CMRivdogs

From today’s Bullwerk Don’t Stop With Hunter by Andrew Egger President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter wasn’t just a display of hypocrisy. It was also the latest in a string of decisions the president has made showing a bizarrely incoherent response to the reelection of Donald Trump. During the presidential campaign, Biden and Kamala Harris didn’t hold back about the stakes of the election, correctly sounding the alarm over Trump’s malignant authoritarianism-in-waiting. Yet since Trump won, Biden has oscillated between acting as if norms can hold and as if the house may indeed be on fire. The president has participated in transition activities to ensure a smooth handoff (as he should). And he also gave Trump a backslapping “welcome back” photo op at the White House. Republicans leered—and some progressives fumed—that this pivot showed Biden hadn’t really believed all that stuff about the dangers Trump presented. Biden’s defenders argued that he was just trying to stick up for the battered norm of the peaceful transfer of power. But the Hunter pardon suggests the president believes we are now firmly in a new, abnormal political reality. The dizzying, unprecedented decision to pardon his son not only for the crimes of which he currently stands accused but for any and all federal crimes he may have committed over a decade of his out-of-control life was, as Sonny Bunch notes today, a betrayal of the case he had made to supporters. “The notion that institutions and values are worth defending is something Biden told us to believe,” writes Sonny. “And he dispensed with those stated values the second they proved inconvenient.” But the pardon also betrays a deep worry that Republicans wouldn’t stop coming after Biden’s family until they had extracted their pound of flesh—that we are past the point of saving the institutional legitimacy of our system of justice. Biden is obviously correct that Team Trump is openly gearing up for vengeance, as Trump’s abortive attempt to install Matt Gaetz at DOJ and his ongoing attempt to replace Christopher Wray with Kash Patel at the FBI show. What remains to be seen is whether Biden’s protective actions against those forthcoming vengeances will extend beyond his own flesh and blood. A few weeks ago, former Justice Department attorney Paul Rosenzweig wrote for us arguing Biden should issue preemptive pardons to protect those whom Trump had explicitly threatened over their opposition to his candidacy: People like former Rep. Liz Cheney, whom Trump repeatedly called treasonous for her participation in the House January 6thCommittee, or Gen. Mark Milley, whom he suggested should be executed. “There can be little doubt that Trump has an enemies list,” Rosenzweig wrote, “and the people on it are in danger—most likely legal, though I shudder to think of other possibilities.” Keep in mind that Rosenzweig was writing before Trump’s announcement of Patel, who recently wrote a book explicitly listing dozens of purported deep-state Trump enemies, including everyone from Hillary Clinton and Harris to Robert Mueller and Rod Rosenstein to former Trump aides who have since spoken out against him, like Cassidy Hutchinson and Alyssa Farah. Reading that list, it’s painfully clear that nothing unites the names but perceived enmity to the incoming president. One imagines a loyal lapdog like Patel wouldn’t hesitate to expand that list. Maybe some of these folks wouldn’t accept preemptive pardons. It’s true that, in some people’s eyes, that could look like an admission of some sort of guilt. It’s certainly true that the right-wing infotainment system would howl that argument to the moon. But Team Trump’s rhetoric of retribution has been so naked and explicit that no reasonable person would find that sound and fury compelling. And it’s a little late for Biden to decide he doesn’t want to make any controversial pardons. The point isn’t just to ensure that, say, Cheney won’t be convicted of a crime. The point is to shore up the likes of Cheney, Fiona Hill, and Wray—as much as possible—against oppressive, life-destroying investigations on the part of a weaponized federal executive. Biden can’t protect all of America against Trump. But the people about whom Trump and his lackeys are already openly drooling and braying for revenge—those Biden could preemptively protect. Hunter can’t be the only one who could or should benefit from his use of this power. At least, in this case, the president would be affirming the principles he ran on, not jettisoning them.

Biden needs to go big on pardons in coming days. Become the Oprah of pardons. Everyone on this list gets a get out of jail free card, and then some.

Trump spent 20-24 lying and crying. Once again a 1.5% vote margin is NOT a mandate.

As opposed to Trumpers denying results in 2020?

Jared Kushner’s two billion $$$$ bribe from the Saudis

Why are you so hung up on that?

Now do Trump, and his pardoning of guys like Stone, Bannon, Paul Manifort, Michael Flynn, Charles Kushner (who he's just nominated for a cushy Ambassadorship.) etc While we're at let's talk about the $2 billion dollar bribe from the Saudi's his son in law walked away with four years ago.

https://bsky.app/profile/patriottakes.bsky.social/post/3lcdnwlkcpk2n Hardly an overwhelming mandate. Despite what Trumpaholic believes.

This from Mister But WhatAbout, that's all you did the past year. Hypocrite

Seeing reports of record breaking Black Friday sales and travel. This from the same people who just over a month ago said they couldn't afford gas and eggs.

https://bsky.app/profile/aaronparnas.bsky.social/post/3lcbveowdo22p

Unions were probably at their strongest level in the early 50s, at the same time there were a lot of strikes. The country was still enjoying the effects of winning WWII, but also involved in Korea. The middle class was in ascendant. I don't see any way to get us back there. Especially under the incoming administration. I think we're heading back to the early 1930s, early depression.

I just want to know what bathroom Bruce Jenner used when he visited Trump and Musk in Florida recently. I'm sure no one raised a stink when he used the women's room of the VIP dining area.

Another member of the Trump Crime Syndicate joins the ranks https://bsky.app/profile/jamiegangel.bsky.social/post/3lc6zyr33zk2j His son in law's father. The guy he pardoned.

Aren't we all

I just want to do away with that horrible Lee Greenwood song. So overused, and not great music to begin with. It's become trite. It ranks right up there with Tony Orlando and Yellow Ribbons

The Bears new interim head coach is their interim offensive coordinator. He's also has had a history with the Rams and Sean McVay in 2020. If the Bears go after Ben Johnson, maybe they take a look at him?

Especially most of those watching TV probably won't be driving anyway. Are you guys far enough into the wintery portion of the season where most people remember how to drive in snow?

Such an uplifting message from the incoming guy https://politicalwire.com/2024/11/28/speaking-of-thanks/

I don't put it all on Caleb. He was trying to get the other 10 in position. The rest of the offense was treating it like they had lots of time left. No time clock awareness there.

The Bears lollygaged to the line, he only had about 8 seconds or so to get the play off. Somebody needed to call a timeout just to get organized.

From what I see on FB. Same ole Bears. Everlose should never be allowed anywhere near Lake Forrest again

Thread https://bsky.app/profile/tomjchicago.bsky.social/post/3lbzkjj4q2s24

I know, I tried Google and DuckDuckGo. Nada

Mike Phillips is no Alto Ray, but man that circular breathing