Sunny-bright and windy this early-evening Thursday here on California’s north coast, another good-as-it-gets day, with an added benefit of some sweeping sea breezes.
Artwork, Pablo Picasso’s ‘Agonizing Horse’ (found here), is a bite into the horror of nationalism, an optimistic prediction of its downfall.
In sequence, today marks 75 years since the D-Day invasion, June 6, 1944, an event leading to the end of World War II.
One of America’s greatest war events, maybe a biggie in all of world history, and to celebrate the anniversary a commemoration was held way-early this morning in Normandy, France, the T-Rump, Melania, French President Emmanuel Macron, his wife Brigitte, a few others, paid homage to an actual way-horrible affair.
And, of course, the T-Rump made it worse. After the ceremonial gathering, he appeared with his most-favorite TV people, graves of American D-Day soldiers in the background, and asshole-talked (via Newsweek this afternoon):
Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle host Laura Ingraham asked Trump on Thursday if he cares if Mueller testifies before Congress.
“Let me tell you, he made such a fool out of himself the last time,” Trump said of Mueller, “Because what people don’t report is the letter he had to do to straighten out his testimony because his testimony was wrong.”
Trump continued: “But Nancy Pelosi — I call her Nervous Nancy — Nancy Pelosi doesn’t talk about it. Nancy Pelosi’s a disaster, OK, she’s a disaster and let her do what she wants.”
The president concluded, “You know what? I think they’re in big trouble.”
As it happens (Vox): ‘Not to mention the fact that Pelosi was actually in Normandy as well as part of a congressional delegation to commemorate the D-Day anniversary. When asked for her reaction to Trump’s comments, Pelosi replied, “I don’t talk about the president while I’m out of the country. That’s my principle.”‘
Good, no use responding to a douche, anyway.
And Mark Sumner at Daily Kos, from this morning:
The only problem with Trump’s statement on Mueller is … everything.
First, there was no need for Mueller to “straighten out his testimony” because Mueller has never given testimony.
He made a brief 10-minute public statement that mostly consisted of announcing that he was retiring and giving thanks to his team.
That was not testimony.
Testimony is what Mueller will provide when he sits down with Jerry Nadler and the House Judiciary Committee in the near future.
…
Far straightening things out, what the second statement says is exactly the opposite of what the first statement says.
As Mueller said in person to Barr, in the report, and behind the lectern at the Justice Department, he did not feel that the rules allowed him either to indict Trump or even to accuse him of a crime.
His understanding from the beginning of the investigation was that it was his task to bring evidence before the Congress for its consideration.
Mueller hasn’t testified.
He didn’t need to correct anything in his public statement.
And Donald Trump got everything dead wrong.
Also worth noting: Notable bone-spur survivor Trump made these comments against the backdrop of a Normandy cemetery on D-Day, demeaning a Marine veteran who has a Purple Heart and two awards for valor under fire.
All of which is, sadly, completely as expected.
Obvious the T-Rump is going even more nasty-fruitcake….
Picasso’s ‘Horse‘ has input into our our era, fashioned on suffering: ‘Some have interpreted the horse as Franco’s Nationalism, with Picasso predicting its downfall…Picasso has heightened the effect of agony by turning the animal’s tongue into a sort of dagger protruding from its jaws.’