Of course, the big news on Twitter is the new Michael Wolff book, Fire and Fury. There are tweets about every aspect of the book, the release of which was brought forward to 5 January when President Trump’s lawyers sent a “cease and desist” letter to the publishers. That’s publishing equivalent of “eff you,” and good on them!

The response of Fox News has been interesting. They haven’t actually completely ignored the book as the tweet below infers, but many have an interesting take. For example, Greg Gutfeld thinks it’s no big deal calling Trump a child because every man gets called a child by women, so that means he’s just like everyone else!

 

The way they speak about the Trump presidency is becoming more farcical every day.

Ever since Trump rode the “down” escalator to announce his candidacy for the presidency, there were some at Fox News, like Sean Hannity, whose shows became little more than Trump advertorials. Others became Trump apologists, explaining what he really meant every time he got it wrong. Unlike every other candidate ever, apparently taking Trump at his word is not how it works.

There were others though whose response was fairer. Some normalized Trump, which I personally think is dangerous. Others made it clear that they were only supporting him because he was the GOP candidate.

The publication of Wolff’s book has made it clear that what the majority of us have been saying about Trump is correct. There is no longer any way to deny he’s unfit to be president. Trump’s own response to the book is laughable, and his disdain for it would be far more believable if he just ignored it. As Wolff himself says, Trump’s response is making it a lot more popular.

Anyway, some at Fox News, who realize they can’t deny the reality of Trump any more, are taking a different tack. They’re instead telling us we have to ignore the rhetoric and look at what he’s actually doing, and, according to them, that’s great! Here’s one example, quoted by Trump himself.

The set of accomplishments is pretty thin on the ground. The main one that’s been touted all year is the appointment of a young and extremely conservative Supreme Court justice. But really, how is that a Trump accomplishment? It was Republican leader Mitch McConnell who stopped Obama’s nomination coming up in a quite disgraceful fashion for so long. That is what enabled Trump to nominate someone to replace Justice Scalia. Then, once the GOP had control of who was nominated again, it was Mike Pence and his cronies who found Neil Gorsuch. Fire and Fury confirms what was reported at the time: Trump wanted to give that job as a reward to Rudy Giuliani. He saw it as a waste for the appointment to be used in any other way than as a bone for his running dogs.

Another supposed accomplishment is the Trump tax bill. It is an achievement, but it’s the most unpopular piece of legislation in a long time. Really though, it doesn’t bear much resemblance to what Trump said he wanted. All his promises on the campaign trail of helping those who feel downtrodden have come to nought. The big winners are his billionaire friends, which every analyst confirms. Some say that’s a good thing, but none, except Trump himself, try to pretend it’s not the wealthiest who will benefit the most.

And talking of farcical, how about this tweet:

In reality, Trump has done NOTHING in relation to commercial aviation, though he has some dangerous plans we can only hope also come to nothing. (Privatizing Air Traffic Control.) There were zero deaths worldwide, but I’m not sure how Trump can claim credit for that. No one person can. And if he’s just talking about the US, well there haven’t been any deaths in the US since 2009, so once again this is not a new thing. Obama, of course, didn’t claim any credit for that. Doing so would have been a joke. However, that tweet was the same day as the infamous North Korea tweet, so it didn’t get much attention.

Today, Trump’s tweets are once again truly cringe-worthy.

 

Trump also spoke from Camp David, where’s he’s spending the weekend with all members of his cabinet except Jeff Sessions. (Sessions is trying to win back favour by re-opening investigations into Hillary Clinton, but that’s another story.) Here’s part of Mic‘s report on Trump’s speech:

President Donald Trump launched another attack on the free press during a Camp David press conference on Saturday, bemoaning “weak” libel laws in response to a question about Michael Wolff’s explosive book on his chaotic White House.

“I think it was a disgrace that someone’s able to have something, do something like that,” Trump said of Wolff’s book, Fire and Fury. “The libel laws are very weak in this country. If they were strong, it’d be very helpful. You wouldn’t have things like that happen, where you could say whatever comes to your head.”

There’s some irony for you – Trump complaining about someone saying, “… whatever comes to your head.”

Here’s some of the speech …

Personally I think USians should be very worried when their president starts complaining about the press having too much freedom. Besides, it’s not libel if it’s true. Michael Wolff said on MSNBC that he stands by everything he wrote, and he has both contemporaneous notes and TAPES. As even Fox News‘s Dana Perino said, people should be very careful about denying things were said if there’s a chance Wolff can produce a tape of them saying it.

Trump apparently thinks both the Attorney-General and the White House counsel should be protecting him from all this. He reportedly wants someone like Roy Cohn back. That says it all really. The Daily Beast accurately describes Cohn as Senator Joe McCarthy’s “personal lickspittle” during the years McCarthy was conducting his Senate Committee witch hunt for communists.

Oh, and by the way …

Here’s some more from the Mic story on Trump’s speech from Camp David:

Flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and other Republican leaders Saturday afternoon, Trump again attacked the book and its author, calling Fire and Fury a “work of fiction.” He also defended his intelligence once again, telling reporters that he “went to the best colleges for college” and “had a situation where I was a very excellent student.” …

“The story, by the way, in the Times was way off — or at least off,” Trump said. “Everything I’ve done is 100% proper. That’s what I do, is I do things proper.”

When asked what was wrong with the story, he responded simply: “You’ll find out.” …

But when the president opened things up for questions, the conversation shifted away from his 2018 resolutions to the Wolff book, “Sloppy Steve” Bannon and the Russia investigation.

He repeated that there was “no collusion” between his campaign and Russia, but that Democrat Hillary Clinton had colluded with the Kremlin.

“Unfortunately, you people don’t cover that, very much,” Trump said.

Despite his claims otherwise, the question of collusion between his team and the Russians is not “dead.” Special counsel Robert Mueller has already brought down four former Trump associates, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, in an investigation that is expected to continue deep into 2018 — if not longer.

“It’s making our country look foolish,” Trump said of the investigation Saturday. “And this is a country I don’t want looking foolish. And it’s not going to look foolish as long as I’m here.”

Trump is the one making the US look foolish. Just ask anyone from the rest of the world.

This was prescient …
(Via Ann German.)

 

And this is mean, but funny …
(Via Ann German.)

 

He really does ask for it …
(Via Ann German.)

 

Brilliant!
(Via Ann German.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s my website, so I’m allowed to really stick the knife in …

 

Political Tweets

Ann German recommended the article in this link to me. I thoroughly endorse her recommendation.

 

In advance of the Jan. 9 publication of the book, which Trump is already attacking, Wolff has written this extracted column about his time in the White House based on the reporting included in Fire and Fury.”

(In response to the president’s attacks, publication was brought forward to 5 January. My copy is on the way.)
(Via Ann German.)

 

Says it all. It’s funny until you remember this is an accurate characterization of the most powerful man in the world.
(Via Ann German.)

 

There’s a good article in the link regarding President Trump’s mental health.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Election Tweets

This campaign ad for the US 2018 election is the best I’ve ever seen!

 

Mueller Time Tweets

The net is closing.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Religion Tweets

Three quotes from the article linked to in the tweet:

Recy Taylor, a 24-year-old African-American sharecropper, was walking home from church in Abbeville, Ala., on the night of Sept. 3, 1944, when she was abducted and raped by six white men. …

But the attack, like many involving black victims during the Jim Crow era in the South, never went to trial. Two all-white, all-male grand juries refused to indict the men, even though one of them had confessed. …

In Ms. Buirski’s film, Mrs. Taylor recalled how she could have easily been killed. “The Lord was just with me that night,” she said.

This whole incident is shocking and sickening, and one I would normally put in the “Human Rights Tweets” section. I hope you can see why it’s in “Religion Tweets” instead.

(Via Ann German.)

 

This is what happens when you get a political party in office controlled by it’s conservative religious wing. If this was happening in a Muslim-majority country, there would be an uproar. It’s in the US, so they they it’s okay!

 

It had to happen!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Gun Safety Tweets

I’m glad this programme exists, but I also find it outrageous that it’s necessary.

Weather Tweets

This woman is an effing nutter!

 

Funny Tweets

I’ve said this before – I don’t know Sean Carroll, but I know I like him!

 

History Tweets

Can you imagine Trump doing this? I’d like to see someone make up a video about that!
(Both via Ann German.)

 

 

I can still sing the ‘Mr Ed’ song off by heart!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Mrs Peel, we’re needed …

New Zealand Tweets

I should have a section with this name! Here’s a good one to start with. The letter in the pic reads:

To whoever finds this message
I am Olivia Brown I am 10 years old and I am from Auckland, New Zealand. I live with my mum, dad, sister, and my 4 pets. Milo my dog, Moby my cat, Milly my cat and goldy my goldfish. This letter was sent in 2017 16 February.
From Olivia

What a great kid! She names her pets but not the human members of her family! ????

 

Science Tweets

This is very cool indeed! Time lapse film of the RSS Sir David Attenborough, the new polar research vessel, being built.

 

Excellent.

 

Creepy-Crawlie Tweets

Does anyone know if this is the usual colour for this critter, or is it an albino?

 

I can only assume she knows what she’s talking about.

Other Animals Tweets

Great example from a polar bear on dealing with male partner violence!

 

Otters are honorary cats!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Gorgeous!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Cute rescue hoglets at the Pricklepad Hedgehog Hospital near Newcastle Upon Tyne in north England.

 

Falling asleep in your feet is an acquired skill apparently!

 

Bird Tweets

Apparently 5 January is National Bird Day in the US. Of course, due to time zones, it’s 6 January before I find out about it!

 

Well known authors who love birds.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Oh wow! How’s this for gorgeous?!

 

Poor baby elephant!

 

Some cool ducks!

 

Dog Tweets

Someone managed to make this dog breed look cute!

 

We had a golden lab. He was gorgeous and loved swimming with us. He also saved my life when I got swept away in a river when I was around 21. (I was never scared enough of the water – that was the third time I almost drowned.)

Cat Tweets

What a cutie!

 

Gorgeous!

 

Cool cat!

 

Wow!

 

It looks like this cat’s curiosity took it in the wring direction!

 

Who needs two boxes?


 

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