Hillary Clinton lost because large numbers of Democratic Party voters either abstained—in disgust with the right-wing, pro-Wall Street character of her campaign—or voted for Trump.
Of the two big business candidates, it was Trump who made populist appeals, however fraudulent, to the broadly-felt social grievances of millions of workers. He declared he would bring back jobs and prosperity. The Democrats, in contrast, told suffering working-class voters that things had “never been better.” Clinton still won the popular vote, by a margin of over three million. Trump was elected due to the vagaries of the state-based electoral college system.
In one revealing answer, Clapper contradicted his own narrative that Trump won because of Russia’s nefarious hand. He stated: “His election was a big shock... It was actually a personal shock to me about how disconnected apparently I was from what I’ll call the flyover part of the United States. And there’s still a very, very strong body of resentment and frustration in our country with Washington, writ large.”
Clapper’s use of the term “flyover part” served only to underscore the contempt in ruling circles for the working class. It was a reference to the tens of millions of people across the US whose living standards have stagnated for decades and plummeted over the past 10 years. Barak Obama’s administration imposed the full burden of the 2007–2008 financial collapse on the backs of the working people, while bailing out the banks and corporations. Clinton was viewed rightly as a figure who would continue Obama’s anti-working class agenda, as well as escalate US wars and interventions in the Middle East and Asia.
The faction of the American establishment for whom Clapper speaks does not have the slightest concern for the conditions of the working class and makes no appeal to it. It does not oppose the devastating cuts the Trump administration is imposing to health, education, pensions and other social spending. Its opposition stems from a war-mongering insistence that Russia be dealt with as a hostile power, not, as figures around the incoming president had suggested, as a country that could be developed into a possible “friend.”
Pointing to the prospect of significant political unrest if Trump were impeached, Clapper noted with perplexity that the president still had support, despite the frenzied efforts to tarnish him as a Russian pawn.
The ex-spy chief complained: “So far the coalition of people that elected President Trump are still there. They’re still hanging in there. So, I don’t know what it will take.”
Where do they get off doing this?
And why isn't the press calling him (or John McCain earlier) out for this?
It's beyond disgusting.
Here's C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"
Friday, June 9, 2017. The Mosul Slog continues as Iraq is again slammed by violence.
Day 233 of The Mosul Slog and, we are yet again told, victory is just around the corner.
233 days to turn that corner?
Actually, it's longer than that.
Tomorrow is June 10th.
June 10, 2014, the Islamic State seized control of Mosul.
They've still not been driven out of the city -- the same can't be said for the unprotected civilians who've been turned into refugees.
For over two years, the Baghdad-based Iraq government did nothing to help Mosul.
Finally, in October of 2016, they began an operation that was to last weeks.
Months later, that operation still continues.
Yes, it is very embarrassing for the government that tomorrow will be the anniversary of the seizure of Mosul -- the 3rd anniversary -- and Mosul is still in the process of being 'liberated.'
233 days and counting.
And no attempt to protect the civilians.
Day 233 of The Mosul Slog and, we are yet again told, victory is just around the corner.
233 days to turn that corner?
Actually, it's longer than that.
Tomorrow is June 10th.
June 10, 2014, the Islamic State seized control of Mosul.
They've still not been driven out of the city -- the same can't be said for the unprotected civilians who've been turned into refugees.
For over two years, the Baghdad-based Iraq government did nothing to help Mosul.
Finally, in October of 2016, they began an operation that was to last weeks.
Months later, that operation still continues.
Yes, it is very embarrassing for the government that tomorrow will be the anniversary of the seizure of Mosul -- the 3rd anniversary -- and Mosul is still in the process of being 'liberated.'
233 days and counting.
And no attempt to protect the civilians.
#Iraq: "Shooting children as they try to run to safety" #ChildrenUnderAttack in the battle for Mosul uni.cf/2sjhFsM @TR_Foundation
They were told to remain in their homes throughout the bulk of the 'liberation.'
Then, when finally told to leave in the last weeks, no safe passage was provided.
At least 100,000 are said to remain in the city.
Let's check in on our decade's new Judith Miller: Rukmini Callimachi (yes, that does sound like a figure from the Brothers Grimm):
7. Analysts have long that the ppl running Amaq can't be just in Iraq/Syria bc of how quickly they claim attacks & bc they upload videos:
Rukmini fancies herself a terrorist expert.
Isn't that cute.
Judith Miller, of course, started with THE PROGRESSIVE.
You may remember that when the magazine was celebrating its anniversary (they said the 100th, but no, it wasn't), they failed to note Judith once in their look back on the past.
Judith Miller ended up a terrorism 'expert' herself.
Remember, that's how Oprah Winfrey presented Judith on her talk show when she brought Judith on to promote the upcoming Iraq War and then Oprah attacked the audience member who dared to point out that Judith was presenting non-facts as facts.
Glenn Greenwald loved him some Judith Miller back then -- part of the reason he supported the Iraq War.
Today?
He loves him some Rukmini.
Rukmini's been hired by THE NEW YORK TIMES mainly to prove that they learned nothing from the Judith Miller fiasco.
Which is how Rukmini was in Mosul (as an embed -- as they say, "embed roughly means 'legs spread'").
And we called out her nonsense.
But there was Glenn Glenn, in love again, reTweeting her because critical abilities are in short supply apparently.
While Rukmini filed her propaganda and Tweeted her nonsense about how wonderful things were, a real reporter did real journalism.
Ali Arkady did not file fluff.
His documentation of what is taking place in Mosul has been covered by RT and ABC NEWS.
"Negative coverage will get you kicked out of Mosul."
They had nothing to worry about with regards to Rukmini, did they?
From Brian Ross' ABC NEWS report:
Officers of an elite Iraqi special forces unit, praised by U.S. military commanders earlier this year for its role in fighting ISIS, directed the torture and execution of civilians in Mosul in at least six distinct incidents caught on tape.
“That's a murder,” retired Green Beret Lt. Col. Scott Mann told ABC News after reviewing the graphic footage. “There should be punishment for anyone doing it. It's reprehensible and it shouldn't be allowed on any modern battlefield."
The alarming footage was smuggled out of Iraq by a prize-winning Iraqi photojournalist, Ali Arkady, who spent months embedded in combat with the elite Iraqi troops leading the fight against ISIS late last year. Since turning over his cache of photos and videos to ABC News, he says he has received death threats from the soldiers he once considered friends and has now fled Iraq to seek asylum in Europe.
"This is happening all the time," Arkady said of the war crimes he documented, which he recounted in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Brian Ross broadcast Thursday on ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir and Nightline.
Am I wrong that Glenn hasn't been eager to promote this story?
I know he's got a lot of problems right now because THE INTERCEPT burned a source -- intentionally or not, it doesn't matter, they burned her.
Nothing is going to change that.
There should be an apology (not a blood letting) and they should announce how they will do their best not to burn another source in the future.
So, yes, he has problems, but so does Iraq and he needs to be Tweeting about that if he can't write about it.
He has found time to reTweet Rukmini.
It's a shame he can't use his Twitter feed to amplify real reporting on Iraq.
But that's a shame many share and part of the reason the Iraq War is on year 14 and counting (more if we backdate to the sanctions, et al).
The violence never ends.
Four is bad -- one is bad -- but sadly the numbers have been climbing.
At least 22 killed, 31 wounded in a suicide attack targeting civilians in al -Musayab, #Iraq. Suicide bomber in Karbala wounds at least 10.
Maher Chmaytelli and Gareth Jones (REUTERS) report, "A woman detonated her explosive belt in a market east of the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala on Friday, killing at least 30 and wounding 35, Iraqi security sources said."
The following community sites -- plus Jody Watley -- updated:
It's still possible
10 hours ago
Hillary and her racism
10 hours ago
A very difficult time
10 hours ago
Loretta Lynch's shame
10 hours ago
Comey's penis monologue
11 hours ago
THIS JUST IN! COMEY'S LEAKY WAND!
11 hours ago
Neoliberalism kills
13 hours ago
The Originals all new Friday night
13 hours ago
