Self Righteous Indignation: Media Throws Up in Their Mouths

But of course, no word of this: 

"Vladimir Putin made a bombshell claim during Monday's joint press conference with President Trump in Helsinki, Finland, when the Russian President said some $400 million in illegally earned profits was funneled to the Clinton campaign by associates of American-born British financier Bill Browder - at one time the largest foreign portfolio investors in Russia. The scheme involved members of the U.S. intelligence community, said Putin, who he said "accompanied and guided these transactions." 

Browder made billions in Russia during the 90's. In December, a Moscow court sentenced Browder in absentia to nine years in prison for tax fraud, while he was also found guilty of tax evasion in a separate 2013 case. Putin accused Browder's associates of illegally earning over than $1.5 billion without paying Russian taxes, before sending $400 million to Clinton...." - Read More

A Good Monday Morning

If You Believe Everyone Should Bow Before the Queen, Win The War Next Time

In today’s edition of “everything Trump does must prompt outrage” moment, DJT visited with Queen Lizzy 2, and together they inspected a contingent of handsome Royal Guardsmen on the lawn of Windsor Castle. Apparently, at one point, it looks like the President managed to briefly step in front of the Queen as they walked. This naturally, was enough to turn some formerly freedom loving people into loyalists demanding absolute subjugation to the throne.

The Trump hating ladies at The Huffington Post leapt to the defense of the nice lady with a crown, jumping right on this vitally important story..... 

"The royal family adheres to a strict code of etiquette and behavior. So when the ever-boisterous President Donald Trump met with Queen Elizabeth II for tea at Windsor Castle on Friday, many expected him to serve up some awkward interactions. Of course, Trump did not disappoint.

The president’s critics on Twitter were quick to call him out for briefly walking in front of the queen, which is reportedly a serious social faux pas, during a ceremonial inspection of the Guard of Honor. Reuters noted that Trump “halted abruptly” during the inspection, forcing Queen Elizabeth to walk around him."

The video clip is kinda funny. It looks to me like the Ol' Girl just lost traction and was monumentally headed for the weeds. There was also a great kerfuffle about the fact that DJT didn’t bow before the Queen when they met for tea, with many suggesting he’d gravely broken “royal” protocol. Contrary to a lot of the outrage purported in the literally dozens of articles breathlessly reporting these incidents, no actual protocol was broken. Per the guidelines, bowing is not required.

Personally, I think it’d be pretty damn ridiculous for a US President to bow before the monarchy America won their independence from, but that's just the dislike of monarchy in me. Oddly enough, there is actually no prohibition on walking ahead of the Queen either, but what fun would it be if the tweeter-verse observed that fact? In reality, it appears that the President was largely gracious for the visit. And at least he didn't look like a complete bumbling idiot talking over the British National Anthem like some people we know. 

While this is all much ado about nothing, it’s hilariously ironic to see people who’ve no doubt accused Trump of being authoritarian in some manner now losing their minds over him not showing absolute fealty to an actual monarch. But hey, if you are of the belief everyone should bow before the Queen, win the war next time.  

Middle Finger Symphony Theater

* No Tuxedos Required *

Brought To You By BluesJunky: Honorary Chair of Music - Middle Finger Symphony Music Director

Thank You MJA for the Linkage!

Off To The Tower of London With You Acosta!

STREIFF - If there is a single media personality that epitomizes the overweening arrogance, sub-caliber IQ, and lack of self-awareness that is the comic archetype of a television celebrity reporter it is CNN’s Jim Acosta. Ever since CNN decided to position itself as the official mouthpiece of the anti-Trump Resistance, Acosta has been its point man every day in the White House. Just a couple of weeks ago, Acosta tried to get President Trump’s attention…or more accurately, he tried to get attention for himself…by screaming a question from the back of a press conference.

Acosta is a twerp who probably spent all of middle school having other kids flick the backs of his ears as they passed him in the hallway and leaving him cowering in tears in the guidance counselor’s office. On the other hand, given that CNN makes a big deal of this kind of bullshit in its coverage–they portrayed Acosta as some kind of brave truth-teller after his churlish behavior at the last press event–it is probably necessary that he get these smackdowns.

 "President Trump refused a question from CNN's Jim Acosta at a joint press conference Friday afternoon with UK Prime Minister Theresa May in Buckinghamshire. Earlier in the press conference, Trump called out CNN after receiving a question from NBC News reporter Hallie Jackson. Trump said NBC is "possibly worse than CNN."  

In Acosta style he shouts out "Mr. President, since you attacked CNN, can I ask you a question?"

"I don't take questions from CNN. CNN is fake news. I don't take questions from CNN." Acosta almost brought the press conference to a halt insisting that the U.S. president take his question." - Video

I don’t know what lesson will be learned from this by future presidents. Historically, Democrat presidents (see Clinton and Obama) have been handled with kid gloves by the press and Republican presidents have played the role of good-natured punching bag (see George W. Bush). Strategically, there is zero doubt that Trump’s media strategy is working. Recent research has found that super-majorities of Americans believe the media is pushing its own agenda and CNN is feeling the impact as they are a non-entity among news outlets and are in a death struggle with SpongeBob SquarePants for ratings.

[RedState]
[RealClear Politics]
H/T Crazy Cousin Olivia

A Creepy Partisan Weasel of the First Order.

The cockiness of Peter Strzok at Thursday’s hearing is a reflection of the immunity that ruling-class mandarins enjoy in liberal Washington. He was testifying from the safety of the deep state and thus knew that he could lie his head off without consequence. How else to explain his unrepentant opening statement, with its blatant anti-Trump special pleading? The statement sounded like it had been written by Rachel Maddow, resting on the lamest and hackiest of MSNBC-style talking points, that “today’s hearing is just another victory notch in Putin’s belt and another milestone in our enemies’ campaign to tear America apart.”

Strzok insulted everyone’s intelligence by insinuating that something other than Hillary’s opposition research had spurred the FBI to investigate her opponent. He couldn’t tell the committee what that was, of course, lest that threaten an “ongoing investigation.” But, trust him, that something was really, really “significant.”

The Strzok on display at the hearing was the same arrogant bureaucrat on display in the texts — an abusive, ruling-class jerk who still thinks he deserves a place on the Mueller probe. Making Mueller look like an ass and cementing his probe’s reputation as a partisan clown show, Strzok insisted that his removal from it had nothing to do with unprofessional behavior but with a mere “appearance” problem, one he blamed not on his own conduct but on Republicans “misinterpreting” his texts. This is chutzpah on a breathtaking scale, which would be inconceivable were the target of his blundering espionage anyone other than Trump. Strzok’s “insurance policy” against Trump had a provision for his career too. He would survive exposure by wrapping himself in the protective gauze of the anti-Trump resistance. - George Neumayr

MSNBC Joins CNN: Beaten in the Ratings by a Wet Sponge

Squinty and Meat Puppet are Devastated 

Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me they're mumbling in cable news land. According to the latest Nielsen Media Research, MSNBC and CNN failed in the ratings to even beat home improvement shows and children’s cartoons.

DC - According to Nielsen, Fox New Network marked its 26th consecutive week as the top network in total day viewers. Competitors MSNBC and CNN both struggled to match Fox’s dominance, falling to third and 16th in primetime, respectively. 

CNN had a horrible week, managing just 669,000 primetime viewers and losing to the following networks: HGTV, USA, Food Network, TLC, Hallmark, and more. MSNBC fared much better in primetime, finishing third behind HGTV. 

HGTV and Nickelodeon — home of Spongebob Squarepants — wiped the floor with CNN and MSNBC in total day viewership. Nickelodeon finished second in total day with 914,000 viewers while HGTV finished third with 814,000. MSNBC trailed behind in fourth place with 763,000, while CNN tied for 9th with the Food Network at 535,000 viewers.

There is not much hope for the one trick pony CNN. But MSNBC, well maybe more Al Sharpton and Joy Reid would help. Yeah, That's the ticket!

  Thank You WHATFINGER NEWS for the Linkage!