I'll be damned, Nixon and Trump were right.

It really is legal if the president does it.

New Essay up on Stonekettle Station: Ludi Circenses

The Republican debate, or what the Romans called Chariot Races. And pickled egg farts.

https://www.stonekettle.com/2023/11/ludi-circenses.html

I wish they'd run the GOP debate like one of those Hollywood Red Carpet deals. You know, before the debate, the candidates arrive in limos, decked out in loaner designer clothes, to flashbulbs and shouted questions from the paparazzi.

I'm not much on fashion, but I'd be madly interested in Vogue and Glamor's critique of Ron DeSantis' high heels.

I dunno, maybe Republicans should have spent less time raging about which bathroom people use and more time fixing the fucking roads.

It election day in a number of states.

Show up. Do your duty to civilization. You want a better nation? Be a better citizen. This is where it starts.

Ghosts

Good Morning

Tommy Tuberville is still a traitor

Donald Trump is still a seditionist, a crook, and a fraud

Mike Johnson is a Christofascist muppet

Lauren Boebert is so dumb she makes Louie Gohmert look like Einstein

And this is the best Republicans can do. Enjoy your day

I know I've mentioned it elsewhere today, but I'd feel remise in my duty if I didn't likewise say it here:

Senator Tommy Tuberville is a goddamn traitor and should be treated as such.

That's what it is, treason, when you give aid and comfort to the enemy.

@MidnightRider You catch on pretty quick

Rich Corinthian leather

This guy has a face like the front seat of a 40 year old Chrysler Cordoba polished by generations of asses.

Jesus CHRIST, Larry. This floor is FREEZING!

One thing about being a 1000 miles from home dealing with an elderly parent in the hospital, you don't spend much time looking at the news.

In a way, it's weirdly less stressful.

Folks, in the aftermath of yet another horrific mass shooting, please respect the dead by remembering AR stands for Armalite and not Assault Rifle.

You ever notice how Trump's lawyers all seem to end up in prison (or narrowly avoiding it via plea deal), disbarred, and testifying against him?

If I was John Lauro, I'd be looking for a nice English speaking non-extradition country in a tropical climate.

You go to vote for Speaker of the House with the Republican you have, not the Republican you might want or wish to have at a later time.

Here's where we stand:
- Jim Jordan lost the first 2 votes for Speaker
- Jordan announced there would be NO vote for Speaker until January and they would empower the Temporary Speaker instead
- Jordan announced they would NOT empower the temporary speaker after all
- Jordan announced he was dropping his bid for Speaker
- Jordan announced he was NOT dropping his bid for Speaker and calls for a 3rd vote that he is expected to lose by even more than the first 2 votes he lost
- Underpants gnomes

The only way Jim Jordon can win this election is if he calls Mike Pence and asks him to overturn the vote.

Results of today's Speaker Vote

Jeffries 212

Jordan 199

McCarthy 5

Scalise 7

John Boehner (I am not making this up) 1

Others 9

Needed: 217. Jeffries is within spitting distance.

If Republicans had any shame at all, the entire party would die of embarrassment at this point

They didn't even make it through the D's on the role call and Jim Jordan will not be Speaker today

He appears to have even LESS republican votes than yesterday. Guess that tactic of having his supporters call the holdouts and threaten their families didn't work, though I can't honestly say I'm shocked the same people who threatened to hang Mike Pence unless he changed the the election results would resort to such a tactic

Anyway, I'm excited to hear how this defeat is all the democrats' fault