By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas |...There is a well-known analogy most reporters would know well, often laugh at and perhaps even say it's the damned truth - picture a row of blackbirds on a powerline flying in one by one and then, when startled by something, they all fly off one by one to go check it out.
You're seeing a bit of it now in our busy national press corps on this presidential debate story that lingers here days after the event. Never mind the war in Ukraine, the other one in Gaza or a weekend shooting with racial overtones in Nebraska.
The Big Story must be chased down.
That is what newsroom honchos are telling their top political reporters these days. It is a story with better legs than the actress Juliet Prowse, said to have once had the most gorgeous legs in Hollywood.
We reel at some of the high-energy punditry making the rounds, but we also know that we live in a time when everyone has a bullhorn at the ready. You don't have time for all the freaking, highfalutin podcasts out there. Same for a zillion blogs out to have their say.
There is, however, evidence of what we mean. A review of recent post-debate headlines reveals a somewhat known belief that the news media plays its own game, often believing influence is key in their business, at times right and at others wrong, at times well-meaning and at others simply offering the partisan company line.
Headlines of some major news organizations following the debate:
The New York Times: Biden Struggles as Trump Blusters in Contentious Debate
The Washington Post: Biden struggles, Trump deflects questions
The Wall Street Journal: Biden Crashed in First Clash With Trump
Politico: "Biden is toast"
Axios: Biden blunders dominate combative debate with Trump
NBC News: Biden sends Democrats into a panic; Trump unleashes bad information
CBS News: Presidential debate highlights from Trump and Biden’s first showdown of 2024
CNN: Biden’s poor showing and Trump’s repeated deflection
MSNBC: Biden stumbles; Trump caveats election results question
USA Today: Biden supporters alarmed after president’s debate struggles
-0-
Your particular take on events is just as good as theirs. That's where we are in communications. The country has more than enough news and even more news angles. Each of the outlets listed above has its own niche in the industry - whether playing to the left, the right or the middle.
White noise is what it also used to be called.
Should we worry about it? No, not really. There are plenty of outlets simply off the grid, as they say. They gladly push hellbent lies to aid their cause, candidate or boss. That, we say, is well and good, 'cause it can be balanced by visiting other sites and reading a different story of the same news.
Once, Americans had three main news sources in ABC, CBS and NBC - the initial major networks. But that was 50-60 years ago. Cable TV followed it, and then came the world-changing Internet. Said to be in the rise is the availability of news on your cellphone.
Who knows exactly how much influence these news organizations have singularly and collectively.
All I can know is my own time. Yes, I make the rounds to stay informed.
Perhaps that's what we all should do. There are good reasons to criticize the concept of a free press. It's a jungle out there. Crazy rumors and crazier lies abound. But they do offer glimpses of current life, available all day and all night by way of your keyboard fingertips or television, a literal avalanche of good and bad news, accompanying photography included in the informational package.
This back and forth regarding last Thursday's presidential debate is hot, but it, too, will fade. Just keep watching those winging blackbirds on the powerlines...
-30-
Once more: Our Comments feature seems to have a spastic problem with submissions, readers telling us they get "Failed to publish" notes after posting a comment. It's not us, but we have gone to an Open Thread approach where comments are not moderated and get quick posting. Keep trying...
ReplyDeleteSupreme Court ruling on Trump's immunity claim and Trump stooge Steve Bannon going to prison today.
ReplyDeleteMore like Dumbass Court.
DeleteNo respect at all for this court. It has been pro-Trump and nothing more. What a monstrous fall from grace.
DeleteJoe may have not put on a pretty performance, but it wasn't riddled with lies! Donald ducked all questions. VOTE BLUE!
ReplyDeleteEcho that.
DeleteGO Bannon GO. Straight to Prison. Let's GO Bannon. May Trump GO to prison and be with you.
ReplyDeleteFelon Trump doesn’t care for anyone especially you all here or the country. President Biden is doing well for the country. But maggeriounos won’t look behind their cult blinders. Biden is old, but he’s better than nefarious grifter and convicted felon.
ReplyDeleteThe Appeals Court's decision relating to Presidential immunity pretty much explains in concise terms that Trump doesn't have the immunity that he is seeking. The MAGA faction of the Supreme Court took the case for the sole purpose of delaying the prosecution of Trump and nothing else.
ReplyDeleteNO IMMUNITY for the Orange menace!!!
I suspect that many on Court's right want to give Trump immunity, but their conundrum is how to do it without also giving President Biden immunity. If they give Trump what he wants, what is to stop Biden from open season on the country, government and even Trump himself?
ReplyDeleteThis Supreme Court is so soiled. Republicans control it and it shows. What a joke.
DeleteThis Supreme Court is MAGA. All for the Republican Party. Not good.
DeleteAmerica is broken.
DeleteWhy have the Supremes dilly-dallied so long on this issue? They ruled quickly on the dispute over trump being on primary ballots, what’s the delay here? There is no honest legal or constitutional basis for giving full immunity.
ReplyDeleteWe already know how the Court is going to rule. Presidents gotta have immunity, but the Court isn't going rule that their immunity is unlimited. This is going back to the lower court for clarification. Wasted time helped felon Trump.
DeleteIt’s so obvious SCOTUS went out of their way to stall this ruling out to the benefit of Trump. When Colorado removed Trump from the primary ballot, they had a ruling ready within days.
DeleteCall it the MAGA COURT!!!
DeleteTrump's plane was sitting overnight night at Dulles International Airport next to a Russian plane. Odd. Tell me someone's looking into this. Trump had classified secret documents and him being in a cash bind? Well???
ReplyDeletethe klan traded the white hoods
ReplyDeletefor red hats.
MAGA is not about Trump, nor does it need him. MAGA is about White Supremacy.
DeleteBlack jobs. Hispanic jobs.
DeleteWhat a mess Trump has caused for this nation. All because he is a criminal who got caught.
ReplyDeleteTexas added more Hispanic, Asian and Black residents than any other state last year
ReplyDeleteAmong metro areas, Houston added the most Hispanic residents and Dallas the most Asian and Black residents, according to the Census Bureau.
Has scaredy-cat Abbott called it an "invasion" yet? ha ha ha
DeleteIt will be a glorious day in America when Donald Trump is gone forever!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTrump is still ziggly toasted July 11th
ReplyDeleteWe can only hope. He always stays ahead of the law.
DeleteDonald Trump will end Social Security.
ReplyDeleteAnd he will quadruple the president's salary, to $1 million. Watch. We're about to get mugged and robbed, people.
DeleteOnly in America can you have a convicted felon, a thief and a rapist running for the presidency. WTH America?? We must VOTE BLUE on November 5th, up and down the ballot. No Trump, No Mayra Flores in District 34, No Monica De La Cruz in District 15!!! Fuera, viejas sin cesos!!!
ReplyDeleteCause of Monica's divorce? Anyone know.
DeleteWhy have laws if certain people do not have to obey those laws? Trump is NOT immune. He is just another citizen now. Three trials scheduled against his butt. Supreme Court is not neutral, not this court. Let's get on with it.
ReplyDeleteTRUMP WINS: The Supreme Court ruled Monday that Donald Trump may claim immunity from criminal prosecution for some of the actions he took in the waning days of his presidency in a decision that will likely further delay a trial on the federal election subversion charges pending against him.
ReplyDeleteThe ruling rejects a decision from a federal appeals court in February that found Trump enjoyed no immunity for alleged crimes he committed during his presidency to reverse the 2020 election results. Special counsel Jack Smith had urged the court to prevent Trump from delaying proceedings, which has been central to the former president’s overarching legal strategy.
6 to 3 vote again - 6 Republicans voted to help Trump, 3 Democrats voted NO!
DeleteJustice Sotomayor had a dissenting opinion. This ruling, she says, would make a president immune from prosecution if he ordered Seal Team 6 to execute an opponent. WOW.
DeleteMost Americans will not be happy with this ruling. It will actually hurt Trump in the election. All of us have lived by the belief that NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. 6-3 partisan ruling? Uh, no - enough of that crap.............
DeleteAre you effing kidding America?!
DeleteFelon Donald Trump got everything he wanted from this corrupt court. But he will pay the price in November. Americans are not happy with this MAGA game.
DeleteLong, but to the point.
ReplyDeleteSUPREME COURT FINDS NO ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY FOR TRUMP, BUT SETS OUT A TEST FOR WHAT IS OFFICIAL AND WHAT IS UNOFFICIAL
Look, people will have a lot to say about this position. This is a bit long. But I took the parts which highlight the reasoning behind the Court’s decision. Editor’s note: you only use a “C “for court when referring to Supreme Court. All other times it is “c”.
“The parties before us do not dispute that a former Presi dent can be subject to criminal prosecution for unofficial acts committed while in office. See Tr. of Oral Arg. 28.
They also agree that some of the conduct described in the indictment includes actions taken by Trump in his unoffi cial capacity. See id., at 28–30, 36–37, 124.
At the current stage of proceedings in this case, however, we need not and do not decide whether that immunity must be absolute, or instead whether a pre sumptive immunity is sufficient.”
….
“At the current stage of proceedings in this case, however, we need not and do not decide whether that immunity must be absolute, or instead whether a pre sumptive immunity is sufficient.”
….
“As for a President’s unofficial acts, there is no immunity.”
… .
“The first step is to distinguish his official from unofficial actions. In this case, however, no court has thus far considered how to draw that distinction, in general or with respect to the conduct alleged in particular.”
… .
“We offer guidance on those issues below. Certain allega tions—such as those involving Trump’s discussions with the Acting Attorney General—are readily categorized in
light of the nature of the President’s official relationship to the office held by that individual. Other allegations—such as those involving Trump’s interactions with the Vice Pres ident, state officials, and certain private parties, and his comments to the general public—present more difficult questions. Although we identify several considerations per tinent to classifying those allegations and determining whether they are subject to immunity, that analysis ulti mately is best left to the lower courts to perform in the first instance.”
On VP Pence, the Court notes, his duties to certify the election, in not part of his duties under Trump. “Despite the Vice President’s expansive role
of advising and assisting the President within the Execu tive Branch, the Vice President’s Article I responsibility of “presiding over the Senate” is “not an ‘executive branch’function.”
… .
The trial court will have to sort this out.
Next is Trumps speech.
“There may, however, be contexts in which the President, notwithstanding the prominence of his position, speaks in an unofficial capacity—perhaps as a candidate for office or party leader.”
It will come down to whether his spoken and written comments were to preserve the law, or to promote himself as a candidate.
The court did not address the issue if, a clear constitutional violation, or a clear criminal act is outside Trump’s constitutional purview.
This is very content specific. The Texas law clearly makes both a legal nullity, meaning it is void. The Supreme Court opened the door to making it easier to sue and prosecute judges. In fact, judges are prosecuted for criminal conduct.
One clear example. If a judge denies a criminal defendant the right to self-representation, that would be a clear violation of the constitution. But if the court were to say they are denying the defendant their right to self-representation based on a medical report the defendant is not medically competent, then the trial court may be acting withing their discretion.
it took 6 months to hand down this decision to delay, delay, delay
ReplyDeleteSCOTUS failed to address the main issue: whether his J6 actions are "official acts" or not
ReplyDeleteVOTE BLUE
President Biden should issue an executive order to send Trump to prison, right away. Hail our Dark Brandon.
ReplyDeleteTrump hailed the ruling in a social media post, writing: "BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!"
ReplyDelete"The court ruled that former presidents are shielded from prosecution for actions they take within their constitutional authority, as opposed to a private capacity."
ReplyDeleteOk, so what does this mean? When Trump called the GA Secretary of State saying, "find me 11,780 votes", was that in constitutional authority or private capacity?
"The court ruled that former presidents are shielded from prosecution for actions they take within their constitutional authority, as opposed to a private capacity."
DeleteTaking classified documents after he was no longer president would be in a private capacity.
It’s Absolute Immunity. They Placed the
ReplyDeleteOffice of President above the Law.
I don't understand why they are saying this is a win for Trump. The Court said immunity is only for official acts. Both parties agree that some of Trump's actions were not official. This is not over.
ReplyDeleteordering mass deportations would be an "official" action.
DeleteAbsolute immunity for official acts would allow Trump, if elected, to round up millions of people. The guise of cracking down on immigrants without documentation could be used to round up pretty much everyone and that would be ok with this asshole Supreme Court.
ReplyDeleteThis decision is the prelude to fascism.
So many of you are missing how the law works. To order deportations per the law, or arrest of people per the law, would be legal. Nothing in this decision stops this. You are discussing policy issues. Any court could stop these things, even if taken in his official capacity. he just would not be criminally liable.
ReplyDeleteThe perception is accurate, however. An emboldened Trump would take it to the extreme and who would stop him. People would suffer even if he were to be stopped after the fact.
DeleteLet's parse this a bit more. The Court suggested Trump's discussions with his AG were part of his official duties. This is going to be hashed out more at the trial court. It is not Trump's duty to call a Georgia official and ask they find votes. The Georgia official does not work for Trump. VP Pence was not acting as Trump's VP, but under the constitutional mandate of the President of the Senate to oversee the final count of the Electoral College. There is time for all of this to play-put.
ReplyDeleteHow do WE THE PEOPLE sue the Supreme Court? Absolutely serious question.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't anyone find it revealing that we never needed a ruling on Immunity until we tried to re-elect a convicted felon?
ReplyDeleteSo, does every single person that died fighting for our freedom and independence die for nothing? This ruling should cancel all Fourth of July, Independence Day celebrations forthwith. I am personally disgusted as all Hell!!!
ReplyDeleteFrom dissenting Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor: “The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law.”
ReplyDeleteAs long as it's an "official" act, Trump can do what he wants. This is truly horrible. One of many bad decisions from the Supreme Court lately.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happened in Germany in 1932. We're dying as a country, and it pisses me off because I served in Vietnam and had some friends die over there. NOT FOR THIS, HELL NO!!!
No one is above the law. The president is still just a representative of the citizenry. We have no royalty here. When Donald Trump's mother came to this country, she filled out immigration forms at Ellis Island. Under occupation, she listed "Maid." Trump is no different than anyone else.
ReplyDeleteThe ruling also means that President Biden can take any act necessary to protect this nation’s Democracy. He will be acting in an official capacity and SCOTUS has just given him the authority to do so. DOJ/DHS/FBI/DOD all operate under the Executive Branch, which is tasked with carrying out the nation’s laws, and protecting the nation from all enemies foreign and domestic. In fact, Biden has sworn an oath to the Constitution to do so. Lincoln, during the Civil War, suspended habeas corpus. So, thank you SCOTUS for giving Joe Biden the tools he finally needs to bring this insurrection under control.
ReplyDeleteI suggest Joe Biden test this new ruling immediately. Trump has been accused of stealing classified documents. Similarly, Jack Teixeira, Reality Winner and Chelsea Manning, to name just a few recent cases, were accused of the same thing, and yet, while they were all jailed awaiting trial and or appeal, Trump was not. It seems to me that it would be entirely within Biden’s official acts in protecting national security, to direct the FBI to immediately jail the man who has been convicted of fraud and is awaiting trial on multiple other criminal charges. The SC Corrupt 6 are counting on Joe to play by the old rules, but they just made up a new rule and Joe should take note. I know, I know, commence breath-holding in 3...2...
ReplyDeleteMy parents and I went in different directions after Obama's election. They were always "nonprejudicial" and "unbiased" my whole life right up to the swearing in and then it was hate-fueled rhetoric against Blacks nonstop until I told them to stop. They then told me to leave-so I did. We've had no contact since then. Trump feeds on hate and a belief that Whites are the superior citizenry.
ReplyDeleteSaw a story earlier today about a woman who said her father had died regretting his MAGA addiction and for putting his family through Hell. In fact, those were his last words. Pretty damned sad.
DeletePeople get addicted to things that almost everybody around them can see is poisonous…..except for those likewise affected people who share the same addiction. I see Trumpism as no different. People get addicted to the hatred because it makes them feel more important. They get addicted to buying the shirts, the hats, the flags, the bumper stickers, and all the other accoutrements of their twisted fan club because it makes them feel special and part of something. There’s nothing that can be done for it unless they realize the truth all on their own, no matter how hard you try to get people to understand.
ReplyDeleteYou said it.
DeleteAs a resident of Australia, I cannot believe this is happening in the USA. This affects the whole world, and it is something to be greatly concerned about. We're all watching from afar.
ReplyDeleteWe Russia yet?
ReplyDeleteLet's no go softly into the night.
Does this mean that Seal Team 6 could pay a visit to Donald Trump?
ReplyDeleteI think there are many valid questions. The thing the Court did not address is if an act in his official capacity is clearly a crime, is it then not in his official capacity. Think, any president can direct the military as he/she pleases. The President is Commander in Chief. Anyone will tell you; you only have to follow legal commands. I truly hollow rule. But if a president were to order the military to take control of Congress, he would be acting in his official capacity, but such an act would clearly be treason. All the Court did today was adapt the Absolute Immunity for Judges to the president. There is really nothing new. And I can tell you, the immunity does not apply to judges when acting in their administrative position. It has been decades since this rule and the courts still cannot decide what is judicial and what is administrative.
ReplyDeleteGood points, but nothing of the sort will matter if Donald Trump is elected president in November. He'll even disband the Supreme Court.
DeleteAt some point the Court will have to address, is a clearly criminal act outside the official duties of the president? This is up to the DOJ and the trial court to more readily address.
ReplyDeleteSix Republicans on a Supreme Court comprised of nine justices is weighted too much to the MAGA crowd's favor. What now - we have no recourse? At all? That's wild.
DeleteWho does SCOTUS answer to? Anyone? We don't vote for them, so they must answer only to the political party that appoints them. That's a problem.
DeleteIs asking Georgia to find 11k + votes a presidential act????
ReplyDeleteCRAZY! How did we get here?
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the decision “effectively creates a law-free zone around the president, upsetting the status quo that has existed since the founding. … Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune. … In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law.”
ReplyDeleteGlad President Biden sees this as big deal that he’s addressing it on TV. I, for the first time since 9/11, no exaggeration, feel uncomfortable in my own damn country. smh
ReplyDelete