Ask Reince Priebus what is the worst job in the world. If you can’t reach Reince, ask John Kelly. Either one will tell you, without reservation, the worst job in the world is being Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff. In 2017, Kelly famously stood in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery as Trump, looking down at the grave of Kelly’s son, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2010, asked him, “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?”
His comment to a man grieving the loss of a brave son shows that there is no way on this planet that the orange traitor will ever care about this country or anyone in it. Humanity means nothing to him.
IIRC he made a similar comment when he was expected to visit a French cemetery where U.S. Marines killed in WWI were buried. It was raining, and according to one report he didn't want to mess up his hair. Of course he lied about it later.
Glad you mentioned the Hatch Act. Meadows as much as confesses to violating it, so a superseding indictment likely is forthcoming. Same for that DOJ putz, Clark.
Lucian, today's column is beautiful. Your tone is so even and snark kept to a whisper. Meadows comes into focus as a waffling shill for his fascist boss. Pathetic fellow, weak chinned, sad, frightened, blood shot eyes. I hope he does big time in the Big House.
Yes.Exactly.Of all of the “ mealy-mouthed “ criminals that need to be silenced, none is more worthy of silencing than my illustrious house rep,the odious Gym Jordan.
You are great at slicing and dicing the facts and turning them into compelling writing even when we’ve know most of the facts for awhile. I look forward to everything your write. Many thanks.
Aug 29, 2023·edited Aug 29, 2023Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV
After reading your words on what Meadows the Modest claimed his role as WH CoS was dawned on me he was 1part personal secretary, 1part gentleman's gentleman, and 1part steward.
Am grateful there will be a lag before the first of multiple Trump trials. The mainstream media will have to address actual news other than wall-to-wall Trump this and that. I know, I know, wishful thinking on my part.
Personally, looking forward to DeSantis donning those white fisherman boots and a windbreaker after a hurricane or two make landfall in Florida, then tossing pudding cups sans spoons to the locals.
We Dems living in DeSantistan have thrilled to his self destruction, he should have his Boswell detail the steps he has taken to destroy his candidancy.
DeSantis inauthenticity, cruelness, and weird frat boy demeanor disqualify him from consideration for the presidency. The free airtime he is receiving in anticipation of a sea monster making landfall isn't helping his image. Remains better suited for a back bencher MAGA Representative.
Ex-Tea Party, one of the founders of the quasi-fascist "Freedom Caucus," was in on the 2013 Congressional budget shutdown, it's like a mug sheet, that bio.
Thanks to Lucian for once again boiling it down to what's what and how it's being handled, no endless hemming-and-hawing about possible side issues, and for covering all of this better than the NY TIMES in terms of avoiding bogus "both sides do it" implications when that larger issue has no bearing on the case(s) being discussed, or reporting outrageous GOP efforts to subvert our voting rights as if, after all, we must expect this from enthusiastic politicians.
Recurring to the weekend's newsletter about the Sunday NY TIMES - there are all sorts of reasons a person could really enjoy reading that newspaper, especially when, like LKTIV, they are entirely able to apply critical thinking skills to the kind of political reporting I just mentioned, and move on to parts of the Sunday edition not routinely tarnished by it. In reply to a comment that was absolutely splenetic with disgust about the NY TIMES, I didn't mean (by citing Chomsky and Hermann's Manufacturing Consent, for example) to mock the entire paper, that would be very silly given the wide range of subjects they cover very astutely.
Forgive me for being naive, but I didn't know it was legal and within the job description to attempt to overturn an election, and participate in an insurrection, or to give aid for an insurrection?
Because I distinctly remember Cassidy Hutchinson, in her appearance before the House Committee on Jan 6th saying that Meadows was making phone calls nearly continuously during that day, and he was fully aware of what was happening on Capitol Hill, yet when asked to ask Trump to do something, he declined, saying "whatever.." or something to the effect.
I would love to believe that a judge in their right mind would also see things that way, but now I'm not even sure I dare hope for such a thing.
Because from what I can see, Meadows does not have privilege within the job description to shelter him from charges and that the case he is involved in (Georgia) should stay right where it is.
You don't get the right to break the law just because you think your job is too important.
I agree with what you wrote. I'm inclined to think that Judge Jones is working to be exceedingly careful about how he addresses his ruling, especially if he rules that Meadows' case cannot be removed to federal court. I expect he wants to be a certain as possible that there aren't any tiny 'crevices' on which an appeal can be based.
A very interesting chain of events. He makes the job sound more like a private secretary to the president than chief of the White House staff. I just checked Wikipedia and in fact that was the role in the early days "Originally, the duties now performed by the chief of staff belonged to the president's private secretary."
Wikipedia : .The chief of staff is the most senior political appointee in the White House. The position is widely recognized as one of great power and influence, owing to daily contact with the president of the United States and control of the Executive Office of the President of the United States.
Historical background
Originally, the duties now performed by the chief of staff belonged to the president's private secretary and were fulfilled by crucial confidantes and policy advisers such as George B. Cortelyou, Joseph Tumulty, and Louis McHenry Howe to presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt, respectively.[1] The private secretary served as the president's de facto chief aide, in a role that combined personal and professional assignments of highly delicate and demanding natures, requiring great skill and utmost discretion.[2] The job of gatekeeper and overseeing the president's schedule was separately delegated to the appointments secretary, as with aide Edwin "Pa" Watson.[3]
From 1933 to 1939, as he greatly expanded the scope of the federal government's policies and powers in response to the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt relied on his famous 'Brain Trust' of top advisers. Although working directly for the president, they were often appointed to vacant positions in federal agencies and departments, whence they drew their salaries since the White House lacked statutory or budgetary authority to create staff positions. It was not until 1939, during Roosevelt's second term in office, that the foundations of the modern White House staff were created using a formal structure. Roosevelt was able to persuade Congress to approve the creation of the Executive Office of the President, which would report directly to the president. During World War II, Roosevelt created the position of "Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief" for his principal military adviser, Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy.[citation needed]
In 1946, in response to the rapid growth of the U.S. government's executive branch, the position of "Assistant to the President of the United States" was established. Charged with the affairs of the White House, it was the immediate predecessor to the modern chief of staff. It was in 1953, under Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower, that the president's preeminent assistant was designated the "White House Chief of Staff".[citation needed]
Assistant to the president became a rank generally shared by the chief of staff along with the other most senior presidential aides such as the White House counsel, the White House press secretary, and others. This new system did not catch on immediately however. Presidents Kennedy and Johnson still relied on their appointments secretaries instead, and it was not until the Nixon administration that the chief of staff took over maintenance of the President's schedule. This concentration of power in the Nixon and Ford White House (whose last chief of staff was Dick Cheney) led presidential candidate Jimmy Carter to campaign in 1976 with the promise that he would not appoint a chief of staff. And indeed, for the first two and a half years of his presidency, he appointed no one to the post.[4][5]
"Narcissists need to feel superior. They need to feel better than other people by comparison. And given that the narcissist always feels like crap, their primary goal is to make others feel worse than them. That's where all the manipulative tactics, passive aggression, belittling… so on and so on, come in. To bring you down as far as they can." Sort of captures dump.
To the extent they were thinking of consequences, the worst any of these jerks thought possible was probably scolding by the libs. So they could do anything. Watching them sweat real justice is soooo satisfying. Meadows could as easily be trying to make a case the moon is swiss cheese.
You wrote: "Watching them sweat real justice is soooo satisfying."
But you know, they're not seeing the current situation as justice descending on their heads. It's a "political witchhunt" and entirely fueled by the hatred of the libdems for the just and righteous conservatives of the country.
Aug 29, 2023·edited Aug 29, 2023Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV
But the courts—except Cannon's—have persistently scorned their denial. That's enough for me. LATER: Actually, if they really believe they're being treated unjustly, so much the better. Makes them even more unhappy and less effectual.
Doesn't mean they aren't sweating, though, even if they consider it a political 'witch hunt'. Doesn't matter how they view it if, in the end, they're convicted of illegal acts under RICO.
Insightful as always my friend. Walking down the road of Republican malfeasance is turning into one hell of a ride. Or has always been one hell of a ride, per the cover of this week's Time Magazine. But this time justice may actually prevail, God willing.
I worked on a show, Celebrate the Century, where we used that song to end the final episode. I played it in my office all the time! It always brings a lot of emotion to me, it was one of my favorite jobs I ever had in my 35 year career.
Aug 29, 2023·edited Aug 29, 2023Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV
"the hard place of Donald Trump’s copious backside," except that Donald's copious backside is as far from literally being hard as a I am, at 70 plus, from being wrinkle-free. We all know this but I couldn't resist pointing it out - any opportunity to dis Donald is a good opportunity.
It is very satisfying seeing Meadows testify to try and save his ass. Arrogant jerk who will not succeed in moving his case to the feds. Also, Judge Chutkin is very well prepared to hold Trump’s attorney’s ridiculous statements at bay. The reason I mention this is because there was great news today regarding the shock having Meadows on the stand AND that Chutkin stated a March 4, 2024 date of trial. Honestly, it’s almost like it’s Christmas.
His comment to a man grieving the loss of a brave son shows that there is no way on this planet that the orange traitor will ever care about this country or anyone in it. Humanity means nothing to him.
celeste, Exactly my thought when I read and re-read it to make sure. He is a vile piece of slime. No wonder Kelly detests dump.
I found that comment the most shocking of anything he said or did while running for and being in office. Absolutely bone-chilling.
Wasn't the Suckers comment referring to those who die for their country made then?
I think that was on a trip to France re not visiting WW1 cemetery.
IIRC he made a similar comment when he was expected to visit a French cemetery where U.S. Marines killed in WWI were buried. It was raining, and according to one report he didn't want to mess up his hair. Of course he lied about it later.
He's disgusting. No rain necessary.
I used to keep wondering where the bottom was, for either him or the GOP. Now I don't want to know.
~brava~
An empty car pulled up to the curb, Donald J. Trump got out.
Glad you mentioned the Hatch Act. Meadows as much as confesses to violating it, so a superseding indictment likely is forthcoming. Same for that DOJ putz, Clark.
Lucian, today's column is beautiful. Your tone is so even and snark kept to a whisper. Meadows comes into focus as a waffling shill for his fascist boss. Pathetic fellow, weak chinned, sad, frightened, blood shot eyes. I hope he does big time in the Big House.
"what was in it for them"...
That sorry son-of-a-bitch.
I would have kicked him in his copious backside.
Granted, my aim isn't the best, so I should probably be grateful for such a large target. Well, an aging liberal can dream...
All I can say is, I hope all of these people go down hard. Of all the mealy-mouthed, entitled BS..., I was only trying to help. Nothing to see here.
#StopMAGARdpiblicans.
Yes.Exactly.Of all of the “ mealy-mouthed “ criminals that need to be silenced, none is more worthy of silencing than my illustrious house rep,the odious Gym Jordan.
“Odorous Gym Jordan”
You are great at slicing and dicing the facts and turning them into compelling writing even when we’ve know most of the facts for awhile. I look forward to everything your write. Many thanks.
After reading your words on what Meadows the Modest claimed his role as WH CoS was dawned on me he was 1part personal secretary, 1part gentleman's gentleman, and 1part steward.
Am grateful there will be a lag before the first of multiple Trump trials. The mainstream media will have to address actual news other than wall-to-wall Trump this and that. I know, I know, wishful thinking on my part.
Personally, looking forward to DeSantis donning those white fisherman boots and a windbreaker after a hurricane or two make landfall in Florida, then tossing pudding cups sans spoons to the locals.
pudding cups sans spoons! very good!
We Dems living in DeSantistan have thrilled to his self destruction, he should have his Boswell detail the steps he has taken to destroy his candidancy.
DeSantis inauthenticity, cruelness, and weird frat boy demeanor disqualify him from consideration for the presidency. The free airtime he is receiving in anticipation of a sea monster making landfall isn't helping his image. Remains better suited for a back bencher MAGA Representative.
Be safe over there, Leigh.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Meadows
Ex-Tea Party, one of the founders of the quasi-fascist "Freedom Caucus," was in on the 2013 Congressional budget shutdown, it's like a mug sheet, that bio.
Thanks to Lucian for once again boiling it down to what's what and how it's being handled, no endless hemming-and-hawing about possible side issues, and for covering all of this better than the NY TIMES in terms of avoiding bogus "both sides do it" implications when that larger issue has no bearing on the case(s) being discussed, or reporting outrageous GOP efforts to subvert our voting rights as if, after all, we must expect this from enthusiastic politicians.
Recurring to the weekend's newsletter about the Sunday NY TIMES - there are all sorts of reasons a person could really enjoy reading that newspaper, especially when, like LKTIV, they are entirely able to apply critical thinking skills to the kind of political reporting I just mentioned, and move on to parts of the Sunday edition not routinely tarnished by it. In reply to a comment that was absolutely splenetic with disgust about the NY TIMES, I didn't mean (by citing Chomsky and Hermann's Manufacturing Consent, for example) to mock the entire paper, that would be very silly given the wide range of subjects they cover very astutely.
Forgive me for being naive, but I didn't know it was legal and within the job description to attempt to overturn an election, and participate in an insurrection, or to give aid for an insurrection?
Because I distinctly remember Cassidy Hutchinson, in her appearance before the House Committee on Jan 6th saying that Meadows was making phone calls nearly continuously during that day, and he was fully aware of what was happening on Capitol Hill, yet when asked to ask Trump to do something, he declined, saying "whatever.." or something to the effect.
I would love to believe that a judge in their right mind would also see things that way, but now I'm not even sure I dare hope for such a thing.
Because from what I can see, Meadows does not have privilege within the job description to shelter him from charges and that the case he is involved in (Georgia) should stay right where it is.
You don't get the right to break the law just because you think your job is too important.
I agree with what you wrote. I'm inclined to think that Judge Jones is working to be exceedingly careful about how he addresses his ruling, especially if he rules that Meadows' case cannot be removed to federal court. I expect he wants to be a certain as possible that there aren't any tiny 'crevices' on which an appeal can be based.
A very interesting chain of events. He makes the job sound more like a private secretary to the president than chief of the White House staff. I just checked Wikipedia and in fact that was the role in the early days "Originally, the duties now performed by the chief of staff belonged to the president's private secretary."
Wikipedia : .The chief of staff is the most senior political appointee in the White House. The position is widely recognized as one of great power and influence, owing to daily contact with the president of the United States and control of the Executive Office of the President of the United States.
Historical background
Originally, the duties now performed by the chief of staff belonged to the president's private secretary and were fulfilled by crucial confidantes and policy advisers such as George B. Cortelyou, Joseph Tumulty, and Louis McHenry Howe to presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt, respectively.[1] The private secretary served as the president's de facto chief aide, in a role that combined personal and professional assignments of highly delicate and demanding natures, requiring great skill and utmost discretion.[2] The job of gatekeeper and overseeing the president's schedule was separately delegated to the appointments secretary, as with aide Edwin "Pa" Watson.[3]
From 1933 to 1939, as he greatly expanded the scope of the federal government's policies and powers in response to the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt relied on his famous 'Brain Trust' of top advisers. Although working directly for the president, they were often appointed to vacant positions in federal agencies and departments, whence they drew their salaries since the White House lacked statutory or budgetary authority to create staff positions. It was not until 1939, during Roosevelt's second term in office, that the foundations of the modern White House staff were created using a formal structure. Roosevelt was able to persuade Congress to approve the creation of the Executive Office of the President, which would report directly to the president. During World War II, Roosevelt created the position of "Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief" for his principal military adviser, Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy.[citation needed]
In 1946, in response to the rapid growth of the U.S. government's executive branch, the position of "Assistant to the President of the United States" was established. Charged with the affairs of the White House, it was the immediate predecessor to the modern chief of staff. It was in 1953, under Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower, that the president's preeminent assistant was designated the "White House Chief of Staff".[citation needed]
Assistant to the president became a rank generally shared by the chief of staff along with the other most senior presidential aides such as the White House counsel, the White House press secretary, and others. This new system did not catch on immediately however. Presidents Kennedy and Johnson still relied on their appointments secretaries instead, and it was not until the Nixon administration that the chief of staff took over maintenance of the President's schedule. This concentration of power in the Nixon and Ford White House (whose last chief of staff was Dick Cheney) led presidential candidate Jimmy Carter to campaign in 1976 with the promise that he would not appoint a chief of staff. And indeed, for the first two and a half years of his presidency, he appointed no one to the post.[4][5]
Average tenure in office
"Narcissists need to feel superior. They need to feel better than other people by comparison. And given that the narcissist always feels like crap, their primary goal is to make others feel worse than them. That's where all the manipulative tactics, passive aggression, belittling… so on and so on, come in. To bring you down as far as they can." Sort of captures dump.
To the extent they were thinking of consequences, the worst any of these jerks thought possible was probably scolding by the libs. So they could do anything. Watching them sweat real justice is soooo satisfying. Meadows could as easily be trying to make a case the moon is swiss cheese.
You wrote: "Watching them sweat real justice is soooo satisfying."
But you know, they're not seeing the current situation as justice descending on their heads. It's a "political witchhunt" and entirely fueled by the hatred of the libdems for the just and righteous conservatives of the country.
Makes me sick, it does.
But the courts—except Cannon's—have persistently scorned their denial. That's enough for me. LATER: Actually, if they really believe they're being treated unjustly, so much the better. Makes them even more unhappy and less effectual.
Doesn't mean they aren't sweating, though, even if they consider it a political 'witch hunt'. Doesn't matter how they view it if, in the end, they're convicted of illegal acts under RICO.
Insightful as always my friend. Walking down the road of Republican malfeasance is turning into one hell of a ride. Or has always been one hell of a ride, per the cover of this week's Time Magazine. But this time justice may actually prevail, God willing.
I hope these judges uphold the clear intent of the Hatch Act law. I have my doubts though.
If you, Good Man, didn't have doubts, then would be obliged to contact you to make certain you were feeling well.
That's for sure!
LOL! Been waiting to post this on any of your comments, Good Man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yCcXgbKrE
I worked on a show, Celebrate the Century, where we used that song to end the final episode. I played it in my office all the time! It always brings a lot of emotion to me, it was one of my favorite jobs I ever had in my 35 year career.
Makes perfect sense to me.
"the hard place of Donald Trump’s copious backside," except that Donald's copious backside is as far from literally being hard as a I am, at 70 plus, from being wrinkle-free. We all know this but I couldn't resist pointing it out - any opportunity to dis Donald is a good opportunity.
It is very satisfying seeing Meadows testify to try and save his ass. Arrogant jerk who will not succeed in moving his case to the feds. Also, Judge Chutkin is very well prepared to hold Trump’s attorney’s ridiculous statements at bay. The reason I mention this is because there was great news today regarding the shock having Meadows on the stand AND that Chutkin stated a March 4, 2024 date of trial. Honestly, it’s almost like it’s Christmas.