109 Comments
May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Entitled people, even attorneys, forget that a woman who is past 40 and fed up in America, and who has almost nothing to lose is one dangerous broad. In the last 10 years we have witnessed a parade of conservative women who label themselves as pitbulls in lipstick, tough mamas with AR-15s, and strong bitches who will teach DC a lesson. More often than not, women without privilege keep quiet, knowing these Ladies present no threat to anyone or anything except themselves should their guns go off and maim their colorful pedicures. Stormy showed everyone what it means to have integrity and dignity, without an Ivy League degree and socially acceptable career credentials. Brava Stormy and bravo Lucian for your gratitude when many people would rather not talk about her.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Oh, Lucian, what a wonderful prose poet you are.

The problem with Donald Trump is not just that he thinks he can do anything he wants. It's that dozens of people allowed him to believe that for decades, and now millions more believe it, too. And some of them vote.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

He’s a predator. A dishonest, incompetent, predator. Incapable of accepting consequences.

The only one in this entire situation with dignity is Stormy Daniels.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Editor in me thinks, substitute "sexually predatory men" for "Donald Trump" and it will read "is not just that they think that can do anything they want." Next sentence, replace "him" with "them." This is not meant to diminish in any way the Deranged, Disgusting Defendant's action. ("Officer, sure I was doing 85. But dozens of cars were passing me!")

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When I was a freshman in high school, many moons ago, I went out on a date with a senior boy. It was unexciting. The next day at school, I heard I had “done it with him”. The humiliation and the anger I felt was like fire in my belly! Nothing ever happened between us. I made it my mission not to be meek. I have always supported women since that incident by volunteering at free clinics in the very early 70’s and then volunteering at Planned Parenthood for years. Stormy Daniels is a heroine because she steadfastly told the truth and the Trump attorneys never broke her. I don’t care that she is in the porno world. In the end, she was sexually assaulted by a rapist who illegitimately won a presidency. May he step in quicksand, sink deeply, and never be seen or heard of again.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

In the first few weeks of my sophomore year of high school, I arrived at my locker to find someone had written the words “C—k Teaser” in large, black magic marker. My locker faced floor-to-ceiling windows and was a light orange color so the words really stuck out. When a teacher saw what it said, he looked like he was going to cry and asked if I knew who would do that. I had no idea. In fact, I didn’t even know what it meant but I could tell from his reaction that it was bad. At that point in my life, I had never heard the word “c—k” used in that way. A janitor came to clean it immediately but I was mortified and felt like it was my fault. It turned out to be a boy that I thought was my friend. I was so hurt. He was removed from regular school and had all of his classes in the part of the school for kids with behavioral problems and was not allowed back into the other part of the school. He came to one of my soccer games to apologize but I was too angry to accept it. I just didn’t understand why he would say that about me. The silver lining is that I decided to be very clear about my intentions from that time on.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

That's so sad, Gail. Your pain still resonates. One can only hope the lesson the boy learned is still with him.

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Thank, difny. The really sad part was the loss of that naive innocence that I had before the incident. But it was probably time I started growing up at that point in my life. I was very sheltered by a Catholic family and not exposed to anything sexual - how ironic! I hope that boy did not grow up to be a stalker or worse. Looking back on it, I do find it interesting that he never tried to contact me again after the soccer game. I have a feeling the powers that be in the school gave him a stern talking to. And I have a feeling the incident with me was not the first, or only, one.

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May 12·edited May 12

Yes—your innocence is what makes the story so poignant. I must believe in teachable moments, for teens in patticular. I certainly did things in those years that make me wince remembering. You knew that boy and I didn't, but isn't it possible that after you rebuffed his attempted apology he thought approaching you again could be seen as harassing? I'd just like to think that he learned a painful lesson. But what do I know?

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The deepest part of the hurt was that I couldn’t be friends with him anymore. He had been in some of my classes so I saw him everyday. Then he was just gone. Looking back at this incident with my almost 60 year old eyes, I can see that someone who writes such an offensive phrase on school property does not respect healthy boundaries. So then the question becomes, why didn’t he? What was happening in his life that made him think it was ok for him to do this? And again, it’s been so long since I’ve thought about it, but I know he had done other things to other people. But the part that disappoints me the most is not what he did, but the fact that I blamed myself internally at the time. I hope he grew up to have a happy, productive life. Thanks for letting me process all of this, difny.

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Not knowing you, the boy, or the situation first-hand, I had no business offering unsolicited advice, Gail. If you weren't offended, that's good enough for me.

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May 12·edited May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

YES! May dog hear our plea!

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I really admire your enduring altruistic reaction to that experience, Marlene. Pretty much the same thing happened to me and I drew a selfish lesson that has been formative in my case too, that my friends knew the truth without being told and the rest didn't matter much. If I didn't exactly grow thick skin, it did toughen me up a bit.

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Funny how we grow that thick skin, isn’t it, difny?

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May 12·edited May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

The ultimate price paid is usually brought about by not the act, but the cover-up. Most men in history who have who been convicted of cons, fraud, or worse were brought down by letting hubris get the better of them. tRump is no different - he has spent his whole misbegotten life evading justice by lies, wealth or hubris. Convincing the gullible, the remora, the uneducated, the unaware, the easily bought off was easy. Finally, the worm has turned...

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

the editor in me asks, didn't you mean to write, "Finally, the poisonous mushroom has been identified..."

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I am from southwest CT - his identity was always known. It was, and is, his pride and joy, front and center and a balm to his unquenchable need for adulation, conquest and winning - always winning. No one or nothing else is of any consequence.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Your beautiful writing pulled me in to this story in your own unique way. I loved reading it.

I’m getting tremendous joy thinking about how Stormy is a hero without clout, privilege, wealth or status. Why, she’s just a ‘slut’ - or so they tried to make her out to be- haha- big joke on all of them. His lawyers know who the giant predator without a conscience is. Their biggest mistake was soiling their reputations representing the world’s greatest degenerate.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

".....As your quid for a yet unspoken quo." Magical writing

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Her testimony stood up not just to Donald Trump but changed the accepted narrative for girls and women whose clothes, behaviors, pasts are used to show they deserved rape, harassment, discrimination.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

"And when you’re a star, they let you do it."

Turns out, Donald, they don't LET you do it.

And you're no star, you're an asshole.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

The irony I find most delicious is that he didn't want Daniels' story out just before the 2016 election and yet we're all hearing her story just before the 2024 election.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Different things were revealed when Daniels was on the stand, but the biggest reveal (to me) was that

Necheles, reputed to a much better lawyer than Blanche, was bush league. (There is no dirty joke in there.) She made different kinds of mistakes. Pity.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

You mean like repeatedly mentioning the “orange turd” maybe a dozen times, while her employer, the insipid bastard, aka the “orange turd”, was sitting just a few feet away. I wasn’t in the room of course but I could picture steam blowing straight out of his ears, it made me laugh just thinking about it. This is going to be an interesting week, if you think he hated listening to Stormy Daniels, wait until he has to listen to Michael Cohen drive a stake into his heart. All bets are off on whether he’ll testify, he’s going to be beside himself needing to get out his side of the story, he’s screwed and he knows it. This week may be almost worth the 4 years of listening to his shit that we had to put up with, almost but not quite. 😎

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Agree emphatically. I'm thinking sudden widow maker or thrombosis, even methane poisoning.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Oh Lord, hear our prayer.

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Wait, NINETEEN MILLION VIEWS?!?!*

Ok, but those prayers, whoa...the wishing is not a problem, that's step one or two in the instant dialectic, so why I like the "Instant Karma" version even better is THIS:

No hierarchy required, no choir presupposed, YOU! are in on the whole

unfolding dramaturgical hijinks, get it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLy2SaSQAtA

INSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON). (Ultimate Mix, 2020) - Lennon/Ono with The Plastic Ono Band johnlennon

2.16M subscribers

19,297,085 views* Dec 18, 2016

JOHN LENNON. GIMME SOME TRUTH. THE ULTIMATE MIXES. The Very Best of John Lennon.

36 tracks completely remixed from the original multitracks in Stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Atmos.

Listen to JOHN LENNON like you've never heard him before. OUT NOW → http://bit.ly/JL-GST

INSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON)

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna knock you right on the head

You better get yourself together. Pretty soon you’re gonna be dead

What in the world you thinking of? Laughing in the face of love

What on Earth you trying to do? It’s up to you. Yeah you!

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna look you right in the face

Better get yourself together darling. Join the human race

How in the world you gonna see? Laughing at fools like me

Who on Earth d’you think you are? A superstar? Well right you are!

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun

Well we all shine on. Everyone come on!

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna knock you off your feet

Better recognise your brothers. Everyone you meet

Why in the world are we here? Surely not to live in pain and fear

Why on earth are you there? When you’re everywhere

Come and get your share

Well we all shine on, like the moons and the stars and the sun

Yeah we all shine on, come on and on and on on on

Yeah yeah alright. Uh huh ahh

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun

Yeah we all shine on. On and on and on on and on

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun

Well we all shine on like the moons and the stars and the sun

Yeah we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun

Well we all shine on

************************************

EDIT! And if you cannot realistically play the music loud, headphones bebe! Invest in good headphones!

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I agree, M.T. The stress on his 78 year old corpulent body and diseased mind is taking a toll, and I'm STILL looking forward to a major cardiac event, hopefully in the courtroom.

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May 12·edited May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I'm on Team Debilitating Stroke

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Lock-in stroke, to hope for the worst (most frustrating kind.)

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

And a state he lives in for a long, long, long time with as much spousal/family support as he has received during the trial.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

One where he can't walk, speak, feed himself, toilet himself (questionable that he does that now), but fully aware of his status.

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Oh the irony." Look at my oppomemt, jerking around like, I don't know.He's drooling out the side of his mouth, and the smell..."

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Apocalyptic in the morning?!!!!!!

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May 12·edited May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I sure hope that you are right. I also hope that I am not disappointed by something that happens during Cohen's testimony, some judicial sleight-of-hand- that neutralizes or jeopardizes something he says and negates it . As I have said before, Trump is a virtual Houdini when it comes to escaping justice. I am much anticipating tomorrow's courtroom drama as are a lot of people. Let's hope it plays out as well as Stormy's outing.(pass the popcorn lol)

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I predict, though he is not a savory character, Cohen will push, then twist the knife several times during his testimony.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I can't wait!!

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founding

You have a LOT of company.

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100% here for that!

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May 12·edited May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I read a slightly different analysis by another lawyer, whose take was that the objections that Necheles SHOULD have made but didn't, were a deliberate skip. The idea is that the defense team let Daniels continue testifying under cross examination with all the unnecessary (and vividly sordid) detail go on without objection as a way for them to request a mistrial. Judge Merchan appears to be onto their game and has, hopefully, checked that particular move.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Exactly. Joyce Vance mentions this. . .

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I read it in Jay Kuo's Substack.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Also a fantastic source.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Chilling. Over and over for decades---he slips through holes in our system.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I heard that analysis too, T L, the premise being that she is too good a lawyer to have let that testimony go unchallenged unless it was a tactic.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

There were other issues with her performance.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Can't you see my face in the laughing emoji who has tears coming out of its eyes? There is "no dirty joke in" your using the phrase "bush league." Right. It was only a single entendre. Plus, porno video is most assuredly not "bush" league, in that almost all of the performers, male but especially female, are as hairless as was Yul Brynner's bean. I have, purely in the interests of scientific knowledge, researched this exact matter. Where's that damned Kleenex box? [Insert-- Donald entendre intended--laughing, priapic, emoji here.]

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

!!!!!!!!

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Maybe she didn't make mistakes?

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You know Margo - that was definitely my initial reaction - about her competence, "reading the room" in the broadest sense as well - but a few days later I wonder if some "depth psychology" here would show Susan Necheles, also, was / is cosmically sick and tired of predatory scum like Trump and HERE HE IS , pressuring me to prey on Stormy again, in public, recorded "for the ages and all time on a huge stage," and Susan just said to herself, well, ok, let the chips fall where they may!

I dunno if my wiseass "Susan `Feckless' Necheles" invective was on the mark, I mean... This will be discussed for years, it's already "authentically surreal."

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

All of my female friends are on Team Stormy. We all know what happened. Most of us have had one close call or another. We know this toxic guy. We hope justice is served for his crime of election interference and fraud.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Donny Dumbass also thinks he can do anything he wants if he wins the Presidency again. In his administration there were people in positions who acted as the guardrails to keep him from crossing into authoritarian territory. If he wins another term, he will make sure there will be no one who tells him he can’t do what he wants. He will be unleashed and can finally be the dictator he’s always wanted to be. He’s already told us he’ll be a dictator on Day One, but we all know he won’t stop there.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

A simpler, more direct, and more honest take on how Trump thinks about/deals with women than I've seen anywhere else, ever. Thanks so much.

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May 12·edited May 13Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Well, yeah, but it took D.A. Alvin Bragg to get it all into a courtroom, and Justice Juan Mercan to keep the potentially cartoonIsh proceedings decorous, and I thank them. I must add thanks to the unbelievably enterprising reporter Susanne Craig for unearthing not only the big liar's tax records but also RFKjr's parasitic worm that died on location after eating some of his brain. [argh: Craig's name corrected.]

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Tonight the Orange Turd held a rally in Wildwood NJ. Apparently he kept referencing The Silence of The Lambs character Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter. I think it's supposed to be some "oh so clever" inference that undocumented immigrants are "cannabalizing" America. But I think it was his typical projection: that he thinks he's the big dog that "eats" everybody who crosses his path. I hope Stormy is the one that gives him terminal food poisoning.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Lucien, for all of the truly great writing I’ve read of yours over the decades, this is the greatest piece you’ve ever written. It’s a verbal symphony. I’m going to send out a post tomorrow just linking to this piece. So great, Lucien. I’m rarely inspired to gush like this, so thanks for the opportunity.

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

comeuppance is a good word, better yet....convict!

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May 12Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Ms. Daniels isn't in a government position, but if anyone deserves a nomination for a JFK Profiles in Courage Award, she is - without question - my choice. She in every way should have that lantern-shaped award on her mantel.

Why a lantern? Because, "Light is the beacon of warning, of safety, of hope in the wilderness. A (ship's) lantern symbolizes the search for an honest leader. It lights a dark path, illuminating the proper course. A lantern is in keeping with the profound message of the work, PROFILES IN COURAGE, that a courageous person is one who is honest, has integrity, and finds their own path despite the darkness of outside pressures." (https://www.jfklibrary.org/events-and-awards/profile-in-courage-award/about-the-award)

Once again: "... a courageous person is one who is honest, has integrity, and finds their own path despite the darkness of outside pressures."

Courage comes in all shapes and sizes, and from every walk of life. Thank you for showing us the light, Stormy Daniels.

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