Quote of the Day:
“Tired Of Waiting For Congress, MSNBC To Immediately Begin Impeachment Proceedings”
— Vince Coglianese, editorial director, Daily Caller, morning host, WMAL.
Erin Biba, freelance journo, National Geographic, BBC, The Daily Beast: “Everyone congratulate me after years of procrastinating I finally have a therapy appointment. LOL seriously this is a massive accomplishment. I think many will agree the absolute most difficult part of therapy is actually just finally forcing yourself to go to therapy.”
Brianna Wu, Massachusetts Democratic candidate for Congress: “Good luck. I’ve done hundreds of hours of it. It’s an investment in yourself and your happiness.”
Washington Examiner deputy editor: ‘Trump destroys brain cells’
“Love the replies I’m getting with people thinking Republicans came out looking GOOD after that fiasco. Trumpism destroys brain cells.” — Jay Caruso, deputy editor, Washington Examiner Magazine.
Stephen A. Smith on a rant…
“Sorry, but I need to start off this day with a non-sports related matter. Watching these videos of kids throwing buckets of water at the NYPD is just flat-out inexcusable. And we all need to speak out AGAINST this. We are really losing ourselves if we find any of this okay!!!!” — Stephen A. Smith, ESPN commentator.
Senator’s wife dresses down reporters, pundits on Robert Mueller hearing
“What is most disappointing about this morning’s Mueller hearing is journalists’ and pundits’ post-hearing reviews of his acting abilities. Knock it off. Our country is in crisis.” — Connie Schultz, wife to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), syndicated columnist, journalism prof, Kent State University.
“Encouraging all in media- go with facts not performance of Mueller. The facts have not changed.” — Kathryn Lanthier, shamanic practitioner, life coach.
“This is good advice. The media stresses performance too much. But the way the witness comes across is still essential. ” — Jonathan Alter, MSNBC contributor.
Bette Midler reacts angrily to Mueller hearing…
“HE SOLD OUT HIS COUNTRY FOR A BUILDING IN MOSCOW. Take that in, America. Let it sink in, that you have elected a mobster who doesn’t give a flying fuck about you.” — Bette Midler, actress.
More Mueller fallout
“Democrats leaked to reporters that they were preparing for today with mock hearings, which somehow makes the results so much worse.” — Mollie Hemingway, The Federalist.
“Seems pretty clear at this point that Mueller is not the best spokesperson for his own report.” — Oliver Darcy, media writer, CNN.
A word on Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)
“I don’t like when Matt Gaetz yells. It makes me sad!” — Olivia Nuzzi, New York Mag.
C.J. Pearson makes virgin voyage to Capitol Hill
“Going to Capitol Hill for the first time! I look forward to meeting with those in both the House and Senate who work tirelessly to push forward the conservative movement. Maybe I’ll even see @AOC haha.” — C.J. Pearson, pro-Trump teen activist.
Insider-y Perspective
“Trump started making calls early this a.m., agitated that Mueller would be on Capitol Hill soon, but aides say his demeanor has changed from irritated to triumphant, as he keeps a close eye on the second hearing. Officials say they’re relieved.” — Kaitlan Collins, CNN White House reporter.
The Observers
“So, to recap, y’all are upset that the 74-year-old career bureaucrat isn’t telegenic enough to quickly and forcefully summarize his report which was too long for you all to read.” — David Mack, BuzzFeed, deputy director, breaking news.
“Not sure whether this is substance or optics or whatever, but I wish Mueller had time (and inclination) to detail each time he declines to answer *why* he is doing so (he does it a fair amount, not always).” — Olivier Knox, chief D.C. correspondent, SiriusXM. “So, like, WHY won’t he comment on whether he interviewed Donald Trump Jr?”
Abby Huntsman gets ready for date night
“No better job than mommy but man getting out of milk stained pjs and out of the house for date night feels pretty damn good!! @MichaelBuble here we come.” — Abby Huntsman, co-host, ABC’s “The View.”
Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean remarked, “Woohoo! Why was I not called to babysit?!!”
A real Twitter convo that might make you throw up
“Much as I hate to say it, this morning’s hearing was a disaster. Far from breathing life into his damning report, the tired Robert Mueller sucked the life out of it. The effort to save democracy and the rule of law from this lawless president has been set back, not advanced.” — Laurence Tribe, anti-Trump Harvard law prof.
“Can’t say I agree. We got exactly what anyone who has followed Mueller for years knew we would get. And it is not Mueller’s responsibility to move this issue forward at this point…but that of the Congress, whose performance to date has itself been rather lifeless.” — David Rothkopf, Columbia University prof.
Ron Fournier, a lobbyist and ex-jouno — annoying as ever —: “You both can be right.”
PEAK D.C.: Kurt Bardella on Sunny Stelter refusing to watch the Mueller hearings
“Well played Sunny! Can we make her program director of cable please?” — Kurt Bardella, D.C. publicist, author of The Hangover country music newsletter.
GLASS HOUSES: Dan Rather dings Devin Nunes
“Devin Nunes spins more fairy tales than Hans Christian Andersen.” — longtime newsman Dan Rather. In 2004, Rather scarred his career with a story about President Bush‘s National Guard service that turned out to be a fake. He apologized.
On fishing licenses…
“Renewing your fishing license online is convenient, but takes away some of the magic of the process.” — Jazz Shaw, weekend editor, HotAir.
Publicist tip-toes around his home
“My powerful new dad skill is remembering which stairs squeak and stepping over them when the baby is asleep. Eventually I’ll fall down the stairs and wake the whole house up but it works for now.” — Nu Wexler, former House and Senate flack, now works at Google in tech pr, previously worked in comms for Twitter.
Gossip Roundup
Humble Bragging at its finest… “It’s a weird world, really. I never thought I’d have the British Prime Minister’s cell number. Or that his gf would be the girl that knocked on my window in the mornings on her way to work. Blows my mind how easy power is to get, yet how hard it is to hold.” — Raheem Kassam, editor, Human Events. “Now I’m off to an event with the NEXT prime minister.”
A Washington q to ponder: “One of the dumbest things about Washington is what I call ‘sticky title disease.’ I get why we people are addressed by the title ‘President’ for life. Maybe ‘Senator’ and ‘Congressman’ too. But ‘Director,’ as in director of the FBI half a decade ago? Why not just say ‘Mr.’?” — Matthew Walther, national correspondent, The Week.
Melania Trump plans Christmas during the Mueller hearings
#Christmas planning has begun in the East Wing at the @WhiteHouse. I’m looking forward to sharing our final vision for this unique tradition in the coming months. pic.twitter.com/oxt6Bdggcl
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) July 24, 2019
Loud man removed from hearing
Screaming man, resisting arrest, forcibly removed outside hearing room pic.twitter.com/HYbGWLQwSZ
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 24, 2019
Lanny Davis cries out for impeachment: “There is no doubt that @realDonaldTrump committed the crime of obstructing justice —the undisputed testimony of McGahn alone. Mueller found Trump ordered McGahn to fire Mueller for corrupt motives and then asked him to lie about that order. A felony. Impeachment only answer.” — Lanny Davis, lawyer to ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, former lawyer to former President Bill Clinton.
