Obama Inaugural Cartoons (Remember him?)

Trump administration marks 2 years since inauguration

On Jan. 20, 2017, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, pledging emphatically to empower America’s “forgotten men and women.” Protesters made their voices heard not far from the inaugural parade.
Two years later, those closest to him, however, celebrated on social media.
First lady Melania Trump tweeted: It has been an unforgettable two years in the @WhiteHouse. I am honored to serve this great nation!”
WHERE TRUMP STANDS ON CAMPAIGN PROMISES 2 YEARS INTO TERM
The photo attached showed her and the president dancing at his inaugural ball.
Vice President Mike Pence tweeted: “Honored to serve as @POTUS Trump’s Vice President these past two years, working to deliver historic results for the American people - an economic boom, rolling back red tape, rebuilding our military & restoring American leadership on the world stage. PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT!”
“Promises made, promises kept” has been a tagline for the Trump administration that has projected itself as a government of doers for the people, whose ideology is “America First.”​

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams Aaron Sorkin for telling new Dems to 'stop acting like young people'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., fired back Sunday at liberal writer-director Aaron Sorkin. (AP, Getty, File)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fired back Sunday at liberal Hollywood writer-director Aaron Sorkin after he claimed that the new Democrats in Congress should “stop acting like young people.”

Sorkin, creator of “The West Wing,” talked about politics and the current state of America during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. The average age of Congress’s new freshman class is 49, making it the youngest class in the past three cycles.

Sorkin noted the Democrats have gotten too progressive. “I think there’s great opportunity here, now more than ever, for Democrats to be the non-stupid party,” he said.
He also said Democrats need to think more about average Americans: “...That we haven’t forgotten the economic anxiety of the middle class but we’re going to be smart about this, we’re not going to be mean about it.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who was sworn in earlier this month as a Democratic congresswoman from New York, hit back by citing some of her platforms.
“News Flash: Medicare for All & equal rights aren’t trends,” 29-year-old Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman elected to the House, tweeted attaching the Sorkin video.
“When people complain about low turnout in some demos, it’s not because communities are apathetic, it’s bc they don’t see you fighting for them,” Ocasio-Cortez added. “If we don’t show up for people, why should you feel entitled to their vote?”
JAMES WOODS CALLS OCASIO-CORTEZ 'DANGEROUS,' BUT RESPECTS HER
She spent the next hour on Twitter, tweeting in response.
“Men have ‘gravitas,’ women get ‘likeable,’” she said, bringing up identity politics.
She added: “If you notice, on the right they’ll flatly call people blanket terms, and even make things up. And I don’t mean trolls - I mean their biggest commentators + TV figures.”
Members of the historic freshman class of House Democrats — together — helped flip the House from Republican control in November’s elections.
The celebrity-studded group includes a record number of women, a new crop of veterans and diversity never before seen in Congress.

Trump thanks federal workers awaiting paychecks, calling them 'great patriots,' as partial shutdown hits 30 days

With hundreds of thousands of federal workers set to face another federal pay period without paychecks, President Trump thanked the “great patriots” for their service and dedication — 30 days into the partial government shutdown.
Trump tweeted Sunday night: “To all of the great people who are working so hard for your Country and not getting paid I say, THANK YOU - YOU ARE GREAT PATRIOTS! We must now work together, after decades of abuse, to finally fix the Humanitarian, Criminal & Drug Crisis at our Border. WE WILL WIN BIG!”
Employees of the Transportation Security Administration are among the estimated 460,000 federal employees who have been working without pay. The agency has been experiencing far higher than usual unscheduled absences during the shutdown — and now the agency said staffers have been calling out of work because they can’t afford to get there.
According to a Sunday release, “many employees are reporting that they are not able to report to work due to financial limitations.”
Indeed, the agency said that, on Saturday, 8 percent of employees skipped work compared to 3 percent a year ago.
The disruption has forced screening area closures at some airports, including at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where “Checkpoint A” was closed Saturday.
Still, TSA reports that, on Saturday, 99.9 percent of passengers waited less than 30 minutes and 93.8 percent waited less than 15 minutes.
Democrats and Republicans appeared no closer to ending the impasse Sunday than when it began, with Trump lashing out at his opponents after they dismissed a plan he’d billed as a compromise.
Trump had offered the previous day to temporarily extend protections for young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children and those fleeing disaster zones in exchange for $5.7 billion for his border wall. But Democrats said the three-year proposal didn’t go nearly far enough.
The criticism from both sides underscored Trump’s boxed in-position as he tries to win at least some Democratic buy-in without alienating his base.
Democrats say there’s little chance the measure will reach the 60-vote threshold usually required to advance legislation in the Senate. Republicans have a 53-47 majority, which means they need at least some Democrats to vote in favor.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has agreed to bring up legislation this week based on the proposal Trump outlined Saturday. It’s also unclear how McConnell will bring Trump’s plan forward — or when voting will begin. The Republican leader from Kentucky is a well-known architect of complicated legislative maneuvers. One question is whether he would allow a broader immigration debate with amendments to Trump’s plan on the Senate floor.

BuzzFeed, Covington, NFL controversies make for busy weekend in Court of Public Opinion

From left: Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, the subject of a recent BuzzFeed article; student Nick Sandmann of Covington, Ky., and others near the Lincoln Memorial; and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis (11) and Los Angeles Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman (23). (Associated Press/Survival Media Agency)

Three separate high-profile controversies -- involving politics, the media, a spontaneous public confrontation and sports -- inspired a great deal of debate on social media over the weekend. Whether anything resembling consensus emerged regarding any of the three was another matter for debate.
The dizzying pace began Thursday night after BuzzFeed News issued a bombshell report, now discredited, that cited two law enforcement officials who alleged that President Trump told his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress about a potential construction project in Moscow, and claim the negotiations ended months before they did so as to conceal Trump’s supposed involvement.
The claims were enough to prompt a rare statement from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office, that the report was “almost entirely incorrect.” But BuzzFeed offered no corrections or admission of wrongdoing.
Instead, BuzzFeed News investigative reporter Anthony Cormier, appearing Sunday on CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” doubled down on the report, telling host Jake Tapper: “We’re being told to stand our ground. Our reporting is going to be borne out to be accurate, and we’re 100 percent behind it. The same sources that we use in that story are standing behind it, as are we.”
When asked Friday if he had personally seen the documents mentioned in the story, which proved Trump had ordered Cohen to lie to Congress, Cormier told CNN: “No, I’ve not seen it personally.”
By Sunday, the New York Times was writing about BuzzFeed's record of pushing "the limits" on journalistic credibility, noting that it was the same media outlet that had reported on the also discredited Steele dossier containing salacious allegations about President Trump.
The previous evening, the Washington Post noted that an email that BuzzFeed had sent to Mueller's team, warning them in advance about the story, mentioned that BuzzFeed planned to report about the newest allegations against Trump, but did not inform the special counsel that it also planned to write that the Mueller allegedly possessed evidence of Trump wrongdoing -- a detail that attracted much attention to the story but that also may have prompted the Mueller team's post-publication statement that BuzzFeed's reporting was "not accurate."
The public's doubts also began to emerge, via social media.
The debacle even prompted the left-wing outlet, "The Intercept" to publish an article titled: "Beyond BuzzFeed: The 10 Worst, Most Embarrassing U.S. Media Failures on the Trump/Russia Story," in which BuzzFeed's now-discredited story ranked second.
President Donald Trump called BuzzFeed's story "disgraceful," and the reason why the "Mainstream Media will have a hard time restoring credibility."
Meanwhile, a Kentucky high school student was charging "character assassination" Sunday, after a widely viewed video showed him standing face-to-face with a Native American amid a backdrop of jeering protesters in Washington.
The video drew accusations of racism against Nick Sandmann and other students from Covington Catholic High School, and the matter prompted school officials and the local Roman Catholic diocese to issue an apology regarding the students' behavior.
But after other footage emerged, many people began regarding the situation as being more complicated than depicted in the original viral video -- with some saying the school and diocese had no reason to apologize.
The new footage revealed tension developing before the confrontation, with an off-camera voice heard saying, "White people, go back to Europe where you came from," as Nathan Phillips, a 64-year-old Native American man, stood inches away from the students, banging a drum.
Then, apparently the same voice said, "This is not your land." The full context of the quotes was unclear.
By Sunday, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was asserting that the students had been treated unfairly -- and many people on social media seemed to agree.
Also on Sunday, student Sandmann shared his side of the story in a statement.
“I believed that by remaining motionless and calm, I was helping to diffuse the situation,’’ Sandmann wrote. “I realized everyone had cameras and that perhaps a group of adults was trying to provoke a group of teenagers into a larger conflict.’’

“I believed that by remaining motionless and calm, I was helping to diffuse the situation. I realized everyone had cameras and that perhaps a group of adults was trying to provoke a group of teenagers into a larger conflict.’’
— Nick Sandmann, Covington Catholic High School student

In yet another stunning weekend controversy, the Los Angeles Rams are on their way to the Super Bowl after a 26-23 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, thanks to what some say was the referees' failure to call a pass-interference penalty that would have aided a New Orleans scoring drive.
Los Angeles cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman put what looked like a helmet-to-helmet hit on New Orleans receiver Tommylee Lewis well before the pass arrived inside the 5-yard line, forcing the Saints to settle for Wil Lutz's 31-yard field goal and only a 3-point lead with 1:41 left in regulation time.
Rams placekicker Greg Zuerlein later sent the game into overtime with a 57-yard field goal. Then New Orleans got the ball first in the overtime period, but quarterback Drew Brees had a pass intercepted by L.A.'s John Johnson III.
The Rams were able to gain only 15 yards, but that was just enough room for Zuerlein to kick another field goal, sending the franchise to its first Super Bowl since the 2001 season.
Social media users had plenty to say about the NFL referees' non-call that led to the overtime, including calling their vision into question.
But Rams fans didn't seem to mind the circumstances surrounding their team's victory.

Obama State of the Union Cartoons (Remember When)

Pres. Trump: MSM (mainstream media) will have a very hard time restoring credibility

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:05 AM PT – Sat. January, 19 2019

President Trump is disappointed with news outlets after Special Counsel Robert Mueller debunks the BuzzFeed story about him allegedly directing Michael Cohen to lie to Congress.
On Twitter Saturday, the president said “many people are saying that the mainstream media will have a very hard time restoring credibility, because of the way they have treated me over the past three years, including the election lead-up, as highlighted by the disgraceful BuzzFeed story, and the even more disgraceful coverage!”
The tweet comes after Mueller’s spokesman released a statement Friday night, saying the the story was not accurate, following hours of coverage touting the article.
The news outlet has continued to stand by its reporting, despite an unprecedented refusal issued by the special counsel.
The publication issued a statement Friday, saying they are continuing to determine what the special counsel is disputing, while remaining confident in the accuracy of their reporting.
The networks editor-in-chief used the opportunity to defend his reporters, and attack supporters of the president.

Many people are saying that the Mainstream Media will have a very hard time restoring credibility because of the way they have treated me over the past 3 years (including the election lead-up), as highlighted by the disgraceful Buzzfeed story & the even more disgraceful coverage!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2019

Trump gets another invitation to deliver State of Union address away from DC

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore, shown with President Trump in an undated photo, became the latest state lawmaker to invite the president to deliver his State of the Union address away from Washington, D.C. (State Rep.Tim Moore)

With plans for President Trump's annual State of the Union address uncertain, a North Carolina state lawmaker has extended the latest invitation for the president to deliver the speech in a setting away from Capitol Hill.
Tim Moore, a Republican who serves as speaker in North Carolina's state House of Representatives, issued a letter Friday asking Trump to give the speech in the House chamber of North Carolina's Statehouse in Raleigh.
“I attended your first State of the Union address in Washington D.C. last year,” Moore wrote. “It was an unforgettable experience to witness this tradition of our commander-in-chief’s speech to a joint session of Congress.
“I also believe taking your message outside of the nation’s gilded capital to a state government venue reflects the priorities of your administration, and those of our Congress, to create success not only for federal institutions and programs but for the American people they serve,” the letter continues.

"Taking your message outside of the nation’s gilded capital to a state government venue reflects the priorities of your administration, and those of our Congress, to create success not only for federal institutions and programs but for the American people they serve."
— Tim Moore, speaker, North Carolina House of Representatives

The State of the Union address is typically delivered early each year from the U.S. House chamber at the Capitol in Washington D.C. But plans for Trump to deliver this year's speech on Jan. 29 were rattled last week when newly installed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., recently urged the president to postpone the speech, or deliver it in writing, or from the Oval Office.
Pelosi cited potential security concerns on Capitol Hill resulting from the partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22. But the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security quickly responded to Pelosi's concerns, assuring that the Capitol would be fully secured if the president were to visit.
“Sadly, given the security concerns and unless the government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after the government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to Congress on January 29,” Pelosi said.
After Moore invited Trump to North Carolina, however, that state's Democratic Party criticized the gesture, calling it an attempt to distract voters from news that the FBI had questioned a Republican state legislator about an anonymous letter claiming Moore had pushed legislation favorable to one of his legal clients, the News & Observer of Raleigh reported.
“We know Speaker Moore is desperate to distract from today’s news that the FBI is looking into his shady ethics, but he should be using his office to advocate for those hurt by the government shutdown, not push a political stunt,”  executive director Kimberly Reynolds said. “This shutdown is hurting people trying to recover from recent hurricanes and forcing schools to ration our kid’s lunches, and every North Carolina public official should be working to end it today.”
Previously, another Republican state lawmaker – in Michigan – also invited Trump to deliver his speech in the state Capitol of that state, in Lansing.
“There is no higher loyalty or obligation than to the people we serve and the communities we represent, and no partisan gamesmanship should stand in the way of that service,” new state House Speaker Lee Chatfield wrote in his letter to the president. “Because of that, this chamber and this speaker are willing to put people before politics for this important occasion.”
The White House hasn't yet announced what the president will do regarding the State of the Union speech in the wake of Pelosi's request that he not appear at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 29.