Time for a Little CNBC Positive POTATUS Wishcasting

Oregon Police Made One of the Biggest Fentanyl Busts in State History Then Released the Ringleader

While We're on the Subject of Pathetic Academics...[insert eyeball roll]

Trump (Second-Term) Derangement Syndrome was on display in a very special issue of The Atlantic monthly magazine‚ dated January/February 2024 (see “The Atlantic Melts Down at a Second Trump Term”)‚ and the PBS-aired interview show Amanpour &; Co. was on top of it‚ hosting Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg. The Atlantic had tilted to the left under Goldberg‚ who also hosted the newly christened Washington Week with The Atlantic‚ the ostensibly balanced weekly political chat that aired on PBS.     Host Christiane Amanpour colorfully teased the segment: Plus‚ the United States of Autocracy‚ editor-in-chief of The Atlantic‚ Jeffrey Goldberg‚ talks to Walter Isaacson about the dangers of Trump 2.0. She really bore down in her introduction to liberal journalist Walter Isaacson’s interview with liberal journalist Goldberg‚ on this tax-supported replay of a CNN International show. "Now‚ talking of democracy‚ the United States has a hard time being that standard bearer‚" she chided‚ "as Donald Trump is doubling down on his vision of being a dictator." (New York Times columnist and talk show fixture Thomas (Let's Be “China For A Day” ) Friedman was unavailable for comment.) It's a wonder any of us are still around after four years of President Trump and that polls show so many Americans want him back after such a dangerous era. Isaacson fawned over Goldberg’s Atlantic as “the one magazine” that can set "the agenda‚" then allowed its editor to tee off on the horrors awaiting in a second Trump term: ISAACSON: "The Atlantic" keeps setting the agenda. It's the one magazine that can do that. Why did you pick doing a special issue like this on the dangers of a Trump presidency? GOLDBERG: Because it's -- well‚ a number of reasons. One‚ I think that a second Trump presidency‚ based off of what we all saw on January 6th‚ I think a Trump presidency‚ another Trump presidency‚ poses an existential threat to American democracy. I'm not making a partisan point. "If Trump were a registered Democrat and did what he did‚ we would say the same thing‚" Goldberg claimed with no way to prove it. Prodded by Isaacson‚ Goldberg claimed the Republican Party had “become a cult of personality and it's subsumed itself to Mar-a-Lago in a very‚ very unhealthy‚ and to me‚ un-American way...too many Republicans who know better are going along with this kind of cult of personality." He warned of the dangers of future Trump staff in high places‚ including Trump’s “immigration czar” Stephen Miller‚ who would be there “to serve Donald Trump not the American people or the Constitution.” "Second example would be Rick Grenell‚ who basically was this Twitter troll who came to prominence in the Trump administration‚ worked in the intelligence area‚ became an ambassador and is‚ you know‚ Trumpist all the way down‚" he added. Grenell was Trump’s Ambassador to Germany and served in his cabinet as acting director of National Intelligence. To Goldberg‚ he’s just a “Twitter troll.” Trump’s anti-interventionist notions‚ like pulling out of NATO or not funding Ukraine‚ shouldn’t come as a shock. But Goldberg saw in them the “dark ages across the planet”:  Well‚ we would be inviting the dark ages across the planet. Again‚ not to be overly dramatic about it‚ but we're already having it. Not to be overly dramatic? A transcript is available‚ click “Expand.” Amanpour &; Co. 12/12/23 1:57:27 p.m. (ET) Now‚ talking of democracy‚ the United States has a hard time being that standard bearer as Donald Trump is doubling down on his vision of being a dictator. Yes‚ that is what he told the New York Young Republican Club's annual gala this weekend. I said I want to be a dictator for one day. Jeffrey Goldberg is editor-in-chief of "The Atlantic." He recently launched a special edition of the magazine warning of the grave and extreme consequences if Trump were to become president again. And he tells Walter Isaacson now why a second term would be even more dangerous than the first. WALTER ISAACSON‚ CO-HOST‚ AMANPOUR AND CO.: Thank you‚ Christiane. And‚ Jeff Goldberg‚ welcome back to the show. JEFFREY GOLDBERG‚ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF‚ THE ATLANTIC: Thank you. ISAACSON: "The Atlantic" keeps setting the agenda. It's the one magazine that can do that. Why did you pick doing a special issue like this on the dangers of a Trump presidency? GOLDBERG: Because it's -- well‚ a number of reasons. One‚ I think that a second Trump presidency‚ based off of what we all saw on January 6th‚ I think a Trump presidency‚ another Trump presidency‚ poses an existential threat to American democracy. I'm not making a partisan point. If Trump were a registered Democrat and did what he did‚ we would say the same thing. I think it's not too late to try to make these sets of arguments. It's -- you know‚ it's actually more than 20 different writers taking on their subject area expertise. So‚ we have pieces on immigration and national security‚ the staffing of the military‚ the civil service‚ Supreme Court issues. But it's really‚ ultimately‚ about a candidate for president -- a former president who is a current candidate for president who does not respect American democratic ideals and democratic norms. And it's worth calling out‚ and it's worth calling out in one place and in one package so that people can see it. I don't make the assumption that people in media‚ in politics here in Washington‚ where I am‚ you know‚ we sometimes assume that everybody is following events the way that we do. And -- but what we know also is that at this stage in a presidential campaign‚ a presidential cycle‚ people aren't paying regular attention. And so‚ I thought it would be good to remind people before the primary process begins of what happened the last time around. ISAACSON: You say‚ as "The Atlantic" always does‚ that you're not part of any party or clique. But one of the things you all write is that the Republican Party now has mortgaged itself to Donald Trump. Explain that. GOLDBERG: Yes. Well‚ so my argument -- I think the institutional argument and my individual argument always been that one prerequisite for a healthy democracy is to have at least a strong‚ vibrant liberal party and a strong‚ vibrant conservative party. You want to have other streams of thought? Great. Other parties? Great. But that's the sort of a minimum. And what we've seen‚ unfortunately‚ in the Republican Party is that it's become less a kind of hotbed of interesting conservative ideas‚ right‚ and policy prescriptions that you can take and then hold up against liberal policy ideas and prescriptions and then argue it out in the marketplace. It's become a cult of personality and it's subsumed itself to Mar-a-Lago in a very‚ very unhealthy‚ and to me‚ un-American. And so‚ we're in this shape we're in not because Donald Trump is the putative Republican nominee‚ but because too many Republicans who know better are going along with this kind of cult of personality. And‚ you know‚ you know‚ this‚ and I know this. There are a lot of Republicans‚ not just the Mitt Romneys and Chris Christies and so on who are actually calling out Donald Trump‚ a lot of Republicans who aren't calling him out who know what he's about and what happened on January 6th and what happened before and after January 6th and are upset about it‚ but they're -- they want to keep their jobs or they're scared of harassment and retaliation. And so‚ they don't say anything. And these are the -- for instance‚ these are the kind of senators who knew better‚ you know‚ the Rob Portman's of the world who didn't vote to convict in the second impeachment trial‚ even though they knew that Donald Trump had fomented an anti-constitutional rebellion against the settled election results of 2020. ISAACSON: You have about two dozen people writing in it‚ and one of them is David Frum‚ who makes that point‚ that it will be a revenge presidency‚ that he'll take the FBI and weaponize it and do things‚ and I thought that was a little bit overblown‚ but he just came out in the past few days and said it outright. GOLDBERG: I don't think it's overblown. And one of the reasons I don't think it's overblown is I just spent a long period reporting on a large article that appeared a couple months ago on General Mark Milley‚ the now former chairman of the Joint Chiefs‚ who became a real thorn in Donald Trump's side because Milley realized‚ as he was serving in the Pentagon‚ in that top job‚ he realized that Trump's loyalty was not to the constitution‚ but himself. And after my article came out about Mark Milley and about his relationship with Donald Trump‚ Trump said that -- he said this plainly on social media‚ he said that Mark Milley should be tried for treason for the things that he said and done. So‚ like‚ I believe in taking people at their word. Donald Trump will come into -- if he comes into office‚ he will authorize his Justice Department to investigate Mark Milley. Remember‚ Donald Trump is a person who threatened -- in his first term‚ he threatened to call back to active-duty Generals Stanley McChrystal and William McRaven‚ two retired four-star generals‚ you know‚ incredible American patriots and soldiers. He threatened to call them back to active-duty‚ which you can do as president in order to court martial them. Why? Because they were critical of his leadership. There's nothing secret here. There's no -- I don't think there's anything overblown. He will blow open the norm that has existed for a very long time that -- especially since the Watergate era‚ that the attorney general operates autonomously from the political operation of the White House‚ right? That attorney general always annoyed presidents‚ right? Because they are in the cabinet‚ but they're running their own show. And the reason they're running their own show is because they have to have prosecutorial independence‚ right? Donald Trump's going to get rid of that. He's promised to get rid of that. So‚ I -- look‚ I don't -- you know‚ you don't want to be a chicken little on the one hand‚ but on the other hand‚ you don't want to downplay the threat‚ especially when he's articulated the threat. ISAACSON: Your article about General Mark Milley was very revealing‚ especially since we thought that the adults in the room were going to be our safety net in the first Trump presidency. Tell me about those adults in the room‚ what they're saying now‚ and whether you think there will be adults in the room if there is a second Trump presidency. GOLDBERG: The whole point of a second Trump residency from Trump's perspective is that they're not the adults -- "adults in the room." He does not want a team of rivals. He does not want serious advisers who say to him‚ yes‚ maybe you shouldn't do that. He wants people who will agree with him. The adults in the room‚ the first time around‚ and those include‚ you know‚ Rex Tillerson and James Mattis‚ the first secretary of defense‚ and Bill Barr‚ the attorney general‚ John Kelly‚ his DHS secretary‚ and then his chief of staff‚ and so on. They‚ to a person‚ believe that a second Trump presidency would be a threat to the constitution of the United States. They've all said it publicly. I mean‚ it's kind of astonishing that they're not heard‚ because in ordinary play -- if this was -- if ordinary political physics was applying here‚ the rules of physics are applying‚ you know‚ when all of your cabinet or most of your cabinet from your first term comes out and say that you're an active danger to the republic‚ voters would pay attention to that. And by the way‚ we're not talking about‚ you know‚ rabid left‚ we're not talking about the faculty of Oberlin‚ you know‚ coming out and saying that Donald Trump is a danger to democracy or like the mayor of‚ you know‚ Portland‚ Oregon‚ you're talking about retired marine generals‚ right? You're talking about pretty tough guys Republicans who are saying that this guy is dangerous. They did a good job for as long as they lasted in checking some of the worst impulses of Donald Trump. And Donald Trump has tremendous resentment for them because he realizes that‚ in many cases‚ they -- he was outfoxed by that. And that's what he doesn't want to have happen the second term. It's going to be MAGA from day one. And what John Kelly did alone‚ throwing himself‚ you know‚ into the gears of the Trump administration to prevent some crazy things from happening‚ you know‚ again‚ if ordinary rules applied‚ you know‚ John Kelly would be getting‚ you know‚ awards from Congress for doing what he did. ISAACSON: So‚ that raises who might be in a second Trump presidency. McKay Coppins‚ you know‚ one of your great staff writers‚ speculated a bit on it. I've seen Axios speculating now. It seems a bit like trying to handicap a dog race. But think through who might be in a second Trump presidency. GOLDBERG: Right. Just to name two names‚ obviously Stephen Miller. We know Stephen Miller as the immigration czar and a real hardliner on immigration and other issues from the first Trump White House. There's a very‚ very good chance that Trump would nominate him to be secretary of Homeland Security. If the Senate were constructed in a way that wouldn't allow for him to get through‚ people are speculating that he could be the chief of staff of the White House. So‚ you start with a Stephen Miller who's a real true believer‚ a real hardcore loyalist‚ and who believes that he's there to serve Donald Trump‚ not the American people or the constitution. Second example would be Rick Grenell‚ who basically was this Twitter troll who came to prominence in the Trump administration‚ worked in the intelligence area‚ became an ambassador and is‚ you know‚ Trumpist all the way down. And when Trump‚ the first day in office says‚ you know what‚ I think we should pull out of NATO. You're not going to get Rick Grenell in the White House saying‚ you know what‚ maybe we shouldn't pull out of NATO. And here's why. You're going to have a person who says‚ yes‚ sir‚ I'll pull out of NATO. We'll go do it. ISAACSON: Anne Applebaum and your special issue addresses that issue of pulling out of NATO. And we know that Donald Trump in the next term‚ if he gets one‚ wouldn't be supporting Ukraine. Tell me what the ramifications of all that would be to America's foreign policy. GOLDBERG: Well‚ we would be inviting the dark ages across the planet. Again‚ not to be overly dramatic about it‚ but we're already having it. We're already in a bit of a democratic recession‚ right? Russia is feeling its oats in Ukraine and‚ you know‚ the Ukrainians don't have them on the ropes the way a lot of people hoped they would. They're in the fight‚ but it's not going extremely well. Xi and China‚ the North Koreans‚ the Venezuelans‚ Hamas as another example. There are a lot of powerful organizations and countries right now that are run in a very anti-democratic way. And‚ you know‚ Donald Trump has made it very clear that he admires strongmen. He said it‚ he loves Orban in Hungary. He thinks Putin and Xi are great‚ strong leaders. So‚ for those of us in the West who think that democracy is a flawed system‚ but it's the best one we have you know‚ it's going to be tough times in America. You know‚ and you know this‚ you know‚ from 1945 onward‚ America set the rules of the road that the rules based international order‚ post-World War II‚ was established and maintained by the United States. Donald Trump is the first figure of his level of importance to fundamentally question whether America has to play that role or America should play that role or that's a role worth playing. So‚ we're looking at some pretty serious consequences of a Trump victory. ISAACSON: George Packer writes in the special issue about the press and says‚ you know‚ unlike Putin‚ he's not going to have to poison members of the press because he's so undermined a public credibility‚ the public's belief in the press. Also‚ though‚ he would probably use the presidency to go after some of the media. What do you think about that? GOLDBERG: Well‚ I mean‚ I think‚ you know‚ Steve Bannon and Kash Patel‚ people who are in the loyalist camp‚ have said just this week that they want to prosecute journalists for fake news or whatever the make-believe charges. I would fully expect them to try to change the laws or use existing laws to punish and persecute journalists they don't like. I mean‚ we are -- we're heading into something that seems incredibly dangerous. I just -- the -- what I tell people is‚ by the way‚ you know‚ and I remember the two of us having this conversation about terrorist groups. Yes‚ when they tell you they're going to do something‚ believe them‚ right? Or when Putin says‚ you know‚ Ukraine is part of Russia and doesn't exist as -- you know‚ a lot of people said‚ well‚ he doesn't mean that. It's a metaphor. He's just saber rattling. Listen to people when they tell you what they're going to do‚ it's safest to listen to people. And if people -- if Trump and people around Trump are saying that they're going to try to prosecute journalists for exercising their First Amendment rights‚ they're going to prosecute journalists for exercising their First Amendment rights. ISAACSON: You know‚ Greg Sargent‚ writing in "The Washington Post" a few days ago‚ said something about‚ enough with this fatalism‚ we're overdoing it‚ and I think he quoted a scholar as saying‚ creating an aura of destiny around the leader galvanizes his supporters by making the movement seem stronger than it is. What do you say to that? GOLDBERG: I admire Greg's Sargent's work. I disagree with him on this. I think it's our job to highlight the threat. I don't think it's inevitable. I think what's inevitable‚ or I would almost bet money on is that he's going to get -- Trump is going to get the nomination. I don't see that going any other way though. Who knows? I don't see his election as a foregone conclusion. That's why we call the issue -- if Trump wins‚ not when Trump wins. ISAACSON: Jeffrey Goldberg‚ thank you so much for joining us. GOLDBERG: Thank you.

A grandmother in Ohio was arrested after her family told police she intentionally shot her 6-month-old granddaughter in the face. The child is in critical condition after undergoing two surgeries. Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones told WXIX-TV that 43-year-old Mia Desiree Harris fled from the scene early Saturday at about 1:50 a.m. She was spotted on the interstate by police and was apprehended a brief time later‚ he said. He said Harris had fired at family members during an argument. “During the incident‚ Harris shot at family members before intentionally shooting the child‚” he explained. “It was several family members together. There was arguing. They were fighting. She grabbed the weapon." He said that Harris allegedly shot at her daughter but missed. "Then‚ they moved the daughter from one room to the other and then she went and shot this child and doesn’t appear to have any remorse whatsoever‚" Jones continued. “This is one of the most disgusting‚ vile criminal acts I’ve ever seen‚ shooting a 6-month-old baby. What makes it even worse is this is the baby’s grandmother‚” he added. Harris was booked at the Butler County Jail and charged with three counts of felony assault. On Monday‚ her bond was set at $1.5 million. The baby was transported to one hospital and then flown to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Avondale. “The baby is hanging onto life as we speak‚" said Jones. "It’s in God’s hands now. We should all pray for this 6-month-old baby.” A family friend told WXIX that the family needs a lot of help. “The family needs help‚" the unidentified friend said. "They need resources. Christmas is in two weeks and their focus is on the baby and hoping the baby is going to be okay.”Here's more about the horrible incident: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

UFC CEO Dana White told Tucker Carlson that people who view themselves as patriots "should be drinking gallons of Bud Light." White claimed that such individuals "are way more aligned with Anheuser-Busch than ... with other beer companies." The beer brand faced massive consumer backlash this year after enlisting transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote the beverage.In October‚ a UFC and Anheuser-Busch partnership‚ which will involve the promotion of Bud Light‚ was announced."Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light were UFC’s original beer sponsors more than fifteen years ago‚" White said‚ according to a press release about the partnership. "I'm proud to announce we are back in business together. There are many reasons why I chose to go with Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light‚ most importantly because I feel we are very aligned when it comes to our core values and what the UFC brand stands for. I'm looking forward to all of the incredible things we will do in the years ahead." — (@) Carlson also brought up Bud Light while interviewing Kid Rock‚ who opened fire on cases of the drink earlier this year. But during the interview with Carlson‚ the rocker said that he does not want to "drown them because they made a mistake."But other people are not in favor of letting the company off of the hook."Did Bud Light ever‚ at the very least‚ say 'sorry' to women for the cosplay promotion? This is real easy for the brand‚ folks. Reconciliation requires acknowledgment‚ otherwise‚ hell no‚" Dana Loesch tweeted. — (@) "The Bud Light boycott is the one time in modern history when conservatives have staged an effective boycott against a major corporate brand. If we back away from this victory now it will show that we’ve learned nothing and don’t want to win. Not going to happen. Boycott continues‚" Matt Walsh tweeted.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Democrat politician in San Francisco claimed that capitalism is to blame for homelessness and said that arresting drug addicts is counterproductive. "I think it's completely counterproductive to be arresting people for doing drugs‚ yes‚" said San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston during an interview with UnHerd. "I think that does not. Like‚ what's the objective?" "So you can't arrest people for openly doing drugs?" asked interviewer Freddie Sayers. "You can't move or clear away camps. I can't see how it's gonna change this. Surely it will just get worse and worse?" "Well the thing is‚ it has gotten worse‚ right?" Preston responded. "Because the approach that we've taken is very inconsistent as a city‚ ramping up enforcement activities‚ whether it's against‚ you know‚ sweeps of homeless people or drug use‚ doing a series of arrests‚ usually timed with some new cycle and then‚ a few days later‚ a few weeks later‚ a few months later‚ the same thing happens‚" he added. He went on to explain how capitalism had failed San Francisco and caused the homeless crisis there. “I think what you’re seeing in the Tenderloin is absolutely the result of capitalism and what happens in capitalism to the people at the bottom rungs‚” Preston said. “The biggest driver of why folks are on the street is because they lost their jobs‚ income or were evicted from their homes‚ usually for not being able to pay the rent‚" he added. "So you have major landlords literally causing folks to lose their homes‚ and real estate speculation making it impossible for folks to find an affordable place to live." Preston had previously supported defunding the police force‚ and he reiterated his extremist belief despite the movement losing steam among more mainstream Democrats. “I think we have a very‚ very bloated police budget. All kinds of waste in the police department. I could cut $100 million out of the department‚” he added. Here's part of the interview with Preston: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

People will soon be able to pre-order a bizarre alcoholic beverage said to taste — and apparently smell— like the popular Doritos snack chip. "Empirical x Doritos captures all the indulgent flavors of your favorite Nacho Cheese in liquid form‚" Empirical states. "The spirit opens with umami and tangy aromas of nacho cheese‚ moving to the deeper‚ corn-forward flavors of the chip to finish on a soft salty note."A post on the Frito Lay website explains that actual Doritos were used to extract the flavor of the chips to make the drink."This limited-release offers a multi-sensorial‚ savory nacho cheese-imbued beverage experience that smells and tastes just like the real thing‚" Frito Lay claimed. "To create the flavor‚ the many flavor layers of Doritos Nacho Cheese are extracted through Empirical's innovative production process‚ using real Doritos chips and retaining their essence through vacuum distillation. Unlike traditional distillation methods‚ vacuum distillation operates at lower temperatures‚ preserving the full spectrum of flavors derived from Doritos.""Limited-edition bottles of Empirical x Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit will be available next month for a suggested retail price of $65.00 (42% ABV‚ 750ml) online and in select New York and California markets. Pre-orders begin December 13‚ 2023 at doritos.x.empirical.co‚" according to Frito Lay. In a piece on Business Insider‚ John Kell‚ who tried the odd concoction‚ noted that he did not think he'd recommend the drink."After sampling the Doritos Nacho Cheese liquor‚ I don't think I'll have it again‚ and I don't think I'd recommend it to others. The biggest barrier is the cost: $65‚ a tough price to stomach with so many exceptional liquors sold at that price point‚" Kell wrote.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

From the Winter War to the Soviet invasion of Hungary to the present day‚ the homemade "bottle bomb" known as the Molotov cocktail has long been a weapon of choice for guerrillas and revolutionaries around the world. The post Inside The Explosive History Of The Molotov Cocktail‚ The ‘Poor Man’s Grenade’ appeared first on All That's Interesting.

The little-known songwriter behind one of the biggest hits of the 1940s was also a country-wandering nomad who once lived under the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. The post The Wild Life Of Eden Ahbez‚ The Vagabond Songwriter Behind Nat King Cole’s ‘Nature Boy’ appeared first on All That's Interesting.