The Real John Kelly: A Stupid, Power-Mad, Insubordinate Bully Who Blocked People From Speaking With Trump and Hid Proposals and Reports So That He Could Play Unelected President

From those who know him best:

Mark R. Levin
@marklevinshow
THE REAL JOHN KELLY
Here's what a knowledgeable former White House staffer just texted me about John Kelly and his disastrous time as chief of staff:
"The irony of John Kelly claiming Trump was dictatorial is almost too rich to digest. He personified a Napoleon complex in all its excesses! He daily had to approve guests to the Navy mess, approved or denied requests of staff to use White House exercise facility, insisted on signing off on all newspaper and magazine subscriptions, and demanded a daily summary of all websites visited by sr personnel. He was an out of control, obsessive control freak --- terribly insecure, past the point of paranoia, and after quickly spending his political capital with the boss -- went on incessant jihads to terminate all those he thought too close to POTUS that he could get away with. He refused to share phone logs with POTUS if they contained names he didn't want him speaking to -- it was ENDLESS. And there was the time he physically pushed past Ivanka, which was witnessed by several people. Ask ANYONE, Mark!"

From Peter Navarro's memoir:

Trump's four-star bully chief of staff John Kelly was a traitor within
Peter Navarro
October 25, 2024
Kelly's sensational claims about the president highlight his incompetence, mismanagement, and contempt for the chain of command.

No one knows former Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly better than I do. This bitter, bullying coward should be cast into the dustbin of history for once again smearing Donald Trump, just days before the most important election in modern American history.
It may seem reasonable to assume a four-star general would make a good chief of staff, but that assumption is deeply flawed.
Kelly invariably hated those closest to Trump. As chief of staff, he single-handedly turned Trump allies into bitter and viperous enemies.
Four-star generals like Kelly typically reach the top of their profession because they are seen as the sharpest tools in the military shed. Yet in the West Wing, among uber-elite civilians from academia, the corporate world, and Wall Street, Kelly was consistently the dumbest guy in the room.
Regarding Kelly's leadership, I had to brace myself physically every time his office called, as it inevitably involved some form of threat or abuse. Some leaders inspire, while others attempt to "lead" through intimidation. Kelly was clearly the latter, and I can't imagine serving under his command in combat.
But Kelly's flawed leadership wasn't the most concerning issue. His real failure was his refusal to obey the president, breaking the chain of command.

Kelly, along with Defense Secretary James "Mad Dog" Mattis, knew better than anyone that the military's survival depends on strict respect for the chain of command. Yet once Kelly and Mattis reached the pinnacle of civilian power, they acted as if no one, not even the president, was above them.
Kelly routinely subverted the president's trade agenda. When my former boss instructed Kelly to prepare an executive order to impose steel and aluminum tariffs or tariffs on China, Kelly would consistently delay the process by subjecting it to an extended review.
Kelly employed the same tactic whenever the president attempted to push trading partners like South Korea and Japan to stop screwing us in trade. Both Kelly and Mattis resisted actions that could threaten military alliances with these countries, ignoring the fact that gutting our economy and manufacturing base would ultimately weaken our ability to defend ourselves, let alone any other nation.
Why was Kelly so opposed to Trump's trade policies? Lacking any economic training, Kelly fell easily into the globalist mindset of West Wing figures like National Economic Council Directors Gary Cohn and Larry Kudlow and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin -- all of whom worked to block the president's trade policies.
Because Kelly had no training in politics, he failed to understand the importance of trade policy in holding the high political ground of blue wall manufacturing states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan that Trump had won in 2016.
Because Kelly didn't know how to "let Trump be Trump," as Corey Lewandowski famously advised, there was no way "Captain Queeg" Kelly would allow anyone with differing trade policy ideas near the Oval Office.

Kelly regularly eavesdropped on press phone calls and scrutinized overnight phone logs. If someone like me called the president, we were threatened with firing.

...

Now, it saddens and infuriates me to see Kelly play the court jester to the Atlantic, of all places. I had hoped that the Biden-Harris administration's tragic mishandling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, where Kelly's own son died in combat, might have brought him out of his hate-filled and vengeful derangement. I was wrong. And the

Mark Paoletta
@MarkPaoletta
I worked in the White House with John Kelly, and I don't believe a word he says. He was a terrible chief of staff who dishonestly kept information from the President to pursue his own agenda, an unelected former military official substituting his judgment for the duly elected President. Here are two examples:
1) In 2018, President Trump asked OMB Director Mulvaney to find money in agency accounts to build the wall to secure our southern border. Mulvaney asked OMB Deputy Russ Vought and me as OMB GC to do a deep dive on this project, and with the help of superb career staff, we found a ton of money at the DOD that we could use to build the wall.
But Kelly prevented Mulvaney from presenting this plan to President Trump. Several months later, in a meeting, Trump said "Mick, I asked you to find me money and you haven't." Mulvaney responded "I found the money but I have not been able to brief you." Kelly would not set up policy time for Mulvaney to discuss the plan with Trump.
After this exchange, Mulvaney presented the plan and the President authorized this strategy. John Kelly was insubordinate and duplicitous by refusing to provide the President with lawful options to implement the President's policies.
2) Because of the manner in which the Election Integrity Commission was set up, I wanted to have the President shut it down and direct the DOJ to investigate election fraud. At the time, I was the Counsel to VP Pence, who was the co-chair of the commission, and I had developed a list of previous presidential directives to DOJ to investigate a specific matter so that when making this recommendation I could show it was well supported by history and tradition.
In a meeting with Kelly and others, I made this recommendation and shared the list of examples of Presidents directing DOJ to engage on specific matters. Kelly said he would never show this list to the President because it would be terrible if President Trump knew he could do this, his life was tough enough in dealing with the President, and he did not want him to know this. To my knowledge, President Trump was never made aware of these examples.
John Kelly thought he knew better than President Trump and was opposed to many of his policies. As Chief of Staff, Kelly dishonestly tried to thwart President Trump's policies, and on the wall funding he was totally fine with not doing everything possible to stop illegal aliens flooding into our country and murdering innocent Americans, all in order to protect the bloated bureaucracy of his DOD.
John Kelly will say anything to stop President Trump from being re-elected. It won't work.
Vote Trump Vance 2024.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump

Thank you for your support against a total degenerate named John Kelly, who made up a story out of pure Trump Derangement Syndrome Hatred! This guy had two qualities, which don't work well together. He was tough and dumb. The problem is his toughness morphed into weakness, because he became JELLO with time! The story about the Soldiers was A LIE, as are numerous other stories he told. Even though I shouldn't be wasting my time with him, I always feel it's necessary to hit back in pursuit of THE TRUTH. John Kelly is a LOWLIFE, and a bad General, whose advice in the White House I no longer sought, and told him to MOVE ON! His wife once told me, at Camp David, John admires you tremendously, and when he leaves the Military, he will only speak well of you. I said, Thank you!

Bonus:

Hilarious: ABC shows early voting data that essentially shows Trump is going to win Nevada.

A seething George Stephanopoulos asks to see polling about how many voters view Trump as a fascist. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/PRxjWKQsxV
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 25, 2024

The CNN debacle was the "last straw" for many Democrats:

Kamala Harris’ “performance last night was the last straw for a lot of Democrats,” says @MarkHalperin about the CNN town hall where the vice president failed to directly answer friendly questions she’d been asked multiple times before. “There’s no more, ‘the more she does it the… pic.twitter.com/th0VxVf0FV
— 2WAY (@2waytvapp) October 24, 2024

Oh my…

Bruce actually did the opposite of firing up Kamala’s supporters

This is hard to watch

pic.twitter.com/ICKuaFT0Oe
— Phil Holloway ✈️ (@PhilHollowayEsq) October 25, 2024

Posted by: Disinformation Expert Ace at 04:55 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 He needs to be hoisted on his own petard.

Posted by: Gmac - WTF did you think was going to happen? at October 25, 2024 04:57 PM (dsWu9)

2 "Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer".

Put him on trial, put out the evidence and the witnesses, rip off his medals, and throw him in the brig.

Posted by: Another Anon at October 25, 2024 04:57 PM (QNMaY)

3 Springsteen appears to be in peak shitty form.

Posted by: McLurkerson at October 25, 2024 04:58 PM (CjgNg)

4 I nuded too.

Posted by: Gmac - WTF did you think was going to happen? at October 25, 2024 04:59 PM (dsWu9)

5 Hey! I apologized for Trump building the White House on an Indian burial ground. No joke. That SOB painted it white too. He should have painted it red, to honor those who used to live there.

By the way, there is nothing wrong with me. My word as a Biteum.

Posted by: Joe Biteum at October 25, 2024 04:59 PM (vFG9F)

6 Springsteen appears to be in peak shitty form.

He's always been that way, I've never liked that rat bastard.

Posted by: Gmac - WTF did you think was going to happen? at October 25, 2024 05:00 PM (dsWu9)

7 The other issue with both Kelly and Mattis was that they didn't like the approach from the White House that lowered the Pentagon (and Armed Services) on the totem pole in favor of economics shaping foreign policy.

Posted by: Orson at October 25, 2024 05:00 PM (dIske)

8 Regarding thd sidebar I don't believe for a second wokism is in any way over, they just turned it down for the pre-election and will be ramping it up again next year in ways you can't imagine.

Posted by: ... at October 25, 2024 05:01 PM (lX8VI)

9
Remember Sebastian Gorka?

Remember how he was let go?

Yeah, that was fake "general" cuck kelley and the other backstabbers telling President Trump that Gorka had to go.

Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:01 PM (jLdR/)

10 God, Bruce Springsteen sounds worse now than he did decades ago. I didn't think that was possible.

Posted by: hobbitopoly at October 25, 2024 05:01 PM (k9OZB)

11 On the John Kelly thing, has any reporter asked why John Kelly continued to work for someone who supposedly admired Hitler?

Had Kelly quit the day he said that, I might take his claim seriously.

So reporters are now left lionizing a guy that continued to be Trump's "right hand man" after saying he loved Hitler.

Posted by: Blago at October 25, 2024 05:01 PM (x4HYe)

12
Bannon was shitcanned because of these people.

Dr. Gorka was shitcanned.

All to please fake "general" kelley and his minions.

Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:02 PM (jLdR/)

13 Hi all

Posted by: Marty McFly - BTTF III at October 25, 2024 05:03 PM (i0xsb)

14 What I want to know is who out forward Kelly's name to Trump and vouched for him. That bit of information will tell us a lot about both that person and Kelly.

No, no, don't tell me, could it have been Pence?

Posted by: Decaf at October 25, 2024 05:03 PM (unUNN)

15 I heard on AM talk radio this morning that john kelly tried to block a group of enlisted men and women that were Afgan vets from talking to Trump and telling them about their experiences there. Seems Trump wanted to hear from the people who were actually on the ground in Afghanistan and told an aide to set up a meeting. From what I heard john kelly did everything in his power to block that meeting from happening.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at October 25, 2024 05:03 PM (QNSds)

16
If you didn't see the staged gathering of ben stiller, some other supposed hollywood celery, double-fisted doug emhoff-harris, and "emma" emhoff, it is a sight to behold.

First, it looks like a hollywood PR red carpet backstage photo-op setting. And then it becomes extremely Uncomfortable for everyone involved as Emma Emhoff pretends she's a girl who might someday like to have an abortion. She dressed like and sounded like a 16 yr old boy out with his two "dads."

There is no way emma emhoof will ever be pregnant. She is obviously asexual or an incel dyke.

Secondly, this was intended as an appeal to men, fathers of daughters in particular. Everyone on that video looked and sounded like a beta homosexual. The person with the lowest estrogen level was Emma Ermhoff.

Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:04 PM (jLdR/)

17 I dunno, Bruce singing about being hungry, just about starving to death, shows that he is down with the people who have had enough with high food prices caused by Bidenflation. It is time to turn the page.

Posted by: Chuck Martel at October 25, 2024 05:05 PM (fs1hN)

18 What I want to know is who out forward Kelly's name to Trump and vouched for him. That bit of information will tell us a lot about both that person and Kelly.

No, no, don't tell me, could it have been Pence?
Posted by: Decaf at October 25, 2024 05:03 PM (unUNN)

Probably Mattis. Just a guess.

Posted by: runner at October 25, 2024 05:06 PM (V13WU)

19 >>8 Regarding thd sidebar I don't believe for a second wokism is in any way over, they just turned it down for the pre-election and will be ramping it up again next year in ways you can't imagine.

well the hollywood thing isn't about the election, it's about crap like the nobody 'star" of Wicked going race-berserker on a fan who did nothing wrong, causing a lot of people, including liberals, to now not want to watch the movie. Big budget, they need a LOT Of sales to make it profitable, and she's out there alienating fans so she can pontificate about her own majesty

They're just absolutely poisonous and most are incomptent DEI charity hires.

are they really getting rid of these people? i don't know, but it's about keeping the movie industry from going bankrupt, not the election.

Posted by: ace at October 25, 2024 05:06 PM (KRtlO)

20 Missed the halloween movie thread
Brb

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at October 25, 2024 05:06 PM (J5RCE)

21 Bored in the USA.

Posted by: fd at October 25, 2024 05:07 PM (vFG9F)

22 At first, I thought that might be AI made to look like Springsteen sounded shitty.

I'd rather hear Fran Drescher sing Ave Maria.

Posted by: Stu Podaso at October 25, 2024 05:08 PM (fQmeC)

23 Bored in the USA.
Posted by: fd at October 25, 2024 05:07 PM (vFG9F)

Screechin' in the USA

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at October 25, 2024 05:08 PM (VNX3d)

24 Vance 2028?

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at October 25, 2024 05:09 PM (dg+HA)

25 That democrat dwarf is just so angry that nobody believes the press anymore.

"But we TOLD them he was a fascist! It must be working!"

Posted by: Thomas Paine at October 25, 2024 05:09 PM (lTGtQ)

26 What kind of torture it must have been to sit thru that and Camela.

Posted by: fd at October 25, 2024 05:09 PM (vFG9F)

27 Trump has an admiration for generals. Unfortunately Mattis, Kelly and the third one whose name escapes me thought they were above everyone and acted like it. Someone pointed out that generals in DC are just as political as any Congresscritter. Hope trump learned his lesson.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at October 25, 2024 05:10 PM (aRslG)

28 As stated before:

Springsteen gave us "Blinded by the Light".

Manfred Mann made it listenable.

Posted by: Another Anon at October 25, 2024 05:10 PM (QNMaY)

29
lulz:

One of the guys on Friday Night Tights dressed up as a ghost, but DEI Netlix-style.

Yeah, he just threw on a black sheet with two eye-holes cut out.

Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:11 PM (jLdR/)

30 That Wicked thing was such an unforced error. The fan edit - which was closer to the novel cover - made the star look better. Evil, but with agency. That was the point of the novel.
"Theatrically aggrieved HR manager" is not the point of the novel, but it's the point of this horrible woman, a woman I'm now going to avoid in theatres.

Posted by: gKWVE at October 25, 2024 05:12 PM (gKWVE)

31 That guy sucked 30 years ago, and his voice hasn't gotten any better.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at October 25, 2024 05:12 PM (lTGtQ)

32 Trump has an admiration for generals. Unfortunately Mattis, Kelly and the third one whose name escapes me thought they were above everyone and acted like it. Someone pointed out that generals in DC are just as political as any Congresscritter. Hope trump learned his lesson.
Posted by: Smell the Glove at October 25, 2024 05:10 PM (aRslG)

McMaster - another SOB.

Posted by: runner at October 25, 2024 05:12 PM (V13WU)

33 RIP Phil Lesh. Today's a box of rain.

Posted by: SFGoth at October 25, 2024 05:12 PM (KAi1n)

34 Hey, VP, is your daddy home?
Did he sundown and leave you all alone?
(mmmmm-hmmmm)
Word salad DEI hire
Oh-oh-oh, your campaign is dire

Posted by: AMartel at October 25, 2024 05:12 PM (otvi3)

35
"If only comrade Stalin knew..."

This is still a thing that bothers me about Trump. You could build a orchestra with the number of sheer hateful creeps from Cohan and before who can't wait to turn on the Donald in New York and through his administration.

I sincerely hope he wins but he needs a H.R. director and a staff that communicates openly and a leader who delegates responsively instead of arbitrarily.

Posted by: Auspex at October 25, 2024 05:13 PM (j4U/Z)

36 Trump's next Chief of Staff is arguably his post important pick, after Vance.

My hope was for Vivak but I think he has his sights set on Ohio Governor

Posted by: Shenanigans at October 25, 2024 05:13 PM (wGun1)

37 Stephanopoulos is Greek for 'annoying little motherf**ker.'

Posted by: Sassy Fred at October 25, 2024 05:14 PM (RMjVS)

38 I can’t tell you how many times I thought Trump made a good choice in a pick only to find out they were trashheap pig fuckers of filth

He should just have his immediate family run the government and leave it at that

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger at October 25, 2024 05:14 PM (M7vhK)

39

Most of these people will get away 100% in this life

I hope I see them screaming in the next.

Posted by: Thats... Unfortunate... at October 25, 2024 05:15 PM (eE0oG)

40 Thanks for the nood, youse guys.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at October 25, 2024 05:15 PM (v6JzV)

41 Trump's next Chief of Staff is arguably his post important pick, after Vance.

My hope was for Vivak but I think he has his sights set on Ohio Governor
Posted by: Shenanigans at October 25, 2024 05:13 PM (wGun1)

At this point I'd like to see Trump choose Genghis Kahn's ghost as COS.

Posted by: Sassy Fred at October 25, 2024 05:15 PM (RMjVS)

42 This is still a thing that bothers me about Trump. You could build a orchestra with the number of sheer hateful creeps from Cohan and before who can't wait to turn on the Donald in New York and through his administration.

I sincerely hope he wins but he needs a H.R. director and a staff that communicates openly and a leader who delegates responsively instead of arbitrarily.

Posted by: Auspex

You know those backstabbing people on the HOA board? If they are very good at that, they end up on the county commission. If they excel at backstabbing there, they end up in a statewide office. If they are very good at backstabbing there, they end up in DC.

We have the very best backstabbing, power hungry, selfish people in DC.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at October 25, 2024 05:16 PM (lTGtQ)

43 Trump needs to let JD make all of his appointments.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at October 25, 2024 05:16 PM (/U5Yz)

44 He should just have his immediate family run the government and leave it at that
Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger

Umm, Jared and Ivanka? No.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at October 25, 2024 05:16 PM (v6JzV)

45 including SCOTUS.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at October 25, 2024 05:16 PM (/U5Yz)

46 There was a Snake.. in the Garden… or, many Snakes… Judas or Iago also works…

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:16 PM (PCK5/)

47 Born to Run His Mouth.

Posted by: scampydog at October 25, 2024 05:16 PM (2bFN5)

48 OT: Betrayal! Mitch McConnell Tries to Sway the Election to Democrats

The unpopular, angry old man leading the GOP in the Senate will not fund Ted Cruz and Kari Lake. He also attacks Donald Trump and Rick Scott less than two weeks before the election in a new biography.

Scumbag POS.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at October 25, 2024 05:17 PM (/U5Yz)

49 Ole' Bruce will look at that.video and think he had the audience in the palm of his hand. No one will tell him otherwise.

Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at October 25, 2024 05:18 PM (g8Ew8)

50 27 Trump has an admiration for generals. Unfortunately Mattis, Kelly and the third one whose name escapes me thought they were above everyone and acted like it. Someone pointed out that generals in DC are just as political as any Congresscritter. Hope trump learned his lesson.
Posted by: Smell the Glove at October 25, 2024 05:10 PM (aRslG)

I want to see Gen. Flynn as National Security Advisor, as he should have been 8 years ago.

Note, Nat Sec Adv is NOT confirmed by the Senate.

Posted by: Romeo13 at October 25, 2024 05:18 PM (QAkQ3)

51 44 Unless Ivanka wants to take off her clothes, of course, for some occasion.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at October 25, 2024 05:18 PM (v6JzV)

52 Ds continue to lose it - Sudan Rice had a X/twitter meltdown.

Posted by: runner at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (V13WU)

53 Springsteen… battling irrelevance and Time…

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (PCK5/)

54 Bruce Springsteen giving a sad, half-assed, uninspiring rendition of something that sucked ass when it was created 40 years ago us actually a pretty spot-on metaphor for the Democrat party at this point.

Posted by: Ballistic at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (Tv7YO)

55 32. Trump went to New York Military School from age 13 until he graduated . Probably where the general admiration was instilled.

Posted by: Jen the original at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (Y4nFb)

56 Over WaPo staying out.

Posted by: runner at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (V13WU)

57 Ah don't lean on me man, 'cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back from Word Salad City
Ah don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Word Salad City

Ahhh, Wham Bam Thank Ya Ma'am!

Posted by: SMOD at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (1aI0S)

58 Try to tap your foot to the Springsteen video. The dude has no natural rhythm.

Posted by: Dave G at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (9VmW6)

59 People need to think about just how much money, power, and sex is available for people who do the bidding of the deep state.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (lTGtQ)

60 Trump is going to win what was thought a reliably blue state and the midget goes GET ME SOME TRUMP FASCISM, STAT!!!

Unreal.

Posted by: Jay in PA at October 25, 2024 05:20 PM (i7Q7S)

61 Another fifth columnist.

Posted by: 13times at October 25, 2024 05:20 PM (aGIYg)

62 59 People need to think about just how much money, power, and sex is available for people who do the bidding of the deep state.
____

Stan makes many promises of earthly delights too.

Posted by: Chuck Martel at October 25, 2024 05:20 PM (fs1hN)

63 Sudan Rice had a X/twitter meltdown.
Posted by: runner

I didn't know that they grew rice in Sudan.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at October 25, 2024 05:20 PM (v6JzV)

64 Milley - Fail (fat trans cocksucker)
Mattis - Fail (runt rat fucker)
Kelly - Fail (Howdy Doody looking shitstain)

JD Vance should make all appointment decisions going forward.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at October 25, 2024 05:20 PM (/U5Yz)

65 To paraphrase Hedley Lamarr, Trump will need to hire rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, ass-kickers, shit-kickers and Methodists.

Posted by: Sassy Fred at October 25, 2024 05:21 PM (RMjVS)

66 I suspect President Trump.will make better selections this time.

Posted by: Diogenes at October 25, 2024 05:21 PM (W/lyH)

67 "The Five" just had a segment on the Dems calling Republicans fascist for the last 60 years.

But as long as the economy is humming along and people can afford food, gas and housing, things will turn out fine for the Dems.

Posted by: Stateless at October 25, 2024 05:21 PM (jvJvP)

68
"Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer".

Put him on trial, put out the evidence and the witnesses, rip off his medals, and throw him in the brig.
Posted by: Another Anon at October 25, 2024 04:57 PM (QNMaY)

As satisfying as that would be to watch, I suspect that it's not possible to bring them back into uniform under UCMJ for court martials since their treachery was committed while they were retired. They'd most likely have to be tried in a civilian court.

Fatass Milley and the Bearclaw brothers, they're fair game.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 25, 2024 05:21 PM (y9nCu)

69 The weekend is here

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2024 05:22 PM (fwDg9)

70 59 People need to think about just how much money, power, and sex is available for people who do the bidding of the deep state.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at October 25, 2024 05:19 PM (lTGtQ

Are they hiring?

Posted by: Stateless at October 25, 2024 05:23 PM (jvJvP)

71 Bruce Springsteen: Vote for Kamala or I'll sing some more!

Crowd: Alright already! Whatever you want, just stop singing!

Posted by: Duke Lowell at October 25, 2024 05:23 PM (2UnvF)

72 So I was at this party when some old atunal geezer drenched in flopsweat breaks out a guitar and does not position me for success, but wants a beeger anyway -- Kamala

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at October 25, 2024 05:23 PM (wBaIH)

73 Good to see Springsteen still sucks. As per Kelly? Having worked for DoD in various capacities over the past 20 years, most people who have stars on their shoulders, well suck as leaders. Why anyone would serve today, is a head scratcher. If the Trumper wins, all FOGOs need to be fired. Most of these "officers" just plain suck. When was the last time the US Military won a war? WWIi in the Pacific. If it won in Desert Storm, then why did it have to go back 12 years later and still there?

Posted by: Ganowicz Commie Exterminators, LTD. at October 25, 2024 05:23 PM (1tG8p)

74 OMG just listened to that cawing by Springsteen. That is so bad.. I saw a clip of him walking on stage at this rally and he moved like a bow legged cowboy with two cheap knee replacements.

Posted by: Jen the original at October 25, 2024 05:24 PM (Y4nFb)

75 Trump's greatest failure in his first term was the people he hired. I'll chalk some of that up to the fact that he was a political outsider.

Posted by: Max Power at October 25, 2024 05:25 PM (q177U)

76 I suspect President Trump.will make better selections this time.

I hope he does but I have no reason to suspect it. Vance was (AFAWK) a good pick but that makes one in a row.

Posted by: Oddbob at October 25, 2024 05:26 PM (/y8xj)

77 Axios, via Instapundit when John Kelly first started:

August 2, 2017

CHANGE: John Kelly closes the Oval Office door.

Gen. John Kelly, the new White House chief of staff, has taken control in dramatic fashion, and is already imposing unmistakable signs of order after just a few days on the job:

Even POTUS appears to be trying to impress his four-star handler, picking up his game by acting sharper in meetings and even rattling off stats.

Meetings, which under Reince Priebus were meandering, are shorter and stick to their scheduled topic. Reince was a wallflower; Kelly moderates and is clearly in charge.

Everyone — even uber-aides Jared and Ivanka, and economic adviser Gary Cohn — is being deferential to Kelly.

Posted by: KT at October 25, 2024 05:26 PM (xekrU)

78 When was the last time the US Military won a war? WWIi in the Pacific. If it won in Desert Storm, then why did it have to go back 12 years later and still there?
Posted by: Ganowicz Commie Exterminators, LTD. at October 25, 2024 05:23 PM (1tG8p)

All the losing began when we joined the UN.

Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at October 25, 2024 05:26 PM (g8Ew8)

79 >>RIP Phil Lesh. Today's a box of rain.

Oh fuck.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 25, 2024 05:26 PM (LkLld)

80 I sincerely hope he wins but he needs a H.R. director and a staff that communicates openly and a leader who delegates responsively instead of arbitrarily.
Posted by: Auspex at October 25, 2024 05:13 PM (j4U/Z)

———-

Kelly Ann Conway was making a lot of the personnel recommendations to Trump.

Posted by: MAGA_Ken at October 25, 2024 05:27 PM (Vh9CX)

81 3 Springsteen appears to be in peak shitty form.

Posted by: McLurkerson at October 25, 2024 04:58 PM (CjgNg)

The Springsteen we are seeing nowadays is an animated DisneyWorld figure, not a live person.

Posted by: Gref at October 25, 2024 05:27 PM (aBgBM)

82 Is Trump capable of Brutality? Because Brutality is essential this go-round..

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:27 PM (PCK5/)

83 >>Yet once Kelly and Mattis reached the pinnacle of civilian power, they acted as if no one, not even the president, was above them.
------
Isn't that the whole point of climbing the pinnacle of civilian power? Next thing you'll be telling me Petraeus had no business sharing national security secrets with his side piece.

Posted by: electronic means at October 25, 2024 05:28 PM (VV/8N)

84 What's with the Kudlow attack? I thought he was always very good on economic policies. What have I missed?

Posted by: Ky Lake Boyscout at October 25, 2024 05:28 PM (OChwq)

85 I think we must have caught Bruce at his peak in 1975. Whew! can't imagine paying to see what's become of him.

Posted by: DanMan at October 25, 2024 05:28 PM (8uzBS)

86 Kelly Ann Conway was making a lot of the personnel recommendations to Trump.
Posted by: MAGA_Ken

I also think she was one of many moles in the admin. Fight me.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at October 25, 2024 05:28 PM (/U5Yz)

87 Kelly Ann Conway was making a lot of the personnel recommendations to Trump.
____

Didn't a lot of the leaking from Trump's 'camp' cease when she was jettisoned? I think there is more to the story to her and her whacky fat husband that is still behind the scenes.

Posted by: Chuck Martel at October 25, 2024 05:28 PM (fs1hN)

88 75 Trump's greatest failure in his first term was the people he hired. I'll chalk some of that up to the fact that he was a political outsider.
Posted by: Max Power at October 25, 2024 05:25 PM (q177U)

That, and that his TEAM were also outside the Beltway folks. People like Flynn were flat out persecuted. He knew he had to bow to the Senate to even GET a staff... which is why you had flat out Traitors, like Bob Barr... who COULD have shut down most off the DOJ anti Trump crap, but would not.

Posted by: Romeo13 at October 25, 2024 05:29 PM (QAkQ3)

89 Why were people impressed by Kelly Ann??

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:29 PM (PCK5/)

90 I wonder if the likes of John Kelly always were infiltrating plants.

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2024 05:29 PM (fwDg9)

91 They need to bring back Kurt Colbert to play The Man Who Sold the World

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at October 25, 2024 05:30 PM (wBaIH)

92 Kelly Ann Conway has whored herself out to the Kiev regime.

https://tinyurl.com/yvvs5ejf

Posted by: electronic means at October 25, 2024 05:30 PM (VV/8N)

93 I was more impressed by Hope Hicks, if you know what I mean.

But I guess she was ultimately a traitor, too.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at October 25, 2024 05:30 PM (v6JzV)

94 Hilarious: ABC shows early voting data that essentially shows Trump is going to win Nevada.

A seething George Stephanopoulos asks to see polling about how many voters view Trump as a fascist. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/PRxjWKQsxV

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 25, 2024
_______
I hate that sort of overselling. Stephy was not "seething" in any dictionary. He's a butt-f***ing creep, and total Democrat lying tool. But he just wasn't seething.

Posted by: Eeyore at October 25, 2024 05:31 PM (1bNHn)

95 Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2024 05:29 PM (fwDg9)

Did he have leaves of three? Seems to be quite the invasive species.

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at October 25, 2024 05:31 PM (4XwPj)

96 89 Why were people impressed by Kelly Ann??
Posted by: tubal

Kari Lake effect?

Posted by: Maj. Healey at October 25, 2024 05:31 PM (/U5Yz)

97 78 When was the last time the US Military won a war? WWIi in the Pacific. If it won in Desert Storm, then why did it have to go back 12 years later and still there?
Posted by: Ganowicz Commie Exterminators, LTD. at October 25, 2024 05:23 PM (1tG8p)

All the losing began when we joined the UN.
Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at October 25, 2024 05:26 PM (g8Ew

The US Military wins every battle... and the US Congress and Presidents then lose the War.

Posted by: Romeo13 at October 25, 2024 05:31 PM (QAkQ3)

98 >>> 82 Is Trump capable of Brutality? Because Brutality is essential this go-round..
Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:27 PM (PCK5/)

I don't expect he is or will be; however, I suspect the political realignment he's driven has created the conditions to make the necessary changes.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at October 25, 2024 05:33 PM (FnneF)

99 86 Kelly Ann Conway was making a lot of the personnel recommendations to Trump.
Posted by: MAGA_Ken

I also think she was one of many moles in the admin. Fight me.
Posted by: Maj. Healey
========
The donor wing of the GOP ran things until Trump. They still run McConnell and they ran McCarthy. Those assholes in turn ran their party caucuses via funding and promoting supporters and icing MAGA types.

Kellye had long time relationships with most of those GOPe assholes and the DC media. So very possible.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:34 PM (ctrM5)

100 The US Military wins every battle.
Posted by: Romeo13

Umm, I'm right here, you know.

Posted by: Gen. George Armstrong Custer at October 25, 2024 05:34 PM (v6JzV)

101 "Kamala Harris' performance last night was the last straw for a lot of Democrats, says @MarkHalperin about the CNN town hall where the vice president failed to directly answer friendly questions she'd been asked multiple times before"

--------------------------

Not unlike a bitter senile man lashing out at his family for putting him in a nursing home, Biden spiked the Dems by out-scheming them to force them to adopt Kamala for forcing him out of the White House. Couldn't ask for a better ending than for Trump to prevail, Dems crash and burn, and ol' Joe expires with a wry grin while Jill wails off into the abyss of irrelevance. One can hope...

Posted by: bearski at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (Bhsk7)

102
Never trust the Irish.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (mtyZN)

103 Holy crap.

Bruce sounds awful. Like, need earplugs awful

Throwing rotten tomatoes awful.

Posted by: nurse ratched at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (QLrID)

104 My impression of Gen. Kelly when he left the White House was that he was angry that he was not president. Trump just refused to step aside and appoint Kelly as the military dictator.

Posted by: Slappahoe Dougie at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (y5JNK)

105 Cynical Publius Oct 2023:

https://x.com/CynicalPublius/status/1709275268672799156

So John Kelly is out smearing Trump saying Trump hates the military. Allow me to first establish my bona fides: 22 year Army vet, retired officer, 3 combat tours, 60% disabled per the VA. Having established who I am, I believe Kelly is lying (he is a Milley buddy after all), but even if what he said is true, I don't care. I'll tell you why. Rhetoric is one thing, action is another. Let me tell you about Trump's ACTIONS while in office:
1. Trump did not start another useless, endless war.
2. Trump did not throw away the sacrifices of our military in those already-existing useless, endless wars.
3. Trump alienated all of the architects of those useless, endless wars.
4. Trump did not treat the military as a political pawn.
5. Trump focused on the one true vulnerability of our national defense -- the invasion across our Southern Border. . .

Posted by: KT at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (xekrU)

106 The Democrats have moved on from Believe All Women! to Believe All Generals!

That's especially rich given a prior Democrat meme, Disbelieve All Generals!

The Democrats are in a messaging hole but keep digging. Kamala tells us Trump is Hitler. Meanwhile several Democrat Senators running for re-election use ads featuring themselves consorting with TrumpHitler.

Posted by: Gref at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (aBgBM)

107 Kelly and Mattis were following the orders of the Deep State.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (+H2BX)

108 100 The US Military wins every battle.
Posted by: Romeo13

Umm, I'm right here, you know.
Posted by: Gen. George Armstrong Custer at October 25, 2024 05:34 PM (v6JzV)

No they don’t, which history shows us.,But the second half of his statement contains much truth.

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (PCK5/)

109 I read that lizzo was paid 7 figures to appear at a campaign event.
Was springsteen paid for this?
I guess they have to pay, otherwise it is an illegal campaign contribution, but if they pay then it isn't really an endorsement. I mean, I would perform for a Harris event for 7 figures, and I have a lot more integrity than either of them.

Posted by: Gentlemen, this is junta manifest at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (NEl9E)

110 The takeaway - A significant percentage of very senior military are power hungry assholes.

Who would have thunk it?

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at October 25, 2024 05:36 PM (/lPRQ)

111
Don't get me started on the Irish...

Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:36 PM (jLdR/)

112 Never trust the Irish.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

I wholeheartedly agree! My word as a Biden!

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at October 25, 2024 05:36 PM (v6JzV)

113 Secondly, this was intended as an appeal to men, fathers of daughters in particular. Everyone on that video looked and sounded like a beta homosexual. The person with the lowest estrogen level was Emma Ermhoff.

Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:04 PM (jLdR/)

"Encourage your daughter to kill future grandkids!" Sounds like a winning strategy to me!

Posted by: pookysgirl shouldn't need a sarc tag at October 25, 2024 05:37 PM (dtlDP)

114 96 89 Why were people impressed by Kelly Ann??
Posted by: tubal
======
Trump did not exactly have a bunch of people lined up to take on what was seen as a hopeless campaign when he began. He had to take on the GOP rigging and cheat structure before he could struggle to get into office. Even then, a lot of potential officeholders were either stiffed by the likes of Christy and then Pence, shanked like Gen. Flynn, or warned that they were endangering their future careers if they signed about SS Trump as crew.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:37 PM (ctrM5)

115 I remember when Kellyanne showed up on Christ Matthews' show in the 90s.

She was cute then.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at October 25, 2024 05:38 PM (v6JzV)

116 Bruce, ouch.

Posted by: TcinNC at October 25, 2024 05:38 PM (cHOHf)

117 >>> 109
==
I mean, I would perform for a Harris event for 7 figures, and I have a lot more integrity than either of them.
Posted by: Gentlemen, this is junta manifest at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (NEl9E)

You gotta hold out for at least 8 figures - I'd guess close to 2/3 is going to feralgov and other taxes (but mostly feralgov).

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at October 25, 2024 05:38 PM (FnneF)

118 "I dunno dawg that didn't really do it for me. Really pitchy and uneven." -Randy Jackson (probably)

Posted by: Texas Zombie at October 25, 2024 05:38 PM (qi2Di)

119 Kelly and Mattis were following the orders of the Deep State.
Posted by: no one of any consequence

They are the military wing of the deep state ND Junta.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at October 25, 2024 05:38 PM (/lPRQ)

120 Don't get me started on the Irish...
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:36 PM (jLdR/)

How many potatoes does it take to kill an Irishman?

Zero!

Posted by: Sassy Fred at October 25, 2024 05:39 PM (RMjVS)

121 I mean, I would perform for a Harris event for 7 figures, and I have a lot more integrity than either of them.
Posted by: Gentlemen, this is junta manifest at October 25, 2024 05:35 PM (NEl9E)

You gotta hold out for at least 8 figures - I'd guess close to 2/3 is going to feralgov and other taxes (but mostly feralgov).
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at October 25, 2024 05:38 PM (FnneF)

I'd consider performing at a Kamala event, doing my imitation of a seal hitting air horns for music. 7-8 figures minimum, however.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at October 25, 2024 05:39 PM (VNX3d)

122
There was an interesting, but short, articlexat breitbart.com regarding Barron Trump having advised his father on what podcasts he should visit. A lot of praise was given for his perspicacity.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 25, 2024 05:39 PM (xG4kz)

123 Trump briefly, had a Virginia rally on his website. They quickly took it down. My guess is that they are going to do a Virginia New Hampshire, Minnesota, New Mexico swing in the last week. Of course, since he does multiple events a day, he will pepper in the traditional states as well.

My guess is he will end in Pennsylvania.

Posted by: Nick in Tallahassee at October 25, 2024 05:40 PM (mSkAy)

124
I remember when Kellyanne showed up on Christ Matthews' show in the 90s.

_________

I think you mean, "Christ, Matthews!"

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 25, 2024 05:41 PM (mtyZN)

125 The Fat Lady still has to sing, Horde..

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:41 PM (PCK5/)

126 The other issue with both Kelly and Mattis was that they didn't like the approach from the White House that lowered the Pentagon (and Armed Services) on the totem pole in favor of economics shaping foreign policy
---
And, I think, there it is:
They thought Trump was going to sign on to their "forever wars" and endless funding for the military-industrial complex because he was a Republican.

They were pissed because their boys don't get ribbons and promotions for lower inflation, cheaper gas and more freedom.

No wonder they fit in with the Dems so well now. Because they believe:
America should be run for the people that run America--not Americans.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at October 25, 2024 05:42 PM (zm1uS)

127 The Fat Lady still has to sing, Horde..
Posted by: tubal

She already has! In Detroit with Harris.

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at October 25, 2024 05:42 PM (4XwPj)

128 I admit I was fooled by “Mad Dog” Mattis and Kelley…. Especially Mattis. So I won’t dog Trump for that SWIDT…. But lesson learned. Trump will have a much better team this time around

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at October 25, 2024 05:43 PM (i5Vkf)

129 120 Kelly and Mattis were following the orders of the Deep State.
Posted by: no one of any consequence
=======
Eh, both of them were members in good standing of the DC bandit club.

Ike warned about the MIC before he left office and even the Science version of it. They tried and failed to push Ike into Vietnam and also into supporting the British, French, and Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956.

Some assholes throughout history want to treat war as a game where they can push around the pieces like in Risk.

Soldiers to them are expendable just as police lives are to a lot of domestic politicians.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:43 PM (ctrM5)

130 Trump has an admiration for generals. Unfortunately Mattis, Kelly and the third one whose name escapes me thought they were above everyone and acted like it. Someone pointed out that generals in DC are just as political as any Congresscritter. Hope trump learned his lesson.
Posted by: Smell the Glove at October 25, 2024 05:10 PM

I think a lot of people are forgetting that Trump knew that he was going to lose in 2016. Three days before the election he told his son and close campaign staff that he was going to lose. When he won he had no idea what to do because he and the people around him had not starting any sort of vetting process for his inner circle which should have been done months before the election. He had to compress a process that normally evolved over six months into less than two months and he made some horrible picks.

I suspect he has already fixed that problem this time around.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at October 25, 2024 05:43 PM (QNSds)

131 124 Trump briefly, had a Virginia rally on his website. They quickly took it down. My guess is that they are going to do a Virginia New Hampshire, Minnesota, New Mexico swing in the last week. Of course, since he does multiple events a day, he will pepper in the traditional states as well.

My guess is he will end in Pennsylvania.
Posted by: Nick in Tallahassee at October 25, 2024 05:40 PM (mSkAy)

If Trump does VA, it should be in the deep red areas...even then, I think he does better here the less he shows up...an event on the border in NC would be a better idea to rally the deep red areas without waking the sleeping NoVa area right now...

Or maybe just send Vance b/c he's not seen like Trump is...

Posted by: Nova Local at October 25, 2024 05:44 PM (exHjb)

132 The US Military wins every battle.
Posted by: Romeo13

Umm, I'm right here, you know.
Posted by: Gen. George Armstrong Custer at October 25, 2024 05:34 PM (v6JzV)

Me too.

--------Gen. MacArthur.

Posted by: Dr Pork Chops & Bacons at October 25, 2024 05:44 PM (g8Ew8)

133 128 - I laughed. Well done

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at October 25, 2024 05:44 PM (i5Vkf)

134 >>I don't expect he is or will be; however, I suspect the political realignment he's driven has created the conditions to make the necessary changes.

I'm a bit mystified at how people don't think Trump can be brutal. He absolutely wages war on any politician who he runs against. He doesn't just beat them he goes after them so hard supporters of his opponents often refuse to support him, until they ultimately do.

The man told the mullah running Afghanistan if he harmed a single American after they made a deal to have America withdraw from that shit hole he would end him and then handed him a picture of his house. Nobody died for 18 months. He ended the ISIS caliphate in a few months after we were told it was impossible by carpet bombing them back to Allah. He kept Xi and Putin in boxes because they were afraid he would go all Crazy Ivan on them. He gave us the most secure border since the BP has kept stats by threatening retaliation against Mexico.

We haven't had a president as brutal as Trump in a very long time. That's one big reason the left fears and hates him.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 25, 2024 05:44 PM (LkLld)

135 So… Mister Scott.. Trump was The Accidental President?

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:44 PM (PCK5/)

136
As much as I dislike people like Kelly who come out with their recollections years later right before an election, I really dislike all these people who suddenly call Kelly a tyrant loser micromanager now. Why wasn't he outed for the asshole he was back when he we fired? Now it looks bad either way.

Posted by: Frank Barone at October 25, 2024 05:44 PM (+oR7L)

137 110 The takeaway - A significant percentage of very senior military are power hungry assholes.

Who would have thunk it?
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at October 25, 2024 05:36 PM (/lPRQ)
________
All systems whatsoever will tend to draw power hungry assholes to the top. "Meritocracy" is no help, it's just as bad. It inherently means favoritism exercised by those already on top. For years, I have been increasingly inclined to think Socrates was wrong. Beans (lotteries) are a better way. Set true minimum standards, then choose by lot.

Posted by: Eeyore at October 25, 2024 05:45 PM (1bNHn)

138
Why didn't a conservation officer dispatch that poor, howling beast on that stage?

Couldn't they see sll the suffering it was causing?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 25, 2024 05:45 PM (xG4kz)

139 This really is on Trump though.

You have to assume that anyone who advanced to top ranks under obama is a commie whore. Even I understood that back in 2016

Posted by: Gentlemen, this is junta manifest at October 25, 2024 05:45 PM (NEl9E)

140 127 The other issue with both Kelly and Mattis was that they didn't like the approach from the White House that lowered the Pentagon (and Armed Services) on the totem pole in favor of economics shaping foreign policy
---
And, I think, there it is:
They thought Trump was going to sign on to their "forever wars" and endless funding for the military-industrial complex because he was a Republican.

They were pissed because their boys don't get ribbons and promotions for lower inflation, cheaper gas and more freedom.

No wonder they fit in with the Dems so well now. Because they believe:
America should be run for the people that run America--not Americans.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice
=======
There are reasons that the Founding Fathers wanted no standing armies. Standing armies are a risk to peaceful diplomacy and of liberty within a country.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:46 PM (ctrM5)

141 John Kelly and the press, RedSteeze

https://tinyurl.com/mpbu3v3e

"I don't care about John Kelly or Trump. I do care that the national media is deciding to run with this when at the time they demanded he resign because he covered up domestic abuse and have now just decided to forget all of it . And now they are doing the exact same thing with Doug Emhoff."

Posted by: KT at October 25, 2024 05:46 PM (xekrU)

142 115
This time, Trump has Musk, RFK Jr., Gabbard, Ramaswamy, and Vance to get his back.

Dr. Jordan Peterson, in a nearly hour long podcast appeared almost jealous for our future in America with that crew behind him. He also, by the way, endorsed OrangeManBad.

Took a while for him to see the light.
Posted by: Civic Classifier at October 25, 2024 05:37 PM (MwtZ5

^^^^this

Musk already has a name for what he wants to do: DOGE. Dept of Govt Efficiency, I think he's calling it. Remember the 80% he cleaned out of twitter...?

Posted by: Question Authority bumper sticker at October 25, 2024 05:46 PM (Rbu5d)

143 How old is Springsteen?

He sings like Grandpa Simpson trying to sing rock

Posted by: naturalfake at October 25, 2024 05:46 PM (eDfFs)

144 What I want to know is who out forward Kelly's name to Trump and vouched for him. That bit of information will tell us a lot about both that person and Kelly.

No, no, don't tell me, could it have been Pence?
---
Speaking of horror movies ....
Imagine if Trump had won in 2020.
Pence would be the nominee right now.
And whoever the radical leftist they had would be coasting to victory.
While half of us are drunk, half are angry and half are weakly trying to gin up some motivation to vote for Pence-Halley.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at October 25, 2024 05:46 PM (zm1uS)

145 Phil Lesh, a founding member of the rock band The Grateful Dead, has died at 84.

Posted by: Pigpen at October 25, 2024 05:46 PM (887Oq)

146 141 This really is on Trump though.

You have to assume that anyone who advanced to top ranks under obama is a commie whore. Even I understood that back in 2016
Posted by: Gentlemen, this is junta manifest at October 25, 2024 05:45 PM (NEl9E)

Naivete...Trump never served, so he didn't know the military, especially at the top ranks, is often not sunshine and roses...but crappy people who stepped on others to get ahead...

He'd have been better off putting privates and airmen in charge...

Posted by: Nova Local at October 25, 2024 05:47 PM (exHjb)

147 We're now seeing Cases No. 28,722,389 and 28,722,390 of why the Democrat-Media Complex has told us for 9 years that everything Trump says is a lie.

Whenever a Dem-paid bimbo or former Trump employee says Trump sexually harassed her or he hates the military (or Latinos or blacks or _____) the Democrat-Media Complex automatically insists you must believe the accuser, not Trump's denial, because Trump is a 'proven' serial liar.

Posted by: Gref at October 25, 2024 05:47 PM (aBgBM)

148 136

We haven't had a president as brutal as Trump in a very long time. That's one big reason the left fears and hates him.
Posted by: JackStraw at October 25, 2024 05:44 PM (LkLld)

Points taken, Jack, butmI was thinking in terms of internal domestic brutality. I saw very little of that.

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:47 PM (PCK5/)

149 That Mark Halperin video is brutal for cackler. I don’t know who those two people are but I suspect they’re on the dem side and want to give her a break…. But they couldn’t. They both basically said she’s a train wreck that ignores her competent staff …. Brutal. The recriminations will be glorious to watch. I might camp out at CNN and MSNBC from Nov 6 through Thanksgiving

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at October 25, 2024 05:48 PM (i5Vkf)

150 121 Don't get me started on the Irish...
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:36 PM (jLdR/)

How many potatoes does it take to kill an Irishman?

Zero!
Posted by: Sassy Fred at October 25, 2024 05:39 PM (RMjVS)
________
Is that you, Lord John Russell?

Posted by: Eeyore at October 25, 2024 05:48 PM (1bNHn)

151 I think Shitstain was already making it big when I was in High school so guess in his 80s

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2024 05:48 PM (fwDg9)

152 The usual caveats apply.

Posted by: Winston Wolfe at October 25, 2024 05:49 PM (s4unX)

153 Not quite. 75

Posted by: Skip at October 25, 2024 05:49 PM (fwDg9)

154 John Kelly sounds like a real slice of boneless inverted pork rectum! What, did he think he ran the show??

Posted by: Zombie Al Haig, Youngest 4 Star at October 25, 2024 05:49 PM (Aqu9a)

155 Springsteen is 75.

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:49 PM (PCK5/)

156 Magazine subs? There are still magazines?

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at October 25, 2024 05:49 PM (NCmV5)

157 >>As much as I dislike people like Kelly who come out with their recollections years later right before an election, I really dislike all these people who suddenly call Kelly a tyrant loser micromanager now. Why wasn't he outed for the asshole he was back when he we fired? Now it looks bad either way.

He was fired. He wasn't fired for doing a good job.

I've had to fire a number of people in my career. I never trashed them on the way out the door. The message was baked into the firing. If they choose to open the door then they are fair game but there is no point in kicking someone when they are down.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 25, 2024 05:50 PM (LkLld)

158 Bruce's singing. Cover Me. Ears with a pillow or his mouth with a pillow. Either.

Posted by: scampydog at October 25, 2024 05:50 PM (2bFN5)

159 131...I suspect he has already fixed that problem this time around.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at October 25, 2024 05:43 PM (QNSds)

Yes. See #115 above.
He's had a Transition Team working for months (i think since July), using privately- raised funds. Nothing from the CBO, which funding starts the day after election.

Posted by: Question Authority bumper sticker at October 25, 2024 05:50 PM (Rbu5d)

160 > Why wasn't he outed for the asshole he was back when he we fired?

He was. There were many stories about how Trump isolated him, didn't trust him, didn't talk to him, and then fired him. Anyone who saw Kelly's Twitter account after that knew he was a bug-nuts leftist.

Posted by: bonhomme at October 25, 2024 05:51 PM (Odg76)

161 This is the problem (yeah, I know, they say they know better this time), Trump hired these guys.

He had disloyal people all up and down his administration, many of whom obviously work for other entities, even as they rose through the ranks of various other parts of the government.

Yes, John Kelly is a narcissist wanker. And Trump hired him.

Posted by: BurtTC at October 25, 2024 05:51 PM (dGCAG)

162 The Jen Rubin blurb on Insty is kind of hilarious.

So not making an endorsement is literally endorsing Hitler. Huh.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at October 25, 2024 05:51 PM (NCmV5)

163 138
As much as I dislike people like Kelly who come out with their recollections years later right before an election, I really dislike all these people who suddenly call Kelly a tyrant loser micromanager now. Why wasn't he outed for the asshole he was back when he we fired? Now it looks bad either way.
Posted by: Frank Barone
------
You have to run an administration and not a wise use of time attacking people you've fired because it expends valuable political capital.

Every one of those sonuvabitch generals got there by cultivating power relationships with senators, house members, bureaucrats, and often media.

Trump already had problems with Bitch McConnell and Traitor Paulie Ryan as well as a bunch of useless twats that refused to actually enforce laws like Kelly did as Homeland Security Sec and got pissed when his sidepiece Kirsten whatshername got canned for doing the same damn thing. Disobeying orders.

Post hoc always has 20/20 vision and Trump has had 4 years to find out now who is loyal and who is a pos traitor.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:51 PM (ctrM5)

164
Mattis is another one who idiotically fell for Elizabeth Holmes (the Theranos vixen).

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's office at October 25, 2024 05:52 PM (NAICc)

165 "I've had to fire a number of people in my career. I never trashed them on the way out the door. The message was baked into the firing. If they choose to open the door then they are fair game but there is no point in kicking someone when they are down."

JackStraw Johnson is right!

Kelly should have kept his whore mouth shut.

Posted by: Tech Sgt. Chen at October 25, 2024 05:52 PM (Z8Yh2)

166 I sincerely hope he wins but he needs a H.R. director and a staff that communicates openly and a leader who delegates responsively instead of arbitrarily.
---
Like, say, interview in his tent in the desert?
With a table with knife on it?
And sit there until they prove their loyalty?

Until 47 has the nickname "party of nine."

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at October 25, 2024 05:52 PM (zm1uS)

167 Fifth Circuit says any state laws that allow late ballots to be counted are pre-empted by federal law that says they don't count.

http://tiny.cc/si2szz

Posted by: bonhomme at October 25, 2024 05:52 PM (Odg76)

168 This really is on Trump though.

********************

The reason I don't heap lava on Trump for this is because:

Pompeo: Thought he'd be great... whoops
Bolton: Thought he'd be great... whoops
Barr: Thought he's be great... whoops
Mad Dog Mattis: Thought he'd be great... whoops

Now I just assume everyone is a traitorous fucking asshole until proven otherwise, and Im thinking Trump is making the same inclination now

Posted by: The Unvaxxed and Unmasked Ranger - Longing to Lie in Zooey Deschanel's Bosom for Comfort at October 25, 2024 05:52 PM (M7vhK)

169 If your whole musical career consists of singing like you are being tortured in The Rack, your voice would be shot to hell too.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at October 25, 2024 05:53 PM (MeG8a)

170 Gotta love my kid:
"Dad! That's France versus Jamaica! Click on that!"
"It's women's soccer, kid"
"Never mind"

Posted by: Jamaica at October 25, 2024 05:53 PM (IG7T0)

171 Yes, John Kelly is a narcissist wanker. And Trump hired him.
Posted by: BurtTC
-------
As Homeland Security before chief of staff to replace the even worse McMasters as CoS.

How was Trump to know that basically every friggin general, including those dismissed by Obama like Matiss were disloyal pos. More of an indictment of the military than him.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:53 PM (ctrM5)

172 I had hoped that the Biden-Harris administration's tragic mishandling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, where Kelly's own son died in combat

I don't guess I knew this.

Posted by: G'rump928(c) at October 25, 2024 05:54 PM (aD39U)

173 I thought people were exaggerating about Springsteen's "singing".

Now that I've watched the video...

There is no way to exaggerate how terrible he sounds!

Posted by: SpeakingOf at October 25, 2024 05:54 PM (6ydKt)

174 He'd have been better off putting privates and airmen in charge...
Posted by: Nova Local at October 25, 2024 05:47 PM (exHjb)

From several years of personal experience, I consider anyone above Sargent First Class to be an asshole until proven otherwise. Paygrade E-8 and higher =

Posted by: Sassy Fred at October 25, 2024 05:55 PM (RMjVS)

175 "More of an indictment of the military than him."

Harsh but fair. (shit)

Posted by: Tech Sgt. Chen at October 25, 2024 05:55 PM (Z8Yh2)

176 How was Trump to know

******************

I have to go back to fucking PATTON to think offhand of a US general who wasnt fucking assho

And lets be clear Patton was assho too, but he was GOOD assho

Which is why they killed him when he said they had to fight the commies

Posted by: The Unvaxxed and Unmasked Ranger - Longing to Lie in Zooey Deschanel's Bosom for Comfort at October 25, 2024 05:55 PM (M7vhK)

177 Yes, John Kelly is a narcissist wanker. And Trump hired him.
Posted by: BurtTC

I'm not sure Trump expected to win in '16. And he was definitely the new kid in town. Personnel decisions were his Achilles heel, obviously. But that's not the same this time around. I think we'll see a much leaner fighting machine, if we can just get him back in the WH.

Posted by: Peaches at October 25, 2024 05:56 PM (14URa)

178 The reason I don't heap lava on Trump for this is because:

Pompeo: Thought he'd be great... whoops
Bolton: Thought he'd be great... whoops
Barr: Thought he's be great... whoops
Mad Dog Mattis: Thought he'd be great... whoops

Now I just assume everyone is a traitorous fucking asshole until proven otherwise, and Im thinking Trump is making the same inclination now
Posted by: The Unvaxxed and Unmasked Ranger
=======
I have a long memory and a lot of people commenting nowadays had no such contemporary comments about these people when appointed.

The rot is so broad and deep, you basically have had since 1988 that the Deep State after winning against the Soviet Union turned on its own people as its new enemy.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:56 PM (ctrM5)

179 “ As much as I dislike people like Kelly who come out with their recollections years later right before an election, I really dislike all these people who suddenly call Kelly a tyrant loser micromanager now. ”

Me? Because I wasn’t asked. There are a lot of people who served around Kelly that thought he was a career centric jackass. That includes some of the staff that served under him. There were a lot of people around Trump who advised him Kelly was a good guy including Mattis and his cronies. Now you know why he got the job. Trump has said as much.

Posted by: Marcus T at October 25, 2024 05:56 PM (/oThX)

180 I have to go back to fucking PATTON to think offhand of a US general who wasnt fucking assho

And lets be clear Patton was assho too, but he was GOOD assho

Which is why they killed him when he said they had to fight the commies
Posted by: The Unvaxxed and Unmasked Ranger
====
Existential wars are what bring warriors to the front. As a nation gets into playing stupid wars of choice and other such idiocies, you inevitably get the political generals. Lincoln had a helluva time with generals and Jeff Davis not much better with his despite being former Sec. of War and knowing most of them.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:58 PM (ctrM5)

181 >>Points taken, Jack, butmI was thinking in terms of internal domestic brutality. I saw very little of that.

I think Trump's first term has to be taken in context. 2016 was the first time in the history of the country we didn't have a peaceful transfer of power. Think about that. They ran a color revolution against Trump that didn't end until he left office. It was one attack after another, from Russia to Ukraine to the virus. We've never seen a presidency like that.

We've been living through an attempted communist takeover for more than 8 years. The entire government has been weaponized against us and only really became obvious when Trump did the impossible of beating Hillary. Then they went maximum overdrive. They tried to impeach him before he even took office and did take out Flynn.

It's easy to see what should have been done now with the benefit of hindsight but there were even people here in early 2016 who thought Trump was a Russian asset. In context, what he was able to accomplish in 4 years with snakes everywhere is fucking incredible.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 25, 2024 05:58 PM (LkLld)

182 How was Trump to know that basically every friggin general, including those dismissed by Obama like Matiss were disloyal pos. More of an indictment of the military than him.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 05:53 PM (ctrM5)

It's basically a given at this point that all politicians are ass - now we know. It is a real chore to find the gems.

His task is to make processes that weed the asses out or at least keep the ass problem at bay.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at October 25, 2024 05:59 PM (BW/4L)

183 NOOD ALERT!!!!

Posted by: Max Power at October 25, 2024 05:59 PM (q177U)

184 Trump learned that generals, like judges, are politicians. Everyone connected to DC has an agenda.

Posted by: Nick in Tallahassee at October 25, 2024 05:59 PM (mSkAy)

185 In context, what he was able to accomplish in 4 years with snakes everywhere is fucking incredible.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 25, 2024 05:58 PM (LkLld)

Yeah, people forget too readily.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at October 25, 2024 06:00 PM (BW/4L)

186 you inevitably get the political generals. Lincoln had a helluva time with generals and Jeff Davis not much better with his despite being former Sec. of War and knowing most of them

***************************

great point, with few exceptions generals are assho

Posted by: The Unvaxxed and Unmasked Ranger - Longing to Lie in Zooey Deschanel's Bosom for Comfort at October 25, 2024 06:00 PM (M7vhK)

187 Ask around of the DC invisible people - the doormen, elevator operators, cabbies, limo drivers, maitre' d's, hot dog cart / food truck guys, waitresses, cleaning ladies, newstands, lunch ladies - who is asshoe and take that info to the bank!

Posted by: Count de Monet at October 25, 2024 06:01 PM (Aqu9a)

188 Cynical Publius again:
https://tinyurl.com/mvuuf3e8

I’ve had a number of people ask me what I think happened that caused our senior military leadership to go from being the most respected institution in America to being a bunch of banana republic narcissistic self-serving politicos. .

1. The promotion of the concept of “interagency.” . .

Reply, Edward Girard: Inter-agency is also a Vindmann bit: one of.the ways he worked himself into a frenzy was complaining that Trump didn't process decisions through the inter-agency, as if it weren't a staff-like tool to support a CINC, which the CINC was not bound to use.

Posted by: KT at October 25, 2024 06:01 PM (xekrU)

189 From several years of personal experience, I consider anyone above Sargent First Class to be an asshole until proven otherwise. Paygrade E-8 and higher =
Posted by: Sassy Fred at October 25, 2024 05:55 PM (RMjVS)

E-9s for me tend to be infected with assholia. I've seen O-6s throw anyone under the bus to get the O-7. Not many warriors exist in the FUSA military today. Just political hacks.

Posted by: Ganowicz Commie Exterminators, LTD. at October 25, 2024 06:01 PM (TN5A0)

190 180 Yes, John Kelly is a narcissist wanker. And Trump hired him.
Posted by: BurtTC

I'm not sure Trump expected to win in '16. And he was definitely the new kid in town. Personnel decisions were his Achilles heel, obviously. But that's not the same this time around. I think we'll see a much leaner fighting machine, if we can just get him back in the WH.

Posted by: Peaches at October 25, 2024 05:56 PM (14URa)

I don't know if Don Sr. asked Don Jr. to do this, but Don Jr. is assembling a DO NOT HIRE list for a second Trump Administration. I hope Don Jr. is doing an outstanding job on this. And I hope it will be used. My fingers are crossed.

Posted by: Gref at October 25, 2024 06:02 PM (aBgBM)

191 While half of us are drunk, half are angry and half are weakly trying to gin up some motivation to vote for Pence-Halley.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at October 25, 2024 05:46 PM (zm1uS)

That's scarier than any Halloween movie I can think of.

Posted by: hobbitopoly at October 25, 2024 06:02 PM (k9OZB)

192 Two scrunts on CNN tell Scott Jennings Trump told Americans to inject bleach.

http://tiny.cc/kj2szz

Trump's actual words:
So supposing we hit the body with a tremendous - whether it's ultraviolet or just a very powerful light - and I think you said that hasn't been checked because of the testing. And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or some other way, and I think you said you're going to test that, too.

I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that.

Trump had just received a report on Covid from DHS's science and tech lead and was riffing on what he'd just heard. HE WASN'T GIVING ADVICE, HE WAS SUGGESTING POTENTIAL AVENUES OF RESEARCH!

Lord have mercy!

Posted by: bonhomme at October 25, 2024 06:02 PM (Odg76)

193 He'd have been better off putting privates and airmen in charge...
Posted by: Nova Local
=-====
Nope, Trump needs to put in those who were part of the E-4 mafia.

Give them a task, and they will figure out a way to pull it off even it violates regs, chain of command, and various other military doctrines.

Just don't play cards with them or expect them to not let off some steam with strippers, booze, and a blowout party.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 06:02 PM (ctrM5)

194 Bruce never really could sing be he's utter shit now. Good Lord.

Posted by: Rich stupid and off key is no way to go at October 25, 2024 06:03 PM (wha8B)

195 I have to go back to fucking PATTON to think offhand of a US general who wasnt fucking assho

And lets be clear Patton was assho too, but he was GOOD assho

Which is why they killed him when he said they had to fight the commies

Posted by: The Unvaxxed and Unmasked Ranger - Longing to Lie in Zooey Deschanel's Bosom for Comfort at October 25, 2024 05:55 PM

Stormin Norman Schwarzkopf was one of the least political generals of modern times. He went in, did his job and left politics out of his public life. After leading Desert Shield/Storm he turned down a promotion and retired. He then turned down multiple offers to run for political office.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at October 25, 2024 06:03 PM (QNSds)

196 How old is Springsteen?

He sings like Grandpa Simpson trying to sing rock
Posted by: naturalfake

makes geriatic David Lee Roth performing 'Jump' in Vegas look spry.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at October 25, 2024 06:03 PM (/lPRQ)

197 46 There was a Snake.. in the Garden… or, many Snakes… Judas or Iago also works…

Posted by: tubal at October 25, 2024 05:16 PM (PCK5/)
----
Somebody said In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida? Where's the wine?

Posted by: Ciampino - Every year, old becomes new at October 25, 2024 06:04 PM (i0xsb)

198 I don't know if Don Sr. asked Don Jr. to do this, but Don Jr. is assembling a DO NOT HIRE list for a second Trump Administration. I hope Don Jr. is doing an outstanding job on this. And I hope it will be used. My fingers are crossed.

Posted by: Gref at October 25, 2024 06:02 PM (aBgBM)

Good to hear, Gref! I'm sure Sr. will take it very seriously, he's not blind to his own missteps and he holds Jr. in very high esteem. And Jr. is pretty ruthless, which always comes in handy.

Posted by: Peaches at October 25, 2024 06:05 PM (14URa)

199 great point, with few exceptions generals are assho
Posted by: The Unvaxxed and Unmasked Ranger

Twas even worse for poor George Washington trying to fight the British but having to fight a second front against asshole and incompetent generals gifted to him by Congress.

The whole sordid Conway cabal is not a story that covers John or his cousin Sam with glory.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 06:06 PM (ctrM5)

200 Stormin Norman Schwarzkopf was one of the least political generals of modern times. He went in, did his job and left politics out of his public life. After leading Desert Shield/Storm he turned down a promotion and retired. He then turned down multiple offers to run for political office.
Posted by: Mister Scott

Tommy Franks, likewise. Guy disappeared after he fought his war.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 06:07 PM (ctrM5)

201 197 Bruce never really could sing be he's utter shit now. Good Lord.
Posted by: Rich stupid and off key is no way to go
======
Guy is probably close to a billionaire by now after selling his music catalog for over half a billion dollars in 2021 and should have retired years ago.

Posted by: whig at October 25, 2024 06:09 PM (ctrM5)

202 199. Wiki says Springsteen is 75 and worth $ 1.2 Billion . And doesn’t pay his fair share.

Posted by: Jen the original at October 25, 2024 06:15 PM (Y4nFb)

203 Kelly's own son killed in the Afghanistan retreat? Does he realize Kampala was the last idiot in the room that enabled his death?
You see how twisted these assholes are?

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at October 25, 2024 06:18 PM (wBaIH)

204 113
Posted by: Soothsayer at October 25, 2024 05:04 PM (jLdR/)
----
Apologies but what video? Link please?

Posted by: Ciampino - we over-characterize\ at October 25, 2024 06:27 PM (i0xsb)

205 If that Springsteen caterwaling doesn't bring in the young white male and the young black male vote then nothing will!

Posted by: JTSmith at October 25, 2024 06:28 PM (Fa2n4)

206 147 Phil Lesh, a founding member of the rock band The Grateful Dead, has died at 84.

Posted by: Pigpen at October 25, 2024 05:46 PM (887Oq)

Not a bad run.

Posted by: javems at October 25, 2024 06:46 PM (8I4hW)

207 Open mike night at the corner bar?

Posted by: Gobba goo at October 25, 2024 07:00 PM (kGC7y)

Processing 0.03, elapsed 0.0394 seconds.
15 queries taking 0.0113 seconds, 216 records returned.
Page size 130 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.