National Prayer Breakfast aka Trump Victory Lap

Catholic leaders should boycott this event in the future if it continues in this vein. Because it is no longer the occasion for prayer with the President, and is no longer prayer in any meaningful way, but is an exercise in spite, contempt and vanity.

— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) February 6, 2020

Prof. Eric Segall (Dorf on Law)  had a cry from the heart after Trump gave the Medal of Freedom to Rush Limbaugh (his cancer prognosis led to various people on the left to be a lot more respectful than he tended to be) during the State of the Union.  Finding problematic things that he said over the years is ... well, let's say it is not hard.  What really depressed Segall, who wears his heart on his sleeve at times on Twitter was that conservative professor types (he has engaged with them a lot over the years) did not criticize giving this top civilian honor to such a person.

[I wrote this on Saturday but it's mostly about stuff ending on Friday, except for one thing, so dated it thusly.]

Some moments get you really down, I guess, even these days.  Something set me off this morning -- in a thread on this matter, someone "whataboutism" Bill Clinton.  Not some random troll. A lawyer and "university professor, teaching moral theology."  The person at the link called him on it, granting Clinton did something horrible regarding Monica Lewinsky.  The guy then LIED and said "so you are saying" (usual flag that it's the opposite) that he accepted Clinton committing perjury etc. He did not.  It was a fucking lie. The person even said Clinton was "reprehensible" (overblown for having an affair with an adult).  To be lied to and Trump/RL's wrong ignored.  It's really the Democrats fault for handwaving Clinton.  Who admitted guilt and got punished!  This really pissed me off and I cried out in the void. As noted, the medal was given to Clinton and Bush for global health efforts.

After the Republicans bowed down to the Great Leader on Wednesday, Trump used the National Prayer Breakfast as a victory lap. It was be disgusting just to hear Trump give the usual b.s. given the source. Pence saying that sort of thing would be unpleasant, but at least there one figures he actually at believes it on some level.  Maybe, that doesn't mean much really, but even to the degree we are dealing with the usual grifter that uses religion, Trump really is an act of desecration.  Of course, he made it all about him.  I was interested in reading about the event and its history, but the coverage tended to turn on his part in it all.  Spitting on the honest believers (Pelosi and Romney).  Getting cheers for his victory lap.  Those who respect religion -- including those not specifically believers -- should be appalled.

After spitting on God, so to speak, Trump started the revenge stage. Note that we already had various people who testified during the House impeachment inquiry targeted in a range of ways. But, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman has a special role here given his Americana moment and everything.  He and his brother found out, per the famous moment where he said he told his father that he would be okay for telling the truth, what that means in this day in age.  On a basic level, I think he will be okay, in part protected by his military position.  Gordon Sondland as a political appointee had less security. Trump also helped Senate Republicans continue his targeting of Hunter Biden since it would be wrong to obstruct Republican controlled congressional bodies.  And, a special "fu" targeting New York for protecting undocumented immigrants.

The acquittal vote is an "end of the beginning" moment.

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Just to toss it in there, there was another Democratic Debate Friday Night (yeah, still a thing; still didn't really watch) with Bloomberg still not there. Yang was there, since like the Orioles being in the MLB, technically he qualified somehow.  Steyer also though as with Yang it is depressing a range of more worthy types (like Booker, Castro, Harris etc.) are not there instead.  Then, you have the "uh, yeah, he's from Indiana" co-winner of Iowa, Buttigieg, who Klobuchar (honorable mention) speaks for many of us now and then gets a chance to say "okay, kid, you don't belong here, it's the big leagues now."  This year's Jeb! (Mr. Fourth Place in Iowa), Biden and "um, you don't seriously want THIS guy as the nominee, right?"  (unless you are the Republicans) Sanders.

And, the one credible option, Warren, who hopefully will eventually be a compromise choice when Biden doesn't make it.  I mostly followed on Twitter and my head went up when there actually was something about the Supreme Court.  Talk of a "litmus test," which was a chance for everyone to say they would support abortion rights.  Duh.  The courts is a major issue for Republicans (some under 40 Federalist Society type up for the court of appeals was the first thing Gravedigger/Moscow Mitch worried about after the trial was over) and is after all 1/3 of the federal government.  It really warrants more attention then it gets.

(I clicked on to hear Amy Klobuchar talk about protecting precedent, which is an asinine buzzword here really years into the Roberts Court. Does that mean she won't appoint someone who will challenge Shelby County v. Holder or what?)