Louisiana Voice

“When John McCain died, so did Lindsey Graham’s spine. I do not know how the man can look at himself in the mirror and not feel ashamed at his 180-degree turn on how he viewed Donald Trump. Now, I did not like John McCain’s politics. I thought he was mistaken. But I also thought he was a hero, a good man and above all a man who had been through hell and back. He was a man who took a microphone from a confused supporter after she started to babble nonsense about Barack Obama and then said that Obama was a good American that he just happened to disagree with.”

—Marc Jones, in response to question on Quora about John McCain ally Lindsey Graham’s mutation from Trump critic to that of little Senate lapdog.

“[U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy] uses the Penn Club for campaign events and we believe everything was done appropriately.”

—Cassidy campaign spokesman Ty Bofferding denied any wrongdoing on the part of Cassidy for using campaign funds for club membership dues.

“Using campaign money for a social club membership, regardless of the amount, would be personal use and not legal.”

—Erin Chlopak, a former FEC attorney who now serves as campaign finance strategy director at the Campaign Legal Center, on Cassidy’s use of campaign funds for club membership dues. [Using campaign funds in this manner is legal in Louisiana (go figure) but the rules are far more restrictive at the federal level.]

“Unfortunately, this simple, lifesaving practice has become part of a political debate that says: If you’re for Trump, you don’t wear a mask. If you’re against Trump, you do.”

—Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn), on how the decision to wear or not wear a mask has become a political statement on the opposition or support of Trump.

“We encourage everyone to wear a mask in the affected areas. Where you can’t maintain social distancing, wearing a mask is just a good idea, especially young people.”

—Vice President Mike (Casper the Ghost) Pence, in urging the wearing of masks only days after he had lamely (twice) defended not wearing masks as a decision of personal liberty. [Does that me he’s “against Trump” in the November election—and will Trump dump him as his Veep?]

Claims by the Very Stable Genius:

• Campaign finance: “I think nobody knows more about campaign finance than I do, because.”
• TV ratings: “I know more about people who get ratings than anyone.”
• ISIS: “I know more about ISIS than the generals do.”
• Social media: “I understand social media. I understand the power of Twitter. I understand the power of Facebook maybe better than almost anybody, based on my results, right?”
• Courts: “I know more about courts than any human being on Earth.”
• Lawsuits: “[W]ho knows more about lawsuits than I do? I’m the king.”
• Politicians: “I understand politicians better than anybody.”
• Trade: “Nobody knows more about trade than me.”
• Renewable energy: “I know more about renewables than any human being on Earth.” (
• Taxes: “I think nobody knows more about taxes than I do, maybe in the history of the world.”
• Debt: “I’m the king of debt. I’m great with debt. Nobody knows debt better than me.”
• Money: “I understand money better than anybody.”
• Democrats: “I think I know more about the other side than almost anybody.”
• Construction: “[N]obody knows more about construction than I do.”
• The economy: “I think I know about it better than [the Federal Reserve].”
• Technology: “Technology — nobody knows more about technology than me.”
• National Security: “Nobody briefed or told me…”

A review of a few more critical quotes and tweets from the Tangerine Toddler leading up to his most recent claim that the most intelligent man on the planet was uninformed of a Russian campaign to pay bounties on Americans’ lives:

“I was with the president of Finland and he said… we’re a forest nation, he called it a forest nation and they spend a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things.” 

“They start forming off the coast of Africa, as they’re moving across the Atlantic, we drop a bomb inside the eye of the hurricane and it disrupts it. Why can’t we do that?”

“I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”

“[John McCain is]… not a war hero. He’s a war hero – he’s a war hero ’cause he was captured. I Like people that weren’t captured.”

“I look very much forward to showing my financials, because they are huge.”

“Sorry losers and haters, but my IQ is one of the highest – and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure, it’s not your fault.” [He don’t need no stinkin’ briefing…]

“What you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.”

“Is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? It sounds interesting to me, so we’ll see. But the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful.”

“An ‘extremely credible source’ has called my office and told me that Barack Obama’s birth certificate is a fraud.” [So, who briefed you on that bit of intelligence?]

“One of the key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace. Good people don’t go into government.”

“This is an island surrounded by water, big water, ocean water.”

“On of the wettest we’ve ever seen from the standpoint of water.”

“Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don Jr. attended in order to get info on an opponent. That’s politics!” [Oh, that kind of briefing…but not on national security matters.]

“Our army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do, and at Fort McHenry, under the rockets’ red glare, it had nothing but victory.” [Okay, he’s talking about the Revolutionary War here and Fort McHenry wasn’t until the War of 1812 and the airports didn’t come along until the 20th century. Another briefing, we can only assume.]

“I’ve been briefed on every contingency you could possibly imagine (on the coronavirus). Many contingencies. A lot of positive, Different numbers, all different numbers, very large numbers, and some small numbers too.” [emphasis mine]

“I know more about ISIS than the generals do, believe me.” [Because he’s been briefed?]

“What she [Hillary Clinton] did [with Benghazi] was absolutely horrible.”

“Nobody briefed or told me…”

Donald (“Nobody briefed or told me”) Trump, aka Sgt. Schultz

“Officials told the AP the assessment was included in at least one of Trump’s written daily intelligence briefings as early as spring 2019.”

—The Hill, June 29, 2020. [Written briefing? Oh well, if it was written, that explains it…]

“If intelligence reports are verified that Russia or any other country is placing bounties on American troops, then they need to be treated as a state sponsor of terrorism.” 

—Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). [and if it is ultimately determined that Trump was briefed on this in March or earlier, how should he be treated?]

“If this was kind of swept under the carpet as to not make it a bigger issue with Russia, and one ounce of blood was spilled when they knew this, I lost all respect for this administration and everything.”

—Erik Hendriks, father of Cpl. Robert Hendriks, 25, one of three Marines killed in April 2019, possibly as a  result of the Russian bounties.

“Thank you to the great people of the Villages. The Radical Left Do Nothing Democrats will fall in the Fall. Corrupt Joe is shot. See you soon!!!

—Trump meanwhile continues to tweet racist videos and to play golf.

“Nobody briefed or told me, @VP Pence, or Chief of Staff @MarkMeadows about the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by Russians, as reported through an ‘anonymous source’ by the Fake News @nytimes.

“Everybody is denying it & there have not been many attacks on us. Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration. With Corrupt Joe Biden & Obama, Russia had a field day, taking over important parts of Ukraine – Where’s Hunter? Probably just another phony Times hit job, just like their failed Russia Hoax. Who is their ‘source’?”

–Donald Trump, doing his “I’m not Truman” impersonation in passing the buck on the Russian bounty story by blaming Joe Biden, Obama, Hunter Biden, and The New York Times. [But the hard, cold reality is, someone in the administration of one Donald J. Trump dropped the ball and he ultimately must bear the responsibility. He is, after all, the one in charge and this happened on his watch. Period.]

“This is as bad as it gets, and yet the president will not confront the Russians on this score, denies being briefed.”

—Nancy Pelosi, in an understatement on ABC News’s This Week, in reaction to Trump’s denial of being briefed on the Russian bounty report.