A Deeply Fractured US

[brihard]

"Look! Look over there how bad Trump is!"

Meanwhile: political scandal of century

Were the suppressed Hunter Biden dick pics classified TS//SI, or are you just being silly and dramatic in an attempt to distract from what increasingly looks like serious criminal jeopardy faced by the former president?

Or are you were referring to the self-admitted deference Twitter also gave to content moderation requests from the White House which was, of course, under Republican (read: Trump) control at the time?

 

[Good2Golf]

Were the suppressed Hunter Biden dick pics classified TS//SI, or are you just being silly and dramatic in an attempt to distract from what increasingly looks like serious criminal jeopardy faced by the former president?

TS//TK…

 

[brihard]

TS//TK…

God, I hope not.

There’s a multi-layered joke to be made in this about ‘indoctrination’.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Were the suppressed Hunter Biden dick pics classified TS//SI, or are you just being silly and dramatic in an attempt to distract from what increasingly looks like serious criminal jeopardy faced by the former president?

Or are you were referring to the self-admitted deference Twitter also gave to content moderation requests from the White House which was, of course, under Republican (read: Trump) control at the time?

Do you not know that the scandal has nothing to do with "dick pics"? Do you not know that "content moderation requests" also originated with the DNC and the Biden campaign?

Usually - and this is true for many countries - when a close family member of an important politician benefits from deals cut with parties who might stand to benefit from favourable attention on the part of the politician, the presumption is corruption and investigations are launched. But with Biden, a lot of people are trying very hard to look the other way.

 

[QV]

The selective rage is amazing. “10% for the big guy” and the FBI putting its thumb on the electoral scale is not a problem at all for you BH?

 

[brihard]

Do you not know that the scandal has nothing to do with "dick pics"? Do you not know that "content moderation requests" also originated with the DNC and the Biden campaign?

Usually - and this is true for many countries - when a close family member of an important politician benefits from deals cut with parties who might stand to benefit from favourable attention on the part of the politician, the presumption is corruption and investigations are launched. But with Biden, a lot of people are trying very hard to look the other way.

Of course I’m aware the DNC also leaned on Twitter; that was the ledge of that whole story- though as I said, that game was being played by both sides including the one then in power. I’m being snarky because the Hunter Biden laptop, while revelatory of a guy with some major drug and behavioural issues. Is both a) well known to everybody regardless of how much play it got in Twitter, and b) of little if any relevance to Joe Biden’s fitness for office.

There’s nothing new under the sun, and parties on either side leaning on media to suppress or bury certain stories has always been happening well before Twitter; see, for instance, the ‘catch and kill’ deal negotiated with the National Enquirer vis a vis Stormy Daniels.

The selective rage is amazing. “10% for the big guy” and the FBI putting its thumb on the electoral scale is not a problem at all for you BH?

The FBI has not tried to sway an election; you’re trying to baffle us with bullshit. Maybe it’s simply a matter of your own credulity, but that’s a you thing, not a me thing.

My issue here is that you’re breathlessly trying to push this Twitter thing as if it’s ‘the political scandal of the century’ (it isn’t. Not even close.) while the former president is literally under criminal investigation for stealing and retaining very classified and controlled documents, as well as actually trying to overturn election results- and that’s just the Mar a Lago and Georgia grand juries. There are several further investigations orbiting him too, and the Republican establishment is abandoning him, which puts the MAGA crowd on a direct collision course with the rest of the party. So yeah- of the two, the Twitter thing frankly barely registers.

 

[IKnowNothing]

Were the suppressed Hunter Biden dick pics classified TS//SI,

Come on now Bri, there could be some real scandal on there. Who knows, maybe proof that Hunter and his spouse were appointed to senior White House positions that they were wholly unqualified for. Or proof that while in those positions they just happened to receive beneficial personal treatment (licenses, patents) from foreign governments days after meeting with them in an official capacity. Maaaaybe even the foundations of an agreement that will see Hunter receive billions in investment from a foreign government that was part of his foreign affairs portfolio in the months after Joe leaves office.

 

[brihard]

Come on now Bri, there could be some real scandal on there. Who knows, maybe proof that Hunter and his spouse were appointed to senior White House positions that they were wholly unqualified for. Or proof that while in those positions they just happened to receive beneficial personal treatment (licenses, patents) from foreign governments days after meeting with them in an official capacity. Maaaaybe even the foundations of an agreement that will see Hunter receive billions in investment from a foreign government that was part of his foreign affairs portfolio in the months after Joe leaves office.

The rampant nepotism that characterized the Trump White House is a separate matter. But nepotism is rampant in government anyway; even if it was particularly egregious in the case of his family, I don’t think that’s the fish to fry.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

The rampant nepotism that characterized the Trump White House is a separate matter. But nepotism is rampant in government anyway; even if it was particularly egregious in the case of his family, I don’t think that’s the fish to fry.

I personally loved how much plastic there was at the White House. It's amongst the top things I miss about the Trump Administration

 

[KevinB]

Of course I’m aware the DNC also leaned on Twitter; that was the ledge of that whole story- though as I said, that game was being played by both sides including the one then in power. I’m being snarky because the Hunter Biden laptop, while revelatory of a guy with some major drug and behavioural issues. Is both a) well known to everybody regardless of how much play it got in Twitter, and b) of little if any relevance to Joe Biden’s fitness for office.

There’s nothing new under the sun, and parties on either side leaning on media to suppress or bury certain stories has always been happening well before Twitter; see, for instance, the ‘catch and kill’ deal negotiated with the National Enquirer vis a vis Stormy Daniels.



The FBI has not tried to sway an election; you’re trying to baffle us with bullshit. Maybe it’s simply a matter of your own credulity, but that’s a you thing, not a me thing.

My issue here is that you’re breathlessly trying to push this Twitter thing as if it’s ‘the political scandal of the century’ (it isn’t. Not even close.) while the former president is literally under criminal investigation for stealing and retaining very classified and controlled documents, as well as actually trying to overturn election results- and that’s just the Mar a Lago and Georgia grand juries. There are several further investigations orbiting him too, and the Republican establishment is abandoning him, which puts the MAGA crowd on a direct collision course with the rest of the party. So yeah- of the two, the Twitter thing frankly barely registers.

The bigger issue past Twitter is that the same individual suppressed and derailed an FBI investigation, which really can’t be properly measured as to effects.

I have no love for the Trump family, but I also think that the DoJ needs to aggressively pursue all criminal acts on both sides of the political spectrum.

 

[IKnowNothing]

The rampant nepotism that characterized the Trump White House is a separate matter. But nepotism is rampant in government anyway; even if it was particularly egregious in the case of his family, I don’t think that’s the fish to fry.

I'd argue that nepotism only covers them having the jobs. China patents and Saudi money goes past that into naked corruption and profiteering.

The overall point is that even if Hunter's laptop could be trusted as a piece of evidence after being passed around the like the only joint at a high school party, the odds of it containing proof of actions more scandalous and detrimental to the country than what is readily known to have been done by Jared and Ivanka are precisely nil.

 

[brihard]

The bigger issue past Twitter is that the same individual suppressed and derailed an FBI investigation, which really can’t be properly measured as to effects.

I have no love for the Trump family, but I also think that the DoJ needs to aggressively pursue all criminal acts on both sides of the political spectrum.

Yup, totally agreed. Political corruption should be investigated and prosecuted wherever it’s found. That’s a critical underpinning of a country with a succesful rule of law.

 

[QV]

Of course I’m aware the DNC also leaned on Twitter; that was the ledge of that whole story- though as I said, that game was being played by both sides including the one then in power. I’m being snarky because the Hunter Biden laptop, while revelatory of a guy with some major drug and behavioural issues. Is both a) well known to everybody regardless of how much play it got in Twitter, and b) of little if any relevance to Joe Biden’s fitness for office.

There’s nothing new under the sun, and parties on either side leaning on media to suppress or bury certain stories has always been happening well before Twitter; see, for instance, the ‘catch and kill’ deal negotiated with the National Enquirer vis a vis Stormy Daniels.



The FBI has not tried to sway an election; you’re trying to baffle us with bullshit. Maybe it’s simply a matter of your own credulity, but that’s a you thing, not a me thing.

My issue here is that you’re breathlessly trying to push this Twitter thing as if it’s ‘the political scandal of the century’ (it isn’t. Not even close.) while the former president is literally under criminal investigation for stealing and retaining very classified and controlled documents, as well as actually trying to overturn election results- and that’s just the Mar a Lago and Georgia grand juries. There are several further investigations orbiting him too, and the Republican establishment is abandoning him, which puts the MAGA crowd on a direct collision course with the rest of the party. So yeah- of the two, the Twitter thing frankly barely registers.

So you're ok with "10% for the big guy" so long as it's your team. Got it.

 

[brihard]

So you're ok with "10% for the big guy" so long as it's your team. Got it.

By all means continue to make stuff up. This is not going to be the day where I lose any sleep over your opinion of me or what you try to twist.

 

[QV]

By all means continue to make stuff up. This is not going to be the day where I lose any sleep over your opinion of me or what you try to twist.

Maybe you could give your "informed and nuanced opinion" as an LEO about the Hunter Biden laptop scandal and 10% for the big guy? I've read your thoughts on orange man bad, I'm curious what your thoughts are on the Bidens.

 

[KevinB]

Maybe you could give your "informed and nuanced opinion" as an LEO about the Hunter Biden laptop scandal and 10% for the big guy? I've read your thoughts on orange man bad, I'm curious what your thoughts are on the Bidens.

Maybe this part?

Yup, totally agreed. Political corruption should be investigated and prosecuted wherever it’s found. That’s a critical underpinning of a country with a succesful rule of law.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Of course I’m aware the DNC also leaned on Twitter; that was the ledge of that whole story- though as I said, that game was being played by both sides including the one then in power. I’m being snarky because the Hunter Biden laptop, while revelatory of a guy with some major drug and behavioural issues. Is both a) well known to everybody regardless of how much play it got in Twitter, and b) of little if any relevance to Joe Biden’s fitness for office.

The FBI has not tried to sway an election; you’re trying to baffle us with bullshit. Maybe it’s simply a matter of your own credulity, but that’s a you thing, not a me thing.

My issue here is that you’re breathlessly trying to push this Twitter thing as if it’s ‘the political scandal of the century’ (it isn’t. Not even close.) while the former president is literally under criminal investigation for stealing and retaining very classified and controlled documents, as well as actually trying to overturn election results- and that’s just the Mar a Lago and Georgia grand juries. There are several further investigations orbiting him too, and the Republican establishment is abandoning him, which puts the MAGA crowd on a direct collision course with the rest of the party. So yeah- of the two, the Twitter thing frankly barely registers.

Hunter Biden's laptop contains information that suggests pay-to-play involving his father. That is directly relevant to Joe Biden's fitness for office.

All the misdirection/misinformation/disinformation attempts to throw sh!t on the story by referring to "dick pics" and what anyone else other than the DNC/Biden campaign was doing to suppress revelatory reporting is unbecoming.

What I see out there is completely f*cked up: people who were all-in on the bullsh!t "oppo research" slime job set in motion by Hillary Clinton's campaign, solemnly nodding along and muttering "that sounds about right" and insisting investigations were merited before it all started spinning off the rails as truth emerged, now trying to play the "nothingburger" card and insisting that there is no apparent impropriety that merits investigation.

There are three scandals, in sequence and decreasing severity, affecting different people and agencies: possible corruption, attempts to cover up corruption, and attempts to cover up the coverup. If Joe Biden took money from a Chinese company (or even tried to find a way to do so) with ties to the Chinese government, it's "a big f*cking deal". It's possible for both Donald Trump and Joe Biden to be corrupt, in different ways, meriting investigation and ultimately criminal prosecution.

 

[brihard]

Maybe you could give your "informed and nuanced opinion" as an LEO about the Hunter Biden laptop scandal and 10% for the big guy? I've read your thoughts on orange man bad, I'm curious what your thoughts are on the Bidens.

Nope, I don’t feel equipped for that. I don’t have enough knowledge of the precise facts, and I don’t have enough knowledge of US law. I know enough about forensic investigation of computer contents to know that it will take people with specific skills and training to be able to ascertain the veracity of any data on that device.

As I said, if there is evidence of corruption, investigate it, see where the facts lead, and see how the law applies.

 

[KevinB]

Hunter Biden's laptop contains information that suggests pay-to-play involving his father. That is directly relevant to Joe Biden's fitness for office.

Yup.

All the misdirection/misinformation/disinformation attempts to throw sh!t on the story by referring to "dick pics" and what anyone else other than the DNC/Biden campaign was doing to suppress revelatory reporting is unbecoming.

Correct

What I see out there is completely f*cked up: people who were all-in on the bullsh!t "oppo research" slime job set in motion by Hillary Clinton's campaign, solemnly nodding along and muttering "that sounds about right" and insisting investigations were merited before it all started spinning off the rails as truth emerged, now trying to play the "nothingburger" card and insisting that there is no apparent impropriety that merits investigation.

Yup

There are three scandals, in sequence and decreasing severity, affecting different people and agencies: possible corruption, attempts to cover up corruption, and attempts to cover up the coverup. If Joe Biden took money from a Chinese company (or even tried to find a way to do so) with ties to the Chinese government, it's "a big f*cking deal". It's possible for both Donald Trump and Joe Biden to be corrupt, in different ways, meriting investigation and ultimately criminal prosecution.

That’s the biggest issue.
Everyone needs to both accept and demand 100% accountability from pubic officials, regardless of their political affiliation and beliefs.

Shakespeare had it wrong, shouldn’t be the lawyers first

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Do you not know that the scandal has nothing to do with "dick pics"? Do you not know that "content moderation requests" also originated with the DNC and the Biden campaign?

Usually - and this is true for many countries - when a close family member of an important politician benefits from deals cut with parties who might stand to benefit from favourable attention on the part of the politician, the presumption is corruption and investigations are launched. But with Biden, a lot of people are trying very hard to look the other way.

You mean like Jared Kushners deal he got with the Saudis?