#Romney: A Reckoning

[deadpresidents]

I think you kinda covered it in the Presidential elections, but maybe biographies on failed Presidential candidates? I know there was a notable one on Romney that came out last year. I'd imagine maybe some candidates like Ross Perot, Bob Dole, John Kerry (snore), or John McCain would have biographies.

The Romney book you mentioned that came out in October is definitely work checking out: Romney: A Reckoning by McKay Coppins (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO). Romney gave Coppins incredible access -- not just when it came to extensive interviews with him and his family and his aides, but also by giving Coppins free reign to explore his personal journals, his archives, and his private e-mails. Romney obviously had a safe seat and decided that he would be retiring soon anyway, but that's still unprecedented access for a major incumbent political figure to give to a journalist. It's a really interesting book because you get a sense that Romney is somewhat tormented by his role in modern Republican politics and his inability to turn his political party back towards what it was when Romney was Governor of Massachusetts or even when his father was Governor of Michigan.

[queenlua]

ok so on the one hand: this Mitt Romney biography is obviously, in part, an attempt for Romney to burnish his own image and kinda skirt over the whole "simping for Trump's endorsement" bit, the "groveling for a cabinet post" thing, etc, and make him look like he had a spine all along

on the other hand: i DO love when a catty bitch with nothing left to lose does a tell-all

also i love how literally every time Romney's like "yeah so McConnell pulled me into his office and said Trump's a raging dumbass but we have to back him anyway," the author contacts McConnell for comment, and

[ivan-fyodorovich-k]

The heckling and booing were so loud and sustained that he could barely get a word out. As he labored to push through his prepared remarks, he became fixated on a red-faced woman in the front row who was furiously screaming at him while her child stood by her side. He paused his speech.

“Aren’t you embarrassed?” he couldn’t help but ask her from the stage.

[azspot]

One Republican congressman confided to Romney that he wanted to vote for Trump’s second impeachment, but chose not to out of fear for his family’s safety. The congressman reasoned that Trump would be impeached by House Democrats with or without him — why put his wife and children at risk if it wouldn’t change the outcome?

Romney: A Reckoning

[dhaaruni]

3, 4 and 16!

3. What were your top five books of the year?

In no particular order, my top 5 romances were:

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe

Convergence of Desire by Felicity Niven

The Duchess by Sophie Jordan

The Notorious Lord Knightly by Lorraine Heath

The Duke Starts a Scandal by Sophie Jordan

In no particular order, my top 5 nonfiction books were:

And There Was Light by Jon Meacham

Romney: A Reckoning by McKay Coppins

Giving Up The Ghost by Hilary Mantel

Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare's Plays by Tina Packer

How Beautiful It Is and How Easily It Can Be Broken by Daniel Mendelsohn

4. Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

Erin Langston, Felicity Niven

16. What is the most over-hyped book you read this year?

I hate to say this but The Woman In Me by Britney Spears like the reality is that I think Britney did and possibly still does need a conservatorship, even though her father's was clearly abusive. I think she comes across as much less healthy than she probably intended to and maybe I'm projecting, but as someone with not dissimilar health issues, I can tell.

[unatkozorobotok]

wow

[progressivepower]

Mitt Romney reckons with life and legacy in new biography. In the new biography "Romney: A Reckoning," retiring Utah Sen. Mitt Romney is sharing candid views of the Republican Party and the rise of former President Donald Trump. Author McKay Coppins... https://t.co/UonNaUn2yY http://dlvr.it/Sy11vf

[deadpresidents]

2023's Best Books

I meant to do this a few days ago so there was more time before the holidays, but here's a quick list of the best books that I read that were released in 2023. Obviously, I didn't read every book that came out this year, and I'm only listing the best books I read that were actually released in the 2023 calendar year.

In my opinion, the two very best books released in 2023 were An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford by Richard Norton Smith (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO), and True West: Sam Shepard's Life, Work, and Times by Robert Greenfield (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO).

(The rest of this list is in no particular order)

President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier C.W. Goodyear (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

The World: A Family History of Humanity Simon Sebag Montefiore (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

France On Trial: The Case of Marshal Pétain Julian Jackson (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

The Last Island: Discovery, Defiance, and the Most Elusive Tribe on Earth Adam Goodheart (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World Mary Beard (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

City of Echoes: A New History of Rome, Its Popes, and Its People Jessica Wärnberg (BOOK | KINDLE)

We Are Your Soldiers: How Gamal Abdel Nasser Remade the Arab World Alex Rowell (BOOK | KINDLE)

Edison's Ghosts: The Untold Weirdness of History's Greatest Geniuses Katie Spalding (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

Waco Rising: David Koresh, the FBI, and the Birth of America's Modern Militias Kevin Cook (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

The Summer of 1876: Outlaws, Lawmen, and Legends in the Season That Defined the American West Chris Wimmer (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

King: A Life Jonathan Eig (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

LBJ's America: The Life and Legacies of Lyndon Baines Johnson Edited by Mark Atwood Lawrence and Mark K. Updegrove (BOOK | KINDLE)

Who Believes Is Not Alone: My Life Beside Benedict XVI Georg Gänswein with Saverio Gaeta (BOOK | KINDLE)

Eighteen Days in October: The Yom Kippur War and How It Created the Modern Middle East Uri Kaufman (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

The Rough Rider and the Professor: Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, and the Friendship That Changed American History Laurence Jurdem (BOOK | KINDLE)

White House Wild Child: How Alice Roosevelt Broke All the Rules and Won the Heart of America Shelley Fraser Mickle (BOOK | KINDLE)

Romney: A Reckoning McKay Coppins (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

Founding Partisans: Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams and the Brawling Birth of American Politics H.W. Brands (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

The Earth Transformed: An Untold History Peter Frankopan (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

LeBron Jeff Benedict (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America Abraham Riesman (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Biden's White House Chris Whipple (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

[reclusiveharry]

Location: The jungle, searching for goats @ameliaxdalton​

Harry wasn't sure about goats. Sheep, she knew. Years and years had passed, but she had spent enough days wandering the bush finding lost sheep back home that she knew all of their tricks. Goats, they were different. Damned mischievous, they didn't have a half-decent flocking instinct that made her Romneys so easy to direct back to the herd, and they could climb. The closest experience she had to finding a goat was when she and John had given tahr hunting a go, and had nearly shot at a half-decent bull, and most of Harry's moments from that time were of shivering in the cold, freezing sleet as John waited for a good shot.

But the island didn't have sheep. It had goats, and Harry had found some of their droppings during her ventures out into the jungle. So she supposed she was the most qualified to hunt them down and bring them back to the farm. Problem was, she couldn't carry all of the supplies she needed to take with her, food and water in case the jungle swallowed her up. She needed a partner.

Harry could have brought along one of the 'castaways', Lily's folks who lived in the deep of the jungle. But she wanted to avoid the kind of conversations they might bring up, while she was still screwing her head on about it. That and apart from Lily's adopted mum (who Harry had forgotten the name of), who was busy running after a little cockie, Harry didn't have a clue about who the rest of them were. But she did know someone who had lived in the jungle, someone who was capable of surviving, and who was mostly quiet.

Harry had tracked Angel down, explained the situation, split the equipment in two (food including treats for the goats, water and rope) and then brought Angel to where she had found the droppings. "Right," Harry said as she bent down, looking at the world through a goat's perspective. "No leaf-litter on these, so I reckon its no more than a few days old?" Harry began, spying a break in the undergrowth of the jungle. She pointed and stood up, confidently striding onwards in that direction.

"You ever have goats?" Harry asked Angel as she pushed through the vegetation. Maybe she'd lucked out and landed with the island goat expert, who knew.

[darkmaga-returns]

It was always a long shot, but MAGA had high hopes that Matt Gaetz would become our next attorney general. Let’s face it—he would’ve been a force to be reckoned with. But sadly, thanks to Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and John Curtis, the new RINO senator from Utah, Gaetz fell at least one vote short of confirmation and was forced to withdraw.

READ MORE: Nikki Haley’s neocon freakout over Tulsi and RFK Jr. is dripping with Deep State irony…

That’s right, folks. We got rid of Mitt Romney, only to replace him with a newer version of the same old uniparty puppet.

Gaetz announced his withdrawal on X.

Matt Gaetz:

I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1. I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.

As disappointed as many are over this, and as infuriating as it is that yet another RINO has sabotaged our America First agenda and the mandate from the American people, there is some good news in all of this. Firstly, President Trump just announced his new nominee, and again, it’s an America First warrior: Pam Bondi.

The propaganda media is already freaking out:

And they should be worried. Who could forget the masterful way Pam Bondi tore apart the Democrats’ narrative during President Trump’s first sham impeachment trial?

George Behizy:

Future Attorney General Pam Bondi masterfully defended President Trump at the sham impeachment trial and exposed the fact that Hunter & Joe Biden took bribes from Ukraine. “Hunter Biden is paid $83,000 a month to sit on that board with no experience in energy, no experience in the Ukraine, doesn’t speak the language…” I already like this lady. She’s battle-tested.

It looks like President Trump has found yet another shining America First star for his next AG nominee. As for Matt Gaetz, we came across a tweet suggesting an absolutely brilliant role for him—one we genuinely hope President Trump seriously considers.

Imagine this: Matt Gaetz as special counsel, leading an investigation into the weaponized DOJ, Jack Smith, and even the sham Mueller team. That’s the bold idea independent journalist and filmmaker Mike Cernovich floated on X:

[thegospelofstjohn]

"The Map." From the Gospel of Saint John, 2: 13-19.

Now Jesus says Christianity does not count. Not even once. We are readying to build a Third Temple and the Offshoot has not even built one. Why is this? You fuckups do not perform the Seder, not in thought, word, or deed. You sin like running water, you do not follow the Great Hillel, and you mislead the children. You are all going to pay dearly for these things.

Jesus bundles together all the laws the Christians do not follow and uses this as a whip against them. God will whip anyone that says yes to something that is forbidden by the Torah or refuses to do what is compulsory, such as the Seder.

The presence of persons teaching the opposite of the Torah in these instances in tandem with breaking secular law is reason to clear, or purify the field of all heretical influences especially confederations like the Republican Party, the Family Research Council, the Catholic Church, etc. who are trying to leglislate religion, a type of slavery that is expressly forbidden by the Torah. It is worse if the crimes include sexual slavery and this, as we know is happening.

This is what is meant by turning the Father's House into a market, a place where sex is sold, like at an auction while others sit and yearn for the truth of salvation. How many times in recent history have I heard Mitt Romney, Geoff Tunicliffe, Jeffery Holland and others claiming small children should be given iv methaphetamine and fucked on their father's lap stating "that is how we bring them to Jesus Christ!" and like David Gilcrease, a fat feverish Scientologist who claims the Bible specifies this?

All of this has to stop, the tables have to be turned. Tables are 218, ביח‎ "Hospitals in the street." If healthy people are becoming sick, and sick people are dying because of religion, such as they are now, this is a sign the table is upside down. The Gospel of John continue:

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 

15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”

 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[c]

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

The final verse in this section states Jesus does not want Jewish people following Saul of Tarsus who did not observe the Passover or discuss the Hillels. These omissions are glaring. This means mankind has not celebrated the Seder the time of Christ when the Second Temple was destroyed. This explains quite a lot.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 13-14: Jesus went up to Jerusalem. To go up is to climb the evolutionary ladder identified by the Torah. I have mentioned the course follows a stochastic progression. This means every object lesson, called a Mishnah has cohorts within every other Mishnah in the entire Jewish library.

Watch: we know 123 is achar, let's add 456, dahu, "understand how to be wet."

The adjective υγρος (hugros, hence our English prefix "hygro-"), meaning moist or sappy, the opposite of ξηρος (xeros), dry. It's used in Luke 23:31 only.

The noun υδωρ (hudor), meaning water, but refers mostly to fresh water and not so much to sea water (hence our English prefix "hydro-"). In the Jewish world, rain and water were closely associated with learning; the noun מורה (moreh) both means rain and teacher, and cultures were reckoned by the rivers they formed on — hence the prominence of the Nile, Jordan and Euphrates rivers, and the notion that the Garden of Eden was endowed with four rivers that together encompassed the entire known world from Ethiopia to the Indus Valley. Water was also recognized as cleaning agent, and since cleanness and survival went hand in hand, water became associated with salvation (see our article on the verb βαπτιζω, baptizo, to baptize). For a closer look at the link between cognition and the hydrological cycle, see our articles on the words ארץ ('erets), meaning land, or νεφελη (nephele), cloud."

123456= אב‎גדהו‎‎‎, "the ivy is the father of revelation of the Ein Sof, that which does not belong in the group."

The etymology refers to Water Power which we discussed in the prior frame. Lest man can serve as a pure cistern for the Rain and attain to Baptism in the Holy Spirit, He is nothing. Nothing at all. A waste of fesh and does not belong.

So Jesus going up to Jerusalem means he began to explain the equations hidden in the Alefbeis, the foundation of humanity.

The Number is 13793, יגזג‎‎ ‎exeg, a zig zag. See above.

v. 15-16: So he made a whip out of cords. The Number is 10117, י‎יאז‎, yeez, "God does not like what He sess."

"The adverb εσο (eso), meaning in, into or within; the reverse of εξο (exo), meaning out. In several places this word forms the phrase "within-man" (Romans 7:22, Ephesians 3:16) which is traditionally interpreted to refer to the inner state of someone; one's most intimate thoughts. Here at Abarim Publications we surmise that this phrase rather refers to someone who exists within somewhere, someone who's in, who's with the in-crowd (see 1 Corinthians 5:12). Our adverb occurs 8 times, see full concordance, and from it in turn come:

The adverb εσωθεν (esothen), meaning interior or on the inside, which corresponds to εξωθεν (exothen), meaning exterior. It's used 13 times; see full concordance.

The comparative εσωτερος (esoteros; hence our English word esoteric), meaning further-in. This word corresponds to εξωτερος (exoteros), meaning further-out, and is used in Acts 16:24 and Hebrews 6:19 only."

v. 17-18: Prove your authority. The Torah says the Column of Israel will manifest perfect transparency with God during the Exodus. Christians have not manifestred this sign.

From Exodus 33:11:

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

The Number is 14202, ידכ‎ב, yadchabe, "there is evidence we know God's Hand."

v. 19: Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” "Forget everything you know about God, the Torah, Jews, and worship of the Most High, and get to know the Self, the greatest gift of God there is."

The Number is 5506, הןו‎, hempu, "follow the map."

The journey of Adam and the Israelites out of primitive conditions into modern times has not followed the map God gave us. We do not live or abide in a slavery free fully prosperous manner. We are sinning, killing, lying, cheating, and fornicating in every way and there is suffering from quarter to quarter, from the meekest to the most powerful. God sent us this Gospel as a sign He cherishes us and wants us to make it to the end in good spirits. Some of us will have to be left behind, for many it is too late about this the Torah is clear, but those who follow the map and observe the Seder shall see God and experience His Salvation.

The Seder explains how man differentiates himself biologically from himself, his parents, other persons and undertakes the critical thinking necessary to survive the rest of his life. Each soul differentiates itself in different ways from the rest but all souls must learn how to separate from corrupt or tyrannical governments, lying faiths, sexual predators, filthy habits and partners, and become profitable members of their communities. The Seder cannot be dispensed with.

[almaqead]

"Awaken and Shudder." From Surah 13, Ar-Rad, the Thunder.

Mitt Romney, a dried up old crystal meth hag, continues to claim he is the right and proper king of Israel and he is going to kill every Muslim in the planet if he has to in order to get them all out of the Holy Land. Mitt...has problems.

But far too few if you ask me. Like his fellows in the Republican Party and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a problem the US Government should strongly consider addressing, Mister Romney is a terrorist of superlative ambitions and so far has been able to carry each and every one across the finish line.

The result is immense distrust between Jews, Muslims, Israel and Dar al Islam, and these, God told Muhammad were to be mankind's source of strength, peace, prosperity and happiness on a planet that looks like paradise.

So if all that is holding us back is an old hag, why are we allowing it? We know he and the Marriotts and the Waltons and the other Mormons attacked Israel on October 7 and stirred everyone up against Jews, all of this was far too easy.

The Quran says there must come a time it is not easy to upset the world order God established, and I believe that time is now. Such a desperately ugly man as Mitt Romney and his friends must not have such a clear advantage of the rest. This is a very big tragedy.

Let us pray for clarity about this as we wrap up Surah Ar Rad, "The Rebuke." There have always been signs. We must learn to read them and stay out of harm's way:

13: 38-43:

We have certainly sent messengers before you ˹O Prophet˺ and blessed them with wives and offspring. It was not for any messenger to bring a sign without Allah’s permission. Every destined matter has a ˹set˺ time.

Allah eliminates and confirms what He wills, and with Him is the Master Record.1

Whether We show you ˹O Prophet˺ some of what We threaten them with, or cause you to die ˹before that˺, your duty is only to deliver ˹the message˺. Judgment is for Us.

Do they not see that We gradually reduce their land from its borders? Allah decides—none can reverse His decision. And He is swift in reckoning.

Those ˹disbelievers˺ before them ˹secretly˺ planned, but Allah has the ultimate plan. He knows what every soul commits. And the disbelievers will soon know who will have the ultimate outcome.

The disbelievers say, “You ˹Muḥammad˺ are no messenger.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Allah is sufficient as a Witness between me and you, as is whoever has knowledge of the Scripture.”

Commentary:

We know what is happening on this planet is in violation of the Quran. Those who practice the Path and pray know we must make a right turn. The war against Israel has to end, the war against corruption, tyranny, and climate change has to begin.

We were taken by surprise by a secret combination created by the diabolics of the American Republican Party, that is true and it is a shame. Out in the open, God will rebuke them and kill them all like they deserve, and then we will use the time and wisdom we have earned to house, feed, educate, employ, and recreate everyone who is willing.

Thus ends the Surah.

Ar and Rad.

ع راد

"Awaken and shudder."

[sparecrew]

Romney: A Reckoning (McKay Coppins)

What is this for the year, 8?

This one turned out to be more charming than expected - similar to the Netflix doc, Mitt.

The bar is very low since it's so early in the year with very few books finished so far, but this one is my favorite book of 2024 at this moment.

[xcziel]

oooops i forgot

tuesday new releases for november 14:

patrick rothfuss novella the narrow road between desires (same size as slow regard of silent things)

david baldacci has new thriller the edge

mitch albom novel about the lives of three holocaust survivors little liar

new novel from michael cunningham day

a return to the time-travel cafe: before we say goodbye by toshikazu kawaguchi author of before the coffee gets cold, english translation by geoffrey trousselot

elizabeth crook's western sequel to the which way tree, the madstone

harmony new book of poetry from whitney hanson

jacquelyn mitchard's new familial drama a very inconvenient scandal

.just once new christian fiction by karen kingsbury

letters of j.r.r. tolkien edited and selected by humphrey carpenter with assistance by christopher tolkien

rush drummer geddy lee's new memoir my effin' life

johnny cash: the life in lyrics with mark stielper

the night parade: a speculative memoir by jami nakamura lin

a woman i know: female spies, double identities, and a new story of the kennedy assasination by filmmaker mary haverstick

city on mars by kelly and zach weinersmith (good non-fiction gift for those who like the martian and laughing at elon mushk)

tomlin: the soul of a football coach by john harris

entangled life: illustrated edition by martin sheldrake - new gorgeous hardcover for the mushroom and fungi fans

core of an onion another micro-history - with recipes - from michael kurlansky, author of cod and salt

new leather gifting style black cover of 48 laws of power: special powers edition

the bill gates problem the myth of the good billionaire by tim schwab

the money kings by daniel schulman

new hardcover collector editions of madeline miller's circe and anthony doerr's all the light we cannot see

also new romance collector hardcovers of archer's voice by mia sheridan and one last stop by casey mcquiston

star wars the eye of darkness a high republic novel by george mann

the marvel multiverse role-playing game core rulebook is out now

the upcycled self by tariq 'black thought' trotter

political books 😔:

network of lies about fox news by brian stelter

biography mitt romney a reckoning by mckay coppins

mike pence's advice(?) book go home for dinner

tired of winning by jonathan karl about trump and the gop

[truck-fump]

Chuck Todd: Mitt Romney sounds one last alarm on <b>Trump</b> - NBC News

New Post has been published on https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/chuck-todd-mitt-romney-sounds-one-last-alarm-trump-rcna121771&ct=ga&cd=CAIyGjUzM2UwMTY5ZmFhZTIwMGQ6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AOvVaw1KJ3g9JCfpw6STeE9_1Baz

Chuck Todd: Mitt Romney sounds one last alarm on Trump - NBC News

Mitt Romney’s reckoning with his role in Donald Trump’s rise is his attempt to sound the alarm one last time before it’s too late to save the GOP …