Fridays with Nicole Sandler
This was an odd podcast, because Nicole and I went back and opened live to talk about Trump’s ambush of Zelenskyy.
I’ll say more in coming days. One thing I think is super important is that the SEC is moving to settle with Justin Sun, the Chinese-linked businessman who dumped $30 million into Trump’s crypto scam during the election. Once you do that, you’ve made bribery legal (which Pam Bondi and Chad Mizelle have been rushing to do in any case). Once Russia has the luxury of bribing Trump, Ukraine was never going to win this “negotiation.” The rest is just show, with America’s sovereignty and world peace to pay for it all.
Listen on Spotify (transcripts available)
Listen on Apple (transcripts available)
One wonders whether Sun was given his golden ticket to set up the crypto reserve (with appropriate beak-wetting of course).
Vance and Trump’s ambush of accusing Zelenskyy of not being “thankful enough” for the U.S. aiding Ukraine as Russia attacked it for the past three years, was a new low – even for Trump.
The dustup exposed in the most undeniable, unequivocal way possible of the pro-Putin comments from both Trump and Vance and this self-exposure is on view for the entire world to see and hear.
The white house inviting tass to the oval office to cover for russian state media is no coincidence.
It’s a question I’ve raised before: what does Putin have on Convict-1 / Krasnov to keep him on such a public leash? The toadies are taking their lead from their muse and given how little Convict-1 actually cares about anything (aside from being seen as rich) there isn’t much Putin could use to keep his poodle in line.
Except for … being seen as rich. Perhaps that is a supporting reason for all of the cozying up to MBS, Thiel, Musk and their ilk with the possible motive to break whatever shackles Vlad holds (C-1 / K will take anyone’s money so he doesn’t have to spend it). So if that is it, perhaps Putin is aware that Convict-1 / Krasnov is flat broke (or can arrange that outcome easily) and keeps raising the bar for his silence and protection. Seen through that lens, the outburst makes sense because it was Putin demanded as his price du jour.
Listening now. Glad you went back to discuss the Oval Office Ambush.
If FOTUS thinks his meltdown will decrease Zelens’kyy’s popularity at home, he’s delusional. And I’ll be surprised if it does much to dent American support for Ukraine–even R-leaning Ukraine supporters have few illusions about FOTUS’s “support” for Ukraine.
I’m sure FOTUS was already primed for a fight– Macron and Starmer contradicted him on consecutive days in those exact chairs. Same lie: that Europe’s aid to Ukraine was a loan and so they’d “get their money back” but the US wouldn’t.
Anyway, is the minerals “deal” off now, then? Maybe some of the Europeans would be interested in something more mutually beneficial.
SecState Li’l Marco is saying that it’s difficult to get the Russian regime to the negotiating table.
Yes, it is difficult when a 34-count convicted felon, sexual assaulter, draft-dodger is giving the Russians everything they want.
Seriously. Why negotiate when you are getting everything you want?
First. sorry for what looks all the world like a spam attempt. It’s been a long time since I posted here. It’s been a log time since I posted here. Nothing to do with commendint being a contaact sport. I’m well used to that. Also sorry for the typing, light not optima.. I have been going througha very challenging bout with prostate cancer. Finally I aclkowlege coming froma place of privililege with ny university cadillack health plan. May or may not live to see next week and I will keep reading so long as I am able, but this will probaboy be my last post here. I would like to believe the fascist wave will pass and the world will wake up in a better place. I am not optimistic right now but that is my leap of faith.
[Welcome back to emptywheel. Your comment triggered auto-moderation because you used a different email address. Please try to stick with this one or your previous one. Thanks. /~Rayne]
Very sorry to hear about your health challenge. We’ll keep fighting on this end, you just focus on your fight on your end.
Peace to you, CVT.
Take care of yourself, but thanks for checking in.
I bet we won’t have to worry about immigrants wanting to come here after the Oval Office Shake down. One of the worst days in American history imho.
I understand “protocol” and “diplomatic” are foreign concepts to Trump, but isn’t it a rather serious breach of protocol to have the VP take such an active role in a press appearance with a foreign leader? Was Vance there as Trump’s minder to prevent him from doddering the store away, while he tried to finish a weave? Musk is Trump’s domestic minder, while Vance is his foreign minder? (Rubio sure isn’t.)
I didn’t see that when the heads of state of France and England showed up.
Was this supposed to be a negotiating session – with the press at the table? There is a lot that smells about this whole incident.
I am thankful that Vance’s minder taught him the correct way to sit on a couch.
Rubio looked like he was on timeout in the Principle’s office. I didn’t watch the whole thing, but that’s how he looked when T&V were dressing Z down in front of the student body
The whole schmeer looks like John Birch Society porn, complete with “Get the US out of the United Nations” wafting though DC.
…and the revolting ghost of Roy Cohn, its stench, pervades this era just as it did the McCarthy era, “Anything to Win” being his raison d’etre, which he bequeathed to Trump. (And that “anything” includes “everything.”)
McCarthy died in well-earned shame. The shame, this go-round, is getting spread quite evenly among the GOP, even the mods who still stand with the motherfuckers.
One of my Senators, Susan Collins interned with Margaret Chase Smith. I wonder what the future will see in Collins, the Parser for all Seasons; I don’t think it will be “Bringer of sanity and civility,” which is Chase-Smith’s legacy, and how Collins self-identifies. It will be “self-deluded enabler of the ravagers of democracy,” more likely.
Angus King came through, though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2ptQFOi9Pg
“This is my neighborhood. You and your friends should show me some respect. You should let me wet my beak a little… Tell your friends I don’t want a lot. Just enough to wet my beak.”
–Don Fanucci
“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
–Don Corleone
“I won’t protect you from Putin unless you kneel before me and give me half your minerals.”
–Don Trump
(Note: Name and email are no longer autofilling for me.)
Bless you Marcy (and Rayne)!
Poor Donald! Elmo, Vance and Vlad the Impaler are really making him work for his supper…
Speaking of useful idiots, do you think Vance and Theil are running Elmo?
(Just another reminder that DJT has never been elected.)
https://youtu.be/AWSWqn7UHYM
Thiel owns Vance. I don’t think Thiel can control President Musk.
OT-ish: Andrew Cuo0mo is thinking of running for mayor of NYC. I guess he thinks that no one will notice *his* problems.
Protesters using webcams in parks and forests:
https://www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/national-park-protests-yosemite-webcams-20196304.php
“Peace” for Trump: Trump’s BFF Putin to get all of Ukraine land, and the U.S. Ukraine’s minerals.
The fired head of SSA, O’Malley, says it will collapse from the damage done by DOGE, in his estimate, in 30 to 60 days, maybe more.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/3/2192639/-Social-Security-on-the-verge-of-collapse-thanks-to-DOGE
ETA: Congress’s pension benefits should be run by SSA, and their health benefits by Medicare. Make them feel our pain.