Cliff Varnell

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?

Breaking Bad first then Better Call Saul. The latter will expand your understanding of the former -- part of the fun! Then watch the epilogue -- El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. In the cable TV era only three other series reach this level of greatness (imho): The Sopranos, The Wire, and Mad Men.

I call 'em like I see 'em. Before Jim (thankfully) put me on ignore he accused me of having a sinister "agenda" every time I disagreed with him about anything. His apparent endorsement of Trump's candidacy over the JFK files is blinkered.

Binge-watch Breaking Bad then binge it's equally great prequel series Better Call Saul. It's a month well spent.

The naivete reflected in this article is stunning. Anyone who thinks Trump has the capacity to grasp any issue beyond a third grade level hasn't been paying attention. Is he for real? Gimme a break! Trading release of the JFK files for a Christian Fascist dictatorship isn't such a hot deal, is it? His minions have attempted to co-opt "anti-establishment" movements. The Libertarians shut him down. Punk rockers like Green Day shut him down. Only in the JFKA Critical Community has MAGA made in-roads. The Libertarians and punk rocks are made of sterner stuff.

This analysis ignores the snuff job AG William Barr pulled on the half-hearted Mueller Report ("Russiagate"). It also ignores the facts surrounding Hunter Biden's laptop. The FBI went to Twitter honcho Jack Dorsey in 2020 and alerted him to the possibility of foreign attempts to influence the 2020 election. When the NY Post broke the Hunter Biden laptop story Dorsey thought it might be Russian disinfo, and put a twenty-four hour hold on references to it on Twitter. Twenty-four hours. In spite of the claims of MAGA operative Rudy Guiliani, the laptop contained no evidence of Joe Biden corruption. This hasn't stopped MAGA operatives from claiming the twenty-four hour Twitter hold cost Trump the 2020 election. Just another lie that won't die.

Like that line from "Cool Hand Luke" -- "What we've got here is failure to communicate." I strongly suspect JFK was hit by high tech weapons developed for the CIA. Trump doesn't know what he said or meant from moment to moment. He could look at the withheld files and not grasp anything about them.

I don't believe a word that piece of garbage says. MAGA is in an all-out assault on every American institution including the CIA, FBI, the military, the justice system, the electoral process and the independent media. Christian Fascism is coming folks -- it's time to wake up.

Lanier was solid on defense and could play short and second base, He was smart. He once scored from first on a Jimmy Davenport bunt. Joe Torre thought the ball was going to go foul and slammed it down in frustration when it stayed fair. The Braves catcher had run up the line and Lanier just kept going with no one covering home. Juan Marichal vs Sandy Koufax in the heat of a pennant race. As I recall Marichal had a problem with Roseboro throwing the ball back to the mound an inch from Marichal's ear. The Giants won the game 4 - 3 but Juan was suspended for 10 games, and those two lost starts may have cost the Giants the NL crown. I saw Marichal pitch live a couple of times. He beat the Pirates at the 'Stick 4 - 3, and lost to the Mets at Shea 1 - 0 in 10 innings. I don't think that happens anymore -- a starting pitcher go into extra innings.

Frank Duffy was involved in two of the Worst Trades in Bay Area Sports History. We got him from the Reds in a trade for George Foster. The Giants basically traded an MVP powerhouse and a Cy Young winner for "Sudden Sam" McDowell who'd turned suddenly wild for the Indians the year before and found himself suddenly in the Giants bullpen before they got rid of him In May of '66 Sadecki and the Cardinals beat the Giants 2 - 1 and the next day they traded Cepeda for him. Orlando was a first baseman and the Giants had Willie McCovey. Both of those guys were defensive liabilities in the outfield, so something had to give. Sadecki beat the Dodgers at least once. June '68 at the 'Stick, 9 - 2. I was at that game, which was most notable for the MLB debut of Bobby Bonds. In his second big league at bat he hit a grand slam. Next AB the bases were loaded again, but he walked. I saw Perry face off live against Tom Seaver at Shea Stadium in 1971. 5 - 3 Mets. I saw Willie Mays play live a half dozen games . He was uncharacteristically quiet. The most memorable hit was a blast off the chain link fence at the 'Stick that bounced right back to the left fielder who held Mays to a single. Then McCovey came up and smashed a two run homer.

Ashton Gray claimed Nurse Diana Bowron stabbed JFK in the throat with a poison needle while JFK was wheeled from the limo to the ER. When I argued against that scenario he accused me of being a government disinformation agent. His real name is Randall MacDonald (iirc), a hardcore Scientologist. David Lifton shared with me his later theories in a phone call in 2019. He assumed he spoke in confidence, which I won't breach even though he's passed. To get the definitive word on David's theories we'll have to wait until Final Charade gets published.

Please note the inability of Lone Nutters (or T1/CTs) to rebut the above.

It destroys the Lone Nut theory, indeed. The key detail in Croft is the normal amount of visible shirt collar, which indicates the jacket collar was in a normal position. Normally, the lower margin of clothing collars are at the base of the neck, or slightly above. The SBT requires several inches of shirt and jacket to elevate above the top of the back without pushing up the jacket collar at the base of the neck. This scenario is contrary to the nature of reality.

The bullet hole in the shirt is 4" below the bottom of the collar, the hole in the jacket is 4.125" below the bottom of the collar. The Croft photo shows a similar fraction of an inch ride up of the coat -- "a little bit."

This explains why DCM held up a "hold fire" signal during the shooting sequence, why he didn't depart the scene immediately, why he may have carried a radio. I don't see a function for Umbrella Man in this scenario -- why the redundant signal man? Shouldn't we look at photos below and above the overpass for other possible Bomb Team perps? Someone had to have a thumb on the detonator, yes?

Thanks for the invitation to live rent-free in your head. I pass.