Cliff Varnell

Coming from a Trump supporter that's especially rich. Hey Paul, you remember the drone programs Obomber and Trump had going in the Middle East and North Africa -- where thousands of civilians were killed, especially under Trump? Biden put a stop to it. Remember Netanyahu promising a major offensive in Rafah? Hasn't happened full scale as of yet. Bibi says Biden slowed down arms delivery over the last four months. Think Trump would ever stand up to Netanyahu? The Biden pullout from Afghanistan was ill-prepared, but they managed to get out 125,000 of our Afghan allies (left 175,000 behind, admittedly.) How many South Vietnamese allies did the US of A pull out of 'Nam after the fall of Saigon? 5,500.

Or characteristic of a common cold. He's been quoted saying before the debate he didn't feel well. Typical for human beings. https://4dayweek.io/schedule/6-hour-workday#:~:text=Enhanced Productivity%3A The principle that,more dynamic and engaged workforce. He pulled an all-nighter in Vietnam last September negotiating a new regional security pact. We have well-developed Bullshed Detectors -- and I'm calling "Bullshed!" on this. William, could you please inventory Biden's losses as President? Legislation he's failed to pass, alliances he's failed to form, local and state elections the Democrats unexpectedly lost?

Two trans-Atlantic trips between June 5 and June 15 indicate effectiveness under demanding circumstances. The right wing had to crop film and photos to make him look feeble. Maybe we should ask President Romney how he kicked Obama's ass in their first debate. He had a raspy voice. During the State of the Union and Friday in North Carolina he had a strong voice. They need to change their diapers.

How long did it take for the Access Hollywood tape scandal to drop out of the news cycle in October 2016? 3 weeks. In four months the Biden debate performance will be a footnote to this campaign. Biden leveraged the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to force Saudi Arabia to curtail oil production cuts this fall. The price at the pumps will probably drop significantly this October. Playing the global oil market like that is unprecedented. Gas prices usually increase in the summer months, but there have been no significant increases summer '24. Biden should be bragging about this. For such a feeble guy Old Joe sure gets a lot of stuff done. Inflation in May year-over-year -- 2.6%. Democrats need to fkn chill. Joe Biden, Master Oil Trader https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/05/16/joe-biden-master-oil-trader

Debate night he was getting over a cold, most likely. The next day in North Carolina: .Americans love a comeback story.

po·lit·i·cize /pəˈlidəˌsīz/ verb cause (an activity or event) to become political in character. "the administration did not want to politicize a tragedy" make (someone) politically aware or active. "we successfully politicized a generation of women" engage in or talk about politics. "we talk and squabble and politicize about education as a vote-catching agency" </q> Every issue in a presidential campaign is politicized by definition.

It's a legal issue, not the issue of a political campaign. Once it's an issue in a political campaign the matter has been politicized. Similar to the release of Julian Assange. Even though there was debate over the matter it never became an issue in a political campaign.

Then why do you insist the release of the files should be a campaign issue?

The hypocrisy is staggering.

An apparent endorsement? Sure. "[Adamczyk] now chimes in on what can be done in the presidential campaign to make this an issue. Which it should be." It is apparent that Mr. DiEugenio thinks the release of the JFK files "should be" an issue in "the presidential campaign." Trump is running on the promise to release the files. It's a reasonable inference that Mr. DiEugenio will celebrate a Trump victory given the importance of the issue to him. Mr. DiEugenio has politicized the issue, not me. If you find it tiresome you should take it up with him.

Nothing restores faith in government like electing someone who plans to overthrow it.

That's rich. Mr. DiEugenio writes that the release of the files should be a campaign issue then he writes that it's not political.

Respect is a two-way street, Ben.

No one has defended Joe Biden's snuff job on the JFK Records Act. The issue is Donald Trump's empty campaign promises, and the MAGA attempt to co-opt "anti-establishment" communities.

Jim can mention it all he wants. But his contention that it's an actual campaign issue requires gullibility of a high order. The issue is Trump's sincerity regarding the release of the files. Jim DiEugenio knows little or nothing about current American politics. He doesn't even know what a "news cycle" is. Here is a thoroughly ill-informed analysis of Donald Trump's campaign promise to release the files.

“It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” ― Mark Twain

In order for the release of the JFK files to be an actual issue in the 2024 Presidential election, one must buy the idea Trump is sincere. Why would anyone familiar with American politics believe that?

Good one, Matt. If it were only Trump spewing dictator fantasies he could be readily ignored. But the promises of his allies are alarming. MAGA has laid out its plan to sabotage elections, sanction discrimination and steal rights https://www.dispatch.com/story/opinion/letters/2024/06/22/what-is-project-2025-magas-plan-for-domination/74154633007/

--Benjamin Franklin's response to Elizabeth Willing Powel's question: "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" In 2024 we run a serious risk of NOT "keeping it."

Not without a fight. I guess you were out of the country for January 6, 2021. He's been indicated on four felonies for not letting the people peacefully vote him out.

Trump's inability to process information is THE topic.

Trump openly runs on instituting a dictatorship. Real funny.

Respectfully, I didn't bring the subject up. From the K&K article: <quote on, emphasis added> So what is a different path to achieving full transparency and declassification on the JFK records? The path is clear and actually quite simple. It does not matter which President takes this path. It could be Trump, Biden or another candidate running in 2024. It would be more difficult for Biden because he would literally have to do a full pivot, reverse his recent Executive orders, come up with plausible reasons for doing so, and then instruct agencies (and his own Executive team) to follow the JFK Act and be accountable for that task. Trump’s path is difficult but less difficult, and I will explain why. Any President, however, can successfully overcome the continued disturbing trend of secrecy regarding the JFK assassination records, and look like a strong and decisive U.S. President while doing so. If Trump is elected again, he can explain what he experienced in October 2017. He can explain what he told Judge Andrew Napolitano and why. He can explain why felt that he had no choice under last minute pressure from agencies in October 2017 (and again in 2018), including pressure from the CIA. During this upcoming campaign Trump can explain how he received faulty legal advice from the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel at the eleventh hour in making his decisions on the JFK Records, which he did. Trump can obtain an objective and clinical legal analysis demonstrating how the JFK Records Act was intended (by Congress) to operate. Trump can declare with confidence, after receiving competent and objective legal counsel, that the JFK Act was NOT intended for the President--30 years after the passage of the JFK Act--to rewrite the law with a presidential pen. Trump would surely attempt to embarrass Biden regarding his more recent orders, but the issue does not change. Trump can acknowledge and endorse the recent Tucker Carlson reporting. Trump can pledge to rescind and reverse ALL of Biden’s executive orders on this historical issue. Trump can pledge to issue a new executive order requiring all agencies and NARA to immediately comply with provisions of the JFK Records Act that require an unclassified identification of each assassination record still withheld and why each record should still be withheld today under the standards of the JFK Act. Trump can establish a reasonable deadline for agencies and NARA to complete this ministerial work for the remaining Protected Collection. It could be 6 months, it could be 9 months. But no more arbitrary extensions or delays. Trump could then make a final and independent Presidential decision after receiving this required information from the agencies. And that decision must relate to an identifiable harm as currently posed by a specific record(s). <quote off> Mark Adamczyk vastly over-estimates Trump's capabilities. https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-looks-at-charts-in-intelligence-briefings-2020-5 Trump doesn't read his intelligence reports, but looks at the graphs, charts, and tables <quote on> President Donald Trump often struggles to focus during his intelligence briefings and frequently ignores information he disagrees with, The New York Times reported Thursday, citing 10 current and former intelligence officials familiar with the briefings. The coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated the problem, The Times reported. For instance, Trump has blamed a January 23 intelligence briefing for not adequately warning him of the threat the virus posed, even though he was also warned by a bevy of other sources, including epidemiologists, national security officials, biodefense officials, and his own health secretary. Last month, the Washington Post reported that Trump was warned about the coronavirus threat in more than a dozen intelligence briefings throughout January and February, which were written in the President's Daily Brief, a classified report Trump is given each morning. But officials told The Times that Trump does not read the written intelligence reports he is given, though he does look at visuals such as graphs, charts, tables, and satellite images. Instead, Trump reportedly prefers to receive information from conservative media and friends. <quote off> 5 years later Trump got sharper?

Any attempt to put Trump above criticism on this issue is incredibly wrong-headed. "He now chimes in on what can be done in the presidential campaign to make this an issue. Which is should be." How is that not a rationale for MAGA fascism?