2016 Sept 9^th

This is a curious time; the bizarre has become the ordinary and we are falling down the rabbit hole. Now we have the moderator of the third debate, Chris Wallace, telling everyone, “I do not believe it’s my job to be a ‘Truth Squad.’” This is a clear message to Donald Trump that any exaggerations or outright lies (My tax return is under audit and I can’t release it until the audit is finished.) will be ignored by the Foxy Wallace. Mr. Wallace is already in the news because of his avowed reverence for Roger Ailes, former Fox News head, now removed from that job accused of soliciting sex from women employees and now attached to the Trump group as an advisor. Good luck to anyone who expects a neutral moderator in the third debate.

Donald Trump now stars on Russian state controlled television. I doubt that he knew it would happen this way, but Trump was interviewed by Larry King and the interview was aired on Russian TV. King asked Trump what he thought of the charges that the Russians had hacked, or tried to hack, into the DNC files. Trump claimed (falsely) that there was no evidence of that and besides, he said, it is probably something put forward by the Democrats. The Putin controlled press ate it up. Trump will probably ask for royalties.

Trump believes that Putin called him “brilliant” and so Trump has become fond of Putin. But Putin’s comment was mistranslated. The word in Russian translates as “colorful” not brilliant in the intellectual sense. But of course Trump, if there is any doubt, always assumes he is being complimented.

Trump’s intelligence briefing did not go without controversy. Trump has asserted that the official briefing him was very unhappy with the White House because they were not following the intelligence briefings. How did Trump know this? He knew it not because of anything the agent said but because of the agent’s body language. Trump claims to be an expert at reading body language. (Are we getting to the bottom of the rabbit hole yet?)

Retired General Flynn, a truly rabid Trump supporter, kept interrupting the intelligence agent doing the briefing until Governor Christie finally told him to shut up. Naturally, all the Trumpians involved deny that happened but it was leaked by four people in the room. Whatever virus is infecting Trump seems to be contagious.

Trump’s affinity for Russia and Putin is curious. Trump says that if Putin says nice things about him, he will say nice things about Putin. Now we are back in the fourth grade. Trump and his fans, including his son, have all pointed out that Putin is a much stronger leader then President Obama. Trump admits that he “doesn’t agree with the system” however. The system gives this former KGB agent control of state television. Putin determines what you see on TV in Russia. Journalists who write unflattering pieces about Putin wind up dead. There is no effective counter to him in Russia. If Trump lived in Russia and ran for office against Putin with the lies and viciousness he shows against President Obama and Hillary Clinton, he would be dead within a month and his children with him.

Originally, a plank in the Republican platform called for sending arms to Ukraine to help them defend themselves against a Russian invasion. Although Trump’s people deny it, that plank was removed from the Republican party’s platform once Trump became the nominee.

Frankly, I have no idea how we get out of this rabbit hole.