Breaking Fake News Update (v9)

 Fake News Broke on August 15, 2025!

This fake news came after the Alaska (or was it Russia?) summit, where FOTUS met with his idol, Vladimir Putin. He stood on the red carpet, grinning and clapping like a schoolgirl at a Hanson concert as Putin walked towards him (MMMbop). 

Like most world leaders, Putin understands that flattery will get him everywhere; like us, I'm sure he's seen others traipse to the once-dignified Oval Office, bringing copies of the letters to the Nobel Prize guys, hoping to curry favor on tariffs, or to get oodles of US dollars for housing "the worst of the worst" undocumented farmworkers and Chinese restuarant owners who are ruining America. 

Anyway, this one pretty much wrote itself.  And we'll continue to share fake news as it happens. 

Breaking Fake News Update (v5)

   Fake News Broke on August 11, 2025!

This news broke as preparations for the Alaska (or is it Russia?) summit with Vladimir Putin were being fleshed out. FOTUS was offering up ideas on how to end the war in his usual, um, straightforward manner, including possibly giving up some of America's riches buried in Alaska, or Ukraine's riches, without having discussed that with anyone before doing 'the weave.'  

At the same time, he was attacking two of his favorite women of color, both of whom live rent-free in his head, especially since they're from two of his favorite blue states. The combination made this silly post a piece of cake.

We will continue to share fake news as it breaks.  

Breaking Fake News Update (v3)

 Fake News Broke on August 9, 2025!

This news broke as president Trump, aka FOTUS (Felon of the United States), was putting new tariffs on many countries - but not on Russia. It also came right before the summit in Alaska, or as FOTUS suggested at least three times, the summit in... Russia.

We'll cotinue to share fake news as it breaks.

OrangeVerse LXIII: February 19, 2024

                                                                  

A Social Truth

The sudden

death of

Alexei 

Navalny

has made

me more 

and more

aware of

what is 

happening

in our 

Country.

It is a

slow, 

steady

progression,

with 

CROOKED,

Radical Left 

Politicians,

Prosecutors,

and Judges

leading us 

down a path

to destruction.

Open Borders,

Rigged Elections

and Grossly Unfair 

Courtroom Decisions are 

DESTROYING AMERICA.

WE ARE A NATION

IN DECLINE

A FAILING 

NATION!
MAGA

2024

So... God Gave us Trump?

Have you seen the new Trump Adoration video? It's a total rip-off of the famous 1978 Paul Harvey speech, "So God Made a Farmer," of course, and it's a doozy.

In addition to being full of things God would never say, it's full of comical contradictions, such as Trump coming home hungry - in the dark, as he's seen in this picture - but having to wait for Melania to finish lunch "with friends, and then tell the women to come back real soon - and mean it."  

There are other mismatches between the video and the script; you might need to sit through it a couple of times to catch them all.

I took the opportunity to edit the script; if I had the talent and patience, I'd create a video to go along with it, but I'm pretty sure you'll get the picture - all of the pictures, in fact. 

And on June 14, 1946, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a charlatan” so God gave us Trump.

And then God said, “I need someone who will play tennis and baseball while stricken with bone spurs, and use those bone spurs as a reason to avoid fighting for his country,” so God gave us Trump.

And then God said “I need someone who will party all night and then get up in the morning and spend all day lying about his business prowess, talking about his money, and showing off his gold-plated toilet,” so God gave us Trump.

And then God said, “I need someone who will salivate over his own daughter, relentlessly promote her sexy body, and suggest that if only she weren’t his child, he’d be dating her,” so God gave us Trump.

Inexplicably, God said, “I need someone who will get up before dawn and cheat on his first wife with his second, his second with his third, and his third with sex workers,” so God gave us Trump.

And then God said, “I need someone who will mock and denigrate women, boast about sexually assaulting them, say because he’s rich he can get away with it, and buy a beauty pageant so he can prowl the contestants' dressing rooms unabated,” so God gave us Trump.

At some point, God said, “I need to test the capacity of Americans to take their civic duty seriously, and to do that we need a celebrity blowhard who used to call into radio shows using fake names to promote himself to run for the president of the United States,” so God gave us Trump. 

And then God said, “I need someone rude enough, with arms strong enough to push his way through a group of world leaders to get in the front for the picture, and stupid enough to share the nation's secrets with people willing to pay to spend time with him," so God gave us Trump.

And then God said, “I need someone strong enough to suck up to dictators like Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, Kim Jong Un, and Xi Jinping, and bold enough to talk about how much he admires their strength, their total control over their people, their intelligence, and the pageantry of their military parades,” so God gave us Trump.

Again, inexplicably, God said, “I need someone who’s not afraid to lie about belonging to a church, who says the Bible is his favorite book, is unable to mention even a single passage he’s fond of, who will hold the Good Book upside down for a photo op as protestors are cleared from My house, and autograph copies for his adoring fans,” so God gave us Trump.

And speaking of adoration, God said, “I need someone who doesn’t represent anything I stand for, to gloat while others lay hands on him, proclaim him their Savior, and shout his praises from the pulpit,” so God gave us Trump.

And God said, “I need a patriot who’s unafraid to maul and grope the United States flag as if it was one of his sex workers, to hug it and kiss it while making lewd faces, as a crowd of people who despise many of the freedoms the flag stands for cheer him on,” so God gave us Trump.

And God said, “I need someone so self-centered he will mock our war heroes when they disagree with him, call them losers, say he doesn’t like people who were captured and tortured by our enemies,” so God gave us Trump.

And God said, “I need a leader to tell Americans to ‘get over it’ when faced with yet another school shooting, to proclaim he had the tallest building in New York City after terrorists attacked and destroyed the tallest buildings in New York City, and to comfort natural disaster victims by tossing rolls of paper towels to them,” so God gave us Trump.

And God said, “I need someone who will quote the vile language of evil leaders who came before him, taking the words as his own, knowing that others will immediately rise to his defense and take the words as their own,” so God gave us Trump.

And God said, “I need someone who will lie about everything, who will steal from charities, and who will raise children who do the same,” so God gave us Trump.

And God said, "I need someone who will ignore the law when it suits him, and face dozens of civil and criminal charges; someone who will proclaim immunity no matter what, even murder; who'll talk about 'his judges' as if they swore an oath to him, not to the Constitution, and who will, even now, refuse to commit to accepting the results of an election," so God gave us Trump.

And God said, ‘I need someone who will surround himself with people who believe everything he says, twist and turn his worst ideas into action plans, help strip rights away from anyone who disagrees with or has nothing to offer him, and who are willing to go to the ends of the earth in service to him, but not me,” so God gave us Trump.

And then God shook his head and said, “Holy cow, they actually fell for that?”

Sunday School 5/22/22

Let's dive in to your Sunday School lessons, starting with Margaret Brennan and former Dubya and Obama Defense Secretary Robert Gates in the Face the Nation classroom.

On the expansion of NATO, with Finland and Sweden applying to join the alliance, Gates gives Vladimir Putin a lot of credit.

...it's an amazing thing he's done because he's -- he's gotten Sweden to abandon 200 years of neutrality... one of his many huge miscalculations in invading Ukraine is he has dramatically changed the geostrategic posture of western Europe... 

Speaking of the Ukraine war and 'winning,' he said 

If winning means taking over the country and absorbing it into Russia, the whole country, I think that's very unlikely at this point... in terms of pushing on to Odessa or trying to bring a change of government in Kyiv or absorb Ukraine, I think if that's winning, I don't see that he can win. 

Brennan asked about Putin resorting to tactical nukes; Gates said the chance is "low, but not zero." Without any military purpose - "no large masses of Ukrainian forces that would be taken out," the only purpose would be 

to try and break the will of the Ukrainian people. And I think that moment has come and gone. I don't think that there's anything at this point that will break the will of the Ukrainian people.

Not only that, but according to Gates, in that neck of the woods, the winds "tend to blow from the west..." You get the drift of that, right? Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Gates says China can't make up for all the economic losses Russia is facing; he also thinks Xi Jinping will realize that he may have "totally underestimated the West," including America's leadership, Europe's coming together, and the power of the shared sanctions. And, he may have to take a hard look at his own military, given how things have gone for Putin, and ask himself if his military's as good as his people say it is. 

Brennan asked him about "polarization" in our country, which Gates has said was our "biggest threat." He hasn't seen a whole lot of improvement, although "there is one glimmer of hope," thanks to Xi and Putin - and it extends beyond the situation in Ukraine.

They've actually brought Republicans and Democrats together on Capitol Hill, and with the administration.... so maybe that's a foundation. Maybe there's a way to build on that. And, who knows, if you begin to get it in national security policy, maybe you can get it in some other places.

Next, let's head to the right and into the Fox News Sunday classroom, where Martha MacCallum chatted with Brian Deese, National Economic Council director. He's not a fan of the 'r' word, as MacCallum called it, but he sure is a fan of words.

While there are absolutely risks with inflation front -- first and foremost, this is what's most important, the United States is better positioned than any other major economy to bring inflation down and address these challenges without giving up all of the economic gains we've made, and that's because of the strength of our recovery. We have the strongest job market in modern history. Americans are getting back to work in jobs with higher pay. And that's meant that Americans can increase their savings, pay down their debt. Businesses are investing. Entrepreneurs are creating new businesses at record rates. And manufacturing is coming back to the United States at record rates as well...

MacCallum interjected, saying "I know that 'recession' is a technical term -- but you know... whether or not we hit that technical benchmark, Americans feel like they are in a recession... So, I'm asking for your opinion, as the economic advisor at the White House, should people be prepared in the United States that we are or will be in several months heading into a recession?"

Blah blah blah, "people should also take confidence that we are better positioned than any other country to navigate through this and keep our recovery going." blah blah blah 'What we need to do now --" 

And again, MacCallum tried to pin him down. "You know, so I'm just asking, what -- what do you recommend to them in terms of specifics and what they can do to try to whether this a little bit easier as we go through what you're calling a transition?"

Blah blah blah "these prices create real hardship and they also create uncertainty. We understand that" blah blah blah "top economic priority." We can do this, he said, 

First, we need to give the Federal Reserve the independence to do what it does. It has the tools to combat inflation. Second, we need to reduce costs and make things more affordable for families during this period. So, steps that we can take to reduce the cost of the Internet bills that families pay, or the prescription drug prices that they pay a really important right now. And, third, we need to bring down the federal deficit. Because of the president's policies, we've made a lot of progress on that front, the deficit down $1.5 trillion already this year. But we need to make more progress on that as well. That will help reduce price pressures in the economy.

Blah blah blah "we can navigate through to more stable growth that will generate better outcomes for families" blah blah blah "we're on the way. We've got to focus on inflation, and that's what this president is doing."

There was more, but you get the drift. High thump factor - lots of words - but I'm not sure if there was anything in it that mattered. He also talked with Dana Bash in the State of the Union classroom; perhaps there's something valuable in that interview.

Finally, Martha Raddatz talked with former Joint Chiefs chair Adm. Mike Mullen in the This Week with George Stephanopoulos classroom. Like Gates, he was moved by requests from Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

What strikes me... is how deeply neutral they had been for decades and decades and how concerned they obviously are with this threat that has been generated by Putin. And so, I’m encouraged by that. I’m encouraged by the unity of NATO. Almost every European I’ve spoken to considers the threat in Europe now existential to them and I think that speaks to the -- the move on the part of both Sweden and Finland. And I'm -- I'm encouraged by that. I don't think that it will cause, you know, a nuclear action on the part of Putin at this particular point.

He believes Putin originally wanted "to take Kyiv, overturn the government, put a puppet in as a leader," but now "he is going to do everything he possibly can to lose as little in the east as possible." Given that President Zelenskyy also wants that territory, 

I think we're in for a long one. It's going to be bloody. It's going to be visible. It's going to be what war is. I think we'll see Putin continue to devastate the infrastructure with respect to how he approaches it, the long-range weapons. I think what we've done to supply them has been extraordinary, quite frankly, and we need to continue to do that.

He's "encouraged" that communication channels between high-ranking Americans (Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs chair, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin) and their Russian counterparts have reopened. As to what the re-opened communications mean? He said it's hard to know, but it's a "big step... and hopefully" it's a start towards getting "some diplomatic outcome..."

All wars have to end. We need to be thinking more and more about what does that mean, what's on -- both sides, what is -- what's OK so that this is contained as opposed to exploding into a massive Holocaust for not just for the region but for the world.

Moving to North Korean, Mullen called it "deja vu all over again, from his father, and his grandfather, as well as Kim Jong-un himself." There's "no easy answer here," and there's no solution without Beijing.

And our relationship with China is -- is worsening, so that makes it -- solving this more difficult. I'm encouraged by the president's trip. I'm encouraged by the time he spent in South Korea and I know he just arrived in Japan. And I'm encouraged ... that they're working together, and that trilateral peace - Japan, South Korea, and the US - working together is really critical.

He said that Biden's meeting with the other three 'quad' countries - Australia, Japan, and India - is "fully critical to contain what will be a real challenge in North Korea" and its development of nukes.

Finally, because everyone in the classrooms was asked about baby formula, regardless of their role, Raddatz brought it up. I like the way he handled the question, championing the accomplishments of the US military.

..., I'm so encouraged by what our troops have been able to do. So, a C-17 that could fly howitzers, you know, into Germany to support Ukraine, turns around and -- and flies 71,000 pounds of baby formula back to the US. In two days. In two days, land in Indiana. 

Good on them. 

See you around campus.

TGIF 3/18/22

We've all probably had enough bad news or sad news this week, so for this week's TGIF, I'm sharing only 'good week' stories. 

This past Wednesday was National Panda Day. The Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo in Washington DC kicked off a six-month celebration of pandas and partnership with the Chinese. Brandie Smith, the zoo's director, said 

After 50 years, giant pandas remain an iconic species for our zoo. More importantly, they represent how great conservation outcomes can be achieved through great partnerships with our Chinese colleagues.

The first pandas came to the zoo in April of 1972, after President Richard Nixon's groundbreaking visit to China that February. 

Almost as groundbreaking as Nixon's trip to China? The amount of resistance being put forward by Russians who are against Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

• Hundreds of protesters were arrested across multiple Russian cities earlier this week; since the invasion started in late February, over 14,000 have been arrested. They protest, even in the face of up to 15 years in prison.
• A Russian TV station employee held up a 'No war' sign behind the anchor during a broadcast; she was interrogated for over 14 hours, and fined 30,000 rubles - around $280.
• A prima ballerina is leaving the Bolshoi ballet, and Russia, in protest of the invasion.
• A leading Russian rapper is holding "Russians against War" concerts outside Russia; proceeds from ticket sales are being donated to Ukraine.

Closer to home, a benefit concert put on by the Rochester (NY) Symphony raised $58,000 for ROC Maidan, part of the city's Ukrainian Culture Center. The concert was just one of several events planned in the greater Rochester area. 

A few significantly less critical things occurred this week, too. 

• Baseball's Spring Training is underway, after a lengthy lockout of the players by the owners, over what else? Money. It's always about money, one way or another. Playing ball is great; my Boston Red Sox starting the season 2-0 is even better.
• With temps nearing 70 degrees in my neck of the woods, my golfing friends are enjoying a little spring training of their own. One friend faced a nice long birdie opportunity, which sadly turned into a three-putt bogey, but he didn't really care all that much. It was March, and he was playing golf
• The NCAA has entered March Madness, and things are nuts in the men's basketball tourney. There were a few big upsets - bracket busters, they're called - in the first round. For fans of the losing teams, for gamblers, and for folks who did a bracket in a friendly competition, it's not a lot of fun, but it's a blast for the rest of us. 

Those last three items aren't meaningful in the overall scheme of things, and I'm sure there are people who think it's silly to pay attention to them, given what we're up against. But we need our traditions, and we need to get outside on a beautiful Marchday, and we need a sense of community - these days, more than ever.

It doesn't mean we care less about what's going on in the world; it means we're human. 

TGIF, everyone.

If Zelenskyy Zoomed with Trump

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been Zooming around the West; he's spoken with the Canadian parliament, our Congress, and the German Bundestag just in the past few days. In his messages, he's referenced iconic landmarks, historical events, and even the dark days of the nation he's addressing.  

He's a powerful, impassioned, evocative speaker; that's to be expected, given his background as an actor. And, he's getting the lengthy ovations and adulation that a certain former president of ours craved, and still craves. 

Watching the videos and reading the transcripts of his remarks, I can't help thinking what it would sound like if Zelenskyy were to have a "perfect" Zoom call with Donald Trump today. In my mind, I picture it going something like what you see below, put together with thoughts from his message to the Congress the other day, modified with these comments of mine.

Mr. Trump, I'm proud to greet you from Ukraine, from our capital city of Kyiv. A city that is under missile and airstrikes from Russian troops every day, but doesn't give up. And we have not even thought about it for a second, just like many other cities and communities in our beautiful country, which found themselves in the worst war since World War II. 

I have the honor to greet you on behalf of the Ukrainian people. Brave and freedom-loving people, who for eight years have been resisting the Russian aggression, like you say you have been resisting the RINOS in your party, and the fake news media. Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided. The destiny of our people, whether Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to preserve their democracy.

Russia has attacked not just us, not just our land, not just our cities, it went on a brutal offensive against our values, basic human values. It threw tanks and planes against our freedom, against our right to live freely in our own choosing our own future, against our desire for happiness, against our national dreams. Just like the same dreams you have, you Americans, just like anyone else in the United States.

I remember your national memorial in Rushmore, and how you want to see your face there, with the faces of your prominent presidents, those who laid the foundation of the United States of America as it is today. Democracy, independence, freedom, and care for every American, for everyone who works diligently, who lives honestly, who respects you and the law. We in Ukraine want the same for our people. All that is normal part of your own life.

Mr. Trump. In your country's great history, you have pages that would allow you to understand Ukrainians. Understand us now, when we need you right now. They say you don't Remember Pearl Harbor, but we all remember it. Terrible morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Just remember it.

Remember September the 11th, a terrible day in 2001 when evil tried to turn your cities, independent territories, in battlefields. When innocent people were attacked from air, yes, just like no one expected it, you could not stop it. When you suddenly had the tallest building in Manhattan. Our country experiences the same destruction every day. We have very few tall buildings left in our cities. Right now, in this moment, every night, for three weeks now, various Ukrainian cities of Odesa, Kharkiv, Lviv, Sumy, Mariupol, Zaporzhzhia and Dnipro. Our tall buildings are being destroyed, and you, as a builder, I know how this must hurt you. I know you remember, Mr. Trump, when you said that the coronavirus pandemic was the worst attack on your country, even worse than Pearl Harbor. Well, I say to you, the Russian attack is even worse than the coronavirus, for my country.

Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people. Russian troops have already fired nearly 1,000 missiles at Ukraine. Countless bombs. They use drones to kill us with precision. This is a terror that Europe has not seen for 80 years, and we are asking for a reply, for an answer to this terror from the whole world. Is this a lot to ask for? To create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people. Is this too much to ask? A humanitarian no-fly zone, something that Russia would not be able to terrorize our free cities. If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative.

You know, what kind of defense systems we need as 300 and other similar systems. I understand that you are not personally familiar, because of your bone spurs, with how much depends on the battlefield, on the ability to use aircraft, powerful, stronger aviation to protect our people, our freedom, our land. But I can assure you, it is vitally important to have aircrafts that can help Ukraine, help Europe. And you know that they exist, and you have them. But they are on earth not in the Ukrainian sky. They do not defend our people.

Do you recall our perfect conversation back in July of 2019? I do, Mr. Trump. I told you then I had learned a lot from you, and what I learned helped us win the election. You told me you do a lot for my country, more than the Europeans, especially more than Germany. It turns out that even though logically, the European Union should be our biggest partner but technically the United States is a much bigger partner than the European Union and I’m very grateful to you for that because "the United States has been very very good to Ukraine." I asked you for more Javelins, more defensive weapons, and you asked me for a favor. Do you remember that, Mr. Trump?

You asked for my help, and I said yes. I remember that, my people, my country remembers that, the whole world remembers that. And they remember that you refused to give me the aid I so desperately needed, and I had to wait for your Congress to help my country. I cannot wait again, not now. 

'I have a dream.' These words are known to you today, I hope? They are like Pearl Harbor, unforgettable and known to all. I can say I have a need. I need to protect our sky. I need your decision, your help, which means exactly the same. The same you feel when you hear the words, 'I have a dream.'

Ukraine is grateful to the United States for its overwhelming support. For everything that your government and your people have done for us, for weapons and ammunition, for training, for finances, for leadership in the free world, which helps us to pressure the aggressor economically. I would be grateful to you, Mr. Trump, for your personal involvement, for your sincere commitment to the defense of Ukraine and democracy all over the world. 

I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and your country knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what more can be done to help us. And I know you have wealthy friends in Russia, even your son said you have all the money you need from the Russians. We need your help, with the Russians and their money and the oligarchs. Whatever you can do, it’s very important that you do it if that’s possible.

 ... now, it is true in the darkest time for our country, for the whole of Europe, I call on you to do more. Are there oligarchs living in your apartment towers? Are they members of your private clubs? Did they help build your business empire? New sanctions are needed constantly, every week until the Russian military machine stops. Restrictions are needed for everyone on whom this unjust regime is based. We propose that you personally sanction these Russians from whom you get money today and before. You need to cut ties with those who are responsible for their aggression against Ukraine. You must no longer take money from them, anywhere in the world, if we are to break this state terror. All American companies must leave Russia from their market, including your Trump company. Leave their market and their money behind immediately because it is flooded with our blood. That is the favor I ask from you, Mr. Trump.

Please take the lead. If you have Russians in your circle, in your business or personal circle, I'm asking to make sure that the Russians do not receive a single penny that they use to destroy people in Ukraine, and that you cut all ties with them. The destruction of our country the destruction of Europe, all American ports should be closed for Russian goods, all American apartments should be closed for Russian people, all American golf courses - closed for Russians. It all must be closed. Peace is more important than income, and we have to defend this principle in the whole world.

Some people might say you are not a man of principle. I know you are, of some principles. We already became part of the anti-war coalition, a big anti-war coalition that unites many countries, dozens of countries, those who reacted to in principle to your friend, your smart friend President Putin’s decision to invade our country, but we need to move on and do more. If he is your friend, and he wouldn't have done this if you were in charge, think how he would act if you got involved right now? 

We propose to create an association, U24. United for peace, a union of responsible countries that have the strength and consciousness to stop conflict immediately, provide all the necessary assistance in 24 hours, if necessary, even weapons if necessary, sanctions, humanitarian support, political support, finances, everything you need to keep the peace, and quickly save the world to save lives. In addition, such association, such a union could provide assistance to those who are experiencing natural disasters, man-made disasters fell victims to humanitarian crisis or epidemic.

 Remember how difficult it was for the world to do the simplest thing just to give vaccines against COVID to save lives to prevent new strains. The world spent months, years, doing things like that much faster, to make sure there are no human losses. No victims, ladies and gentlemen, Americans if such alliance would exist today, that is U24, we would be able to save thousands of lives in our country. In many countries of the world, those who need peace, those suffer inhumane destruction... We have to stop it. We must preventively destroy every single aggressor or who seeks to subjugate other nations. 

And in the end, to sum it up. Today, it's not enough to be the leader of the nation. It takes to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace. Even in your America first vision, Mr. Trump, peace in your country doesn't depend anymore only on you and your people. Depends on those next to you and those who are strong.

Strong doesn't mean big. Strong is brave and ready to fight for the life of his citizens and citizens of the world; for human rights; for freedom; for the right to live decently; and the right to die when your time comes and not when it's wanted by someone else. By your neighbor. You have called upon your supporters to lay down their very lives over what is taught to their children in school. Can that be more important than to call them to lay down their very lives for children of the world? If you asked them to, how many would? You know the answer to that, Mr. Trump.

Today, the Ukrainian people are not only defending Ukraine. We are fighting for the values of Europe and the world, sacrificing our lives in the name of the future. That's why today the American people are helping not just Ukraine, but Europe and the world to keep the planet alive. To keep justice in history. Now, I’m almost 45 years old. Today, my age stopped when the hearts of more than 100 children stopped beating. I see no sense in life if it cannot stop the deaths. And this is my main issue as the leader of my people, brave Ukrainians. And as the leader of my nation, I am addressing you, Mr. Trump. You are still somehow a respected leader of your great nation. I wish you to be a leader of the world. Being a leader of the world means to be the leader of peace. Help my country with the favor I ask from you. Thank you. 

Sunday School 3/13/22: Extra Credit

 As promised, I'm doing some paneling for your Extra Credit this week. The gang on This Week - Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-SD); WaPo columnist George Will, Jane Coaston, of the NY Times, and Mary Bruce of ABC News joined Jon Karl to chat about Ukraine and more.

George Will gave the best explanation I've heard for us not establishing a no-fly zone; his explanation is simple.

The second use of nuclear weapons was three days after the first in Nagasaki. There hasn't been one since. It's an amazing human achievement and we really don't want Putin to erase that line.

Jon Karl wondered if there was more we could be doing, and he suggested that taking something off the table without drawing a red line in the sand over something - Putin using chemical or biological weapons for example - doesn't make sense. 

Heitkamp pointed out that we did draw a red line: it's NATO territory - that's our obligation under NATO's Article 5 commitment, but she noted some people think we should be doing more.

So, this idea that there is no -- you know, we're not going to provoke World War III, they believe we're already there and that we're simply capitulating for no good reason when we could be stopping it right here.

Mary Bruce was upset that no one in the administration would tell her specifically what they'd do if Putin used chemical or biological weapons. We've already done layers of sanctions.

So, what is still left, if Putin does take this step? And I do think it is notable, while the president has said over and over again, "There will not be any direct engagement between American forces and the Russians," when asked what would happen if Putin did use chemical weapons, he didn't give a definitive answer...

Coaston echoed Will's thoughts on the no-fly zone: it sounds good, which is why over 70% of Americans support it, but at the same time, we're just out of a 20-year war. 

 ...I think that this is a really complicated issue because, on the one hand, you have the optics concerns here, but if you're this administration, you're thinking, if Russia hits a NATO country, if Russia engages in nuclear proliferation, that -- that's a calculus they have not yet begun to contemplate.

Moving to gas prices (anyone with a microphone must mention this at least once a day), Karl referenced some polling showing we think it's OK to "ban Russian oil even if it means higher prices, but we're going to blame Biden." 

Heitkamp said the party in power always gets blamed, but she also pointed out that Biden folks haven't been pushing back effectively on the red herrings, like 

"It's because you didn't build the Keystone XL Pipeline." And I remind them, one of the first things Donald Trump did was give the permit. And in four years the pipeline didn't get built. Why not? Because it wasn't -- it wasn't economical to build that pipeline in those price points.

She also deflated the inflation argument, pointing out that "it was the Trump administration that overspent and drove up inflation." When Karl pointed to the "shocking increase" since February, Heitkamp said it's because we started at "an artificially low price," and "we're shocked because we got used to $2 gas. And that's the problem." 

The best part was when Coaston chimed in.

I also think it's worth recognizing -- and there was a great Fox News piece from 2008 -- that noted that the president has markedly little control of what gas prices are. There is no big "cheap gas" button in the Oval Office. And if there were, somebody would have pushed it.

There was much laughter about her "great Fox News piece" intro, but it's true: there may have been a Diet Coke button, but there's no cheap gas button. 

Karl and Mary Bruce spent some air time patting Trump patsy Kevin McCarthy (R-Cali-largo) on the back for being critical of the people who support Putin. Here's Bruce, saying "that's a lot" for Kevin McCarthy,

who has gone to some lengths to maintain a relationship with Donald Trump. I think you are seeing not just Kevin McCarthy but also Mitch McConnell come out and make clear where they stand on Vladimir Putin. They haven't gone as far though as to directly call out Trump.

McCarthy won't, for sure. The last time he did that, he immediately tucked tail and crawled to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the club championship trophy or a fake Time Man of the Year cover or something. 

I can't decide whether to leave the last word to George Will, or to Sen. Heitkamp; you can decide which you'll carry with you longer.

First, here's Will:

...Putin, like some of the acolytes in this country, is a weak person's idea of a strong person. Strength, you hear all the time, it’s sort of chest beating, dime-store Mussolini kind of toughness and I don't think it goes much deeper than that.

And, here's Heitkamp:

... right now, brave people within Russia are risking their lives to tell the truth about what's happening in Ukraine, to tell the truth about Putin... trying to get rid of disinformation, and we have useful idiots here in this country and, you know, I’m not going to call the whole Republican Party but they own some of this, right? ...people are risking their lives in Russia today to get... the correct information. And ...the propaganda machine in Russia is using these useful idiots in Congress.

Will's right, and so is Heitkamp. The question is, will anyone listen to them? 

See you around campus.

Sunday School 3/6/22: Extra Credit

In your Sunday School, we heard from people who don't get a lot of air time. 

For your Extra Credit, let's dive in with Fiona Hill and Adm. James Stavridis (Ret.) who talked with what's-his-name on Meet the Press. Hill, of course, is a Russia expert - and, more importantly, one of the good people in the Trump administration. Stavridis is a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander. 

Hill was asked to compare Trump's towards Russia with the Biden efforts. While she did say there "was an awful lot" done under Trump, she said

I think there's just the one point that sums everything up... that President Trump at a pretty critical period, withheld military assistance to Ukraine that was desperate for it at that particular junction, basically to get Volodymyr Zelenskyy to do him a personal favor.

That sent a message to Vladimir Putin that "Ukraine is a plaything for him" and for the US, too, and she said that was "ultimately a sign of weakness."

It’s our political divisions, our parties are infighting, which was on full display there, that Putin I think is quite shocked now that we've got some collective action together.

Stavridis talked about the possibility of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which President Zelenskyy wants and the West is resisting. The admiral knows more about this than most people; he implemented one over Libya. And it's not a good idea in this instance. 

It's quite obvious that if we put US (and) NATO jets in the air enforcing a no-fly zone, they'll be going nose to nose with Russian fighter aircraft. Down that path, the potential for miscalculation and a war between NATO and Russia and a war between Russia and the United States rises significantly.

The better alternative is to help Ukraine to "create a no-fly zone" by getting them the Russian-made jets they need, and "more stingers, more missiles that can go higher than stingers." He also said that our allies have enough Russian jets to give Zelenskyy "a chance at air superiority." NATO collectively outnumbers Russia five-to-one in combat aircraft, and four-to-one, so Putin is "not going to cross a NATO border in anger," he said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-Hoping Donald Trump Still Likes Him) recently suggested that the world doesn't need love, sweet love - it needs someone in Russia to assassinate Putin. Hill says  

We have to be extraordinarily cautious about how we talk about this conflict. We need to stop the war in Ukraine, but we have to be very careful about talking about war with Russia, regime change, about these other things because then he absolutely will double down further.

Seems that's the last thing we'd want, right? 

Switching gears, I dropped in on the group chat on Fox News Sunday, hosted by Shannon Bream. On the panel: Jonathan Swan of Axios; Catherine Lucey of The Wall Street Journal; Mo Elleithee from Georgetown University; and Katie Pavlich of "Town Hall." 

Bream asked who President Biden was talking to with his State of the Union address. Swan thought it was "independent voters who have abandoned him in numbers that no one could have believed at the start of his presidency," and said Biden's trying to find "opportunities to not just contrast himself with Republicans, but to contrast himself with the left flank of his own party."  Swan's assessment is spot on, I think.

Crime is one of the opportunities - Biden's got to counter the "defund the police" nonsense, which is the gift that keeps on giving for the Rs. Immigration was an unexpected topic, one that Bream said drew a "huge bipartisan response" but she wondered if anything was going to happen on it.

Pavlich acknowledged Biden's approval Bump after the SOTU, and that he's doing well on Ukraine, but said there's an issue of sustainability with the numbers. That requires policy change, which may or may not happen. She pointed to the midterms as a driver of his message.

The midterms pose another problem for the Dems, according to new ABC News/Washington Post poll which Bream referenced. The poll asked

would you rather see the next Congress controlled by the Republicans to act as a check on Biden, or controlled by the Democrats to support Biden's agenda. And Republicans lead that by ten points.

Elleithee said that kind of polling "usually foreshadows a 'big wave election' in a midterm," but he said the Dems still had a chance to "mitigate some of the expected losses." Biden's SOTU was a big part of that; he suggested he was reminding voters why they voted for him - or, for the Biden that campaigned closer to the middle than many of his opponents. And, he added,

I think it was him sort of reorienting the public perception of the Democratic Party, which, for many months now has been defined by a fight between the left and Joe Manchin, you know, and Kyrsten Sinema over the Build Back Better, right? That was what was defining the Democrat Party in the eyes of many voters. And I think Biden said, let me remind you what you got when you voted for me.

It's not just the Dems who are having issues ahead of the midterms. Sen. Rick Scott (R- Florida Man) is pushing his own 31-page agenda which includes naming the (completed) border wall after Donald Trump, sunsetting all legislation after five years, stopping "left-wing efforts to rig elections" (I assume right-wing efforts in that regard are still fine), requiring  income tax from all Americans, including those living miles below the ridiculous federal poverty level, and more. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Nobody Respects Me Anymore) isn't happy about that, saying

And let me tell you what would not be a part of our agenda. We will not have, as part of our agenda, a bill that raises taxes on half the American people, and sunsets Social Security and Medicare within five years. That will not be part of a Republican Senate majority agenda. 

Bream wondered if the Rs can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat; Lucey thinks they can.

 -- the real thing here is the context, right, which is, as we just talked about, the fact that Republicans are going into midterms that they feel pretty good about. There's a lot of strong indicators for them. Their candidates are feeling pretty optimistic. And Senator McConnell definitely does not want the distraction of a conversation about taxes and Rick Scott's plan.

We'll have to wait and see how that power struggle works out; it might be fun to watch.  For some real extra credit, read Scott's agenda, mull it over, and drop your thoughts in a comment. 

See you around campus.

Sunday School 3/6/22

Most of this week's classroom conversations focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine; Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX), Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, and Florida Man Marco Rubio all made multiple classroom appearances. 

I decided to highlight three other voices, starting with Nadya Tolokonnikova, an activist and founder of Russian punk rock group Pussy Riot. She talked with Jake Tapper on a special noon edition of CNN's State of the Union. 

Tolokonnikova said that there's an "actually much higher" number of Russians who oppose the war than we're seeing on TV, which is amazing given the potential 15-year prison sentence associated any opposition at all, whether it's a social media post or participating in a protest. 

In the face of the ban on social media and independent news organizations, some folks use apps, such as Telegram; in addition, "we learned how to use a VPN over the last couple of years" because they knew crackdowns were coming. Unfortunately, 

...the problem is most of the people, they cannot afford it, just because they -- they don't have knowledge, or they just have to work a couple of jobs to feed their families, because the economic situation is not good in the country.

People she knows are both mad at, and terrified by what's happening in Russia. A 14-year-old friend of her daughter attended a protest and was beaten by the police. The girl's father stepped in, asking the police what they were doing. Unsurprisingly, the police started beating him; he ended up spending a couple of days in jail, "pretty brutally beaten."

And situations like that, they're unfortunately happening quite often. That's why I know that a lot of Russians are trying to leave the country. But, also, there are a number of people who are convinced that they should not leave, because they don't want to give Russia as a gift to Putin. They want to stand their ground.

Asked what might be behind Putin's actions - deteriorating mental health, or him not being held to account over the years for bad acts - Tolokonnikova points to the latter. 

...we have heard a lot of loud, big proclamations from the global community, but, unfortunately, it wasn't followed through. And Putin didn't really feel like he -- him and his closest -- closest oligarchs and cronies suffered from invasion of Ukraine. And I think, partly, what we're seeing right now in Ukraine is the result of complacency of the global community about a situation that happened in Ukraine in 2014.

Lots of people would agree, I think.

On the morning edition of CNN SOTU, one of Tapper's guests was European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He asked her about the potential that Ukraine would be joining the EU, referencing her own comments as well as thoughts from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

You have said that Ukraine is -- quote -- "one of us and we want them in the European Union." President Zelenskyy is asking for immediate admission to the EU. His foreign minister tweeted -- quote -- "Historic times require big and historic decisions" -- unquote. Are you going to take such a historic step? And, if so, how long will it take Ukraine to be admitted? Are we talking weeks, months, years?

Seems the timeframe is imprecise. von der Leyen spoke of the Ukrainians fighting "for our common values, that they belong to our European family" and that, by filing the application, Zelenskyy "set a process in motion" that "will take some time." 

But we should not forget that, before this was started, we had already worked intensively together, for example, integrating the two markets, trying to support as much as possible Ukraine, not only financially, but also, for example, in energy security. So, a lot has been done. There has to be done still quite some work for any point of being more closer, but that this process is now in motion, this is without any doubt.

She couldn't say how soon it could happen; "it depends, of course, what - the development on the ground," among other things. The path is clear, but

at the moment being for us the most important is to support Ukraine as much as possible in this existential fight against Russia. This is not only a fight of between Ukraine against Russia, Russia that chose the war against Ukraine, but it's a bigger topic. It's also the democracies fighting the autocracies. And, therefore, it is for us existential really to support in every way possible Ukraine and its brave leadership.

Tapper wondered if a full ban of Russian oil was on the table. The long answer? von der Leyen said there's lots going on that's hurting the Russian economy, and "there's a strong strategy now" saying the EU must end its dependency on Russian fossil fuels.

Therefore, we are just discussing in the European Union a strategic approach, a plan, how to accelerate the investment in the renewables, how to diversify our energy supply, for example, with you, our friends in the United States, where LNG (liquified natural gas) is concerned and other friends around the world, how to invest heavily in biogas, for example, in hydrogen that is homegrown. And this is not only a strategic investment in our energy security, but it's also good for the climate.

Seems the short answer is no - a total ban is not on the table. 

Finally, a quick stop in ABC's This Week classroom, where George Stephanopoulos chatted with Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv. Klitschko said it was "a little bit quiet" in his city, but there were some rocket attacks, and fighting is going on in several cities as the Russian moved closer. He also commented the patriotism of the people, saying they are "very, very motivated to defend our city."

What does he need from the West? It's not a long list, really: unity, pressure, sanctions, and weapons support. Russia's one of the strongest armies in the world, he acknowledges, but

Russians doesn't have so huge will and -- as we Ukrainians. We actually are very much ready. We defend our city, our houses, our families. We defend our lives and our future. And we need -- we very appreciate for the friends. We're very thankful for support, but we have to make much more pressure and help Ukraine. We need the help. We need the help. We're still fighting. We still fight for our country and more pressure, more pressure. And unity between all the democratic countries around Ukraine.

Overall, I think the West - NATO, the EU, and the US - are united in their support. Existing sanctions are crushing the Russian economy; heck, even some of the oligarchs are complaining. We're seeing protests against the Russian invasion around the world, including in Russia, as noted above. Collaboration is happening on how best to get more weapons to Ukraine. It's not perfect - some things just take too long, no matter how fast we start.

Klitschko expressed appreciation for all of that, for sure, but he wasn't shy about what's at stake, in case anyone needed a reminder. 

Ukraine was always friendly nation. We always was friendly country. We never was aggressive to anyone, but right now, we have huge motivation to defend our future, our country. Putin has huge ambition to rebuild Soviet empire. We wasn’t USSR and we don't want back to USSR. We see our future as democratic, modern European country. And we expect support from all world because we're fighting not just for Ukraine, we’re fighting for others. We're fighting for whole modern world. We have to stop Putin all together.

Anyone disagree?

 See you around campus. 

Sunday School 5/19/19

I spent some time with a couple of Democratic presidential candidates today - got two in one classroom (and I could have spent time with a third one had I wanted) - so it was one of those win-win things.

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard chatted with George Stephanopoulus on This Week. Let's take a look, with Hickenlooper up first.

The governor and former veep Joe Biden are sort of in the same lane, George suggested: both are about bringing folks together, ratcheting things down, working across the aisle, and so on -- so why Hickenlooper? He said he was running

...because Donald Trump has been fueling this national crisis of division and it's taking our country backwards. And the answer is not socialism. In Colorado, we were able to bring business and nonprofits together, Democrats and Republicans, to get you almost universal healthcare coverage, to become the number one economy in America, and to beat the NRA with tough gun laws. 

I've been an entrepreneur and a governor. And most of my adult life I've been able to bring adult people together again and again and get tough, progressive things done that people said we couldn't do. And I think it's time to replace the nonsense in Washington with some common sense.  

George pressed him on the 'not socialism' comment, noting it appeared to be a Bernie slam; he also wondered if Hickenlooper was "confident" that consensus-building was what Dems were looking for.

...I spend my whole life, as I said, bringing people together and getting big, progressive things done... I think the real challenge here is how do we get that nonsense that's taking over Washington and replace it with common sense. 

They moved to foreign policy; apparently there's going to be a speech this week, parts of which had been released. George wondered what the part noting might be "looking to withdraw from our global leadership role" due to past "foreign policy mistakes" was all about. Hickenlooper started talking about Trump and his "isolationist and reckless foreign policy" but George wondered who the Dems were that were mentioned in the video.

Well, I don't want to name names, but they're - but they have withdrawn from - you know, they would have the United States withdraw from global engagement and that makes us less safe...

George was not satisfied, asking if any of the 22 other Democrats in the race "call for the retreat" Hickenlooper mentioned.

Almost all the other Democrats - not all, but many of the other Democrats feel that we should back away from fair and open trade. And I believe that, only through, you know, constant engagement and building up that trade are we going to get full security. And I think as we revive US leadership, we're able to not only make our country safer, but as I said we're going to be able to be more prosperous at the same time.

Next, what does he think qualifies him to be commander in chief, given he has no military service or years of experience governing at the federal level.He mentioned a cyber security center in Colorado Springs, deploying the National Guard, and working with military leaders on NORAD. And,

I've, you know, gone out on over a dozen economic development trips, built relationships with leaders around the world. In places like Israel we've had a partnership that addressed terrorism, water conservation, cyber security. I mean, there's a long portfolio there of places where I've been engaged in active foreign affairs.

Noting that Hickenlooper is, at best, polling at 2% (some polls it's only 1%), George wondered if he wouldn't have to start hitting harder at his opponents.

I think little by little, but again, the focus - I'm running because this country is in a national crisis of division and I  -- look, my whole life I've been able to bring people together and get stuff done. I'm the one candidate when you look at the long record of what they've gotten done I can bring -- I really believe I can bring some common sense where right not in Washington you see nothing but nonsense.

Final question: how about running for Senate, instead, like Chuck Schumer has suggested - any chance?

Well, I think I'd be a difficult candidate as a Senator.

And then he repeated, again, his bringing people together and trying to bring common sense to Washington.

Next up - Gabbard. George wondered if she was one of those Dems Hickenlooper mentioned. After explaining her record as an enlistee in the Army National Guard after 9/11, two deployments in the Middle East, and her service in Congress on the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committee, she said

(I) bring that experience to the forefront where as president I will end these counterproductive and wasteful regime change wars, work to end this new Cold War and nuclear arms race, recognizing how wasteful and costly they are. 

And take the trillions of dollars that we've been spending, would continue to spend and invest those resources on serving the needs of the American people, things like healthcare, education, rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, protecting our environment. There are many urgent needs here that we need to address and we've got to get our priorities straight. 

Noting that Gabbard resigned a DNC position because of Hillary Clinton's "hawkish interventionist foreign policy" and wondered if that applied to Joe Biden.

...The problem I have seen is that across both Democrat and Republican administrations, and especially in this Trump administration where, right now, he is leading us down this dangerous path towards a war with Iran... 

George clarified that Trump says he doesn't want a war with Iran, but Gabbard said John Bolton and Mike Pompeo tell a different story.

...I think what we're seeing, unfortunately, is what looks like a lot of people in the Trump administration trying to create a pretext or excuse for us to go to war against Iran, a war that would actually undermine our national security, cost us countless American lives, cost civilian lives across the region, exacerbate the refugee crisis in Europe and it would actually make us less safe by strengthening terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda. 

George hit her on previous comments she's made - that we have to "end the new Cold War,"  that she's softer than some of the other Dems on Putin and Russia, that she's met with Assad, opposed the arrest of Assange, and has "suggested that Russian election meddling is no worse than America's historically." And he asked if she thought Putin was a national security threat. She said her focus is on keeping us safe.

And what I've pointed out consistently, time and time again, is that our continued wasteful regime change wars have been counterproductive to the interests of the American people and the approach that this administration has taken in essentially choosing conflict rather than seeing how we can cooperate and work out our differences with other countries in the world has been counterproductive to our national security.

George wondered if Dems are taking "too hard a line" on Russia.

I think that the escalation of tensions that we've seen between the US and nuclear-armed countries like Russia and China, and you're right, it has come from this administration, it's also come from some Democrats and Republicans in Congress. It has brought us to this very dangerous point where nuclear strategists point out that we are at a greater risk of nuclear war now than ever before in history and we've got to understand what the consequences of that are.  

She mentioned the fake missile warning in her state, telling folks to seek shelter immediately, and how terrifying it was - and that it pointed to the "very real threat we face" if we continue down the Cold War path.

And this is what I seek to change; to build relationships that are build on cooperation rather than conflict, de-escalate these tensions, work out the differences that we have, the problems that we have with other countries... We've got to be able to work with countries like Russia and China to be able to accomplish that objective to keep the American people safe. 

And that's where they left it.

Have fun digesting these two interviews.  See you around campus.