Andrew fucking Jackson is gone.

President Biden has filled the Oval Office with images of American leaders and icons, focusing the room around massive portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt that hangs across from the Resolute Desk. It is a clear nod to a president who helped the country through significant crises, a challenge Biden now also faces.

…

Biden is also nodding to segments of the Democratic Party’s base via historic references. Behind the Resolute Desk is a bust of Cesar Chavez. The office also includes busts of Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt and sculpture by Allan Houser of the Chiricahua Apache tribe that once belonged to the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) — the first Japanese-American elected to both houses of Congress.

Why talk about segments of the party’s base? Why not just say they’re activists and symbols of social justice? Why translate that into dopy insider jargon about “the base”? It’s good that busts of Cesar Chavez and Rosa Parks are there, especially after Trump’s murderous white guys, so how about not tainting it with cynical base-wooing bollocks.

A painting of Benjamin Franklin is intended to represent Biden’s interest in following science. The painting is stationed near a moon rock set on a bookshelf that is intended to remind Americans of the ambition and accompaniments of earlier generations.

I think “accompaniments” is supposed to be “accomplishments.”

Gone are the flags of branches of the military that Trump displayed behind the Resolute Desk. Biden has installed an American flag and another with a presidential seal.

From sojers to union organizers.

Not such a cheerful inauguration day for Joseph Biggs.

A Proud Boys leader caught on camera storming the U.S. Capitol with a pro-Trump mob has been arrested and charged for participating in the deadly insurrection.

Joseph Biggs, a top organizer with the white nationalist organization, has been slapped with three charges, including obstruction of an official proceeding, for his role in the Jan. 6 riots.

Prosecutors say the 37-year-old Florida resident is a “self-described organizer” of the Proud Boys, which describes itself as a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists.”

Biggs can be seen in several videos and photos taken inside the Capitol building, including one where someone shouts out his name. In the video, Biggs pulls down his face mask and declares, “This is awesome,” according to a criminal complaint.

The complaint against Biggs says he was seen on Jan. 6 with “a group of people that hold themselves out as Proud Boys” on the east side of the Capitol. The men were dressed “incognito”—instead of donning the Proud Boys colors of black and yellow, Biggs was “wearing glasses and a dark knit hat, is dressed in a blue and grey plaid shirt,” according to the court papers.

Videos and photos show the men marching down Constitution Avenue during the riots, chanting “Fuck antifa!” and “Whose streets? Our streets!” When the group reached the Capitol, Pezzola broke a window with a clear plastic shield before a swarm of rioters—including Biggs—entered the building, authorities said.

But Trump said he could.

It’s another not-Trump, but since it has been Trump for all this time let’s enjoy the not-Trump now that we can.

Trail of Tears guy out; good.

This is more than not-Trump; a lot more.

And does it in the building that was a scene of violence, intimidation and death just two weeks ago. Take that, haterz.

Lots of fizzled protests out there.

Police were on high alert in state capitals around the U.S. Sunday, after warnings that pro-Trump extremists might attempt to storm legislatures similar to the assault on the U.S. Capitol last week. But at many statehouses and capitols, security and the media outnumbered protesters.

One, Trump wasn’t there. Two, getting arrested probably doesn’t look so attractive any more. Three…ohIdon’tknow, whohastheenergy.

In Denver, the Colorado Capitol’s lower windows were covered in anticipation of possible unrest — but hardly anyone showed up on Sunday. “I’m really surprised. I figured there’d be more than this,” a supporter of President Trump told Colorado Public Radio.

Forget it, Jake, it’s Chinatown.

In Lansing, where protesters swarmed Michigan’s Capitol building last May and a plot against the governor was uncovered in recent months, Sunday’s protest was deemed “eclectic, but small and dull” by Michigan Radio. Events remained quiet, despite some demonstrators bringing their guns to the protest.

…

There was “relative quiet at the Oregon State Capitol,” according to Oregon Public Broadcasting, despite the arrival of a small group of armed demonstrators. The group included members of the extremist “boogaloos” movement, who are known for advocating for a new civil war.

But advocating for a new civil war goes a little flat when hardly anybody shows up for the advocamations.

“A couple dozen armed demonstrators gathered at the Texas Capitol on Sunday,” member station KUT reports, adding that the group said they had come to spread a “message of individual liberty.” But not many people were around to hear it, as the grounds were closed.

Individual liberty, man. They stayed home. Those beers aren’t going to drink themselves.

In Florida, the Capitol in Tallahassee was mainly populated by a range of law enforcement agencies and journalists, according to member station WFSU — which reports a man as he rode by on a bicycle called out, “It’s a beautiful day! Nothing happening here!”

There are a number of possible explanations for the smaller than expected protests – including that some right-wing activists are reluctant to congregate at a time when police are looking for any sign of trouble and the FBI is vigorously seeking people to face charges related to the assault in Washington.

Yes but it’s seriously also that Trump was not there, so 1. he was not a draw, and 2. he did not whip them into a rabid frenzy by screaming at them through a microphone.

And so then the crowd didn’t form so there wasn’t the crowd energy to feed off. Protests and rallies always carry that risk with them, including the ones with benign motivations and goals. I think it’s quite possible that some of the people who took part are now feeling terrible about it, and wondering what the hell they were thinking.

Two weeks ago today a lot of us were not expecting what happened. Today…

It’s a day to rejoice, it’s a day to breathe a massive sigh of relief, it’s a day even to celebrate. It’s not a day to congratulate ourselves. That day is a long way off.

Like this.

I admire Norm Eisen, but I reject that punchline “America.” It would be pretty to think so, but no. We remember what happened there just two weeks ago, and we know the people who did it are still out there, along with a lot of allies who didn’t make it to the Capitol but nevertheless think the insurrection was awesome. No, we’re not All Better Now. No, Trumpism has not received its death blow. No, this isn’t all over. No, we don’t now stand for all that is good and just and reasonable and decent. It’s not that easy.

Ok this made me laugh:

In a subdued, discursive speech on a windy tarmac, Trump made glancing references to his accomplishments in office but seemed bitter at his loss.

“I hope they don’t raise your taxes, but if they do, I told you so,” he said.

Aides had prepared a speech for the President that included references to the incoming administration and more gracious language about a peaceful transition, according to a person familiar with the matter.

But Trump discarded the speech, and teleprompters were removed from the stage before he arrived at Joint Base Andrews.

“What’s all this more gracious shit, fuck that, being more gracious is for pussies, fire the pussies who wrote this.”

President Biden is now officially the 46th president* of the United States of America.

*Only 45 people have been president, Grover Cleveland counts as both 22nd and 24th.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 20, 2021

It’s done.

Joe Biden has been sworn in as president, bringing an end to four years of Donald Trump’s leadership in Washington.

Biden was sworn in by supreme court chief justice John Roberts, and his wife, Dr Jill Biden, held the Bible as he took the oath.

It’s over it’s over it’s over it’s over.

He’s been dumped out on Florida and that’s his last trip on the big important plane yaboosucks.

As former presidents arrived at the Capitol for Joe Biden’s inauguration, Air Force One touched down in Florida.

Donald Trump did not go back to the press cabin to talk to reporters during his trip down to Florida, according to the White House pool.

Trump will be the first president in more than 150 years to not attend the inauguration ceremony of his successor. His vice-president, Mike Pence, is in attendance.

It’s great that he’s breaking precedent by sulking this way; it makes him look so wise and balanced and not at all warped by conceit and entitlement and narcissism hahahahahahaha

People were laughing.

One could almost imagine the credits rolling on a screen as Donald Trump and his family departed on Air Force One toward Florida, the morning sun gleaming down on the plane as Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” – a popular funeral song – played at Joint Base Andrews, where Trump delivered his farewell speech.

“The soundtrack that we continue to hear throughout these scenes is surreal, perhaps surreally appropriate,” noted CNN anchor Anderson Cooper on live TV as the plane could be seen preparing for takeoff, his co-anchor laughing.

You’re dead to us Donnie.

We’re resetting.

Senator Amy Klobuchar celebrated today as a new start for the country, two weeks after the Capitol was attacked by a violent mob.

“This is the day when our democracy picks itself up, brushes off the dust and does what America always does — goes forward,” the Democratic senator said.

Mind you, so does everyone else, because going backward isn’t an option, but never mind, it’s over it’s over it’s over. In 16 minutes.

It seems Trump managed to do one decent thing in the final hours, by using most of those pardons on people who were serving excessive sentences. But of course he also pardoned Bannon.

The vast majority of the pardons and commutations on Trump’s list were doled out to individuals whose cases have been championed by criminal justice reform advocates, including people serving lengthy sentences for low-level offenses.

Here’s an idea: let’s stop dealing out long prison sentences for low-level offenses.

Over the course of Tuesday, Trump continued to contemplate pardons that aides believed were settled, including for his former strategist. The President continued to go back and forth on it into Tuesday night, sources told CNN.

Then he did the wrong thing.

The January 6 riots that led to Trump’s second impeachment have complicated his desire to pardon himself, his kids and personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and a source close to the process said those are no longer expected.

40 minutes. Just 40 minutes and the nightmare is over.

Pliny says sure Trump should get the intel briefings.

The 1776 Report is about the teaching of history but not one of the people on the 1776 Commission is a historian.

Larry P. Arn, Chair, is “an educator.” Vice Chair Carol Swain taught political science and law at Vanderbilt. Brooke Rollins is a lawyer. Victor Davis Hanson is a classicist. Phil Bryant is a former governor of Mississippi. John Gibbs worked for HUD. Scott McNealy is a businessman. Ned Ryan is the CEO of American Majority. Charlie Kirk is a conservative talk show host. And so on. It’s a passel of conservatives, a few of them academics, a few of those in fields adjacent to history, but no actual historians except possibly Hanson who along with being a classicist is a military historian (and a fierce reactionary).

It’s all so dumb. “Don’t teech that Murka was ever rong, teech that Murka was always nobul and inspiering.”

15 hours 49 minutes.

Trump’s people organized that rally, the one that led to the terrorist attack on Congress.

Members of President Donald Trump’s failed presidential campaign played key roles in orchestrating the Washington rally that spawned a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol, according to an Associated Press review of records, undercutting claims the event was the brainchild of the president’s grassroots supporters.

A pro-Trump nonprofit group called Women for America First hosted the “Save America Rally” on Jan. 6 at the Ellipse, an oval-shaped, federally owned patch of land near the White House. But an attachment to the National Park Service public gathering permit granted to the group lists more than half a dozen people in staff positions for the event who just weeks earlier had been paid thousands of dollars by Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. Other staff scheduled to be “on site” during the demonstration have close ties to the White House.

Since the siege, several of them have scrambled to distance themselves from the rally.

People should take pride in their work.

The AP’s review found at least three of the Trump campaign aides named on the permit rushed to obscure their connections to the demonstration. They deactivated or locked down their social media profiles, removed tweets that referenced the rally and blocked a reporter who asked questions.

13 hours 22 minutes.

So, yes, I’m going to have to read at least some of that ridiculous rah rah us! report, to see exactly how bad it is. And yes I’m going to have to inflict it on you.

The declared purpose of the President’s Advisory 1776 Commission is to “enable a rising generation to understand the history and principles of the founding of the United States in 1776 and to strive to form a more perfect Union.” This requires a restoration of American education, which can only be grounded on a history of those principles that is “accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling.” And a rediscovery of our shared identity rooted in our founding principles is the path to a renewed American unity and a confident American future.

So they’re saying that the teaching of the history of American principles has to be unifying, inspiring, and ennobling, which pretty much negates the part about being “accurate and honest.” Notice they didn’t say “true,” which seems telling. Anyway unifying for whom? Inspiring and ennobling for whom? I don’t think pretending American history has been one long march to ever-increasing awesomeness is going to inspire everyone.

The facts of our founding are not partisan. They are a matter of history. Controversies about the meaning of the founding can begin to be resolved by looking at the facts of our nation’s founding. Properly understood, these facts address the concerns and aspirations of Americans of all social classes, income levels, races and religions, regions and walks of life. As well, these facts provide necessary—and wise—cautions against unrealistic hopes and checks against pressing partisan claims or utopian agendas too hard or too far.

Hahaha subtle. “Don’t come after our billions! Leave Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk alone! Get off my golf course! Socialism! Awkkk!”

The principles of the American founding can be learned by studying the abundant documents contained in the record. Read fully and carefully, they show how the American people have ever pursued freedom and justice, which are the political conditions for living well.

So…the Trail of Tears? Broken treaties? Two centuries of slavery and another century of Jim Crow? Violent suppression of labor organizing? The three strikes law? Prisons overflowing with people serving long or life sentences for minor drug crimes? That’s us ever pursuing freedom and justice?

This is only the first page.

I may never manage to reach the second.

The Trump administration’s “1776 Report” has historians running out of red ink.

“It’s a hack job. It’s not a work of history,” American Historical Association executive director James Grossman told The Washington Post. “It’s a work of contentious politics designed to stoke culture wars.”

…The 45-page report is largely an attack on decades of historical scholarship, particularly when it comes to the nation’s 400-year-old legacy of slavery, and most of those listed as authors lack any credentials as historians. While claiming to present a nonpartisan history, it compares progressivism to fascism and claims the civil rights movement devolved into “preferential” identity politics “not unlike those advanced by [slavery defender John C.] Calhoun and his followers.”

“I don’t know where to begin,” said public historian Alexis Coe. “This ‘report’ lacks citations or any indication books were consulted, which explains why it’s riddled in errors, distortions, and outright lies.”

Well the people behind the “report” are using the word “report” in a very special way. They don’t mean anything to do with truth, for instance, or evidence or reasoning or argument. They’re using “report” to mean something more like “angry shouting.”

“It’s very hard to find anything in here that stands as a historical claim, or as the work of a historian. Almost everything in it is wrong, just as a matter of fact,” said Eric Rauchway, a history professor at the University of California at Davis. “I may sound a little incoherent when trying to speak of this, because the report itself is not coherent. It’s like historical wackamole.”

Well it’s not supposed to be history. It’s supposed to be angry shouting!

He pointed to sections misinterpreting Puritan John Winthrop’s “city on a hill” speech, and to a section claiming the civil rights movement “came to abandon the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity of colorblind civil rights in favor of ‘group rights.’ ”

Oh yes, the old “I don’t see color” argument. Brilliant.

“Group rights is not anathema to American principles,” he said, recalling the formation of the Senate. “Why do Wyomingers have 80 times the representation that Californians have if not for group rights?”

Because they’re white guys with cattle, which is completely different!

Historian Kevin M. Levin, author of several books about the Civil War, said: “The 1776 report views students as sponges who are expected to absorb a narrative of the American past without question. It views history as set in stone rather than something that needs to be analyzed and interpreted by students.”

Well you see it’s the definitive narrative; the press release said so. “This is our narrative, that is ours; it is definitive.”

Grossman, the AHA executive director, said: “This is written as if no historical scholarship has been produced in nearly 70 years, so it’s bereft of any professional historical sensibility at all. There are no historians on this commission. Would you take your car to a garage where there’s no mechanic?”

But it’s definitive!

I didn’t realize that former presidents get intelligence briefings.

Adam Schiff says Trump should be the exception, which seems only prudent.

House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff said Sunday that President Donald Trump should be barred from daily intelligence briefings immediately — and remain cut off from briefings once President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in.

…

Schiff’s comments come a day after Susan Gordon, Trump’s former principal deputy director of national intelligence, penned an op-ed in The Washington Post arguing that Trump must not be briefed on intelligence after Jan. 20.

…

Former presidents typically receive routine intelligence briefings and access to classified information after they have left office.

Schiff added that he thinks U.S. allies withheld information from the Trump administration because “they didn’t trust the president” to protect intelligence, which, in turn, “makes us less safe.”

I say cut him off.

At least he’s miserable.

The President has been in a foul mood for several days and has lost interest in the performative parts of the presidency he once relished, a source he’s spoken with in recent days told CNN.

While he’s eagerly anticipating his military-style send-off from Joint Base Andrews on Inauguration morning — one of the few items that have cheered him up recently — there were already signs the crowd may be smaller than he’d hoped. And a slate of actual celebrities lined up for Biden’s inauguration has disappointed a president who tried and often failed to secure A-list support for his own presidency.

It’s so typical that he doesn’t get how pathetic and feeble he’s going to look sulking out of attending the inauguration and instead staging his own little parade that nobody cares about. That’s a LOSER parade.

He taped a “goodbye you love me” video yesterday, which isn’t going to make him look any less loser.

The video is expected to be released on Tuesday, an official said, although a final timing had not been determined. Unlike most of his predecessors in the television era, a live prime-time farewell address attempting to burnish what has become a badly tarnished legacy is no longer in the cards.

And yet he used to be such a star.

On his last full day as president, Trump is expected to issue a final raft of pardons and commutations and could sign new executive orders, according to White House officials. He is taking exit meetings with aides, posing for photos in the Oval Office, keeping tabs on his carefully planned departure ceremony and receiving briefings from the Secret Service on security for an inauguration he does not plan on attending.

His schedule was empty except for the notice he dictated himself weeks ago asserting he’d “work from early in the morning until late in the evening” and “make many calls and have many meetings.” His vice president was scheduled to convene a final meeting of the coronavirus task force.

He dictated that. Weeks ago. He dictated a meaningless empty claim weeks ago, saying he would work MANY HOURS and do ALL THE MEETINGS N PHONE CALLS – which sounds like a kindergarten child’s idea of what Going To Work is.

Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks before his final departure from Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, where a military-style ceremony is being planned. Invitations have gone out to Trump’s friends, allies and former administration officials saying it will begin at 8 a.m. ET. Each invitee is allowed five guests; organizers hope to secure a large crowd because Trump has complained about the size of his gatherings in the past.

Please come to my goodbye party and please bring LOTS OF PEOPLE with you because at this rate it looks as if it will be about 10 people and some blowup dolls.

22 hours and 16 minutes.

Speaking of “can you think of one good quality in Trump?” –

Objection!

No. Not drinking and staying up late do not add up to being “a worker.” Trump was very productive on Twitter, too, but that also doesn’t count as “work,” especially given the quality and content of his tweets. And what really doesn’t count as work – what counts as a pathetic infantile waste of time – is “watching every show.” The giant baby “watches every show” because they talk about him; he watches them to see what they say about him. It’s nothing to do with work, let alone his job.

According to all the reports he’s done literally no work since the election, he’s done nothing but try to steal it back. He hasn’t done or said one single thing about the pandemic since the election. He hasn’t done or said one single substantive thing about anything else either. His “work” on January 6 set off the violent attack on the Capitol. No, the fact that he’s not an alcoholic does nothing to compensate for that.

Smug bullying white guy trashes multiculturalism the day after Martin Luther King day and the day before the white guy’s status vanishes like a puff of smoke.

Also – “our enemies stoke these divisions,” he says, in the very act of stoking his own divisions.

24 hours + 30 minutes.