Two occurrences in the same neighborhood really point out the difference between reactions of members of the two different parties.
Vice-President Elect Mike Pence has moved into a short-term rental house in the mostly democratic Chevy Chase neighborhood of DC. When residents realized he was living there, the reaction was this, courtesy of the Washington Post:
Photo courtesy of the Washington Post, (taken by Gary Cameron/Reuters)
They put out rainbow flags.
The other occurrence took place at a restaurant in the same neighborhood, a pizza place called the Comet Ping Pong. As written up in the Washington Post,
A North Carolina man was arrested Sunday after he walked into a popular pizza restaurant in Northwest Washington carrying an assault rifle and fired one or more shots, D.C. police said. The man told police he had come to the restaurant to “self-investigate” a false election-related conspiracy theory involving Hillary Clinton that spread online during her presidential campaign.
This restaurant was the subject of false news accusations that Hillary Clinton was running a child sex ring from the restaurant’s bathrooms. (Who the hell believes such stupidity?) Other than General Mike Flynn, soon to be Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser:
I feel very secure now, don’t you?
Nevertheless, the gunman was arrested, several area businesses went on lock-down.
A D.C. police report made public Monday says Welch had been armed with an AR-15 assault-style rifle. The report also says police seized a Colt .38 caliber handgun and a shotgun. One of those weapons was found inside the restaurant; the other in the suspect’s car.
As if we needed reminders. As if you couldn’t imagine this sort of thing happen. In case you need to show the difference in the two parties.
Show ’em this.
J.J. Holmes has severe cerebral palsy. He is 12 and is confined to a wheel chair.
On Saturday, his mother took him to a Trump rally, where he wanted to protest Trump’s treatment of folks with disabilities. So they raised a Hillary placard. And they were thrown out.
According to one report I read:
This is truly disturbing to me … What I witnessed while covering a Trump rally today. Wheelchair-bound JJ Holmes, 12, who has cerebral palsy, and his family were ordered out of Saturday’s Trump rally by Trump after they chanted for Hillary Clinton. JJ begged his mom, Alison, to travel over two hours so he could attend. JJ begged his mom, Alison, to travel over two hours so he could attend. Unable to speak, JJ communicates through a special device similar to Stephen Hawkings. JJ is passionate about politics and concerned about the future of all humans but especially those with disabilites. Alison said the family was kicked by Trump supporters and had to shield JJ’s wheelchair as Trump supporters gathered to push JJ’s wheelchair out of their space. Alison was called a child abuser and a murderer. This is just so, so sad! Tears are burning my eyeballs but then I look at JJ smiling afterwards when he asked his mom if she is proud of him.
Trump himself ordered the boy and his mother to be thrown out of the rally. His deplorable supporters taunted them on the way out. Taunting a disabled child? The lowest of the low.
That’s not exactly how the Democrats acted.
Instead, J.J. and his family got to meet President Obama.
Attribution: Valentina Pereda on Facebook (via Daily kos)
Since Hillary started her advocacy working to get disabled students admitted to school, I’m pretty sure s he’s good with Obama supporting her on this one.
Trump’s supporters were kicking at JJ’s wheelchair. What sort of people do that?
Oh yeah. Deplorable ones.
*****
Don’t be confused by the second half of my title. I don’t think that Hillary IS chicken. Nope, not a bit.
But she DOES makes a fine chicken dish that made it into the 1987 Congressional Club Cookbook, which has recipes from all sorts of congress members, their spouses, governors and their spouses. Both Bill and Hillary have recipes in it, befitting the first power couple — both cook.
I Took This Picture! It’s MY Cookbook!
That’s my proof. And my picture.
It’s quick, easy and perfect for a weeknight meal.
This time, I may have it with champagne.
*****
I’m really looking forward to writing about non-campaign related shit!
So you thought I was a more or less law abiding citizen, except for when I bribe French government officials. In fact, reality is far worse.
Because on Election Day, November 8, 2016, I will be in an undisclosed polling booth, watching. And I’ve even been trained for this nefarious activity. In fact, I’m one of the folks Donald Trump is so concerned will “rig” the election.
It’s true. A coordinated effort has been made by the Democratic Party. You see, on Saturday, I went to a class where my fellow instigators and I learned what to do. And “fixing” an election is as easy as taking candy from a baby.
What did we learn?
Well, you may have to cover your ears/eyes/heart. Because it is evil unbridled.
Study the Virginia voting regulations. They include information on acceptable forms of ID, what to do if a voter’s name on ID doesn’t match the one on the roll (if a woman got married, for instance, or if there is a slight misspelling), or the voter has moved, etc. The regs say what is legal and what is not.
Arrive at undisclosed polling precinct obscenely early (5-f’ing:15).
Bring baked goods.
Observe the non-partisans set up the voting machines.
Check that all voting machines register “0” prior to the doors opening to voters at 6.
Share baked goods.
Watch as they open the doors promptly at 6.
Monitor that voters are not hindered from voting.
Assist the election official (the “Chief”) in instances where the voter has a problem — incorrect ID, came to the wrong precinct, not registered, name or address doesn’t match the voter list. We learned how to ensure that the Chief follows the regulations. As legal folks, we understand how to read the regs.
When appropriate, let the Chief and/or voter know what alternate IDs are valid.
If necessary and there is no legitimate way for the voter to cast a regular vote, have him/her cast a provisional ballot.
Make sure nobody who has cast an absentee ballot votes again.
Monitor the length of the line, let Dem HQ know if there are problems.
Ensure the voting machines are working. Let Dem HQ know if there are problems.
Enjoy baked goods, lunch, coffee and bathroom breaks when possible.
Repeat.
Nefarious, no? Downright wicked. The evil continues all day until the polls close at 7 p.m. Then comes the fun stuff.
Make sure that anyone in line at closing time is allowed to vote. That’s the rule.
Ensure that the officials close and lock the door once everybody in line has voted.
Verify that the number of voters who checked in = the number of votes cast (adjust for provisional ballots cast, naturally).
Ensure that the Chief contacts the Secretary of State and reports the correct number of ballots cast for each candidate and the tally for any ballot initiatives voted on. Presidential. Congressional, local, ballot initiatives.
Collect personal items.
Go home.
Try to stay awake long enough to learn who won the election.
My badge from last time with my friend, Rigger.
I should tell you that when I did this in 2012, there was one incident. I’m sure you’ll agree it was obviously voter fraud.
An 86 year old woman came in to vote, but had already voted absentee. She forgot she’d voted already. She had trouble walking and had been dropped off at the voting station by her daughter. “Oh, I guess you’re right,” she said when told she had voted already. “I forget things sometimes.” I called her daughter for her on my cell phone, and the woman and I chatted as she waited, eating baked goods.
*****
There are poll observers from both parties at many polling stations across the country. It is one of the ways that our system ensures the integrity of the vote. As a man I respect and admire said earlier today:
WASHINGTON — President Obama said Tuesday that Donald J. Trump should “stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes.”
Speaking at a Rose Garden news conference with Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, Mr. Obama also called it “unprecedented” for any presidential candidate to “discredit the elections” before any votes were even cast, as Mr. Trump has done repeatedly in recent days.
“One of the great things about America’s democracy is we have a vigorous, sometimes bitter political contest, and when it’s done, historically, regardless of party, the person who loses the election congratulates the winner, reaffirms our democracy and we move forward,” Mr. Obama said.
Speaking of the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power after presidential elections, Mr. Obama said, “That’s how democracy survives.”
“I have never seen in my lifetime or in modern political history, any presidential candidate trying to discredit the elections and the election process before votes have even taken place,” Mr. Obama said. “It’s unprecedented. It happens to be based on no facts.”
Elections Matter.
Vote on November 8
Make sure you know where to vote and have appropriate ID in states where ID is required.
You will be surprised to know that I am on Trump’s mailing list. But I am, and I have been for ages. I’m always curious what they are up to, what they’re telling their folks, and what sort of information they think will get folks to send them money.
I’m not sure which polls they’re talking about in this fundraiser. Because the ones I’m reading won’t put Donald Trump into the White House.
Email sent to me
And you know what? I’m really OK if Trump ends up in the White House. As long as it’s not located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.
There are two other White Houses nearby. Both are for sale.
The White House on Georgetown Pike in McLean VA. Photo Image Washington Post
White House Towlston Road, McLean VA Photo Image Washington Post
These White Houses are both for sale according to this article in the Washington Post. So Donald Trump can have the White House. Either of these two. Let’s elect to put Trump in a different house all together.
And I think you’d agree that both are tacky enough for The Donald.
Throughout that grueling 90 minutes, this was all I could think of as I watched that creep loom over Hillary Clinton and threaten her both with jail and with his constant lurking behind her. Creepy.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M For Murder (Google Image)
Spoiler Alert: Grace Kelly survived.
So did Hillary.
And I’m starting to think even Melania is gonna vote for Hillary. Did you hear about what she wore to the debate last night?
I got the picture indirectly from Huffington Post.com. I personally couldn’t afford this blouse because it is truly priceless. 😉
That’s how I described my job at the World Health Organization, anyway. And while it was modestly said tongue in cheek, I honestly did/do feel like that’s exactly what I was doing. Saving the World. And it made me proud. I’m still proud, even though most of what I did was email folks who were actually saving the world.
In the early 2000s, Africa was a public health nightmare . HIV/AIDs was spreading and with it the ancient scourge of Tuberculosis, which was hoped to be contained and ultimately was instead increasing. That’s because about 40% of HIV patients have latent TB, which develops into full blown TB, a highly contagious airborne infection. One that since my day has become more drug resistant.
Drugs for HIV — anti-retrovirals, were expensive. Prohibitively so for the people who needed them most. The infrastructure for getting the drugs where they were most needed often didn’t exist. People were dying. Lots of people were dying because of disease and the inability to get and/or afford medicine.
I left WHO just as the Clinton Foundation started saving that part of the world.
The Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) worked with existing groups including the WHO and the U.N. But it brought clout to a field that was mired in bureaucracy. It cut to the chase. And it solved many of the problems of drug affordability and delivery. They negotiated incredible price deals. They worked on getting drugs to the people who needed it most, beginning with HIV-positive mothers because 90% of them transmitted HIV to their newborn babies.
The Clinton Foundation is everything American outreach should be. It should not be shuttered. We Americans should be shouting about the Clinton Foundation as a beacon of light. Exactly the way we all want the US to be viewed in the world. We Americans do good work. Good Works.
The Clinton Foundation is saving the world.
What is President Bill Clinton’s successor doing?
Google Image
George W Bush sure as hell ain’t saving the world.
We all knew it would be a shit storm when the GOP got together to nominate Donald Trump in Cleveland. But even I didn’t think it would actually turn into a a convention hall where folks would be running for the bathrooms instead of the exits.
Apparently, though, they are. Because the GOP doesn’t just have a shitty candidate, they have norovirus:
The virus can be caught through contact from infected people or surfaces, or through consuming contaminated food or water. Norovirus inflames the stomach, the intestines, or both. Symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. (Washington Post)
Of course, their candidate has been producing shit from his mouth and making the rest of the world vomit and crap their pants in fear since he announced he was running last year. And then again each time he speaks.
But with the norovirus taking hold of the delegates, I’m wondering if Mr. Trump needs a new form of transportation to make sure those delegates fill the convention hall to listen to the crazy line up of misogynists, racists and fear mongers.
Don’t you think that they should be riding in this fine vehicle:
Picture Credit: Father Kaine’s The Last of the Milleniums. Where else? He finds the best things.
