Election Year or Fear!

[ramAnag]

rA "Sadiq Khan? I know less than you, GP, about London but hasn?t he been democratically elected three times?"

I believe the Donald had been democraticaslly elected twice so far, so does this mean that in your opinion he always makes the right decisions and is good for the wider electorate?

Also if you question the validity of the Donald's election victory (as some have), the same charges have been levelled at Khan too. Both have I believe had allegations of votes for sale and fake ballots in common. Allegations that is...

As I said, GP, I know less about London than you, but it seems unlikely that a majority of Londoners would have voted for Khan on three consecutive occasions if they believed him to be responsible for its ruination.

Your Clowes comment isn’t worthy of a response, but I thank Swale for his sensible and unblinkered clarification.

[Andy_Faber]

So, Trump has now ensured that a 2nd satirist who joked at his expense has been removed from TV. He's also mentioned 2 more that he wants gone. he's suing newspapers that print uncomplimentary things, even if those articles are true.

I might be wrong but he looks like he's well on the way to proving me right and that the "elite" are taking over in the USA. If that does end up being the outcome, will it cross the Atlantic, like so many things, and end up being the way in the UK and the EU?

I certainly hope not.

If you mean Jimmy Kimmel, it wasn’t a joke it was a statement and it was along the same lines as that which I fact checked and found to be inaccurate (with current independent knowledge) the other day. THAT, in the current climate, is irresponsible and Trump should have been open about that being why he wanted him gone rather than blame ratings.

If Trump is going after people for publishing facts of course that is wrong but with the polarised news media in USA he’ll need a big legal team to even sort the truth from the lies

[SithHappens]

I think Mr Trump should try to be more factual. He has repeatedly claimed he has resolved the conflict between Albania and Azerbaijan. Which of course is news to the two nations.

[ramAnag]

If you mean Jimmy Kimmel, it wasn?’t a joke it was a statement and it was along the same lines as that which I fact checked and found to be inaccurate (with current independent knowledge) the other day.

I thought Kimmel had ‘joked’ that Trump’s mourning of Kirk was like ‘a four year old mourning a goldfish’. Not a great joke imo, but not sure it’s something that can be fact checked.

[Andy_Faber]

I thought Kimmel had ?joked? that Trump?s mourning of Kirk was like ?a four year old mourning a goldfish?. Not a great joke imo, but not sure it?s something that can be fact checked.

Check the footage

[ramAnag]

Check the footage

I have, and I understand that he made an accusation, but he also, as MA said, made two jokes, one of which - do you want to be a dictator or just a dick - made me laugh.

[Andy_Faber]

I have, and I understand that he made an accusation, but he also, as MA said, made two jokes, one of which - do you want to be a dictator or just a dick - made me laugh.

So you are excusing his lying due to him using a second hand joke?

NB That was funny when I first heard it many moons ago, neutral/evenly targeted political humour can be hilarious but as a means of sneaking in someone?s own political bias, yawn.

[MadAmster]

Check the footage

IIRC, Kimmell didn't mention the Orange one. He said MAGA was doing all they could to point the finger everywhere but at themselves. That seems a fair reflection on what I've seen on video and in writing here in NL. That may not be the full story but it's what has been reported here. Once more, if there's more to it, I know one of you will post the relevant info.

From my perspective, Trump/MAGA are acting spoilt and immature. Going back to Jay Leno, maybe even further, and all the other satire shows from Letterman etc. the sitting President has been a legitimate target for them. Biden didn't complain, Obama, neither of the Bushes, Clinton etc. They all took it on the chin and in good faith. Am I wrong to think Trump/MAGA are over-reacting to satire?

We have one guy over here, Arjen Lubach. He has a go at all politicians and anybody else who opens themselves up to ridicule through something they either did or said. In a recent interview he was asked why it seemed that the only subject he avoided lampooning was Islam. His answer? Basically, he doesn't want to be put on a death list. He's probably correct in his thinking. That also opens up a whole can of worms.

Trump will soon be the dictator he's always wanted to be. I fear that his type of politics will cross the Atlantic and we'll see similar in the UK and EU. I also think that Trumpianism and Islam are going to clash, mightily. First over there and then, once (geographical) Europe goes that way, it will happen here too. Every passing day seems to throw up more reasons to cement my thoughts that I'm not upset that I have many more days behind me than I do in front of me and I fear for the world my 2 lads, both early 30s, will find themselves in, 10 years down the road. I have resolved to simply have a great time in every day that I have left. It could be just the one, Mrs Wembley or any number somewhere between 1 and say 12000. Powers that, it seems, I can do nothing to stop creating a world I don't want, will not stop me enjoying myself.

PS - there are posts of mine out there that the FFF would absolutely not like. I don't give a damn. We had planned to do a road trip in the US but as long as it's going the way it's going, those plans will remain on hold.... plus they probably wouldn't let me in due to some free speech I've exercised.

[SithHappens]

Id say this guy deserves the sack more..

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/brian-kilmeade-fox-news-host-kill-homeless-b2826035.html

[swaledale]

If you mean Jimmy Kimmel, it wasn’t a joke it was a statement and it was along the same lines as that which I fact checked and found to be inaccurate (with current independent knowledge) the other day. THAT, in the current climate, is irresponsible and Trump should have been open about that being why he wanted him gone rather than blame ratings.

If Trump is going after people for publishing facts of course that is wrong but with the polarised news media in USA he’ll need a big legal team to even sort the truth from the lies

Your equivocation on this matter is again rather revealing, its quite clear what Trump is doing and its in line with what authoritarian leaders do, which is clamp down on media scrutinising their actions or criticising them or ban comedians that make fun of them. Examples of this behaviour can be found all over the world, Thailand, China, Burma, Russia, India, Egypt and Turkey for example.

No American President has acted like this, Biden, Obama, Bush et al didn't act in this manner when comedians mocked them, or if they didn't like reports in the media.

I'm not sure where you checked the facts of this case but the controversy began after Kimmel, in a recent broadcast, suggested that “many in Maga land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk”.

Which was absolutely true and as for saying such comments are dangerous in the current climate, your perhaps overlooking, the immediate comments made by Trump and others that it was the left and specifically the democratic party that were responsible for the killing with no evidence to back it up!

Perhaps you also failed to notice that Kirk had himself made derogatory comments about George Floyd after his death and once used his platform to call for a “patriot” to bail out the man who broke into Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s house in San Francisco and attacked her husband with a hammer.

The very fact that Trump is suing the New York Post for suggesting reporting that his so called success in business is not what it seems, is evidence enough that the guy doesn't like criticism.

ABC’s parent company, reacted to threats from Brendan Carr, the Federal Communication Commission chairman, (equivalent to UK Ofcom) when they pulled Kimmel off the air. Its quite clear what Trump is doing and is consistent with how he deals with matters, its bullying, which you have previously expressed the view some of which can be "good" bullying, though you failed to expand on what you meant by that when asked.

The controversy began after Kimmel, in a recent broadcast, suggested that “many in Maga land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk”. Within a day, Carr condemned the comments as “truly sick” and suggested ABC could face regulatory consequences.

Such show cancellations have been widely regarded as part of a broader trend where major media companies, eager to protect their business interests, are increasingly aligning with right wing views supported by Trump. This shift, which reflects a growing chill across media networks, has drawn criticism from the public and Democratic lawmakers who feel the media is becoming more submissive to Trump’s White House at the expense of free speech.

So on the one hand you talk about a threat to free speech when you disagree with its content or target, but are broadly supportive of a government cracking down on a media in cases where you apparently disagree with what's been said.

I guess that is consistent with your overall support for Kirk, a man that any reasonable person would see as distasteful at best and a fascist, misogynistic, white supremacist at worst. MM and you objected to me labelling you centre right?

[Andy_Faber]

IIRC, Kimmell didn't mention the Orange one. He said MAGA was doing all they could to point the finger everywhere but at themselves. That seems a fair reflection on what I've seen on video and in writing here in NL. That may not be the full story but it's what has been reported here. Once more, if there's more to it, I know one of you will post the relevant info.

From my perspective, Trump/MAGA are acting spoilt and immature. Going back to Jay Leno, maybe even further, and all the other satire shows from Letterman etc. the sitting President has been a legitimate target for them. Biden didn't complain, Obama, neither of the Bushes, Clinton etc. They all took it on the chin and in good faith. Am I wrong to think Trump/MAGA are over-reacting to satire?

We have one guy over here, Arjen Lubach. He has a go at all politicians and anybody else who opens themselves up to ridicule through something they either did or said. In a recent interview he was asked why it seemed that the only subject he avoided lampooning was Islam. His answer? Basically, he doesn't want to be put on a death list. He's probably correct in his thinking. That also opens up a whole can of worms.

Trump will soon be the dictator he's always wanted to be. I fear that his type of politics will cross the Atlantic and we'll see similar in the UK and EU. I also think that Trumpianism and Islam are going to clash, mightily. First over there and then, once (geographical) Europe goes that way, it will happen here too. Every passing day seems to throw up more reasons to cement my thoughts that I'm not upset that I have many more days behind me than I do in front of me and I fear for the world my 2 lads, both early 30s, will find themselves in, 10 years down the road. I have resolved to simply have a great time in every day that I have left. It could be just the one, Mrs Wembley or any number somewhere between 1 and say 12000. Powers that, it seems, I can do nothing to stop creating a world I don't want, will not stop me enjoying myself.

PS - there are posts of mine out there that the FFF would absolutely not like. I don't give a damn. We had planned to do a road trip in the US but as long as it's going the way it's going, those plans will remain on hold.... plus they probably wouldn't let me in due to some free speech I've exercised.

Regarding your last point, a year ago my enthusiasm for Americans/USA was extremely low, but now having reluctantly been there and been amongst them my opinion has changed very pro and I?m going back next year. Some lovely folk who (very important to me) haven?t forgotten how to be polite. Plus being referred to, at 64, as ?young man? is a lovely pick me up

[swaledale]

IIRC, Kimmell didn't mention the Orange one. He said MAGA was doing all they could to point the finger everywhere but at themselves. That seems a fair reflection on what I've seen on video and in writing here in NL. That may not be the full story but it's what has been reported here. Once more, if there's more to it, I know one of you will post the relevant info.

From my perspective, Trump/MAGA are acting spoilt and immature. Going back to Jay Leno, maybe even further, and all the other satire shows from Letterman etc. the sitting President has been a legitimate target for them. Biden didn't complain, Obama, neither of the Bushes, Clinton etc. They all took it on the chin and in good faith. Am I wrong to think Trump/MAGA are over-reacting to satire?

We have one guy over here, Arjen Lubach. He has a go at all politicians and anybody else who opens themselves up to ridicule through something they either did or said. In a recent interview he was asked why it seemed that the only subject he avoided lampooning was Islam. His answer? Basically, he doesn't want to be put on a death list. He's probably correct in his thinking. That also opens up a whole can of worms.

Trump will soon be the dictator he's always wanted to be. I fear that his type of politics will cross the Atlantic and we'll see similar in the UK and EU. I also think that Trumpianism and Islam are going to clash, mightily. First over there and then, once (geographical) Europe goes that way, it will happen here too. Every passing day seems to throw up more reasons to cement my thoughts that I'm not upset that I have many more days behind me than I do in front of me and I fear for the world my 2 lads, both early 30s, will find themselves in, 10 years down the road. I have resolved to simply have a great time in every day that I have left. It could be just the one, Mrs Wembley or any number somewhere between 1 and say 12000. Powers that, it seems, I can do nothing to stop creating a world I don't want, will not stop me enjoying myself.

PS - there are posts of mine out there that the FFF would absolutely not like. I don't give a damn. We had planned to do a road trip in the US but as long as it's going the way it's going, those plans will remain on hold.... plus they probably wouldn't let me in due to some free speech I've exercised.

Absolutely correct MA, the way Trump acts is clear, its how he does all his deals, not unlike a mafioso boss! How any body can equivocate on that and try and justify it and then claim not to ahve right of centre views is baffling!

[Geoff Parkstone]

As I said, GP, I know less about London than you, but it seems unlikely that a majority of Londoners would have voted for Khan on three consecutive occasions if they believed him to be responsible for its ruination.

Your Clowes comment isn’t worthy of a response, but I thank Swale for his sensible and unblinkered clarification.

As you said, rA I know less about politics than you, but it seems unlikely that a majority of the country would have voted for the Tories on three consecutive occasions if they believed thm to be responsible for the country's ruination. Yet you do...

[swaledale]

I have, and I understand that he made an accusation, but he also, as MA said, made two jokes, one of which - do you want to be a dictator or just a dick - made me laugh.

Hardly an accusation RA, he stated what was happening and had happened, Trump and his MAGA supporters were blaming "the left" and the Democratic party within hours of Kirk's death, with no evidence whatsoever.

[swaledale]

As you said, rA I know less about politics than you, but it seems unlikely that a majority of the country would have voted for the Tories on three consecutive occasions if they believed thm to be responsible for the country's ruination. Yet you do...

Ah but what the Tories did, Brexit, Austerity, failing to invest in services etc etc. can factually be shown to have been responsible for the state the country is in.

As for Khan, well there are many things that can be pointed to which have improved London.