trump (convicted felon, defamer, insurrectionist, contemnor, and rapist - $537M)

[Foggy]

If he had any social media accounts, I would definitely congratulate him on his pending reinstatement in August. I would even call him "Sir". I definitely want to encourage him to fully believe this is a dream that will absolutely come true for him.

[neeneko]

His grip on reality is already quite diminished.

I think right now it is more 'nebulous' than truly diminished. The party is tip-toeing around both him and his supporters while cracking down on his visible detractors. While there has been push back against his audits, several of them are still happening anyway. It is hard to say how much control he can exert over his supporters, but the influence they seem to have is pretty significant right now.

[Slim Cognito]

Once the insurrectionists start heading to prison, or, if they're extra stupid, their trials begin, I wonder how that will affect his grip. Several congress shitheads who voted to disregard the election results should be named in every one of those news reports, right after "members of congress who pushed the former president's big lie which led to the insurrection include:"

[raison de arizona]

Once the insurrectionists start heading to prison, or, if they're extra stupid, their trials begin, I wonder how that will affect his grip. Several congress shitheads who voted to disregard the election results should be named in every one of those news reports, right after "members of congress who pushed the former president's big lie which led to the insurrection include:"

I doubt it will loosen his stranglehold one bit, he's already cut them loose. I'm worried about the lunatic fringe for sure, but I'm more worried by the majority of "regular" Republicans buying into his BS and I seriously doubt those convictions are going to change that.

Hope springs eternal though.

I do hope that rallies are sparsely attended and it spurs more Republican reps to step out of lockstep and not be so afraid of contradicting him. I could see that happening. Maybe.

[neonzx]

Where do I sign up for tickets to his rally? June 14th, yes?

[Volkonski]

https://convention.nc.gop/trump_convention

President Trump will speak at the Convention Dinner on Saturday, June 5, at 6:00 pm. The dinner itself is closed to the press. Further press guidance will be forthcoming.

Trump will speak at the NC GOP Convention tomorrow. Sort of a captive audience.

Not clear if the dinner being closed to the press means that Trump's speech will also be closed to the press.

[RTH10260]

I wonder if Trump isn't taking a risk by holding rallies.

A risk, but I suspect a calculated one. Rallies for Trump are both a way to demonstrate his power, and generate it. With the failure of his 'from the desk of' blog and wins not materializing, he might believe the risk is worth the potential payoff, or at least he is worried that if he does nothing his grip will diminish.

About risk - the non-political ones - I wonder how the organizers intend to handle security and associated costs. It's now mostly up to them. impotus only has a personal security detail, no longer the whole Secret Service providing security for the whole venue. At best the Secret Service will veto his presence if they deem the overall security scheme at a venue to be insufficient.

[bill_g]

Maggie Haberman Is Right

Two days ago, the New York Times’s Maggie Haberman reported that Donald Trump “has been telling a number of people he’s in contact with that he expects he will get reinstated by August.” In response, many figures on the right inserted their fingers into their ears and started screaming about fake news.

Someone needs to tell him there is no mechanism for reinstatement.

[Volkonski]

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios ... are#story0

President Trump plans to make Anthony Fauci a top target at upcoming rallies, using increased attention to the Wuhan lab-leak theory as a weapon against an official long viewed as more trustworthy.

[Why it matters: Trump and conservative media have made Fauci an improbable face of the opposition, trying to give him the cartoon-villain status once accorded to former Sen. Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or — in Trump’s case — Hillary Clinton.

Trump amped up his longtime Fauci rants yesterday in a statement calling for COVID reparations from China:

"The correspondence between Dr. Fauci and China speaks too loudly for anyone to ignore. China should pay Ten Trillion Dollars to America, and the World, for the death and destruction they have caused!"

What we’re hearing: Look for Trump to light into Fauci tomorrow during dinner remarks to North Carolina annual Republican convention, in Greenville — Trump’s second big speech, after CPAC, since leaving office.quote]

[bill_g]

Taxpayers Pay $35K For Trump's Secret Service Porta Potties

You might remember that the Trumps do not care to share their facilities with the hired help, so they've resorted to renting portable facilities, as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner did for the Secret Service who guarded them at home. That set the taxpayer back about $3000 a month.

Well, even though no longer President, Donald Trump is employing the same mindset, with an even heftier price tag of around $8500 a month, according to information obtained by the Daily Beast.

When austerity matters.

[neeneko]

About risk - the non-political ones - I wonder how the organizers intend to handle security and associated costs. It's now mostly up to them. impotus only has a personal security detail, no longer the whole Secret Service providing security for the whole venue. At best the Secret Service will veto his presence if they deem the overall security scheme at a venue to be insufficient.

Huh, now that is an interesting question. Since he is not in office or even running for office, I imagine local police forces are a lot less interested in eating the costs themselves. I guess maybe if he picks venues that are located within the domain of politicians who support him they might still get local law enforcement to pick up the tab?

[neonzx]

Maggie Haberman Is Right

Two days ago, the New York Times’s Maggie Haberman reported that Donald Trump “has been telling a number of people he’s in contact with that he expects he will get reinstated by August.” In response, many figures on the right inserted their fingers into their ears and started screaming about fake news.

Someone needs to tell him there is no mechanism for reinstatement.

Why not let him fall into his own disillusions?

[Slim Cognito]

This is what I want. I want him to do weekly rallies promising he'll be back in office by Labor Day. Then I want to see McConnell, et al, running into elevators as reporters ask them for comments.

[filly]

This is what I want. I want him to do weekly rallies promising he'll be back in office by Labor Day. Then I want to see McConnell, et al, running into elevators as reporters ask them for comments.

Why? I think this situation will incite even more violence.

[Azastan]

About risk - the non-political ones - I wonder how the organizers intend to handle security and associated costs. It's now mostly up to them. impotus only has a personal security detail, no longer the whole Secret Service providing security for the whole venue. At best the Secret Service will veto his presence if they deem the overall security scheme at a venue to be insufficient.

Huh, now that is an interesting question. Since he is not in office or even running for office, I imagine local police forces are a lot less interested in eating the costs themselves. I guess maybe if he picks venues that are located within the domain of politicians who support him they might still get local law enforcement to pick up the tab?

He's no longer entitled to use 'The Beast' (perhaps he could borrow the Kap'n Karl Behemoth?), doesn't get to use presidential flags on his car, doesn't get to fly in on AF1. It's not nearly as impressive as when he was president.

He's going to need to start charging for his rallies--enough to cover the cost of the venue, enough to cover the cost of additional logistical support such as police overtime, vehicles, etc. GRIFT, BABY, GRIFT!!!!!!

[Slim Cognito]

This is what I want. I want him to do weekly rallies promising he'll be back in office by Labor Day. Then I want to see McConnell, et al, running into elevators as reporters ask them for comments.

Why? I think this situation will incite even more violence.

Some things are funnier in your head.

[neeneko]

He's going to need to start charging for his rallies--enough to cover the cost of the venue, enough to cover the cost of additional logistical support such as police overtime, vehicles, etc. GRIFT, BABY, GRIFT!!!!!!

Hrm. Are they even 'his' rallies? From looking at GoP concern about Trump staying on message, it sounds like his various events are on behalf of the party or various candidates, so I wonder if they are actually paying him for 'speaking'?

[Uninformed]

I wonder if he’ll attend the Conference (dinner?) or appear via broadcast (jumbotron!)?

[RVInit]

About risk - the non-political ones - I wonder how the organizers intend to handle security and associated costs. It's now mostly up to them. impotus only has a personal security detail, no longer the whole Secret Service providing security for the whole venue. At best the Secret Service will veto his presence if they deem the overall security scheme at a venue to be insufficient.

Huh, now that is an interesting question. Since he is not in office or even running for office, I imagine local police forces are a lot less interested in eating the costs themselves. I guess maybe if he picks venues that are located within the domain of politicians who support him they might still get local law enforcement to pick up the tab?

This is a feature of every single fascist regime. All the money, taxpayer supplied, goes to supporting the fascist leader. That helps ensure that nobody can ever rise up against them. The next item, once that process sinks in, is to make sure people get JUST enough food to keep them working. It's amazing how hard it is to stage an uprising when your tum tum is growling and all you can think of is getting a little bit of food. Raiding the local coffers is a feature, not a bug. So far he's always used Democratic strongholds to stage his rallies, so all the cost comes to the Democratic taxpayers. I suspect you are right, that he will now have to conduct his rallies in Republican areas and they will be happy to pick up the tab. Sort of. Or at least they will act like it. And the media will not have learned their lesson and they will carry every minute of the freak show for ratings. And then...here we go again.

[raison de arizona]

Raiding the local coffers is a feature, not a bug. So far he's always used Democratic strongholds to stage his rallies, so all the cost comes to the Democratic taxpayers. I suspect you are right, that he will now have to conduct his rallies in Republican areas and they will be happy to pick up the tab. Sort of. Or at least they will act like it. And the media will not have learned their lesson and they will carry every minute of the freak show for ratings. And then...here we go again.

I'm listening to this, and I'm thinking, where are these Republican areas? He holds rallies at stadiums. Stadiums are in cities. Cities tend strongly toward Democrats. What is he going to do, start attending barn raisings? Maybe I'm missing a lot of stadiums that exist in Repubiclan strongholds, but there aren't many coming to mind. Even in red states, the facilities tend to live in the blue dots.

[p0rtia]

This is what I want. I want him to do weekly rallies promising he'll be back in office by Labor Day. Then I want to see McConnell, et al, running into elevators as reporters ask them for comments.

Why? I think this situation will incite even more violence.

I totally take your point. But your statement made me wonder, what is it that will not incite even more violence at this point? That is what he and the domestic terrorists and white supremacists want, and that is what their actions--all their actions--are intended to result in.

Who is to say that the horrible cycle of rally, GQP defection, rally, repeat will not keep the citizenry aware of what is going on, and thus more prepared to push back?

[zekeb]

If he had any social media accounts, I would definitely congratulate him on his pending reinstatement in August. I would even call him "Sir". I definitely want to encourage him to fully believe this is a dream that will absolutely come true for him.

I believe he likes to be called "Sur." Done in a manly tone of voice.

[AndyinPA]

RV

I agree with everything you said with the possible exception of the media covering every minute of his rants speech. Faux noise, OAN, etc., sure, but regular news, I doubt. They had stopped covering all of them even while he was presidenting. But I'm sure they will still cover the low lights.

[noblepa]

About risk - the non-political ones - I wonder how the organizers intend to handle security and associated costs. It's now mostly up to them. impotus only has a personal security detail, no longer the whole Secret Service providing security for the whole venue. At best the Secret Service will veto his presence if they deem the overall security scheme at a venue to be insufficient.

Huh, now that is an interesting question. Since he is not in office or even running for office, I imagine local police forces are a lot less interested in eating the costs themselves. I guess maybe if he picks venues that are located within the domain of politicians who support him they might still get local law enforcement to pick up the tab?

I was wondering about that, too.

In the past, when it was reported that Trump was stiffing cities for police protection and crowd control, I saw an interview with a local chief of police. He said that they really had no choice about providing protection. They could not allow the possibility that someone would attempt to attack a president, if the city had refused to provide protection, even if it was because of the cost and the uncertainty of being paid.

Now that he is no longer president, there is less incentive for a local police department or city to absorb the cost, but I still don't think that they could realistically refuse.

The one thing a city could do (but I doubt any will) is to deny a permit unless a large deposit is made in advance, to defray the costs.

If any city were to insist on pre-payment, there are plenty of other cities that would welcome him with open arms, and open wallets. Sadly, he will go on not paying his bills.

[Frater I*I]

His grip on reality is already quite diminished.

If it ever existed to begin with...