112 Comments

Thank you for publishing the verbatim incomprehensible gibberish that Trump actually said. Too often, the media publish a quote of few words and/pr they paraphrase and describe what they think he was trying to say. The public needs to see and hear what actually comes out of that mount of trump’s.

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Mar 11·edited Mar 11

I hope the DNC is letting Trump do it's work for him. Let all the fence sitters in key states like Michigan, Texas, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin see and hear these incomprehensible ramblings. Make sure they share part of the frame with Trump stalwarts like Cruz and Johnson.

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Mar 11·edited Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

If the media were on top of the election, they would have reported the speech Jill Biden gave in Pennsylvania when she, daughter and mother of veterans, said the magic words that convert (or marginalize) MAGATS: "not sucker or losers."

I can't wait to hear her say "Trump hates dogs" and "Trump stole from kids with cancer."

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I agree! I remember hearing that sign language interpreters have a terrible job signing for Trump and often end up making him sound more coherent than he is.

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I hadn’t heard that.

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I haven't either but I can easily believe it, must be hugely challenging to keep track as he shifts from half-made point to half-made point, most of which have no basis in reality.

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And garbles his word! Hard to deal with in real time for sure.

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Biden can box and hit a knockout punch with the best of ‘em! You’re right, Robert, Trump is a monster and he defies all of the laws we have in this country and gets away with it. My question is why? Is it because he’s lily white and supposedly wealthy? Is it because people are afraid of him or what servants he has will sic on them? Women aren’t afraid of him: E Jean, Letitia, Fani, and even Liz (Cheney).

We are all caught up in his craziness and sycophants denying us our freedoms that we must also focus heavily on Ukraine and Gaza. Any Democrat who might be on the fence about Biden-Harris is truly bothersome. Joe hit home runs in his speech yet MSM said he had a few “mishaps”. JFC! Those were his stuttering moments and they should be completely overlooked! After the speech, his campaign raked in $10 million within the hours of 9-10pm. That means people were watching and paying attention. He ruled over the channels for one solid hour and it was fabulous.

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As I told my 87-year-old mother yesterday, I no longer try to figure these people out. She was a lifelong Republican who has transformed into a highly partisan Democrat in the MAGA era, and, bless her heart, she keeps wanting answers. There are none. Trying to figure out crazy is a fool’s game.

As far as Democrats not supporting Biden, it’s all about Gaza, and I think Biden still has a chance to win many of their votes with messaging and action. I have a lot of friends among this group and I fully believe most will come around.

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Agree but many of the impressions about Biden and Gaza are not accurate and Biden is getting tougher and more outspoken about Israel.

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Which is why I think he can still win their votes. This notion that he can force Netanyahu into a permanent ceasefire is politically naive at best and silly at worst. If he continues to support humanitarian relief while continuing to apply pressure on the Israeli Government, I think this will be less of an electoral issue.

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Mar 11·edited Mar 11

Biden must continue to remind voters that Hamas still holds 130 hostages (30 of whom are likely dead) and there may be some with dual American citizenship. Fourteen are women and the UN reluctantly conceded that they are being sexually abused by Hamas.

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It gets me mad that everybody wants the fighting to stop but nobody mentions the hostages. That should be the number one thing. Let them go then the fighting can stop. But we still need to get rid of Hamas or it'll happen again.

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Repeat Maureen’s last sentence: *we still need to get rid of Hamas or it'll happen again*.

Hamas are moral monsters; they must be eliminated. Don’t let (justified) antipathy to Netanyahu divert people’s attention.

People should be concerned that a long cease-fire (by whatever name) becomes permanent, returning Hamas’s monstrous rule in Gaza.

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...and don't forget why many of the remaining hostages have not been released: they will tell of the perverted sexual brutality Hamas unleashed on them, and it will likely incinerate any cease-fire or pause in the pursuit of these animals. I fear that many of the hostages will die in captivity, and those with obvious marks of brutality will mysteriously be destroyed "by the Israeli bombs in their indiscriminate genocidal campaign". Such are the ways of war.

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founding

Dean - I agree as long as nothing more horrific happens to either side and a cease-fire happens. Even though we know it is not all, I can't imagine living surrounded by so many who want you to be gone or dead.

Israel knows that if a country or two that is a neighbor of theirs were to do something horrible to them that we would be there in a second. And WE WOULD and SHOULD! Somehow this knowledge and level of support needs to be used by our state department under Secretary Blinken (who is doing a great job), and President Biden to cause the Israelis to reconsider their understanding and use of our support.

Sometimes I feel like we are taken for granted by Israel and they know that we will just let them do what they want as neither party can lose Jewish support in the US. With Netanyahu needing to be in power to stay out of jail it certainly has thrown some new numbers into the equation and I am sure is not allowing us to use pressure which was effective previously.

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Unfortunately, there are hardcore Jews in this country. Some of those are ultra Orthodox and they’re in the R Party which is alarming to me. The majority of Israelis and us “sane” Jews in this country do not like Netanyahu. I, for one, haven’t liked him for many years. He started out as reasonable but when his brother was killed in the Six Day War I think that it when he became a very bitter person. There are no excuses for the carnage he has caused to the Gazans.

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God bless your mom! I so hope there are many like her across this country. Those “life long Republicans” that can recognize that their party has left them and who understand the choice of this moment in time and will vote blue. God bless them all!

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Actually, those who are afraid of tfg are Republican electeds.

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Thank you, again, for a great newsletter. (When I sent it to my regular forwardees this morning, I challenged them to watch the video contrasting Trump's mocking of Biden's stutter with Biden's conversation with the young boy with dry eyes.) But today I also want to thank you in a much bigger way. I myself have never wavered in my support for Biden and I give you credit for helping me to do that. But I know you have had to counter not only what's happening in the mainstream media, which I hope will now get better, but also reassure anxious readers and counter some opposition among your readers. I am happy for all of us to see what is happening but I am especially happy this morning for you and hope you can bask a bit in this validation.

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author

Thanks, Shelley. I appreciate your kind words.

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Amen, Shelley. I am mostly sane because of Robert!

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founding

I cried, too , and I treasure Robert!

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

The upcoming trial of Trump is usually referred to as about the fact that he concealed payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The litigation is actually an election fraud case. The reason it is important that these payments to Stormy Daniels were secretly made, and done in a way to make them look like business expenses, was because it was done to avoid this information coming out in the context of Trump's campaign for President. It is yet another example of Trump's innumerable, self-serving and flagrantly anti-democratic actions. This is a criminal trial. Because it is first, and happening prior to the election, it may prove to be the most consequential one. The NYT offered (3/7/2024) the following characterization: "But the hush money case arguably is an election interference case, centering on allegations that, on the eve of the 2016 presidential race, Trump falsified business records as part of a scheme to buy the silence of a porn star to keep her from going public with claims that they had an affair." This is not just a case of 'allegations of behavior between consenting adults."

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Agree and it’s interesting because Trump cheated and committed fraud in his real estate appraisals and he again committed fraud in his election interference case and these are only two examples of why he cannot be trusted. He is a fraudster.

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And a traitor, let’s not forget that tidbit! He hasn’t been formally called that…yet. We know he is.

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Do people realize or care that the money for Trump’s bond is coming from Chubb, and the people running Chubb are very closely tied to Russia. ( see Seth Abramson’s Substack, Proof). Is this partial payment for stopping the funding of Ukraine? We can’t allow a presidential candidate who is $90M indebted to Russia.

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Hi, I've been told that this is not true. Chubb may have business with Russian entities, but there is not direct correlation to evidence that another country has put up assets to secure this bond. I'm not savvy enough on the Internet to find the details, so I hope this helps to track miss- information.

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If you read Seth’s post, you will see all the connections. Will it be possible to determine whose bank account the funds came from? Possible, but difficult. I don’t think Putin signed the check. Yes, it seems like it’s Russia, Russia, Russia all over again, but maybe because that’s what it is and what it’s always been. Why did Trump tell Johnson to stop funding Ukraine? Why are Republicans willing to leave NATO? Whose policy is this?

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founding

Good clarification, Nancy. We always have to be careful before posting.

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$90 million is just the tip of the iceberg! Recall after he bankrupted FOUR major casinos in Atlantic City, he could not get $$$ from American banks. He received loans from Deutsche Bank, at the time well known for laundering the newly made Russian billionaire oligarchs who looted former Soviet countries’ natural resources !

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Trump has been in bed with Putin and his oligarchs since the 90's. The Russians bailed him out at least once and Don Jr. once bragged that the Russians made up a lot of their assets. The Russian oligarchs were in dire need of a money laundering partner and there stood the immoral bankrupt Trump looking for any dollar he could find.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/12/21/how-russian-money-helped-save-trumps-business/

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A judge ruling that juror information will remain “confidential” but of course Trump will have access to it is a prime example of what keeps going wrong in these cases. It’s a set-up for whatever the next phase of legal delay will be.

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founding

Yes, Susan, we have watched over some 8 years with Trump never abiding by rules. So, if he and his lawyers have the names of jurors one might well expect that those names might find there way to right wing media sources or extreme sources like the Proud Boys and the likes of Roger Stone or Steve Bannon. TFG cannot be trusted.

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I often wonder about how the Trumpies who laugh at Trump's stuttering impressions of Biden would react if a teacher made fun of their kid for stuttering. I bet they'd be before the school board in a nanosecond demanding the teacher be fired.

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Yes, indeed! And could you imagine if that benighted mocking teacher in your example were a woman, person of color, or gay? If the person were a white male coach he might be left off with a modest reprimand and the kid told to "toughen up." (I say this as a summer baseball coach for ten years, grade school and high school athlete, and guy to whom athletic directors and coaches reported....I have great respect for wise and good coaches, zero tolerance for hateful bullies.)

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

📣 Great video(first 5:30 minutes) to share of the youngest member of Congress, Rep Maxwell Alejandro Frost, as he discusses the choice of President Biden vs. Trump. I like his final statements.

Biden will listen.Trump will wipe…😏That should get the attention of some younger voters,and others!

https://www.msnbc.com/katie-phang/watch/-there-s-no-silver-bullet-to-reach-young-voters-rep-maxwell-alejandro-frost-206009925879

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author

Thanks for the link.

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Maxwell Frost is a gem! Thanks for this, Kathy!

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Thanks for the link - Rep. Frost is always articulate and solutions-focused, and keeps me optimistic about this next generation of leaders in government.

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What a great interview with the wonderful Maxwell Frost! He really is full of the spit and vinegar we all need! Thanks for the post, Kathy.

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

As always thank you. I love this line, "Trump rambled in a stream-of-consciousness manner that would have made James Joyce scratch his head in puzzlement." !! I've been wondering what it will be like when that guy is on the national stage accepting his nomination. Don't think he can stick to the teleprompter.

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Following the teleprompter assumes he can read!! Recall, U Penn is under threat of law suit if his transcript is released! Recall, he DID NOT READ the daily national security brief compiled for him each morning!

No need to read when the amoral convicted fraud constantly spews lies and unintelligible strings of words which are immediately consumed by the magas!

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Ted Cruz. Off topic for Today's Edition today but.... he and Ron Johnson are really embarrassments to the US Senate. I hope the DNC is doing all it can to support Cruz's Texas opponent, Colin Allred, so Cruz can make it back to Cancun for a long winter's break. Never forget, Cruz had a spine (before he didn't):

https://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/ted-cruz-donald-trump-insults-endorse-228594

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Don't forget Rick Scott, Florida.

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And Ron Johnson, WI

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Johnson is not up for reelection again until 2028. Cruz and Scott are up for reelection this year.

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As for tha matter are Gaetz, Greene, Comer, Jordan, and Mike Johnson

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And so is Josh Hawley.

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A particularly repugnant fist raiser and Trump yes-man

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You can add Ms. Lindsey to that group also.

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And Ms Stefanik

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Cruz and Johnson have been an embarrassment to the senate since the first day elected!

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Robert, I fully believe this race has been upended now that the race is Biden versus Trump. Simon Rosenberg has steadfastly said this is what would happen, and he was right. I continue to be concerned that so many of his Democratic Party peers have been so negative, but as long as those folks stay far away from the Biden campaign, I won't worry too much. I would offer this if you have nervous Nellies among your politically wonky friends, as I do; I would send them Rosenberg’s Hopium Chronicles and Jay Kuo’s Substack daily. These guys do the math that mainstream media types, like Chris Cilliza at CNN (his column yesterday was an abomination), are too lazy to do.

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OK I admit it I’m old. Old enough to remember when presidents were treated with respect when they gave the state of the union address. I was unbelievably shocked when a Republican yelled out during Obama speech, you lie! And yet on Thursday I watched the Republicans contempt as they sat, looking at their phones or chatting with one another, while Biden gave his speech. What is happening to our country? Republicans didn’t even stand to applaud when Biden called out the courage and the sacrifice of our military. They didn’t even stand. I don’t know what party they belong to, but it certainly doesn’t feel like any party that represents the United States.

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

As a North Carolinian, I am thrilled by the support our state is receiving from you, Robert, and Simon Rosenberg, among others, to the wonderful total slate of candidates the Democrats have fielded. Josh Stein for governor, Jeff Jackson for Att General, congressional candidates, and a full slate of individuals running for our State Senate and Legislature to break the super majority hold the republicans have on both bodies.

Tonight Senior Taking Action is co-hosting with Markers for Democracy a meet and greet featuring Anderson Clayton, the head of the Democratic Party in NC. Please join us. Here is the link https://mobilize.us/s/T5iYTW/a.

And meet Jeff Jackson tomorrow with Robert. You will be impressed for sure

Ilene Freedman

Seniors Taking Action, NC

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Being born and raised in NC originally, it is an abomination that someone like Robinson is AG! NC really sunk to low levels with this guy. It’s wonderful that people in my former state are fighting back. I just want to thank you and I am sending your link to my pals who still live there!

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It does feel good to have Biden on the offense and the more he pushes back against Trump the more irrational Trump will become. One thing I have notice is since the SOTU speech the media coverage of Biden has shifted and is more positive in part because Biden is viewed as more energized and totally different than the previous characterizations of him. It feels like people are beginning to believe Biden can win.

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Mar 11Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Following Merrill's excellent advice, I sent the following to Sanger and Cc'd the editor & publisher:

Mr. Sanger

Good job on your report of President Biden's skillful handling of nuclear threats emanating from Putin. This is a delicate issue, critically important to all Americans and it was an example of the expertise that comes with age and experience.

Biden's extraordinary abilities in these diplomatic exchanges is an important factor in the up-coming election, and is one of many accomplishments by his administration that have until now not been well-covered in the NYT.   

I hope we will see more articles like this that showcase not only the Biden Administration's many skills but also the skills of the NYT's foreign correspondents in bringing to light important real news. It matters, and we applaud your good reporting.

Yours-

Hope they are listening....

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Hearing Trump mock President Biden`s stutter, brought me to tears. How cruel can one person be?

I have always failed to understand the people who follow in his footsteps, who slavishly back this man.

He is a poor excuse for a man.

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Sandra-Cruelty has been cultivated in the MAGA world so extensively, I really believe trump could murder someone in public and MAGA would be cool with it.

There is a TicTok online of his followers taking turns beating a mannequin with Biden's face. DON'T look for it, it's a horror I wished I'd never seen. But that's how far gone some of these folks are.

Biden wins, I really believe there'll be re-enactments of J6 across the country.

Trump wins, these people will be Project 2025's foot soldiers.

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That is especially true for self-proclaimed so-called "Christians" who venerate that Bully. Who would Jesus vote for, the Bully or the Empath?

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