When The Mad King Falls

Lightning has struck Trump's Tower and it's teetering with a wobble befitting a Jenga structure. It's been an awful month for the President. The "champ" has been staggered with a self-inflicted blow and is on the ropes. We can speculate on what happens next, but who could have predicted what has happened up to now? (I've already been wrong a number of times as the crazy carousel careens.)

Why did President Goombah think that it was a good idea to release the 'nice country you have here, shame if something were to happen to it' Ukrainian phone call summary? Did he really think that it would exonerate him like he said? Did he really think that it was a "pitch perfect" conversation? It might have been the best option of actions. Or... he really believed it exonerated him. When considering anything about Donald Trump, I've maintained that he always believes what he says is the truth - or should be.

This mindset has been ever-present. But the quality of the mind has been in decay for some time. And now it has become the subject of serious mainstream public conversation.

Some shocking comments were made a couple of weeks ago from White House staff and advisors: "His mood changes from one minute to the next... he's losing his shit." "You should ask a psychiatrist about that." "I think the president is in severe mental decline..." "You're basically stuck looking after a 4-year-old now." Read more in this amazing Business Insider article:

"He's deteriorating in plain sight"

"My father was born in a very wonderful place in Germany." His father was born in the Bronx. (His grandfather was from Germany.) He called Venezuela a company, and Tim Cook "Tim Apple". These and other nuggets form the grist for alarm among psychiatric experts. From earlier this spring:

"Mental Health experts warn Trump is in decline"

Understanding the state of his mental health is "Trump's Rosetta Stone." "(His) disordered personality - his unhealthy patterns of thinking, functioning, and behaving - has become the defining characteristic of his presidency. It manifests itself in multiple ways..." Read more about these multiple ways in this terrific piece from The Atlantic by former GOP White House advisor Peter Wehner. It is damning:

"Donald Trump Is Not Well"

Some more examples of his disordered personality and ebbing physical health are highlighted here from the last two weeks or so:

From the United Nations:
He sounds terrible

More from last week:
Others agree - he looks and sounds awful at U.N.

His return from a campaign rally earlier this month:
Trump looks terrible

You want some more? Well, here's some more:

He forgets the name of his son... and that he is the father.

Talking about China tariffs:
Struggles to make sense

Aaron Rupar's wrap-up of wild statements earlier this month:
A deep hodge-podge of crazy talk from two weeks ago

Allow me to introduce you to Tom Joseph. He's an interesting guy. I don't think he's always right and he can exaggerate.  He's definitely not a doctor. But he does have much experience with Dementia victims and his observations are useful. This thread was made in May and things have only gotten worse since then. I don't think he's wrong:

Tom Joseph twitter, following Trump possible dementia

So what are we really looking at? Trump has been a shady grifting mobster-channeling bully all of his life. His moral compass has no True North and spins madly around, inducing vertigo for the rest of us. His character is dedicated towards self-benefit at all costs. He's been a severely flawed man since he left boyhood. His genius has been in marketing himself as a colossal success story while hiding the ugly truth back stage.

But now his real self can't be contained and covered up.

Malignant Narcissism is not a formally recognized disorder diagnosis, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. But most in the psychiatric field recognize it as an unfortunate combination of two psychological disorders: Narcissism Personality Disorder and Anti-Social Disorder. This list of symptoms for both disorders are revealing. Read and think about President Goombah:

NPD occurs on a spectrum and involves a range of symptoms. The DSM-5 lists nine traits that help identify NPD, but only five are needed for diagnosis. 

Common symptoms of NPD include:

• grandiose fantasies and behavior, such as a preoccupation with thoughts of personal success, power, and attractiveness or sex appeal
• little or no empathy for other people’s emotions or feelings
• a significant need for attention, admiration, and recognition
• an inflated sense of self-importance, such as a tendency to exaggerate personal talent or achievements
• a belief in personal specialness and superiority
• a sense of entitlement
• a tendency to take advantage of others or exploit people for personal gain
• arrogant or conceited behavior and attitudes
• a tendency to envy others and believe others envy them

and for Anti-Social Disorder,  one needs at least 3 from these to qualify:

• disdain for authority and social norms, shown by continued illegal or lawbreaking behavior
• a pattern of deceit, including exploitation and manipulation of other people
• reckless, impulsive, or risky behavior that shows disregard for personal safety or the safety of other people
• little or no remorse for harmful or illegal actions
• a generally hostile, irritable, aggressive, restless, or agitated mood
• a pattern of irresponsible, arrogant, or disrespectful behavior
• difficulty planning ahead

Now let's take a look at Dementia symptoms:

Mayo Clinic symptoms of dementia

-- Memory loss

-- Difficulty communicating or finding words

-- Difficulty with visual and spatial abilities, such as getting lost while driving

-- Difficulty reasoning or problem-solving

-- Difficulty with planning and organizing

-- Difficulty with coordination and motor functions

-- Confusion and disorientation

-- Personality changes

-- Depression

-- Anxiety

-- Inappropriate behavior

-- Agitation

-- Hallucinations

And here is a fun list compiled by our friend Tom Joseph. Yes, this is mostly true stuff:



Jeez. Combine Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Anti-Social Disorder, plus add an increasing level of Dementia and we have a clear and present danger in the Oval Office.

All of this is incredibly concerning, of course. What makes it all the more alarming is how his base, the most dedicated of followers, perceive things:

"Malignant Normality" is a term popularized by Dr. Robert Jay Lifton in a study of Nazi doctors and the German public. According to a group of psychiatrists called "Duty To Warn", it occurs "when a segment of society sees reality through the skewed lens of its leader. Its in full bloom. Norms are shattered. Previously unthinkable behavior is routine. Guardrails disappear. Democracy decays. Mental health has to be more of the story."

I believe this to be very much a part of our current story. And for this skewed leader, we've seen and heard rumblings and actions from behind the curtain. Former Assistant Director of Department of Justice Rod Rosenstein, Robert Mueller's boss, tried to get the Cabinet to enact Trump's removal through the 25th Amendment (he says he was joking, and was joking when he said he would be willing to wear a wire to meetings with the President, ha ha). There was the infamous Anonymous Letter to the New York Times that described high-level staff's concerns about Trump and how he is "managed". And there was the more-relevant-than-ever quote from Nancy Pelosi following a brief, strange and abruptly-concluded meeting with the President in May:

Pelosi: "Again, I pray for the President of the United States. I wish that his family, or his administration or his staff would have an intervention. Maybe he wants to take a leave of absence."

Reporter: "Your prayer comments almost suggest you're concerned about his well-being."

Pelosi: "I am."

Something else to consider: Trump made his now infamous phone call to the Ukrainian President the day after Robert Mueller testified to Congress about possible collusion with Russia. His mindset is cast. He doesn't care about consequences, because everything he thinks and says is the truth, no matter what. His mind and body are a toxic vessel of supreme dysfunction. He is unfit for office.

Now for the real speculation:

We all know about the call and the Whistleblower complaint and a path for Impeachment action is being drawn. Already we see super-shady stuff like White House lawyers being instructed to move telephone transcripts to a highly-classified cyber "vault", where no prying eyes would see them. We hear that this is not the first time such a transfer was made. There is much DC conjecture about transcripts regarding Saudi Arabia/MBS and the Jamal Khoshoggi murder; Putin and anything/especially the Helsinki meeting; and North Korea conversations. It's an investigative Holy Grail of sorts.

Those who may be in immediate jeopardy are White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and probably former White House counsel Don McGahn. Others who are going to feel real repercussions include Secretary of State Pompeo, Attorney General Bill Barf,  and Senior Advisor Jared Kushner. A possibility is Vice President Pounce. And, of course, our Chief Executive.

I've seen this all as a five-act play. Act One - The Election. Act Two - The First Year. Act Three - Mueller. Act Four - "I got away with it." Act Five - Rectify. Act Five seems to be underway. We will know it's drawing to a close when people like Paul Manafort start singing from prison and Kelly Ann Conway jump ship. It may all happen much faster than anyone thinks. I'm calling it here: Impeachment Articles will pass the House by mid-December, Senate Trial begins mid-January, Senate Vote by the Ides of March. Trump is acquitted by a very, verrrry thin margin. But it doesn't matter. He's been fully exposed and is toast, except for the die-hard 35% base (which may even shrink a point or three). The GOP will work behind the scenes to remove him as their 2020 nominee.

Let's see what happens!

Not the Sharpie-est tool in the shed.

It can be difficult to assess the most inane and ridiculous news story of the not-yet-completed year, but this is surely it. "SharpieGate" fully captures the malignant narcissistic drive of our Sociopath-In-Chief. It also reveals a couple of other themes: to what lengths sycophants will go to accommodate this nitwit's resistance to admitting a mistake; and how Trump's staff is handling his public persona.

As you probably know, SharpieGate began last Sunday when President Trumplethinskin gave a brief public statement regarding Hurricane Dorian and its projected destructive path. He warned the state of Alabama to brace for the hurricane's impact. The problem was that Alabama was not on the projected path of the storm.

And so throughout this week, Trump has been ridiculed for his mistake. But Trump being Trump, he can never admit error, and so he predictably double-downed. Yes, Alabama WAS SO in the path! Yes, it was, TOO!! Cascades of incredulous media responses showed the hurricane path map from last Sunday, which clearly showed that Alabama could relax: Dorian wasn't coming anywhere near it.

All this served to boil over Trump's anger like the lidded pot that contained the bunny in "Fatal Attraction". It was a full-on tweet offensive all week. He couldn't let it go. And by insisting he was right the whole time, it enabled many to check out the story (which would have died and gone away in the 24-hour news cycle, like most of his Trump transgression stories) and see what a doofus he is.

At best, Trump's Alabama blunder was predicated on a previous Wednesday projected map which included a small portion of southeast Alabama. Maybe it stuck in his head (hard to imagine anything sticking in there). Or, probably, he simply used that outdated forecast map when he made his Sunday statement, instead of using the most up-to-date map.

Then on Wednesday, September 4, Trump presented to a breathless nation his now infamous Sharpie forecast map of Dorian's path, calculated on Thursday, August 29. Added onto the NOAA's "cone of possible storm path" was an additional black outlined bubble that was drawn to include far southeast Alabama. He claimed he'd been told that 'Bama had a "95% chance of being hit".

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/09/04/president-trump-shows-doctored-hurricane-chart-was-it-cover-up-alabama-twitter-flub/

Of course, this wonderful image of a Sharpie-created outline where no NOAA forecast existed laid the Prez open to a tsunami of ridicule. "SharpieGate" was created!

And because it's well-known that Trump favors using a Sharpie over a crayon or any other writing instrument, speculation rose that he had created the Alabama bubble of projected destruction.

All this gave birth to a remarkable and really splendid barrage of memes. (My favorites will follow what comes next here...) And it's important to note that he was carrying forth with this defense days after Dorian had moved up the Florida coast towards the Carolinas. Everything was about Alabama. Everyone else, not so much (also, Bahama's apocalyptic event - no word on US assistance yet).

Today, there are reports that the NOAA upper management has now backed Trump's assertion that Alabama lay in the path of danger. NOAA climatologists and scientists are aghast and appalled. But it becomes very clear what happened. The NOAA spokesperson is a Trump appointee... and had been a member of his Trump Inaugural Committee. 'Nuff said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/09/07/noaas-support-president-trump-over-its-own-scientists-provokes-mass-uproar-weather-community/

So there is the sycophant angle, which is sadly predictable. But what is really interesting is how Trump is being managed in his public appearances. His stupid, if brief, public bellowing about Alabama have been among the few Real Time show-ups that he's done recently. In fact, over the last 10 DAYS he has accumulated just 2 HOURS of public exposure. Something is seriously wrong with this dude, and I don't mean attitude-wise. There might be a real health-related issue that is requiring significantly limited and managed exposure to The Outside World. More on this for the next Kibitz.

But now, as promised, here are my favorite SharpieGate memes. Enjoy!!

Oh, this could go on forever. Until next time...

"Dear Nancy Pelosi,"

"She will cut your head off and you won't even know you're bleeding. No one ever won betting against Nancy Pelosi. (She) knows what she is doing - and that should make you sleep at night, knowing that at least somebody in this town knows what they're doing." -- daughter Alexandra Pelosi.

This quote has given some comfort leading up to the 2018 midterms and into 2019. But it no longer supplies succor. The level of unapologetic racism, flat-out obstructionism and unconcealed movement towards authoritarianism from the President and his supporters has become unsustainable. Watching this national train wreck, one wonders what will survive - the American political tradition, or Trumpism. Perhaps neither?

There are few options available to end this nightmare. One conventional method is to vote the bastards out of office in 2020. But this suggests that the election will be unaffected by foreign shenanigans, home-grown voter suppression efforts, and massive pro-Trump media disinformation campaigns. That's unlikely.

Another option is Section Four of the 25th Amendment, which allows a majority of the Cabinet to remove the President if it determines he is incapable or unfit for to serve the office. The Vice-President becomes Acting President. But the President can appeal and then two-thirds of both chambers of Congress need to agree to keep the President from re-acquiring his position. Not likely, even if Trump continues his rapid deterioration into a sphanx-fitting tub of goo. Not this Cabinet.

The other conventional method is a vote on Articles of Impeachment that is passed by the House of Representatives, and a subsequent Senate trial ends with a "convict" verdict from two-thirds of its members. That would do it, except the Senate is controlled by Mitch McConnell and the GOP. Though the Senate has a duty to conduct a trial based on House-passed impeachable offenses, it's far more likely that McConnell and Company would simply change Senate rules. It would be extreme high drama and institution smashing, but The Turtle wouldn't mind. Democracy in America will be officially dead.

What a revolting situation! In the meantime, Democratic presidential candidates and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi have been following Option #1. Pelosi has been encouraging specific House committees (Judiciary and Intelligence among them) to conduct hearings on Trump's various impeachable offenses, becoming "de facto" Impeachment Inquiries. She wants the impeachable offenses laid out for the American public to see and hear, without the polarizing Impeachment process. She understands that very few in the nation (much less those in DC) have read any part of The Mueller Report.

Ideally, the Democrats would be able to show the public the cavalcade of damning transgressions that characterized The Mueller Report, with witnesses speaking and networks videotaping, a la Watergate hearings. With such info, a disgusted but informed public would vote Trump and the GOP out in 2020.

But the problem is that crucial information and witnesses are being made unavailable by across-the-board "stonewalling" techniques by Attorney General Bill Barr and various White House entities. Counteracting such efforts by issuing strongly-worded letters, then subpoenas, then citations of civil contempt, and then criminal contempt, with sundry pauses for court rulings, should take us, oh, into summer of 2020 without any resolution.

So, if you had the chance to ask Nancy Pelosi one question, what would it be? Here is what The Daily Kibitz would ask:

"The USA was born out of an existential crisis and has survived two domestically-driven ones (the Civil War and the early years of the Great Depression). We appear to be in another one now. The Administration operates through a sort of political nihilism where it's OK to ignore laws and rulings, dismantle institutions, damage checks & balances and such, as long as it benefits The Boss. The Senate is run by bad-faith leadership that cares only about maintaining complete control. The guiding principles of the post-war GOP are gone, replaced by a grotesque imperative of bigotry, blinding resentment and willful ignorance. If we were looking at another country, we'd say they're in terrible trouble. So the question is:

"How the hell do we get out of this?"

Seriously, she knows what's up. And when you're going up against the King, you better make your play count. Apparently she is opting for the "death by a thousand cuts", then the coup de grace play against the weakened bull. She understands that right now most Americans don't want an Impeachment.

But this leaky boat is springing more leaks as time goes on. The Ship of State has been taking on water and we are in serious danger.

Our opinion is that Pelosi needs to OK official impeachment inquiries. These hearings have special procedural accelerants that will cut through Administration stonewalls. It's a really big deal to impeach, and once the process is enacted, the requests for info and witnesses supersede claims of executive privilege.

It's not going to get better. We agree with the now ex-British Ambassador who stated confidentially in  diplomatic messages that Trump is inept, incompetent, ignorant and not likely to change. He "radiates insecurity."

Walking through the Fourth of July crowds here in DC, we were struck by the political ugliness of the President's supporters. There were so many attendees wrapped in flags and Trump caps that it made us fear for our country. These are people who have been fired up with lots of fear and loathing. They really believe in the guy. Plenty of vulgar Trump signs, banners, flags and t-shirts at this patriotic family event:

Lots of class -- all low.  We believe that H. Clinton got it right about 50% of his base being "deplorable". She may have been underestimating. They won't be swayed by damning evidence, but the non-base Independents might.

So Nancy Pelosi needs to think this through. She should review this sign on display in the U.S. Holocaust Museum. Read every part and decide if they aren't all being met today by the Trump Administration, the GOP, Fox/Hate Media and White Evangelicals:

And when she's finished with that, she should read this:

Yes, Madam Speaker, we need your help. Time to sharpen the blade. Push forward the necessary process by green-lighting impeachment hearings. Time is no longer on your side. This ship is at serious risk of going down without a rescue.

Oh, Ed. What would you be saying today? "This... is Not America." And he would be right. Good Night and Good Luck, indeed.

A Red, White and Blue USA

It's the Fourth of July, a celebration of the country's independence, personal freedom and the ability to gorge on unhealthy cookout cuisine. It's a holiday for parades, lemonade stands, baseball games, flags flying and bombs bursting in the air. As a kid, the Fourth ranked right behind the Christmas holidays for the best time of year.

And in the spirit of the Last Words Ever Spoken by West Virginians ("Hey Everybody, Watch This!"), the Fourth is a time of going beyond boundaries to exercise stupid behavior. Every year there are post-Fourth news reports of idiots who have maimed or put an end to themselves through misadventure. Your own Daily Kibitz has experienced a few near-death experiences during ridiculous Fourths. Thankfully, all of our fingers are intact.

The Daily Kibitz is heading down to the National Mall to witness present day stupid behavior. As you may know, President Me First has turned the traditional fireworks display there into a giant Trump campaign rally. The primary viewing area along the steps of the Lincoln Memorial has been ticketed to Republican donors, officials and operatives. There will be tanks and military flyovers and guns and such. It will be nationally televised.

And it culminates with a deeply moving patriotic word salad speech from Dear Leader. MAGA hats will be tossed high into the air as he juts his Mussolini-like jaw towards the darkening sky.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the Mall's Reflecting Pool, by the Washington Monument, there will be the notorious Trump Baby Blimp and the Trump-on-the-Gold-Toilet robot, brought over from England. No tariffs needed on these!

The Trump-on-the-Toilet is notable for the sounds of him muttering Trumpisms while tweeting and farting. This is high comedy, of course, and very much appreciated.

So that's what is happening. We will be exercising our First Amendment rights to demonstrate and call out the encroaching autocracy and very present State of Dumbness in our lives. It is an entirely appropriate way to celebrate our nation's birthday.

Meanwhile here is an excellent story of a couple of kids who are really doing the right thing:

https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article232092302.html?wpisrc=nl_daily202&wpmm=1

Setting up a lemonade stand to raise money to help the kids being detained in the border camps. Wow, that gives hope in a time of developing darkness. Maybe we are going to make it after all.

In whatever way you celebrate the Fourth, be safe and remember the rights you enjoy. Remember the state of our nation and how it is threatened. Remember the future.

Just for the fun of it!

Summer time is never a bummer time! When life gets out of hand, as it seems to 24/7 since 11/9/2016, one can simply walk out the front door and catch the good vibes of the season! It's a swell feeling that can last up to three seconds!!

So... how can we stay on the happy side of things for the other 86,397 seconds of the day? It's a good question. Sleeping helps. But too much sleep makes one groggy, out of sorts and feeling like a Fox and Friends viewer.

And the dreams can be dicey. In a dream I had from last night, Trump commandeered everyone's smart phones, except for his. And though I have a dumb phone,  I had to get his incessant, insipid texts all the time. What a nightmare!

Therefore, we need some positive distractions for the rest of the day. So while we still have access to the Internet and smart phones (most of us), here is a hodge-podge of humorous web nooks and crannies that should entertain you when you need it most! Like right now.

Misunderstanding popular song lyrics is a long-standing tradition at The Daily Kibitz. Often, the misheard lyric transcends the original. A favorite from "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" is "Suddenly someone is there by the turnstile, the girl with colitis goes by..." Here are a couple of sites that concentrate on other wonderful examples:

https://twitter.com/AwardsDaily/status/1137232906554728453

Those comments are great. "I thought for years the disco song "I love the nightlife" was "I love to knife fight" and I still prefer my version."

Don't forget "We built this city on sausage rolls" and other great ones here:

https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/misheard-song-lyrics-6787

Another long time favorite fun-site is The Onion. Whatever yanks your yen, The Onion is happy to comply. We enjoy their absolutely ruthless takedowns of the Trump Administration. But they are equally adroit at any pursuit of life that can be categorized, or even not! Their truth-telling satire is the most potent since Jonathan Swift. The Onion rules!!

https://www.theonion.com

"Bleeding John Bolton stumbles into Capitol Building Claiming That Iran Shot Him."

The writer Molly Jong-Fast is politically astute and hilarious. Her tweets are pithy and pointed. Check out this twitter thread regarding her take on the recent polling that put Trump behind many Democratic candidates:

https://twitter.com/MollyJongFast/status/1138830497398874112

Shingles 51%, Trump 40%. Stepping on a nail 54%, Trump 46%. Medically unnecessary pelvic exam  52%, Trump 38%.  Funny stuff. The comments that follow her tweets are usually quite good, too.

Trying to figure out what the hell our Chief Executive is saying or tweeting at any given time requires a lot of help. Fortunately, there are sites out there that tackle this subject. "Translate Trump" is one:

https://twitter.com/translaterealdt?lang=en

Here is a site that imagines if Trump were a character in Lord of the Rings: Gollum J. Trump. He tweets in the vernacular of the original Smeagol/Gollum:

https://twitter.com/realgollumtrump?lang=en

Wow. That is inspired stuff.

Here is a twitter account that snarks at Fox News content, and just about anyone who falls within the orbit of Trump/GOP World:

https://twitter.com/badfoxgraphics?lang=en

"They all look the same."

Let's take a look at one of the best there is, Republican strategist and Never-Trumper Rick Wilson. "Everything Trump Touches Dies" is a meme that originated from him. Take a minute to read through an hour's worth of his tweets and retweets, very funny stuff. Here is a sample tweet from when an angry white woman took exception to his foul language:

https://twitter.com/TheRickWilson/status/1139208842624032768

Speaking of white women, there is the remarkable Mrs. Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian. Her "No Sin Zone" twitter  site is filled with parody and satire aimed at hypocritical right-wing Christians.  Count on Mrs. Betty to always get it right:

https://twitter.com/BettyBowers?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Moving on, here's an old reliable, Tom the Dancing Bug. Go here for a complete archive of this great cartoon strip. In this edition, Trump appears as Thanos, versus The Avengers, including Captain Nancy Pelosi.:

And another cartoonist fave, Tom Tomorrow, takes a look at the media's reaction to Robert Mueller's video statement about The Mueller Report. For more Tom Tomorrow, here is where you can find bunches of his excellent work: https://thenib.com/tom-tomorrow

Meanwhile, God is hacked off about Twitter threatening to suspend His account:

For more of his divine pronouncements, check it out:     https://twitter.com/TheTweetOfGod/status/1138461712871436288

Speaking of god, Parker Molloy found a way to put Trump's own stupid words onto "Official" White House templates. This quote comes from The Mueller Report, as described by White House Counsel Don McGahn. Also, the resulting comments are good:

https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/1131536504474480640

Jen Sorenson is a wise and funny cartoonist who has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize a couple of times. She is that good:

http://jensorensen.com

And if you get bogged down or bored, try The Florida Man Challenge.  It's guaranteed that every day of the year holds some type of awful behavior from Florida Men. Simply "google" Florida Man and your birth day and month. Here is what resulted for my Florida Man birthday challenge for November 12:

https://newschannel9.com/news/offbeat/florida-man-breaks-into-restaurant-strips-naked-eats-noodles-plays-bongos

Oh, ho ho. Well, we hope that these help in getting your summer started on the up beat. Also, too, remember that old reliable, The New Yorker. Enjoy your three seconds!