#he just did his citizenship test like a year ago and we were talking about canadian things

[safyresky]

Just had the ABSOLUTE PLEASURE of introducing our student worker to the North American House Hippo

[addercharmer]

Aizawa Shōta blinked slowly at Tsukauchi Naomasa, the detective was standing on his door holding the hand of a small child, looking somewhere between having a full nervous breakdown, crying, and worryingly serious. 

“Tsukauchi, what can I do for you?” Shōta asked, his voice rough with having been forced out of a nap. 

“Aizawa.” The detective started, paused, took a deep breath and tried again. “Aizawa, could we please come in and speak to you and Yamada?” The hand that was being held by the small child jerked a little to show who ‘we’ were. 

Opening the door further, Shōta turned his back on the detective as a way of granting them entry. He turned on his heel and made his way to the kitchen. He felt like he was going to need several pots of coffee to deal with whatever the slightly older man was going to dump on him. 

The quiet thump of shoes and click of the door shutting were the only indication of the two following his silent invitation. The light steps that he could hear coming closer then further away told him that Tsukauchi was headed to the living room of his home was enough of a warning to have Shōta calling his husband instead of texting like he had been planning. 

It took all of six rings for the other man to answer. "Shō! What's up?" Yamada Hizashi sounded a little breathless as he answered. 

"Tsukauchi is here, with a kid." Shōta grunted into the mic of his cell. "Come home." He ordered the blonde, and hung up before even giving the blond a chance to say anything. 

Shuffling his way into the living room without his coffee, and eyeing Tsukauchi with wry dark eyes, Shōta stiffly sat in his favorite spot on the loveseat that was kiddy-corner to the couch that was being occupied. 

"Yamada is out. I called him to come home, if this can't wait for him then we can get it over with." Shōta told Tsukauchi after he had made himself comfortable. 

He watched closely as Tsukauchi eyes the kid sitting next to him, still gripping his hand tightly. The detective looked closer to having that breakdown the longer he looked at the kid, it was honestly starting to worry the underground hero a little. 

The silence felt like it dragged on far longer than the forty-seven seconds Shōta counted. 

"Probably best to wait, you both will need some support." The last part was muttered under Tsukauchi's breath, and Shōta figured that he wasn't supposed to hear it. 

The next twenty minutes were spent with idle chatter, both adults in the room getting tencer as each minute passed. At twenty-two minutes the front door opened and shut, the sound of heavy boots clunking on the floor as they were taken off and dropped pushed the expression on Tsukauchi's face closer to resigned and sad. 

"Ah, hello Tsukauchi. You needed me home?" Hizashi's voice called from just outside of Shōta's peripherals. 

"Yamada, Aizawa." Tsukauchi's tone was a forced flat, Shōta recognized it as the one that was used for grieving families. 

"I offer my condolences Aizawa. Your sister Midoriya Inko was found dead yesterday morning, the investigation is still open and I cannot share much more." Shōta froze, he hadn't spoken to his sister since his wedding, not that they had much contact before that even. It had caused all kinds of issues when Inko had shown up and recognized Hizashi as someone she had had a one night stand with when they had met at a college party when Shōta and Hizashi had been sixteen. 

"That being said, Midoriya Inko's will stated that her daughter Izumi would go to you and or her biological father first, in the event that she was not welcome there she was to be put in foster care." Many things in Tsukauchi's tone were sending off very loud warning signals that Shōta wasn't sure he even wanted to hear much else. 

Hizashi had grabbed his hand from where he had seated himself next to Shōta when the news of his sister's passing was delivered, he squeezed tighter when the kid was brought up. 

"Yamada, your daughter was dropped off in front of the police station six days ago where officer Sansa and myself have been taking care of her, until her paternity test came back." At this Shōta felt Hizashi stiffen next to him. 

"I would like to introduce you to Midoriya Izumi. She is your niece Aizawa, and your daughter Yamada." The strain in Tsukauchi's voice was very clear, and Shōta idly wondered how his sister had hidden a full on child from him for four years. 

"What?" The question was quiet, but full of hysteria. "No...I...what?" Hizashi tried again before Shōta felt his body just collapse in on itself. 

The words Tsukauchi had said were making their way through Shōta's brain but they weren't fully being processed. 

The sniffle caught his attention finally, it was the first sound he had heard from the kid. Giving his head a firm shake Shōta finally took a look at the kid. 

The kid's hair was a wild mess of waves and curls, it was black but it looked to have lime green highlights naturally sprinkled through it, her eyes were the same toxic green as Hizashis' they even had darker green that spiraled out from the pupil. 

The freckles that were dusted across pale skin reminded him of his own mother, she had been of mixed nationality, holding citizenship in both Japan and Canada. His own freckles would show up when he had been in the sun, which made him avoid the giant ball of burning gas even more no matter how much he missed and tried to remember his mother. 

The kid's ears were starting to turn red much like his own do when he is overly emotional. That observation finally kicked his numb body into moving. 

Still holding his husband's hand in a death grip he dropped off the loveseat and onto his knees in front of the kid who was holding onto Tsukauchi so tightly that her knuckles were white. 

"Hey kid, did Inko ever talk to you about me?" Shōta asked, trying to distract the kid from the coming tears.

The kid 'Izumi' he forced himself to recall shook her head and nibbled on her lip like she wanted to say something. 

"Do you know who I am?" He tried, it was highly unlikely that the kid knew him, but the nod shocked him into staring at toxic green eyes longer. 

"How?" Was out of his mouth before he could stop it. 

"Pictures. Inko had pictures with names and days on the back." Okay there were a lot of things in that sentence and tone that needed to be analyzed later, but Shōta pushed it aside to get some other questions answered. 

Nodding, Shōta asked his next pressing question. "Do you know who he is?" He jerked his head towards the silent blond that was in a still unresponsive heap next to him. 

Izumi nodded again, her ears taking on a deeper red color. "Pictures?" Shōta asked, getting another nod in return. 

Squeezing his eyes closed tightly and shaking the hand that Hizashi was still holding roughly, Shōta was in no way prepared for the next words that were spoken. 

"It's okay if you don't want me, Inko and Hisashi didn't want me, that's why they left me at the police." It was so quiet that Shōta wanted to convince himself that he had imagined it. 

Shōta stilled, he wasn't sure what to say, and he was pretty close to either a panic attack or disassociating much like he husband was doing. 

Tsukauchi cleared his throat, it jerked Shōta out of his thoughts long enough for the detective to say. 

"We came for introductions and to share the information, Izumi will be staying with either myself or Sansa until you two have made your decision. I know it's not protocol...just give me a call later." 

That said Tsukauchi scooped the kid 'Izumi' into his arms and quickly left the two pro-heros alone. 

The click of the door shutting sounded like an explosion to Shōta, it jolted him again just enough to turn to Hizashi and work on bringing the man back to the real world. 

Yanking hard on the hand still gripping his own he unbalanced Hizashi enough to get a stutter in his breathing. 

"Zashi. He's gone, you gotta come back." Shōta demanded quietly. 

Wrapping his free arm around Hizashis' chest Shōta started to tap out the rhythm of an English song that Hizashi had used to randomly belt out in highschool. Giving himself and Hizashi something to focus on would be the only way to keep them grounded, usually it was Hizashi bringing him back but it worked both ways. 

Shōta was just starting the song over for the third time when Hizashi shifted against him and groaned. 

"I'm so sorry Shō. I didn't know. I swear." We're the first words that spilled from Hizashi's mouth. 

"Oh shut up you overgrown cockatoo." Shōta gently in his own way told his husband. 

"You have a daughter that was hidden from you, I have a niece that was hidden from me. My sister is dead, Tsukauchi said nothing of Inko's husband." Saying it wasn't helping it sink in, but he needed to say it. 

"She, Izumi, knows who we are in relation to her. She should be around four?" That question seems to jolt Hizashi a little, and a look between concentration and befuddlement is plastered across his face. 

"Un, three going on four at the youngest." Is the very quiet reply to the question about Izumi's age. 

Shōta pulled in a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it out in a rush. 

"Tsukauchi and Sansa are taking care of her, and Tsukauchi asked us to call him later." Shōta told Hizashi the last piece of information.

Feeling the nod against his chest, Shōta just kept tapping the song out. 

"I'm sorry about your sister Shō." Hizashi whispered into the fabric of Shōta's sweater. "I know you weren't close, but, still." 

Shōta shrugged, "Honestly, part of me forgot I even had a sister." He told Hizashi bluntly. "So her death isn't going to bother me too much." It was harsh, but Shōta was being honest. 

"Okay, next thing." Hizashi pulled himself away a little but still kept close enough in Shōta's personal bubble that they could comfort each other. 

"Izumi?" Hizashi asked, Shōta nodded when he realized that it was a question of her name. "Izumi was dropped off six days ago, she had a paternity test done to find her father. I am her father." Hizashi's breathing picked up again. 

"Okay, just stop, let's look at this differently." Shōta spoke quickly. "My sister is dead, she had a daughter, her custody was given to us in the will. I know we have only been married a year…" Shōta paused to take in a deep breath and release it again. "Do you want to take in the kid?"

Hizashi stayed quiet for what felt like forever. "Can we talk to her first?" Was the tentative question. 

Shōta let out another sigh, this one partly relieved and nodded.

[concealeddarkness13]

WHG Post Games Lynne Part 2

Trigger warning for blood and torture. Tagging: @ratracechronicler (also thanks for Atwater!), @maple-writes, @nightskywriter, @rhikasa, @pen-of-roses, @aeslin-writes, @the-moving-finger-writes, @knmartinshouldbewriting, @makeitmonstrous, and @timefirewrites!

The day of the interview and the day after the interview, the Shades put me through tests of endurance and mental strength. And they kept talking about how much the transfer of magic would hurt while they smiled. During the interview, my rebellious words had just slipped out, and I heard screams, and I thought I could make out Nesri. That was accompanied with a shock. Wonderful. Churi had been telling the truth.

Two days after the interview, I was supposed to get the magic. Peacekeepers were escorting me to the room where the Shades were going to perform the “ceremony”, as they called it, and I was biting my nails. I hadn’t been allowed to wander, of course, so I had no idea where I was or where the others were being held. I hadn’t even been able to talk to Lynn or Aster before or after the interview. I was completely isolated, and I had no idea what to do.

I glanced up as we passed a man wearing a greatcoat that reminded me of Triel’s. He had a scarred face with a beard and black-gray hair. He wasn’t walking in a straight line, as if the ground was moving under him. Was he drunk?

As I was watching him, I stumbled, and one of the Peacekeepers grumbled and shoved me forward. I fell down (since I wasn’t used to walking well on two legs again) as the other Peacekeepers snickered, and the heat rushed to my face. The Peacekeeper who shoved me stopped, and I looked back to see the man we had passed had put a hand on his shoulder.

He turned, and the man smiled at him. “Good morning, Lieutenant. Excuse me, but I couldn’t help noticing you dropped five days’ pay just back there.”

The Peacekeeper’s brow furrowed. “No, I didn’t.”

The man tsked. “Behavior infraction. I’m assuming you’ve read your handbook, stand-up fellow like you.” He flicked the Peacekeeper’s collar. “Class B breach of etiquette: restrictions on the use of physical force to redirect, slow, hurry, or otherwise manipulate the position of—”

“A citizen of the Capitol, which she is not,” another Peacekeeper cut in, her voice cold.

“She’s property,” another muttered.

The comments made me both want to fight them and make myself as small as possible at the same time. I just bowed my head as the man continued.

“Flickerman said on national television that she was saved from the arena. The law states that any refugees deliberately rescued by officials of Panem are granted the rights of citizenship until otherwise stated and changed according to the wishes of the refugee or the District by which they were saved.” I looked up at him with a frown, as he looked over at me. He offered a hand, and I took it and stood up with his help. Who was he, and why was he being nice?

He looked back at the Peacekeepers. “You five head to the Processing Department. My report should make it there before you do. I’ll escort Ms. Marne to Experiment Room Number 10 from here. I see no reason this shouldn’t go smoothly.” He looked sharply at the Peacekeepers who started to protest even as he smiled at them. “The last thing this administration needs right now in the midst of a media crisis and half-baked coverup is a barrel of monkey wrenches fucking things up.” The Peacekeepers nodded and left.

Once they were out of sight, he started walking the opposite direction from where I had been headed before. I scrambled to catch up to him. “Could you please introduce yourself? Are you a high-up working with the Shades?”

“Yes and no, in that order. Who are the Shades?”

I frowned. “The group I am supposed to be escorted to.” Who was he?

“And I take it you’d rather not be escorted to them?”

“Of course I don’t want to be escorted to them and get their fucking magic!” I paused and my hand brushed the shocker. “But…I have to…”

He ignored that completely. He pointed. “Bathrooms’re that way?”

What the fuck? “I guess… Who are you?”

“District 6 mentor. Okay, pretty much just Rebecca’s mentor. And whatever else the gentry’s put me to use for since technically not losing my Games 30-odd years ago. Hugo Atwater.” He mimed tipping a hat.

I perked up at his mention of Rebecca’s name. But how much did he know about her and her plans in the arena? “Did you know her before she was reaped?”

He fought a smile. “Ah. So, she didn’t mention me. I’m wounded. Yes, we know each other. Well enough to share the secrets about the rather ambitious alliance she was planning.” I sucked in a breath at that. So, he knew. Maybe he also could confirm if they had actually been captured by the Capitol.

“Sharp kid, that one. Worked her way into a specialized trip the gentry cooked up—they have me conducting trains these days mostly. Disguised herself, and there wasn’t a one she didn’t fool, present company included. Once she sets her mind to something, it’s as good as hers, no matter the laws or kneecaps she needs to get through to get it. And, by the by, feel free to turn right at your earliest possible convenience, lass.”

I smiled a little as a twinge of happiness pulled at my chest. It felt like an honor to be called lass. And the way he talked about Rebecca was so warm and friendly, I just felt comfortable around him. I had been around Iri as a child, and this felt similar. I looked over at him as we turned right. “Do you know if Rebecca got out safely? They’ve told me that everyone else in the alliance was captured as well, and I don’t know if I should believe them.”

Worry flickered in his eyes before he shook his head. “These folks are not, in my experience, to be trusted with something so delicate as the truth, my dear. A mutual friend has followed a promising lead into the heart of the Capitol. Either she’s found her Rebecca alive and well, with friends in tow, or she’s raised holy hell. Considering the planet isn’t currently a barren wasteland, I’d wager your alliance is fine. And if they’re worth their salt, they’ll be on their way to prying you from this fix as we speak.”

I breathed out long and slow. That made sense. Triel would have probably raised hell too. Atwater stopped in a room where no one else was, and I smiled at him. “Thank you for your help. But I don’t know if I’m worth the trouble. The Shades won’t stop hunting me if I escape them again. It might be better if I’m left behind.”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but yours is not the popular opinion there. If the plans are already in motion, you’re quite outnumbered by people who do believe you’re worth the trouble.” He paused. “Present company included.”

Tears welled in my eyes, and I looked away. They would just be chased the rest of their lives if they helped me. “Thank you,” I whispered. “I needed that.” But why did he even care?

“We can make their job a little easier. If we can make it to an exit—”

There was a pounding knock on the door, and I jumped as Atwater stood up with steely eyes. The door slammed open, and eight Peacekeepers walked in, pointing their guns at us. I glanced over at Atwater, as he adopted a nonchalant stance.

The lead Peacekeeper glared at us. “What is the meaning of this? Ms. Marne was supposed to go to Experiment Room Number 10!”

“As I was just explaining to her and now have to explain to you because someone else farther up the line evidently didn’t do their job which I now have to do, she’s been rescheduled to the Office of Publicity first for a photoshoot. Before and after, I suppose.”

“No, she isn’t.” I flinched at the voice. Churi walked to the front of the group and up to me. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up. “The Capitol wouldn’t dare postpone such an important ceremony.” He grinned over at Atwater. “And now, you’re invited.”

He grimaced. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard of a class B breach of etiquette from the Peacekeeping handbook?”

Churi clicked his tongue. “A shame that the Capitol already pardoned any…unseemly behavior my group decides to do.” He snapped his fingers, and four Peacekeepers restrained Atwater, while the other four surrounded us. Churi kept a hold of my arm as he pulled me along.

He shook his head at me as we walked. “I’m surprised, especially, at you, Ms. Marne. I would have thought we had given you enough incentive to not stray from your path.”

I hissed out a breath as my blood started to boil. I glanced over at Atwater. He had made me feel safe and bolder. I wasn’t going to just take this anymore. I glared at Churi. “I won’t believe your fucking lies.” I flinched as a shock went through me.

Churi laughed. “You poor, dear girl.”

He didn’t say anything else as we walked, and we finally got to the room. Nine other Shades were standing in a circle, facing an open area. Atwater was brought to the side, and a scientist walked up to me. Churi held out my arm, and she took my blood. I started shaking as she walked over to the first Shade, took the needle off the syringe, and handed it to the Shade. Each Shade was holding something glowing.

Churi pulled me into the center of the circle and pushed me down so I was kneeling. He moved back, but three Peacekeepers grabbed hold of me and kept me from moving. I had expected something unpleasant, but this was too creepy. I started breathing faster, and my eyes found Atwater, but he couldn’t help me. Still, he was staring back at me, and there was support in his eyes.

Churi bowed to me. “Thank you for your cooperation. I hope this transfer won’t be too painful.” He was smiling too widely. “There is no need to explain the process. The magic will be transferred now.”

Churi joined the circle, and the Shade holding the syringe let a drop fall into the glowing ball in her hand, and the ball glowed red instead. As she walked forward, I glared at Churi and choked out some words, even as I was shaking. “I will not be your puppet.”

He just laughed as the Shade reached me and pushed the glowing red ball into my chest. Pain. Burning, aching pain. I squeezed my eyes shut as tears flowed down my cheeks, and I screamed. My chest burned. I couldn’t get away. I couldn’t get away.

The Peacekeepers held me still as I tried to thrash out of their grip. I didn’t see the next Shade approach me, but when they touched me, the pain intensified. And kept intensifying with each touch, until all ten were transferred to me. I didn’t know if anyone else was screaming, or if I was the only one. Tears blurred my vision, my throat was raw, and all I could feel was pain. It wasn’t going away. It wasn’t going away.

By the time I was aware of my surroundings again, Churi was kneeling in front of me, his face inches from mine. The Peacekeepers hadn’t let me fall to the ground. He laughed and placed a hand on my face, wiping away my tears. “You are our property, Ms. Marne. We chose you ten years ago. You slipped away from us then, but we always get our property back. You won’t be able to escape again. I wouldn’t expect you’d have the strength to do much after this ceremony anyway. Tonight, we will have a public demonstration of the magic the Capitol so graciously gave you. I’m afraid it will be agony to use the magic so soon after the ceremony, Ms. Marne, but I know you can do it. I will be visiting you later to teach you how to use the magic.” He snapped his fingers, and the Peacekeepers made me stand up. They started walking off, and I looked back at Atwater one last time as Churi turned to him. “I have some words for you before we let you go…”

[airis-paris14]

Redemption 11

Summary: One person, a secret, and and ocean tore them apart. Six years later, they find their way back together. But a rekindled love is not Redemption.

A/N: So I never actually posted this?!?!? I don’t even know what happened with that. But sorry for my haitus. I should be back more often now. 12 coming soon! I missed Y’all!

Zari’s feet drug her up the street towards her solace. The sun sunk behind the horizon as she reached the brick staircase leading up to her house. She rummaged through her purse, her hand clutched around her keys. She flipped to the house key and inserted it into the lock. On, two, three clicks granted her entrance into the house. She pulled off her sneakers and threw her keys into the hall bowl. Padding softly into the living room her heart soared at the sight. Her parents sat sleeping on the main couch. Her father’s arm wrapped around his wife. Isha was wrapped in a blanket on the end of the sectional. Aiden lay softly snoring on his father, who was on his back asleep in the middle of the floor. Zari snapped a quick picture of the two sleeping together before heading up stairs. She slipped into a warm shower before changing clothes.Zari heads back down the stairs, only to find her mother starting dinner.

“How was work?” the older woman smiles, pouring the pasta into the salted water. “It was fine.” Zari answered, plugging her phone up on the counter. She grabbed the tomatoes and began pan roasting them. “So when are you going to tell me what really happened?” Zari’s mother raised an eyebrow, grabbing the chicken from the refrigerator. “What do you mean?”

“Zari. You loved your school, your family, your home, and you love T’Challa. I just don’t understand who could’ve had enough power to make you leave everything behind. Then you don’t call anyone for years? We thought you were dead.” her mother fussed, slicing the chicken into thin pieces. Zari was silent, adding the peppers to the pan with tomatoes. “That morning, after I went to brunch at the palace, I went to the palace infirmary. I confirmed that I was pregnant and I was headed to the pharmacy to pick up the vitamins, when the king cornered me in the hallway.”

“T’Chaka?” her mother frowned. “Yes. He had learned from the doctors that I was pregnant and offered to allow me to get an abortion. In exchange, I could never tell T’Challa that I was pregnant. I wanted to keep the baby. T’Challa and I had talked about being married one day, and we both wanted children. It came alot earlier than intended and in a much different order, but I knew this is what I wanted. I felt that he would want the same.” Zari explained. “You did the right thing. That man is just as crazy about that boy as if he’s been there from day one.” Mrs. Abu smiled.

“I know,” Zari smiled, staring at her new screen saver of the two. “T’Chaka did not feel the same though. When I informed him that his son had a right to know, he backed down and let me head on my way. That night, Isha and I were planning how to tell you and baba over dinner, when the dora knocked.” A shadow passed over her mother’s face as she recalled the night. “They took us to this tent in the middle of nowhere. They separated me and Isha and put me on a plane. When I woke up, I was in New york.” Zari frowned, reaching to turn the hot pan off. Her mother watched as she poured the vegetables into the pasta. The older woman pulled the chicken out of the oven and stood next to her daughter. Zari poured the sauce over the pasta mixture, flinching slightly as it began to sizzle before settling back down.

“I am sorry.” Mrs. Abu watched her daughter’s back stiffen. “I am so sorry,” tears flooded the older woman’s eyes as she embraced her daughter. A shudder went through Zari’s body as she broke down in tears. She wrapped her hands tightly around her mother, snuggling into her embrace as she cried for the first time in years. The two stood crying, holding each other tight for the first time in five years. The older woman was the first to pull back, running her thumbs over her daughter’s tears. “I am so proud of you. The woman, the mother that you have become.” the older woman cried, wiping her own tears in between wiping her daughters. “I missed you everyday,” Zari admitted. “I wanted to call but they took my beads. I didn’t get them back until two days ago, T’Challa. I don’t know how he got some, but he did and I was going to call-”

“I know. That is how we found you. When he registered the beads with you again we were all notified that you were back on line. Isha had a friend sneak us out of the country to come visit you.” Mrs. Abu explained. “What did I tell you the first time we got seperated in the market?”

“We will always find our way back together.”

“Nothing can keep us apart,”the mother reassured. Zari smiled, pulling her mother back in for another hug. The sound of the pasta sizzling again pulled the women apart. Zari turned off the stove top before wiping her own eyes once more. “They tried to wait up for you,” Mrs Abu pointed to Aiden and T’Challa. He tried to convince Aiden to take a nap until you got back. Baby boy wouldn’t agree until he offered to let him sleep downstairs so he could see you when you came home.” Zari grinned at her mother. “He adores you. They both do.” her mother clarified.

“Mama?” Aiden’s sleepy voice greeted Zari as the child in question walked around the corner. “Hey baby boy.” Zari smiled pulling him up into a hug. “You hungry love?” Zari asked. The kindergartner nodded. His mom helped him up onto a bar stool. Zari made a small salad with strawberries before placing some of the pasta and half a chicken breast on his plate. The child mumbled a sleepy thank you before digging in. “He’s definitely your son.” Zari glanced at her mother. “Why do you say that?” Strawberries on salad were the only way you would eat salad too. Zari smiled. The sound of someone walking interrupted her rebuttal. T’Challa rounded the corner, blinking once his eyes focused on Zari in the kitchen. “Good morning your majesty,” Zari smirked.

“Your back.” The king paused, “How long ago did you get back?” Zari set his plate on the counter next to Aiden. “About two hours ago,” she took a wet rag cleaning off the counter around the sink in front of them. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“You all looked so peaceful,”Zari chuckled, displaying her new home screen. The king smiled before beginning to eat. “I think I am going to go get a quick shower before I eat,” Zari’s mother excused herself and headed up the stairs. Zari made herself a plate before joining the two on the island. “How was work?”

“Boring.” Zari sighed. “I’d rather hear about what you two did today.” Zari grinned at Aiden.“Baba took me to that really tall building downtown. I met all these nice people. Oh, and I met Mr. Stark! He was so smart!” Aiden rambled on. At the mention of Tony Stark’s name Zari glanced at T’Challa in shock.”

Where’s my grandson?” Zari’s father’s voice rang out from the living room. Aiden glanced at his mother for permission before running to his grandpa. “You took him to meet Tony Stark?”

“It was business,” T’Challa explained. “Aiden seems to have enjoyed himself,” Zari chuckled grabbing her plate and Aiden’s to wash. “Do not remind me. I hoped he would have forgotten by now.” T’Challa sighed, watching her wash the first plate. “I must say, I am quite jealous,” Zari rinsed the plate. “Why would that be?” the king questioned, finishing the last of his food. “I was not able to meet the amazing Mr. Stark. I mean he’s so strong and rich. I can’t help but hear that he is handsome as well.” Zari teased. T’Challa joined her at the sink, wrapping his arms around her to wash his plate while she rinsed hers. “Why should you want to meet him, when you have someone so much better in your life?”

“Who would that be?” she feigned ignorance.”Do not be cruel entle,” the king frowned. “I’m sorry love,” Zari smiled, “Besides, you are much better looking than Tony Stark.” Zari amended. “I know,” the king smirked moving from behind Zari. He wiped his hands before passing the dry towel back to her. “So what happens when you go back to Wakanda?”

“Well, I hope to begin screening candidates for the first Wakandan citizenship tests. Right now it is only open to applicants of African Descent.”The king explained. “That’s exciting.”Zari smiled. “As well as stressful. If I do not get this right, and these people do not acclimate to the country, the elders will never let this happen again.” T’Challa frowned. “It is a good thing. Just trust your intuition.” Zari reassured. “What will you do?”

“Well, the show opens in a month. Then I work on the show, until I decide I am ready to leave. Or it is ended. Then, I play the waiting game for a new job. Maybe work on my clothing line.”

“Maybe you and Aiden can come to Wakanda. Visit for a month or two over the summer?” T’Challa asks. “I don’t know T’Challa.”

“He deserves to get to see his home. His family? My mother and Shuri are going to love him. I would like to tell them before it gets out to the media. I want to claim his as my own. Zari, he is the next in line for the throne. He has to come back at some point.”

“The throne?”

“Yes, he is my son Zari.” T’Challa rebutted. “I know, but he’s only five.” Zari insisted. “I am not saying he will take the throne tomorrow. But he will need to get a wakandan education. Soon.” the king emphasized. “I know, I know,”Zari sighed. “Just, let me think about it ok?”

The king nodded, “Of course.”

“Speaking of, how is Shuri?” Zari asked. “She’s great. She’s grown up so much. Smart, smarter than me at that age.”The king admitted, “but, she doesn’t need to know I ever admitted that.”

“Of course,” Zari smiled. “She runs the department of technological advancement now.”

“Alone?” Zari gasped. “For the whole country? How old is she now? Sixteen?”

“Yes. Only sixteen.” The king smiled. “We thought we were doing something special at sixteen. All we did was run for student government.” Zari laughed. “And we won,” the king added. “That we did. Back when things were simpler.”Zari sighed. “Did you ever think we’d be here?” She gestured to the house around us.

“Yes, albeit in Wakanda. With baba still alive, and us just engaged.” The king replied. “And Aiden?”

“Maybe in another seven years from now.” the king added. Zari smiled. “Me too.”

“May I take you out tomorrow?” T’Challa asked. “Thought we were going out friday?” Zari frowned. “I changed my mind, I can not wait any longer.” The king insisted. “Then I guess we’re going out tomorrow night,” Zari smiled.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

Taglist: @almostpurelysmut @blackbypurpose @nyneebee @hutchj @tchoking @sisterwifeudaku @wikiwakanda @royallyprincesslilly @90sinspiredgirl @strictlyashley @afraiddreamingandloving @thedelightfulone @autumn242 @purple-apricots @kumkaniudaku @queertrex @kaciidubs @halfrican-heat @skysynclair19 @dramaqueenamby @gorjiss @leahnicole1219 @kreolemami @mzbritt @yoyolovesbucky @derangedcupcake @builtalongthewayside @ilcb7 @chaneajoyyy @lalapalooza718 @ororowrites @leahnicole1219 @dopegalkk @sarcastic-sunshines @sarahboseman @shesakillerkween @waitingonafriend @faatassbitch

[melodiouswhite]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde rewritten - Ch. 46

46. The confession of Lady Summers (tw: violence, gore, human experimentation)

“I was born to a Prussian margrave and a Hanoverian princess. I will skip over how they met and married both for love and political advantages, and just tell you that I received both of their titles as a birthday gift.

My mother's father became king of Hanover two years after I was born, my father's father succeeded his own father when I was five.

Apart from my grandfathers' coronations, which I attended with my parents, my early childhood was very uneventful. My grandfathers, ambiguous as their political stances were, were most kind to me and I remember them fondly.

At the age of six I realised that I could hear what other people think and read their minds.

I distinctly remember that my father was very ecstatic, when he found out, that I had supernatural abilities like him. My mother wasn't as happy, but she never said anything.

It was, like I said, an uneventful life.

But all of this was ruined, shortly after I turned ten years old.

How could I ever forget that day?

I was playing outside with my father's dogs and suddenly a group of strangers appeared out of nowhere. There was no greeting, no explanation. I was just seized by the arms and someone choked me, before I could scream for help.

When I awoke, I was in a cold, white room, chained to a bed like a madwoman and there were strange men in bloodied aprons standing around me.

To say that I was terrified is an understatement.

I asked them where my parents were and they told me that they weren't here and would never find me. They told me that they knew of my abilities and called me an 'interesting specimen'.

My clothes were taken away and instead I was given a white hospital gown. They took my name away and called me 'test subject 37', before locking me alone into a cell, like I was a patient in a lunatic asylum.

For the first days I was left alone, except for the 'doctors', who came in and asked me a lot of strange questions. But their thoughts frightened me and my parents had already taught me not to trust strangers, so I refused to answer a single one. There was that one man, who tried to bribe me out of silence with sweets. As you can imagine, it didn't work, because I didn't want sweets, I wanted my parents!

I tried anything to make them let me go home, I threw tantrums, cried, appealed, begged, screamed until my voice was gone … it was for naught.

One morning a tall doctor came into my cell, a man with mouse blond hair and the cruellest eyes I've ever seen in my entire life. He told me that they would experiment on me. I didn't know what that meant, but that man radiated nothing but evil and heartlessness, so it couldn't be good.

Strange appendages were attached to my head and chest, I still don't know what they were good for.

Somehow he managed to manipulate me into using my abilities, by making me tell him facts about him that only he knew. His name was Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Weisshand and he was extremely interested in the supernatural, its influence on people and how it could be exploited for scientific purposes. He was taking notes the entire time we were talking to each other.

This went on for a few days.

And then came the torture.

I was tied to a board, while they injected small amounts of strange substances into my body. They tried countless different samples and all the while they took notes on how it was affecting me.

Some of the chemicals didn't do anything to me or made me feel a little funny at best.

But then they moved on to stronger things. The doses were very low, but it was enough to send a ten-year-old girl into spirals of agony. One of them made my arm go numb and turn blue. First they wanted to amputate it, but after a few days it returned back to normal, so they kept experimenting.

But one time they came with a strange green liquid and somehow it made me squirm more, before it had even been injected.

The pain was immense, as if my veins and inner organs were being disintegrated by acid.

At some point I passed out from the pain.

In the weeks following I became gravely ill. I'm surprised it didn't happen earlier.

After about a month, I heard them talk about having to operate on my body. I was too weak to struggle, when they came with the ether to sedate me.

I don't know how much ether was in the cloth they knocked me out with, but it definitely wasn't enough.

I woke up … during the surgery.

I can't and won't go into detail about what I saw, but the agony! The unimaginable agony! The mortal fear, the pain, I thought I was going to-

I'm sorry. The memory just … give me a moment to compose myself. Maybe a glass of water … thank you, Marie. I think I can go on now.

I'm pretty sure I did almost die. The shock, blood loss, infection, gangrene, anything could have killed me that day. Truth be told, I don't know how I'm still alive.

I slowly recovered afterwards, but then I asked one of the doctors, what exactly they had done to me. He said that apparently the last substance had done something to my body and they had to operate to 'save' me. Then he left briefly and returned to show me a glass, containing … well, you've seen where the surgical scar is, so I think you can guess what it was.

I was too young to understand.

He told me that it meant that I would never have children.

You know, gentlemen, like many other girls I dreamed of having a big family, lots of adorable little children surrounding me, a loving husband by my side and my father with a grandchild on each knee.

But when that man's words sank in … that this dream would never come true … in addition to all the things they had done to me … I think that was the breaking point.

I completely lost my will to live. I just stopped eating and drinking to the point, where they had to force feed me. I didn't even care anymore, I was dead on the inside.

Then I was transferred to another cell, where three other prisoners were kept, a married couple from France and a younger man from Switzerland. We became friends quickly. They were so sweet to me and after a while I recovered just enough to eat again. If I told you their names, there is no way you would believe me, but let's just say I was a strange girl in even stranger company.

In the time that followed, our tormentors didn't experiment on me, just supervised my recovery.

I'm quite sure they would have experimented on me further, but then a miracle happened – no, not the kind of miracle where an angel appears with a blinding halo. No.

My suffering companions had friends, who were strong enough to break into the facility and get them out.

When they finally found us and saw me, they liberated me as well and brought me home.

I don't have to describe the bittersweetness of my return.

My father offered my saviours a considerable reward, but they refused. They gave him their address though, in case we would need them.

I'm still in contact with them. They even moved here about ten years ago, perhaps I can introduce you one day. You would like them. They're entirely bonkers, but lovable in their way.

I didn't tell my parents everything that had happened, only bits. I was scared that they would lose their minds otherwise, if they even believed me at all. But what I told them was enough to ruin my mother's health. She became very sick and was confined to the bed for her remaining years.

My father on the other hand became obsessed with me learning to defend myself, so he went out of his way to find someone who was willing to teach a little girl how to fight.

It was like a Prussian military drill, really.

When I was twelve, my mother passed away, just two months before the Revolution of 1848 broke out. Not that I ever cared about the latter.

In hindsight, I should have, but it's too late now.

All the while my father was travelling around, doing his duty as a diplomat – and having affairs along the line, because that's how he was.

Three years later my dear grandfather Ernest passed away and left the throne to his son, my uncle. I didn't care three straws about him, so I never set foot into Hanover again after grandfather's funeral.

After that my father took me along on his journeys to distract me from my grief.

Shortly after I turned seventeen we visited Weimar, because our old friends had moved there.

We met them and spent an enjoyable time together.

Sadly, none of us knew that the organisation that had kidnapped me at ten was also operating in that city. Sure enough, one morning I had to go somewhere alone and was promptly kidnapped. Again. Yes, seriously.

This time I was spared the hazardous surgeries, but they injected more dubious chemicals into my body and … I think some of them were blood samples? I'm not entirely sure.

Anyway, at this point I was more angry than scared – don't get me wrong, I was still terrified – and mocked and insulted them relentlessly to make myself feel better.

Fortunately I didn't have to suffer another two months of torment this time. My father asked our friends for help, who found and saved me just two weeks later.

After that we left Germany – with grandpa Friedrich Wilhelm's permission, of course – and that was my first actual world journey.

In England we were welcomed by my mother's cousin – Her Majesty, Queen Victoria herself. Somehow she took a liking to us and we were granted British citizenship. Through the years we made one more journey and after the second one, my father finally found someone, who was willing to marry his sterile daughter – my darling copperhead James, God rest his soul.

Shortly after the engagement, we received a cable from Berlin and hurried there as fast as we could.

We just came in time to say goodbye to my grandfather Friedrich and inform him of my engagement, before he passed away.

After that we left Germany behind and settled in England for good.

The rest you know, gentlemen.

You know, I am happier here in England than I would have been in my birth country.

And for the last twenty-five years, I have felt safe here.

I thought that here I wouldn't have to face my past. But now it's back to haunt me.

I think you noticed how paranoid and on edge I have been lately.

It's because of them.

They're here in England.

Looking for new test subjects.

At first I thought it was just an obsessive stalker, but then I caught someone spying on me, while I took a nightly walk. It was one of them, I knew it as soon as I heard his thoughts. He recognised me. He remembered that I once had been test subject 37.

I lost it, shot him in the arm and Dr. Lanyon can confirm, that after that I came banging on his door.

It's funny, really. All this … this horror happened forty and thirty-three years ago and I'm now fifty years old.

I thought that I would be over it, that I wasn't scared anymore.

But, as you have clearly seen, I was wrong. Wait no, scratch that. I was just in denial.

I'm like the frightened, sobbing child I was back then.

And this is it, gentlemen.

This is the tale of Lady Luise Summers. My tragic backstory, if you will.

I didn't want to tell you, because you all have your own emotional baggage and I feared, that bearing mine as well would be too much for you.

If you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore, I understand that, even though it would make me more than sad.

All I ask of you, gentlemen, is that you don't tell a single soul about what you just heard.”

[thelibrarianintraining]

The Division - Chapter Five - Mitch Rapp

Author: @thelibrarianintraining

Title: “This Time Tomorrow”

Word Count: 3,372

Warnings: NSFW, 18+, oral (female receiving), protected sex

Summary: As they seek more information about their target, Rapp becomes more suspicious of Eve’s intentions. She reassures him that she’s not working against him.

Masterlist

Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six

Eve grunted as she rolled onto her side to check her phone’s caller ID. It was Hurley, so she had no choice but to pick it up. The sun was just beginning to rise, it's light barely peeking in through the windows and she had a slight headache. Talking to her father was near the bottom of the list of things that she actually felt like doing. The top being go back to sleep.

"Hello?"

"Eve, I just finished going over your report. Do you think you can handle King?" questioned Hurley. She wanted to ask if he knew what time it was, but he probably did and he probably assumed that she had already been awake. He expected her to be up before the sun, but she didn’t live on Barn time anymore. Eight was her early and besides, she still had jet lag.

"Of course. I'm ready this time and I'm sure that Rapp won't let him get away anyway," she answered, glancing to the other side of the bed, where Rapp had been when she fell asleep. She’d almost forgotten he’d slept there. Almost. His presence had nearly hindered her sleep more than it had helped it. He was awake. His brown eyes were watching her and he didn't mind that he'd been caught. He just kept his eyes on her.

"Yeah, well, just be careful out there, all right?"

"Of course, Hurley. I'm ready this time. You made sure that I was prepared."

In the night, Rapp had shrugged off the covers and he was on top of them now. His shirt had been discarded, probably because of her tears, and he had nothing on but his boxer briefs, she realized. For the second time in less than twelve hours, he was mostly naked in front of her and she wasn’t sure that she could handle that.

"I've tried to make sure that you're both prepared."

"I think you've been successful. I'll update you as soon as I've got more information. Look for my next report," she stated, her eyes still on Rapp's. He’d prepared them for a lot of things, but working with each other wasn’t one of them. She hadn’t been prepared for this kind of partner at all. She’d been prepared for annoying and she’d been prepared for disobedient. Rapp was a whole other ball game.

"Make it worth my time, Gallowin," ordered Hurley. "I can't give the kill order until I have good strong proof."

"Yes, sir." The line went dead and she set the phone back on the nightstand. Rapp finally looked away and she felt somewhat disappointed. He'd only been interested in her conversation, while she'd been solely interested in him.

"So do we have the go ahead on King?" he questioned, all business again.

"Not until I have some solid proof. I can't do anything until I can show them that he really is involved," she stated and he shifted onto his side, while she struggled to keep her eyes on his.

"Then I guess that we should get started for the day."

"Real tourists wouldn't be up before the sun," she stated, glancing toward the window.

"Maybe some wanna get out and see the sights before the crowds."

"Not a young couple. They'd be taking advantage of their private suite and their big king size bed," she laughed. Rapp's eyes shifted, glancing over the upper half of her body, what wasn't hidden beneath the sheets. That's when she realized how he might have interpreted her suggestion. "I mean, who doesn't want to sleep in? Especially a young couple who stayed up a little too late."

He raised an eyebrow at her. He was catching on to where her thoughts were roaming. She shouldn’t have corrected herself.

"A young couple who stayed up too late enjoying each other and woke up early enough that they had time to enjoy each other even more?”

She stared at him for a moment and then laughed.

"That's a good point."

Eve showed Rapp King's home. It didn't look like the home of an international arms dealer. It looked more like the home of a wealthy elderly woman. And maybe that was the point, but it still seemed ridiculous.

She shared with him everything that she knew of the home's layout, including the grounds. They noted how many men there were and the placement of security cameras. She explained the home's security system, or what it had been the last time that she'd been to the house, three years ago.

Then, they returned to the hotel to go over the details and formulate a plan of action.

Rapp got into the shower, while Eve was writing her report. He wondered if she was asleep yet. He couldn't stop thinking about the way that she'd looked that morning, sleeping beside him. Then how she'd looked when she was awoken by Hurley's call. Her tank top had ridden up during the night, revealing the smooth skin of her waist and he'd wanted to touch her so badly. He'd probably even stared longer than he should have, but he couldn't really help himself.

His shower was cold and rushed. He needed to calm down and wake up. He was too relaxed around Eve and he of all people should know better. The only people that he could trust were Hurley and Kennedy. He barely knew Eve. Hurley had sent him on this mission for a reason, and after seeing her take down three men alone, he was pretty sure that it wasn't because she couldn't kill King on her own. She'd already confessed to him that she'd killed an assassin.

He'd just pulled on his boxer-briefs and was in the process of adjusting the waistband when he came to a realization. Hurley had sent him to finish off King, if she failed a second time. Maybe he'd even sent him to finish off Eve, if it came down to it. Hurley didn't really trust Agent Gallowin. He trusted Rapp to do what was necessary to complete the mission.

He opened the bathroom door to look at her, hoping that she was asleep. She was and she looked so damn innocent and peaceful. She was right. Who'd ever guess that she was a spy? Who'd ever guess that he was an assassin? That despite their appearances there hid a monster just waiting to take down anyone that got in its way? And that went for both of them. She'd taken down an assassin just to live. Who knew what other kills she had under her belt? And he was well aware of his own ruthlessness when it came to the bad guys.

"What's wrong, Rapp? You're giving off too much negative energy for me to sleep," she mumbled and he realized that her eyes were on him.

"Why am I really here, Gallowin? You don't need me."

She sat up with a sigh, cocking her head to the side as she looked at him. She'd lost the tank top, but he kept his eyes locked on hers. The possibility that she was the bad guy, was definitely a turn off.

"Because Hurley thinks that I need a babysitter. You'd probably guessed that already. After all, I did tell you my history."

"Is that it? Really?" he asked, leaning against the door frame and crossing his arms over his chest.

"He thinks that I'll fail again and he can't risk that. You're here as a sort of insurance policy that the job will get done...one way or the other."

"You think that he sent me here to kill you?"

Eve laughed like it was the most ridiculous thing that she’d ever heard.

"Hurley wouldn't have me killed. Tortured? Maybe. Locked away? Probably. Under surveillance at all times? Oh, yeah. Definitely. But killed? No."

"You seem so sure of that."

"He's my dad." She shrugged. He stared at her. “I would hope that he wouldn’t send an assassin after me. I’d like to think that he’d at least do it himself. The whole ‘never let it get personal’ deal.”

"What?" he asked, ignoring everything after the first sentence.

"Stan Hurley is my dad." She stated it like it was common knowledge. Rapp stared at her in disbelief. He wasn’t sure that he was hearing her right. "He's all I've got."

"Where's your mother?"

"She passed away when I was still a kid. I barely remember her. I’m the illegitimate kid.  Hence, why I use the name Gallowin. It was my mother’s maiden name. It wouldn’t do me any good to use my dad’s. It’d only put me in even more danger. But I’ve lived with him since I was a kid. I had nowhere else to go. My mom was a prostitute. Luckily, her ‘boss’ was a contact of dad’s so he knew about me and when mom passed away, he took me in. I mean, there was a lot of legal stuff involved. DNA tests, citizenship, etc. His job made that all a little easier though."

"Are you even supposed to be telling me this?" He was sure that his face was probably a little comical, but he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

"Probably not, but we've got to trust each other. I want you to know that I'm not a double agent. I know that you're thinking it."

He was silent for a long time as he thought about what she'd said. He wasn't really sure that he believed her, but it did seem a little too far-fetched to be a lie.

"I can call him and get him to confirm it right now."

"Would he do that even if he's really your father?"

"He will if I explain the situation. It's life or death."

"I'm not going to kill you unless you give me a reason to."

“Here, actually, it’s in my file.” She picked up her laptop.

“It’s okay. I believe you,” he said, pushing off the door frame. She stared at him a moment before setting the laptop back on the bedside table.

"I'm glad we got that sorted out. Now I can go--"

Rapp cut her off by pressing his lips firmly against hers. He'd made his way to the side of the bed in moments. Now that he was mostly sure that she wasn't a double agent, he didn't feel so bad about the way he wanted her. After all, if Hurley was her dad, then she had a lot more to fear than Rapp if she did something that went against them. She gasped, but then pressed herself closer to him.

He'd admittedly never liked the taste of red wines, but he couldn't help but think that if they tasted the same as they did on Eve's lips, they'd be all he ever wanted to drink. He sat on the edge of the bed and leaned in closer to her. He’d think about the consequences later.

Eve gasped in surprise as Rapp kissed her, one of his large hands sliding up the back of her neck to tangle in her hair as he pulled her closer. She was surprised and confused, but she didn't say anything out of fear of ruining the moment. Instead, she pressed herself in closer to him. She’d been craving him since they’d kissed at the Gala. She hadn’t kissed anyone in a while, but she knew that it was the best kiss that she’d ever had.

He pulled away slowly to catch his breath, but kept his hand at the back of her neck. He moved to sit beside her on the bed as he leaned in again.

"What are you doing, Mitch Rapp?" she questioned, her breathing still unsteady. She didn’t want to ruin the moment, but she had to know what this moment was. She needed to know his intentions. It had been a fairly sudden change.

"I don't know what I'm doing," he murmured, opening his eyes to look at her.

"I like a Mitch Rapp who doesn't know what he's doing," she replied, pressing her lips back against his. She was content with that answer, content to know that he just wanted her and that was all he knew. She fumbled her way out from beneath the sheets and climbed into his lap, straddling him like she'd been dreaming about doing for days. His free hand slipped down to her ass, pressing her closer to him as he let his tongue slip into her mouth. He pulled away only to attach his lips to her neck and she let her head fall to the side, reveling in the feel of his mouth on her skin.

She moaned quietly as he reached her soft spot and he hummed back as he let the hand that had been at the back of her neck fall to the clasp of her bra. He popped it open in one expert motion, never letting his lips leave her skin as he pulled the straps down her arms. He pulled away when it fell, looking up at her with dark eyes before lowering his head to take one of her nipples into his mouth. Eve let her hands slide over his chest, through the dark hair there, to his shoulders, and then up his neck only to tangle her fingers in his dark hair and tug him closer.

He moved his hand to her other breast to tweak the nipple there and he groaned quietly against her skin when she moved in closer, grinding her core against his length. She did it again and they both let out moans. She pushed him backwards onto the bed and his hands slid to her hips as she continued to grind against him. She loved the feel of him beneath her. She loved the look of him beneath her, his hands guiding her hips as he matched her rhythm. She liked this side of Rapp, his guard let down and his eyes almost black as he watched her. She leaned down to kiss him again.

In the next moment, he'd flipped their positions with her underneath him and ripped her underwear down her legs. He kept his eyes on her as he kissed his way down her stomach, until his knees were on the floor. He tugged her all the way to the edge of the bed with minimal effort, throwing her legs over his shoulders and ducking his head between them. She gasped, letting her head fall back against the bed, as he pressed his tongue flat between her folds and licked a stripe up to her clit. She clung to the sheets as his tongue flicked against her clit mercilessly. dragging obscene moans from her lips.

Her hips bucked against his hand as he slipped a finger into her heat and he moved his free hand to hold her hips in place as he slowly pumped his finger in and out of her. He stopped only for a moment, to insert a second finger and groaned as she clenched around him. He continued his assault on her clit as he curled his fingers, causing her to scream his name. He kept his steady rhythm through her orgasm until she was pushing him away with a whimper, unable to take anymore.

Or so she thought, until he stood up and licked her juices from his fingers and she shivered a little at the sight. Until she saw his stubble soaked with her essence and his erection straining against his boxer briefs and she realized that she wanted nothing more than to feel him inside of her. She wanted him to absolutely dominate her. To make her scream his name until she couldn't scream anymore.

She grabbed a condom from the the drawer of the bedside table while he stripped out of his briefs and stroked himself. She could tell that he wanted to ask, but was glad that he didn't as she handed it to him and he slipped it on and moved his body over hers. He rolled his hips into hers and she shuddered at the feeling of his tip sliding through her folds. Then he was positioning himself at her entrance and slipping inside. They both groaned at the feeling.

“Oh, God, Rapp. Please,” she whispered and he let out a puff of air that could have been an amused laugh before he started to move his hips. The way his hips rolled into hers was unbelievable and she whimpered against his chest as she clung to him, but it wasn’t nearly enough. She needed more and she knew that he was capable of everything she wanted and then some. “Rapp, fuck me like you mean it.”

He slowed until his hips came to a stop and she looked up at him in disappointment, but he wasn’t even close to done with her. He pulled away, only to throw one of her legs over his shoulder before he thrust into her again. He tangled his fingers in her hair and yanked, exposing her neck to his mouth as she gasped. He sucked at her neck harshly as he pounded into her, the new angle and the force of his thrusts causing her to scream.

“Say my name, princess,” he ordered and she didn’t hesitate when she begged him for more. He glanced down to where their bodies connected and let out a deep moan that made her clench around him. “Fuck.”

“Ra-” his lips pressed roughly against hers before she could finish his name and she moaned into his mouth as his finger found her clit and began rubbing furious circles around it. She was moments from falling over the edge when he picked up his pace, the coil in her stomach tightening. She screamed his name as her orgasm washed over her, her body arching into his and clenching around him, triggering his in return.

"Oh, fuck," he grunted, his thrusts becoming sloppy and then slowing to a stop. He was panting heavily, holding himself up on shaking arms before pulling out and collapsing next to her.

"That...was amazing," she panted as she glanced over at him and he nodded, his chest still heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

Rapp's fingers drew lazy circles on Eve's side as he held her close to him. They’d cleaned themselves up and then collapsed side by side on the bed. They were both still partially in a daze and he was enjoying the feeling of holding a woman again. She hadn't pulled her clothes back on yet and for that he was grateful. He was enjoying the feeling of her soft skin against his.

"Keep it up, Rapp, and I'll start to think you actually like me," she murmured quietly, resting her head on his arm. She was looking up at him, probably expecting him to say something, but he didn't know what to say to her. What could he say? Not that he loved her. He could tell her that he did actually like her, but he was afraid that she'd read too much into that. That she’d think it meant something different than how he actually meant it.

She apparently didn't care too much about a response though as she settled in against him, slipping a leg between his and closing her eyes. A few moments later, much to Rapp's surprise, she was asleep. He desperately hoped that she was exactly who she said she was because he could use a few more moments like this one. He wasn't really sure that he could find them again without Eve because for some reason, he trusted her, despite his lack of trust for everyone else in the world. There was something about her. Something beyond just the fact that she was Hurley's daughter. If she happened to betray his trust somehow, he wasn’t sure what he would do.

She'd wanted him to know about her past. She'd put it all out there. All her mistakes, knowing that he'd have doubts about her loyalty. She had to have known that he wouldn't be able to trust her if she told him all of it, but she'd wanted him to know anyway.

[patriotsnet]

Are Other Republicans Running For President

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/are-other-republicans-running-for-president/

Are Other Republicans Running For President

Im Running For President Because Its Time For New Leadership Because Its Time For New Energy And Its Time For A New Commitment To Make Sure That The Opportunities Getting Out There Being Able To Hear Peoples Concerns Address Them With New Ideas Has Been An Extraordinary Experience He Said

Biden thought hard about running in 2016, but he decided against it, being so soon after his son beau’s death and. Running for president of the united states is an. But there is so much more to it. Joe biden opposed president reagan’s peace through strength that led to the fall of the berlin wall. And speaking of brand image i read the program of warren recently, and was tempted to give her a french honorary citizenship as she is trying to import.

With The Debates About To Begin Bill Whittle And I Discuss Whether Republican Candidates Should Have To Perform In Exploding Chairs Like The Villains In Thunderball So That The Process Of Elimination Can Be More Immediate And Entertaining

There have been previous unsuccessful efforts to drop the natural born requirement. Former vice president joseph r. Here’s everyone who’s running for president in 2020, and who has quit the race. Amash, the republican turned independent congressman from michigan, announced last month that he was launching an exploratory committee to run for the libertarian party nomination for president. They’ll be able to catch you when you fall.

As for the opposition, there are four republicans running in the primaries as of april 2012. They emerged because when andrew jackson was running for president he was for the ‘common man and they called themselves democratic republicans. But what about the other republicans running for president in 2020? Running for president of the united states is an. Dead things most rotten before they.

Biden thought hard about running in 2016, but he decided against it, being so soon after his son beau’s death and. Is there any other republican running than trump ? There was plenty of motivation to take me out. But these figures don’t quite include everyone who’s running. On the republican side, there is, of course, president donald trump.

Lets Take A Look At The Republican Landscape And The Potential Challengers To So Far There Are Three Official Republican Challengers And One Was Just Announced A Few Days Ago:

I’m going to run for president of the united states because, as a young mom, i’m going to fight for other people’s i know there is a tear in that fabric right now; There are 24 main democratic candidates. People embark on a presidential odyssey for a wide variety of reasons. And speaking of brand image i read the program of warren recently, and was tempted to give her a french honorary citizenship as she is trying to import. But it can be repaired by someone who can lead, and i ran for president to win and make a difference in our great country, swalwell photo: He is not expected to run for any other office in 2020. But these figures don’t quite include everyone who’s running. On the other side, some republicans have challenged president trump in the republican primary. Republican leaders have said they want to protect trump by having state parties change the rules for their primaries to guard against an insurgency. The players and other stadia will make their show of support, so the benefit has already been had. Not coincidentally, there’s been renewed talk of a serious republican taking on the president in the 2020 primaries. ‘there is a rot at the center of the modern republican party,’ he continued. On the republican side, there is, of course, president donald trump.

Notable Candidates Include Individuals Who Have Qualified To Appear On Enough State There Were 21 Candidates On The Ballot Each In Vermont And Colorado

Bush said in retrospect that the divisiveness of the primary challenge might have cost bush reelection. There are several people running for the republican nomination, but given the current president is a republican, he is the only one that matters. Notable candidates include individuals who have qualified to appear on enough state there were 21 candidates on the ballot each in vermont and colorado. While the republican and democratic nominees will be on the ballot in all states, independents must meet an array why is he running for president? Former congressmen joe walsh announces republican presidential primary challenge.

But it can be repaired by someone who can lead, and i ran for president to win and make a difference in our great country, swalwell photo: Since the current president is democrat, we already know who the democrat running for president will be . The only other person running worth mentioning is bill weld, former governor of massachusetts, who was the libertarian nominee for vp back in 2016. Other republicans have made it quite clear they don’t see a path to the nomination for anyone but trump in 2020. I think that as a republican party, we have lost our way. mark sanford.

Republican Hopefuls Will Need To Lay The Groundwork For Potential Campaigns Of Their Own Without Alienating The President And His Supporters

WASHINGTON—President Trump’s public and private musings about running again in 2024 are scrambling the calculus for the large field of fellow Republicans considering bids.

Most hopefuls have been quick to show deference. But it’s unclear whether Mr. Trump, who refuses to concede his loss to President-elect Joe Biden, will follow through, and rivals either way will likely seek ways to remain viable. Prospective GOP candidates don’t want to risk alienating Mr. Trump’s base by appearing to push him aside, but they also don’t want to be left unprepared if he decides not to run.

“For the last 20 years everyone who has run for president has always started off pretending like they weren’t. You can still do that with the possibility of Trump running again,” said Republican strategist Todd Harris. The 2024 election, he added, “could be the first time loyalty to Trump and political ambition are put on a collision course.”

Mr. Trump—who managed to get more than 74 million votes in his losing effort this year—demonstrated his grip on the party base with Saturday’s rally in Georgia for two senators locked in tight runoff elections. “Four more years, four more years,” a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd chanted. He is raising millions of dollars for a newly formed political committee that can fund future campaign activity.

Next Test Of Trumps Influence On The Republican Party: A Crowded Gop Primary Fight For An Ohio House Seat

A GOP primary Tuesday to fill a congressional seat outside Columbus is shaping up to be a test of former president Donald Trump’s influence over the Republican Party, coming after his preferred candidate lost a Texas House campaign last week and some of his allies aligned with other candidates in the competitive Ohio race.

arrow-right

Tuesday’s contest — in which 11 candidates are vying to replace longtime GOP congressman Rep. Steve Stivers — has caused serious consternation among the former president’s advisers and even Trump himself, according to people familiar with the private discussions.

Trump railed at aides after Susan Wright, the candidate he backed in a special Texas Congressional race to replace her late husband, Rep. Ron Wright, lost to a state Republican lawmaker last week, they said.

The defeat was an embarrassing setback for the former president, who has sought to flex his hold on the party by making a slew of endorsements since leaving the White House, inserting himself into GOP primaries and going after political enemies.

Trump has made his preference clear, issuing slashing statements in which he has complained that other candidates are suggesting to voters that he supports them rather than Carey, a close friend of Corey Lewandowski, a former Trump campaign manager who advisers say helped secure the endorsement.

Collins says infrastructure bill could pass Senate by end of week with at least 10 Republicans in support

New 2020 Voter Data: How Biden Won How Trump Kept The Race Close And What It Tells Us About The Future

As we saw in 2016 and again in 2020, traditional survey research is finding it harder than it once was to assess presidential elections accurately. Pre-election polls systemically misjudge who is likely to vote, and exit polls conducted as voters leave the voting booths get it wrong as well.

Now, using a massive sample of “validated” voters whose participation has been independently verified, the Pew Research Center has . It helps us understand how Joe Biden was able to accomplish what Hillary Clinton did not—and why President Trump came closer to getting reelected than the pre-election surveys had predicted.

How Joe Biden won

Five main factors account for Biden’s success.

The Biden campaign reunited the Democratic Party. Compared to 2016, he raised the share of moderate and conservative Democrats who voted for the Democratic nominee by 6 points, from 85 to 91%, while increasing the Democratic share of liberal Democrats from 94 to 98%. And he received the support of 85% of Democrats who had defected to 3rd party and independent candidates in 2016.

How Trump kept it close

Despite non-stop controversy about his policies and personal conduct, President Trump managed to raise his share of the popular vote from 46% in 2016 to 47% in 2020. His core coalition held together, and he made a few new friends.

Longer-term prospects

BillGalston

Seemingly Every Other Viable Republican Politician In The United States Is Lining Up To Make A Run

There are several people running for the republican nomination, but given the current president is a republican, he is the only one that matters. Epl had their logo plastered with the rainbow colors all of june, was there any sanctions on them!? But what about the other republicans running for president in 2020? Notable candidates include individuals who have qualified to appear on enough state there were 21 candidates on the ballot each in vermont and colorado. Former congressmen joe walsh announces republican presidential primary challenge. The only other person running worth mentioning is bill weld, former governor of massachusetts, who was the libertarian nominee for vp back in 2016. Who is running for president in the 2020 election? Seven other candidates qualified to appear on the ballot in five states or more. I think that as a republican party, we have lost our way. mark sanford. Bush said in retrospect that the divisiveness of the primary challenge might have cost bush reelection. Is there any other republican running than trump ? But it can be repaired by someone who can lead, and i ran for president to win and make a difference in our great country, swalwell photo: 18 democrats and two republicans, according to the latest numbers.

Us Election 2024: Who Are The Likely Republican Candidates To Run For President Against Joe Biden

Mike Pence, Ivanka Trump and Ted Cruz are among the rumoured candidates to become Donald Trump’s successor

The 2020 presidential race has only just finished, but the Republican candidates for 2024 are already preparing themselves for their shot at the White House.

We take a look at who may be looking to get themselves in to the race.

Pa Republicans See A Big Opportunity In 2022 But Some Are Worried Their Candidates Might Blow It

Philadelphia Inquirer

It’s a summer of worry for some Pennsylvania Republicans.

A rocky July has increased concern among some party insiders that they’re lacking marquee candidates for critical statewide races next year.

First came a public blowup between likely gubernatorial candidate Bill McSwain and former Attorney General Bill Barr. Some prominent GOP donors and operatives saw it as a daft mistake that reinforced questions about his political acumen. Those insiders, largely from Southeastern Pennsylvania, have spoken to a political veteran from McSwain’s backyard — former U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach of Chester County — to gauge his interest in running for governor, according to four people familiar with the conversations, and some are hopeful that additional candidates join the fray.

Meanwhile, in the state’s critical 2022 U.S. Senate race, fund-raising reports this month showed the leading GOP contenders all . None of the major Republican Senate candidates has ever won elected office, a stark contrast with the emerging Democratic field that includes an array of well-established officeholders.

Republicans are hoping the governor’s race delivers total control in Harrisburg , while the Senate contest is one of a handful that could decide control of the chamber — and with it the fate of President Joe Biden’s agenda.

In a state as closely divided as Pennsylvania, the strength of individual candidates can make a difference in races that could come down to a few percentage points.

With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibitionthe Run For President

Return to Rise to National Prominence List Previous Section: The New Lincoln | 

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was the least known of all of the contenders for the Republican Party’s nomination for president. Heading the list was former New York Governor William H. Seward, with the politically awkward Governor Salmon P. Chase of Ohio a distant second. Conservative Edward Bates of Missouri was considered too old, and many Republicans seemed uncomfortable with the popular but unpredictable Horace Greeley, founder and editor of the New York Tribune.

To overcome his disadvantage, Lincoln adopted an unobtrusive publicity campaign. The timely release of his published debates with Stephen A. Douglas and brief autobiographies and a carefully orchestrated speaking campaign in New York and parts of New England all worked to Lincoln’s advantage. The nomination and the subsequent campaign were left largely to trusted handlers, but even after his election was secure, Lincoln maintained a dogged silence on national issues prior to his inauguration.

In Gop Poll From Hell Republicans Say They Want Donald Trump Jr To Be President In 2024

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A recurring nightmare among millions of Americans is that come 2024, Donald Trump will forget the fact that he actually hated being president, decide to run again, and win. Seriously, can you think of a more horrifying scenario, except perhaps falling through a sidewalk into a rat-filled chasm, which some people might still prefer? We maintain that you cannot. But an equally terrifying, skin-crawling situation would definitely be to turn on the TV on January 20, 2025, and see Donald Trump Jr. being sworn in as president of the United States, which a number of Republican voters apparently actually want to happen.

The poll, which was conducted between July 6 and 8, did not include Donald Trump Senior, who maintains an inexplicable grip on voters despite the mass-death stuff, an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election, and a mental state that suggests he should be in a home or studied by a team of Swiss doctors.

And the fact that Don Jr. came out on top is not where the scary news ends. Because apparently if Republicans can’t have Sheep Killer over here, their second-favorite choice is Florida governor Ron DeSantis, the man currently responsible for this:

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More Great Stories FromVanity Fair

Nj Primary Elections 2020: The Five Republicans Who Want To Take Over As Us Senator

Colleen O’Dea, Senior Writer and Projects EditorNJ Decides 2020Politics

Five Republicans are vying for the chance to try to do something no one else has been able to do in almost a half-century: Convince New Jersey voters to elect a Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate, where Democrat Cory Booker now sits.

It has been 48 years since New Jersey voters have sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate, and registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly a million. In 2018, Republican and former pharmaceuticals executive Bob Hugin spent more than $39 million, including $36 million of his own money, and lost by 11 percentage points to incumbent Bob Menendez, who had been considered vulnerable after his trial on political corruption charges ended in a hung jury.

“Statewide races are the toughest ones of all for a GOP outnumbered by a million more registered Democrats in the state,” said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. “But even before party registrations were so lopsided, Republican Senate candidates have fared more poorly here than almost anywhere else in the nation.” Since New Jersey last sent a Republican to the Senate in 1972, “the GOP has lost a staggering 15 Senate races in a row,” he said.

President Trump Your Legacy Is Secure Stop The ‘stolen Election’ Rhetoric

As many on the left have pointed out, the 2020 election was less a repudiation of Trump than a narrow loss for a man who proved just unpalatable enough for a critical sliver of his coalition.

Sean Spicer, a former Trump press secretary, told The Post his ex-boss would be an instant front-runner in a 2024 primary. “He has a rock-solid base, I just don’t think that there is anyone else who even comes close.”

Teasing a potential run in 2024 would at the very least ensure Trump stays relevant and in the press for years to come.

If Trump himself passes on the opportunity, his two very political children Don Jr. and Ivanka Trump could also potentially pick up the mantle. Trump Jr. has long acted as an outside surrogate for his father online and in the press and connects strongly with his base. Ivanka, meanwhile, has years of administration experience under her belt as a White House adviser to her father.

Republican Presidential Hopefuls Move Forward As Trump Considers 2024 Run

Less than three months after former President Donald Trump left the White House, the race to succeed him atop the Republican Party is already beginning.

Trump’s former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has launched an aggressive schedule, visiting states that will play a pivotal role in the 2024 primaries, and he has signed a contract with Fox News Channel. Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice-president, has started a political advocacy group, finalized a book deal and later this month will give his first speech since leaving office in South Carolina. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been courting donors, including in Trump’s backyard, with a prominent speaking slot before the former president at a GOP fundraising retreat dinner this month at Mar-a-Lago, the Florida resort where Trump now lives.

Trump ended his presidency with such a firm grip on Republican voters that party leaders fretted he would freeze the field of potential 2024 candidates, delaying preparations as he teased another run. Instead, many Republicans with national ambitions are openly laying the groundwork for campaigns as Trump continues to mull his own plans.

They’re raising money, making hires and working to bolster their name recognition. The moves reflect both the fervour in the party to reclaim the White House and the reality that mounting a modern presidential campaign is a yearslong endeavour.

___

President Trump Your Legacy Is Secure Stop The Stolen Election Rhetoric

As many on the left have pointed out, the 2020 election was less a repudiation of Trump than a narrow loss for a man who proved just unpalatable enough for a critical sliver of his coalition.

Sean Spicer, a former Trump press secretary, told The Post his ex-boss would be an instant front-runner in a 2024 primary. “He has a rock-solid base, I just don’t think that there is anyone else who even comes close.”

Teasing a potential run in 2024 would at the very least ensure Trump stays relevant and in the press for years to come.

If Trump himself passes on the opportunity, his two very political children Don Jr. and Ivanka Trump could also potentially pick up the mantle. Trump Jr. has long acted as an outside surrogate for his father online and in the press and connects strongly with his base. Ivanka, meanwhile, has years of administration experience under her belt as a White House adviser to her father.

Republican Lawmakers Are Terrified Of Trump Running For President Again

A new report by Politico cites multiple unnamed Republican lawmakers – even those who publicly praise Trump – who say that they REALLY don’t want Donald Trump running for President again in 2024. They would much rather see Trump working “behind the scenes” to help shore up support for the Party as a whole, and they insist that the Party is stronger now than it was five years ago. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

Transcript:

*This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so please excuse any typos.

Recently, Politico interviewed several Republican lawmakers, who of course all chose to remain nameless. But Politico says that these were Trump supporting lawmakers, still are Trump supporting lawmakers, by the way. And each one of them said that they do not want Donald Trump to be the Republican party’s nominee in 2024. In fact, they don’t want Trump to run for president ever again. I’ll read a couple quotes from some of these lawmakers here. Here’s what one of them said, he’s one of the best presidents we’ve had in terms of policies. But having said that if it were up to me, I would never have Trump on any ballot ever again, because it’s such a distraction. I would love for him to play a behind the scenes role and not be on the ballot. Another one said, I’d like to see a fresh face. I think we have a lot of them.

Eight Republican 2024 Candidates Speak In Texas Next Week But Not Trump

Steve Holland

WASHINGTON, April 30 – A Republican Party event in Texas next week will hear from eight potential candidates for the party’s presidential nomination in 2024, without former President Donald Trump, a source involved in the planning said on Friday.

The May 7 event at a hotel in Austin is being co-hosted by U.S. Senator John Cornyn and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, to thank donors who helped fund a voter registration drive and get-out-the-vote efforts in the state.

High-profile Republican politicians who are considering whether to seek the party’s nomination in 2024 are expected to speak to the crowd of about 200 donors.

They include former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and U.S. senators Marco Rubio, Tim Scott and Rick Scott, the source said.

The event comes as Republicans wrestle with whether to try to move past Trump in the next election cycle or fall in line behind him. Trump told Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo on Thursday that he was “100%” considering another run after losing in 2020 to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump was not invited to Texas, the source said. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was invited but was unable to attend, the source said.

Many Republican insiders doubt Trump will follow through on his musings about running for president in 2024, leaving a void that other party leaders will seek to fill.

Fact Check: Trump Did Not Call Republicans The Dumbest Group Of Voters

5 Min Read

An old quote falsely attributed to Donald Trump has recently resurfaced online. The viral meme alleges Trump told People magazine in 1998 that Republicans are “the dumbest group of voters in the country”. This is false.

While the quote has been debunked several times since it apparently surfaced in 2015, users have recently been resharing it on social media. Examples can be seen here , here , here , here

The meme reads: “If I were to run, I’d run as a Republican. They’re the dumbest group of voters in the country. They believe anything on Fox News. I could lie and they’d still eat it up. I bet my numbers would be terrific. – Donald Trump, People Magazine, 1998”

Snopes first wrote about the false quote here in October 2015 . Since then, the quote has been debunked multiple times .

People magazine has confirmed in the past that its archive has no register of this alleged exchange.

“People looked into this exhaustively when it first surfaced back in Oct. . We combed through every Trump story in our archive. We couldn’t find anything remotely like this quote–and no interview at all in 1998.”, a magazine spokesperson told Factcheck.org that year .

In December 1987, People published a profile on Donald Trump titled “Too Darn Rich”. The article quoted him saying he was too busy to run for president .

Trump Remains 2024 Candidate Of Choice For Most Republicans Poll Shows

59% of Republican voters said they wanted Trump to play prominent role in party, but tens of thousands left after Capitol riot

If the 2024 Republican presidential primary were held today, Donald Trump would be the clear favorite to win big. That was the message from a Politico-Morning Consult poll released on Tuesday, three days after Trump’s acquittal in his second impeachment trial, on a charge of inciting the insurrection at the US Capitol on 6 January.

Read more

Among Republican voters, 59% said they wanted Trump to play a prominent role in their party, up a whopping 18 points from the last such poll, taken in the aftermath of the Capitol riot. A slightly lower number, 54%, said they would back Trump in the primary.

Tens of thousands of Republicans left the party after the Capitol insurrection, and a majority of Americans have told other pollsters they would like to see Trump banished from politics.

Though the 45th president will be 78 by election day 2024, he will be able to run again if he chooses, having escaped being barred from office after a 57-43 Senate vote to convict – with seven Republican defections but 10 votes short of the majority needed.

Mike Pence’s life was threatened by Trump supporters at the Capitol, as the vice-president presided over the ratification of electoral college results confirming Trump’s defeat by Joe Biden. He placed second in the Politico-Morning Consult poll, with 12%.

Trump Challengers: 10 Republicans Who Could Run For President In 2020

Ryan Sit U.S.Donald TrumpMike PenceBen SasseBob Corker

President Donald Trump faced down a crowded field of GOP presidential hopefuls in 2016 as a political outsider, but he could see a packed stage of Republican challengers again in 2020—only as an incumbent this time.

Trump made few political friends during his ascent to the White House. He made headlines making fun of his competition, doling out nicknames—”low energy Jeb Bush,”“Little Marco Rubio,”“Lyin’ Ted Cruz”—along the way. The president’s diplomatic dexterity hasn’t noticeably improved much since taking office. Senators Rubio and Cruz have improved their relationship with Trump since his inauguration, but other lawmakers from within his party have emerged as outspoken critics, fueling speculation he may face a stiff presidential primary race in 2020.

Here are 10 Republicans who may challenge Trump:

Cpac And The Broader Republican Party Agree: Its Trumps Party For Now

All VideosYouTube

alex: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. We know he’s a rising star in GOP circles and I think the CPAC straw poll pointed out his popularity among the Trump wing of the Republican Party. Another poll, too, after Trump.

Plus, being from Florida gives him an edge in a competitive state. To me, it appears that at this point, people like DeSantis because his policy priorities are similar to Trump’s, but he lacks the former president’s ego and baggage. 

sarah: Stole my first round pick!!  

geoffrey.skelley: DeSantis isn’t terribly well known, but I suspect we’ll see him try to correct for that in the coming months. He may be coy for a while about his plans, though, because he needs to win reelection in 2022, and we know that would-be candidates want to take care of the home front first.

nrakich: Yeah, I think DeSantis is a smart pick. He’s doing all the right things — picking fights with Democrats, going on Fox News a lot …

sarah: Could not agree more. There is no autopsy report yet of the 2020 election from the GOP side , but one thing that stands out to me is something Echelon Insights pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson wrote for the Washington Examiner in February, “Trump’s legacy in the party isn’t policy, and it isn’t a person. It’s a posture — a fighting posture in a moment where Republicans think the fight is what matters most.” 

I bring that up because something Anderson and her organization have found is that many GOP voters want someone who will fight for them.

Republican Support For Trump Running Again In 2024 Falls To Just 45%

Daily Mail

Republicans are quickly losing interest in President Donald Trump running for president again in 2024. 

In new polling conducted by Echelon Insights, 45 per cent of GOP-leaning voters in January said they wanted to see Trump run for the White House again in four years, down from the 65 per cent who said so in December.  

The January 6 insurrection may have played a role in the 20-point dip as January polling found that even 30 per cent of Republicans wanted to see the ex-president barred from holding office again after the MAGA riot.  

< PREVIOUS SLIDE

At the same time, Democrats and independents were way more keen to see Trump punished for his role in inciting the crowd on January 6. 

Fifty-two per cent of independents said Trump shouldn’t be able to run again, with 85 per cent of Democrats in agreement. 

Thirty per cent of Republicans also agreed that Trump should be banned from social media platforms, with 29 per cent saying they’d support the ex-president being censured by Congress. 

The smallest group of Republicans, 21 per cent, wanted to see Trump impeached and convicted. 

Trump’s Senate trial begins on Capitol Hill next week.

Pollsters also asked Republicans over the past few months who they wanted as the leader of their party. 

Trump’s popularity actually increased after he lost the November 3 election to President Joe Biden. 

In November, 52 per cent of Republicans said they wanted Trump to be the leading voice of their party. 

[wanderer-of-sol]

Wanderer of Sol - Business Chapter 2

Chapter 1 here

Chapter 2

The loading ramp dropped it's last foot or so with a thump and a small cloud of dust. Robin said she'd get around to fixing that, but the crew had been strapped for cash. As Gomez and his men walked up the ramp, the idea of their deals on Mars going well crept into Robin's mind, and she thought to make good on fixing that door the next time they docked for more than an hour. Wanderer was flanked by the two girls he flew with, Gomez by two men who were big enough to be two men a piece. A little overkill, honestly.

“How you doing Jon?” Gomez reached out to Wanderer's waiting hand as they shook. His men rolled large containers behind them, filled with the objects of Wanderer's desire.

“I'm doing good Gomez. How's business?” Wanderer inquired, as Gomez's goons opened the containers for Wanderer to inspect.

“Eh, it could be better honestly. I'm running low on inventory, low on credits. I can't find buyers the way you can. I don't even know who would be interested in this crap. But they pay top dollar for it, if you manage to find them.” He explained while Wanderer rifled through the boxes.

“Hey, careful what you're calling 'crap', Gomez. We both know this stuff is premium, to the right clients. You'll find them, with experience, and making new connections.” Wanderer responded, hefting a tome, bound in some kind of unidentifiable skin, encrusted in empty sockets, the gems that once adorned it had been pawned long ago, leaving behind nothing but vellum and ink to be appraised by those who knew it's true value.

“Very true, Jon. And that reminds me, I wanted to ask. How do you not have any security, hauling valuable antiques all over the system? Don't you have run-ins with the pirate federations?” Gomez asked while watching Wanderer sort the goods into piles that only he understood.

“We've got Security. Head Security Officer Munin's right there. You've met her, before.” Wanderer pointed over his shoulder lazily with this thumb. Gomez smirked a little until he realized she was leaning on a long club with nails driven through it in odd and crooked angles. She just shot him a look that could kill and he turned away from her, back to Wanderer. “And I've bought favor with a few pirate fleets over the past few years. Anyone who's terf we pass through, at least. Decent people, pirates. That and they're terrified of me. This all looks pretty good, everything I asked for is here. Let me show you what I've got and we can get this trade underway.”

Wanderer lead Gomez past Munin, who looked like she was ready to swing her bat as his head, to a large cargo container. “Everything in this container is in the price range you specified and is more or less one to one with everything you've brought to trade” He explained as he popped the lock on the container, showing walls of books surrounding boxes and crates full of strange statues, antique swords and rifles, and bones from unspecified creatures any would be hard pressed to identify. Gomez could only let out a “Wow” as Wanderer continued. “If you're looking for something in a higher or lower price range, I've got other containers.”

“That's a lot of inventory, Jon.” Gomez said, taking off his sunglasses, and replacing them with prescription reading glasses to skim over the contents. “I'll take all of it.”

“I donno if you heard me correctly. Each item in here is worth the same as one of your items. Now, if you've got enough credits for a few thousand books and everything in these crates then-” Gomez put his glasses back in his pocket while interrupting Wanderer mid-sentence.

“No, I heard you. I said, I'll take it all. Jon, I hate to do this to you, but this is a robbery. You honestly can't expect one girl with a bat to be a real deterrent when dealing with something of this value. I have word that there's a new buyer entering the market and I have to establish a name for myself in this trade, and you've got a collection worthy of making a name for anyone.” Gomez explained, pulling a gun from his coat and pointing it at Wanderer's chest. Wanderer raised his hands slowly above his head. With Gomez standing in the entrance of the container, it would be difficult if not impossible for Wanderer to safely disarm him, or find a way past him, to his security officer, and there was no way he could move fast enough to get behind one of the boxes. For the moment he was a hostage in his own ship, at the gunpoint of someone he had hoped to do business with in the future. Unfortunate.

“And not to be unprofessional...” Gomez continued “But we can't have anyone knowing where my new inventory came from. It might tarnish the name I'm trying to make. And thankfully, 'Jon Dillir' doesn't exist in any citizenship records, so no one would miss you, or your ship. So Jon, or whoever you are, if you have any last words, or prayers, I'll give you the chance to say them, then I'll make it quick and painless. Though I can't say the same for the girl with the bat” He said, aiming the pistol between Wanderer's eyes. With a crack, the two goons approached Munin slowly, extended taser rods from their coats, igniting them into a shower of sparks and arcing electrons. Munin was more than ready to throw herself at both of the mountains of muscle stalking up to her, one step at a time, but she knew she had better let Wanderer say his prayer first. And he did.

Wanderer closed his eyes and began to whisper. The words were so soft, even Gomez couldn't hear them at point blank. Not that he would know the ancient words that lifted from Wanderer's lips. They weren't for him, and they certainly weren't for any god. “Alright. I'm ready if you are.” Wanderer said, staring into the eyes of the man who would kill him.

“Thanks for letting me know you were done. It's been good doing business with you, kid.” Gomez replied. He pulled the trigger only to hear an empty click. He pulled again, and nothing. A few more times and nothing. Cocking the gun again ejected a dud round, and another click, and another. “The fuck?” Gomez asked aloud just before there was the first and only bang. He dropped to his knees and held his leg. Robin was standing off to the side, brandishing her pistol in his general direction. That shot was like the signal to start a race, as Munin leapt at the closer of her two attackers, never even looking back to see if Wanderer was alive. She brought the bat across his face in a gorey eruption of red and sparks, as the side of the mountain caved in like a defunct volcano. The look on her face was manic and blissful as the brute's cybernetic implant got tangled in the nails of her bat, and came out with a swift yank and the spurt of more blood.

Wanderer casually walked over his would be killer and snatched up his pistol, ejecting the remainder of the clip onto the floor, before pushing out a pin and pulling the slide off the top. The whole time, walking out of the container and towards Munin, he resumed whispering at a fast pace, his arm extended to the remaining attacker. As the other man brought his stun baton down on Munin, the spark fizzled and died with the completion of Wanderer's prayer. He had just hit a murderous anarchist with what was little more than a plastic rod. She pulled a knife from her boot and swiftly jabbed it between his legs, as he promptly dropped to his knees and bled for her.

Wanderer turned his attention back to the crippled Gomez who was muttering something to himself, now that the threat was taken care of.

“Where the fuck did that bitch who shot me even come from?!” He screamed loud enough for her to hear.

“I'm wearing my gray glamourred overalls. The second you guys started paying attention to Munin you totally forgot I was even here.” She explained before returning a question. “Don't you read the stuff you sell? It's like one of the most basic of the basics.”

“That bullshit about magic? It's all bullshit that rich gullible fucks buy.” He replied while clutching his bleeding leg and cursing.

“Sure, man. Did you see what just happened to you? I mean, fuck. Munin's turning your boyfriends into soup as we speak.” She said walking across the room to confront Gomez up close, and to put her back to Munin's repeated bashing of the corpses laying near the loading ramp. Gomez had actually already forgotten who he was talking to until she was standing right in front of him.

“It's true Gomez. I wasn't telling you I was ready to be shot, I was telling her that I had successfully jinxed your gun and she was clear to take the shot. Then I turned off your goon's cattle prod with the same kind of jinx.” Wanderer wanted to be clear, this all went according to his plan, not Gomez's. “Now I've indulged you with one truth. Your turn to tell me everything you know about this new buyer in the system.” Wanderer thought his proposition was fair, but Gomez was still sore about the happenings as he promptly told everyone there to go fuck themselves.

“You don't know shit, 'Jon', or whatever the fuck your real name is.” Gomez was fuming that he had gotten his ass kicked so hard.

“Gomez. You're real name is Francisco Mortim Santos. AKA, Frank, Mory, Mort, Fred, Mark and like a dozen other boring names. Your family are immigrants from the Beja-Faro Republic of Lesser Portugal on Earth. Moved to Mars when you were 6. A few years ago your dad died and you actually sold your own mother for medical testing. That's fucked, Gomez. You're also wanted on several planets, moons, and satellites for everything from blackmail to murder. Eh, you've probably done worse, huh?” Wanderer had began to reveal some of the research he had done going into the deal, but Gomez was just saying “fuck” over and over again with every fact dropped in his lap. “So how about this. You tell me everything you know about this new client you want to impress so much, and I don't drop you off at the nearest police station with all the files and identification documents I dug up on you? You can just hobble out of here, scot-free.”

“Go fuck yourself, Jonny.” Crept out of Gomez's mouth between waves of pain. Robin was pretty sure her bullet was lodged in his shin bone.

“Let me make him talk.” Munin said, prying her bat out of the puddle of gore and machine near the loading ramp. “These guys are fuckin' cheap androids. I need some real blood before the day's over. Not this synthetic shit!” She yelled, hitting the bat into the side of the container housing Gomez. Wanderer wasn't sure if the bloodlust in her eyes was real or if she was putting on a good act to scare him. He was pretty sure, before the fighting broke out, that those guys were androids. Robin thought it was obvious. Regardless, she was getting blood all over the container, and it was probably best if Wanderer tried to keep her calm. “Munin, chill. That's not very professional of a Head Securi-” She brought her bat down on Gomez's hand with a audible crunch. Robin winced and turned away as Munin twisted the nails embedded in his hand and he let out a drawn out scream.

“Alright, Gomez. I'm a pretty busy lady. We've got two more deals after this. I have to go clean all this blood off and do laundry before that, and adding your brains to my coat won't take any more detergent. Tell the man what he wants to know and I'll only brake one of your legs. I'm feeling nice, so the one that's already fucked. Sound good?” Munin thought her ultimatum was completely reasonable, but the  next words that came out of Gomez were “What the fuck is wrong with you?” and that was not the correct answer. Wanderer had already turned his back to Munin, knowing how into her work she can get.

After that, Gomez was ready to talk.

“Ceres! The planetoid just changed hands, and word has it, fuck, word has it that the guys who bought it are really into this shit. They're loaded, but they won't deal with just anyone. They said they want people who can prove they're passionate about the product. Fuck me. I think I'm gonna puke.” Gomez spilled his guts, both figuratively and literally.

“Huh, well, that's the first I've heard of this. Gomez, today's your lucky day.” Wanderer explained to him. “I'm keeping this small stack of books that interests me, as compensation for all the emotional distress you've caused me and my crew. And I'm keeping this container to pay for the damage you've caused to my cargo with all the bleeding and vomiting and stuff. The other container of yours is still yours to keep. If you pawn it off you should be able to afford medical attention for your leg and hand. Munin, you want to show Mr. Santos the door, and I'll start getting laundry together and request launch clearance?” Wanderer stated in a pretty matter of fact tone. Munin was already picking Gomez up by the back of his shirt and dragging him towards the loading ramp. She passed Wanderer with an affirming “Sure thing, Captain.”

He responded with a casual “Awesome, thanks. I'll get the hot water started for a shower too. I really don't want you tracking viscera all over the ship again, and you need to be presentable when we land in Sacra Fossae.”

“Sweet. That's kind of you boss.” She replied, throwing Gomez the full length of the loading ramp onto the pavement, then kicking his container at him. “I'll clean up this mess, then I'll be up.”

Wanderer made his way back towards the common area and hesitated outside Robin's room. “Hey, Robin. How you doing?” He asked, shouting into her room through the door. The door slid open and Robin appeared. She had changed out of her work clothes and into something more comfy.

“I'm good, Wanderer. That got a little rough, and I threw up on my enchanted overalls when Munin went all blood lusty. But I'll be ok. Just another day in the life, when you're a boat full of mages dealing with criminals and miscreants.” Robin was a little shaken. She didn't have a problem shooting someone, she'd done it before, but she preferred quick and painless, non-lethal if possible. This was the opposite of Munin in every way.

“Well, I'm about to do some wash, if you want to throw you're overalls in there. I'm using the enchanted soap, so you don't have to worry about all the blood on Munin's stuff staining.” He explained. Making casual conversation was probably the second best way he knew, excluding casting a spell on her to keep Robin relaxed and not over thinking the ordeal they just had. The first best way was to keep her mind preoccupied, which is why he then handed her a book he had taken from Gomez. “I thought you might find this interesting. Thanks for having my back today.” He gave her a smile as his grasp left the book.

Robin's eye's lit up. The book wasn't nearly as old as most of the others from the collection, but it was exactly the kind of thing she would enjoy. An old programming text book, maybe only a couple hundred years old, still in decent condition. Flipping though it's pages, it was littered with loose leaves and notes in the margins, all about technomancy. It was so hard for Robin to find research material on her unconventional school of the arcane arts, but somehow Wanderer always found exactly what she was looking for.

“No problem, and thanks man. This is awesome.” She had already cracked open the cover to give it a proper read. Her eyes were transfixed as they followed line by line.

“Hey, I'm going to get air traffic control taken care of, then laundry. Don't forget your overalls. Robin, I can see you're already in a trance. Witch, you in there?!” Wanderer tried for a moment before giving up, walking into the bathroom, to turn on the water heater, and heading to the pilot's cabin to call in their refueling and launch request. Soon they would be back in the air, but if Wanderer managed his time correctly, it would be just enough time to get some chores done and resupply before having to pay any additional parking fees.

Chapter 3 here

[multipleservicelisting]

A Call for Unity to a Nation Facing a Pandemic and Division

WASHINGTON — In the end, the inauguration triumphed over the insurrection.

President Biden’s plea for national unity in his Inaugural Address on Wednesday was rooted in a belief — born of decades working inside the fractious institutions of government — that America can return to an era where “enough of us have come together to carry all of us forward.”

It was a call for the restoration of the ordinary discord of democracy, with a reminder that “politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path.” The words were made all the more potent because they were delivered from the same steps at the entrance to the Capitol where a violent attack two weeks ago shocked the nation into realizing the lengths to which some Americans would go to overturn the results of a democratic election.

Mr. Biden’s inauguration was notable for its normalcy, and the sense of relief that permeated the capital as an era of constant turmoil and falsehood ended. Yet he takes office amid so many interlocking national traumas that it is still unclear whether he can persuade enough of the nation to walk together into a new era, to get past the partisan divisions that made mask-wearing a political act, to win acceptance from tens of millions of Americans who believed a lie that the presidency had been stolen in ways that were never made clear.

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is hardly the first president to take office in a moment of national desperation and division. Lincoln, whose inauguration amid fear of violence hung over this moment, faced a country fracturing into civil war. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was in his third term when Mr. Biden was born, faced a nation mired in depression, with “Hoovervilles” in the shadow of the Capitol.

While Mr. Biden does not face a single crisis of equal magnitude, he made clear — without quite making the comparison — that none of his predecessors confronted such a fearsome array of simultaneous trials.

He listed them: a devastating pandemic that in one year has killed more Americans than the nation lost during World War II (he could have added Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan), an economic downturn that brought with it “joblessness and hopelessness,” a crisis of racial justice and another of climate, and, for tens of millions of Americans, a collapse in their faith in democracy itself.

And finally, he argued, American healing would require an end to partisan self-delusion, and to the era of alternative facts.

He never referred to President Donald J. Trump, but he was clearly talking about him — and the more than 140 Republicans in Congress who voted not to certify the election results, despite an absence of any evidence of widespread fraud — when he said that “we must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.”

Mr. Biden’s presidency is predicated on a bet that it is not too late to “end this uncivil war.” Even some of his most ardent supporters and appointees, a generation or more younger than he is, wonder whether his calls for Americans to listen to one another, “not as adversaries but as neighbors,” are coming too late.

“Like Lincoln, Biden comes to power at a moment when the country is torn between conflicting visions of reality and identity,” said Jon Meacham, the presidential historian who has occasionally advised Mr. Biden and contributed to his Inaugural Address.

“Too many Americans have been shaped by the lie that the 2020 election was somehow stolen,” he said. “The new president’s challenge — and opportunity — is to insist that facts and truth must guide us. That you can disagree with your opponent without delegitimizing that opponent’s place within the Republic.”

Mr. Biden’s speech was about restoring that world, one that existed in the America he grew up in, from the arguments over civil rights and Vietnam to the culture wars that raged on through the most recent election. It is the argument of a 78-year-old who has endured tragedy after tragedy in public and who, in a reverse of the usual order, took on the manner of a statesman before he returned to the campaign trail as a politician.

But what millions of Americans hear as a heartfelt call to restore order, millions of others believe masks deep partisanship, or a naïveté about what has happened to America over the past four years, or the past 20.

In fact, beyond the call for unity, Mr. Biden’s speech was littered with phrases bound to reignite those arguments.

His references to the “sting of systemic racism,” to “white supremacy” and “domestic terrorism,” and his insistence that the climate crisis ranks among the nation’s top threats, were meant to signal to the progressive side of his party, which always viewed him as too conservative and cautious, that new priorities have arrived.

But they are also triggers to those who oppose him: Just on Tuesday, his last full day in office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a broadside on Twitter, where the president was silenced, against “woke-ism, multiculturalism, all the -isms — they’re not who America is.”

Updated 

Jan. 20, 2021, 3:30 p.m. ET

Mr. Biden planned his inauguration to declare the opposite, that they are the modern America.

And his anticipated actions in his first days in office — rejoining the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization, vowing to find a pathway to citizenship for 11 million immigrants and to re-enter the Iran nuclear agreement — are meant to reinforce the point.

He paired that with a warning to American adversaries, who spent the past four years, but particularly 2020, filling power vacuums around the world as America counted its dead and took to the streets.

Mr. Biden cautioned them not to mistake the din of the past four years for weakness.

“America has been tested, and we’ve come out stronger for it,” he insisted, promising to “repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.”

But he never once mentioned the country that poses the longest-term challenge to American pre-eminence — China — or any of the array of lesser challengers seeking to disrupt, to build nuclear weapons, to undercut the United States by manipulating its computer networks or exploiting social media.

And in the parts of the speech that sounded more like fireside chat than soaring rhetoric, he acknowledged that America’s diminished status can only be restored by ending the damage at home, and replacing an “America First” swagger with a dose of post-Covid humility.

The scope of that damage could be seen from the West Front of the Capitol. Gone were the throngs of hundreds of thousands who usually witness, and cheer, a ritual of American democracy that Mr. Biden was determined must look just as it always looks to the millions tuning in.

As long as the camera shots were tight, it did: the new president and vice president, the large family Bible, the chief justice, the former presidents. But the absence of Mr. Trump, the central, disruptive figure at the center of the nation’s four-year drama, the first president in more than 150 years to refuse to attend his successor’s inauguration, could not be erased. Neither could the prospect of Mr. Trump’s second impeachment trial, an in absentia event that could start in days, perhaps reigniting the divisions that Mr. Biden came to heal.

When the camera shot widened, the “American carnage” Mr. Trump had vowed to end in his own inaugural speech four years ago was on full display, in ways that were unimaginable on Jan. 20, 2017.

The armed camp he had left behind was testimony to the divisions Mr. Trump left in his wake as he flew over the city one last time on Wednesday morning in Marine One, to the closest any American president has come to internal exile since Richard M. Nixon resigned in 1974. (Mr. Trump’s last words to his supporters at Joint Base Andrews, “Have a nice life,” seemed to underscore his own inability to find a way to process the damage done.)

It wasn’t the empty National Mall that struck attendees as much as the miles of iron fencing, topped with razor wire and surrounded by thousands of National Guard troops. There was no more vivid illustration of the state of the nation that Mr. Biden was inheriting.

Sometime in the next few days and weeks, that fencing will have to come down. Mr. Trump’s trial in the Senate, most likely a brief one, will have to end.

Then will come the test of Mr. Biden’s declaration that “without unity, there is no peace.”

And while an array of leaders from both parties flocked to the inauguration and clapped at the sentiment, it is far from clear that the country is truly ready to move on.

In a nation that cannot seem to share a common set of facts, agree on the utility of simple masks, on the safety of vaccines, or on whether a vote was rigged, fulfilling Mr. Biden’s dream of restoring orderly debate on policy may seem like the triumph of hope over lived experience.

“I am desperately grateful that the institutions of democracy have held, despite the damage President Trump and his enablers have inflicted these past four years,” said Kori Schake, a Republican who held positions in the Pentagon and the National Security Council and is now at the American Enterprise Institute.

“But for President Biden, the challenge won’t only be governing, but also restoring strength to the battered institutions of our democracy,” Ms. Schake said. “We Republicans have a responsibility to restore public trust in the integrity of our elections, because we’re the ones who called them into question.”

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[brajeshupadhyay]

Obama implores Americans to feel “a sense of urgency” about defeating Trump

But for the past year and a half there has often been a critical piece missing: Obama.

That began to change in April, when Obama endorsed Biden. On Tuesday it went a step further, as Obama and Biden made their first joint appearance in years, the former partners allied as they attempt to defeat President Trump.

Obama was the main draw at a virtual fundraiser for Biden, raising more than $7.6 million from 175,000 individual donors, according to Biden’s campaign.

“You’re all feeling a sense of urgency, the same kind of urgency I’m feeling right now,” Obama said near the start of the fundraiser. “I’m here to say: Help is on the way.”

Obama launched into an in-depth criticism of Trump, without mentioning him by name, and said that while his own administration inherited problems, “the foundation stones, the institutions we had in place were still more or less intact.”

“My predecessor, who I disagreed with on a whole host of issues, still had a basic regard for the rule of law and the importance of our institutions and democracy,” he said.

“What we have seen over the last couple of years is a White House enabled by Republicans in Congress and a media structure that supports them . . . that suggests facts don’t matter, science doesn’t matter,” Obama said. “That suggests that a deadly disease is fake news. That sees the Justice Department as simply an extension and an arm of the personal concerns of the president. That actively promotes division. And considers some people in this country more real as Americans than others.”

He urged those watching to do more and to take the election seriously.

“Man, this is serious business. Whatever you’ve done so far is not enough . . . We have to do more,” Obama said. He warned Biden supporters of Trump’s strength, and not to underestimate his ability to harness his supporters.

“We can’t be complacent or smug, or say it’s so obvious this president hasn’t done a good job,” Obama said. “Look. He won once.”

Obama also turned toward Biden, touting his work with “our presidency” and saying that the tragedies in the former vice president’s life allow him to better understand the lives of average Americans.

“This is somebody who has been touched by tragedy in a direct, profound way, and as a consequence has enlarged his heart to embrace other people who are undergoing tragedy,” he said.

The event marked a new phase for Obama, who is expected to increase his campaigning not only for Biden but also a full slate of Democrats aiming to preserve the House majority and win back the Senate.

Obama is seen as vital to energizing elements of his coalition with whom Biden has struggled, including young black voters as well as liberal voters who have distrusted the former vice president, who built his career as a moderate who could work with Republicans. He appeared to target one of their disconnects with Biden when he directly addressed his age.

“I’ll be honest, and hope Joe doesn’t take offense,” he said. “Joe’s been around a while. Sometimes what happens is we take that for granted.

“There’s a tendency to always look for the new and shiny object. But for my money one of the things that counts the most is to have somebody, whatever mistakes they’ve made or hardships they’ve gone through, have they shown the kind of character that stands up,” he said. “And my experience with Joe Biden is that’s who he is.”

It was largely based on their eight-year partnership that Biden was able to make deeper inroads with the older black voters who helped turn around Biden’s campaign and make him the presumptive Democratic nominee. While Biden has talked broadly about the eight years he was vice president, Obama is expected to offer more fulsome testimonials.

“As well known as Biden is, he’s not that well known,” said David Axelrod, a longtime Obama adviser. “People know he was the vice president, they know he lost his son. But there’s a lot about him they don’t know. And a lot about what he did as vice president they don’t know. There isn’t a better testimonial than Obama’s.”

Throughout the Democratic primary, Obama was careful to remain neutral — although Biden at times tested the limits, at one point running an ad showing Obama bestowing the Medal of Freedom on Biden. The former president met with many of the two dozen candidates running, and was a frequent behind-the-scenes confidant of several, including his former vice president.

After Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) suspended his campaign in April, Obama released a lengthy video endorsing Biden. In the video, he reflected on the shifts within the party he once led and called for more assertive action.

“To meet the moment, the Democratic Party will have to be bold,” Obama said. “I could not be prouder of the incredible progress that we made together during my presidency. But if I were running today, I wouldn’t run the same race or have the same platform as I did in 2008. The world is different. There’s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards. We have to look to the future.”

Obama has also been at the forefront for Trump, who has had a years-long obsession with his predecessor, first stoking racist theories about Obama’s citizenship and demanding his birth certificate. As president, Trump has attempted to dismantle as much of Obama’s agenda as possible. For weeks he has touted an ill-defined conspiracy theory he called “Obamagate,” and this week he accused the former president of “treason.”

“It’s treason,” Trump told CBN News, claiming without evidence that Obama was spying on his campaign. “Look, when I came out a long time ago, I said they’ve been spying on our campaign. . . . It turns out I was right. Let’s see what happens to them now.”

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz said last year he found no evidence that the FBI under Obama had wiretapped the phones at Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign.

Trump can use opposition to Obama to mobilize his supporters — on Tuesday his campaign sent out a fundraising email with sirens and the subject line “BARACK OBAMA” — but Obama is generally viewed favorably by most Americans. A recent Fox News poll had Obama with a net favorability of 28 points, compared with minus-12 points for Trump.

Obama has recently shed some of his reluctance to engage in national politics, sharply criticizing Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic last month by calling it “an absolute chaotic disaster” during a call with a network of former staffers and supporters. On the call, he also criticized the Justice Department’s decision to drop charges against Michael Flynn, who served as Trump’s first national security adviser, saying that it was “the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that . . . our basic understanding of the rule of law is at risk.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the move was “a little bit classless” and suggested Obama should have “kept his mouth shut.”

Obama later delivered a virtual commencement address as part of a prime-time special that some pointed to as a potential test run for a Democratic National Convention, in part because it had the slick and innovative production that Biden’s campaign has often lacked.

Obama seemed to allude to Trump then by telling graduates that “this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing.”

Obama is expected to ramp up his campaign activities over the coming months, with those close to him pointing to his 2018 involvement as a template: He spent the summer raising money before doing two rounds of endorsements and stumping in 11 states as Election Day neared.

Those close to him are closely monitoring the novel coronavirus and still trying to determine what types of in-person events may be able to be safely conducted.

As Biden undertakes his own search for a running mate, he has spoken with Obama about how the process led him to be picked nearly 12 years ago. Biden often talks about wanting someone who is “simpatico” with him but seems to forget that he and Obama had a rocky start to their partnership before their mutual respect formed.

“I’ve always said that vice-presidential picks are shotgun weddings, and they often don’t turn out well,” Axelrod said. “But this one turned out to be a love story. They became not only good partners but really good friends.”

He added: “Biden was, in my view, almost the ideal vice president. He was impeccably loyal in public and very honest in private with his advice and his counsel. And he took on a lot of tough assignments for Obama.”

Last week, Obama tagged Biden in a tweet as he responded to the Supreme Court ruling that Trump could not halt the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allows some immigrants brought to the United States as children to remain in the country legally.

The tweet was liked 195,000 times, and it served as a recognition by both men’s teams that the former president, who has 120 million Twitter followers, can help his former vice president, who has fewer than 6.4 million followers.

“The more creative ways we can drive people to Biden — that’s something we’re interested in doing,” said a person close to Obama, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter frankly.

Still, Obama’s appeal has not always transferred to other candidates. Under him, Democrats lost control of the House in 2010 and of the Senate in 2014. He also campaigned frequently for Hillary Clinton in 2016.

While Biden has often spoken fondly of Obama, he has generally avoided taking ownership of the more controversial aspects of Obama’s decisions. During the primary campaign, he sidestepped some of the criticism over the former president’s deportation policies.

Obama and Biden have not shared a stage together in quite some time, and the last time they met together in public may have been in July 2018 when they dropped in for lunch at the Dog Tag Bakery in Georgetown.

They both attended graduation last June at Sidwell Friends School, where Obama’s daughter Sasha and Biden’s granddaughter Maisy were among the graduates. They sat separately during the ceremony, but their families later gathered together privately. They also both attended the funeral of Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) in October.

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[gethealthy18-blog]

331: Rethinking Health: 8 Predictive Biomarkers for Lifetime Health With Russell Jaffe

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/331-rethinking-health-8-predictive-biomarkers-for-lifetime-health-with-russell-jaffe/

331: Rethinking Health: 8 Predictive Biomarkers for Lifetime Health With Russell Jaffe

Child: Welcome to my Mommy’s podcast.

This podcast is sponsored by Jigsaw Health, my source for magnesium. You probably know, if you’ve read my blog, that magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It impacts blood pressure, metabolism, immune function, and many other aspects of health, including hormones. It’s known as the master mineral and it’s one of the few supplements I take regularly. And I have found a specific way to take it that works best for me in very specific forms because if magnesium is taken in the wrong way it can lead to digestive upset or if it’s taken too quickly it can cause all kinds of problems. So, I take two supplements. One called MagSRT which is a slow release form of the dimagnesium malate. The slow release technology makes it easier on the digestive system. So I don’t get any of the digestive disturbance that comes with some forms of magnesium. I take this form in the morning and at lunch. So, two capsules with breakfast, two capsules with lunch. And at night, I take a different product MagSoothe, which is magnesium glycinate which is magnesium bound with the amino acid glycine to help sleep. And in combination, I noticed the biggest effect from those two particular products. You can check them both out and save by going to jigsawhealth.com/wellnessmama. And the code wellness10 will give you $10 off any order.

This podcast is brought to you by Pique Tea. I love all of their Triple Screen teas that can be consumed hot or cold. You might know that tea has been used for centuries for a variety of reasons in almost every culture around the world to naturally boost energy levels, to increase mental performance, for immune and gut health support, or longevity or just to achieve a youthful glow. It’s truly been a part of almost every culture. It’s noncaloric so I drink tea of some kind, either herbal tea or caffeinated tea almost every day even when I’m intermittent fasting and even during my fasting window. So, unless I’m on a full water fast, I will drink noncaloric tea while I’m still fasting. Pique Teas in particular are made from organic, high-quality tea leaves and ingredients sourced from around the world very carefully. They are the purest teas that I have found because they do something called Triple Toxin Screen for heavy metals, pesticides, and toxic mold so that you know you are getting the best, highest quality tea without the junk. Not to mention, their teas taste amazing and my kids love them too.

For all you moms listening, these teas are great for gut health. They use a cold-brew crystallization process, so you get more concentrated antioxidants and polyphenols, up to 12 times as many actually with each serving. These are the compounds that are known to be responsible for a lot of those benefits that I listed, and so, that increase is a really big deal. And given that these come in little tea crystals, I can easily add them to my smoothies or to hot or cold water. They dissolve in seconds. And I always carry a few of them in my purse when I travel. They have a range of caffeinated and noncaffeinated options. I love their Organic Jasmine in the morning for energy and for mental clarity while I’m podcasting and I love their Herbal Mint when I need to wind down and relax. Pique is also the first company in history to win three gold medals at the Global Tea championships. You can save 10% off Pique Teas by going to piquetea.com and using the code WELLNESSMAMA. Note that this does exclude their Fermented Pu’er teas, but it is valid on everything else.

Katie: Hello, and welcome to the Wellness Mama Podcast. I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com, and this episode is packed with practical tips that you can use based on eight predictive biomarkers that are good reflectors of lifetime health. I am here with Doctor Russell Jaffe who is an MD and a Ph.D. He is the founder and chairman of PERQUE Integrative Health which is a company that offers scientifically proven integrative health solutions. He has more than 40 years of experience in these areas of research, contributing to molecular biology and clinical diagnostic research. His focus is now on functional predictive tests and procedures designed to improve both the precision of diagnosis and treatment outcomes and for predictive longterm health. He’s authored nearly a hundred articles, and like I said, he is both an MD and a Ph.D. He is board certified in clinical pathology and chemical pathology. And has been the recipient of many awards in these areas, and he’s gonna tell his story better than I could, today. But how he went from a full conventional medicine background at the National Institute for Health, to now a very integrative approach to medicine. I know that you’re really gonna enjoy this extremely practical episode, so let’s jump right in.

Katie: Dr. Jaffe, welcome. Thank you for being here.

Dr. Jaffe: Thanks for the invitation.

Katie: Well, I’m excited for our conversation today. And I know we have a lot to talk about. But to start, you have such an interesting background. And I think that’s a perfect place to start. I think our listeners would love to hear a little bit more about you, and specifically, how you made a pretty radical jump from conventional medicine at NIH to where you are today. So can you walk us through briefly what changed in your thinking and how that reflected and how you practice medicine?

Dr. Jaffe: Well, thanks for that question. Because yes, I was a skeptic and I now advocate for what I think is a safer, better, more natural, more predictive, more personalized, more proactive, more prevention-oriented approach. And because as I think others have said better, we are spending more and feeling worse and we call that health care. So I did internal medicine and biochemistry and molecular biology in Boston, I came to the Clinical Center at NIH, enthusiastic as most of us were in the meritocracy of that time. And I fairly quickly realized that we were dealing with people who had fallen into the river of disease and we were hopefully reducing the drowning rate in that river of disease, but we weren’t preventing people from falling in.

So I went out to debunk the people who said they had traditional and/or evidence-based approaches to health promotion to real primary proactive prevention to personalized medicine. And fortunately, I picked some really good people to go and debunk because they showed me how ignorant I was, Queen Lu, I went to debunk traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture and I ended up doing a seven-year apprenticeship with him in Washington. DC. Ramamurti Mishra wrote the textbook of yoga psychology and commentary and Patanjali sutras and an MD PhD, rather broadly trained, I went to debunk him and became his student. And then I heard about a Cambodian Buddhist monk who had decoded a color healing system and non-invasive color healing system that had been given 2500 years ago, practiced for 5 centuries, lost for 20 centuries, 2000 years, and he had figured it out. And from the age of 80, when I met him until 110 when he passed, we were mostly together and yes, those are the kinds of people where, if you can watch them put their sandals or their shoes on and off, it’s a transformative experience, or how they fill the teacup or drink the tea.

So yes, I believe that I was trained in the scientific method, which means to be able to look across cultures and across time and across philosophies, but with a common guide, which is let the evidence…now some of it is observational and anecdotal and some of it is organized in a double-blind and some of it is triple-blind, which we can talk about if you want. So yes, I came as a skeptic. I now am very confident that we spend an extra $1 trillion each year out of the 3 trillion we spend on health care to bury a million people early with high suffering and very little value. And I believe we should do better than that. We deserve to do better than that. If we have the right to pursue happiness, which goes back to our nation’s founding, then I believe health care has to become, at some point, a right of citizenship, not a privilege of economics.

Katie: I agree with you. And I love that you were willing to question your assumptions. I think that’s something that we can all benefit from doing, in anything that we consider a firmly held belief or assumption, because truly, if we’re correct, we only then strengthen our belief and if not, that’s something we need to evaluate anyway, so I have so much respect that you did that process, even with your work and was something that was so vital to your career. I really have a lot of respect when people are able to do that. And I think that now you have such a wonderful perspective coming from both of those areas, to be able to offer people such unique advice and I’m so excited to get to go deeper on this with you. I know that you talked about how now with this new understanding and seeing kind of the whole picture that our health is very much largely determined by factors like diet and lifestyle, and you use the term epigenetics. So can you explain to us what that is and just how dramatically those factors can influence our life and our health?

Dr. Jaffe: Thank you, I can very easily explain what it’s not and then I will explain what it is. So what it’s not is your DNA that you inherit from your mom and dad, half from each, that’s your genome, that’s your DNA. But then the DNA has to get translated through something called RNA and then has to become something called a product or the protein or the glycoprotein or lipoprotein. And it’s there that life really gets more interesting. And epigenetics is the 92% of your lifetime health quality, your lifetime quality of life. That is determined by your habits of daily living, determined by what you eat and drink, think and do, the ways in which you choose to live your life. We call these the habits of daily living, sometimes HODL because we like to compress a few words into an acronym that’s a little hard to understand.

So, epigenetics turns out to be very important. It was validated in the early ’70s when Don Frederickson was running the National Institutes of Health, a consensus conference, 92% is choice and lifestyle 8% is DNA and determined, reconfirmed several times over the decades. So epigenetics is where the opportunity lies and yet, epigenetics and lifestyle is not what we have at the core of the medical education curriculum for physicians and nurses or chiropractors and naturopaths. It’s mostly about making the right diagnosis, and then a treatment to reduce the suffering or treat the symptoms. And what I’m saying is really quite different, epigenetics is the chance to change your habits and therefore change your future.

The past is behind us. I think we can agree that the past is behind us. The future has not come. I think we can agree the future has not come. So what are we going to do today so that our habits of daily living choose life and health? That means foods we can digest, assimilate, and eliminate without any burden, that means be well hydrated with water and herbal beverages are your beverages of choice. It means spending a few minutes each day to cultivate gratitude and to cultivate appreciation for your portion, rejoicing in your portion to use a metaphor.

And you do have to move around. So sitting is the new smoking and sugar is the new tobacco. So get up and give up the candy bars and the processed foods and the hidden sugar sources and eat whole foods that you can digest, assimilate, and eliminate without immune burden, and feel and function years to decades younger. You can, by changing your habits and thoughts and activities, feel and function decades younger. And I’m an example, just a personal example of someone who made that transition.

Katie: I love it. And I know when we were preparing for this interview you wanted to talk today about some specifics with biomarkers when it comes to this and particularly ways that we can kind of rethink our health. And then what we can learn from these biomarkers for a lifetime of health and not just lifespan but healthspan. So to start, what do you mean when you say rethink health? I know you’ve touched on that a little bit, but what does that concept mean to you?

Dr. Jaffe: Yes, when I say rethink health, I mean, making choices that are about primary, personalized, proactive and predictive prevention practice protocols. And if I say that again in a slightly different way, it means to look at the causes, not the consequences. It means to look at are you getting enough of the essential good stuff and are you able to reduce the anti-nutrient toxic bad stuff? And yes, in almost all cases, you can and we have documented in outcome studies in type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes, fibromyalgia, muscle pain and other similar conditions that you can, starting from best standard of conventional care today in just six months of best efforts, feel and function much better. And you can document that with a few self-assessments like the digestive trends of time. Your urine, acid-alkaline pH after rest. How much of nature’s ascorbate does it take to cleanse the anti-nutrients out of your body at that moment? Are you well hydrated? These are four self-assessments that are very inexpensive, easy to do and come with an interpretation to help you understand what it means so that you can choose more wisely tomorrow than you did yesterday.

Katie: Got it. That makes sense. Okay, so then I can’t wait to go deep on these because I’m a big fan of data and being able to track things and measure them and see what’s working and what’s not. So what are the predictive biomarkers?

Dr. Jaffe: Okay, so what are the predictive biomarkers? There are eight of them. First is hemoglobin A1C. Second is high sensitivity C reactive protein known as hsCRP. The third is homocysteine. The fourth is LRA cell cultures, that’s an immune tolerance test. The fifth is that urine pH after rest, that’s a measure of how much cellular magnesium you need or have. Then your vitamin D level which turns out to be a neural hormone, then your omega-3 index the balance of essential fats, omega-3 to omega-6 we need both but most of us get too much omega-6 and it’s often damaged. We need more omega-3 from whole seeds and nuts and foods.

And then the last, and it’s an unusual one, it’s an urine test an easy test to do but not a commonly done test yet. That’s 8-oxoguanine. Now 8-oxoguanine is the measure of how much oxidative damage is being done in your nucleus to your DNA. That’s a very important risk factor or marker. And that’s why when we started with 100,000 lab tests, just to find out how many tests we needed to cover all of lifestyle and epigenetics. This is part of our Health and Rethink Health Working Group. We came down to eight tests that can be done for less than $1,000 with interpretation. And you can add life to years and years to life based on those best outcome goal values, not the statistical lab ranges. So we don’t care what the lab ranges, we care what the best outcome value is for each of those eight biomarkers. And we want to know whether you are there. If you are, celebrate that you’re at your best outcome goal value. And if you’re not, here are the habits of daily living that will bring you there in about six months.

Katie: Awesome. Okay, so let’s go through each of these and kind of give people a broad picture of what they should expect and what good looks like and then also, if one of these, for instance, were to come back out of range, what they would need to know so they don’t freak out. So you started with hemoglobin A1C. Walk me through what that specifically is a measure of and what we want to see when it comes up hemoglobin A1C.

Dr. Jaffe: Yes, in the late 1960s, we discovered that if you have extra sugar inside yourself, it can harm the cell and the body is smart enough to stick that onto protein. And Paul Gallup, mentor of my mentor, actually developed the hemoglobin A1C, he published it in about 1967. So it’s been around a long time. And it gives you an average measure of extra sugars stuck on your protein over time, typically a three months timeframe, maybe that or a little bit more. And we know that people who are healthiest and live longest and feel and function best and have a new neurohormonal digestive system that works best. They have hemoglobin A1Cs of less than 5%.

And now you ask the right question, which is let’s say your hemoglobin A1C is above 5%, how do you get it to 5% or less and you do it the way I did, which is knowing that you’re sweet enough as you are, no added sugar in your diet. Notice I said no added sugar. The average American today takes in one week, in one week, the amount of sugar that our great grandparents took in the year. It’s hard to avoid added sugar, it’s really hard. It’s stuck into a whole bunch of things along with fat and salt that addict your tongue and your brain to what’s called the crave factor. We’ll talk about that some other time. But you want wholeness, you want nature, nurture and wholeness. You want food you can digest, assimilate, and eliminate without any burden to bring your hemoglobin A1C to less than 5%.

And I’m glad to tell you that when I weighed 65 pounds more, I was pre-diabetic by that measure. And now, since I’ve lost that weight and it’s been off now for years, I’m not going to find it again. My hemoglobin A1C for the last several years has been below 5% and that says that I am likely to live long and well within immune neurohormonal and digestive and nervous systems that work for the entire lifespan.

So hemoglobin A1C is important, there are nuances. We have written up review articles and published chapters in books about this for people want more information, but your hemoglobin A1C should be less than 5%. And we know how to get you there by reducing your intake of simple, which means empty calories sugar that is hidden in many processed, packaged and crisp foods. So when I was taught by Beatrice from Hunter was shopping around the edge of the store, that’s where the real food is and be careful about going down the aisles because that’s where the packages and the cans are.

Katie: Got it. And as another marker, I know that the hemoglobin A1C is one that you do have to go into a lab to get tested and I think it’s more accurate like you said because It’s kind of that average over time. I also am a big fan of using a glucose monitor at home and just relatively often taking my fasting glucose, which is not, that’s just a snapshot but it is a predictor as well, and it’s something that we can do at home. I’m curious if you know of any confounding factors when it comes to fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1C because I’ve heard from and seen labs for several patients who despite eating a very low carb diet and no processed sugar whatsoever, we’ll still see those numbers elevated. Are there other things that can come into play in those kinds of, like outlier scenarios?

Dr. Jaffe: Well, yes, thank you. Outlier scenario is the right kind of terminology. Let me start with the conclusion and back into why. Fructosamine, like fructose amine. Fructosamine is a measure of extra sugars stuck on to a protein and that changes quickly like, within a month or so, rather than waiting longer. And what are the complications about hemoglobin A1C? Well, it’s based on how long your red cells live, and your red cells and a healthy person live three or four months. But sometimes red cells don’t live three to four months. And then you can have, a few people have published articles about confounding variables that influence hemoglobin A1C. So when we became aware of that, we went out and looked at what is the test that you can do even if the red cells are more fragile or are being taxed one way or another by immune complexes or whatever? And the answer is fructosamine.

So yes, there are just exactly what you said, outliers. And where we try to do our best is to help both consumers and clinicians understand why the outliers exist and what to do about them so you can get an accurate measure and not be confused. Now, with respect, you can do a hemoglobin A1C on a little lancet drop of blood put onto a little piece of filter paper and sent to a lab. So you don’t have to have a phlebotomy to get an accurate hemoglobin A1C.

And the other side, most of us are familiar with white coat hypertension, you know, like, just drawing blood or going in to see someone who has a white coat on and a stethoscope around their neck and the smell of a clinic and so forth. For many people, it triggers a change in their blood sugar. So since we measure blood sugar and insulin and hemoglobin A1C, in our outcome studies I can tell you the hemoglobin A1C is a good measure for most people and fructosamine fills in when hemoglobin A1C is inadequate. And yes, you should be less than 5% on the corrected hemoglobin A1C or on the fructosamine, which means you’re at the lower end of the lab range.

Katie: Got it. Okay, that’s really helpful and it makes sense. And that one seems like a relatively straightforward and definitely, anything with glucose is definitely tied to the dietary factors as well. Are there any supplements that you recommend or that kind of go hand in hand with healthy levels?

Dr. Jaffe: No, no, again, a very good point in regard to nutrients or essential cofactors that your body cannot make that improve sugar regulation. It turns out there are a number of herbs and several minerals. The minerals are chromium. And you can have the chromium in the picolinate form of the citrate form. And then vanadium and vanadium ascorbate especially. But it turns out that chromium and vanadium separately help the body regulate blood sugar uptake and metabolism end to end.

And then it turns out there are four herbs. I’m not sure how much time we have to go into them. But some of these go back to the Old Testament, like Mara, or bitter melon. Some of these are contemporary, like, you can get them in a Chinese restaurant and most traditional parts of at least America if not the Pacific Rim. And so there are herbs and minerals that can be combined into mycelized soft gels and taken as part of glucose regulation. And we’ve helped pioneer some of these safer, more effective all-natural approaches.

Katie: Perfect. And then moving on, I’d love to talk also about C-reactive protein and you mentioned a specific marker to test for with C-reactive protein. For anyone who’s not familiar, can you explain what C-reactive protein is, what a healthy range looks like and then what we need to know if ours shows up out of range?

Dr. Jaffe: Yes, thank you. So, C-reactive protein is an inducible protein, it goes up when your body is not able to repair when your body is crying out because of the repair deficit, often misunderstood as inflammation. When your body has a repair deficit and C-reactive protein goes up. And Paul Ridker and Nadir Refai and other colleagues have shown that at the low end, you get a lot of useful information. So there’s a hsCRP or high sensitivity CRP, where the lower end of the range is more accurately analyzed by the lab and the healthy value for hsCRP is less than 0.5, people who have inflammatory chronic repair deficit or autoimmune conditions have elevated hsCRPs and we want them to get back to their best outcome ability to repair a non-deficient condition where the hsCRP is less than 0.5.

Katie: Got it. Okay, perfect. So if that does come out of range, what are some of the strategies that you would recommend to help the body get it back into normal range?

Dr. Jaffe: Well, to enhance repair you need the maternal antioxidant known as ascorbate, but you need the L-ascorbate, nature’s form, not the synthetic form the work-alike that doesn’t work. So you need fully-buffered, fully-reduced L-ascorbate based on the polyphenolics as Alberts and Georgie pointed out in the 1930s as a synergistic, or a multiplicative benefit, when you have the correct flavonoids and flavanols, quercetin dihydrate, insoluble OPC to work along with the L-ascorbate that’s fully buffered and fully reduced because it’s been produced under a nitrogen blanket in the old traditional way.

Then, in addition, you need magnesium. And today you need to enhance the uptake of magnesium with chromium-citrate so that you can activate ATP, the energy currency of the human body, you can protect the mitochondria with both magnesium and ascorbate, you can keep the what’s called proton gradient so that the cell functions efficiently and effectively. Too many of us are in chronic acidosis due to lack of magnesium in ourselves. We are in chronic oxidative stress because of antioxidant death, principally ascorbate, where you could, with the C cleanse, find out how much you need. And so we have developed and others along with us have developed functional tests that allowed people to decide and find out how much they need at a given moment in time, and then how much you take on a daily basis until they recheck how much they need on a more systemic basis.

Katie: That’s awesome. And I love that you brought up magnesium. That’s something that I learned about many years ago and have been taking regularly and making sure that I get enough of since that time, and I definitely notice a difference from doing that. In my research, I’ve read that magnesium is useful for literally hundreds of reactions in the body and that because of, for instance, depleted soil levels, and changes in our food supply, many of us don’t get enough without even really realizing it, and it’s a difficult thing to get an accurate test for. Whereas in general, from what I read, it’s something that we can take in moderate levels relatively safely. So is that something that you also take regularly?

Dr. Jaffe: Oh, yes. I tell you how much I take on a daily basis in a moment, but my colleague Dr. Ron Elin showed about 15 years ago, that if you’re in the lower half of the serum magnesium range, you are chronically deficient, and he called it CLMD chronic latent magnesium deficiency. Others, including ourselves, have proved that if you have evidence of low magnesium, which means high blood pressure, kidney issues, liver issues, etc., you’re likely to have serum magnesium in the lower half of the range. And if you’ll have healthy magnesium in your cell, you’ll be in the upper half of that serum range.

So yes, magnesium is mostly inside the cell. Only a little bit is in the blood. But thanks to Ron Elin, Mildred Seelig Burton Altura and others, including our work. We now know how to find out whether you’re at risk, which is you’re in the lower half of the serum magnesium range and what to do about it, which is enhanced uptake of magnesium with choline citrate. No other choline works, must be choline citrate, not choline bitartrate must be choline citrate. Now you enhance the uptake, chaperone delivery and the cellular retention of magnesium. So that instead of one third, which is the maximum you get today from the best of the best of the best of the best of the magnesium, one third comes into the body through the ion channel, and frankly, it tends to run out almost as fast as it comes in. So one of the things that we pioneered was enhanced uptake in chaperone delivery and retention of magnesium. And over the last decade or so, we have reconfirmed what Ron Elin postulated, and I’m glad to say he and I are still colleagues from our days at NIH many years ago.

Katie: Got it. Makes sense. Okay. Then moving beyond there you also mentioned homocysteine, which I’ve read about and heard as a marker related to heart health, for instance, but explain what homocysteine is and what it tells us about what’s going on internally.

Dr. Jaffe: Well, homocysteine is an amino acid that Kilmer McCully put on the map in the 1960s because of the link between elevated homocysteine and accelerated atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular risks. Since then, it’s been proven to be an all-cause morbidity, mortality indicator, which means it’s even more important that and what’s really important is the relationship between methionine and homocysteine. You want your methionine to be up so you can methylate at will and as needed. You want your homocysteine to be down to protect you from cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. And the best outcome goal value for homocysteine is less than six. And you get there by having a high sulfur diet, that’s GGOBE, garlic, ginger, onions, brassica sprouts, and eggs. And by having enough of the cofactors, including magnesium ascorbate, polyphenolics that we were just talking about, to make sure that your methylation systems are working efficiently. So it’s a little complicated, but we can use nature, nurture, and wholeness to guide us using smarter systems. And that’s what we’re talking about today.

Katie: Okay, great. So let’s go through because those were the ones I was more familiar with. There was a couple that you mentioned that I am not as familiar with, the first being I think you said LRA cell cultures. Can you explain what that is?

Dr. Jaffe: I sure can. LRA means lymphocyte response assay, LRA, lymphocyte response assay, and lymphocytes are white blood cells that carry memory. So some of your white cells remember when you were in childhood and had childhood measles, mumps or whatever childhood infections you had and protect you because of remembering that you’ve had that and recovered. And then there’s another aspect of these white blood cells called T-cells that respond without what are called antibodies.

So there are different aspects of cell cultures and what you need is an ex vivo test. Ex vivo means the blood reacts in the laboratory just as it reacts in the body. And LRA happens to be a 35-year-old, but just coming into its own recognition lymphocyte response assay that’s ex vivo has very high precision. Less than 3% variance on blinds with samples and has been used in more outcomes, successful studies of autoimmunity and remission and restoration of immune tolerance and reduction in inflammation and improvement in repair competency, than any other assay. We have 80,000 cases in our database of 25 million cell cultures accomplished. And we’re glad to acquaint your listeners with the testing, you know, they may not be familiar with.

Katie: Okay, what about the urine pH? What does that tell us about what’s going on inside the body?

Dr. Jaffe: Well, there’s one time of day and that’s after six or more hours of rest when the fluid in your bladder equilibrates with the cells in the genital urinary or bladder system, and you get a non-invasive measure of cellular acidosis or alkaline adequacy. Akaline means magnesium, acidosis means magnesium deficiency. If your cells are acidic, then your urine pH will be below 6.5. The healthy range of 6.5 to 7.5. If it’s consistently above 7.5, we have a different conversation about Tenenbaum illness, but most people are below 6.5, meaning they need more magnesium in their diet and supplements. And usually enhanced uptake in chaperone delivery magnesium, which is an area that has been a particular research interest in documentation tools.

Katie: Gotcha. Okay. So if either of those are out of range, that one it sounds like does very much directly tied to magnesium, are there other factors that we need to optimize as well?

Dr. Jaffe: Well, during the day, it turns out there are at least 25 different things that influence your urine pH. It’s only after six or more hours of rest, that the urine pH correlates tightly with cellular magnesium needs. And that’s why we measure it after rest, and usually at home, keeping a daily log, and then bring that to your health coach or health professional who can help you understand? What does it mean about Do I need more magnesium? Or do I need more choline-citrate, how many doses a day? And generally, it’s an extra dose, for every half pH unit below 6.5. Because pH turns out to be logarithmic and what that means is that a little change makes a big difference in biology and physiology.

Katie: Okay, got it.

This podcast is sponsored by Jigsaw Health, my source for magnesium. You probably know, if you’ve read my blog, that magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It impacts blood pressure, metabolism, immune function, and many other aspects of health, including hormones. It’s known as the master mineral and it’s one of the few supplements I take regularly. And I have found a specific way to take it that works best for me in very specific forms because if magnesium is taken in the wrong way it can lead to digestive upset or if it’s taken too quickly it can cause all kinds of problems. So, I take two supplements. One called MagSRT which is a slow release form of the dimagnesium malate. The slow release technology makes it easier on the digestive system. So I don’t get any of the digestive disturbance that comes with some forms of magnesium. I take this form in the morning and at lunch. So, two capsules with breakfast, two capsules with lunch. And at night, I take a different product MagSoothe, which is magnesium glycinate which is magnesium bound with the amino acid glycine to help sleep. And in combination, I noticed the biggest effect from those two particular products. You can check them both out and save by going to jigsawhealth.com/wellnessmama. And the code wellness10 will give you $10 off any order.

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And then now I want to switch gears and talk about one of my favorite things that I’ve been reading about recently, which is vitamin D. And I’m so glad that you mentioned this is one of the predictive biomarkers. There’s so much data across the board that I’ve read, and I’m sure even more that you’ve seen on all of the various ways that vitamin D is vital to overall health and right now in a very timely way toward reduced risk of complications from respiratory illness. I’ve also personally seen studies on the link between optimal vitamin D levels and lower risk of certain types of cancer. I think this is a really big deal and a marker that a lot of people should be testing and probably are not. But from your perspective, walk me through why vitamin D is so important. And what level do we want to see when we test for that?

Dr. Jaffe: The best outcome goal value for vitamin D properly measures 50 to 80 nanograms per mL. What that means is that the country, United States, in general, people have between 15 and 25, which more than triples their cancer risk. And if you take that vitamin D under your tongue as drops, you can get into the brain before the body and get it in. Whereas Dr. Michael Holick, a colleague who’s known as Dr. Sunshine points out that millions, maybe 40 million Americans do not absorb vitamin D from their intestines because of maldigestion, dysbiosis intestinal problems. And so these are people who can swallow a lot of vitamin D and get very little benefit.

So we know what the best outcome goal value is 50 to 80, that provides a safe range. We take as many drops under the tongue as needed to get you into the 50 to 80 range, and then you celebrate because it’s a neurohormone. We call it a vitamin, but it’s not really a vitamin, it’s a neurohormone and you’re right, it does a lot of things, both outside and inside the cell. And you need other cofactors with it, including magnesium and various kinds of vitamin K. But vitamin D is very important and the best outcome goal value is 50 to 80. That dramatically reduces your cancer risk and improves your all-cause morbidity, mortality, it reduces your cardiovascular risk, it improves your neurohormonal balance because it is a neurohormone itself. So 50 to 80 is your goal value, you can get there with drops under the tongue.

Katie: Gotcha. So just to clarify, this is one that you would absolutely recommend testing for and then supplementing with to get into those proper ranges. I know I’ve seen that as well that in the U.S., especially many, many people are deficient. And this is a tremendous risk factor, like you said, for a lot of problems that can much potentially much more easily be avoided if we optimize some of these things.

Dr. Jaffe: Well, all the predictive biomarkers are important, vitamin D especially so we now know what the safer, better outcome goal value is. And that’s where I want everyone to be. Now I have read even in “The New York Times” by distinguished scientific journalists, that because the country is deficient, it’s normal, statistically normal. That’s a statistical term having nothing to do with the common-sense meaning normal, but it’s statistically normal for people to be deficient. So that’s the way it is and don’t test and don’t stop them. As I think you can tell from the tone of my voice, I rather profoundly disagree with that point of view, you should test you should know, and you should be in the healthy 50 to 80 nanograms per mL.

Katie: Yeah, I think that’s another really important point that you just brought up. And I noticed that when I was going through Hashimoto’s and trying to get my levels back into normal range and to get into remission, which I now have. But that was something my doctor told me was that even within the range of quote unquote, normal thyroid hormones, you can still be having issues because those are based on averages. And the people who get tested for thyroid problems suspect they have thyroid problems. And so sometimes even what we’re seeing within the normal ranges are not optimal. And so that’s a really important distinction, I think, when we’re looking at labs as a marker of health is understanding that difference between just okay, and in normal range, and what optimal should be. And I love that you make that distinction in your work as well.

Dr. Jaffe: No, as someone who used to run the Clinical Center Labs at the National Institutes of Health, that’s something I can talk about. What we call the statistically normal or statistically usual range has to do with populations as you’ve correctly said. What we’re talking about today, though, has to do with individual personalized, proactive care. So if you know what the best outcome values are for each of these predictive biomarkers, the ones that cover all of epigenetics, I think you would want all of them to be in your healthiest outcome range, which means you have a 99 plus percent chance of living 10 or more years, as opposed to a 10% or 15% chance of living 10 plus years. I choose to be in the minority of people who are going to live and be dancing at 120 with their friends around.

Katie: I love that. I’m with you on that too. You also mentioned omega-3 and this is another area I would love to get your take on and to go deep on because Certainly, I’m a big fan of the National Institutes for Health. And I spent a lot of time in PubMed reading studies. There’s a lot of data about the benefits of omega-3s when we see populations that live a long time. That’s a common factor that they mentioned even in Blue Zones. But then I’ve also seen some information that you have to be careful with the sourcing of these because that’s something that can easily go rancid. So let’s start with testing. How can we know if we need more omega-3s? And what are good levels look like in the body?

Dr. Jaffe: Right, what are good levels look like? Now you look at Bill Harris’ work and others, and the answer is more than 8% omega-3 in the membranes of cells. This too can be done on a lancet, just the drop of blood on a piece of filter paper. And I remember the day when I was visiting with my colleague, Patti Bursar at the Military Medical School and Bill was there talking with her about how hard it was to find people who are taking in healthy amounts of healthy omega-3 essential oils.

Having pointed to me, he took a lancet out, took a drop of blood, and in about 10 days he sent me back reports that said my index, my omega-3 percentage, my omega-3 index was 13. So I called him up. And I said is this…I know 13 is higher than 8, that I understand. Is 13 better than eight? Or is it worse? He says, we don’t have enough people who are above 11. You know, you’re our poster child.” Now, you made a critical point. You can buy a lot of fish oil that is rancid and toxic. Rancid because air oxygen has damaged the essential fats and because it was not distilled under nitrogen. The omega-3 that I recommend is in a mycelized soft gel which is distilled under nitrogen. We remove the bad stuff, you concentrate the good stuff. You concentrate the EPA DHA essential omega-3 fats, we mycelize those in a soft gel.

And what do I take? Well, 6 to 10 grams a day. Now 6 to 10 grams a day is more than 3, and 3 is what many physicians today recommend, but I think our oxidative burden is higher. I can tell you that it keeps my omega three index above 8%. And that’s what I recommend. Now Barry Sears is an expert in this area of essential fats, he now recommends 15 grams of omega-3 EPA DHA a day. Different experts have different points of view. I think what’s clear is we need to reduce the omega-6. We need to increase the omega-3. Read Artemis Simopoulis’ work on the Greek Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, about why we need more omega-3, and we need less processed, crisp foods that are rich in omega-6, but it’s actually rancid and damaged omega-6, so it’s a double harm. So omega-3, yes, essential fats, yes, seeds and nuts and sprouts and foods that contain these as protected essential nutrients, yes. But once you start isolating and processing, you probably are getting trouble.

Katie: Yeah, that’s a great point. And that is a bigger dose than I would expect and I wonder this is what I’m curious to get for myself, now.

Dr. Jaffe: It’s not yet typical. But I can tell you when I started this because…there was a reason, but I started just because I needed to. I can tell you more and more and more of my colleagues have come around to the fact that we need at least 5 and between 5 and 10 grams a day of EPA DHA. Not the precursor because it turns out the precursor doesn’t get converted in most people to the active EPA, DHA. And given how much omega-6 most people get, look at the NHANES data, look at the PubMed data. When you look at how much omega-6 most people get, 5 to 10 grams a day is now a conservative intake, not a high intake.

Katie: Well, that’s… Yeah, that’s awesome to know because I can’t wait to test mine and see. I’m curious about that one. You also mentioned the last one, which I’m hopefully I’m not going to butcher it. I think you said 8-oxoguanine. Is that what you said or guanine?

Dr. Jaffe: No, no guanine, you got it. Guanine is one of the DNA bases. So it’s one of the language…it’s one of the letters of the genetic alphabet. Now, it’s also subject to air oxygen damage and oxidation and then it becomes 8-oxoguanine. We know what healthy people have, it’s less than 5 nanograms per gram of creatinine, which means you can take a spot urine, preferably in the morning but a spot urine and analyze it. And as long as you’re correct to the amount of creatinine that’s present, you have an accurate measure. So you don’t need a 24-hour urine. And it is a urine test. It’s non-invasive. And it completes the suite of protective epigenetic tests or the tests that measure epigenetics, where again, we know the best outcome goal value, and we can work with your lifestyle to get you.

Katie: Got it? Okay. And then, I know this wasn’t one of the eight but I’m curious to get your take on it. Another test that often is run when people do routine labs is a lipid or cholesterol panel. And this is a somewhat controversial area of research and I know that from what I’ve read, other countries have different ranges and different markers that they look at than we do in the U.S. So I’m curious what your take is now on what healthy cholesterol ranges look like and ways that we can optimize that. I would guess there’s an omega-3 component to this answer as well, but I’m really curious to get your take on cholesterol.

Dr. Jaffe: Well, I can tell you the answer and then I’ll tell you why I know the answer. But the answer is you should measure your oxidized cholesterol, your oxidized LDL. Your air oxygen damaged cholesterol and LDL contain 100% of the risk. And this may surprise people but in my, now, half a century in medicine, having collaborated with Don Cry, Bob Maley, and Bob Fedus on animal models of human heart disease, etc. many decades ago. I can tell you for sure that cholesterol and lipoproteins and HDL and LDL are innocent bystanders.

It turns out that magnesium protects essential fats in transit when they’re in LDL. Magnesium acts as an antioxidant to protect essential fats from air oxygen damage while they’re in transit. So I have taken care of people who have lived long and well with elevated lipids in their blood because they were high-performance, high-stress people and they needed to repair their membranes with cholesterol. They needed to repair their hormones through cholesterol, all of our hormones come from cholesterol. The notion that we should actually poison or inhibit the system that makes cholesterol. That was an interesting idea in the 1960s. It’s a scientifically-disproven idea today you can look at Malcolm Kendrick’s work online, you can look at many other people who along with our group showed that as long as you don’t damage the essential fats, they don’t harm you. And as long as you keep a healthy balance of omega-3 to omega-6 by eating whole foods that you can digest, assimilate and eliminate without immune burden. You can live long and well.

So what is it that’s so important about cholesterol? Well, let me give you some facts. And I hope you know this, I’m sure that you can check this out to verify. Half of the heart attacks occur in people with cholesterol above 200 and a half of the heart attacks occur with people below 200. Half of the heart attacks occur with people with LDLs above 100, and half of the heart attacks occur with people below 100. Of what meaning is that. A major person who advocated for that point of view said, and I quote, “Doctors are so dumb, they can only remember simple numbers like 200 and 100.” I said, “Well, what about the individual?” and they looked at me and said, “You’re so naive.” I don’t think I’m naive. Forgive me, but I don’t think I…

Katie: Wow, yeah, that’s really shocking, although I probably shouldn’t be at this point.

Dr. Jaffe: No no, excuse me for jumping in but it is shocking because a lot of medical care is devoted to these, your cholesterol or your LDL or your HDL or are your particles up or down this month versus another. And I’m telling you, it’s all about damage, oxidation, and reduction. Reduction has to do with antioxidants and buffering minerals like we’ve just been talking about. Oxidation has to do with oxygen and keeping it away from delicate things inside your body until you need it. Because oxygen is essential, without oxygen we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But we have basically fallen in love with a reductionist mechanistic model of letting the body fall apart and then trying to patch it up. And I think that’s the wrong model.

I want to keep my body renewing itself continuously, no part of my body or yours is more than 10 years old. And that’s our bones. So this notion that I’m getting old, relative to someone who is, shall I say, young is an illusion. If you get enough of the good stuff, you repair your bones and joints and body, and most of us is actually renewed every few months. So you get enough of the good stuff in, make sure that you exclude as much of the bad stuff as you can. And then learn how to thrive in this stressful, challenging 21st century time, including with these biomarker kinds of tests and understanding what the best outcome values are.

Katie: Such great advice and as we get close to the end of our time…I want to make sure I respect your time, I’m curious, first of all, if there’s a book or any number of books that have had a really dramatic impact on your life, and if so, what they are and why?

Dr. Jaffe: Well, the book that does come to mind is from the late 19th century, and it’s called Color and Light it was by Edwin Babbitt, who was what’s called a polymath, which means he was an MD, he was a JD, a lawyer, he was a PhD. And he basically anticipated the whole field of color therapy. And it turns out there’s a whole non-invasive color healing system that I studied because of Bhante Dharmawara that I have found to be first-line part of comprehensive, personalized, proactive predictive health care. And I want to get it incorporated into the curriculum of training the next generation of doctors and nurses, and health coaches and professionals because we really can feel and function better throughout the entire lifespan of our lives.

In my dad’s case, he died in my arms at 90 of natural causes, but he wasn’t supposed to live over 50. So we had an extra 40 years to enjoy each other. Bhante 110, and had highest frequent flyer status on three different airlines when he was 110. So it is possible to live long and well. As long as we choose the habits of daily living, that let us repair and renew. And that keep our predictive markers our functional personal predictive markers at their best outcome goal values. So live long and well and add life to years and years to life. That nature nurture and wholeness be your guides and eat the foods you can digest, assimilate, and eliminate without immune burden, staying well hydrated. And knowing that you move and think in order to add value to the lives around. Leave the place better than you find it. It’s not a bad philosophy.

Katie: That’s wonderful. And I think, like, you’ve given so much practical advice today. One question I’d love to wrap up with, and you may have just answered it already. But what is one thing that you would love our listeners to take away and remember from this conversation that can help really improve their life starting today?

Dr. Jaffe: Well, here I’m going to quote the 2000-year-old man Mel Brooks if there was one thing to take away from this conversation is that life is about choices. “And while the past is behind us and the future has not happened in this moment, we can choose life, and we can choose to be grateful for whatever our portion is so that we can touch others in a way that makes them smile.”

Katie: I love that. What a perfect note to end on after so much wonderful information in this podcast. Dr. Jaffe, I’m so grateful for your time today and for sharing all that you’ve learned in all of your years of research and study. Thank you so much for being here.

Dr. Jaffe: Very grateful to share this with your audience. And thank you for being you. It was a lovely conversation.

Katie: And thank you as always to all of you for listening and sharing one of your most valuable resources your time with both of us today. We’re so grateful that you did and I hope that you will join me again on the next episode of “The Wellness Mama” podcast.

If you’re enjoying these interviews, would you please take two minutes to leave a rating or review on iTunes for me? Doing this helps more people to find the podcast, which means even more moms and families could benefit from the information. I really appreciate your time, and thanks as always for listening.

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/russell-jaffe/

[tachibubu]

Drip Drop [REQUESTED]

Pairing: Jerome Valeska x Reader

Prompt: [ANON] gothammm can u do a oneshot where reader is jims v close niece or sth who has social anxiety and phobia of blood and then jim drags her into gcpd office where she forces her to be a cop (like in training?) and then unfortunately for her, jerome and the gang comes for a shooting and then she just hides smwr like undr the table and jerome sees and finds it cute but shes pale af cuz of all the blood and she cant say or do anything cuz of fear and social anxiety?

YAYYYY! My first request from being in tumblr for 4(?) days!!! I got this request from a person [Which that person wants to stay anonymous] and it was interesting to write! It took me awhile since I have to study on how to get in a Police Department for this one and some test required. I tweaked some minor stuff, hope you don’t mind! Also, before you say that Jim couldn’t have any niece because he doesn’t have a sibling (In my information, still haven’t watched Gotham fully.) this is an AU where either your mother or father is Gordon’s sibling. Also this is a female reader insert, I couldn’t do both genders in one go since I’m really strict to grammar even though my grammar isn’ really that great. Anyways hope you guys like it, and you too anon who requested this!

You went in to you and your Uncle Jim’s shared apartment, you could hear him cooking something as the aroma of the food hits through the air. You dropped yourself on the couch and wailed like a kicked puppy.

“Oh, (Y/N). Finally find a job?” you could hear some utensils where set.

“No luck Uncle Jim…”

You were Jim Gordon’s niece. Since your parents died from a homicide when you were still a wee child. Jim was the only relative accepted you and took you in. After him helping you throughout the incident, you both became a close duo. Now that you were in a legal age and haven’t entered to any college since you and your uncle couldn’t afford for it you decided to help the household by applying on an occupation. So far, all the interviews were a disappointment.

“Could you set the table?” Jim requested as you groaned but rose and carried on what the elder told you to do.

The both of you consumed the dish in peace for a while then Jim decided to break the silence.

“I could get you in at the GCPD as a police though since we are in need after the Maniax incident,” he lifted an eyebrow at you while chewing the food inside his mouth. You thought about it, it could raise your cash earning, yes. Plus, you do have an athletic history and could fire a gun, which Jim educated you for self-defense. But the major obstacle is that you were scared of blood, in other words you have hemophobia. That’s the con, but you were mentally humiliated being puppied by your uncle. You want to assist the household too, but this decision could cause you to be terrified to death. No, I could do this. You thought to yourself, this would make me stronger.

“I’m up for it,” you said returning eye contact.

Jim knew about this phobia of yours, he doubt that you would accept it but he was surprised that you acknowledged it. “Are you sure? There would be a bloody incident now and then, I know you want to help but you don’t know what will happen in every second or minute.”

“I’m sure of it.” He sighed then bowed his head a little to respect your choice.

“Well then I’ll prepare everything else, also you need to prepare about the LEE examination for it and at least have 70% above to pass. So, good luck kiddo.” He smiled at her then they proceeded to eat in silence. On that night you searched a lot of information for the test to raise your chances on passing.

The next day you and Jim were driving to the station, “My niece would like to apply.” He then advanced and gave your citizenship card and driver license, your high school diploma also to be checked by the woman on the counter. You were pretty apprehensive at this, having negative speculation every now and then. What if I did pass then saw blood throughout the job? I don’t even know if I would be able to pass this, I hope they like me… That’s some of the few anticipation that you have been deliberating to yourself.

It was going fine until several gunshots were heard; the worst thing is that it was “NEARBY”. The windows shattered and you squeaked in surprise and horror, some police were shot, which made your eyes expand.

Blood, all over.

You started to hyperventilate; your body was shaking fiercely. Your uncle led you to the other side of the counter and made you hide under the table at one corner. It was a good hiding place but you doubt it will last. He ordered to stay there and gave you a pocketknife to defend yourself. “I’ll be back, think of your happy place (Y/N)…” he was on pins and needles that you will lose consciousness and with your pale figure; it was obvious you weren’t fine. He grasped both of your hands and you focused on him, still shaking and sobbing. “Do what I told you (Y/N)---“

“Close your eyes, and think about positive things.”

He said hugging you; your six-year-old figure struck by a jolt at the sight of the cadaver of your parents in the kitchen. The floor was tainted in red and their eyes are dull. Police and medics can be heard rushing outside. Uncle Jim always told to you to do that when you sighted blood, and it always seemed to work. You trusted him that much.

“I’ll get you out of this, I promise.”

You urged your head to nod which worked and he smiled and ruffled your hair before sneakily went out of sight to see what’s happening. The girl that your uncle talked to you a few minutes ago was there laying nearby, now a carcass. There’s another police you can see near at your hiding place lifeless too. You felt light headed at this point. It was horrifyingly catastrophic.

And when you heard a happy whistling tune and footsteps, you hugged yourself firmly. Clutching the knife that your uncle gave you, you closed your eyes and did what your uncle told you. Think of happy thoughts, and trust him even though your heart was pounding by the trigger of your phobia and also fearing for you life.

The MANIAX was back after estimated two weeks and were up for some show, the group of mentally ill people decided to welcome one of the most entertaining yet foolish department of all time. Gotham City Police Department. Requested by the leader of the group, the one and only Jerome Valeska.

Jerome was whistling and slightly skipping while glancing anywhere if there are any alive preys still in sight for him to satisfy his hunger. While he walked he heard a whimper, he walked towards where he heard it and saw a girl hiding under a table. She was obviously scared; Jerome couldn’t help but think it was adorable. He started to near her, gun in hand in case the girl didn’t afford the entertainment he needed. When he was in front of her, kneels down. He noticed a knife in her fist.

“Boo!” he giggled. The girl suddenly by instinct stabbed him on his upper arm which was took him in shock. He noticed the girl got more scared, he didn’t knew if it was him or something else.

“S-sorry!” she gasped. “I, I… Scare! . Bl-Bl-Blood!”

“Not, not…. Kill, I pl-pl-please!”

He looks at her, as if she was a precious baby to be saved, not bothering the pain he felt on his shoulder. The blood flowed and the girl whimpered at the sight of it and at the sight of the well-known psychopath. This made him smile at how adorable she was, he thought. He liked her instantly. Maybe he should keep her alive and play with her for a little while. It would be interesting enough for him; besides if she gets boring he could kill her instantly. But something about her that made Jerome uneasy, a feeling or an emotion he couldn’t put into which he just shrugged off.

“Don’t worry doll,” he said and puts a hand behind her head and pushed her onto his chest and cradled her. “Now close your eyes, drop the knife and put your hands around me.” You still cried but managed to do what he said and embraced him even though she could feel the phobia rush in as she felt the sticky blood touching her arm. But she didn’t bother it, she was a facing a killer and she was exhausted. That’s a downside. She felt her world being dim and darker in every blink. Her breath seemingly slowed down. Before she could pass out, she could hear the psychopath’s comforting voice once again.

“Now, now doll. I’ll protect you for now on.”

[silverbulletofthefbi]

((Some thoughts about the Rum arc under the cut. (Mary, Kohji’s connections to the Akai/Sera family, Wakasa, and the possibility of either as Asaka for now).))

First, where the everloving HELL did Kohji hear the name “Rum”? During the attack? Some time before then? Who said it (or wrote it)? How did it come up?

Mary

Mary’s dialogue about the demon in the dark is a red herring and there’s no way for her to be Rum. Rum’s in good standing with the Org. and being an APTX victim is instantly the mark of an enemy of the Org. It means an attempted murder victim or an attempt at suicide and needing to flee the Org.  (The Org. still doesn’t know about the shrinking effect, just Vermouth and a few defectors.)

She also doesn’t meet the “lacking an eye” description associated with Rum, having perfectly functional eyes, not even getting into the alcohol codename pattern...

Kohji’s family situation

Kohji is stated to be something ambiguous in relation to Shuukichi. According to the translators, the term Shuukichi uses means either brother-in-law or step-brother. However, we have a bit of a timeline that makes things a bit clearer. The case happened 17 years prior, when Kohji was 21 or so. Shuichi is currently 31 or 32, according to Aoyama. 17 years ago, he would have been 14 or 15. I mention this because a sibling-in-law is either your sibling’s spouse or the sibling of your spouse. This can’t be the case, because Shuichi and Shuukichi are too young to marry at that point and they haven’t married yet (though not for lack of trying on Shuukichi’s part). Kohji cannot be a brother-in-law to them. 

As for step-siblings, that gets a bit murky, since a step-sibling is the child from a previous relationship of one of the parents brought into the newer family. Kohji having another surname from the rest could imply that, though it would raise the question of if he was Tsutomu’s or Mary’s son alone. If the former, that would mean Kohji took on his mother’s surname. If the latter, he took his father’s surname. (Mary didn’t change her name when marrying, as shown in Shuukichi’s marriage forms.) 

As for the idea of him being adopted, I wouldn’t entirely rule it out just yet. Were he alive, he would be 38 at the time of the series. And, given the math I did on Mary’s likely age at the time of the incident (see below), she’d be 51-57 years old now, ignoring her current poisoning. She would have to have been 13-19 when Kohji was born. We do not know Tsutomu’s age, so he could be Tsutomu’s child brought over from a previous relationship. Or else Kohji was adopted when he was a bit older. Or Mary’s timeline stuff would be on the higher end of her possible ages, where she had Kohji at 18-19, Shuichi at 25 or so, and is 56 or 57 currently.

Someone else over on one of the forums commented at one point the theory that Tsutomu was Kohji’s body double and murdered, due to the prominent cheekbones. Aside from that making no sense timeline-wise, I think a more likely explanation is that Kohji is Tsutomu’s son. (Gosho draws families as having some similar traits, such as unique eye patterns or facial features.)

Regardless, I am curious of Kohji’s citizenship status, since that would help clear up some jurisdiction questions and could help narrow down which agency Tsutomu worked for. A murder in the US would fall under US jurisdiction, unless involving a non-US citizen, if I recall.

Wakasa

Wakasa’s unlikely to be Rum. Aside from how Rum fits the male alcohol codename pattern and the consistent description of him being a man, some of the details don’t quite add up. The Organization is incredibly careful about the appearance of the name Asaca, and her fake name is literally a few letters away from Kohji’s message- Asaka Rum. They would never, ever, EVER have the agent connected with that case do something like that. Especially not their second in command when his screw-up there is something from 17 years ago that they still go out of their way to hide and hunt down any possibility of Asaca.

The idea I’ve seen floating around, that Wakasa is Vermouth, is unlikely in my opinion. For Wakasa, the idea of prosthetics and intentionally blinding someone is very personal and makes her react incredibly badly, things likely connected to Kohji’s murder/Rum. Vermouth, meanwhile, is very flippant and mostly relaxed during the Asaca concert hall case, offering to help Amuro, and the reason for her showing up seems to be to make sure Conan and Ran are safe and that Amuro won’t target them in some way. (She is unaware of him being PSB and thinks he’s a loyal Org. member.)

On top of that, Wakasa’s clearly observing Kudo. Vermouth already knows that he’s a great detective and knows who he is and what happened to him. Wakasa seems, instead, intent on testing him and figuring out his skills. Vermouth also lacks the quick detective-like thinking that Wakasa appears to have.

Asaka

As for who is Asaka, I think both Mary and Wakasa are likely candidates:

1. Both are good at close-quarters fighting. However, their styles are a bit different. Mary fights normally, while Wakasa often feigns clumsiness and accidents to do what needs to be done, be it fighting or giving hints. 2. Both are linked to the case from 17 years ago with Kohji. Mary through a family relationship, Wakasa marking herself as such with her pseudonym. 3. One’s using a clear pseudonym and the other’s in near-total hiding.

Now here’s where things get murky...

Mary’s caution is more like Subaru’s assessment of Asaka- avoids being seen, disappearing without a trace, CAUTIOUS as hell.

(However, this comes across as a red herring for Mary to be seen as suspicious by the audience. Especially since Conan’s idea that Asaka is Rum is also a few chapters near that dialogue chronologically, if I recall.)

Wakasa, on the other hand, is a bit more mixed in terms of caution. Her pseudonym is clearly attention-getting when talking about the Org., yet she reacts like she didn’t want to be photographed or mentioned in the papers at all.

Their links to the case are different. In the case of Mary, she would have been either his step-mother, mother, or adoptive mother. In the case of Wakasa, Kuroda speculates either a girlfriend or sister, since the intentional pseudonyms make it unclear.

Mary is bored by the soul detective’s reasoning for Asaca being a woman- the use of a mirror. Makes sense, since anyone would find a mirror useful if they were looking behind them. However, with her likely background, she probably just knows this as a general thing, not necessarily her having been there.

The one picture we have of Asaka shows the person having dark, longer hair, which points more toward either Wakasa or Iori, not Mary.

Wakasa, assuming her age is correct, would have been about 20 during the time of the Kohji’s murder. Mary’s age is ambiguous, but given Gosho’s general trends, she would’ve had Shuichi at 20-25. Fourteen to fifteen years later (when Kohji’s murder occurred), she would be anywhere from 34-40. Depending on location/organization/etc., bodyguards must be at least 18-21, but many prefer bodyguards who are over 25.

If Mary is Asaka, that raises questions about what Tsutomu knew of the case beforehand (since it could easily be their child whom she failed to protect), what Mary knew of Rum, or if she knew the details of Kohji’s murder directly. Also, how would that conversation work out with them, since Amanda offered Kohji her bodyguard Asaka, only for it to be his mom/stepmom? (That’d be hilarious, I’ll admit.)

If Wakasa is Asaka, this raises questions about her use of such a pseudonym. It’s too blatantly an allusion to Asaca and Rum, while Asaca’s remained hidden so far, unless bringing up that case from the past made her come forward now to get some resolution?

What’s also interesting is that Wakita and Wakasa both start getting close to Kogoro and Conan so soon after the Soul Detective arc. This mirrors Mary’s warning that the Org. will come around once they hear the name Kohji Haneda drudged up.

However, I am not saying with certainty that either one could be Asaka. They could both just be very close to Kohji on a personal level and that could throw things off. We are also operating on incomplete information.

A final note, comparing and contrasting the two, Mary and Wakasa are different in their approaches when it comes to their contact with Conan. Mary is careful, has an intermediary (Masumi), and wants him to come to her. However, she later seems to shut down this idea due to his actions when dealing with her. She’s very slow to trust, that much is apparent.

Meanwhile, Wakasa’s directly approaching Conan on different pretenses. It’s hard to tell what’s going on with her, but she’s using various excuses to try to get him alone to talk with him, such as spilling paint on the tiger and later saying how she wants to drop the kids off one by one.

[patriotsnet]

Are Other Republicans Running For President

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Are Other Republicans Running For President

Im Running For President Because Its Time For New Leadership Because Its Time For New Energy And Its Time For A New Commitment To Make Sure That The Opportunities Getting Out There Being Able To Hear Peoples Concerns Address Them With New Ideas Has Been An Extraordinary Experience He Said

Biden thought hard about running in 2016, but he decided against it, being so soon after his son beau’s death and. Running for president of the united states is an. But there is so much more to it. Joe biden opposed president reagan’s peace through strength that led to the fall of the berlin wall. And speaking of brand image i read the program of warren recently, and was tempted to give her a french honorary citizenship as she is trying to import.

With The Debates About To Begin Bill Whittle And I Discuss Whether Republican Candidates Should Have To Perform In Exploding Chairs Like The Villains In Thunderball So That The Process Of Elimination Can Be More Immediate And Entertaining

There have been previous unsuccessful efforts to drop the natural born requirement. Former vice president joseph r. Here’s everyone who’s running for president in 2020, and who has quit the race. Amash, the republican turned independent congressman from michigan, announced last month that he was launching an exploratory committee to run for the libertarian party nomination for president. They’ll be able to catch you when you fall.

As for the opposition, there are four republicans running in the primaries as of april 2012. They emerged because when andrew jackson was running for president he was for the ‘common man and they called themselves democratic republicans. But what about the other republicans running for president in 2020? Running for president of the united states is an. Dead things most rotten before they.

Biden thought hard about running in 2016, but he decided against it, being so soon after his son beau’s death and. Is there any other republican running than trump ? There was plenty of motivation to take me out. But these figures don’t quite include everyone who’s running. On the republican side, there is, of course, president donald trump.

Lets Take A Look At The Republican Landscape And The Potential Challengers To So Far There Are Three Official Republican Challengers And One Was Just Announced A Few Days Ago:

I’m going to run for president of the united states because, as a young mom, i’m going to fight for other people’s i know there is a tear in that fabric right now; There are 24 main democratic candidates. People embark on a presidential odyssey for a wide variety of reasons. And speaking of brand image i read the program of warren recently, and was tempted to give her a french honorary citizenship as she is trying to import. But it can be repaired by someone who can lead, and i ran for president to win and make a difference in our great country, swalwell photo: He is not expected to run for any other office in 2020. But these figures don’t quite include everyone who’s running. On the other side, some republicans have challenged president trump in the republican primary. Republican leaders have said they want to protect trump by having state parties change the rules for their primaries to guard against an insurgency. The players and other stadia will make their show of support, so the benefit has already been had. Not coincidentally, there’s been renewed talk of a serious republican taking on the president in the 2020 primaries. ‘there is a rot at the center of the modern republican party,’ he continued. On the republican side, there is, of course, president donald trump.

Notable Candidates Include Individuals Who Have Qualified To Appear On Enough State There Were 21 Candidates On The Ballot Each In Vermont And Colorado

Bush said in retrospect that the divisiveness of the primary challenge might have cost bush reelection. There are several people running for the republican nomination, but given the current president is a republican, he is the only one that matters. Notable candidates include individuals who have qualified to appear on enough state there were 21 candidates on the ballot each in vermont and colorado. While the republican and democratic nominees will be on the ballot in all states, independents must meet an array why is he running for president? Former congressmen joe walsh announces republican presidential primary challenge.

But it can be repaired by someone who can lead, and i ran for president to win and make a difference in our great country, swalwell photo: Since the current president is democrat, we already know who the democrat running for president will be . The only other person running worth mentioning is bill weld, former governor of massachusetts, who was the libertarian nominee for vp back in 2016. Other republicans have made it quite clear they don’t see a path to the nomination for anyone but trump in 2020. I think that as a republican party, we have lost our way. mark sanford.

Republican Hopefuls Will Need To Lay The Groundwork For Potential Campaigns Of Their Own Without Alienating The President And His Supporters

WASHINGTON—President Trump’s public and private musings about running again in 2024 are scrambling the calculus for the large field of fellow Republicans considering bids.

Most hopefuls have been quick to show deference. But it’s unclear whether Mr. Trump, who refuses to concede his loss to President-elect Joe Biden, will follow through, and rivals either way will likely seek ways to remain viable. Prospective GOP candidates don’t want to risk alienating Mr. Trump’s base by appearing to push him aside, but they also don’t want to be left unprepared if he decides not to run.

“For the last 20 years everyone who has run for president has always started off pretending like they weren’t. You can still do that with the possibility of Trump running again,” said Republican strategist Todd Harris. The 2024 election, he added, “could be the first time loyalty to Trump and political ambition are put on a collision course.”

Mr. Trump—who managed to get more than 74 million votes in his losing effort this year—demonstrated his grip on the party base with Saturday’s rally in Georgia for two senators locked in tight runoff elections. “Four more years, four more years,” a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd chanted. He is raising millions of dollars for a newly formed political committee that can fund future campaign activity.

Next Test Of Trumps Influence On The Republican Party: A Crowded Gop Primary Fight For An Ohio House Seat

A GOP primary Tuesday to fill a congressional seat outside Columbus is shaping up to be a test of former president Donald Trump’s influence over the Republican Party, coming after his preferred candidate lost a Texas House campaign last week and some of his allies aligned with other candidates in the competitive Ohio race.

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Tuesday’s contest — in which 11 candidates are vying to replace longtime GOP congressman Rep. Steve Stivers — has caused serious consternation among the former president’s advisers and even Trump himself, according to people familiar with the private discussions.

Trump railed at aides after Susan Wright, the candidate he backed in a special Texas Congressional race to replace her late husband, Rep. Ron Wright, lost to a state Republican lawmaker last week, they said.

The defeat was an embarrassing setback for the former president, who has sought to flex his hold on the party by making a slew of endorsements since leaving the White House, inserting himself into GOP primaries and going after political enemies.

Trump has made his preference clear, issuing slashing statements in which he has complained that other candidates are suggesting to voters that he supports them rather than Carey, a close friend of Corey Lewandowski, a former Trump campaign manager who advisers say helped secure the endorsement.

Collins says infrastructure bill could pass Senate by end of week with at least 10 Republicans in support

New 2020 Voter Data: How Biden Won How Trump Kept The Race Close And What It Tells Us About The Future

As we saw in 2016 and again in 2020, traditional survey research is finding it harder than it once was to assess presidential elections accurately. Pre-election polls systemically misjudge who is likely to vote, and exit polls conducted as voters leave the voting booths get it wrong as well.

Now, using a massive sample of “validated” voters whose participation has been independently verified, the Pew Research Center has . It helps us understand how Joe Biden was able to accomplish what Hillary Clinton did not—and why President Trump came closer to getting reelected than the pre-election surveys had predicted.

How Joe Biden won

Five main factors account for Biden’s success.

The Biden campaign reunited the Democratic Party. Compared to 2016, he raised the share of moderate and conservative Democrats who voted for the Democratic nominee by 6 points, from 85 to 91%, while increasing the Democratic share of liberal Democrats from 94 to 98%. And he received the support of 85% of Democrats who had defected to 3rd party and independent candidates in 2016.

How Trump kept it close

Despite non-stop controversy about his policies and personal conduct, President Trump managed to raise his share of the popular vote from 46% in 2016 to 47% in 2020. His core coalition held together, and he made a few new friends.

Longer-term prospects

BillGalston

Seemingly Every Other Viable Republican Politician In The United States Is Lining Up To Make A Run

There are several people running for the republican nomination, but given the current president is a republican, he is the only one that matters. Epl had their logo plastered with the rainbow colors all of june, was there any sanctions on them!? But what about the other republicans running for president in 2020? Notable candidates include individuals who have qualified to appear on enough state there were 21 candidates on the ballot each in vermont and colorado. Former congressmen joe walsh announces republican presidential primary challenge. The only other person running worth mentioning is bill weld, former governor of massachusetts, who was the libertarian nominee for vp back in 2016. Who is running for president in the 2020 election? Seven other candidates qualified to appear on the ballot in five states or more. I think that as a republican party, we have lost our way. mark sanford. Bush said in retrospect that the divisiveness of the primary challenge might have cost bush reelection. Is there any other republican running than trump ? But it can be repaired by someone who can lead, and i ran for president to win and make a difference in our great country, swalwell photo: 18 democrats and two republicans, according to the latest numbers.

Us Election 2024: Who Are The Likely Republican Candidates To Run For President Against Joe Biden

Mike Pence, Ivanka Trump and Ted Cruz are among the rumoured candidates to become Donald Trump’s successor

The 2020 presidential race has only just finished, but the Republican candidates for 2024 are already preparing themselves for their shot at the White House.

We take a look at who may be looking to get themselves in to the race.

Pa Republicans See A Big Opportunity In 2022 But Some Are Worried Their Candidates Might Blow It

Philadelphia Inquirer

It’s a summer of worry for some Pennsylvania Republicans.

A rocky July has increased concern among some party insiders that they’re lacking marquee candidates for critical statewide races next year.

First came a public blowup between likely gubernatorial candidate Bill McSwain and former Attorney General Bill Barr. Some prominent GOP donors and operatives saw it as a daft mistake that reinforced questions about his political acumen. Those insiders, largely from Southeastern Pennsylvania, have spoken to a political veteran from McSwain’s backyard — former U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach of Chester County — to gauge his interest in running for governor, according to four people familiar with the conversations, and some are hopeful that additional candidates join the fray.

Meanwhile, in the state’s critical 2022 U.S. Senate race, fund-raising reports this month showed the leading GOP contenders all . None of the major Republican Senate candidates has ever won elected office, a stark contrast with the emerging Democratic field that includes an array of well-established officeholders.

Republicans are hoping the governor’s race delivers total control in Harrisburg , while the Senate contest is one of a handful that could decide control of the chamber — and with it the fate of President Joe Biden’s agenda.

In a state as closely divided as Pennsylvania, the strength of individual candidates can make a difference in races that could come down to a few percentage points.

With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibitionthe Run For President

Return to Rise to National Prominence List Previous Section: The New Lincoln | 

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was the least known of all of the contenders for the Republican Party’s nomination for president. Heading the list was former New York Governor William H. Seward, with the politically awkward Governor Salmon P. Chase of Ohio a distant second. Conservative Edward Bates of Missouri was considered too old, and many Republicans seemed uncomfortable with the popular but unpredictable Horace Greeley, founder and editor of the New York Tribune.

To overcome his disadvantage, Lincoln adopted an unobtrusive publicity campaign. The timely release of his published debates with Stephen A. Douglas and brief autobiographies and a carefully orchestrated speaking campaign in New York and parts of New England all worked to Lincoln’s advantage. The nomination and the subsequent campaign were left largely to trusted handlers, but even after his election was secure, Lincoln maintained a dogged silence on national issues prior to his inauguration.

In Gop Poll From Hell Republicans Say They Want Donald Trump Jr To Be President In 2024

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A recurring nightmare among millions of Americans is that come 2024, Donald Trump will forget the fact that he actually hated being president, decide to run again, and win. Seriously, can you think of a more horrifying scenario, except perhaps falling through a sidewalk into a rat-filled chasm, which some people might still prefer? We maintain that you cannot. But an equally terrifying, skin-crawling situation would definitely be to turn on the TV on January 20, 2025, and see Donald Trump Jr. being sworn in as president of the United States, which a number of Republican voters apparently actually want to happen.

The poll, which was conducted between July 6 and 8, did not include Donald Trump Senior, who maintains an inexplicable grip on voters despite the mass-death stuff, an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election, and a mental state that suggests he should be in a home or studied by a team of Swiss doctors.

And the fact that Don Jr. came out on top is not where the scary news ends. Because apparently if Republicans can’t have Sheep Killer over here, their second-favorite choice is Florida governor Ron DeSantis, the man currently responsible for this:

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More Great Stories FromVanity Fair

Nj Primary Elections 2020: The Five Republicans Who Want To Take Over As Us Senator

Colleen O’Dea, Senior Writer and Projects EditorNJ Decides 2020Politics

Five Republicans are vying for the chance to try to do something no one else has been able to do in almost a half-century: Convince New Jersey voters to elect a Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate, where Democrat Cory Booker now sits.

It has been 48 years since New Jersey voters have sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate, and registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly a million. In 2018, Republican and former pharmaceuticals executive Bob Hugin spent more than $39 million, including $36 million of his own money, and lost by 11 percentage points to incumbent Bob Menendez, who had been considered vulnerable after his trial on political corruption charges ended in a hung jury.

“Statewide races are the toughest ones of all for a GOP outnumbered by a million more registered Democrats in the state,” said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. “But even before party registrations were so lopsided, Republican Senate candidates have fared more poorly here than almost anywhere else in the nation.” Since New Jersey last sent a Republican to the Senate in 1972, “the GOP has lost a staggering 15 Senate races in a row,” he said.

President Trump Your Legacy Is Secure Stop The ‘stolen Election’ Rhetoric

As many on the left have pointed out, the 2020 election was less a repudiation of Trump than a narrow loss for a man who proved just unpalatable enough for a critical sliver of his coalition.

Sean Spicer, a former Trump press secretary, told The Post his ex-boss would be an instant front-runner in a 2024 primary. “He has a rock-solid base, I just don’t think that there is anyone else who even comes close.”

Teasing a potential run in 2024 would at the very least ensure Trump stays relevant and in the press for years to come.

If Trump himself passes on the opportunity, his two very political children Don Jr. and Ivanka Trump could also potentially pick up the mantle. Trump Jr. has long acted as an outside surrogate for his father online and in the press and connects strongly with his base. Ivanka, meanwhile, has years of administration experience under her belt as a White House adviser to her father.

Republican Presidential Hopefuls Move Forward As Trump Considers 2024 Run

Less than three months after former President Donald Trump left the White House, the race to succeed him atop the Republican Party is already beginning.

Trump’s former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has launched an aggressive schedule, visiting states that will play a pivotal role in the 2024 primaries, and he has signed a contract with Fox News Channel. Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice-president, has started a political advocacy group, finalized a book deal and later this month will give his first speech since leaving office in South Carolina. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been courting donors, including in Trump’s backyard, with a prominent speaking slot before the former president at a GOP fundraising retreat dinner this month at Mar-a-Lago, the Florida resort where Trump now lives.

Trump ended his presidency with such a firm grip on Republican voters that party leaders fretted he would freeze the field of potential 2024 candidates, delaying preparations as he teased another run. Instead, many Republicans with national ambitions are openly laying the groundwork for campaigns as Trump continues to mull his own plans.

They’re raising money, making hires and working to bolster their name recognition. The moves reflect both the fervour in the party to reclaim the White House and the reality that mounting a modern presidential campaign is a yearslong endeavour.

___

President Trump Your Legacy Is Secure Stop The Stolen Election Rhetoric

As many on the left have pointed out, the 2020 election was less a repudiation of Trump than a narrow loss for a man who proved just unpalatable enough for a critical sliver of his coalition.

Sean Spicer, a former Trump press secretary, told The Post his ex-boss would be an instant front-runner in a 2024 primary. “He has a rock-solid base, I just don’t think that there is anyone else who even comes close.”

Teasing a potential run in 2024 would at the very least ensure Trump stays relevant and in the press for years to come.

If Trump himself passes on the opportunity, his two very political children Don Jr. and Ivanka Trump could also potentially pick up the mantle. Trump Jr. has long acted as an outside surrogate for his father online and in the press and connects strongly with his base. Ivanka, meanwhile, has years of administration experience under her belt as a White House adviser to her father.

Republican Lawmakers Are Terrified Of Trump Running For President Again

A new report by Politico cites multiple unnamed Republican lawmakers – even those who publicly praise Trump – who say that they REALLY don’t want Donald Trump running for President again in 2024. They would much rather see Trump working “behind the scenes” to help shore up support for the Party as a whole, and they insist that the Party is stronger now than it was five years ago. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

Transcript:

*This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so please excuse any typos.

Recently, Politico interviewed several Republican lawmakers, who of course all chose to remain nameless. But Politico says that these were Trump supporting lawmakers, still are Trump supporting lawmakers, by the way. And each one of them said that they do not want Donald Trump to be the Republican party’s nominee in 2024. In fact, they don’t want Trump to run for president ever again. I’ll read a couple quotes from some of these lawmakers here. Here’s what one of them said, he’s one of the best presidents we’ve had in terms of policies. But having said that if it were up to me, I would never have Trump on any ballot ever again, because it’s such a distraction. I would love for him to play a behind the scenes role and not be on the ballot. Another one said, I’d like to see a fresh face. I think we have a lot of them.

Eight Republican 2024 Candidates Speak In Texas Next Week But Not Trump

Steve Holland

WASHINGTON, April 30 – A Republican Party event in Texas next week will hear from eight potential candidates for the party’s presidential nomination in 2024, without former President Donald Trump, a source involved in the planning said on Friday.

The May 7 event at a hotel in Austin is being co-hosted by U.S. Senator John Cornyn and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, to thank donors who helped fund a voter registration drive and get-out-the-vote efforts in the state.

High-profile Republican politicians who are considering whether to seek the party’s nomination in 2024 are expected to speak to the crowd of about 200 donors.

They include former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and U.S. senators Marco Rubio, Tim Scott and Rick Scott, the source said.

The event comes as Republicans wrestle with whether to try to move past Trump in the next election cycle or fall in line behind him. Trump told Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo on Thursday that he was “100%” considering another run after losing in 2020 to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump was not invited to Texas, the source said. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was invited but was unable to attend, the source said.

Many Republican insiders doubt Trump will follow through on his musings about running for president in 2024, leaving a void that other party leaders will seek to fill.

Fact Check: Trump Did Not Call Republicans The Dumbest Group Of Voters

5 Min Read

An old quote falsely attributed to Donald Trump has recently resurfaced online. The viral meme alleges Trump told People magazine in 1998 that Republicans are “the dumbest group of voters in the country”. This is false.

While the quote has been debunked several times since it apparently surfaced in 2015, users have recently been resharing it on social media. Examples can be seen here , here , here , here

The meme reads: “If I were to run, I’d run as a Republican. They’re the dumbest group of voters in the country. They believe anything on Fox News. I could lie and they’d still eat it up. I bet my numbers would be terrific. – Donald Trump, People Magazine, 1998”

Snopes first wrote about the false quote here in October 2015 . Since then, the quote has been debunked multiple times .

People magazine has confirmed in the past that its archive has no register of this alleged exchange.

“People looked into this exhaustively when it first surfaced back in Oct. . We combed through every Trump story in our archive. We couldn’t find anything remotely like this quote–and no interview at all in 1998.”, a magazine spokesperson told Factcheck.org that year .

In December 1987, People published a profile on Donald Trump titled “Too Darn Rich”. The article quoted him saying he was too busy to run for president .

Trump Remains 2024 Candidate Of Choice For Most Republicans Poll Shows

59% of Republican voters said they wanted Trump to play prominent role in party, but tens of thousands left after Capitol riot

If the 2024 Republican presidential primary were held today, Donald Trump would be the clear favorite to win big. That was the message from a Politico-Morning Consult poll released on Tuesday, three days after Trump’s acquittal in his second impeachment trial, on a charge of inciting the insurrection at the US Capitol on 6 January.

Read more

Among Republican voters, 59% said they wanted Trump to play a prominent role in their party, up a whopping 18 points from the last such poll, taken in the aftermath of the Capitol riot. A slightly lower number, 54%, said they would back Trump in the primary.

Tens of thousands of Republicans left the party after the Capitol insurrection, and a majority of Americans have told other pollsters they would like to see Trump banished from politics.

Though the 45th president will be 78 by election day 2024, he will be able to run again if he chooses, having escaped being barred from office after a 57-43 Senate vote to convict – with seven Republican defections but 10 votes short of the majority needed.

Mike Pence’s life was threatened by Trump supporters at the Capitol, as the vice-president presided over the ratification of electoral college results confirming Trump’s defeat by Joe Biden. He placed second in the Politico-Morning Consult poll, with 12%.

Trump Challengers: 10 Republicans Who Could Run For President In 2020

Ryan Sit U.S.Donald TrumpMike PenceBen SasseBob Corker

President Donald Trump faced down a crowded field of GOP presidential hopefuls in 2016 as a political outsider, but he could see a packed stage of Republican challengers again in 2020—only as an incumbent this time.

Trump made few political friends during his ascent to the White House. He made headlines making fun of his competition, doling out nicknames—”low energy Jeb Bush,”“Little Marco Rubio,”“Lyin’ Ted Cruz”—along the way. The president’s diplomatic dexterity hasn’t noticeably improved much since taking office. Senators Rubio and Cruz have improved their relationship with Trump since his inauguration, but other lawmakers from within his party have emerged as outspoken critics, fueling speculation he may face a stiff presidential primary race in 2020.

Here are 10 Republicans who may challenge Trump:

Cpac And The Broader Republican Party Agree: Its Trumps Party For Now

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alex: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. We know he’s a rising star in GOP circles and I think the CPAC straw poll pointed out his popularity among the Trump wing of the Republican Party. Another poll, too, after Trump.

Plus, being from Florida gives him an edge in a competitive state. To me, it appears that at this point, people like DeSantis because his policy priorities are similar to Trump’s, but he lacks the former president’s ego and baggage. 

sarah: Stole my first round pick!!  

geoffrey.skelley: DeSantis isn’t terribly well known, but I suspect we’ll see him try to correct for that in the coming months. He may be coy for a while about his plans, though, because he needs to win reelection in 2022, and we know that would-be candidates want to take care of the home front first.

nrakich: Yeah, I think DeSantis is a smart pick. He’s doing all the right things — picking fights with Democrats, going on Fox News a lot …

sarah: Could not agree more. There is no autopsy report yet of the 2020 election from the GOP side , but one thing that stands out to me is something Echelon Insights pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson wrote for the Washington Examiner in February, “Trump’s legacy in the party isn’t policy, and it isn’t a person. It’s a posture — a fighting posture in a moment where Republicans think the fight is what matters most.” 

I bring that up because something Anderson and her organization have found is that many GOP voters want someone who will fight for them.

Republican Support For Trump Running Again In 2024 Falls To Just 45%

Daily Mail

Republicans are quickly losing interest in President Donald Trump running for president again in 2024. 

In new polling conducted by Echelon Insights, 45 per cent of GOP-leaning voters in January said they wanted to see Trump run for the White House again in four years, down from the 65 per cent who said so in December.  

The January 6 insurrection may have played a role in the 20-point dip as January polling found that even 30 per cent of Republicans wanted to see the ex-president barred from holding office again after the MAGA riot.  

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At the same time, Democrats and independents were way more keen to see Trump punished for his role in inciting the crowd on January 6. 

Fifty-two per cent of independents said Trump shouldn’t be able to run again, with 85 per cent of Democrats in agreement. 

Thirty per cent of Republicans also agreed that Trump should be banned from social media platforms, with 29 per cent saying they’d support the ex-president being censured by Congress. 

The smallest group of Republicans, 21 per cent, wanted to see Trump impeached and convicted. 

Trump’s Senate trial begins on Capitol Hill next week.

Pollsters also asked Republicans over the past few months who they wanted as the leader of their party. 

Trump’s popularity actually increased after he lost the November 3 election to President Joe Biden. 

In November, 52 per cent of Republicans said they wanted Trump to be the leading voice of their party. 

[turtlegotwyrd]

It's good to be home. My fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we've received over the past few weeks. But tonight it's my turn to say thanks. Whether we've seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people -- in living rooms and schools; at farms and on factory floors; at diners and on distant outposts -- are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going. Every day, I learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man. I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who I was; still searching for a purpose to my life. It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss. This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it. After eight years as your President, I still believe that. And it's not just my belief. It's the beating heart of our American idea -- our bold experiment in self-government. It's the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It's the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing; that We, the People, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union. This is the great gift our Founders gave us. The freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat, toil, and imagination -- and the imperative to strive together as well, to achieve a greater good. For 240 years, our nation's call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation. It's what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom. It's what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the Rio Grande, pushed women to reach for the ballot, powered workers to organize. It's why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima; Iraq and Afghanistan -- and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well. So that's what we mean when we say America is exceptional. Not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change, and make life better for those who follow. Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has always been hard, contentious and sometimes bloody. For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all, and not just some. If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history...if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran's nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11...if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens -- you might have said our sights were set a little too high. But that's what we did. That's what you did. You were the change. You answered people's hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started. In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power from one freely-elected president to the next. I committed to President-Elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me. Because it's up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face. We have what we need to do so. After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth. Our youth and drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention mean that the future should be ours. But that potential will be realized only if our democracy works. Only if our politics reflects the decency of the our people. Only if all of us, regardless of our party affiliation or particular interest, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now. That's what I want to focus on tonight -- the state of our democracy. Understand, democracy does not require uniformity. Our founders quarreled and compromised, and expected us to do the same. But they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity -- the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or fall as one. There have been moments throughout our history that threatened to rupture that solidarity. The beginning of this century has been one of those times. A shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change and the specter of terrorism -- these forces haven't just tested our security and prosperity, but our democracy as well. And how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs, and protect our homeland. In other words, it will determine our future. Our democracy won't work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity. Today, the economy is growing again; wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are rising again; poverty is falling again. The wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records. The unemployment rate is near a ten-year low. The uninsured rate has never, ever been lower. Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in fifty years. And if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we've made to our health care system -- that covers as many people at less cost -- I will publicly support it. That, after all, is why we serve -- to make people's lives better, not worse. But for all the real progress we've made, we know it's not enough. Our economy doesn't work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class. But stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic principles. While the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and rural counties, have been left behind -- the laid-off factory worker; the waitress and health care worker who struggle to pay the bills -- convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful -- a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics. There are no quick fixes to this long-term trend. I agree that our trade should be fair and not just free. But the next wave of economic dislocation won't come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes many good, middle-class jobs obsolete. And so we must forge a new social compact -- to guarantee all our kids the education they need; to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from the new economy don't avoid their obligations to the country that's made their success possible. We can argue about how to best achieve these goals. But we can't be complacent about the goals themselves. For if we don't create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come. There's a second threat to our democracy -- one as old as our nation itself. After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America. Such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. For race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. I've lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago -- you can see it not just in statistics, but in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum. But we're not where we need to be. All of us have more work to do. After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and undeserving minorities, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves. If we decline to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don't look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children -- because those brown kids will represent a larger share of America's workforce. And our economy doesn't have to be a zero-sum game. Last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women. Going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination -- in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system. That's what our Constitution and highest ideals require. But laws alone won't be enough. Hearts must change. If our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." For blacks and other minorities, it means tying our own struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face -- the refugee, the immigrant, the rural poor, the transgender American, and also the middle-aged white man who from the outside may seem like he's got all the advantages, but who's seen his world upended by economic, cultural, and technological change. For white Americans, it means acknowledging that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow didn't suddenly vanish in the '60s; that when minority groups voice discontent, they're not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness; that when they wage peaceful protest, they're not demanding special treatment, but the equal treatment our Founders promised. For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the Irish, Italians, and Poles. America wasn't weakened by the presence of these newcomers; they embraced this nation's creed, and it was strengthened. So regardless of the station we occupy; we have to try harder; to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own. None of this is easy. For too many of us, it's become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or college campuses or places of worship or our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions. The rise of naked partisanship, increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste -- all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable. And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we accept only information, whether true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that's out there. This trend represents a third threat to our democracy. Politics is a battle of ideas; in the course of a healthy debate, we'll prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them. But without some common baseline of facts; without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent is making a fair point, and that science and reason matter, we'll keep talking past each other, making common ground and compromise impossible. Isn't that part of what makes politics so dispiriting? How can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we're cutting taxes for corporations? How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing? It's not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts; it's self-defeating. Because as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you. Take the challenge of climate change. In just eight years, we've halved our dependence on foreign oil, doubled our renewable energy, and led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet. But without bolder action, our children won't have time to debate the existence of climate change; they'll be busy dealing with its effects: environmental disasters, economic disruptions, and waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary. Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the problem. But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations; it betrays the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders. It's that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse -- the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral; the spirit that that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket. It's that spirit -- a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might, that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression, and build a post-World War II order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but on principles -- the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and an independent press. That order is now being challenged -- first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for Islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets, open democracies, and civil society itself as a threat to their power. The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile. It represents the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what's true and what's right. Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, and the intelligence officers, law enforcement, and diplomats who support them, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years; and although Boston and Orlando remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever. We've taken out tens of thousands of terrorists -- including Osama bin Laden. The global coalition we're leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory. ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens America will ever be safe. To all who serve, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief. But protecting our way of life requires more than our military. Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear. So just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. That's why, for the past eight years, I've worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firm legal footing. That's why we've ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, and reform our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties. That's why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans. That's why we cannot withdraw from global fights -- to expand democracy, and human rights, women's rights, and LGBT rights -- no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem. For the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression. If the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened. So let's be vigilant, but not afraid. ISIL will try to kill innocent people. But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight. Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world -- unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors. Which brings me to my final point -- our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted. All of us, regardless of party, should throw ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions. When voting rates are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should make it easier, not harder, to vote. When trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service. When Congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes. And all of this depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings. Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But it's really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power -- with our participation, and the choices we make. Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured. In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but "from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken...to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;" that we should preserve it with "jealous anxiety;" that we should reject "the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties" that make us one. We weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character are turned off from public service; so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are not just misguided, but somehow malevolent. We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them. It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we've been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen. Ultimately, that's what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there's an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you're tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life. If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you're disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Persevere. Sometimes you'll win. Sometimes you'll lose. Presuming a reservoir of goodness in others can be a risk, and there will be times when the process disappoints you. But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire. And more often than not, your faith in America -- and in Americans -- will be confirmed. Mine sure has been. Over the course of these eight years, I've seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers. I've mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in Charleston church. I've seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch, and our wounded warriors walk again. I've seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks. I've seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care for refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other. That faith I placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power of ordinary Americans to bring about change -- that faith has been rewarded in ways I couldn't possibly have imagined. I hope yours has, too. Some of you here tonight or watching at home were there with us in 2004, in 2008, in 2012 -- and maybe you still can't believe we pulled this whole thing off. You're not the only ones. Michelle -- for the past twenty-five years, you've been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend. You took on a role you didn't ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You've made me proud. You've made the country proud. Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I've done in my life, I'm most proud to be your dad. To Joe Biden, the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware's favorite son: you were the first choice I made as a nominee, and the best. Not just because you have been a great Vice President, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother. We love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our life. To my remarkable staff: For eight years -- and for some of you, a whole lot more -- I've drawn from your energy, and tried to reflect back what you displayed every day: heart, and character, and idealism. I've watched you grow up, get married, have kids, and start incredible new journeys of your own. Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get the better of you. The only thing that makes me prouder than all the good we've done is the thought of all the remarkable things you'll achieve from here. And to all of you out there -- every organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town and kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change -- you are the best supporters and organizers anyone could hope for, and I will forever be grateful. Because yes, you changed the world. That's why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than I was when we started. Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans; it has inspired so many Americans -- especially so many young people out there -- to believe you can make a difference; to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves. This generation coming up -- unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic -- I've seen you in every corner of the country. You believe in a fair, just, inclusive America; you know that constant change has been America's hallmark, something not to fear but to embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward. You'll soon outnumber any of us, and I believe as a result that the future is in good hands. My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. I won't stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my days that remain. For now, whether you're young or young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President -- the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago. I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change -- but in yours. I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written: Yes We Can. Yes We Did. Yes We Can. Thank you. God bless you. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

President Barack Obama, Farewell Address, January 10, 2017

[marvelsmostwanted]

It’s good to be home. My fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we’ve received over the past few weeks. But tonight it’s my turn to say thanks. Whether we’ve seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people – in living rooms and schools; at farms and on factory floors; at diners and on distant outposts – are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going. Every day, I learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man. I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who I was; still searching for a purpose to my life. It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss. This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it. After eight years as your President, I still believe that. And it’s not just my belief. It’s the beating heart of our American idea – our bold experiment in self-government. It’s the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing; that We, the People, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union. This is the great gift our Founders gave us. The freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat, toil, and imagination – and the imperative to strive together as well, to achieve a greater good. For 240 years, our nation’s call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation. It’s what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom. It’s what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the Rio Grande, pushed women to reach for the ballot, powered workers to organize. It’s why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima; Iraq and Afghanistan – and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well. So that’s what we mean when we say America is exceptional. Not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change, and make life better for those who follow. Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has always been hard, contentious and sometimes bloody. For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all, and not just some. If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history…if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11…if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens – you might have said our sights were set a little too high. But that’s what we did. That’s what you did. You were the change. You answered people’s hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started. In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power from one freely-elected president to the next. I committed to President-Elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me. Because it’s up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face. We have what we need to do so. After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth. Our youth and drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention mean that the future should be ours. But that potential will be realized only if our democracy works. Only if our politics reflects the decency of the our people. Only if all of us, regardless of our party affiliation or particular interest, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now. That’s what I want to focus on tonight – the state of our democracy. Understand, democracy does not require uniformity. Our founders quarreled and compromised, and expected us to do the same. But they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity – the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or fall as one. There have been moments throughout our history that threatened to rupture that solidarity. The beginning of this century has been one of those times. A shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change and the specter of terrorism – these forces haven’t just tested our security and prosperity, but our democracy as well. And how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs, and protect our homeland. In other words, it will determine our future. Our democracy won’t work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity. Today, the economy is growing again; wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are rising again; poverty is falling again. The wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records. The unemployment rate is near a ten-year low. The uninsured rate has never, ever been lower. Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in fifty years. And if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we’ve made to our health care system – that covers as many people at less cost – I will publicly support it. That, after all, is why we serve – to make people’s lives better, not worse. But for all the real progress we’ve made, we know it’s not enough. Our economy doesn’t work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class. But stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic principles. While the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and rural counties, have been left behind – the laid-off factory worker; the waitress and health care worker who struggle to pay the bills – convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful – a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics. There are no quick fixes to this long-term trend. I agree that our trade should be fair and not just free. But the next wave of economic dislocation won’t come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes many good, middle-class jobs obsolete. And so we must forge a new social compact – to guarantee all our kids the education they need; to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from the new economy don’t avoid their obligations to the country that’s made their success possible. We can argue about how to best achieve these goals. But we can’t be complacent about the goals themselves. For if we don’t create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come. There’s a second threat to our democracy – one as old as our nation itself. After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America. Such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. For race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. I’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago – you can see it not just in statistics, but in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum. But we’re not where we need to be. All of us have more work to do. After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and undeserving minorities, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves. If we decline to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don’t look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children – because those brown kids will represent a larger share of America’s workforce. And our economy doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. Last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women. Going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination – in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system. That’s what our Constitution and highest ideals require. But laws alone won’t be enough. Hearts must change. If our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” For blacks and other minorities, it means tying our own struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face – the refugee, the immigrant, the rural poor, the transgender American, and also the middle-aged white man who from the outside may seem like he’s got all the advantages, but who’s seen his world upended by economic, cultural, and technological change. For white Americans, it means acknowledging that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow didn’t suddenly vanish in the ‘60s; that when minority groups voice discontent, they’re not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness; that when they wage peaceful protest, they’re not demanding special treatment, but the equal treatment our Founders promised. For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the Irish, Italians, and Poles. America wasn’t weakened by the presence of these newcomers; they embraced this nation’s creed, and it was strengthened. So regardless of the station we occupy; we have to try harder; to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own. None of this is easy. For too many of us, it’s become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or college campuses or places of worship or our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions. The rise of naked partisanship, increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste – all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable. And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we accept only information, whether true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that’s out there. This trend represents a third threat to our democracy. Politics is a battle of ideas; in the course of a healthy debate, we’ll prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them. But without some common baseline of facts; without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent is making a fair point, and that science and reason matter, we’ll keep talking past each other, making common ground and compromise impossible. Isn’t that part of what makes politics so dispiriting? How can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we’re cutting taxes for corporations? How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing? It’s not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts; it’s self-defeating. Because as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you. Take the challenge of climate change. In just eight years, we’ve halved our dependence on foreign oil, doubled our renewable energy, and led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet. But without bolder action, our children won’t have time to debate the existence of climate change; they’ll be busy dealing with its effects: environmental disasters, economic disruptions, and waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary. Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the problem. But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations; it betrays the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders. It’s that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse – the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral; the spirit that that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket. It’s that spirit – a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might, that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression, and build a post-World War II order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but on principles – the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and an independent press. That order is now being challenged – first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for Islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets, open democracies, and civil society itself as a threat to their power. The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile. It represents the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what’s true and what’s right. Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, and the intelligence officers, law enforcement, and diplomats who support them, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years; and although Boston and Orlando remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever. We’ve taken out tens of thousands of terrorists – including Osama bin Laden. The global coalition we’re leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory. ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens America will ever be safe. To all who serve, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief. But protecting our way of life requires more than our military. Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear. So just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. That’s why, for the past eight years, I’ve worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firm legal footing. That’s why we’ve ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, and reform our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties. That’s why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans. That’s why we cannot withdraw from global fights – to expand democracy, and human rights, women’s rights, and LGBT rights – no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem. For the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression. If the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened. So let’s be vigilant, but not afraid. ISIL will try to kill innocent people. But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight. Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world – unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors. Which brings me to my final point – our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted. All of us, regardless of party, should throw ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions. When voting rates are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should make it easier, not harder, to vote. When trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service. When Congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes. And all of this depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings. Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But it’s really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power – with our participation, and the choices we make. Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured. In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but “from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken…to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;” that we should preserve it with “jealous anxiety;” that we should reject “the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties” that make us one. We weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character are turned off from public service; so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are not just misguided, but somehow malevolent. We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them. It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen. Ultimately, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life. If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Persevere. Sometimes you’ll win. Sometimes you’ll lose. Presuming a reservoir of goodness in others can be a risk, and there will be times when the process disappoints you. But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire. And more often than not, your faith in America – and in Americans – will be confirmed. Mine sure has been. Over the course of these eight years, I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers. I’ve mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in Charleston church. I’ve seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch, and our wounded warriors walk again. I’ve seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks. I’ve seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care for refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other. That faith I placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power of ordinary Americans to bring about change – that faith has been rewarded in ways I couldn’t possibly have imagined. I hope yours has, too. Some of you here tonight or watching at home were there with us in 2004, in 2008, in 2012 – and maybe you still can’t believe we pulled this whole thing off. You’re not the only ones. Michelle – for the past twenty-five years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend. You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You’ve made me proud. You’ve made the country proud. Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad. To Joe Biden, the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware’s favorite son: you were the first choice I made as a nominee, and the best. Not just because you have been a great Vice President, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother. We love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our life. To my remarkable staff: For eight years – and for some of you, a whole lot more – I’ve drawn from your energy, and tried to reflect back what you displayed every day: heart, and character, and idealism. I’ve watched you grow up, get married, have kids, and start incredible new journeys of your own. Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get the better of you. The only thing that makes me prouder than all the good we’ve done is the thought of all the remarkable things you’ll achieve from here. And to all of you out there – every organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town and kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change – you are the best supporters and organizers anyone could hope for, and I will forever be grateful. Because yes, you changed the world. That’s why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than I was when we started. Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans; it has inspired so many Americans – especially so many young people out there – to believe you can make a difference; to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves. This generation coming up – unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic – I’ve seen you in every corner of the country. You believe in a fair, just, inclusive America; you know that constant change has been America’s hallmark, something not to fear but to embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward. You’ll soon outnumber any of us, and I believe as a result that the future is in good hands. My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. I won’t stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my days that remain. For now, whether you’re young or young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President – the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago. I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours. I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written: Yes We Can. Yes We Did. Yes We Can. Thank you. God bless you. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

Full text of President Barack Obama’s farewell address - via Mother Jones

Source: http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/president-obama-farewell-speech