State Of The Union

My goodness, what else can go right for Trump before today's State of the Union?

 - The Democrats running their Iowa caucuses make a strong case for the Electoral College as their radioactive clown car explodes in a shower of No Results.

 - Gallup tells us Trump's job approval is a Personal Best of 49% as he awaits his acquittal tomorrow.

 - And the Dow is up 500 to near-record territory (the NASDAQ is at a new high) as... due, we guess to some combo of reduced coronavirus fears and (some cynics say!) a newfound respect for the DNC determination to Stop Bernie.

Look - elections are won in November, not February. But we can agree that for Team Trump this is setting up nicely.

All the Democrats had to do was not be crazy, and maybe even project an air of competence. Missions Unaccomplished! Trump ought to have the same basic goals - be capable and not crazy. Doable!

Comments

[James D.]

Trump ought to have the same basic goals - be capable and not crazy. Doable!

I’d call it done, for the last 3 years.

Record stock market, record low unemployment, wage growth, ISOS annihilated, Iranian master terrorists killed, should I go on?

[Thomas Collins]

Re your post on the last thread on possible Dem veep candidates, joan: Don't let TK see that! AOC isn't yet 35! :-)

[Theo]

James D —

Trivial accomplishments. Think of the bigger issues, like having your education secretary picked by some random transgender kid. Now THAT is what America really needs.

[Thomas Collins]

But fear not, AOC aficionados. AOC was born on October 13, 1989. That means she'll be eligible to be POTUS in time for the 2024 POTUS election cycle!

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Radioactive Clown Car.
Heh.

I wonder what Chocolate Jesus's Gallup numbers would have been had the media treated him like Judas Iscariot rather than the new and improved Messiah.

[jimmyk]

DrJ from the last thread: There were no people -- none! -- in any TSA line at all.

DrJ, pre-check is still better because you don't need to take off your shoes, pull out your laptop, etc., and you only go through a metal detector rather than those X-ray machines that do God knows what to you and that let the TSA people see your private parts.

[GUS]

Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh Marine Corpse. Uh uh er uh..

He was a put up. He wouldn't have numbers, he'd still be part of the Illinois mob.

[Old Lurker]

From GUS on the other thread: "if COMRADE BERNIE wins,..."

Might as well just end it right there. Nothing anyone could add to the second half of the sentence could save us after that.

[Dave (in MA)]

35 year old age requirements are racist and patriarchal.

[Old Lurker]

Dave "35 year old age requirements"

Since the average life expectancy in 1789 was 36, perhaps that figure should have been "adjusted for inflation" too?

[DrJ]

jimmyk,

I understand, and usually fly pre-check too. I have found, at least at Dulles, that I get pulled over for further screening/bag examination significantly more often than regular TSA. I've no idea why.

[Dave (in MA)]

From the last thread...

Same people who gave us OBAMA CARE gave us GAY MARRIAGE.

Posted by: GUS | February 04, 2020 at 03:27 PM

Bill Weld gave us GAY MARRIAGE.
When he was Gov. in MA there was pressure for him to fill the next Supreme Judicial Court vacancy with an "African American".

When the next vacancy came up, Weld appointed Margaret H. Marshall, a white African American to the court. 3 years later, Weld's successor appointed her to Chief Justice, and 4 years after that she wrote the opinion affirming same sex marriage in MA, the first state to start the snowball rolling.

[JM Hanes]

It's my understanding that pre-check is randomly assigned when you are ticketed, and known traveler status which is permanent.

[Melinda]

Kerry pulled a Biden:

Ava
@AlRobins2015
🚨🚨HOLYWOW!🚨🚨WHILE CAMPAIGNING FOR BIDEN JOHN KERRY ADMITS HE AND THE OBAMA ADMIN WERE INVOLVED IN FIRING PROSECUTOR SHOKIN, WHO WE NOW KNOW WAS AGGRESSIVELY INVESTIGATING BURISMA AND THE BIDENS!

Голоc Амepики @chastime
Джон Керрі про Шокіна: "Ми знали: для того, щоби Україна вижила, і вийшла переможцем із революції, після Майдану, вони мали його здихатися."

https://twitter.com/AlRobins2015/status/12247499751

[Melinda]

"Known Traveler" still gets kicked back to the curb, at random.

[JimNorCal]

I wonder. Will we get a new "Acquittal" thread tomorrow?
As they say at Calvin and Hobbes "The days are just packed!"

Willowed, via Deplorable Don

[Melinda]

Pre-Check: https://www.tsa.gov/precheck

GOES: https://ttp.dhs.gov/

The RealID program is the one you have to get updated by October, if you happen to be trapped in a blue hell state with "Santuarymonium".

Best part of IL RealID program? The DMV runs the scam and leaves document requirements at the discretion of the handling agent. High odds you didn't bring the one they'll accept that day.

[Comanche Voter]

Somewhere out there in bloggerland I saw a post claiming that Trump would carry 40 states in the electoral college this year. There was a reply that was a mathematical impossibility since there were 11 states that would never vote for Trump.

The writer of that reply was so stupid that he or she didn't realize that there were 57 states---so Trump could carry 40 states with a few to spare.

[jimmyk]

The DMV runs the scam and leaves document requirements at the discretion of the handling agent. High odds you didn't bring the one they'll accept that day.

I managed to get this done in one (long) visit at the NY DMV a couple weeks ago. Their website is pretty clear about what you need, and they have people checking your docs while you're waiting to make extra sure. Still a royal pain.

[Dave (in MA)]

Occasionally-functioning Cortex and Mad Maxine are boycotting the SOTU.

[Old Lurker]

Mel "document requirements at the discretion of the handling agent. High odds you didn't bring the one they'll accept that day."

Way back when I was a pup, I often carried my plans down to the county to get building permits. The masses of supplicants would be corralled on one side of the counter, and the "plans examiners" worked at desks on the other side. I came to think the examiners had bells on their desks and whichever examiner could "ding" his rejection the fastest would win something at the end of the day.

[jimmyk]

It's my understanding that pre-check is randomly assigned when you are ticketed

Not exactly. If you signed up for pre-check you get it (barring some glitch like CH experienced). If my then-under-18 daughter was travelling with me she always got it as well. When she turned 18 we got her signed up for it. I do recall sometimes getting it before I signed up for it, so there's that.

[Old Lurker]

Quick do the math. Without AOC & Maxine in the room, does the average IQ of those remaining go up or down. Show your work.

[matt - deplore me if you must]

Will the ladies be wearing white again? Maybe they can think up another wonderful stunt to show the world how woke they are.

[Melinda]

Sorry, meant to post RealID:

https://www.tsa.gov/real-id

[Dave (in MA)]

https://twitter.com/Cam_Cawthorne/status/1224815010683203584

Princess Paleface gets off private jet, spots camera and takes care to place staffer between herself and the camera for the remainder of her walk to the building.

[Extraneus]

Trump says AOC will challenge Schumer for his Senate seat and ‘kick his ass’

[Captain Hate]

Greetings from Atlanta Airport, home of limited craft beer selections: Sam Adams Boston Lager FTL

[JM Hanes]

I'm not so sure that the origin of coronavirus has been nailed down as completely as has been suggested. From the same article linked at Legal Insurrectioin, there is this:

Zheng-Li Shi, a virologist and researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and colleagues, analysed samples of seven people with what's been dubbed '2019-nCoV'.

Six of those included were workers at the market in Wuhan, where cases were first reported in December.

The team found that full-length genome sequences - which determined the DNA of the virus - from five of the patients, were almost 100 per cent identical to each other.

They compared it with TG13, a coronavirus in bats, and found the virus sequence is 96 per cent identical at the whole-genome level to a bat coronavirus.

This evidence suggests bats are a probable source of this coronavirus, according to the publication in the journal Nature.

This jump between species is rare and makes the virus zoonotic — capable of infecting different species.

I have not read of anyone establishing that any actual bats from the Wuhan market carried a coronovirus, and if the coronovirus was 100% identical among its first human hosts, then is being "almost" identical (at 96%) to a known bat virus a significant difference? If I recall correctly that's a bigger than the difference between the DNA of humans and gorillas. I may be mixing up apples and oranges, but have any actual bats in Wuhan been examined?

Even if 96% is close enough to act as confirmation of a bat based origin, the article also includes this:

Dr Michael Skinner, reader in virology at Imperial College London, said: 'The discovery definitely places the origin of nCoV in bats in China.

'We still do not know whether another species served as an intermediate host to amplify the virus, and possibly even to bring it to the market, nor what species that host might have been.

I have seen nothing that rules out the possibility that the Wuhan labs were experimenting with a bat based virus which somehow got loose. The coincidence seems far to compelling, when I believe we know that a bat based virus was shipped to them from Canada. What am I missing? Or just getting wrong?

[sbwaters]

Jummyk, we have TSA-PreCheck (five years) and New York’s old Enhanced Drivers License.

Do you know what would the new-fangled October thing would do for us?

[sbwaters]

Real-ID.

[Captain Hate]

Occasionally-functioning Cortex and Mad Maxine are boycotting the SOTU.

Since the Orange Scalpweasel will be graciously honoring citizens who have had a positive impact on the country, those two would be very out of place.

[Dave (in MA)]

Multiple Twitterers are reporting results from Iowa with 62% reporting:

Buttigieg 26.9
Sanders 25.1
Warren 18.3
Biden 15.6
Klobuchar 12.6

[Old Lurker]

SBW "Do you know what would the new-fangled October thing would do for us?"

Let you fly on a domestic plane inside the US.

[Captain Hate]

LOLGF

https://mobile.twitter.com/LevineJonathan/status/1223685103756488704

[Dave (in MA)]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/buttigieg-campaign-paid-firm-that-developed-voting-app-blamed-for-iowa-caucus-delays

[JM Hanes]

jimmyk:

I don't know how you can sign up for pre-check. The only thing I've seen you could sign up for (aside from Real ID), was the known traveler program which required documentation. Known travelers may go through the same pre-check line, but I've always understood them to be two different things. I used to get pre-check status on a regular basis without doing anything.

[Porchlight]

Haha, the Dems are going to go nuts. Buttigieg looks to be ahead in the Iowa count. Sanders in 2nd.

[Dave (in MA)]

J.B. White@RattlerGator · Hmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . .

Glenn Greenwald@ggreenwald · With the incomplete results released, Sanders has more votes than Buttigieg but Buttigieg has more delegates.

I have a feeling that the people who spent the last 4 years complaining about how unfair & undemocratic such outcomes are won’t be quite as angry about this.

[jimmyk]

sbw, I think the Real ID (if you already have it) lets you get on a domestic flight. But the "enhanced" license lets you go back and forth to Canada (and maybe Mexico and few other places) without your passport. At least I think I have the terminology correct. There are definitely two different levels.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

What in the world is a white African American?

[Dave (in MA)]

White.
Born in Africa.
Moved to America.

[Porchlight]

Now we are going to hear from Dems about how rules are rules and even though Sanders got more *votes*, it's *delegates* that count...ahahahaha, I can't stop laughing.

[Captain Hate]

I used to get pre-check status on a regular basis without doing anything.

Same here.

[Porchlight]

White South African, I'm guessing, Iggy. But it took me a minute too.

[JM Hanes]

Captain:

I didn't get the Jonathon Levine tweet. How did Trump keep Kasie Hunt in Washington, and how do you lose your "Gold status" overnight?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Man, you don't get any quota points for one of those racists do you?

[sbwaters]

Thnx, jimmyk, who cares about Canada now that media will have to register. ;-)

OL, we did sign up for known traveler, but as usual, the government makes nothing clear about the Real ID checkmark difference.

[Dave (in MA)]

Iggy, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_H._Marshall#Early_life

[Captain Hate]

JMH,

The commenters are confused too. I think she's just a whiner whose elite status isn't what she thought it was. Hopefully I didn't come off that way about TSA (and I surely didn't blame it on eeeevil Drumpf).

[henry]

OL, absolute zero is tough to change.

[jimmyk]

JMH, maybe I have the terminology wrong, but whatever I signed up for gives me pre-check on my boarding passes.

[Extraneus]

Donald Trump Welcomes Child Born Prematurely as State of the Union Guest

The child, Ellie Schneider from Kansas City, Missouri, was born at just 21 weeks and six days but survived. She is now two years old, one of the youngest born babies to survive an early birth in the United States. Her mother, Robin, will attend the president’s speech with her child.

[henry]

CH, I’ll have one of these just for you.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24300/81067/

May excellent brews await at your destination.

[clarice]

I have the TSA Frequent Travelers thingy but also Clear(private, you pay for it) which walks you to the head of the line. Very useful in busy terminals.

[Captain Hate]

Damn, henry; love Evil Twin. I'm pleased you can get it there.

Here's where I'll spend some quality time

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28019/

[henry]

I have a drivers license, which last renewal let me do “real ID.” I think my passport is expired. I might fly to Florida and back a couple times, but as most places in the world have greater population density than here I don’t want to go anywhere.

[henry]

CH, that menu makes me thirsty!

[Porchlight]

Looks great, Cap'n. So many beers to try, so little time.

[Captain Hate]

It's my favorite brewery, henry. They're not much on barrel aged stouts but I don't want to leave there hammered, even when KK is driving.

[Jane]

CH,

Where are you going?

[anonamom]

Doc who sent out a heads up on coronavirus in ICU himself:

https://nypost.com/2020/02/04/chinese-doctor-who-tried-to-blow-the-whistle-on-coronavirus-catches-disease/

[henry]

I can relate to that CH.

[Jim Eagle]

Clarice,

We have Clear also, but at MCO (Orlando) their lines are as big as the regular lines. Get Global Entry, if you are prepared for the background check and interrogation by ICE, the fingerprints, facial recognition photos, etc. Since we are frequent travelers to Europe it really comes in handy landing back in JFK or MCO or ATL. All those long immigration lines are bypassed. Plus it gives you TSA Pre-check and KTN.

More and more countries and airlines are accepting it. I think at JFK all the international airlines are accepting it so by passing those other lines is a real treat. Again, no shoes or belts off, no PC's or Tablets need to be removed, etc. If you don't do international travel a few times a year then probably not worth the hassle to get it.

[anonamom]

jmh, there are three different programs: Pre Check, CLEAR , and Known Traveler (Global Entry)

http://flyclear.com/clear-versus-tsa-precheck-versus-global-entry/

Precheck is NOT assigned randomly; if you paid for it, you get it for five years, as long as you enter your info in when buy your ticket.
It CAN be assigned randomly, at the airlines will, and usually is with business or first class tickets--but not always.

[anonamom]

and here is how you get pre check

https://www.tsa.gov/precheck

[Jim Eagle]

Anonamom,

You forgot Global Entry. One stop for all the rest.

CH,

That is a great beer list. Whenever I have a beer, I usually am embarrassed into by my BIL's or SIL's in Belgium. Sometimes they take us here after a nice meal in Brussels. La Mort Subite or Sudden Death. Here is their beer menu but I remember more like over 300. Maybe this is for USA interest only.

https://alamortsubite.com/en/drinks

[KevlarKid]

i got big shoulders, CH. LOL

[Captain Hate]

Jane,

Santa Cruz. I'm volunteering at Pebble Beach on Friday at the ProAm to earn money for my grandson's school (the PGA just throws money around plus it's such a beautiful course and everyone was nice last year). My granddaughter's birthday is next week plus I plan to meet up with some JOMers and at least one Beer Advocate fellow sot and maybe a friend from a music site. I'm not sure ten days is enough.

[Jane]

Capt,

Oh how fun! Rude that they made you go East first!

[Captain Hate]

Jack,

Belgium is still the gold standard for what they specialize in but it's a great time to be a beer drinker here.

[Captain Hate]

Jane,

It's how Delta does things. Anything to avoid O'Hare.

[Jim Eagle]

CH,

Been to the "clam bake" a few times when living in SF. You can never count on the weather, of course:) What do you do as a volunteer? On or off the course?

[Melinda]

JMH- I put two of the links up at my 4:53 post.

[Melinda]

Clear is $179/yr for the 1st member, $50/yr for up to 3 more family members.

https://www.clearme.com/

GOES Global Entry is $100 for 5 yrs, govt issuer.

TSA Pre-Check is $85 for also 5 yrs, govt issuer, but doesn't get you through immigration coming BACK into the US.

[Captain Hate]

Jack,

Just scan tickets and direct people to a shuttle (they use four courses). We're just at the entrance of one of them (maybe the Monterey Peninsula Country Club) right off a green where I saw Phil and DJ last year. I lucked out with the only sunny day last year.

[GUS]

OL, I meant if BERNIE wins the DEM nomination.

Dave, the SCOTUS gave us gay marriage.

[Captain Hate]

Boarding time.

Enjoy the SOTU

[JM Hanes]

Thanks for the links and info, which should clear all this up. The main reason I haven't signed up for anything is that the only place they do the interviews around here is more than an hour away, in a town I almost never need to visit.

[jimmyk]

Now that I checked, I have Global Entry, which also gives me TSA pre-check. Anyway, among the best $100 I’ve ever spent.

[Melinda]

Totally agree, jimmyk, saves a TON of time, especially on the way back home.

[MissMarple2]

Benny
@bennyjohnson
🚨
BREAKING
🚨

President Trump to award Rush Limbaugh with Medal of Freedom

[GUS]

John Kerry's lovely wife Thereza Heinz is from Africa.

[JimNorCal]

A-mom: "doc who sent out a heads up on coronavirus in ICU himself"

Amom we have enormous love and respect for you guys.

[Jim Eagle]

Whatever, if you do any international travel frequently, get Global Entry. We have had it for over 8 years now. Easy Peasy.

No SOTU for me tonight. The whole Trump has to save himself everytime crap is getting boring. He is who he is and he is doing more for me, my family and my families future than any of those jackasses in his audience, bo finth GOPe and Dems.

Now, I need to find a good hockey game while I dig further into my book on the 17th century. No mention of beer back then so I need to read further. I know they had beer since my wife's family was brewing beer then and roasting coffee that we still drink here (import it from Belgium, wonderful roast).

[Tom R]

Spygate updates from Herridge

https://twitter.com/cbs_herridge/status/1224833197734842369?s=21

https://twitter.com/cbs_herridge/status/1224831687357534208?s=21

[JimNorCal]

RSBN playing last year's SOTU to get people in the mood. LOTS of pro Trump msgs scrolling by on the screen. It's been a terrific week, people are jazzed.

[JM Hanes]

Just checked the Global Entry

The DHS link has all the government travel programs. I just checked Global Entry, and found the only place in NC they do the interviews for that is 1 hr. 45 mins away, on a good day.

[Tom R]

Rush getting the Medal of Freedom is going to be cause massive conniption fits among the Progtards.

[JM Hanes]

I decided to tune into the SOTU on the tube, whether I actually watch it or not, just to contribute to the audience numbers.

[Jim Eagle]

As I said, JMH, its worth it if you want to put the long waits, travels, and BS interrogations. Only if you travel international regularly. If not, don't do it.

For comic relief.

https://babylonbee.com/news/trump-to-deliver-state-of-the-union-in-scuba-gear-to-avoid-drowning-in-liberal-tears

[JM Hanes]

At least in Charlotte, it's at the airport so you don't have to mess with going into town.

[Jim Eagle]

BTW, read Catherine Herridges tweets and documents. If you think this SpyGate episode is going to result in indictments, convictions, frogmarches, prision suits, etc. Forget it.

The fix is in and the deep state survives another life time or two or three or four....

[matt - deplore me if you must]

Rush's medal cancels out half a dozen of the Obama medals awarded.

[MissMarple2]

Veteran who will be a guest of the President tonight. Video at the link, about 1 1/2 minutes.

AWESOME! Army Vet Tony Rankins is one of Pres Trump’s guests tonight! He overcame PTSD, drug addiction & homelessness!

I'm sure when he's introduced Democrats will sit just like last year

He's an INSPIRATION to all vets that struggle every day.🙏 pic.twitter.com/U0abncq95j

— Blondie not tired of WINNING!❤🇺🇸 (@LilBlondie45) February 4, 2020

[Jim Eagle]

When I got ours, I had to travel 1 hour to Sandford Airport (where by the way the people from PA and NY who travel Alleghany come in). Then back again for Frederick. And they do interrogate you. I had to give up my college ROT ranks, my USAF ranks and service, plus my Fl isorida and NY driving records. Poor Frederick only had his grade school grades to give up:)

Yes, it is that bad.

[Mystic]

Watching a rerun of yesterday’s jeopardy....category is tv news shows......who is this man on CNN? Nobody knew!!! It was Jake the fake!

Bahahaha

[JimNorCal]

(Not an actual quote.)

Tom Perez "at the DNC, we don’t always test our build, but when we do, we test it in production”.

[GUS]

Have the FULL COMMIES blamed RUSSIA for the IOWA COCK-US yet??

[MissMarple2]

He has surfaced!

John O. Brennan
@JohnBrennan

Rand Paul is beneath contempt.

He typifies the worst of @realDonaldTrump
’s craven enablers.

Any Senator excusing this dangerous behavior makes a mockery of public service.

History will revile all of you.