Jesus Fucking Christ, what have we done.
So, if like me, you woke up this weekend relieved that Trump was on vacation because you thought that maybe, possibly between Trump being at the beach and the Super Bowl happening, that things might be a little bit quieter around here, then you, like me, had to have been horrified to find that our President tweeted this little nugget while you were lying in bed on Saturday morning, thinking about coffee:
This was in response to a judge in Washington State who halted Trump’s Muslim ban. Let us all be very clear, the “so-called judge” in question is a federal judge who was nominated by George W. Bush and was approved by the Senate by a vote of 99-0. There is nothing “so-called” about him, unlike some Oompa-Loompas I could name. And let us all be even clearer on this point: this is an unveiled attack by our President on one thing that keeps America a functioning democracy — the separation of powers.
However, I didn’t mention Trump’s tweet in my post yesterday because I am trying very hard to keep this blog focused on TV, media, and First Amendment issues. Though it infuriated me enough to go start a new blog, I didn’t think it necessarily needed to be commented upon in here, just like I wouldn’t comment on his botched military exercise in Yemen here or how his wife wants to exploit her role as First Lady to create her own brand here. Nor was I going to include all of his other outrageous tweets that attacked the judiciary this weekend:
And then this shitbird, he tweeted this, one of the scariest and most dangerous tweets he’s twatted yet:
Know this for what it is: Trump is preemptively blaming a judge for any event that could be construed as a terrorist attack on American soil. This is dangerous and unprecedented and an act of war against our system of checks and balances. But the only reason I even bring it up here is because not content to limit his war to the judicial branch, Trump visited the headquarters of the U.S. Central Command yesterday and continued his war on the media, opening up a new, more terrifying front:
“Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to attack our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino and all across Europe. You’ve seen what happened in Paris, and Nice. All over Europe, it’s happening. It’s gotten to a point where it’s not even being reported. And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesn’t want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that.”
HE ACCUSED THE MEDIA OF CONSPIRING TO COVER UP TERRORIST ATTACKS. AND WHY? WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT?
“REASONS.”
But then! But then! BUT THEN, when confronted with this completely batshit insane and dangerous accusation, the Trump administration provided the press with a list of 78 “underreported” terrorist attacks between 2014-2016. Never mind the fact that they spelled “attacker” ATTAKER 27 times in the list. 27 times! Instead, notice that they include the San Bernardino attack (and misspell San Bernardino in the process), the Nice attack, the New York City bombings from this summer, and Orlando: all of which were not just covered, but covered EXTENSIVELY in the American media. Not mentioned on the list? The Charleston shooting, the Planned Parenthood attack in Colorado, the shootings in Aurora, Colorado or Lafayette, Louisiana or, most recently, the terrorist attack in Quebec in which six Muslims were murdered by a Trump supporter. HMM, WONDER WHY.
This attack on the media is not simply outrageous, it is literally dangerous. Going hand-in-hand with his attack on the judiciary, Trump is explicitly trying to erode Americans’ trust in the two institutions that serve as a check against his power. It is not being hysterical to say that these are the acts of a wannabe authoritarian. All we can hope is that we have not so weakened the power of the free press and the Constitution through our rancorous partisan bickering over the past few decades that they are incapable of standing as a bulwark against this madman’s ambitions.
Not to be alarmist or anything.
In other political news:
Melissa McCarthy’s impersonation of Sean Spicer upset Trump, in no small part because she’s a woman, and it might have consequences for Spicer’s career.
Don’t worry, guys, Rosie O’Donnell’s got this.
As for Kellyanne Conway, CNN says that they passed on an interview with her, while she’s claiming it didn’t happen because she had family obligations. Who are you going to believe, CNN or Kellyanne “Bowling Green Massacre” Conway?
John Oliver, meanwhile, wants to make sure Last Week Tonight does not become “All Trump, all the time.” DUDE, TELL ME ABOUT IT.
Let’s Watch Some Late Night Bits
Other TV News
Shocked by last night’s big Jane the Virgin twist? Yeah, the creator knew you would be and wrote you this letter.
Oh terrific, NBC is thinking about giving Colin Jost and Michael Che, the worst “Weekend Update” hosts since Colin Quinn, a weekly primetime spinoff. GUH, NO. CAN WE BRING SETH AND AMY BACK TO DO IT INSTEAD? PLEASE? PLEASEEEEEE?
Bravo is changing up their look, in part to try to attract male viewers.
i09 gave us the shot-by-shot breakdown of the Stranger Things trailer we were needing.
Girls returns this weekend. Here’s a little background on how the show decided to hook up Jenna and Adam.
Here are a bunch of pop culture valentine cards, including the Game of Thrones and Stranger Things valentines you were looking for.
3 million more people watched Left Shark than Lady Gaga. So, who’s ‘the goddess of Satan,’ now, Alex Jones? Who is ‘the dark one, the beast’? HMMM?
Some Interesting Casting News
Annette Bening is joining Ryan Murphy’s pride of older actresses, God bless. She is going to play Kathleen Blanco, the inept governor of Louisiana for American Crime Story: Katrina.
The delightful Judy Greer is joining Casual on Hulu for a recurring role.
WATCH THIS
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: The ladies go to Mexico. 8 p.m., Bravo
Imposters: The early reviews of this conwoman dramedy are super positive. Series premiere. 9 p.m., Bravo
Detroiters: The early reviews of this ad man comedy are not super positive. But it comes from Jason Sudeikis and Lorne Michaels, so maybe it will get better? Series premiere. 9:30 p.m., Comedy Central
This is Us: Toby is messing up Kate’s whole weight loss plan, guys. 8 p.m., NBC
Oklahoma City: American Experience: A documentary about the worst home-grown terrorist event on American soil which, considering the Trump administration just made their counter-terrorism departments pull back on investigating right-wing groups, feels like it should be required viewing for everyone, our President most especially. SEE RANT ABOVE. 8 p.m., PBS
Late Night: Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Ice Cube, Rosamund Pike, the Band Perry Late Night with Seth Meyers: Anderson Cooper, Reba McEntire, dogs from the Westminster Dog Show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: John Oliver, Isabelle Huppert, the Avett Brothers Jimmy Kimmel Live: Will Arnett, Gabrielle Union, Charli XCX, Dweezil Zappa Conan: JB Smoove, Sean Giambrone The Daily Show: Mayor Martin J. Walsh Watch What Happens Live: Kyle Richards, Brad Goreski
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