CNN

Preemptive Pardons Essential To Protect Courageous Leaders!

There is growing discussion of the concept of “preemptive” pardons being given by President Joe Biden, to a whole group of political figures who helped investigate and bring Donald Trump and others around him to legal accountability, particularly for the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection, but also other illegal activities.

The list could include all members of the January 6 House Committee that investigated the Insurrection, but also others who have been openly critical of Donald Trump over the years, which is legion in numbers.

The fear is that Donald Trump and his FBI nominee Kash Patel want revenge and retribution against political “enemies”, and even those in journalism and the media, which makes for a list that could be massive.

Clearly, not everyone who might be endangered by civil or criminal charges that might be brought by the FBI can be calculated, as to the risk of prosecution.

But beyond the list this author and blogger presented two days ago, there is real concern about such politically courageous figures as:

Liz Cheney
Adam Kinzinger
Adam Schiff
Jamie Raskin
General Mark Milley
Prosecutor Jack Smith

and innumerable Trump Administration employees who broke with Trump.

Even Dr Anthony Fauci, who had such a sterling career since Ronald Reagan onward, has become the target of those lunatics who think that the Pandemic and response to it was mishandled, a disgraceful lie!

And there is danger to the free press, including the NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, and PBS, among others.

We are entering dark times, brought about by the stupidity, ignorance, and self-centeredness of so many Americans, including people I know personally, who only care about “Me, Myself and I”, and not the nation at large.

At this rate, our American democracy, rule of law, and enforcement of the Constitution is in dire straits!

Trump Threatens News Media And First Amendment: Alarming Development!

Donald Trump has been critical of news media for years, due to their reporting of his antics and illegalities and immoralities.

But recently, he has indicated his intention to shut down critical news media if he is returned to the Oval Office.

This threat to the First Amendment and freedom of the press is highly alarming, and no decent person should think that it is acceptable that he could go ahead and try to shut down the press, both print and cable!

Trump has issued threats against such reputable sources as the NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NPR and PBS among others.

In his world, only right wing media, such as FOX NEWS CHANNEL would exist, and yet even that network has come under attack from him during his Presidential campaign.

If Donald Trump is returned to the White House, the nation will be in the grips of an authoritarian Fascist regime, so it cannot be allowed to occur!

Donald Trump Bragging About Ending Abortion Rights Will Cause His And Republicans’ Downfall!

Donald Trump undermined his own candidacy when he went on Fox News Channel at the same time that his rivals, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, were debating on CNN.

Trump bragged about ending Roe V Wade, abortion rights, which had existed for a half century, and that reality has already hurt Republicans in seven states—Ohio, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Vermont, and Kansas, with all but California and Vermont being Republican or contestable states in the Presidential Election of 2024.

The following states are having battles over putting abortion access on the ballot, with abortion rights advocates hoping they will have enough signatures to insure it is on the ballot with the Presidential and Congressional Elections coming up in November 2024.

Arizona
Colorado
Florida
Iowa
Maryland
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New York
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Washington

Some of the above states already still allow abortion access, but want to put it on the ballot to insure the future right.

The majority of women, racial minorities, educated people, and young voters will have success in restoring the rights of women over their own bodies, as there is no concern about the lives of prengant women who are endangered by their medical conditions while pregnant.

This is causing the deaths of women, and some surviving, but no longer able to have children due to dictatorial state governments interfering with the right to choose their reproductive lives!

Joe Biden Interview With Fareed Zakaria Of CNN A Homerun!

President Joe Biden just had an extensive interview with Fareed Zakaria of CNN, and it clearly was a homerun.

Biden was very clear, concise and on target regarding American foreign policy, as he is about to begin a five day trip to the NATO summit, visiting Great Britain on the way to Lithuania and then Finland, to promote increased support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Biden spoke about relations with China, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, along with Ukraine, and he demonstrated the tremendous advantage he has over anyone else in knowledge of American foreign policy.

Biden has had more experience and contacts with foreign leaders than any American President, more than George H. W. Bush, and at least equal with Richard Nixon.

One could argue more than Nixon, as Biden was Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and between that and being Vice President under Barack Obama for eight years, he has unparalled experience, and as he likes to say, when asked about his age, he also has “wisdom”.

No one on the Republican side of the aisle can match Biden, and certainly not Donald Trump, who undermined American foreign policy in so many damaging ways in his four years in the White House!

Chris Christie The 2024 Republican Version Of Jon Huntsman In 2012 And John Kasich In 2016!

This author and blogger has always tried to find a Republican Presidential contender who he could consider “acceptable” if such candidate was to be the party nominee, and potentially win the Presidency.

So in 2012, former Utah Governor and Barack Obama’s Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman was seen as the “Best” choice of the opposition party, and seen as very competent and decent, although not preferred by this author and blogger over reelection of Obama. Of course, it turned out that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was the Republican Presidential nominee in 2012.

Then in 2016, it was clear to this author and blogger that Ohio Governor John Kasich was the “Best” choice of the 17 Republicans running for President. His record was not “preferable” over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, but like with Huntsman, Kasich came across as very competent and decent, over the eventual nominee, Donald Trump.

Now for 2024, while the Republican field of Presidential candidates is undesirable over the alternative of Joe Biden, it is clear that former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, particularly after last night’s CNN Town Hall, is by far the best choice of a horrible lot.

Christie is, however, far from as “decent” as Huntsman and Kasich were, and one almost wishes that either or both Huntsman and Kasich were running for President now!

But while disagreeing with Christie on many matters, he is strong in condemning Donald Trump, while no other Republican candidate is willing to do so, and he comes across as rational and reasonable.

However, the so called “Bridgegate” scandal that led to blockage of traffic on the George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey was a major stain on his record, and his brashness and bullying nature has some elements of Donald Trump.

And of course, he DID work with and support Donald Trump after his own failed candidacy in 2016!

This is more a case of looking for the candidate with the fewest evils, rather than the overall decency and competence of Jon Huntsman and John Kasich.

Christie is the least liked Republican candidate in the field, and is almost certainly to have very little chance of being the nominee, but again, in a field of terrible candidates, it would be “safer” for him to be the opponent of Joe Biden than anyone else in a horrendous field of candidates.

The sad situation that America is faced with in 2024 is that it is absolutely essential that Donald Trump never have a chance for a second term, and hopefully, Christie’s broad based attack on Trump will, at the least, prevent Trump from having the opportunity to be on the ballot at a time when he will be on trial for criiminal actions.

It is also urgent that the nation reelect Joe Biden as the only truly sane answer for the next term in the Presidency!

Mike Pence Needs To Be Blunt About Donald Trump At Upcoming CNN Town Hall!

Former Vice President Mike Pence is ready to announce his Presidential candidacy on Wednesday, June 7, and that evening there will be a CNN Town Hall in Iowa, hosted by Dana Bash.

This will be an event mostly ignored, as CNN has lost its credibility, and it seems almost unfair to have Dana Bash be put into the position of hosting this event.

The only thing about Mike Pence that is positive, is that, after consultation with former Vice President Dan Quayle and others, that he did the necessary and right thing by refusing to consider any electoral vote changes that Donald Trump and his criminal insurrectionists tried to foist on the country at the time of the January 6 US Capitol attack.

Those supporting Trump wanted Pence hanged, and there was a noose outside the US Capitol that day, and Trump did nothing to discourage possible violence against his own Vice President, a man a heartbeat away from the Presidency!

Now, Pence has been critical of Trump for his support of Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, but little else has yet been said by Pence about anything else involving his former boss.

Dana Bash needs to ask, and Mike Pence needs to answer, about the need to repudiate Trump for January 6, and to make clear of the danger of Trump’s potential nomination for President in 2024.

Pence also needs to make clear he would not support the Republican party nominee if it is Trump, and to show guts and courage, realizing his own potential candidacy is a long shot.

Pence needs to think of the future of his country, and show courage and boldness similar to former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney and former Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger!

Donald Trump, Now A Convicted Sexual Abuser In Civil Case, Has Disastrous Town Hall In New Hampshire!

Donald Trump is now a convicted sexual abuser in the E. Jeanne Carroll civil case, and one would think that any intelligent human being would repudiate him, as would anyone really want a person with that kind of behavior to be President once again?

And after last night’s horrendous performance of Donald Trump at the CNN sponsored Town Hall in New Hampshire, one has to wonder about the audience laughing and applauding a person who was responsible for the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection and so many more criminal actions in the four years of his Presidency.

It now seems clear that we have an authoritarian Fascist percentage of the American population which lives in delusion and is easily manipulated.

We have too many people who are misogynists, racist, white supremacist, antisemitic, nativist, and Islamophobic, as well as anti gay, in the name of white extremist Christianity, distorting the teachings of Jesus Christ!

Those who support Donald Trump, after all that has occurred, clearly have no issue in destroying the Constitution and the rule of law, and would be willing to commit any criminal act in loyalty to Donald Trump and his ilk, just like many in Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and many contemporary governments in the world today!

Kevin McCarthy Handing Over January 6 Videos To Tucker Carlson Should Be Prosecutable!

In a time of shocking developments on so many levels, it is beyond comprehension why Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has released about 44,000 hours of videos taken at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to Fox News Channel, and seditionist and massive liar Tucker Carlson!

What good could McCarthy have conjured up to do this, since Carlson has been lying and deceiving ever since January 6, 2021, claiming it was not the Capitol Insurrection that we know occurred?

Fox News Channel is now involved in a massive lawsuit that one could wish would lead to their bankruptcy and prosecution of the various propagandists at that station who KNOW what happened on January 6 and yet covered up, and continue to do so!

By all rights, Speaker McCarthy should be forced to resign, and should be prosecuted for undermining US Capitol security for the future!

If these videos end up being spread far and wide to right wing, anti government terrorists, they would have the information needed to cause a future US Capitol Insurrection, which would endanger all members of Congress, all law enforcement authorities, all US Capitol staff members, and all American citizens who might be on Capitol Hill at any point of time!

There can be NO justification for what McCarthy has done, and ALL news media sources, including reputable agencies, including CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and many others, should have the same right to such material, but all of them with careful control of how it is shared and spread to the American public!

A Salute To The Free Press And Committed Journalists!

As the year 2022 goes into the history books, and 2023 brings its new challenges, it is time to applaud and salute the free press and committed journalists for pursuing truth and facts, and continuing the never ending battle for freedom and democracy in the United States and worldwide.

Those who attack the free press in America and elsewhere are enemies that must be challenged and confronted in every way possible, as it is the free press that promotes progress and shows us reality.

Evil is a force that is always present, but we must thank committed journalists, newspapers, periodicals, and cable and internet websites that continue to pursue the goal of expanding basic civil rights and humane outcomes in the midst of the constant barrage of mistruths, propaganda, and discrimination.

So whenever someone attacks the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, Politico, Huffington Post, and a multitude of other news media, they are attacking all decent people who simply want to live their lives wishing for the promotion of peace, tranquility, and the protection and betterman of human rights worldwide.

Jake Tapper Blunder: Suggesting Biden Invite Trump To Attend Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral!

CNN’s Anchor Jake Tapper has created controversy with his suggestion that President Biden invite former President Donald Trump to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral as part of the official US delegation for Monday, September 19.

Ordinarily, it would not be unusual that former Presidents be invited to state funerals of foreign leaders.

But this is a special case, as Donald Trump is still, 30 months after the January 6, 2021 Insurrection at the US Capitol, refusing to acknowledge that Joe Biden is the legitimate President.

Trump is still promoting the “Big Lie”, and undermining American democracy long term, with the cooperation of much of the Republican Congressional membership.

With Biden stating Trump is a threat to democracy promoting a “Semi Fascist” movement, and Trump calling Biden “an enemy of the state”, there is no justification for a Presidential invitation to Donald Trump to attend the state funeral in London.

If anything, Trump would make the funeral be centered on himself, not on the respect and admiration for Queen Elizabeth II, who could not be more diametrically opposite from Donald Trump!

That should not be rewarded, anymore than if Jefferson Davis had been acknowledged by Abraham Lincoln at the time of the Civil War.

This blunder by Jake Tapper could undermine his reputation, and even his position, at CNN, as it is already causing massive outrage!