Bernie’s Q&A: Trump, McCarthy, Cosby, and more! (6/24) — Premium Interactive ($4 members)
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Now, let’s get to your questions (and my answers):
I listened to your commentary. I would like to know if you believe that these hearings would have had more credibility if they were truly bipartisan and Kevin McCarthy allowed to choose which Republicans would be on the committee. Why was no security provided to the capitol and if security was provided would not the electoral vote counting have continued with the distinct possibility that certification in enough key states would not have occurred. What about the reprehensible and unconstitutional way hundreds of Trump supporters have been treated? What about the fact that 1/6 has become a pretext for the accelerated weaponization of the federal government to target US citizens on the political right? — Fred N.
In my last column, I noted that it would be better if there were cross-examination at the hearings. Perhaps you missed that. I noted that the hearings, coming in an election year, had political overtones; that Democrats were trying to divert attention from nearly 9 percent inflation and over $5 a gallon gasoline. Perhaps you missed that too. Besides, John Daly recently wrote a piece that includes detail on how Kevin McCarthy was given the opportunity for a truly bipartisan committee, and he rejected it. Donald Trump himself even recently criticized McCarthy for passing on the opportunity.
What troubles me about your comment is that you say absolutely nothing about Donald Trump’s reprehensible behavior on and before Jan. 6. You say nothing about how he incited the riot that day. Is there anything that man can do that would cross a bright line for you?
Is Jane’s Revenge the next Antifa, and can we expect another George Floyd-like summer of violence from these leftist thugs? — Steve R.
The Trump knuckleheads who stormed the Capitol have been called insurrectionists. Sounds like the thugs who are part of Jane’s Revenge, if they incite violence against the Supreme Court, will be insurrectionists too. Trump’s crew attacked one branch of government, Jane’s Revenge has another branch in its crosshairs.
Bernie, I am going to make two predictions, one Trump will run for President in 2024, and two, if Ron DeSantis runs he will beat Donald Trump in the Republican primary. Here is why, Trump will never let go of 2020 and if we keep heading off the cliff Biden is taking us, no one, not even diehard Trumpsters will want to hear about 2020 and unprovable accusations of election fraud. Ron will be able to speak to the issues that impact the voters, Don will only speak about the issue that impacts him. What do you think? — Joe M.
I hope you’re right, that Trump is defeated in the GOP primaries if he runs. I could support DeSantis — and a few other Republicans. I could never support Donald Trump.
If Trump did decide to quit with whiney talk and came out with a more straightforward “I lost, but let’s move on” message, anyway you can see him getting back on the good side of middle of the road liberals, such as yourself? I’m pretty sure how you’re going to answer, but I put it out there anyway. — Rodney A.
First, Rodney, I’m not sure why you think I’m a liberal, middle of the road or otherwise. Maybe you think anyone who isn’t a hard-core right-winger is a liberal. I don’t know. To your question: Trump will never say, “I lost, but let’s move on” — NEVER! So I can’t make believe he could. I’m still amazed by how many people don’t understand the man — and his illness. He’s a clinical narcissist and a sociopath.
Bernie thanks for writing [Monday’s] article. I think that I realize Trump lost the election. But I also know that Molly Hemingway wrote a great book called “ Rigged” and I found it compelling. The movie 2000 Mules was well done also. So yes Trump lost. But there are 75 million Americans waiting to vote for Trump again with all his warts. Even Bill Barr says he will vote for the Republican nominee vs anyone the democrats could come up with. So continue to find fault with those of us who can decide for ourselves who is going to do what is best for me and my family. All I can hope is that in 2024 Molly Hemingway will be able to write about an election that was not rigged. — Denis M.
I understand why some people voted for Donald Trump and I said as much in my column. Funny how people read and absorb only what they want. Do what you want, Denis. Vote for him if you want. You may think he’s better than the alternative. I get it. But while I won’t vote for a Democrat, neither will I vote for Donald Trump, a truly despicable human being.
Hemingway’s book is largely about Mark Zuckerberg’s funding for get-out-the-vote efforts (which were perfectly legal, though she basically portrays them as corrupt and evil), and Dinesh D’Souza’s “2000 Mules” (which suggests massive voter fraud) has been widely dismantled.
Your good friend Bill O’Reilly would disagree with you on some of your points such as Trump inciting riot. He clearly stated that the group should be “peaceful.” O’Reilly continually points to that fact. You should as well. I don’t want to do the dance with you again Bernie, I just want to point to the fact that a smart guy like O’Reilly sees things a little differently. Is he one of the blind acolytes as well? I live in Portland, Oregon and I experienced supposed “peaceful” protests firsthand. The hypocrisy from the Left is stupefying as usual. — Thomas C.
Bill disagrees with me on some points — and I disagree with him on some points. I once told my friend Bill that a journalist can’t cover a friend. It’s too difficult. I was right then and I’m still right today.
Bernie, I understand your issue with Donald Trump, but can you name one person who you think would do a better job at fixing America’s economic, foreign relation, and immigration problems? — Michael B.
Yes. I can name a bunch of people — and none of them have Trump’s dishonesty to drag around with them. I’d rather see Liz Cheney in the Oval Office than Donald Trump … or Mitt Romney … or Chris Christie … or Ron DeSantis … or Nikki Haley. Or a few others. It wasn’t Trump’s policies I objected to, it was Trump himself.
Dear Bernie, with mass shootings and Covid seemingly on the rise, should I wear a mask or bullet proof vest to the beach this summer? I want to have a fun time but also a safe one. –2 Pfizers + 2 Moderna Chasers
Just make sure you put on plenty of sunscreen.
How can you two gentlemen take seriously a kangaroo court run by a committee that disallowed two Republicans nominated by the House minority leader, and which presents only one side of the events of January 6? –dmckinleyp
Have you listened to the testimony? Do you understand that it’s Republicans who are burying Donald Trump. That it’s conservatives who supported him who have the courage to say he tried to overturn the election, that he tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power?
Where and who are the rich, greedy, racist conservatives that are regularly presented to us as an existential threat to democracy? The left has Soros who puts Boudin, Gascon and many others into power positions, a non-event for news. All social media billionaires block anything non-liberal and promote only websites and news by liberals, we’re told this is acceptable. There’s the print media controlled and owned by leftists like Bezos (even some liberals are now questioning). Is this why the media focuses so much on Trump? There’s nobody else because they’ve all been limited in speech and cancelled and their twitter accounts frozen? — DonEstif
Yes, the media deck is stack in the left’s favor, you’re right about that. And they focus on Trump because they know their audience hates the man. But, come on, Don, Trump is newsworthy. He tried to overthrow the election. That’s big news. Do liberals play down stories that make their team look bad. Yes to that too. Is it wrong? Yes it is. But that doesn’t make Donald Trump anything even vaguely resembling a good guy, or a decent human being for that matter.
Bernie, I have two simple questions. One do you think some of Trump’s supporters are watching the hearings? Two do you think the overwhelming facts and inside information will change any Trump supporters’ minds? This level of insight behind the scenes is powerful. Trump really did try to steal the election. — Douglas S.
I’m sure there’s not a 100 percent boycott of the hearings by Trump supporters, but many, I assume, would rather watch something else. As for the hard-core, dedicated supporters … no, I don’t think facts will change their minds. Such is their devotion to a man who, as you say, really did try to steal the election.
I thought Tuesday’s January 6 hearing was possibly the most riveting yet, with pro-Trump Republican election officials describing just how much pressure Trump, his lawyers, and Republican congressmen were placing on them to break the law to reverse the election. Maybe equally riveting were their, and that mother/daughter election-worker team’s, telling of how many vile threats have been made against them and their families for just doing their jobs in 2020. However I saw people complaining online that Adam Schiff being their questioner hurt their testimony, being that he’s such a hack. I don’t like Schiff either, but his questions seemed fair to me. What do you think? — Ben G.
I’m no fan of Adam Schiff, either. And maybe the fact that he was asking the questions detracted, for some, from the testimony. But … I’m with you, Ben, in that his questions were fair and the answers to those questions were devastating to Trump.
I don’t know, Bernie. I’m a Republican, voted for Trump, but would like, as I’m sure many others would, to move on from Trump. We know how you feel about him. Why keep talking and writing about him? I know you have subscribers who love the guy but you’re never going to convince them that he’s all about himself and wasn’t cheated in the 2020 election. To me, the best way to be rid of Trump is for those who don’t blindly follow him to just ignore him and those that support his falsehoods. He revels in recognition and controversy. You’re a good journalist and commentator. Don’t waste your time with The Donald. — Bob K.
I know what you mean, Bob. But the House hearings are big news. I could look the other way, but I feel a need to write about them. And since Trump is the center of attraction, I have to write about him too. I’ve got another column on the subject coming up on Monday. Be assured, I wish he’d just go away and leave us all alone.
Bill Cosby was successfully sued recently over an alleged incident that occurred at the Playboy Mansion in 1975 involving a couple of underage girls. So, supposedly in the elite liberal Hollywood circles of yesteryear, Cosby had a reputation for such deviant behavior that was well known by the liberal elites of the industry, yet they all looked the other way for many years. Even back then, I would think that a black man molesting white women would not have gone over very well in public, so no matter how rich and famous he was, I think he still could have gotten in big trouble back then. So what changed? Did his words demanding that African Americans hold themselves accountable for their situations and quit blaming white people for their own failures at the infamous NAACP Awards embarrass Julian Bond so badly that The Illuminati decided that “America’s Dad” must be taken down? Your thoughts? — “Step Off The Liberal Plantation & Get Buried With Old Dirt” regards from The Emperor
I think what changed, Your Worship, was that things that used to be tolerated no longer are. I think that’s a bigger factor than Cosby’s NAACP speech, which, by the way, was a much needed gem. And I’m not sure “molesting” is anywhere near the right word. What were a couple of underage girls doing at the Playboy Mansion in the first place? You might know the answer because my sources tell me some guy calling himself “The Emperor” was a regular at the place.
Mr. G., I totally get your Off The Cuff take this week, FDT I say; but at the same time why do other people keep voting for more crime, loss of savings, higher cost of living, increased illegal immigration, nutty woke social policies, increased homelessness and unsafe mass transit, a weaker America, and generally being worse off than you were before?
Ah never mind, I know there’s no good answer here. Just venting I guess. So what are you going to do with your 18cents per gallon of gas savings this summer? For me that’s about $43. We have that to look forward to I guess. 🙄 –ScottyG
Venting is OK, my friend. They’re voting for all that garbage because they’re Democrats who apparently would rather put up with all of it rather than leave their comfort zone and vote Republican. I know, crazy! As for the gas tax savings: I plan to buy a house in the south of France with my 18 cents per gallon gift. You’re welcome to visit. One more thing: I had to look up FDT. Play nice, Scotty.
Bernie, Over the last few months we’ve learned that Georgia U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker has lied about being a high school valedictorian, lied about owning multiple companies (that never existed), lied about graduating from college (and doing so in the top 1%), lied about being a police officer, lied about being an FBI agent, and even lied about how many children he’s fathered. At this point, I’m second-guessing whether he even played football!
That said, don’t you agree that these revelations make him an early favorite to become president in 2024? — John D.
So he told a few lies. Big deal. It’s not that important. You’re making a mountain out of a mole hill. And if you don’t believe me just ask the guy who’s endorsing him, Donald J. Trump.
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