456 Comments

I just read your lovely essay on Magnolias and Memory. Such a wonderful read this sunny afternoon, when I am sitting in an apartment near the Rue Cler in Paris, getting ready to pack my bags to return from a nice vacation and face the unfolding scariness of the USA. I had to sign in to my account to like your essay, and then I noticed your story about Cassidy Hutchinson from June 2022. And I was immediately returned to that time, and my feelings of horror and outrage. Now here it is, almost a year later, and it absolutely seems surreal that the man who called himself President and tried to overthrow our government has not been held to account. For anything.

OK, I am going to re-read today's essay about magnolia trees and remember my beautiful mother who passed away so long ago, and who was a loyal Democrat in our home of San Antonio, working for local and state campaigns for the likes of Mark White and Lloyd Doggett and Dan Morales. Back in the day when there seemed to be hope for Texas. And feel the sounds (and smells) of a busy, breezy Paris afternoon. Love ya, Mom.

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Please stop diluting the word cancer.

It's not a philosophy or a political persuasion.

It's a horrible illness.

Same can be said for so many words that are hijacked gratuitously in the name of politics.

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I just still want to know, how can Donald Trump be safe in America while Edward Snowden must be banished to Russia? Why are fireworks illegal within city limits while semi-automatics are legal? Why is it so outrageous to ask that our constitutional rights be preserved? Does that make me a conservative, or a liberal? Dunno.

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Thank You, Dan Rather, for e trolling the truth and your opinions that are so very real! I think a lot of you and your courage to articulate what you see a d know!

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Mr. Rather and Mr. Kirschner: Thank you for shedding light for us in this time of darkness in our country.

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Our democracy is always tested and we will survive! Citizens SHOULD wake up!

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Problem is, her testimony was hearsay and the people involved are asking to testify that what she said never happened

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They aren't exactly "asking".

The Agency is offering to send them. Ornato has already appeared a couple of times back in January and March.

So we'll see.

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CNN reported:

A Secret Service official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told CNN that Ornato denies telling Hutchinson that the former President grabbed the steering wheel of his presidential SUV or an agent on his detail.

The official said the Secret Service has notified the committee that both Ornato and Bobby Engel, who was the agent in the car with Trump during the alleged incident, will be made available to testify again under oath.

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From the wording here, it looks like Ornato wasn't in the car at the time, which would make his statement hearsay as well, seems to me.

>>Former Trump aides Olivia Troye and Alyssa Farah Griffin say Ornato has a history of lying for Trump.

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WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN HE IS PUGNACIOUS. MY BELIEF IS HE WANTS TO SHOW PAISSANT QUALITIES OF HIMSELF, HIDING HIS TRUE IMPUISSANCE. REMEMBER HIS IGNORAL "CROWD". HE SUGGESTED HIS GREATNESS IN RAISING A CROWD, HOWEVER, AFTER REBUTIL FROM THE PRESS, ABOUT THE CROWD SIZE, THE PRESS BECOME FALSE "FALSE NEWS". AND HIS PUGNACITY LASTED FOR 5 1/2 YEARS

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Cassidy is going to have some scary days ahead I expect. Brave lady......esteemed....

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And still there are those who say she is not telling they Truth.

I hope the support of Trump is dwindling.

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America seems to have passed its zenith in terms of its quest for democracy and the protection of individual rights that so many have fought and died for. I hope I'm wrong.

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As long as Donald Trump is paying the legal bills of witnesses ., what can we expect? We must be thankful that Ms . Hutchinson retained her own lawyer and ended her dependance upon advice for which the former President paid !

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And she was a Trump loyalist!

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I'm not surprised in the least at this testimony. The previous president, I dare not utter his name, was and always has been a self-serving egotistical bully.

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Thank you. Your analyses are always thoughtful and hit feep chords. This one hit especially deep. Because you are in fact steady. That even you feel shaken underscores ourcreality. I am only concerned that the Big Lie hss gone on so long, the umderbelly of America has hsd so much time to feed on all the fomenting, and the truly nefarious R party so much time and money that their plot to take over our elections wi complete the coup. They will then impeach Biden, fire AG Garland, and many more reasonable members of all parts of our hov't. Meanwhile the illegitimate SCOTUS will end all civil rights, amd our environmental progress. That is a dark forecast. And I hope with all my heart that I'm wrong. I do know GOTV is critical. And will get back into that. Our democracy, not just our lives, is hanging by a thread. A frayed thread.

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I never imagined to see somebody talk about what they saw that day. I hope it helps, how terrible, how shocking, and as I can see: there are bad losers.

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