You (and soooo many others) might be right about the Stormy case. I agree that it's complicated. I agree that for many people, it's really NBD, especially in light of all of the other things we'd like to see Trump held accountable for.
However, three mild pushbacks.
First, I don't think Alvin Bragg is dumb, either generally or politically. So, if he thinks a case can be made, I have to respect his call.
Second, even if this particular indictment doesn't result in the convictions we'd like, I think the fact that Bragg went ahead and did it may well give a shot of courage to the prosecutors looking at the other cases.
Third, there just comes a point when we have to stand up, stiffen our spines, and say, "This was wrong. It was illegal. We can't just let it slide because it might be hard to get a win." All too many Democratic officials and all too many Very Serious People in the media have been cowering, regarding Trump. If we don't draw some lines now, when will we ever?
Great article. One minor quibble, the charges against Trump in his first impeachment were obstruction of Congress (not justice), but you can be forgiven due to Jerry Nadler's (deliberate?) hesitation in reading the announcement of charges, letting everyone watching mentally fill in the blank with "justice".
Which reminds me, where do bumblers like Nadler and Schiff fit in the reboot? Larry, Darryl, and Darryl?
I am a conservative but I am NOT a fan of Trump. Trump needs to go away, but the left wing media refuses to let him go. Every hour of every day MSN, CBS, CNN, etc have to talk about Trump. They will not talk about Hunter Bidens laptop, the millions the Bidens have taken from China, the crisis at the boarder, the unfairness of men competing against females, or the horrible job Pres.
Biden did with Afghanistan. They just want to talk about Trump. I do think Bragg is an idiot, but mostly due to Trump derangement syndrome just like the media. Filing a frivolous indictment only makes his supporters more determined because they think he being persecuted. From all I read and hear about the things he has done, why has not one single indictment has been filed with any meat on its bones. This indictment just show how scared they are of Trump. Again, and I want him to go away.
Only slightly off topic: why on god's green earth did the West Wing writers think that creating a *new* CREEP committee was the thing that Leo McGarry should do? He could have called the committee almost literally anything else.
Just because this New York indictment was made first doesn't rule out that a verdict in a different case might happen before this one's trial is over. The Trump retained documents case is much simpler.
I don’t think it can be overstated how much damage the coverage of “Russia gate” did to the medias credibility in the eyes of trump die hards.
No matter what trump does. Or is accused of doing. Wolf was cried. And it was cried a lot. It was a terrible argumentative move if you’re goal is to actually ween people away from trump. The “make anything stick” brigade muddied the argumentative waters where I have actually had conversations with trump fans where I bring up the shorty things he did and all they fire back is a sarcastic.
“Just like Russia huh?”
Intimating that it’s all bullshit that’s utterly made up.
For humor value, it seems like you missed an obvious joke about the fact that the "tax fraud" issue involves mischaracterizing nontaxable expense reimbursement as taxable income, resulting in a tax payment that is way too large. This is another thing that people aren't likely to get particularly upset over.
I feel your pain! Why won't Trumpenstein die? Maybe somebody will throw holy water on him and we can all enjoy watching him wither and writhe in pain until all that's left is a pile of dirty, smoking ashes. One can dream.
He's an unfortunate genius at exploiting two defining characteristics of this age: cynicism and short attention spans. He brilliantly gives voice to a lot of people's unspoken doubts, fears, and hatreds. Then he is rewarded for it by media attention and icon status to millions. And he keeps a running blather all the while, kicking up cultural dust to obscure his personal misdeeds and confuse his opponents.
It's truly maddening to those who understand the charade. But it seems he's destined to keep going until the "conservative" voters (I'll be damned if I understand what they're trying to conserve) wake up to his con. Woke! Ha!
If the January 6th Committee hearings couldn't produce ANY meaningful lasting sound bites, with wall to wall coverage, cute Cassidy and the prospect of Trump lunging for an SS agent, what on earth does the media and assorted pundits think a state attorney general will provide? Short of burning down a church, and an Evangelical one at that, Trump will carry on and any attention to his all cap mania should literally be ignored in any/every way possible. You think you can do that? C'mon dude - you're smart, funny and there are better things to talk about.
I tend to think that the NY prosecution is more like a bad episode of a pretty good show. Like in Season Two of the Sopranos when there’s a whole dust up between Tony’s crew and Native Americans over Columbus Day. (Actually, having grown up around a lot of goombas, I personally loved this episode, but you get the point.) If nothing else, the Trump Show’s massive number of characters does something for me. Like, who will play Matt Whitticar or, for that matter, The Mooch?
I want to watch Genghis Karl. Please make that show happen. Thanks.
You (and soooo many others) might be right about the Stormy case. I agree that it's complicated. I agree that for many people, it's really NBD, especially in light of all of the other things we'd like to see Trump held accountable for.
However, three mild pushbacks.
First, I don't think Alvin Bragg is dumb, either generally or politically. So, if he thinks a case can be made, I have to respect his call.
Second, even if this particular indictment doesn't result in the convictions we'd like, I think the fact that Bragg went ahead and did it may well give a shot of courage to the prosecutors looking at the other cases.
Third, there just comes a point when we have to stand up, stiffen our spines, and say, "This was wrong. It was illegal. We can't just let it slide because it might be hard to get a win." All too many Democratic officials and all too many Very Serious People in the media have been cowering, regarding Trump. If we don't draw some lines now, when will we ever?
Great article. One minor quibble, the charges against Trump in his first impeachment were obstruction of Congress (not justice), but you can be forgiven due to Jerry Nadler's (deliberate?) hesitation in reading the announcement of charges, letting everyone watching mentally fill in the blank with "justice".
Which reminds me, where do bumblers like Nadler and Schiff fit in the reboot? Larry, Darryl, and Darryl?
When I was growing up the democrats were the deltas and the republicans were the omegas.
Today, the democrats are the omegas and the republicans are the deltas.
I am a conservative but I am NOT a fan of Trump. Trump needs to go away, but the left wing media refuses to let him go. Every hour of every day MSN, CBS, CNN, etc have to talk about Trump. They will not talk about Hunter Bidens laptop, the millions the Bidens have taken from China, the crisis at the boarder, the unfairness of men competing against females, or the horrible job Pres.
Biden did with Afghanistan. They just want to talk about Trump. I do think Bragg is an idiot, but mostly due to Trump derangement syndrome just like the media. Filing a frivolous indictment only makes his supporters more determined because they think he being persecuted. From all I read and hear about the things he has done, why has not one single indictment has been filed with any meat on its bones. This indictment just show how scared they are of Trump. Again, and I want him to go away.
Arrested Development season 4 is underrated, IMO. Season 5 was a dumpster fire.
Tendencies tend to revert to the mean. Old Republicans die. Things will get better.
Only slightly off topic: why on god's green earth did the West Wing writers think that creating a *new* CREEP committee was the thing that Leo McGarry should do? He could have called the committee almost literally anything else.
Just because this New York indictment was made first doesn't rule out that a verdict in a different case might happen before this one's trial is over. The Trump retained documents case is much simpler.
I'm afraid that you're a day late with the "Trump Show" meme:
https://damonlinker.substack.com/p/the-trump-show-returns
I don’t think it can be overstated how much damage the coverage of “Russia gate” did to the medias credibility in the eyes of trump die hards.
No matter what trump does. Or is accused of doing. Wolf was cried. And it was cried a lot. It was a terrible argumentative move if you’re goal is to actually ween people away from trump. The “make anything stick” brigade muddied the argumentative waters where I have actually had conversations with trump fans where I bring up the shorty things he did and all they fire back is a sarcastic.
“Just like Russia huh?”
Intimating that it’s all bullshit that’s utterly made up.
Really enjoyed this and laughed a lot.
One typo to fix: "... big, red letters, and it will be there rare instance where the network is right." You probably see it there, hint hint.
For humor value, it seems like you missed an obvious joke about the fact that the "tax fraud" issue involves mischaracterizing nontaxable expense reimbursement as taxable income, resulting in a tax payment that is way too large. This is another thing that people aren't likely to get particularly upset over.
I feel your pain! Why won't Trumpenstein die? Maybe somebody will throw holy water on him and we can all enjoy watching him wither and writhe in pain until all that's left is a pile of dirty, smoking ashes. One can dream.
He's an unfortunate genius at exploiting two defining characteristics of this age: cynicism and short attention spans. He brilliantly gives voice to a lot of people's unspoken doubts, fears, and hatreds. Then he is rewarded for it by media attention and icon status to millions. And he keeps a running blather all the while, kicking up cultural dust to obscure his personal misdeeds and confuse his opponents.
It's truly maddening to those who understand the charade. But it seems he's destined to keep going until the "conservative" voters (I'll be damned if I understand what they're trying to conserve) wake up to his con. Woke! Ha!
If the January 6th Committee hearings couldn't produce ANY meaningful lasting sound bites, with wall to wall coverage, cute Cassidy and the prospect of Trump lunging for an SS agent, what on earth does the media and assorted pundits think a state attorney general will provide? Short of burning down a church, and an Evangelical one at that, Trump will carry on and any attention to his all cap mania should literally be ignored in any/every way possible. You think you can do that? C'mon dude - you're smart, funny and there are better things to talk about.
I tend to think that the NY prosecution is more like a bad episode of a pretty good show. Like in Season Two of the Sopranos when there’s a whole dust up between Tony’s crew and Native Americans over Columbus Day. (Actually, having grown up around a lot of goombas, I personally loved this episode, but you get the point.) If nothing else, the Trump Show’s massive number of characters does something for me. Like, who will play Matt Whitticar or, for that matter, The Mooch?