknowingly pass on COVID symptoms to someone with a more vulnerable immune system. Sending cyber hugs, positrons, and VW beeps.