The first story up this morning is that, per AP’s WH correspondent—are you sitting down for this, coffee safely place away from your lips?—Zhou’s “competence” is coming into question after his most recent disastrous week.
Anytime corrupt people make corrupt moves, I think it's basic that you have to try and game out what would probably be different if they *hadn't* made the corrupt move. IOW: what do they see otherwise occurring that caused them to make the move? In this case, one obvious thing that should be gamed out is what might come of the investigations into Biden's long and sordid history of corruption, access-pedaling and selling out our country to its mortal enemies.
If the general (i.e., low-info) public were to get any sort of meaningful glimpse into all that, not only would Biden be bounced out of office on terms exceedingly unfavorable to the uniparty, et al, but it would in turn leave that same public -heaven forbid- much more willing to open its eyes to all the other crap that's gone on the past many years. The mythical Pandora's box could open, and that is of course much to be avoided by the chief string-pullers in question.
If, on the other hand, Biden is caught up in this document issue, he can be dealt with on terms of the uniparty's choosing, leaving the real corruption issues either moot or at least kept from gaining any proper traction.
I have no idea what factors are actually behind "garagegate," but if there is a real fear Biden's history of patently treasonous (loosely defined) behavior could be generally exposed and believed, there is nothing the aforementioned string-pullers wouldn't do to keep that from happening.
This whole Biden scandal is driven by the fact it was forecast for the Republicans to take the House and possibly the Senate. Having Biden's WH counsel leave in early October and then in her employment with Covington recall in early November these documents is a sign that she is in it up to her eye lashes. Who is driving this? We all know.
Absolutely. No coincidences. My thing is, I can't see it going this far as part of a simple intra-party thing, not with a war of this magnitude going on.
The Deep State could run the Agnew playbook, using some dirt on Harris to force her to resign. Of course, they'd also have to find a Democrat who could play the Gerald Ford role. Might be hard to do.
My thoughts for what they are worth (probably not a great deal):
1. The DS knows that Biden is a disaster and no longer fit for purpose
2. The GOP won the House and will start investigations
3. The DS will get rid of Biden and blame him for everything
4. They will use Biden's removal because of the secret doc stash to get rid of Trump for the same crime - a twofer that knocks out Trump and clears the way for whoever they want to install next.
5. As you say, Mark, the GOP get some kind of pay back. Maybe the Dems let them see AoC in her bikini, God knows.
At what point does Biden pardon himself and other members of the Biden Family Crime Syndicate? Is he even sufficiently aware to contemplate such a move? I’m assuming that a Presidential pardon can even excuse treason, which I suspect Joe and Hunter at least may be guilty of.
For optics he could pardon Trump as well, thus implying that Trump has actually committed some crime and thereby furthering the deep state’s attempts to sideline Trump.
Like Cassander below, I think this is to get Biden to finish out his term and to not attempt a run for a second one. Newsom is the guy being groomed by the backroom leaders of the party.
How exactly will Biden be put 'out'? The options are resignation now or soon, 25th amendment, impeachment, and Biden's agreement not to run for re-election.
I don't think he'll resign or be forced to resign, no matter what they've got on him in garagegate. The Hunter/influence peddling/Crime Family issues might be harder to cover up, but I'm thinking Joe has a hell of a lot of dirt on his fellow (may I call them) conspirators, and why would he hold back if they're trying to take him down. I don't think he'll resign.
I have long felt that the 25th amendment is too difficult to execute. Ultimately, it requires 2/3rds of both Houses to agree that Biden is unable to serve. An impeachment would be easier to effect.
Similarly, conviction after impeachment requires 2/3rds of the Senate. This will be much harder to achieve than simply getting Joe's agreement to stand aside in 2024. He's not running the government today and he can be reeled in without impeachment and conviction.
However, if the Deep State wants Joe to step aside in 2024 I think they've got plenty of persuasive power. I can't imagine Joe could prevail.
I continue to think that Hur was named to *protect* Joe. Who named Hur special counsel? See?
The problem for Zhou is that he doesn't have dirt on the right people--those running the intel agencies, for example. My view, and we'll just have to see, is that Hur is in place to protect the Deep State from release of insider info.
But...Biden was in the Senate for ~36 years and VP for 8...its hard to imagine he doesn't have some dirt that the Deep State would rather not have exposed...one example might be the events which took place in the Obama WH during the first three weeks of 2017...
U.S. elections, when conducted fairly, usually turn on voters’ perception of their economic well-being. The mid-term election was somewhat different following reversal of Roe, the outright falsehoods regarding job numbers just prior to election day, and the continuation of dubious mail-in ballots that, when counted, always go the way of democrats.
All that to say the economic headwinds facing any democrat on the presidential ballot will be challenging. Add to that the corruption, waste, and fraud that the GOP House committees will turn up as they look into Ukraine, the Afghanistan cut and run, and the pandemic and vaccine scam. Then there are the culture wars where public school administrators have become enemies of the parents whose children they are entrusted to educate, e.g., northern Virginia counties all run by democrats.
A political party that sees its titular head removed, for whatever reason, suffers. And the void, in this instance, cannot be filled by the vapid and incompetent VP. Add to that the once outright control of the major social media giants has been fractured by Musk’s takeover of Twitter. The inability of the DNC and MSM to completely control the narrative heading into the 2024 election must scare the hell out of them.
"Lastly, where does Trump fit in all of this? Could the hit on Zhou be used to justify a fake prosecution of Trump, in a desperate attempt to derail his political operations?"
When people talk about charges against Trump they usually mean charges related to J6 or the Mar-a-Logo documents. If a case could be made related to either it would already have been filed and Trump perp walked into court. In other words, Trump is under investigation by an IC because there is nothing with which he can be charged so process charges must be generated.
As for a quid pro quo for the GOP, I think you assume a fact not in evidence, namely that the GOP is still worth buying off. The Republican party did badly in the last election in part because it has repeatedly betrayed its voters and the voters at long last are waking up to it. At this point, the GOP is like an aging whore who can no longer fetch the price she once did.
Late yesterday the gateway pundit had a story that Andrew Weissman, the attorney they describe as Muellers pit Bull came out against Biden. Strongly claiming the illegality of this whole document situation. He’s the deepest of the deep state sending the message.
Yes, the Deep State could be turning against Biden...Or, maybe the Deep State has turned against Weissmann who, himself, has a lot to answer for? At some point in the End Game its every man for himself...
Mark -- If its a co-ordinated IC/Uniparty hit as you say (and I agree with you) I don't think there's a need to 'impeach' Biden. All they need to do is make him toxic enough to persuade him to step down when his term ends. In the meantime, as long as he plays ball with his masters, Hur will protect him (as Durham did Comey, etc.). There will be no indictment. At worst he gets the benefit of the Hillary Defense (carelessness). In the meantime they'll continue to slime Trump in an attempt to take him out altogether. Pelosi is done and McCarthy has been given permission to toss Schifty and Mr Fang Fang overboard. It kinda looks like they're cleaning the Augean Stables before the 2024 process gets underway.
But what do they do with Ukraine/Russia...and then China? And what of Powell and the USD? As you say, they're all inextricably linked.
Right. Impeachment is NOT what they're looking for. They want him to take a permanent vacation to Delaware. Ukraine corruption is the third rail of DC establishment politics--most of the elite are complicit, and are willing to give Zhou a pass to keep his mouth shut. How to deal with WW3? That's the real tricky part. They need to stop it, without looking defeated.
Anytime corrupt people make corrupt moves, I think it's basic that you have to try and game out what would probably be different if they *hadn't* made the corrupt move. IOW: what do they see otherwise occurring that caused them to make the move? In this case, one obvious thing that should be gamed out is what might come of the investigations into Biden's long and sordid history of corruption, access-pedaling and selling out our country to its mortal enemies.
If the general (i.e., low-info) public were to get any sort of meaningful glimpse into all that, not only would Biden be bounced out of office on terms exceedingly unfavorable to the uniparty, et al, but it would in turn leave that same public -heaven forbid- much more willing to open its eyes to all the other crap that's gone on the past many years. The mythical Pandora's box could open, and that is of course much to be avoided by the chief string-pullers in question.
If, on the other hand, Biden is caught up in this document issue, he can be dealt with on terms of the uniparty's choosing, leaving the real corruption issues either moot or at least kept from gaining any proper traction.
I have no idea what factors are actually behind "garagegate," but if there is a real fear Biden's history of patently treasonous (loosely defined) behavior could be generally exposed and believed, there is nothing the aforementioned string-pullers wouldn't do to keep that from happening.
This whole Biden scandal is driven by the fact it was forecast for the Republicans to take the House and possibly the Senate. Having Biden's WH counsel leave in early October and then in her employment with Covington recall in early November these documents is a sign that she is in it up to her eye lashes. Who is driving this? We all know.
Absolutely. No coincidences. My thing is, I can't see it going this far as part of a simple intra-party thing, not with a war of this magnitude going on.
True, but having Dana leave sure made it more convenient. Many, many, many had to know these documents existed and where.
Right. I was pointing to that convenience as evidence of planning.
Not sure what you mean by "WHO"? World Health Organization? If so, not the same as the Deep State.
The Deep State could run the Agnew playbook, using some dirt on Harris to force her to resign. Of course, they'd also have to find a Democrat who could play the Gerald Ford role. Might be hard to do.
My thoughts for what they are worth (probably not a great deal):
1. The DS knows that Biden is a disaster and no longer fit for purpose
2. The GOP won the House and will start investigations
3. The DS will get rid of Biden and blame him for everything
4. They will use Biden's removal because of the secret doc stash to get rid of Trump for the same crime - a twofer that knocks out Trump and clears the way for whoever they want to install next.
5. As you say, Mark, the GOP get some kind of pay back. Maybe the Dems let them see AoC in her bikini, God knows.
At what point does Biden pardon himself and other members of the Biden Family Crime Syndicate? Is he even sufficiently aware to contemplate such a move? I’m assuming that a Presidential pardon can even excuse treason, which I suspect Joe and Hunter at least may be guilty of.
For optics he could pardon Trump as well, thus implying that Trump has actually committed some crime and thereby furthering the deep state’s attempts to sideline Trump.
Like Cassander below, I think this is to get Biden to finish out his term and to not attempt a run for a second one. Newsom is the guy being groomed by the backroom leaders of the party.
I think events have moved past that possibility. I think he's out.
@Mark @Yancey
How exactly will Biden be put 'out'? The options are resignation now or soon, 25th amendment, impeachment, and Biden's agreement not to run for re-election.
I don't think he'll resign or be forced to resign, no matter what they've got on him in garagegate. The Hunter/influence peddling/Crime Family issues might be harder to cover up, but I'm thinking Joe has a hell of a lot of dirt on his fellow (may I call them) conspirators, and why would he hold back if they're trying to take him down. I don't think he'll resign.
I have long felt that the 25th amendment is too difficult to execute. Ultimately, it requires 2/3rds of both Houses to agree that Biden is unable to serve. An impeachment would be easier to effect.
Similarly, conviction after impeachment requires 2/3rds of the Senate. This will be much harder to achieve than simply getting Joe's agreement to stand aside in 2024. He's not running the government today and he can be reeled in without impeachment and conviction.
However, if the Deep State wants Joe to step aside in 2024 I think they've got plenty of persuasive power. I can't imagine Joe could prevail.
I continue to think that Hur was named to *protect* Joe. Who named Hur special counsel? See?
The problem for Zhou is that he doesn't have dirt on the right people--those running the intel agencies, for example. My view, and we'll just have to see, is that Hur is in place to protect the Deep State from release of insider info.
But...Biden was in the Senate for ~36 years and VP for 8...its hard to imagine he doesn't have some dirt that the Deep State would rather not have exposed...one example might be the events which took place in the Obama WH during the first three weeks of 2017...
I just don't see that happening in time to save him. The enormity of his own crimes would come out. And those top just about anybody else's.
So you think he'll resign soon...as Nixon did?
I had finished my coffee when I read that AP sentence you quoted, so I went and got another cup and snorted that out.
That anyone ever thought Biden was competent at anything other than self-aggrandizement is astonishing to me.
And your comment almost caused me to snort out my drink…
U.S. elections, when conducted fairly, usually turn on voters’ perception of their economic well-being. The mid-term election was somewhat different following reversal of Roe, the outright falsehoods regarding job numbers just prior to election day, and the continuation of dubious mail-in ballots that, when counted, always go the way of democrats.
All that to say the economic headwinds facing any democrat on the presidential ballot will be challenging. Add to that the corruption, waste, and fraud that the GOP House committees will turn up as they look into Ukraine, the Afghanistan cut and run, and the pandemic and vaccine scam. Then there are the culture wars where public school administrators have become enemies of the parents whose children they are entrusted to educate, e.g., northern Virginia counties all run by democrats.
A political party that sees its titular head removed, for whatever reason, suffers. And the void, in this instance, cannot be filled by the vapid and incompetent VP. Add to that the once outright control of the major social media giants has been fractured by Musk’s takeover of Twitter. The inability of the DNC and MSM to completely control the narrative heading into the 2024 election must scare the hell out of them.
"Lastly, where does Trump fit in all of this? Could the hit on Zhou be used to justify a fake prosecution of Trump, in a desperate attempt to derail his political operations?"
When people talk about charges against Trump they usually mean charges related to J6 or the Mar-a-Logo documents. If a case could be made related to either it would already have been filed and Trump perp walked into court. In other words, Trump is under investigation by an IC because there is nothing with which he can be charged so process charges must be generated.
As for a quid pro quo for the GOP, I think you assume a fact not in evidence, namely that the GOP is still worth buying off. The Republican party did badly in the last election in part because it has repeatedly betrayed its voters and the voters at long last are waking up to it. At this point, the GOP is like an aging whore who can no longer fetch the price she once did.
And into the breach steps...Michelle O??
Note that gang of 8 member McCarthy is currently 3rd in line for the presidency. He bent over backwards to get that spot. Maybe there was a reason.
Yep. So many Americans forget their grade school civics lessons... Mac is #3 in line.
Right. I've had that in mind, but so far we don't see all the cards on the table. GOP is keeping quiet, in public.
Late yesterday the gateway pundit had a story that Andrew Weissman, the attorney they describe as Muellers pit Bull came out against Biden. Strongly claiming the illegality of this whole document situation. He’s the deepest of the deep state sending the message.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/01/white-house-keeps-digging-hole-deeper-muellers-pitbull-andrew-weissmann-turns-joe-biden-amid-documents-scandal/
Yes, the Deep State could be turning against Biden...Or, maybe the Deep State has turned against Weissmann who, himself, has a lot to answer for? At some point in the End Game its every man for himself...
Abandon ship?
Looks like the Ides of March have come early for Joe Biden
Someone or something is coming for Zhou--early rather than late.
He’s half awake in a fake empire.
Verey simple.
Biden out, Harris in, Harris announces John Brennan as her new chief adviser and spokesman and is never seen speaking in public again.
That's a scary thought.
I wouldn't put it past them to do a Kennedy on Kama Sutra.
Mark -- If its a co-ordinated IC/Uniparty hit as you say (and I agree with you) I don't think there's a need to 'impeach' Biden. All they need to do is make him toxic enough to persuade him to step down when his term ends. In the meantime, as long as he plays ball with his masters, Hur will protect him (as Durham did Comey, etc.). There will be no indictment. At worst he gets the benefit of the Hillary Defense (carelessness). In the meantime they'll continue to slime Trump in an attempt to take him out altogether. Pelosi is done and McCarthy has been given permission to toss Schifty and Mr Fang Fang overboard. It kinda looks like they're cleaning the Augean Stables before the 2024 process gets underway.
But what do they do with Ukraine/Russia...and then China? And what of Powell and the USD? As you say, they're all inextricably linked.
Right. Impeachment is NOT what they're looking for. They want him to take a permanent vacation to Delaware. Ukraine corruption is the third rail of DC establishment politics--most of the elite are complicit, and are willing to give Zhou a pass to keep his mouth shut. How to deal with WW3? That's the real tricky part. They need to stop it, without looking defeated.
Since Zhou has dementia, keeping his mouth shut may be the most difficult thing to accomplish - while he is breathing.
This smells like cocaine Mitch all over.