Landsnark

Breakfast cereal was developed along with enema routines and eugenics philosophies. So... what? I bet Santorum HATES Kellogs and is trying to limit their nefarious reach. Because radical right wing. Or something.

I thought Joe was going to lurch over at Matthews last night and take a swing. Very uncomfortable TV. What a child. My wife said, "Why is his face so red?" So now it's just a fact that "Hillary lied about Benghazi?" We're just accepting that now? Ok. Last night was surreal. Surreal. Ted Cruz is the creepiest person I've ever seen.

Uh... how is this not dyed-in-the-wool, real-deal, honest-to-goodness, real-life Socialism with a capital S and all the trappings? The inclusion of insurance companies in the Democrat's ACA plan was a concession to the right side of the aisle so the whole program wouldn't be totally reliant upon government and a single-payer system, and, so "big government" wouldn't shake up the entire health care industry. Joe didn't ask Trump about this niggling little detail? That what he supports is TO THE LEFT of Obamacare? OK. Sounds good to me. Are we in the Twilight Zone? You got that right.

Joe's rhetoric on the research conducted on aborted fetuses makes me sick. His body will likely be cut apart and examined and studied when he shuffles off this mortal coil. God knows what they're going to find inside. Sour lemons? Gremlins? A naked angry boy? Wads of cash? A car salesman?

Joe's "hey, this is a fact here" rant about media bias in favor of abortions was too much for me. I watched a while to see where he was going because I thought I must be misunderstanding him... but no, he's an impossibly biased windbag. He was just inventing a meme where "the media" is.. um.. somehow biased in favor of abortions somehow in some way that makes no sense. "IT'S THE MEDIA'S FAULT I'M NOT MORE MAD!!" What did he say? "If the right wing were doing this there would be indictments handed down already"? What the f does that even mean? How would "the media" (um, of which he is a member) hand down an indictment? Who would be indicted for testing donated tissue? Why? And, don't we know about this and all the reaction DUE TO "THE MEDIA???" Changed the channel, but to my credit I hung in there a few segments. (FYI, Joe... abortions are legal here in the good old US of A. If the media is accepting of American laws, then that's not bias, you f'ing twit. It's when the media has opinions about what should and shouldn't be a law is where we dip into bias. Why don't you actually think about it sometime? I hate your show.)

Did Mika just invent a narrative where she surmises that there was a private server to hide fraud where Hillary Clinton used her position as Secretary of State to get Bill Clinton speaking gigs and something something Clinton Foundation??? All she said was "Have a private server. Run a foundation that funnels, you know, hundreds of millions of dollars through it. Husband who gives speeches. SIGH. All those emails. It's all in there. I can't even.. mumble." Joe jumps in and screams FOLLOW THE MONEY What the hell? No proof of it, like, at all, dear. But just toss it out there on national TV like it's a fact. Heh?

George Pataki, who I was unfamiliar with until today, is MEAN. What an asshole. He's an angry, bitter, aggressive guy. I love, though, how he said he wants to unite us because Obama's agenda is to divide us. Which is insane rhetoric, if you think of it. He just divided me from him, because I have no fucking idea what he's talking about and think he's probably either stupid (he's not), he's slightly racist (he's not) or he thinks his audience is stupid and slightly racist. Then he said that Hillary Clinton will divide us by appealing to Hispanics, Blacks, Women and other minorities. That... just.. I don't even know. By uniting groups she's "dividing us?" That's not even a dog whistle to whites. That's "HEY WHITES! THIS TIME IT'S ABOUT YOU! FINAAAALLLY! Finally, it's about us whites for a change." If he's honest, then he'll admit that different subcultures and classes within our whole society have different needs and desires and he needs to address those stakeholders individually. We can still all be Americans, but we don't have 1 homogenous need. Rick Perry was asked what he would say to Trump, after being read verbatim how Trump thinks Perry is a stupid person. Perry said, "How many pull ups can he do?" I laaaaaaughed and laughed. That is genuinely hilarious. That's how his opponents should fight back. "You run a company? I run a state whose budget is $5 trillion. How many pull ups can you do, fatty? You look ridiculous. You don't look like a President." Then whip off your shirt and flex. Let's go whole hog ridiculous. In the grand scheme, we're just a hair from there anyway and nobody will even think it's that crazy.

I think it's funny how Joe didn't get all red faced and bloviating towards Bush's former Ambassador to NATO, Nicholas Burns. Burns supports the Iran nuclear deal enthusiastically and lays out a cogent, sober case for it. And his clear-eyed, sensible, sane, estimation of it's long term value and the varied calculus that would arise from its disintegration stands in perfect contrast to Trump's policies, the right's policies of jingoism and fear, and the lowest-common-denominator voters that support the right wing saber-rattlers. This is why volatile us-vs-them rhetoric is dangerous and not what you want from a statesman... if the deal is scuttled, there is no oversight and control in Iran and America's allies will lose enthusiasm and trust.

Halperin and Heileman's focus group on Trump made me laugh out loud. Where did they find those morons? They do NOT represent rank and file Americans. "He said he'll put a wall down on the southern border. When you talk about common sense, that's the common sense thing to do." HILARIOUS! I feel as if he doesn't know what common sense means. "I wanna be a billionaire." "Classy" "He's just like one of us." "He says what's on his mind." "I feel like we could be a proud America again." I feel as if these statements shouldn't be described as opinions, because the people saying them have never really thought about any of this. They are too stupid for introspection or weighted consideration or measured perspective. They like celebrities... and that's the alpha and omega of their momentary adoration.

This morning's show was pretty bad... Mika was in charge. Mika's faux outrage she's trying to get trending is just... ugh. It's so self-aware and shallow. She's just terrible. Of course what Huckabee said is beyond the pale, but the resulting sanctimony from dummies like Mika is as nauseating. I was SHOCKED Cackles didn't call President Obama "Neville Chamberlain." I was honestly shocked. I guess it's because the guy who spoke before her, Richard Haas, said "Chamberlain, Hitler, and the Holocaust have to be omitted from how we make comparisons." Also, why are none of these professionally employed political pundits and journalists not discussing the actual makeup of the deal struck with Iran? Why isn't that happening? Why is the Washington press not forcing the GOP candidates to describe exactly what they'd have done differently? If diplomacy is not the option, then is it war? Which part of the deal would they have improved upon... how? why? Nah... instead let's just feel holier-than-thou about insane rhetoric and sanctimoniously parse and score the responses to the insane rhetoric. Yeah, that, to me, is the worst thing he said. It's so tone deaf and self-congratulatory and off-point, it renders him a clown who's never seriously thought about anything ever. "Yeah, dummy, you've been to Auschwitz 50 years after the fact and so nobody feels the Holocaust as deeply as you, and nobody understands foreign policy as thoroughly as you?" Fox should've smashed a pie in his face when he said that. There should be pies in the face for any ridiculous answers in the upcoming GOP debates. The candidates' dignity would not suffer, I assure you.

The final guest was very interesting. He is an Australian documentary filmmaker who simply went on a diet of only "healthy" or"diet" foods, like "low fat" granola or things you'd put in a kid's school lunch. He did it for 60 days. He gained 20 lbs and more than an inch of fat around his waist, and within 3 weeks his moods were swinging wildly and he had begun to develop fatty liver disease. Barnicle asked him if he thought fruit was bad (a cranky "gotcha" question if ever there was one). The gentleman patiently described how added fructose to fruit juice drinks turns to fat in the liver, but natural amounts of fructose in fruit are broken down slowly by the body due to being accompanied by the fruit's fiber. Joe was not in the studio but was on a monitor just as this guy arrived, and disappeared during the segment. Stuff like this infuriates Joe, since he thinks healthy eating is bullshit.

Those poll numbers were disturbing. Perhaps we just give Obama a place-holder 3rd term while as a country we scour the populace for an electable candidate or two?

It's cold there. Move your progressive-thinking, right-minded asses to the South. We need you here.

"I am NOT carrying Donald Trump's water here..." as Joe carries Donald Trump's water. Jackass. Joe just can. not. deal. that HuffPo put Trump in the Entertainment section and for that reason he is being rude to Sam Stein. As is Mika. They claim "the media" plays no role in Trump's rise. None. Joe asserts that "the media" is simply observing Trump's rise in the polls and has zero net effect in Trump's campaign's notoriety with the electorate. Stein says he's a product of irresponsible coverage that panders to the lowest common denominator, like a reality tv show. Stein swatted them down. Love how Mika has adopted Joe's manner of interrupting to force her ill-considered agenda. She demanded Sam admit that HuffPo's stance on Trump is illegitimate because they didn't do the same thing to Palin 6 years ago. Joe claims Trump raised "valid points" about immigration. What are those valid points? Where are they being soberly discussed? What's Trump's solution? Why does everyone sagely agree that Trump's stance on immigration is legitimate?? This is all surreal.

This morning's show was surreal. Joe is now simply calling Trump's comment "a retelling of a bad Al Franken joke," even though that's an out and out lie. It's not a retelling. Trump wasn't aware of Al Franken or his joke until after he made his comments and after the time he spent defending his comments. So why are Mika and Joe obviously contorting logic in defending Trump???? And, what was with that montage where they edited clips of Trump saying repeatedly, days later, that McCain IS a hero to every outlet that interviewed him? At the clip's end Joe looks so smug and Mika too as she counts up the number of times Trump says everyone got what he said wrong, and that and McCain is a hero... like "the media" and stupid people like me are the problem, not Trump's actual comments and attitude immediately afterwards. What the what is going on here? Does Morning Joe take the unpopular stance just to create friction and buzz, or... what? BTW, Trump's apologies? This is Trump giving in to "the PC media" and backtracking and recanting and apologizing... all things his supporters love him for not doing. Why is this not being highlighted and mocked? And what's the most insane of all of this is his most rabid supporters claim Obama is an "emperor" or a "messiah" or a "king." All the precise things they want Trump to be... a unilateral decision maker who doesn't negotiate or listen.

He's doing it again today. He's now not attributing Donald Trump's initial comments and then oft-repeated comments to Donald Trump, he's calling it, "Donald Trump using an unfunny Al Franken joke," as way of letting Trump off the hook. Despite Trump's initial insistence he's right, qualifying comment, "I like the people who weren't captured," and his lack of explanation that he's a huge Salon fan and was parroting his favorite 15 year old Al Franken joke... uh.. that is until his researchers later found it and attributed it after the fact. Scarborough is such a douche bag. Mika asked Joe what he thinks of Kasich's entrance and his chances, and Joe, with nothing thoughtful or germane to say, reminds us he was once in Congress. Drink. Would be nice if the bloviating salesman would actually prep for his own television show.

FWIW, Al Franken's comment was said as a joke 15 years ago about the 2000 campaign, at least 7 years before Franken got professionally involved in politics. His job at the time of the comment? Comedian. But, standard Joe Scarborough to deflect from Trump's aggressive, divisive rhetoric and shift blame to elsewhere. Context Schmontext.

Fair enough, SFoster21 But, your figure represents the people who claim they'll vote for Trump, not the greater number of those who agree with him and are "refreshed at his candor" and willingness to speak freely. Wasn't aware that ejaculating intentionally divisive nonsense is now a prerequisite for the Presidency. It's overtaken "I'd have a beer with him" in terms of voter requirements.

It's pretty unprofessional of any fair, straight, serious political analyst or commentator to apply upon Trump any - ANY - measure of gravitas or seriousness. He should be discussed as an afterthought, and then only as a joke. How could Donald Trump make anyone mad? He's a fucking clown and history will be brutal in its recounting of his fake, cynical stab at political office. He makes Machine Gunner Joe McCarthy look like Jimmy Carter. And he leads the Republican polls. That says all you need to know about your fellow Americans.

I like the conservative Harvard professor's admiration and approval of the plan after Cankles and her evil cohort would've spit on the treaty if it was on the table. Then he's followed by Lindsey Graham, who, predictably has the vapors over this because it was the worst thing possible.

Cankles is just the worst. I hate her on this show. I hate it when she opens her mouth.

Chris Christie was on set today. Do they suck up to him the way they do to preserve their better-than-average access to him, or, was the piece enlightening? I turned it immediately when I saw his face. I suppose I should subdue my own bias and listen to what he had to say, but.. ugh. It's Monday morning, and Christie was taking credit for the US Women's team victory... i just couldn't.

Joe got very mad that Obama wasn't leading the gay marriage charge 7 years ago, so this legislation doesn't count.

Esquire slams Mika and Joe -- http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a35793/charleston-shooting-discussion/ in an excellent article. LOVE the nicknames applied to Mika and Joe: Squint and the Meat Puppet

I'm worried about what's going to happen here in Charleston. I can't believe this. I also can't believe I'm watching Trump on this network. Even Fox News is treating the shooting with due gravitas, for f's sake. Edit... I live 1/2 a mile from the scene. Our dear friend lives 1/2 a block from there. My MIL just moved here and is 2 blocks away. This is NUTS. This is my home. I am hoping greater compassion and understanding comes from this, and the community comes together rather than picks sides, which leads me to... I was wrong about Fox News. It's not a hate crime, you see. Despite the shooter's own words. It's a crime against Christianity, and Fox had on a pastor who believes other pastors should be armed while in church. My apologies for giving Fox and Friends leeway and the benefit of the doubt. Big mistake. Long and the short of it.. Morning Joe and pre-9am MSNBC ignores a mass shooting that kills 9 innocent people in church - instead focuses on the insane clown Donald Trump... Fox News invents partisan causes.