Ruth's Report: Trump continues to lurch around the stage

Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Dancing With Himself" went up earlier tonight.

Convicted Felon Donald Trump grows ever more sinister as the election looms. Maya Mehrara (NEWSWEEK) reports:

A former aide to Donald Trump issued a warning about the National Guard being deployed against American citizens during an interview with CNN, saying that Americans should take Trump's words seriously.

In an interview with FOX News' Maria Bartiromo on Sunday, Trump responded to Joe Biden saying he's not confident the transfer of power after the election will be peaceful due to Trump previously disputing the results of the 2020 election.

Trump said, "I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within...We have some very bad people, some sick people, radical left lunatics. And it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military."

His comments raised concern on social media as people interpreted it to mean he would consider deploying the military and the National Guard against U.S. citizens.

[. . .]

Mark Esper, Trump's former secretary of defense, spoke to CNN's Kaitlan Collins about Trump's comments. "I think we should take those words seriously," he said.

When asked if he feared that Trump would try to utilize the military against US citizens, Esper said, "Yes, I do of course because I lived through that and I saw over the summer of 2020 where President Trump and those around him wanted to use the National Guard in various capacities and cities such as Chicago, Portland, and Seattle."

The comment relates to an allegation from his 2022 book A Sacred Oath that Trump made remarks about invoking the National Guard or the military to "shoot protestors" at the George Floyd marches in 2020.

He is a threat to democracy, he is a threat to everyone of us. Covering the same story, Sarah Fortinsky (THE HILL) adds:

Esper also said he is concerned about the people Trump would bring into his administration if the former president is elected to a second term in three weeks.

Esper said he is concerned “the first year of the second Trump term will look more like the last year of the first Trump term.”

“I think President Trump has learned, the key is getting people around you who will do your bidding, who will not push back, who will implement what you want to do. And I think he’s talked about that, his acolytes have talked about that, and I think loyalty will be the first litmus test,” he added.

He is a threat. To all of us, he is a threat. I do not understand fools like Norman Solomon who state that they are voting for fraud Jill Stein. As Jim noted last night in "Jim's World," "In 2008, he was a pledged delegate for Barack Obama -- a detail he 'forgot' to disclose in his radio appearances. Let's all remember that he's not voting for Kamala. Let's remember that and make damn sure he's never a pledged delegate to the DNC ever again."

Austin Sarat (SALON) reports:

Ever since Donald Trump arrived on the national political scene in 2015, he has displayed a perplexing and troubling attitude toward freedom of speech. At one moment he tries to sell himself as a vigorous advocate for freedom of expression. At another, when someone says something that he does not like or threatens his political interests, Trump will not only denounce the speaker but will call for drastic measures to curtail the offending speech. We were reminded of that again last week by his fury at CBS News for its interview with his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. That fury was first expressed in ways that respect the boundaries and traditions of free expression in the country. But that didn’t last long before Trump called for the punishment of the major broadcaster.

[. . .]

Three years later when he was president, Trump tried to burnish his free speech credentials while also using free speech claims to intimidate those whose understanding of free speech did not align with his own. He did so when he signed an Executive Order on campus free speech. It directed agencies to withhold federal funds from colleges that did not promote “free inquiry.”

And, over the last year, when judges issued gag orders against him in his various legal trials, Trump cried foul and alleged that they violated his freedom of speech.

In September, the former president again waved the First Amendment flag. He said that if he is returned to the White House, he would “bring back free speech in America ‘because it’s being taken away.’” But for all his talk, it is clear that Trump is no card-carrying member of the American Civil Liberties Union.

As Reason’s Damon Root points out, “This is the same Trump who favors government censorship of the internet in order to suppress speech that he finds objectionable. It's the same Trump who favors gutting libel laws in order to make it easier for him to silence journalists who write unkind things about him. It's the same Trump who wants the government to forcibly shutter houses of worship in which people might say, read, or think unpopular things.”

Trump's attack on CBS fits into the profile that Root outlines.

He is an abuser, as Ava and C.I. note in "Media: Abusers Donald and JD fit the pattern:"

When an abuser is 'fact checked' (confronted), they respond with rage. And don't we see that over and over when it comes to Donald and JD?

The coverage of Bob Woodward's book? Asked about it, JD erupted. The author of a laughable tome that slams the people he grew up with was asked about Donald sending COVID tests to Vlad and Miss Sassy immediately went into attack mode. Showing off the most outrageous male bitchy since the death of Paul Lynde, the tubby little cross dresser raged, "I honestly didn't know that Bob Woodward was still alive until you just asked me that question. And that's -- what little I know about Bob Woodward is that he is -- I'm going to use -- I'm going to use a word here. He is a hack. The guy is a hack."

That's an answer?

That's an abuser raging.

And, for the record, Bob Woodward is not a hack. He's written over 20 best sellers. He and Carl Bernstein broke the Watergate scandal.

More to the point, JD was doing 'journalism' in Iraq, remember? While others carried guns and patrolled and fought, baby Vance hunkered over the keyboard and wrote an article or two. That's all he could manage. The brave little toaster -- er, warrior. And he wants to call out Bob Woodward as a hack?

It's laughable. And we should all laugh in JD's face because Miss Sassy can't handle that anymore than Donald can.

Back to Steve Benen:

In recent days, of course, the former president hasn’t just lashed out at those responsible for “The Apprentice” movie. He’s also launched a bizarre campaign against CBS and “60 Minutes,” accusing the outlet and the news program of a “scandal” that does not exist.

Trump has nevertheless repeatedly called for CBS to lose its broadcast license — an appeal that doesn’t actually make sense — a point he seemed especially excited about over the weekend. On Friday night, for example, the Republican said “60 Minutes” should be “taken off the air,” and a day later, he suggested during a Newsmax interview that the government should somehow pull CBS from the airwaves.

And did I mention that Trump said in reference to The New York Times: "Wait until you see what I’m going to do with them"? Because that happened last week, too.

And before insisting CBS should lose its license, Donald was demanding ABC's broadcast license be "revoked."

It's a war on journalism which is a war on the people. And, please note, self-billed 'defenders' of free speech -- Glory Hole Glenn Greenwald, Jonathan Swirley Turley and Matt I Am One Sick F**k Taibbi -- don't say one word. Because they've never really defended free speech. They've only defended right-wingers' hateful attacks.

At THE ATLANTIC, David A. Graham explains:

Is Donald Trump well enough to serve as president?

The question is not temperamental or philosophical fitness—he made clear long ago that the answer to both is no—but something more fundamental.

The election is in three weeks, and Pennsylvania is a must-win state for both Trump and Kamala Harris, but during a rally last night in Montgomery County, northwest of Philadelphia, Trump got bored with the event, billed as a “town hall,” and just played music for almost 40 minutes, scowling, smirking, and swaying onstage. Trump is no stranger to surreal moments, yet this was one of the oddest of his political career.

“You’re the one who fights for them,” gushed Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor and animal-abuse enthusiast, who was supposed to be moderating the event. But it soon became evident that Trump wasn’t in a fighting mode. The event began normally enough, at least by Trump standards, but, after two interruptions for apparent medical emergencies in the audience, Trump lost interest. “Let’s just listen to music. Who the hell wants to hear questions?” he said.

He eventually pivoted for good to a playlist of his favorite songs: “Hallelujah,” “Rich Men North of Richmond,” “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Elvis’s rendition of “Dixie.” At one point, he asked his staff to play Pavarotti and display the immigration chart that he was about to discuss when an assassin tried to kill him this summer.

To watch the event is to see signs of someone having a breakdown. Like Joe Biden’s disastrous debate against Trump in June, when the president’s fumbling performance and struggle to get sentences out made it impossible to believe he was up to the task of serving for four years, Trump’s rally last night would force any reasonable person to conclude that he is not up to the grueling task of leading the world’s greatest nation, handling economic crises, or dealing with foreign adversaries.

He has no idea what is going on. I will repeat, no one in his family loves him. If they did, they would have pulled him aside months ago and told him to step out of the race. Age is not funny nor is aging. I have been making this point with regard to Mr. Trump for some time and I often point out when I do that my own family had to speak to me about driving. They do not feel it is safe for me to be driving. I did not have a hissy fit. I took it for the care and concern it was and I do not drive now.

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

Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Every day the stakes in this election get higher.

Let's open with this from Kamala Harris noting a passing:

Lilly Ledbetter was a tireless leader in the fight for equal rights.

After finding out that she had been systematically underpaid for nearly two decades compared to her male colleagues, Lilly became an advocate for equal pay. Her efforts contributed to the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which strengthened protections against pay discrimination, and which was the first bill signed into law during the Obama-Biden Administration.

I have always believed when we lift up the economic status of women, we lift up the economic status of families and communities – and all of society benefits. That’s why I co-sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act in the United States Senate, a bill that Lilly was a powerful supporter of, and which would further increase pay transparency. And that’s why I continue to fight for the Paycheck Fairness Act – to honor Lilly’s legacy, and continue building a more fair and equitable future for women, and all Americans.

Lilly’s advocacy has improved the lives of millions, and will inspire generations to come. Doug and I send our condolences and prayers to the Ledbetter family.

That's a passing of a life that mattered because she stood for something. The United States is supposed to stand for something and if we allow our democracy to pass in this election, I wonder who would be left to note it.

He is the most dangerous person ever. I had suspicions when I talked to you about his mental decline and so forth, but now I realize he is a toral fascist. He is the most dangerous person to this country.

That's what Gen Mark Milley, former Joint Chiefs of Staff, told journalist Bob Woodward who discussed his new book WAR with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC last night.

Steve Benen (MSNBC) notes:

Milley’s assessment of the Republican candidate is rooted in first-hand experience: Trump handpicked Milley to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the general worked alongside the then-president for more than a year.

“No one has ever been as dangerous to this country as Donald Trump,” the general told Woodward. “Now I realize he’s a total fascist. He is the most dangerous person to this country.”

Milley went on to note that he feared a possible court martial in a second Trump term — despite the fact that he’s now a civilian — and those concerns are well grounded. After all, according to Trump’s former Defense secretary, Mark Esper, Trump set out to have two highly decorated retired military leaders — Stanley McChrystal and William McRaven — court martialed for saying things about the former president that he didn’t like.

(It was, of course, impossible to court martial civilians in private life, so the then-president talked to military leaders about the Pentagon recalling the retired general and admiral to active duty so that Trump could formally punisPeoh him.)

As for Milley, Trump used to target the retired general with juvenile taunts — calling the general a “dumbass” and an “idiot” — but it was last fall when the Republican falsely accused Milley of having committed a “treasonous act” in the wake of Trump’s 2020 defeat. “[I]n times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

The accusations were bonkers, though Milley felt the need to take “adequate safety precautions” to protect his family in the wake of the Republican’s radical offensive.

Or put another way, civil life in the United States now involves a former president falsely accusing his former handpicked Joint Chiefs chair of treason, forcing the decorated former general to fear that a politician’s enraged followers might harm his family. The former president’s political party doesn’t find any of this alarming, and Americans might soon return him to power.

People need to grasp that this not normal, this is not politics as usual. When Liz Cheney or Adam Kinzinger speak out, they know they're risking their own safety -- from the nuts in Donald's cult to Donald himself if he becomes president again. This isn't minor, this is about democracy, this is about the country we're going to live in and what type of country it is.

Christopher Mathias (HUFFINGTON POST) explains:

Part of Milley’s warning about Trump revolves around the former president’s promise to get revenge on his perceived political enemies. Trump has frequently told his supporters on the campaign trail: “I am your retribution.” Milley, who clashed with Trump in the White House and who has since been publicly critical of the current Republican presidential nominee, told Woodward that he’s afraid of being recalled from retirement to be court-martialed if Trump wins the election next month.

According to the Guardian’s report on Woodward’s book, Milley warned his former colleagues in Washington that Trump was “a walking, talking advertisement of what he’s going to try to do,” adding: “He’s saying it and it’s not just him, it’s the people around him.”

Milley was pointing in particular to how Steve Bannon — who rose to White House strategist after chairing Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, and who is now in jail for being found in contempt of Congress — has threatened him. “We’re gonna hold him accountable,” Bannon has said of Milley.

Woodward’s book also details a tense Oval Office discussion Milley had with Trump and his second secretary of defense, Mark Esper. Trump reportedly wanted to get revenge on, or potentially court-martial, William McRaven, the retired Navy admiral who led the 2011 mission in which al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed. Trump was enraged that the retired admiral publicly criticized him.

Milley told Woodward he was able to mollify Trump by saying he would “take care” of it but then warned McRaven and other former military commanders to keep off the “public stage” for a while and ease up on their criticisms of Trump.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a HuffPost request for comment about Milley’s reported comments to Woodward.

Milley’s stories about Trump in the White House are similar to recollections from other military figures, including retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, who was Trump’s chief of staff. As noted by the Guardian, Kelly said Trump reportedly insisted that generals should be “like the German generals” serving under Adolf Hitler during World War II, who were “totally loyal.”

On the campaign trail this year Trump has said he’d be a “dictator” on his first day in office. He has also repeatedly used explicitly fascist rhetoric while talking about immigrants in the United States.

Milley is not alone in his assessment that Trump is a fascist.

Robert Paxton, considered one of the foremost scholars of fascism, initially declined to call Trump a fascist during his rise to the White House in 2016, but he changed his tune after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Trump’s incitement of the invasion of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 removes my objection to the fascist label,” Paxton wrote at the time. “His open encouragement of civic violence to overturn an election crosses a red line. The label now seems not just acceptable but necessary.”

That's pretty serious but MEDIA MATTERS' Tyler Monroe notes the media silence that has greeted this:

National broadcast news networks and print outlets buried recent comments from Donald Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff retired Gen. Mark Milley calling the former president “fascist to the core.” Almost all broadcast news shows and the major newspapers ignored the comments, with only NBC’s Meet the Press and The Washington Post covering Milley’s “fascist” remarks.

Reporting surfaced on October 11 that Milley called Trump “fascist to the core” in comments reported in journalist Bob Woodward's upcoming book War. The comments were the latest in a long back and forth between Milley and Trump, with the former president previously suggesting Milley be executed for his comments that Trump was “shameful” and “complicit” in the January 6 attack.

Broadcast and print news almost completely ignored Milley’s characterization of Trump as “fascist.” From October 11, when the comments were first reported, through 12 p.m. ET on October 14, ABC’s Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and This Week; CBS’ Mornings, Evening News, and Face the Nation; and NBC’s Today and Nightly News all failed to mention Milley's comments. Among corporate broadcast news programs, only NBC's Meet the Press discussed the comments at all, with anchor Kristen Welker asking former Rep. Liz Cheney about Milley's comments.

Media Matters also reviewed print articles across five of the top U.S. newspapers by circulation for coverage of Milley's comments and found only one article in The Washington Post mentioning them. The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal all failed to cover Milley's comments calling Trump fascist.

On the October 11, 2024, edition of All in with Chris Hayes, Ian Bassin stressed the need for the American press to put the comments from Milley on “banner headlines.”

Milley's description of Trump as a fascist is just the latest example of a former Trump official denouncing the extremism of the former president.

Greg Sargent (THE NEW REPUBLIC) notes this morning:

Over the weekend, J.D. Vance tried to argue that Donald Trump will not target his political enemies if he’s reelected president. Yet at around the same time, Trump was confirming the opposite point with a new rant Fox News, declaring flatly that he’ll use the military to target the “enemy within.” Indeed, Trump regularly says openly at his rallies that in a second term, he will persecute unnamed enemies of MAGA. We talked to Politico reporter Myah Ward, author of a great new piece on what he’s been saying at these rallies, about how blatant he is now being about his second-term intention to grotesquely abuse presidential power. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.

With all that's going on, you'd think FAIR would be very busy noting how the news outlets work overtime to make Donald sound sane and to ignore his racist threats but, as a former FAIR staffer pointed out to me last night on the phone, FAIR apparently can no longer cover more than one topic. And everything it's done in October -- which we're halfway through with -- has been on Gaza.

Donald's made very clear what he plans to do -- kill Palestinians -- but let's all pretend that didn't take place and let's all pretend -- like FAIR does -- that things are safe and sound in the US and we can put all of our attention across the ocean because we're not in the midst of an election -- certainly not one that'll determine whether we remain a democracy or become a fascist state.

Matthew Chapman (RAW STORY) reports:

Former President Donald Trump's one-time National Security Adviser Michael Flynn is ramping up his apocalyptic rhetoric to a new and dangerous extreme, Ja'han Jones wrote for MSNBC's "ReidOut Blog."

Flynn, who was fired from Trump's administration and took a plea deal for lying to federal investigators about his ties to Russia before being pardoned by Trump, has since descended into extreme conspiracy theory circles, in particular forming close ties to the QAnon movement, which believes Trump must save America from Satanic child sex trafficking cannibals. He has previously suggested the U.S. should undergo a military coup like that in Myanmar.

His latest rhetoric suggests he hasn't backed down from that position at all, Jones wrote.

Flynn recently spoke at the Rod of Iron Freedom Festival, sponsored by a radical schismatic sect of Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church, which worships the AR-15 as a holy instrument ordained by God. And when an attendee in the crowd asked him about the possibility of military tribunals and executions of Trump's enemies, Flynn promised a lot more than that if the former president secures victory.

“I think a lot of people actually think like you do, and I think that that’s your right and our privilege. ... There’s a way to get after this, but we have to win first,” said Flynn. "I’m about winning. We have to win. And these people are already up to no good. So, we gotta win first. We win, and then, 'Katy, bar the door.' OK? Believe me: The gates of hell — my hell — will be unleashed."

Let's wind down with the speech Kamala gave on Sunday in North Carolina:

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, church. Good afternoon.

Oh, please have a seat. Please have a seat. (Laughter.)

Bishop O’neal, I thank you so very much. We — we’ve had some time to visit before we came out into the sanctuary, and I just thank you for the leadership that you have provided for so long.

You know, in times of crisis, and — and we’re looking at the images of the aftermath of the hurricane. But it — it is easy in these moments of crisis to — to question our faith, to sometimes lose our faith for a moment, because what we see is so hard to see that we lose faith or a vision of those things we cannot see but must know. (Applause.)

And you are such a leader in all of those ways, and I thank you. (Applause.) I’m honored to be with you. I’m honored to be with you. I’m honored to be with you. Thank you.

And, KCC family, thank you for welcoming me today. (Applause.) (Laughs.) Thank you. And thank you for the opportunity to allow me to worship with you. It does my heart and soul good.

So, scripture teaches, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Applause.)

So, I first encountered the words of Galatians as a young girl at 23rd Avenue Church of God in Oakland, California, which is where I sang in the children’s choir and first learned the teachings of the Bible. My earliest memories of those teachings are about a loving God, a God who asks us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, to defend the rights of the poor and the needy.

And so, at an early age, I learned that faith is a verb. It is something we show in action and in service. And we show it by heeding the words of my pastor, who Bishop spoke with yesterday, Reverend Dr. Amos C. Brown, who often invokes the words that we all know: One must do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

That truth is important at all times and especially in moments of difficulty and disaster, especially in moments like this, as we navigate storms that have inflicted so much harm across our country.

And to all those who have loved ones who have been affected by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, Doug and I, my husband, are holding of you close in our hearts and in our prayers. And we are thinking of everyone who has been affected by these storms.

Now, I know Helene’s impact was further west, but I also know that the people of Greenville, like all Americans, have been inspired by the way communities are coming together, Bishop, in the wake of these storms. Amid ruined homes, downed power lines, swollen rivers that have been choked with debris, we have seen — we have seen children rescued by neighbors in a kayak; we have seen those who have lost everything gathering donations for others.

You know, it’s been my experience to see that in a moment of crisis, isn’t it something when you know that, often, it is the people who have the least, give the most? (Applause.) Right?

Moments of crisis, I believe, do have a way of revealing the heroes among us, the angels among us, and of showing us all the best of who we are. And these hurricanes have revealed heroes around all of us, heroes who do not ask the injured or stranded whether they are a Republican or a Democrat — (applause) — but who simply ask, “Are you okay?”; who ask, “What can I do to help?” — heroes who, as I like to say, see in the face of a stranger, a neighbor.

Yet, church, there are some who are not acting in the spirit of community. And I am speaking of those who have been literally not telling the truth — lying — about people who are working hard to help folks in need; spreading disinformation, when the truth and facts are required. And the — the problem with this, beyond the obvious, is it’s making it harder, then, to get people lifesaving information, if they’re led to believe they cannot trust.

And that’s the pain of it all, which is the idea that those who are in need have somehow been convinced that the forces are working against them in a way that they would not seek aid.

And let’s let that sink in for a moment. Right now, fellow Americans are experiencing some of the most difficult moments in their lives. Yet, instead of offering hope, there are those who are channeling people’s tragedies and sorrows into grievance and hatred. And one may ask, “Why?” And I think, sadly, frankly, the motives are quite transparent: to gain some advantage for themselves, to play politics with other people’s heartbreak. And it is unconscionable.

Now is not a time to incite fear. (Applause.) It is not right to make people feel alone. That is not what — and this is a church full of leaders — that is not what leaders, as we know, do in crisis.

Now is a time to bring folks together, to come together, to be there for one another, and follow the example of all of the heroes all around us. And now is the time to live up to the fundamental values that reflect our nation at its best: the values of compassion and community and honesty and decency — the values that define the people of Greenville, the — the people of North Carolina, and — and the people like a fellow who I met recently. His name is Eddie Hunnell. And I’m going to tell you a quick story about Eddie Hunnell.

So, I met him in Charlotte the other week. He was visiting Grassy Creek for his son’s wedding when he saw a woman in the raging floodwaters. First, he tried to rescue her by canoe. When that didn’t work, this ma- — a perfect stranger, he’s watching — he jumped in the river and pulled her ashore.

And when I talked with Eddie about his act of courage, here’s what he said to me. He said, “Well I didn’t feel I had a choice.” But, of course, he had a choice. Of course, he had a choice.

But his choice was to take a risk for the sake of another. Didn’t even reflect on the risk he might have been taking. (Applause.) Right?

His choice was to follow his conscience. His choice was, in the words of Isaiah, to be “a refuge for the needy in their distress.” (Applause.) He chose to remember that we are all in this together.

And if that is true during a terrible storm, it is also true when the storm passes. (Applause.) It is true in our everyday lives.

When Paul wrote his letter to the church in Galatia, he knew folks might feel the weight of the burden of doing good, that they may feel a temptation to turn away from others in their time of need, to believe, “What does it matter?” But Paul reminded them and us that God calls us not to become weary of doing good.

Because we each have the power — God tells us this — the power, each one of us, to make a difference. And that tells us that the measure of our strength will be clear when we see what we can do to lift other people up — (applause) — just as Eddie did and as the heroes and the angels in this church and all over are doing after these storms. Across North Carolina, Florida, and impacted communities, we are witnessing faith in action. (Applause.)

So, I close with this. Let us continue to look in the face of a stranger and see a neighbor. (Applause.) Let us recognize that when we shine the light in moments of darkness, it will guide our feet onto the path of peace. And let us always remember that while weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning. (Applause.) (Laughs.)

Thank you. May God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Thank you, church. (Applause.) END

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