The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    Richard Day's picture

    COMEY LIVE!

    It is early and Dagbloggers generally have more to do than I on a Thursday Morning.

    But then I thought what the hell; this may be the Congressional Super Bowl as so many pundits have said  the last week or so.

    Let me just start off with a short Seder Video:

    I cite this because it shows the Repub Ad against James Comey?

    I have never witnessed an ad against a former FBI head in my life as Seder points out.

    Supposedly the Senate interview? cross examination? ...of Comey begins in 16 minutes.

    Of couse we all have been given Comey's memo(s) chronicling his meetings with Trump the last few months..

    http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/07/james-comey-trump-russia-testimony-2017-239253

    ​So here goes nothin'

     

     

    Comments

    MSNBC is talking nothing as usual. They did put this repub Schleff? to babble about how terrible Comey is.

    Fox has the guy with the big ears acting like he is fair and balanced.

    "Remember this is he said he said ...." and blah blah blah.

    ha

    CNN is boring presenting its panel of folks.

     


    All these pundits ask the most stupid question regarding our President:

    WHY?

    Look, a dog might lick his privates because he can. But the real reason is that it is too difficult to scratch an itch with claws.

    So what is a dog to do?

    Why does Trump babble and tweet and embarrass himself?

    Because he needs to scratch an itch and he is incapable of communicating like a regular human being!

     


    Opening comments are boring but center on Russia and our elections and both leaders underline the bipartisan nature of the proceedings.

    But if anyone believes for a moment that these proceedings are not political in nature...

    YOU ARE NUTS!


    Comey is giving his opening statement now.

    It is all in the memo by the way.

    ALL I AM TUNED IN FOR IS A DISCUSSION CONCERNING RUSSIAN HOOKERS.


    The repub leader begins with pointed yes or no questions.

    Not so bad.

     


    So far Comey reminds me of John Dean.

    His memory is faultless!


    Well, its Warner's turn.

    1/6/17

    I GOTTA WRITE THIS DOWN!

    And so every meeting or phone call with the prez you wrote a memo?

    Yes, I did this because of my agency's integrity.

    I spoke only twice with Obama in 8 years.

    No memo.

    I spoke once with Bush.

    No memo.


    So the Prez asked everyone except Comey to leave the room on 2/14/17

    HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FOR CHRISSAKES.


    How many investigations does the FBI have going at any one time?

    Ten thousand or so.

    Has the Prez ever inquired into any of those investigations except those dealing with Russia.

    ONE AND THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLASSIFIED AND THE PRESIDENT NEVER DIRECTED ME TO DO ANYTHING CONCERNING THAT INVESTIGATION.


    Second repub up to bat now.

    Comey says:

    I took it as a direction.

    FUCK YOU REPUB.

    Oh those were not his words as far as saying 'direct you to do something.

    But the question needed to be asked, I suppose.


    Dem from Cal up now.

    He was asking me to do something I did not wish to do.

    Was your investigation into the Russian thingy the reason you were fired?

    ABSOLUTELY, I HEAR HIM SAY THAT ON TV!

    WHY DID YOU NOT CONFRONT TRUMP ON THIS REQUEST TO DROP THE INVESTIGATION?

    I probably should have, but I pondered this and said:

    Yes, he is a good man.

    I will see what I can do?

    I was attempting to weasel out of this mess. hahahah


    Now this is interesting and I may come back to this.

    But Comey felt he could not go directly to Justice, because there were no appointments or confirmations to Justice (except Sessions who was recused) so Comey only spoke to others in the FBI.

    Lil Marco is now up.


    Lil Marco thinks he is being clever like the first repub.

    Lil Marxo is defending his prez; no matter how much he hates him.

    hahahahahahah

    Now we hit my friend from Oregon. ha

    The odor os presidential abuse of power is so great.

    hahhahahah

    The romantic dinner. hahahah

    Patronage.

    The underling is expected to perform as dictated by the boss?

    Yes, sort of.

    We just figured that Sessions would do the right thing and get the hell out of the way.

    hahaha

    (We had some classified info on Sessions?)


    Just an aside.

    Comey does not stutter.

    Comey does not evade.

    Comey is really really good.

    When he cannot recall, he tells us.

    But he gives his best remembrance.

    WELL DONE.

    Now we have Snow, who does have a strange vocal presence as usual. hahah


    As another aside.

    I recall the hearings with Gonsales a few years ago. hahahah


    SNOW: Did you show copies of these memos.

    Well, there might be tapes, according to our Prez.

    So I (somehow) sent? copies of my memos to a friend.

    Another repub begins.

    Spoke an hour with Prez about racial police matters.

    Another time he said 'goodby'?

    Would you have been fired if you had let up on Flynn.

    hahahahahahaah

    I DON'T HAVE THE FAINTEST IDEA. 

    hahahahah


    Repub

    Well he said you said.

    WHO ARE WE TO BELIEVE.

    WHAT?

    Well why would you kick everyone else out of the damn room?

    Consistency, demeanor, past history.....

    (Just my thoughts. Because the Prez is a psychopathic liar, a sociological menace to our nation, and a baby)

    ha


    Now another repub?

    SIR ROY BLUNT

    Can I be blunt?

    hahahaha

    In March and April we were not investigating the Trump.

    FUCK YOU BLUNT YOU NON BLUNT ASSHOLE. 

    hahahah

    Did Flynn lie to investigators?

    No communications to Prez concerning what we knew about Flynn.

    I do not wish to be in the room with him again.

    Then why did you speak with him on the phone?

    WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.

    I reported the pc's to justice.

     


    OH Angus is up.

    I like this guy.

    hahhah

    Valentine's Day supper. 

    hahahahah

    We will have a closed session following this session.

    WOW

    Did you take this a directive.

    Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest.

    BINGO SHAKESPEAR KICK IN THE REAR

    HAHAHAH


    See, makes one of my favorite points: these non-partisan Independents come in real handy at times like these! (Even if during campaign season I've heard tell they might sometimes cause real trouble. wink)  Did you see how he really blasted NSA head Michael Rogers yesterday? He doesn't owe loyalty to either party, less amenable to spin and similar bullshit, Or, er lying iiars and non-denial denials and the like.


    looked King up on wikipedia to find he won governorship of Maine running as an Independent, too. And before that, had a lot experience for this particular gig: Soon after graduation from Virginia (law school, 1969) King entered private law practice in Brunswick, Maine. He was a staff attorney for Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Skowhegan. In 1972, he served as chief counsel to U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Narcotics. King served as a legislative assistant to Democratic U.S. Senator William Hathaway in the 1970s. He was also well-known statewide as a television host on public television.[4


    ANGUS again.

    did the fbi contact the Prez concerning counter intelligence and contacts with Russian officials?

    (Again, this Comey never hems and haws.

    Amazing)

    Repub Lankford up.

    I reviewed my memos prior to these proceedings.

    Where are the fucking notes?

    I gave them to investigators.

    Could you ask for those memos back?

    I suppose.

    Please get those docs to us ASAP

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    I dunno I was already fired.

    (response to some silly questions concerning what the FBI is doing now.

    ?

     

     

     


    Oh here is this guy from W Va.

    Manchin is a good guy. He gets on my nerves but...compared to what?

    Why are we worried about our elections and Russia.

    DID THE PREZ EVER GIVE A DAMN?

    Comey underlines the peril of a Russia rushing into our election process.....

    Nice speech by the way.

    Did you really believe there are tapes and recordings?

    I SURE THE HELL HOPE SO. RELEASE THEM NOW!

    Mueller will do the right thing.

    xxxxx

    He called me on the helocopter;

    YOU ARE DOING A BANG UP JOB.

    Otherwise this tete-a-tete is:

     


    Oh here come Tommy Cottontail.

    (I HATE THIS GUY. HAHAHAH)

    Well you never left a letter of resignation on his desk?

    I never considered resignation.

    OH NOW WE HAVE A GOOD FEMALE SENATOR.

    You and I are former prosecutors.

    WHY DID SESSIONS RECUSE HIMSELF?

    I dunno what he was thinking or what he is thinking.

    I never discussed this issue with him.


    Cornyn up now.

    (the bastard)

    Now the bastard is attempting to show Comey as a potential felon.

    hahahahahah

    Oh goooooooooood. now we get back at the Clinton E-Mails.

    FUCK YOU CRONYN.

    Here we go.

    Meeting on a tarmac....blah blah blah

    It seems to me that Lynch fucked up.

    OH NO, THIS IS ALL BIPARTISAN AND NON POLITICAL.

    BULLSHITE


    oH GOOD CORNYN IS GONE

    Now for Jack Reed

    I think you have proved today that you are no nut job.

    haahhahhahaha

    I cannot get into the Prez' mind.

    THANK THE GOOD LORD.

    But I know why I was followed.

    It is a very big deal if Americans were involved in the Russian attempt to screw up our election process.

    I cannot interpret tweets.

    hahahahah


    Now our hero vet who was caught! ha

    Senator McCain:

    The Clinton case had been closed before I was gone.

    The Russian case is ongoing as far as I know.

    McCain still has questions....fuck you Senator.

    What a fraud.

    Now he is really saying:

    IF REPUBS GO TO JAIL SO SHOULD THE DEMS.

    FUCK YOU MCCAIN


    McCain is clearly demonstrating his age.

    He is losing his thoughts, he is simply attempting to slam Clinton.

    Finally the octogenarian is hammered down.

    Time for a recess?

    There shall be a closed session now.

    I shall smoke and have a nap

    ha


    McCain is an idiot. He thinks there is a double standard because the email investigation was declared over but the Russia hacking investigation isn't?  Hint:  Hillary was the VICTIM of the latter. The Trumpet campaign  profited AND ENCOURAGED IT!

     I was so frustrated but truly his not being not able too see the difference just makes him look like the partisan fool he is. 

    Comey came out looking pretty good, but would say 


    Hi Cville!

    Hell at one point the old codger referred to President Comey.

    hahhahahhaah

    Yeah, the entire email mess was created by the Ruskies!

     


    You were not imaginging this, Richard, Politico's done a whole story on it. Turns out that at least McCain gets it that that was what happened, so he's not a total dementia case yet:

    McCain: I shouldn't stay up so late watching baseball

    ....he appeared flustered at various points, and it was unclear what his point was.

    “I get the sense from Twitter that my line of questioning today went over people’s heads,” McCain said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “Maybe going forward I shouldn’t stay up late watching the Diamondbacks night games.”
     
     “What I was trying to get at was whether Mr. Comey believes that any of his interactions with the President rise to the level of obstruction of justice,” he continued. “In the case of Secretary Clinton’s emails, Mr. Comey was willing to step beyond his role as an investigator and state his belief about what ‘no reasonable prosecutor’ would conclude about the evidence. I wanted Mr. Comey to apply the same approach to the key question surrounding his interactions with President Trump—whether or not the President’s conduct constitutes obstruction of justice.”
     

    You can tell old McBullshit that his questions didn't go OVER ANYONES head.  Hillary's emails were never hacked and no secrets were lost, and that investigation was complete. Now he wants Comey to say, before the current investigation is anywhere near done that 45 is cleared. 

    This is whole situation is above his head!


    I think you are taking McCain the wrong way. I think he was trying to see if Comey was willing to straight out say Trump has not been cleared as Hillary was. Just because he wants to know what Comey thinks. As inquiring Senators should of any witness. Public hearings are more of a judiciary process, not a legislative one, and McCain has plenty experience at them now. Where the inquirers try to get the witnesses to just tell their side of the story for the public record and the committee members are the judges.

    it was just a struggle with syntax worse than Shrub Bush, he really did sound out of it


    I don't doubt that I could be taking him the wrong way, but the announcement about Hillary was in the context of stating that the case was closed.  I think it is a stretch to say that McCain asked a sensible question.


    your last sentence: fact wink


    The Times has a piece up that includes the transcript of McCain and Comey ... it's even more bizarre than it seemed while listening to it!


    Thanks barefooted, I guess. I was doing something today that required about half my attention and listening to the hearing with the other half. A minute or two into McCain's ramble I started screwing up what I was doing so I turned off the radio. Now  I've watched. I kinda feel sorry for the old fart but but he made about as much sense to me as he ever has.


    McCain’s Surgery May Be More Serious Than Thought, Experts Say

    By Denise Grady & Robert Pear @ NYTimes.com, July 16

    [....] The statement from Mr. McCain’s office said a two-inch blood clot was removed from “above his left eye” during a “minimally invasive craniotomy with an eyebrow incision” at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, “following a routine annual physical.” Surgeons there are not conducting interviews. Mr. McCain’s communications director, Julie Tarallo, said further information would be made public when it became available.

    A craniotomy is an opening of the skull, and an eyebrow incision would be used to reach a clot in or near the left frontal lobes of the brain, neurosurgeons who were not involved in Mr. McCain’s care said.

    “Usually, a blood clot in this area would be a very concerning issue,” said Dr. Nrupen Baxi, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.

    He added, “The recovery time from a craniotomy is usually a few weeks.”

    A statement from the Mayo Clinic Hospital said that the senator was recovering well and in good spirits at home, and that tissue pathology reports would come back in several days.

    But many questions have been left unanswered, including whether Mr. McCain had symptoms that prompted doctors to look for the clot. In June, his somewhat confused questioning of James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director, led to concerns about his mental status, which he later jokingly dismissed by saying he had stayed up too late watching baseball the night before.

    “Usually, a blood clot like this is discovered when patients have symptoms, whether it’s a seizure or headaches or weakness or speech difficulties,” Dr. Baxi said. “Generally, it’s not found on a routine physical because doctors would not know to look for it.”

    The cause of the clot has not been disclosed. The possibilities include a fall or a blow to the head, a stroke or certain brain changes associated with aging. Mr. McCain is 80 [....]


    Maybe, but Hillary had a brain transplant and then Parkinsons and then a body double and ... McCain noted he hadn't slept much, but his statements could have been more than a senior moment, but this operation could take care of such minimally, we simply don't know.

    And McCain at his battiest is much more believable than Trrump's everyday histrionics and lies and weirdnesses. Hoping for a quick recovery so McCain can bash Trump and McConnell some more.


    I am two days late?

    hahahahahahahahahaha

    I cannot stop laughing.

    And it feels like I should be ashamed. 

    hahahahahahahah

    I have despised McCain forever.

    hahhahahahaah

    BUT THE POOR GUY.

    HAHAHAHAHAH

    Does the Senator really know what time it is?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUAYeN3Rp2E&list=RD7uy0ldI_1HA&index=4


    Speaking of cyrogenics as PP is on another thread:
    McCain seemed groggy at the Comey hearing. Here’s one possible reason.
    The week before the high-profile Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, the Republican traveled halfway around the world to reassure allies in the Pacific that the United States remains in their corner. The senator’s grueling travel schedule could be behind why he appeared confused Thursday.
    • By Paul Kane
    • 3 hours ago @ WaPo

    One explanation for McCain’s grogginess: a 75,000-mile itinerary as ‘shadow’ diplomat


    p.s. sometimes seems to me we almost have a parliamentary system already as regards foreign policy...


    That sounds like a Logan Act violation. Unless he is going out contradicting Trump at the behest of the president himself. Which I guess makes as much sense as everything else with this WH


    I think about what I would do if I were representing a country dealing with the U.S. these days, with a President and a Sec. of State that regularly contradict each other, sometimes within hours. And don't seem to communicate much at all with Congress on what they say, even though Congress must approve most deals. I would want to hear from a leading member of the majority in the Senate. Just as far as wassup: what policy is the U.S. really going to follow? If I was representing another country and i was smart about what's going on in this country, that's what I would do, I would want to meet with him or someone of equal stature from the Senate. Just realpolitick at its most basic level.


    McCain says American leadership was better under Obama: report

    By Olivia Beavers @ TheHill.com,  06/11/17 04:02 PM EDT

    Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said American leadership was stronger under President Trump's predecessor, President Barack Obama, according to a Guardian report published Sunday.

    Asked if the country stood on sturdier ground under Obama's leadership, McCain said "yes," according to the report.

    “As far as American leadership is concerned, yes," said McCain, who also vocally criticized many of the Obama administration's foreign policy decisions [.....]

    The top Senate Republican was also asked what "message" the president delivered to the U.K. last week when he publicly criticized London's mayor, shortly after a terror-related attack that left eight people dead and many more wounded.

    “What do you think the message is? The message is that America doesn’t want to lead,” said McCain, chairman on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

    “They are not sure of American leadership, whether it be in Siberia or whether it be in Antarctica,” he added [....]


    Oh here is Chris Hayes chiming in:

    Occam's Razor suggests the president and his associates appear to be covering something up because they are covering something up.

    http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/06/twitter_commentary_about_the_james_comey_s_testimony_before_the_senate_intelligence.html

     


    Excellent op-ed @ NYTimes: Women Say to Comey: Welcome to Our World

    By SUSAN CHIRA, JUNE 8, 2017

    A man is being publicly grilled about why he was alone in a room with someone he felt was threatening him. Why didn’t he simply resign if he felt uncomfortable with what his boss was asking him to do? Why did he keep taking calls from that boss, even if he thought they were inappropriate? Why didn’t he just come out and say he would not do what the boss was asking for?

    Sound familiar? As dozens of people noted immediately on Twitter, if you switch genders, that is the experience of many women in sexual harassment cases. James Comey, the former director of the F.B.I., explained to senators during today’s hearing that he felt acutely uneasy and hesitant to directly confront his boss, the president of the United States. That’s right, even a savvy Washington insider, the same height as LeBron James and no stranger to the cut and thrust of power, seemed slightly ashamed that he had not been able to do so [....]

    Made me think about how I've handled sexual harassment by more powerful men in my past lives: same way he handled the danger, by playing chess! Now that I am too old to be much of a  possible victim, and also broke, I wish I hadn't, I wish I had sued. Hah.


    Couldn't have sued unless your name is Sue. Before year of the Fox (News), that chess board was missing a row on the ladies' side for castling in. Witness the belated Cosby trial(s).


    Great link!


    Best Liveblog ever! Who can give this man a Dayly Liveblog award! 

    (I was sitting in a meeting yesterday and just refreshed this ever once in a while. Thanks Dick!)



    Hi Obey:

    What a nice way to be greeted in the morning!

    Thank you.

    VINDICATION!

    I wonder if the WH has special mirrors installed so that Trump can see a fine younger slimmer and more erudite man smirking back at him every morning?


    (Philosophical question: are monkeys bothered by toothpaste stains on the mirror?)


    I never understand how you catch some things. hahahahah

    YUUUUUUUUUUP.

    I have a new idea for a sitcom...

    THE CHIMPS AND THE SIMPS.

     


    Dawned on to me after seeing PP's news post Felony Alert: Sessions has other undisclosed meetings and your comment here that he's tweeted on it.....that he couldn't hold back from tweeting on it, vetted by lawyer or not, is an important clue on how things are going to play out. Mueller's activities are going to torture and anger him severely, day in, day out for a long time. The only way the GOP Congress can make some progress in other things is by having him stop feeding. But he won't, he can't, that's why he fired Comey in the first place, he wanted it all to stop because he knows his obsession won't stop if the news focus on it all won't stop. He's been "trumped" at his sorest spot, his Achilles heel, illusion of power to direct the narrative broken. It's all downhill from here whether Mueller pins something on him or not. On a personal ambition level, It's ever clearer he's not the man Clinton was to be able to weather Whitewater & Monica day after day and still be able to get on with one's life and job. To get the higher approval ratings Trump wants, he actually has to stop paying attention to the what he considers attacks, but he can't.


    I was struck by how weak a comeback his tweet is. And only ONE tweet? How low-energy of him. 

     that's why he fired Comey in the first place, he wanted it all to stop because he knows his obsession won't stop if the news focus on it all won't stop

    I'm kind of on the fence about this. I've gotten to know a few Trump types in business, narcissistic destructive vulgarians. And one trait is that is they never want the shit-show to stop. They live to fight - it's much more important than finishing any project or making a profit. All that stuff is really an excuse to metaphorically punch someone in the face. If there is nothing to fight about, they'll damn well find something to fight about. If there weren't a Russia investigation to fight about he would do something else that is self-destructive and then fight back at all the consequences of that. It's like that hug-machine that autistic spectrum people need to feel comfortable; Trump needs to feel the pressure of being sued and oppressed and persecuted in order to feel alive. Anyway, that was my running theory of him. But on the other hand, maybe you're right. He seems now not just a miserable vindictive bastard, but just miserable. That one tweet speaks volumes. 


    I agree with you Obey and AA.

    HE CANNOT HELP HIMSELF.

    He has been sued constantly over the last 50 years or so.

    Just pay the attorneys (or pretend that you will pay the attorneys, hahahahah) and sue people or organizations for a billion bucks and evade all laws you can at the time and....

    But America spoke!

    And sometimes, America sucks!

    ha

    As he digs deeper and deeper (34% approval now with Quin.) there might be a election swing.

    LET US PRAY.