Shakesville

Welp

[Content Note: Bigotry.]

So, yesterday, Donald Trump refused to endorse either Speaker Paul Ryan or Senator John McCain: "In an interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday, Trump said he was not backing Ryan in his primary election next Tuesday in Wisconsin, or McCain in his Arizona primary later this month. Both have endorsed Trump but have criticized some of his policies and statements, most recently his belittling of the parents of dead U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan."

And RNC Chair Reince Priebus reportedly went apeshit:

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is "apoplectic" over Donald Trump's refusal to back House Speaker Paul Ryan or Sen. John McCain, a top Republican source said.

Priebus called several Trump staffers, including campaign manager Paul Manafort, to express his "extreme displeasure" with Trump's comments, the source with knowledge of the conversations told NBC News.

Just to be clear: Reince Priebus has not gone "apoplectic" and called Trump staffers to convey "extreme displeasure" when Trump has engaged in rank racism, misogyny, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, white nationalism, defense of his then-campaign manager for attacking a reporter, the overseeing of rallies that disintegrated into violence, insults against his primary opponents, calling Hillary Clinton "the devil," or suggesting via his spokesperson that President Obama having changed rules of engagement in military theater "probably" cost Captain Khan his life even, though he was killed four years before Obama took office.

None of that raised Priebus' ire at all, or at least not the way Trump's failure to endorse other Republicans did.

Which sorta proves the point I've been making all along: That Donald Trump is not, in fact, outside the mainstream of Republican beliefs; he's just less circumspect about his bigotry. And that the only real Republican principle anymore is winning.

Open Thread

image of two baby elephants walking down a dirt road, holding each others' trunks

Hosted by baby elephants.

Question of the Day

Suggested by Shaker Gabriel Lamarre: "What anime or manga can you recommend to your fellow feminists?"

Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime

1970's Coca-Cola jingle.

Photo of the Day

image of Anne Holton, who is married to Tim Kaine, on the campaign trail, smiling broadly and waving

[Photo: Michael Davidson for Hillary for America.]
I've been doing some reading about Anne Holton, who is married to Tim Kaine, over the past few days, and I like her a lot! She seems really swell.

One of my favorite things that I've read is actually something she wrote herself, about her campaign to find permanent placements for older kids in foster care: "Finding Families for All of Virginia's Kids."

About 500,000 young people are in foster care on any given day in the United States, half of them 11 years of age or older. Almost all are there due to abusive or neglectful family circumstances, or because of the physical incapacity or death of a former caregiver.

Some of these young people are unable to be placed in family foster homes because they need treatment or services available only in a group home or treatment facility. Others end up in group homes simply because families could not be found for them. Many young people leave foster care at age 18 without the family support we all so desperately need throughout our lives. It should come as no surprise that they often end up homeless, on welfare rolls, incarcerated, or in mental institutions within a few short years after leaving care.

Through my work in Virginia's juvenile and domestic relations courts before becoming Virginia's first lady, I had the opportunity to meet many remarkable young people in foster care. I have been particularly impressed by older children in foster care striving mightily toward becoming successful, independent adults, but I also have seen how much they still need the love and support of stable, lifelong families.

My goal as Virginia's first lady is to help ensure that all of Virginia's young people have permanent, stable family connections and the community support to sustain them.

I bet she and Hillary Clinton are getting along great. Just sitting on the campaign bus, talking about all the amazing things they want to do for kids. ♥

GOOD GRIEF

[Content Note: Misogyny.]

I've got a new piece up at BNR about the unbelievable, even by Donald Trump standards, Trump campaign event in Virginia today, in which he went after Hillary Clinton with sexist commentary, criticized her for not being besties with Putin, made jokes about a Purple Heart given to him by a supporter, and kicked out a crying baby.

Yeah.

I mean. Yeah.

I Write Letters

To Whom It May Concern:

Donald Trump is not (that he has disclosed, anyway) "crazy." He is not insane, nuts, batshit, wacko, delusional, cuckoo, or any other euphemism for mentally ill.

He is a vile bigot.

The two are not, of course, mutually exclusive—but it is not axiomatic that anyone who holds the extremist views that Trump holds is mentally ill, and it is certainly not accurate that mental illness inexorably or exclusively causes a belief in extremist views.

You probably already know that, though, don't you? It's just something easy you say to demean him and marginalize him! What could be the harm in that, right? Or maybe it's something you say because you genuinely believe he's mentally ill, and, even though, yeah, sure, you totally get why even if he is, it isn't mental illness that's making him a nightmare monster, but what difference does it make to say he's "insane" instead of saying he's a bigot?

Well, funny you should ask.

Because demeaning and marginalizing people by implying they are mentally ill has the effect of demonizing people with mental illness, many of whom, myself included, do not share in common any political views with the likes of Donald Trump. The suggestion that mentally ill people are dangerous and unstable makes an already vulnerable population even more so, and creates a toxic environment in which people deemed "crazy" aren't considered reputable advocates for themselves and their needs, and wouldn't need to be listened to even if they were, because crazy don't get a place at the table.

Hey, here's a fun fact! Do you know one groups which has historically been marginalized with accusations of craziness? Women! And the fact that we have been dismissed as hysterics and lunatics for, literally, centuries is what makes it so easy for Trump and people just like him to still say we have no right to basic equality with a straight face in the public sphere and yet be considered viable candidates for the highest office in the most prominent democracy in the world!

Think of that, next time you want to call Donald Trump "crazy," and think hard about whether it's worth it.

I understand the urge; I used to indulge it myself. I don't anymore.

Sincerely,
Liss

[Previously.]

In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

Yesterday, I tweeted: "Who is going to be the prominent office-holding Republican to have the courage and decency to repudiate Trump and endorse Clinton? Bueller...?" And we now have our answer, if you ignore the "prominent" part and pretend it doesn't matter that Rep. Richard Hanna is saying this as he walks out the door for his retirement: "I have long held the belief that the Republican Party is becoming increasingly less capable of nominating a person who is electable as president. The primary process is so geared toward the party's political base, which ignores the fact that we have largely alienated women, Hispanics, the LGBT community, young voters and many others in general. Thankfully gerrymandering does not protect candidates in a national election. If I compare the life stories of both candidates I find Trump deeply flawed in endless ways. ...For me, it is not enough to simply denounce his comments: He is unfit to serve our party and cannot lead this country. ...While I disagree with her on many issues, I will vote for Mrs. Clinton. I will be hopeful and resolute in my belief that being a good American who loves his country is far more important than parties or winning and losing. I trust she can lead." Thank you, sir. May you be a model for the rest of your party.

On the same topic, the New York Times editors don't hold back, in an editorial titled "Mr. Trump and Spineless Republicans," which ends thus: "The truth is, it’s time for Mr. McCain and other Republican leaders to set an example for their party by withdrawing support for Mr. Trump." Yup.

[Content Note: Police shooting; guns; violence; death; child endangerment] I don't even have words: "Police Fatally Shoot Woman Holding 5-Year-Old Boy in Her Lap." And they shot the child, who survived. There are lots of people out in force defending this shooting, because the woman, Korryn Gaines, was, according to police, holding a shotgun. Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson "said police tried to talk to Gaines for several hours before things turned deadly around 3 p.m. At that time, Gaines said she would kill the police if they didn't leave. One of the cops fired a single shot at Gaines, in response. When the woman fired back, officers gunned her down, striking the child in the leg as well." Police were trying to arrest Gaines for traffic violations. And they shot at her because she threatened them, instead of just retreating, regrouping, and figuring out another strategy. Even if this really went exactly the way police say it did, it was entirely wrong.

[CN: Police shooting; guns; death] Meanwhile, in Chicago: "Footage from police dashboard cameras and body cameras helped lead to the swift sidelining of three officers involved in the latest fatal shooting by Chicago police, but officials acknowledged Monday that the shooting itself was not captured on video. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the department is investigating why the body camera worn by the officer who fatally shot 18-year-old Paul O'Neal failed to show those critical moments." It's funny, ahem, how body cameras keep failing in critical moments of deadly shootings.

[CN: Voter disenfranchisement] Good: "A federal judge on Monday blocked North Dakota's voter identification law after a group of American Indians said it unfairly burdens them—the latest court ruling against voting laws that critics say disproportionately affect minorities. U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland issued a temporary restraining order... 'The public interest in protecting the most cherished right to vote for thousands of Native Americans who currently lack a qualifying ID and cannot obtain one, outweighs the purported interest and arguments of the State,' Hovland wrote. He added: 'There are a multitude of easy remedies that most states have adopted in some form to alleviate this burden.' ...In three separate rulings Friday, a federal appeals court blocked North Carolina's law requiring photo ID, a federal judge in Wisconsin ordered changes to make it easier for voters to get a valid ID, and a Kansas judge said the state must count thousands of votes from people who didn't provide proof of citizenship when they registered. Earlier in July, a federal appellate court ruled that Texas' voter ID law was discriminatory."

Of course: "Military mom booed at Mike Pence rally for asking about Donald Trump's remarks on Capt. Khan." And check out the audience in that video, demonstrating their principles. They boo the woman, then, when Pence tells them they shouldn't, they clap. They have zero principles except to follow the orders of an authoritarian leader.

"Trump blasts New York Times: 'They don't write good'." Sounds about right.

Vice-President Joe Biden married two White House staffers. "Proud to marry Brian and Joe at my house. Couldn't be happier, two longtime White House staffers, two great guys." ♥

They are remaking Splash. NO! "In this version, Channing Tatum will actually play the mermaid." OKAY!

And finally! "Dog Invents His Own Game at Public Fountain, and Draws a Big Crowd." Oh dogs, lol.

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Dudley the Greyhound lying on the couch upside-down, looking at me with a toothy grin

"Hahaha I'm looking at you! Hahaha I see you, Two-Legs!"

Quote of the Day

[Content Note: Misogyny.]

"If [Bernie Sanders] would've just not done anything, just go home, go to sleep, relax, he would've been a hero. But he made a deal with the devil. She's the devil. He made a deal with the devil."—Donald Trump, just literally calling Hillary Clinton "the devil."

You know how I keep saying that Trump has merely traded Republican dogwhistles for a bullhorn? Here's a perfect example: They've been demonizing her for decades, but he just went right there, without even trying to pretend he was doing anything else.

"She's the devil." He said that.

Trump Defends Sexual Harassment

[Content Note: Sexual harassment; rape culture.]

I've got a new piece up at BNR about Donald Trump's latest disgusting garbage:

When Fox News' Kirsten Powers followed up with Donald during a phone interview, she asked what if an employer treated Donald's daughter Ivanka the way Ailes had allegedly treated his female employees. Powers said "his reply was startling, even by Trumpian standards."

And so it is: "I would like to think she would find another career or find another company if that was the case," he replied.

Let's be crystal clear about what Donald is saying – and not saying – here. He is not saying that a man who sexually harasses his female employees should be fired, nor even held accountable in any way. He is also not saying that sexual harassment is wrong.

To the absolute contrary, Donald is saying that a woman who is being sexually harassed should leave her job – or "find another career" altogether (!) – rather than report sexual harassment and, as Donald would presumably see it, "destroy a man's life."

Even his own daughter should simply upend her entire life and career in order to protect a man who was sexually harassing her.

There is, quite literally, no end to this man's defense of abusive behavior toward women.

There's more at the link.

Meanwhile, one of his mini-me sons says: "I think what he's saying is, Ivanka is a strong, powerful woman, she wouldn't allow herself to be objected to it, and by the way, you should take it up with Human Resources, and I think she would as a strong person, at the same time, I don't think she would allow herself to be subjected to that. I think that's a point he was making, and I think he did so well."

1. No, that was clearly not the point he was making.

2. Being "a strong, powerful woman" does not inoculate a woman against sexual harassment, but charming victim-blaming.

This whole family. Good grief.

Let's Be Clear

Donald Trump is trying to delegitimize the results of the general election already:

.@realDonaldTrump on general election: "I'm afraid the election's going to be rigged." https://t.co/kWyyUU03lX
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 1, 2016

Trump, at a campaign event: And Bernie! Poor Bernie. He looked so upset. He— You know what? He made a mistake. He shouldn't have made a deal. Sometimes— He lost. He lost. First of all, it was rigged. And I'm afraid the election's gonna be rigged, I have to be honest. Because I think my side was rigged. If I didn't win by massive landslides— I mean, think of what we won in New York, in Indiana, California, seventy-eight percent— That's with other people in the race. But think of it: I hear more and more that the election on November 8— Can you believe we're almost there?

Trump is a threat to democracy even as a candidate.

And then there is this:

And this is how he damages the country even by losing. And a large percentage of his voters may believe him. https://t.co/dSDSs4JNby
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) August 1, 2016

Yep.

Open Thread

image of a baby giraffe on a savannah, with three adult giraffes leaning over to investigate it

Hosted by a very popular baby giraffe.

Question of the Day

Suggested by Shaker April23: "Do you like pictures of yourself? What kind of pictures (selfies, candid, action shots) do you like/not like?"

I used to hate all pictures of myself, and now I'm pretty fine with all of them, which has absolutely everything to do with how I feel about myself and my body.

Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime

1980's Doublemint Gum jingle.

The Monday Blogaround

This blogaround brought to you by green onions.

Recommended Reading:

Monica: [Content Note: Guns; violence; disablist language] Ugh, Texas College Campus Carry Law Takes Effect

Joseph: [CN: Classism; racism; displacement; violence] Rio 2016: The Hunger Games

Jenn: [CN: Guns; violence; misogyny; toxic masculinity] Toxic Masculinity Claims Life of Another Asian American Woman

Kath: [CN: Fat hatred; "fat talk"] There's No Comfort Like Community

Sydnee: [CN: Pathologizing introversion; disablism] Introversion Is Not an Illness, But Society Sure Treats It Like One

Angry Asian Man: [CN: White supremacy] Matt Damon Saves China from Dragons in The Great Wall

Leave your links and recommendations in comments. Self-promotion welcome and encouraged!

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Olivia the White Farm Cat sitting on top of my piano

Cat on a piano.

Quote of the Day

"If individual Republicans don't break off their support for Trump's candidacy now—by, say, withdrawing their endorsements—they run the risk of having no choice but to do so after Trump sinks even further into wretchedness and depravity, to a point of true no return. (Presumably there is such a point.) At that juncture, their move will look unprincipled and desperate, leaving them stained—perhaps irrevocably—with their previous willingness to stick by him during much of his descent, and depriving their break with him of whatever moral force it might have had if done earlier."—Greg Sargent, in the Washington Post, with a very important observation about Republicans who continue to stand behind Trump, even as his ruthless and reckless scoundrelly reaches its nadir. Or not.

In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: War; drones] "The United States has carried out airstrikes on positions of so-called Islamic State in Libya, following a request by the UN-backed government there, the Pentagon says. The strikes targeted positions in the port city of Sirte, an IS stronghold. Libyan PM Fayez al-Sarraj, in a televised address, said the strikes caused 'heavy losses.' ...The airstrikes are the first such US military intervention co-ordinated with the Libyan unity government."

[CN: Misogyny; violent imagery] I was just filthy angry about this headline in the New York Times today: "Hillary Clinton Hunts an Elusive Prey: White Male Voters." And so I wrote about it and tweeted about it and guess what? That ugly headline is no more. Now it reads: "Hillary Clinton Targets a Skeptical Crowd: White Male Voters." I'm going to guess a deserved apology to Hillary Clinton will not, however, be forthcoming.

[CN: Islamophobia; abuse] After Khizr and Ghazala Khan appeared at the Democratic convention, powerfully calling out Donald Trump's Islamophobia, Trump naturally went on the attack after them, because he is an abusive nightmare. And apparently there is nothing he does so egregious that Republicans won't withdraw their support for him. Many Republicans are hoping it will "blow over," despite the fact that the part of Trump so broken that he thinks and says such things will not "blow over." Senator Roy Blunt's hot advice is that Trump should just keep a lid on it. And Senator John McCain, whose service has been explicitly attacked by Trump, harshly criticized him, but still hasn't withdrawn his endorsement. The Republicans own this guy, and they will keep owning him. Period.

Relatedly, Sally Bradshaw, a senior adviser to Jeb Bush and one of the co-authors of the Republican Party's infamous "2013 autopsy report" examining why Mitt Romney lost, is leaving the Republican Party: "This is a time when country has to take priority over political parties. Donald Trump cannot be elected president. ...As much as I don't want another four years of Obama's policies, I can't look my children in the eye and tell them I voted for Donald Trump. I can't tell them to love their neighbor and treat others the way they wanted to be treated, and then vote for Donald Trump. I won't do it." Welp!

[CN: Misogyny; sexual harassment; coercion; rape culture; sexual assault] Eric Boehlert on "Roger Ailes and the Rampant Misogyny That Fuels Fox News." Difficult but important reading. "And no, it's not plausible that Fox News executives didn't know about this kind of rampant, illegal, workplace behavior. Fox News general counsel Dianne Brandi and Ailes' deputy Bill Shine have been accused of trying to cover up their former boss' behavior. But surprise! That demeaning view of women has also been a cornerstone of Fox News' programming for many, many years. The sexist themes relentlessly promulgated by Fox didn't spring from a vacuum. They sprang from inside Roger Ailes' corner office."

[CN: Self-harm; carcerality; transphobia] Rage seethe boil: "After Suicide Attempt, Chelsea Manning Faces Indefinite Solitary Confinement: 'Now, while Chelsea is suffering the darkest depression she has experienced since her arrest, the government is taking actions to punish her for that pain. It is unconscionable and we hope that the investigation is immediately ended and that she is given the health care that she needs to recover,' said Chase Strangio, an ACLU staff attorney." I don't have anything to add to that. This is just the most unfathomably cruel way to respond to any attempt at self-harm. JFC.

[CN: Disenfranchisement] "Voting rights rulings could deal blow to Republicans in 2016 elections." Well, that's one way of putting it! Another ways is: "Voting rights rulings will curb disenfranchisement that has been dealing a blow to voters' rights."

Good: "Hillary Clinton will address the largest gathering of black and Latino journalists since 2008, multiple sources confirm to BuzzFeed News. This year, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists are holding a joint convention in Washington, D.C., and Clinton will make remarks Friday, sources said." In shocking news, Donald Trump's campaign has not responded to the invitation.

Fascinating: "New findings using data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show that gullies on modern Mars are likely not being formed by flowing liquid water. This new evidence will allow researchers to further narrow theories about how Martian gullies form, and reveal more details about Mars' recent geologic processes."

And finally! "Baby Kangaroo Snuggles Baby Emus and It's Too Cute." AS ADVERTISED!

This is so the worst thing you're going to read all day.

[Content Note: Manclaiming; rape culture.]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT: "Yoga for bros: 'Broga' a new twist on thousands-year-old practice."

It's hard for me to say what is my favorite, ahem, part of this article. Is it referring to women as "the fairer sex" in the year of our lord Jesus Jones two thousand and sixteen?

Is it the guy who markets yoga to dudes referring to himself as a "man-treprenuer"?

Is it men who worry that the lotus pose is too "girly" for men?

Or it is this delightful bit of rape culture? "Sidoti says Broga even offers men-only retreats for guys who fear the allure of women wearing lycra pants may distract from their yogic journey."

I CAN'T CHOOSE! ALL OF IT IS SO GREAT.

*jumps into Christmas tree*

[H/T to @v_m_phil.]