Octopus Overlords

It's interesting watching the Republicans bend over backwards to explain why they shouldn't present evidence that, if their client is innocent, should easily exonerate him.

Watching the President's lawyers, you get the feeling that they don't even believe the bullshit they are spewing.

YellowKing wrote: Watching the President's lawyers, you get the feeling that they don't even believe the bullshit they are spewing.

No one smarter than a door mat believes the bullshit. It's all either those in on the scam or those whose identity is tied to MAGA so much that they don't think rationally.

I do like the Democratic strategy of forcing the GOP to vote down subpoena after subpoena, one by one. Put them on the record, because the truth WILL come out eventually.

Schiff's entire strategy today was smart. If you are afraid that they'll get rid of the camera's make your case now. If you want to show it is a sham, then make them own it. I just don't know if enough are paying attention or care about what is going on. We'll see in 9 months because the Republicans have bet the farm on it.

Why even bother with this Senate sham when they refuse to even look at the evidence? Put all the GOP in prison.

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2020 4:26 pm Today is a good day to call your senators, and maybe a few others.

It's very easy: (202) 224-3121 gets you to an automated menu and then to their voicemail. You can do it in under a minute.

Not a senator but sat down with my congressman tonight. Interesting discussion.

Meaningwhile in GOP land - Schumer is creating a toxic environment in the Senate. Graham is taking arguments out of context. We're deep into a post-truth world now.

A cringe worthy moment. A sound bite for the ages. He was triggered by Nadler and the President's counsel sparring but citing #pettifogging to admonish both sides? Robert's legacy is going to be...complicated at best.

He really is a moron

Sort of. He shouldn't say the quiet parts out loud, but it hasn't hurt him before, and he can reasonably expect it not to hurt him this time (thanks to the assistance of Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders). So....it's not really that stupid at this point.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:19 am Sort of. He shouldn't say the quiet parts out loud, but it hasn't hurt him before, and he can reasonably expect it not to hurt him this time (thanks to the assistance of Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders). So....it's not really that stupid at this point.

He means what he says and you have to understand what he says versus what he says. If you were a real American and not partisan you'd understand that this he is saying that the Democrats are only giving you half the story. The don't even have the full story, which he released in the transcript. The full story is protected by executive privilege. He would love to give it to you, but national security. There has never been more of a WITCH HUNT in history against that most popular president ever making PERFECT phone calls.

(Also I hate this about myself, but I'm glad he sounds beat down and exhausted there)

LordMortis wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:31 am

El Guapo wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:19 am Sort of. He shouldn't say the quiet parts out loud, but it hasn't hurt him before, and he can reasonably expect it not to hurt him this time (thanks to the assistance of Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders). So....it's not really that stupid at this point.

He means what he says and you have to understand what he says versus what he says. If you were a real American and not partisan you'd understand that this he is saying that the Democrats are only giving you half the story. The don't even have the full story, which he released in the transcript*. The full story is protected by executive privilege. He would love to give it to you, but national security. There has never been more of a WITCH HUNT in history against that most popular president ever making PERFECT phone calls.

(Also I hate this about myself, but I'm glad he sounds beat down and exhausted there)

*Summary

*Summary of the memory of the transcript

Transcript. Even our legal counsel call it transcript. A PERFECT call. I didn't have to release it. But I did. You don't even KNOW what other information I have.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:16 amHe really is a moron

I wish I could be surprised.

This seems to be the new normal.
Killer: "They'll never catch me! I hid the gun!"
Cops: "We think we've got enough to nail you to the wall."
Court: "Hey, he said he hid the gun. You can't keep him. Let him go."

Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 1:36 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:16 amHe really is a moron

I wish I could be surprised.

This seems to be the new normal.
Killer: "They'll never catch me! I hid the gun!"
Cops: "We think we've got enough to nail you to the wall."
Court: "Hey, he said he hid the gun. You can't keep him. Let him go."

We've been heading that way for a while. Trump just accelerated things.

Not surprising, but Leader McConnell is the cancer to American Democracy. He’s literally in bed with the Trump Administration. His wife is the Trump Transportation Secretary funneling tens of millions into Kentucky and under investigation by the House.

Zarathud wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 4:12 pm Not surprising, but Leader McConnell is the cancer to American Democracy. He’s literally in bed with the Trump Administration. His wife is the Trump Transportation Secretary funneling tens of millions into Kentucky and under investigation by the House.

But how are her family affected by the Tariff war? (That's actually a real question and not meant to be read with scathing sarcasm I can't help but hear when I type it. I have been wondering that for quite a while.)

Hilarious to listen to the talking heads keep saying how exhausted the poor Senators are having to sit and listen to each other talk. Now they know how we feel..... NO PHONES!!!!! OMG!!!!

Nothing to see here, just a dozen or so GOP Senators walking out while Schiff is delivering evidence.

One suspects that Republicans fled the chamber because they didn’t want to hear Rep. Schiff presenting the evidence against Trump. Republican Senators have played dumb about Trump’s statements and behavior for years, and they can’t handle hearing the truth about their law-breaking president.

WTF???

Mistrial!

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:13 pm Nothing to see here, just a dozen or so GOP Senators walking out while Schiff is delivering evidence.

One suspects that Republicans fled the chamber because they didn’t want to hear Rep. Schiff presenting the evidence against Trump. Republican Senators have played dumb about Trump’s statements and behavior for years, and they can’t handle hearing the truth about their law-breaking president.

WTF???

I'm sure Roberts will admonish both sides.

I suppose that, unlike a real trial, there's no way to dismiss jurors who are neglecting their duties?

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:13 pm Nothing to see here, just a dozen or so GOP Senators walking out while Schiff is delivering evidence.

One suspects that Republicans fled the chamber because they didn’t want to hear Rep. Schiff presenting the evidence against Trump. Republican Senators have played dumb about Trump’s statements and behavior for years, and they can’t handle hearing the truth about their law-breaking president.

WTF???

I would think it's more a stunt to let them say to media outlets that they left because Schiff was delivering a partisan rant, and then get a non-trivial number of media outlets to report the day's story as "Republicans and Democrats traded accusations of partisanship in connection with the impeachment trial" rather than having the outlets report on the content of Schiff's remarks.

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:24 pm I suppose that, unlike a real trial, there's no way to dismiss jurors who are neglecting their duties?

Only in November

I personally plan to cast my vote to dismiss Collins so hard that it seizes up the voting booth when I'm done.

They are evil.

Yup. It's all about winning and if you can't win, you plot revenge. As frightening as the sentiment is, it's highly relatable so in summary we're all doomed.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:47 pm Yup. It's all about winning and if you can't win, you plot revenge. As frightening as the sentiment is, it's highly relatable so in summary we're all doomed.

Fucked. We're fucked.

*gets out drum yet again, starts beating it*

It's our turn to eat.

I should probably read this at some point.

malchior wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:29 pm They are evil.

I know what it means, but that statement caught me off guard. A pen of reporters? Is that like a flock of geese, or a murder of crows? A herd of cows, or a shoal of fish (or school, either way)?

Hyena wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:04 pm

malchior wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:29 pm They are evil.

I know what it means, but that statement caught me off guard. A pen of reporters? Is that like a flock of geese, or a murder of crows? A herd of cows, or a shoal of fish (or school, either way)?

The "press pen" is a thing in political contexts. At rallies, the TV cameras and reporters are often separated into a special area where they can't interfere/mingle with the regular audience during the event. (They can do so before and after normally.)

The presence of a media pen in the Capitol building is actually pretty gross. While not allowed to freely mingle on the Senate or House floors, reporters have almost always had the right to roam the halls and try to speak with congresspeople there. McConnell's rules have prevented even that for the impeachment hearings so that GOP senators can avoid questions or media encounters.

Remember when the Chief Justice told everybody that there was no fighting in the war room?

I keep hearing the repeated argument from the withered Cheeto's team "Abuse of power is not an impeachable offense" but at no point do I hear anyone saying "Power was never abused"

So they're basically saying "Yeah, it's wrong, but it's not illegal - so screw off"

The second thing that just blows my mind is all the people on the GOP side - like Graham and Romney - who used to scream about how unfit Drumpf was for office are now on their hands and knees, willing participants in the Human Centipede that the man is leading.

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 1:29 am

In case people wanted proof over how petty he is, just look at #1 Trump parasite Matt Gaetz being snubbed. That was just a vote against war power. Imagine what he's going to do to GOP senators, indeed. But yeah, intimidating the people voting for you? Totally normal and acceptable.

Why doesn't half the country see how guilty Trump and the GOP are when they refuse to view evidence and witnesses? If it was all kosher they'd do their jobs and be thorough about it then find guilty or not. Instead they do their best to see no evil hear no evil. They speak too much evil to avoid that one.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 12:23 pm Why doesn't half the country see how guilty Trump and the GOP are when they refuse to view evidence and witnesses?

Cognitive Dissonance. They've built their identities and culture around "we're good, they're bad." If they admit that their guy is bad, everything falls about, so they willfully blind themselves to the painful parts of reality. Combine that with the echo chamber of conservative media that ensures that they only see a version of the events that doesn't make him sound guilty, and it isn't surprising at all.