Thursday, February 23, 2017

The press and Trump

I have never seen the press act the way they are now.

Not during the first 100 days of a presidency, to be sure.

That is known as "the honeymoon."

President Donald Trump has been denied that.

Bob Somerby (DAILY HOWLER) always argues Bill Clinton did not get that honeymoon period.  He got treated a lot easier than Mr. Trump.

I want to be clear that I am not saying we should give presidents a honeymoon period.  But I am saying that we have, repeatedly.  Until now.


 John V. Walsh (DISSIDENT VOICE) reports:


Trump: “Unfortunately, much of the media in Washington, D.C., along with New York, Los Angeles in particular, speaks not for the people, but for the special interests and for those profiting off a very, very obviously broken system. The press has become so dishonest that if we don’t talk about it, we are doing a tremendous disservice to the American people. Tremendous disservice. We have to talk to find out what’s going on, because the press honestly is out of control. The level of dishonesty is out of control.”


Sounds like what many “progressives” have been saying for a mighty long time, and it deserves resounding applause from them.


Trump: “And I’ll tell you what else I see. I see tone. You know the word ‘tone.’ The tone is such hatred. I’m really not a bad person, by the way. No, but the tone is such — I do get good ratings, you have to admit that — the tone is such hatred.”


And: “Now, I will say this. I watch it. I see it. I’m amazed by it. The public gets it, you know. Look, when I go to rallies, they turn around, they start screaming at CNN. They want to throw their placards at CNN. You know.”


The bias of the press against Trump is so obvious and heavy handed that no one can miss it. I asked one friend who is an avid and careful reader of the NYT whether he could name a single pro-Trump article over the last year. He could not. Does the press believe that the public are such fools that they cannot see this tone? This is but one more sign of the contempt that the clueless Elite have for the working stiff.
The press is biased against Donald Trump.

And that is why so many feel sympathy for him.


This is C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot" for today:


Thursday, February 23, 2017.  Chaos and violence continue, the western press continues to lionize (via coverage) an apparent suicide bomber while ignoring the death of a US servicemember in Iraq, The Mosul Slog continues, and much more.


Two foreign deaths this week in Iraq.  A Brit apparently blows himself intentionally and am American dies serving.

Which one did western media glom on?

Which one do you think?

Link to headline article
ISIS Says British Militant Carried Out Suicide Attack in IraqThe possibility that a former Guantánamo inmate had blown himself up stirred outrage in British tabloids, and prompted a strong response from former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Profile image of authorThe New York Times
Feb 23, 2017



A strong response from War Criminal Tony Blair?

As we noted yesterday, the British suspect was (a) released from Guantanamo at the urging of the British government and (b) apparently handed one million dollars from the British government.  And Tony's objection?

That press reports are blaming him for both when the million dollars took place after he was out of office.

Again, of the two issues, begging for the release of a prison who allegedly went on to kill himself and others?  That's the one you really don't want to be attached to.

But Tony's always been an idiot.

It's why he gets out of bed each morning, forever convinced that this will be the lucky day the world develops amnesia and forgets his War Crimes.


From the death they can't stop talking about to the one that's barely getting attention . . .





"Pfc. Brian Patrick Odiorne" died serving in Iraq.  The death was announced Tuesday.

 Feb 22

Ware selectmen held a moment of silence to honor Army Pfc. Brian Odiorne, who died in Iraq.


2 retweets2 likes






Jim Russell (MASS LIVE) reports:

 Selectmen requested a moment of silence prior to the start of Tuesday night's meeting to honor a soldier and town resident, Army Pfc. Brian Odiorne, who died the previous day while serving in Iraq.
The more than two dozen attending the meeting stood in silence with selectmen.


 Tiffany Chan (WWLP) offers, "Massachusetts Veterans Services Secretary Francisco Urena told 22News at a State House military event, that Odiorne’s loss is especially tough, since he was just 21 years old." The young man is remembered by many.  Antonio Planas (BOSTON HERALD) includes this:

“He was a very kind and loving soul that always put others first. If you were in need, he’d stay and help even if he just met you. He loved being a peacekeeper, and me and his other brother will miss him more than anything,” Kyle North told the Herald in Facebook messages. “He was my hero. ... Men like him are so rare.”


David McKay (WWLP) notes:

 Odiorne was well known throughout the area. He was a machine shop student at Pathfinder Regional High School, and he was also on the football team. He graduated in 2014. Whether it be in the hallways at school or out on the football field, he was known as a people pleaser.
Coach Chris Pope said, “He was just “OD” that was his name, I probably didn’t know his name was Brian in four years of knowing him. Everybody liked him…I’m sorry to his family, it’s a real loss.”

McKay also explains, "If you would like to make a donation to the Pathfinder Booster Club in honor of Odiorne, you can send it to Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School at 240 Sykes Street, Palmer, MA 01069, c/o Booster Club."


CNN notes the state's Governor Charlie Baker declared Wednesday that he had spoken with the family,  "I said to them, I’m not calling you as a public official, I’m not calling you as your governor, I’m calling you as a dad to speak to how sorry and sad I am that your son, who committed to serve this country, isn’t coming back."








Day 129 of The Mosul Slog and some are trying to sell it as success.

I guess if US troops openly in combat in Iraq qualifies as wonderful to you, then it's a success.

CBS and AP report, "Iraqi federal police pushed their way into the perimeter of Mosul International Airport on Thursday, taking control of the runway amid fierce exchanges of fire with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants hunkered down in several airport buildings, police officials said."  BBC emphasizes, "Foreign troops from the US-led coalition were with the attacking troops, officials told AP, without specifying their nationality."


Sara Hussein and Jean-Marc Mojon (AFP) report:


Senior US officials this week estimated there were only 2,000 IS fighters defending west Mosul, suggesting the jihadist group had suffered heavy losses in the first four months of the operation.

The US-led coalition, which has provided intensive air support as well as advisers on the ground, said before the Mosul offensive began that 5,000 to 7,000 jihadists were in the city.

AFP reporters saw US forces moving into Al-Buseif on Wednesday in convoys of large military vehicles.

A coalition spokesman acknowledged later that US forces had been shot at and returned fire in the battle for Mosul.

"They have come under fire at different times, they have returned fire at different times, in and around Mosul," Colonel John Dorrian said, declining however to confirm if any US troops had been wounded.



So it's a success.

The Mosul Airport has been seized apparently.

It's an end to all those ISIS direct flights to Miami!!!!

The 750,000 people in western Mosul?

The airport seizure means nothing for them.

But the operation has little concern for civilians since day one.

And as Loveday Morris (WASHINGTON POST) notes, while everyone's watching Mosul, the Islamic State appears to be re-entering old territories.


US troops are in combat in Iraq and no one's pretending otherwise at last.  Richard Sisk (MILITARY TIMES) offers up new possibilities:

 U.S. troop increases in Syria and Iraq could be part of the plan for speeding up the campaign against ISIS that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will present to the White House next week, military officials said Wednesday.
Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, told reporters traveling with him in the Mideast, "It could be that we take on a larger burden ourselves" in supporting a combined Syrian Arab and Syrian Kurdish force closing on the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, Syria. "That's an option."


The following community sites -- plus Jody Watley -- updated:






  • The Official Jody Watley Website
    Jody Watley.Black History Month. 10 Strong Women.
    15 hours ago 









    • Posted by at