President Joe Biden has a single word to describe Cheeto's supporters

Last week, I wrote a post describing Kari Lake and her surrogates as "despicable."

Biden may not have topped that, but he definitely belongs in the post.

From ABC News -

Biden suggests Trump supporters are 'garbage' after comic's insult of Puerto Rico

President Joe Biden took a swipe against Donald Trump's supporters as he reacted to the Republican presidential nominee's weekend rally at Madison Square Garden, which was overshadowed by crude and racist rhetoric.

In a call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino, Biden on Tuesday responded to a comic at Trump's rally who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Biden's initial comments were garbled.

“Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage. Well, let me tell you something, I don’t, I don’t know the Puerto Rican that I know, the Puerto Rico where I’m fr -- in my home state of Delaware. They’re good, decent honorable people,” he said.

The president then added: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”

Wonder if Cheeto realizes that some of the "garbage" in Puerto Rico may be the rolls from the paper towels he threw to the residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria?

The title of this post starts with the phrase "President Joe Biden".

That's a phase that guaranteed to piss off Cheeto and his supporters.

Breaking: Biden drops out of presidential race

And in (perhaps) related note, Republicans everywhere are rejoicing.

From NBC News (emphasis added by me) -

President Joe Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race

Biden, after a five-decade career, faced a reckoning over his age and his ability to defeat Trump. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his party faces a historic effort to replace him. 

President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he will end his presidential re-election campaign, bringing an abrupt and humbling conclusion to his half-century-long political career and scrambling the race for the White House just four months before Election Day.

Biden, 81, could not reverse growing sentiment within his party that he was too frail to serve and destined to lose to Donald Trump in November. He backed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic nominee.

[snip]

Across the aisle, Republicans slammed the move and many called on him to resign his office, days after the completion of a Republican National Convention where speaker after speaker slammed the Biden-Harris ticket.

"If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson.

In a brief phone interview with NBC News, Trump reacted to Biden's decision, calling the president "the worst president in the history of the United States by far."

When asked whether he was surprised by Biden's decision, Trump said that Biden "should never have been there in the first place."

“He should have stayed in his basement," Trump said.

In a fundraising email, Trump’s campaign said that Biden “quit the race in complete disgrace.”

Anyone want to tell Cheeto that there's some who disagree with his "worst ever" opinion.

From Axios, dated February 19, 2024 -

Read: Historians rank Trump as worst president

Presidential historians in a new survey rank President Biden as the 14th best president in U.S. history — and put former President Trump last.

The big picture: The tally came from 154 presidential specialists who are current and recent members of the American Political Science Association. They were asked to give every president a score, from 0 to 100.

Zoom in: Abraham Lincoln topped the list with an average score of 95, while Biden scored an average of 62.66. That put him two spots above Ronald Reagan.

• Representatives for Trump, who averaged just under 11 points, did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

I expect that the next few days, in fact in all day leading up to the Democratic convention, will be chaotic as various players consider if they have a path to unseat Harris as the presumptive Democratic nominee.

I fully expect that Harris will emerge as the nominee, but the jockeying to be the Democratic VP nominee will be fierce.

1099s or W2s: Which will the Cheeto Org give to the USSC justices who conferred immunity upon Dear Leader?

Or maybe they'll just award the justices knighthoods.

From The Guardian (UK) -

Sotomayor says immunity ruling makes a president ‘king above the law’

In a stark dissent from the conservative-majority US supreme court’s opinion granting Donald Trump some immunity from criminal prosecution, the liberal justice Sonia Sotomayor said the decision was a “mockery” that makes a president a “king above the law”.

The court ruled Monday that Trump cannot be prosecuted for “official acts” he took while president, setting up tests for which of the federal criminal charges over his attempt to subvert the 2020 election are considered official and sending the case back to a lower court to decide.

“Today’s decision to grant former Presidents criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the Presidency,” Sotomayor wrote in dissent. “It makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law.”

The U.S. Supreme Court, like all other courts, relies on moral credibility to buttress its decisions.

It has none.

Interestingly, the person helped most by this decision may be Joe Biden.  He's looking to win an election, not receive a coronation.

The minds of most voters won't be changed by the presidential debate

This is a relatively quiet week in AZ politics - last week, the lege adjourned for the year and next week, primary ballots will start being mailed out, so this week, the most interesting thing in AZ politics will take place outside of AZ.

While he's not perfect, Joe Biden is a decent human being trying to do a thankless job.

The next time that Cheeto behaves like a decent human being will be the first time.

Both things are well-known to their supporters and detractors, and the people who have decided to vote for either won't change that decision, even after the debate.

Biden's supporters (and I'm one) care about the character of their elected officials while Cheeto's supporters don't.

My guess is that won't change, so both will try to appeal to the folks who are undecided.

Only four questions remain.

Those questions (with my answers in parentheses) -

1. Will Cheeto moon the audience (maybe)?

2. If he does that, will his supporters swoon (yes, of course)?

3. If he does that, will the people on his shortlist for VP candidates throw elbows at each other in an effort to put themselves in a position to enthusiastically kiss what was presented to them (yes, of course)?

4. Will Cheeto enter the stage to the strains of Cult of Personality by Living Colour (not unless I'm put in charge of the candidates' entrance music and I can secure the rights to play the music, and can obtain them on short notice)?

The debate will be broadcast by CNN.  However, for those who, like me, don't have cable, it will be simulcast on many over-the-air outlets.

FWIW, I think that Biden will win the election.  I don't have any great political insight to share, but Biden is the answer to one very important question.

Who would you rather have a beer with?

Biden would ask "draft, can, or bottle"?

Cheeto would ask if the container has his image on it (and if he was getting a percentage)?

Poll: Gallego leading Lake

Though in AZ, Biden vs. Trump is too close to call.

Pointed at this by fivethirtyeight.com.

I saw this today, and, while I firmly believe that when it comes to elections, there's only one poll that counts (and it's held in November, this poll is current enough to merit a post.

From fivethirtyeight -

The poll in question is from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and from and Mainstreet Research.

From FAU's press release -

BATTLEGROUND STATES NEVADA AND ARIZONA TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Click here for Full Crosstabs and Other Products From FAU/Mainstreet

Download Nevada Report

Download Arizona Report

With the 2024 election cycle fast approaching, new polling data from Nevada and Arizona reveal a deeply engaged and starkly divided electorate in these pivotal battleground states.

The FAU Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab (PolCom Lab) and Mainstreet Research polls highlight the intense partisan polarization and motivations driving voter sentiment, including economic concerns, the legal proceedings against former U.S. President Donald Trump, and the potential entry of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a third-party candidate.

[snip]

Ruben Gallego, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Arizona, is currently outperforming incumbent Republican Gov. Kari Lake (44% to 37%) suggesting that Lake has had a difficult time getting traction in this race.

Like Trump, Lake is leading only with voters under age 49, and more than 20% of voters in that age bracket indicate they are still undecided. The close numbers forecasting a fight for control of the House in Arizona underscore how the congressional generic ballot highlights the intense battle being waged across the state’s districts.

According to the full survey report, Gallego has a 7% lead among registered voters and an 8% lead among likely voters.

One note about the press release: it cites Lake as the incumbent governor.  She's not.  She was the 2022 R nominee for AZGov. She just wishes she was governor, and has filed lawsuits to overturn the results.  None of those have been successful in overturning the election; of course, that may not have been the real purpose of the lawsuits.

Her rubes supporters have sent her a lot of money based on her claims.

Mitt Romney proves again that he was unfit to be POTUS

From CNN -

Romney says if he were president he would have immediately pardoned Trump

Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney said that if he were President Joe Biden he would have “immediately pardoned” former President Donald Trump.

“Had I been President Biden, when the Justice Department brought on indictments, I would have immediately pardoned him,” Romney told MSNBC’s “The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle” in an interview set to air Wednesday. “I’d have pardoned President Trump. Why? Well, because it makes me, President Biden, the big guy and the person I pardoned a little guy.”

Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, faces 88 charges over four criminal indictments in Georgia; New York; Washington, DC; and Florida — with the latter two being federal cases prosecuted by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee for president, lost that race rather resoundingly.

Maybe it was due to the way that he tied his dog to the roof of his car and drove off.

Maybe it was due to the way he dismissively stated that 47% of Americans didn't pay income taxes and all of them would vote for Barack Obama "no matter what".

One can now add his desire to give Cheeto a free pass on his criminal acts to the list of reasons he was utterly unqualified to be president.

Note: To the best of my knowledge, a POTUS can only pardon someone in relation to violations of federal law, and Cheeto is facing some state charges.

Does Rikers have a broadcast room?

From AP -

Biden and Trump, trading barbs, agree to 2 presidential debates, in June and September

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Wednesday agreed to hold two campaign debates — the first on June 27 hosted by CNN and the second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC — setting the stage for their first presidential face-off to play out in just over a month.

The quick agreement on the timetable followed the Democrat’s announcement that he would not participate in fall presidential debates sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades. Biden’s campaign instead proposed that media outlets directly organize the debates between the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees.

By then, Cheeto may be convicted in his hush money trial and be a resident of NYC's jail at Rikers.

And any debates will have to be broadcast from there.

Maybe he'll have the cameras set to filter out the shade of orange of his jumpsuit.

Of course, if that's the same shade created by his fake tanner, he'll then look like the Invisible Man, which would be thought of as a bad thing by someone with his ego.

The survey results (of presidential historians) are in! Unsurprisingly, Cheeto is considered to be the worst-ever POTUS.

He's certainly the worst of my lifetime*.

Technically, I was alive during the LBJ administration, but I don't have a memory of him as POTUS.  Though

From NPR -

In historians' Presidents Day survey, Biden vs. Trump is not a close call

President Biden is in a tight race to keep former President Donald Trump from reclaiming the White House, recent polls show. But that's not how 154 historians and presidential experts see it: They rate Biden in the top third of U.S. presidents, while Trump ranks dead last.

The 2024 edition of the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey has Biden in 14th place, just ahead of Woodrow Wilson and Ronald Reagan. Trump comes in 45th, behind fellow impeachee Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan, the perennial cellar-dweller in such ratings due to his pre-Civil War leadership.

The historians rated Barack Obama highly, and as I consider him to be the best POTUS of my lifetime, I don't disagree with them on Obama or Cheeto.  In between, however, there are some differences.

They rated Obama 7th overall and the best of my lifetime (and the highest ranked living ex-president), so I agree with that one.

Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were ranked 12th and 14th, respectively.  Clinton's ranking is a little high for my taste - top half, certainly though.  As for Joe Biden, I think he deserves an incomplete because his term is ongoing.

Ronald Reagan is ranked 16th, which is way too high - he took advantage of Richard Nixon's criminality. Society was tired and wanted someone in the White House who reminded them of the "good ol' days".

George HW Bush was ranked 19th, which was a little high, but I think that his biggest failing was that he wasn't Reagan - most of the folks who voted for him were hoping for a 3rd Reagan term.  They didn't get that.

Jimmy Carter was ranked 22nd, near the middle of the pack.  I have always thought he was underrated as a POTUS

Gerald Ford was ranked 27th; I don't disagree with that, but since he was an unelected placeholder who replaced Nixon, an incomplete might be appropriate here.

George W. Bush was ranked 32nd (which was way too high in my estimation) and until Cheeto, was the worst POTUS of my lifetime and it wasn't even close (I don't believe that it's a coincidence that both people who were the worst at being POTUS in my lifetime have MBAs - POTUS isn't a gig where the concept of right and wrong synchs up with profitable and not profitable.)  Also, W was in charge of the most corrupt presidential administration ever.

At least until Cheeto came along.

The biggest reason that I rate W ahead of Cheeto is, as bad as he was, is that I never thought he was a traitor.

Nixon was ranked 35th, which I feel is too high.  He made cynicism about politicians part of the American psyche.

Cheeto was ranked 45th.  The main reason he wasn't ranked lower is because there aren't more Presidents.

Paul Penzone not seeking a 3rd term and will resign in January

Let the political games of musical chairs and idle speculation begin.

From AZFamily -

Penzone won’t seek 3rd term as Maricopa County Sheriff, will step down in January

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone says he will not seek a 3rd term and will be stepping down as Sheriff in January 2024.

“I have decided that I will not pursue a third term,” said Penzone during an emotional news conference Monday afternoon. “Not because I leave this office in any way, shape, or form disappointed; it has all been incredible. It is the greatest privilege and blessing that anyone could’ve asked for, especially in a profession like this.” Penzone said.

Penzone also announced he would be stepping down before his current term is up, "I think it’s appropriate for me to depart of the office in January and clear the way so during the last year of my term going into elections, there aren’t distractions. It gives me a chance to pursue some opportunities to serve the public in several ways and to do some things that present themselves as incredible options and opportunities."

I'm not much into musical chairs, but I can do idle speculation with the best of them.

Caveat: No actual humans were talked for this.

I have no idea who the Democratic nominee will be; the R nominee will (probably) be someone who should be in prison used to work for Joe Arpaio.

As for Penzone's next gig, if it's not elected, I could only guess - maybe he's going to be the commissioner of the World Pickleball Tour.

OK, that's probably not going to happen. :)

Some speculation is that he plans to run for an elected office, so I'll talk about that.

US Senate - could happen, but probably not, and for two reasons.  1. Ruben Gallego has been in the race for a while.  2. Kyrsten Sinema is still lurking; a Sinema candidacy is expected to give the race to the R nominee.

US House of Representatives - could happen, but that will depend on other chips falling in a way that's favorable to him.  

If he entered the race against R David Schweikert, he'd almost certainly cause at least two of the announced candidates in the crowded Democratic primary there to withdraw.  I don't think it will happen, but given his documented history of taking on entrenched office holders with ethics issues, this one isn't out of the realm of possibility.

If he entered the race to replace Gallego in Congress, he would lose in the primary there - the candidates there have been active since before the moment that Gallego announced his intent to run for Senate.

If he entered the race for the seat held by Greg Stanton, well, I suppose it *could* happen, but I expect that he wouldn't enter that race unless Stanton announces that he won't seek another term.

Arizona Corporation Commission - the only state-level seats on the 2024 ballot.  Seems too low profile for him.

City Council, School Board, Justice of the Peace, and Constable slots - Not only do I not know where he lives (eligibility for those is residency-specific), I think those are too low profile.

State Legislature - he's highly respected; why would he want to lose that?  In other words, not gonna happen...though if he were to join the lege, he could serve as a counterbalance to John Kavanagh.

What I think will happen is that he will accept a position with the Biden Administration.

If that happens, there will be a certain synchronicity to that - Penzone's predecessor was pardoned by Biden's predecessor.

Basically, one skell pardoned another.

If Biden hires Penzone, it will be a situation where one decent human being hires another.

Hunter Biden may be a lousy human being, but I hope he wins his lawsuit against the IRS.

I've said it before - Hunter Biden is  a poor excuse for a human being (being a deadbeat dad will earn someone that designation).

But he's now suing the IRS for talking about his taxes.

From Politico -

Hunter Biden sues IRS, alleging violation of his privacy

Hunter Biden is suing the IRS over disclosures two agents there made to Congress and the media about his taxes.

The lawsuit says two longtime IRS criminal investigative agents, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, illegally revealed tax details when they publicly raised concerns about the handling of the criminal investigation into the first son. It also accuses the IRS of failing to keep the two men from sharing Biden’s financial information.

Bottom line: if silence was good enough for Cheeto, it's good enough for Hunter Biden.  

And if yapping about Biden was fine, why wasn't yapping about Cheeto?

While I'm no fan of Hunter Biden, I'm *really* not a fan of hypocrisy.

Paul Gosar update: Kevin McCarthy is threatening to impeach Joe Biden, but he's going after the wrong person

The threat:

From Forbes -

McCarthy Threatened Biden With An Impeachment Inquiry—Here’s What That Is

KEY FACTS

There is no “explicit definition of what constitutes an impeachment investigation,” according to the Congressional Research Service, which prepares reports for Congress, so all that’s known about the inquiries is based on how they’ve been historically done.

Launching an impeachment inquiry—or impeachment investigation—is not a required step in the impeachment process, as it’s not outlined in the Constitution, but it’s usually the first step toward bringing articles of impeachment, according to the research group.

Yet, McCarthy seems to be OK with Nazi sympathizers being part of his caucus/base of support:

From Media Matters for America -

Rep. Paul Gosar promotes another antisemitic site that praises Hitler and denies the Holocaust

Rep. Paul Gosar yesterday used his House.gov newsletter to promote USSA News, a fringe site that has posted content calling the Holocaust “the Holohoax” and telling readers to “stand up for Hitler.” Gosar’s promotion of the antisemitic outlet comes just months after he sent followers to a different site that has also denied the Holocaust and praised Adolf Hitler. 

Gosar has frequently promoted antisemitic media in recent years. He has met with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and repeatedly spoke at his conferences; and he’s promoted virulent antisemite Vincent James Foxx.

Oh, and George Santos is still part of McCarthy's caucus.

OK, I'll say it: If Hunter Biden were any lousier a human being, he'd be a Republican

Pointed toward this by Taegan Goddard's Political Wire.

From USA Today (emphasis added by me) -

How the Biden family name became latest wrinkle in Hunter Biden's paternity battle

Hunter Biden is nearing judgment day in an Arkansas lawsuit to reduce his child support and prevent his daughter from taking his last name.

The president's son faces a deposition this month and a July trial against a woman, Lunden Roberts, who had his daughter Aug. 28, 2018. Biden was ordered in March 2020 to pay child support, but he asked in September 2022 to reduce the amount because of his changing income, which led to the pending trial.

Another point of contention deals with the child’s name. Roberts wants the child to have Biden’s last name because of the family's political prominence and business success, but he is opposed because of the "political warfare" she could face.

.

.

.

During a May hearing, lawyer Abbe Lowell revealed Biden is paying $20,000 per month in child support for a total of $750,000.

Mr. Biden, two things:

1. Pay what you owe.

2. The perfidy by Congressional Republicans and you doesn't justify you forsaking your child.

The President goes bipartisan when honoring people who defended the Capitol and the country from Cheeto's machinations

I would NEVER vote for Rusty Bowers, but any who stands up to a bully who a wannabe tinhorn dictator gets a little admiration from me, and apparently, Joe Biden agrees.

From CNN -

First on CNN: Biden to honor 12 people with Presidential Citizens Medal on two-year anniversary of January 6 insurrection

President Joe Biden on Friday plans to mark the two-year anniversary of the January 6, 2021, insurrection by awarding for the first time in his presidency the Presidential Citizens Medal to 12 people.

The individuals include law enforcement officers who were injured defending the Capitol, a Capitol Police officer who died the day after rioters stormed the building and election workers who rejected efforts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

From ABC15 in Phoenix -

Arizona politician Rusty Bowers to receive Presidential Citizens Medal at the White House

Arizona politician Rusty Bowers is set to receive a Presidential Citizens Medal this week at the White House.

Bowers was the Arizona House Speaker during the 2020 election and "(resisted) pressure from those seeking to overturn the election results,” according to the White House.

The ceremony will take place at the White House on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023.

The ABC15 article has a complete list of recipients.

What's old is new again for the NRA

Found this in my email from ConservativeIntel, a conservative fundraising organization -

Appealing to fear is NOT a new tactic for the NRA, especially against Democrats.  And there's one in the White House now.

From CNBC

In 2012, they went after then-president Barack Obama.

From Billboard.  Not a pic of him as president, but I like the pic.

From Politifact, dated 6/15/2012 -

Is the NRA right that Obama is 'coming for our guns'?

[snip]

"The gun control debate is over," said Rick Wilson, a GOP political consultant. "We live in a country where guns are a fundamental part of mainstream American culture. The moment I saw that Walmart now sells AR-15s (a type of semi-automatic rifle), I knew the debate was over."

[snip]

In a new campaign mailer -- the contents of which we expect to be repeated in emails and at dinner tables -- the gun rights group is casting Obama as a gun control crusader who is "coming for our guns."

In 2000, they went after then-president Bill Clinton.

From The White House

From CBS, dated 3/15/2000 -

NRA Targets Clinton

In televised ads and media interviews, the National Rifle Association has launched an all out attack on the Clinton administration as the president lobbies for more extensive gun laws in the wake of recent shootings.

But as CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart reports, that's not just hot smoke and insults the NRA is blowing at President Clinton. It's a tried and true political strategy.

In the past week, the president has blamed the NRA for influencing lawmakers to stall gun control reforms, and the rifle association has accused the president of dragging his feet on enforcing existing gun laws. Then the gun group charged the president tolerated gun violence for political advantage.

Observers say the strategy looks familiar.

Every time there's a school shooting or mass killing, Clinton urges passage of new gun control laws. And every time—in order to deflect from the carnage, say some observers—you can count on the NRA to attack Clinton.

In 2016, they went after then-presidential candidate (and former US Senator and Secretary of State) Hillary Clinton.

From the National Women's History Museum

From US News and World Report, dated 9/22/2016 -

NRA Ad: Hillary Clinton Could Get Rid of Your Guns

A new advertisement from the National Rifle Association asserts that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will take away people's right to self-defense via firearm.

The ad, which runs for 30 seconds, features a woman in bed hearing the sound of breaking glass in her house and leaping up to call 911.

“She’ll call 911," a narrator says. "Average response time: 11 minutes. Too late.”

The woman reaches for a safe and inputs the code to get out a handgun, but then the safe and the gun disappear.

“She keeps a firearm in this safe for protection. But Hillary Clinton could take away her right to self-defense,” the narrator explains. “And with Supreme Court justices, Hillary can.”

It's been said that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

The NRA is *very* consistent.