I did not watch but everything I have read points to not believing what she says and that she is a Russian asset like Jared and Witcoff(not sure of spelling) who are not to be trusted. Heck drumpf is a Russian asset. Every times he speaks to Putin, Putin increases bombing on Ukraine. Putin owns drumpf and so I do not believe any of them.
Exactly, Teri. That’s the core issue: NONE of these people has earned the benefit of the doubt.
When the pattern is deception...alignment with authoritarian interests...and constant BS behavior that seems to benefit Putin...distrust is NOT paranoia; it’s pattern recognition.
A lot of people see it...and they damn well should!
I kept thinking that they had all been coached by a world class defense lawyer. Careful answers that weren't outright lies, hedging, pausing and furrowed brows, carefully reframing the question as the answer, and the non-commital language. My instincts tell me we're in much more trouble than we collectively think.
Like watching someone answer for legal survivability...not public truth.
You could feel the coaching in the hedging...the reframing...the studied pauses...the “I’m being careful” and the straight-up bullshit performance.
Your instinct about the danger is dead-on. When people in power start sounding this managed...yeah...it usually means the real situation is WORSE than the public version.
Jack, I wasn’t able to watch it all. I did watch some of it. In particular, when Jon Ossoff was questioning her. She dodged his question and he called her on it.
She’s not to be trusted.. she’s dangerous and I heard nothing that sounded comforting or true… at least not completely true. I don’t trust any of them.
One thing is clear to me.. they are NOT working for the United States… for Russia and for themselves maybe.. but not for us.
This, like so much these days.. is very concerning.
That exchange with Ossoff mattered. You better believe it did. When someone dodges a direct question and gets called on it in real time...it reveals a great deal.
Your reaction makes perfect sense. It’s rarely one obvious lie. It’s the mix of evasion...half-truths...and deflection that leaves the whole thing feeling wrong, and giving that "This is BS!" vibe in the gut, and that instinct...is worth TRUSTING.
You’re not overreacting. You’re paying attention...connecting the dots...and seeing the pattern.
Gabbard is definitely a Russian puppet as demonstrated by her constant echoing of Russian propaganda. Her distorted view of Syria going back for over a decade is troublesome as well. Considering her avowed beliefs in Hinduism, I find her current support of Trump’s War to be interesting since Hindus strongly believe in karma. She is building up a huge karmic debt.
Ytram...you’re picking up on something real in how her messaging has tracked over time; that PATTERN is what raises eyebrows for a lot of people.
You’re right to flag the contradiction piece, too. When someone’s stated BELIEFS don’t seem to line up with their current POSITIONS...it stands out. It really does.
It is a tense moment overall. Staying clear-eyed... like you are right now...matters more than ever!
I have come to never expect clarity, accountability, or the truth from anyone in this regime. Every answer is too well scripted. It’s what isn’t said that stands out to me.
Each day, I find more embarrassing to be an American. I don’t have it in me to be anything more than superficial today. With that stated, my question is how can Trump’s most visible gals be rated by the integrity shown during their hearing when nominated and/or the respect shown for the oath of office they took?
In alphabetical order:
Brooke (Agriculture)
Jeanine (Atty for D.C.)
Karoline (mouthpiece)
Kelli (Small Bus)
Kristi (Homeland Security)
Linda (Education)
Lori (Labor)
Pam (AG)
Susie (chief of staff)
Tulsi (Natl Intell)
Relatively speaking, I could place Susie first. Beyond that, I think they all share the last spot, indicating lack of integrity and total disregard for their oaths of office.
Your real point smacks of truth: it’s hard to rank integrity...when the behavior feels so uniformly scripted...evasive...and loyalty-driven...that it gives you the heebie-jeebies.
Susie may come off steadier than the others...sure...but...your broader read is the important one. This isn’t just about individual women...it’s about a SYSTEM that rewards obedience...careful deflection...and CONTEMPT...for the spirit of the oath.
That’s what makes it feel so embarrassing and exhausting. Not one performance. The pattern. The PATTERN.
Great post Jack. I think the part quoted below is what worried me the most and has for the last decade.
" .........It means the smoke has been pouring out of this building for years…and only an absolute sucker keeps insisting there can’t be a fire because nobody has handed him a photograph of the match.
At some point…patriotic adults are supposed to stop playing dumb......"
At some point...the PATTERN is the proof. You can only watch smoke pour out for so long before pretending not to see it becomes its OWN kind of surrender.
That’s what makes this moment so damn painful. A lot of the warning signs have been visible for years...and still so many people refuse to absorb what’s right in front of them.
Thank you Jack. I learned early in life to recognize narcissistic predators and their allegiances. I have never trusted any of these people in this regime. The country feels as it is on 🔥to me and not a fire easily put out. It was an honor living 63 years in a Republic with a Constitution. I feel rather embarrassed to say that I feel afraid at times and I am not a fearful person. Your wisdom, writing, and straightforwardness help ground and steady me, while reigniting my inner courage.
Sherri J, thank you for saying that...and...for trusting me with it.
What you’re describing…that shift from concern to feeling it in your body… that’s the real deal. When something you’ve understood your whole life...starts to feel unstable...it hits on a deeper level.
I want to say this clearly: there’s nothing embarrassing about feeling afraid in a moment like this. It doesn’t mean you’re weak...it means you’re AWARE.
What stands out to me most...is what you said at the beginning; you learned early how to recognize these PATTERNS. That matters. Because it means what you’re seeing now isn’t random fear… it’s RECOGNITION.
Even in the middle of all that, you’re still here...paying attention...staying engaged... refusing to look away. That’s not fear...that’s resolve.
I’m really glad the writing helps steady things. That’s exactly what it’s there for.
To me, the most damning part of Gabbard's "testimony" was her insistence that the only person who could classify a threat as imminent was Trump. This is a telling statement that her organization exists to provide the necessary intelligence to support whatever Trump wants, not an independent assessment.
From title 50, Chapter 15, Subchapter 1, section 403-1:
Responsibilities and authorities of the Director of National Intelligence
(a) Provision of intelligence
(1) The Director of National Intelligence shall be responsible for ensuring that national intelligence is provided-
(A) to the President;
(B) to the heads of departments and agencies of the executive branch;
(C) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and senior military commanders;
(D) to the Senate and House of Representatives and the committees thereof; and
(E) to such other persons as the Director of National Intelligence determines to be appropriate.
(2) Such national intelligence should be timely, objective, independent of political considerations, and based upon all sources available to the intelligence community and other appropriate entities.
Notice paragraph (2) where the intelligence she provides should be independent of political considerations.
Jack's excellent summary supports her violation of this basic function of the DNI.
That line wasn’t just revealing, it was disqualifying.
The moment intelligence is framed as something that only matters when filtered through Trump’s personal judgment...it STOPS being independent analysis...and starts becoming political utility.
You put your finger on the core issue: the law is clear that the job is supposed to be OBJECTIVE and independent of politics. That’s why her statement lands as so damning.
Janie...thank you. I'd lean more toward you just realizing that you agree with this...not because I said it...but...because you're smart enough to know...it checks all the boxes.
We know he is asset. We know he hires assets. We follow the money and crime trails. Thanks for the post and review as I keep busy with my community , art and science. We will rebuild.
She has seemed suspect to me since she arrived. You pointed out so clearly what she does as an apologist for repressive dictators, and she is clearly doing the same for Trump. But we are not stupid. Anyone with half a brain could foresee the consequences of donnie’s war-but they all apparently took conscious actions to reduce our preparedness, thus handing considerable advantage to Russia. This is treason, is it not?👹
Since the bombing began, the only thing that I can think about is our American soldiers who have died and been critically wounded. I think about the Iranian civilians who have died. I haven't heard a single valid reason for this "war" coming out of Trump's mouth or his administration. There is a lot of gaslighting. If there is a strategy, I don't see it or hear it. I believe that this "war" is already out of control.
The stupidity of this maladministration is just increasing. When they do come before Congress their testimony is of deception and word salads of disingenuous sidestepping legalities. this maladministration doesn't have a coherent plan much less a strategy; they are marching our nation headlong into WWIII and placing our adversary into an intractable, moral state of hate against Americans. Trump started this war by bombing a school; in retrospect this makes My Lai 5 look the lessor of evil; this is a crime against humanity and trump shall be made to answer at the WCC at the HAGUE! and still will not remove the stain of this evil upon the soul of America! And, it just gets stupider; now we learn we've bombed the biggest operating natural gas field on the planet, so who is the winner of this act, well, it ain't America; and we've bombed the coastal sites along the Straits of Hormuz. Gee whiz, I wonder where those Marines are gonna land?!?...stupider and stupider...time to remove Cheetolini and send him to the Hague!
I did not watch but everything I have read points to not believing what she says and that she is a Russian asset like Jared and Witcoff(not sure of spelling) who are not to be trusted. Heck drumpf is a Russian asset. Every times he speaks to Putin, Putin increases bombing on Ukraine. Putin owns drumpf and so I do not believe any of them.
Exactly, Teri. That’s the core issue: NONE of these people has earned the benefit of the doubt.
When the pattern is deception...alignment with authoritarian interests...and constant BS behavior that seems to benefit Putin...distrust is NOT paranoia; it’s pattern recognition.
A lot of people see it...and they damn well should!
-Jack
Exactly.
I kept thinking that they had all been coached by a world class defense lawyer. Careful answers that weren't outright lies, hedging, pausing and furrowed brows, carefully reframing the question as the answer, and the non-commital language. My instincts tell me we're in much more trouble than we collectively think.
Stephanie...that’s exactly how it felt.
Like watching someone answer for legal survivability...not public truth.
You could feel the coaching in the hedging...the reframing...the studied pauses...the “I’m being careful” and the straight-up bullshit performance.
Your instinct about the danger is dead-on. When people in power start sounding this managed...yeah...it usually means the real situation is WORSE than the public version.
-Jack
Jack, I wasn’t able to watch it all. I did watch some of it. In particular, when Jon Ossoff was questioning her. She dodged his question and he called her on it.
She’s not to be trusted.. she’s dangerous and I heard nothing that sounded comforting or true… at least not completely true. I don’t trust any of them.
One thing is clear to me.. they are NOT working for the United States… for Russia and for themselves maybe.. but not for us.
This, like so much these days.. is very concerning.
Thank you for breaking it all down, Jack.
#Holdfast
~Susan
Susan...you damn sure caught the tell.
That exchange with Ossoff mattered. You better believe it did. When someone dodges a direct question and gets called on it in real time...it reveals a great deal.
Your reaction makes perfect sense. It’s rarely one obvious lie. It’s the mix of evasion...half-truths...and deflection that leaves the whole thing feeling wrong, and giving that "This is BS!" vibe in the gut, and that instinct...is worth TRUSTING.
You’re not overreacting. You’re paying attention...connecting the dots...and seeing the pattern.
Thank you for this...and for reading so closely.
#Holdfast
-Jack
Gabbard is definitely a Russian puppet as demonstrated by her constant echoing of Russian propaganda. Her distorted view of Syria going back for over a decade is troublesome as well. Considering her avowed beliefs in Hinduism, I find her current support of Trump’s War to be interesting since Hindus strongly believe in karma. She is building up a huge karmic debt.
We are all in a very dangerous place right now.
Ytram...you’re picking up on something real in how her messaging has tracked over time; that PATTERN is what raises eyebrows for a lot of people.
You’re right to flag the contradiction piece, too. When someone’s stated BELIEFS don’t seem to line up with their current POSITIONS...it stands out. It really does.
It is a tense moment overall. Staying clear-eyed... like you are right now...matters more than ever!
-Jack
I have come to never expect clarity, accountability, or the truth from anyone in this regime. Every answer is too well scripted. It’s what isn’t said that stands out to me.
Lori R...exactly. That’s the read.
With this crowd...the script IS the point. As you said...it’s often what they carefully AVOID saying that tells you the most.
That absence of clarity is the SIGNAL.
You’re seeing it clearly, my friend.
-Jack
Each day, I find more embarrassing to be an American. I don’t have it in me to be anything more than superficial today. With that stated, my question is how can Trump’s most visible gals be rated by the integrity shown during their hearing when nominated and/or the respect shown for the oath of office they took?
In alphabetical order:
Brooke (Agriculture)
Jeanine (Atty for D.C.)
Karoline (mouthpiece)
Kelli (Small Bus)
Kristi (Homeland Security)
Linda (Education)
Lori (Labor)
Pam (AG)
Susie (chief of staff)
Tulsi (Natl Intell)
Relatively speaking, I could place Susie first. Beyond that, I think they all share the last spot, indicating lack of integrity and total disregard for their oaths of office.
Mary E..I hear you.
Your real point smacks of truth: it’s hard to rank integrity...when the behavior feels so uniformly scripted...evasive...and loyalty-driven...that it gives you the heebie-jeebies.
Susie may come off steadier than the others...sure...but...your broader read is the important one. This isn’t just about individual women...it’s about a SYSTEM that rewards obedience...careful deflection...and CONTEMPT...for the spirit of the oath.
That’s what makes it feel so embarrassing and exhausting. Not one performance. The pattern. The PATTERN.
-Jack
Great post Jack. I think the part quoted below is what worried me the most and has for the last decade.
" .........It means the smoke has been pouring out of this building for years…and only an absolute sucker keeps insisting there can’t be a fire because nobody has handed him a photograph of the match.
At some point…patriotic adults are supposed to stop playing dumb......"
As the song goes "....When will we ever learn?"
Gary...thank you. Yes..that’s the part, isn’t it?
At some point...the PATTERN is the proof. You can only watch smoke pour out for so long before pretending not to see it becomes its OWN kind of surrender.
That’s what makes this moment so damn painful. A lot of the warning signs have been visible for years...and still so many people refuse to absorb what’s right in front of them.
Your quote choice nails it, Gary!
-Jack
Thank you Jack. I learned early in life to recognize narcissistic predators and their allegiances. I have never trusted any of these people in this regime. The country feels as it is on 🔥to me and not a fire easily put out. It was an honor living 63 years in a Republic with a Constitution. I feel rather embarrassed to say that I feel afraid at times and I am not a fearful person. Your wisdom, writing, and straightforwardness help ground and steady me, while reigniting my inner courage.
Sherri J, thank you for saying that...and...for trusting me with it.
What you’re describing…that shift from concern to feeling it in your body… that’s the real deal. When something you’ve understood your whole life...starts to feel unstable...it hits on a deeper level.
I want to say this clearly: there’s nothing embarrassing about feeling afraid in a moment like this. It doesn’t mean you’re weak...it means you’re AWARE.
What stands out to me most...is what you said at the beginning; you learned early how to recognize these PATTERNS. That matters. Because it means what you’re seeing now isn’t random fear… it’s RECOGNITION.
Even in the middle of all that, you’re still here...paying attention...staying engaged... refusing to look away. That’s not fear...that’s resolve.
I’m really glad the writing helps steady things. That’s exactly what it’s there for.
You’re not alone in this, Sherri. Nope.
-Jack
Thank you Jack!
Trump does this too - he helps Russia whether it's intentional or not.
DING DING DING! We have a winner, Elisabeth. Fact.
-Jack
To me, the most damning part of Gabbard's "testimony" was her insistence that the only person who could classify a threat as imminent was Trump. This is a telling statement that her organization exists to provide the necessary intelligence to support whatever Trump wants, not an independent assessment.
From title 50, Chapter 15, Subchapter 1, section 403-1:
Responsibilities and authorities of the Director of National Intelligence
(a) Provision of intelligence
(1) The Director of National Intelligence shall be responsible for ensuring that national intelligence is provided-
(A) to the President;
(B) to the heads of departments and agencies of the executive branch;
(C) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and senior military commanders;
(D) to the Senate and House of Representatives and the committees thereof; and
(E) to such other persons as the Director of National Intelligence determines to be appropriate.
(2) Such national intelligence should be timely, objective, independent of political considerations, and based upon all sources available to the intelligence community and other appropriate entities.
Notice paragraph (2) where the intelligence she provides should be independent of political considerations.
Jack's excellent summary supports her violation of this basic function of the DNI.
Steven...exactly. This is a sharp catch.
That line wasn’t just revealing, it was disqualifying.
The moment intelligence is framed as something that only matters when filtered through Trump’s personal judgment...it STOPS being independent analysis...and starts becoming political utility.
You put your finger on the core issue: the law is clear that the job is supposed to be OBJECTIVE and independent of politics. That’s why her statement lands as so damning.
You’re reading this the right way!
-Jack
Sorry, but I had a super busy day and just got home. I expected exactly what you’re reporting, though.
Tap dance.
Hey, Rae. (I couldn't resist;)
I hope today finds life moving at a more normal pace. YES...your expectations were dead on.
-Jack
You have quite a way with words...or maybe that's just me realizing I agree with every bit of this post.
Janie...thank you. I'd lean more toward you just realizing that you agree with this...not because I said it...but...because you're smart enough to know...it checks all the boxes.
-Jack
We know he is asset. We know he hires assets. We follow the money and crime trails. Thanks for the post and review as I keep busy with my community , art and science. We will rebuild.
She has seemed suspect to me since she arrived. You pointed out so clearly what she does as an apologist for repressive dictators, and she is clearly doing the same for Trump. But we are not stupid. Anyone with half a brain could foresee the consequences of donnie’s war-but they all apparently took conscious actions to reduce our preparedness, thus handing considerable advantage to Russia. This is treason, is it not?👹
Since the bombing began, the only thing that I can think about is our American soldiers who have died and been critically wounded. I think about the Iranian civilians who have died. I haven't heard a single valid reason for this "war" coming out of Trump's mouth or his administration. There is a lot of gaslighting. If there is a strategy, I don't see it or hear it. I believe that this "war" is already out of control.
The stupidity of this maladministration is just increasing. When they do come before Congress their testimony is of deception and word salads of disingenuous sidestepping legalities. this maladministration doesn't have a coherent plan much less a strategy; they are marching our nation headlong into WWIII and placing our adversary into an intractable, moral state of hate against Americans. Trump started this war by bombing a school; in retrospect this makes My Lai 5 look the lessor of evil; this is a crime against humanity and trump shall be made to answer at the WCC at the HAGUE! and still will not remove the stain of this evil upon the soul of America! And, it just gets stupider; now we learn we've bombed the biggest operating natural gas field on the planet, so who is the winner of this act, well, it ain't America; and we've bombed the coastal sites along the Straits of Hormuz. Gee whiz, I wonder where those Marines are gonna land?!?...stupider and stupider...time to remove Cheetolini and send him to the Hague!