Here is the second appearance of a new Trump.45 species of information transfer, a hint of his gracious MAGA restoration effort. Imagine the sound of a flashbulb popping on a heavy 40’s style news photog’s camera wielded by a Joe Pesci-type character, revealing in an instant the seamy side of politics, life, love, social gossip, and juicy scandal. Who would ever have believed the intimate connexity of the terms Presidential and Quickie would be a seriously appropriate item of discourse?
Welcome to Trumpville, y’all. Popcorn at the back. Also, Trump.45 hats and other souvenir merchandise available at just a small (really, very tiny) markup, all to support only the very best of causes (personally determined by our Dear Leader, DJT).
Second on the agenda, one Proud American Desk Resolute, demonstrated favorite tabular workspace for the majority of our recent American Presidents.
It’s ‘The Apprentice, Supreme Court Edition,’ as Trump Summons Finalists to White House By MAGGIE HABERMAN, MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM and MARK LANDLER UPDATED 2:53 PM
The picture of interest today graces the top of the New York Times First 100 Days Briefing quickie daily summary. There is no actual written text in that briefing today related to the picture that I could find. But, so what? Even America’s national paper of record, the Gray Lady, has to adapt to the loosening and general lowering of standards (driven hard by alternate facts websites and instigating defenders up to and including Presidential Senior Advisors, and maybe just beyond) and at least haltingly (and perhaps temporarily) accept the Twitterization of American tastes in news delivery. They are fostered, foisted and glorified by Trump.45 who revels in his petulant 6th graderness, delivered with his pronounced lack of style, class and substance. Keep up, or Get Run Over.
The picture in question comes from yesterday’s Oval Office cheer fest, held with a variety of small business owners there to witness the historic 2 For 1 Regulation Sale that Trump is promoting noisily to fulfill his campaign pledge to rid America of 75% of all Federal regulations, without necessarily and simultaneously gutting 40-years worth of efforts for clean air, clean water, uncontaminated foods, safe and effective drugs, lead abatement, worker protections, airline safety, business fraud prevention, banking industry rip offs, mortgage scams, consumer financial fee depredations against the middle class, extortionate educational loan interest rates, etc., etc.
This showboat EO posturing is even more hollow and paper thin than Trump’s dedication to and profession(s) of religious faith as a Cardboard Christian. All talk, no action. The quintessential opposite of the Trump.45 promised public platform.
But that topic needs a fuller explication at another date and time.
Desk Resolute Restored to Fighting Trim After a Messy Week of Travail
Today’s Presidential Flash Quickie relates to the photograph taken of the signing in the Oval Office, whatever the quality of the underlying document to be signed. It is a pretty good group shot, well composed with a pleasant looking group of 13 Americans closely gathered behind and around Trump.45 in the center, visually shouting out its core message of inclusion, optimism, and opportunity, as least if you own a small business.
The only obvious distraction from a pro photographic perspective seems to be the pair of fuzzy mikes in the upper left corner, detracting from the image of excellent blending and balance. Personally I can only chuckle at the visual analogue presented here, just hours earlier, to Trump.45’s Twittered chastisement of Democrats protesting in a group at the Supreme Court where there was a temporary mike (sound) glitch. Unlike the permanent irrevocable visual bumble evident in Trump’s carefully posed shot for the ages. And ultimately Fair and Balanced Fox News was gleefully quick to celebrate one stumble but not the other, same day, same city. Now that’s symmetry in motion, I can tell you. Oh, well!
Trump Restores Churchill’s Bust in Oval Office (It Takes a Trump to Match a Churchill)
The other tiniest of visual imperfections in the composition of the photograph is the missed opportunity to show the stunning bust of Churchill (alert in repose on the table under the picture to the far left in the Oval Office, as of Friday), emblematic of our very Special Relationship with Great Britain), which Trump had managed to promote so well just the previous Friday, and considering the history of the Resolute Desk so proudly featured front and center here. A small omission, but not one expected of to be made by the cadre of only the very best and brightest in all of America that Trump.45 absolutely insists surrounds him at all times.
I can’t tell how many of the folks in the picture are staff plants (a little problem Trump has experienced periodically, like salting the audience at his Trump Tower Press Conference just before inauguration, for example) versus real Americans, except for Trump and VP Pence in the second row left. The two ladies along the back left do appear to be WH staff.
That would suggest there might be as many as 10 business owners in the picture among the total crowd of 14 subjects.
I apologize (in advance) if I have failed to accurately identify any prominent WH assistants (lady on the far right?), or a Cabinet level appointee (gentleman directly behind Trump?), but the caption didn’t provide ID’s and I couldn’t readily find their individual identities.
Maybe we should demand more extreme vetting for published newspaper picture captions going forward, so that we can all be sure of a person’s intent while standing so close in space to our President. Now, there’s an idea to enhance National Security and America’s safety. We must obviously guard against any subversion from within, like that extreme disloyalty shown by the Acting Attorney General yesterday in temporarily thwarting the Dear Leader’s Immigration Order by exercising the independent legal judgment her Constitutional Oath to the Country demanded of her before she took the job.
For the record, Yates was asked to stay by Trump himself with no arm twisting or time constraints pressing on him, only 10 days ago. She was not foisted on him or his team; they asked her specifically to stay on temporarily and voluntarily. Maybe the extreme vetting process needs to start closer to home before you go after the suburbs and outlying countryside, eh fellas? That one sorta slipped by the Best and the Brightest.
As for Sessions, the gonna be AG he got a look at Yates up close and personal not two years ago (under oath) and voted against her Senate confirmation as Deputy Attorney General (one of only 12 Republicans in a Republican controlled Senate who didn’t like the cut of her jib, job wise, as she was confirmed 84-12). Atta boy Jefferson B., top notch performance in your first task under Pre-45 to scrutinize the temporary job place holder until you get the reins. Or did Bannon & Co handle that job too.
Back to the happy business group. Seven out of 10 are clapping, showing beyond question the extreme popularity (and effectiveness) of this opening deregulatory salvo. The other three are all men. Manly men often disguise their true emotions eschewing public display, unlike Trump.45. It’s a general guy thing. Don’t make too much out of it, even though the guys don’t applaud by a 3 to 2 margin. Trouble ahead (skepticism?) on the male hard-headed facts is facts business horizon?
Among our possibly identified group of 10 businesspeople we have a solid 50-50 makeup by gender. While this is not actually the case in real life America is 2017 (the true proportion is about 29%), it is a nice thought, softens up the man heavy Trump.45 routine working environment surrounding him, and plays to the desired PR optics of equal opportunity for all and Trump’s tender vision of loving and respecting all women.
As far as ethnic picture balance is concerned, there is one gentleman of perhaps African-American heritage (third from the left) and one potentially Latino gentleman (third from the right), though one should never count on quickie racial and ethnic snapshots, even if they are pretty much quite accurate in everyday practice. Well, there is also the rather ambiguous looking gentleman clapping just off Trump’s right shoulder who might also just possibly be an ethnic of some sort or other (low probability without further detailed inquiry). Regardless, Americans are used to the snap verdict decision choice in such situations, no matter what PC rules might dictate. Anyway, a 70-80% clear Whiteness factor is rather less than Trump normally surrounds himself with, but such a ration is plumb spot on for the rest of America.
Addressing the picture group as a whole, including Trump, there is a perfectly refined balance of 7 men and 7 women, even-steven in the Oval Office. Equal Opportunity, as our brilliant Founders intended for just such a photo shoot.
There is a careful raw intelligence behind this nicely crafted Trumpian Tableau for the Masses, communicated from Head (Trump) to Heart (People) directly bypassing the completely dishonest mainstream media (specifically the failing New York Times), but stealing their bandwidth to deliver the message. Gosh it sure feels good for Team Trump to once again get over on the New York haters and losers who run that place, and so effortlessly to boot.. One hand tied behind their Trump PR backs, while taking a coffee break with the other hand.
But again, all this comment and analysis is only prelude. The piece de resistance is the magnificent clean and open desktop workspace aboard the Presidential Desk Resolute. A mere 48-hours after the scene of paperwork this Saturday past of dishonor and disorganization, Resolute is shown fully restored to Glory for America’s purposes.
We are back to two phones, a wooden box, a Presidential paperweight, a pen, and one leather document folder with the precious EO. There is what looks like a small vertical ½ page printed card near the phone cluster, perhaps an agenda for Trump.45 or a special list of phone extensions as a memory aid until his steel trap mind gets used to where the Inner Circle Members hang out phone-wise.
The polished leather desk insert shines with pride, ready to do the Captain’s bidding to advance the American Agenda forward.
What we don’t know is how much work went into this public ceremonial preparation. Was the paperwork from Saturday read through, considered and dealt with by Sunday night? Was it turfed by Executive decree to any number of WH staff and subalterns in the interim? Did Reince take charge and disperse it wherever as needed? Was it tossed into a Presidential version of Circular General File 13? Or was it gathered up in a hurry at 8:30 Monday morning by the Chief Secretary to Trump.45 and shoved into an unlabeled important Paper Holding Closet somewhere out of sight until the President would next be alone to contemplate his mortality and paper stacks, growing by leaps and bounds, almost beyond human endurance for a slow and awkward reader such as he?
Someone knows, but they better not tell. The Wrath of Trump is Great, Specific, and Everlasting.
Anyway, for public consumption the Desk Resolute is Back On the Job and cutting through the perilous Paperwork High Seas with Gusto, Panache, and Bravura.
Only a cynic would imagine that over the weekend there had instead been a pained and prolonged colonic performed on her tired 135-year old bones in order to render Resolute ship shape for Two Bells in the Forenoon Watch (that’s nautical time for 9 AM landlubber talk)
God Bless America. May she ever proudly sail the stormy seas of controversy, head held high, responsive to her tiller, hailing out Liberty and Freedom to all Mankind everywhere, demonstrating by her constant example the Fundamental Principals of our Blessed Democracy.
Amen
The Public Eye in America (2017) You Never Know Who’s Watching You.
Here is a modern day example of a proud American vessel’s ship’s bell, from the USS Chancellorsville, a guided missile carrier you don’t want to mess with while exhibiting hostile intent.
Close Up of a Modern American Naval Vessel Ship’sBell (USS Chancellorsville Guided Missile Cruiser)
USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in service in the United States Navy. She is named for the Battle of Chancellorsville of the Civil War. Until 30 December 2011, the ship was operationally part of Carrier Strike Group Seven. Her current operational assignment is unclear, but as of 2010 she was administratively under the command of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific.
Chancellorsville carries guided missiles and rapid-fire cannons, with anti-air, anti-surface and anti-subsurface capabilities. She also carries two Seahawk Light airborne multi-purpose system (LAMPS) helicopters, focused on anti-submarine warfare.
Disaster Ship Titanic’s Ship’s Bell (Recovered from Atlantic Ocean Floor)
By contrast, let us not have the ship’s bells of our nation end up like that of the Worlds Largest and guaranteed totally unsinkable ocean going vessel, the Titanic (1912), which met disaster partly through unbridled human arrogance and poor planning more than 100 years ago, on her maiden voyage from England to America. The doomed ship sank bow first, leading with her jaw.
There is no such thing as a man-made unsinkable naval vessel, even in American hands.