Month: April 2018

I watched the Correspondent’s Dinner, CNN last night
Aside from the awards to students it just turned me off
Must be a sign of being old; my youth is out of sight
The public discourse of my day was what you might call soft

Good humor was more subtle, people jokes were more genteel
Salaciousness was oft employed but seldom crudely wrought
And even vicious humor had an innuendo feel
But Michelle Wolf, her humor last night gave me food for thought

Her language gross, meant to degrade; it mostly made me cringe
Her humor sharp, unsubtle jibes though they evoked some laughs
But then I realized it was me; I’m not tuned to this age
Where Donald-speak is now the rage, his lying and his graft

So go ahead, Michelle, and joke; your humor’s right in style
I know your heart is right in place. Of that I’m pretty sure
Since in your closing statement, neither joke nor even smile
You “shouted” to the nation that Flint’s water’s still un-pure

4/29/18

Trump’s tirade, this morning, was on Fox & Friends
For one full half hour he ranted, he raved
He could have continued until the day’s end
But Fox host, Steve Doocy, Trump’s rear end he saved

Rupert was watching, or so I surmise
And signaled to Doocy to quit the phone call
Ere Trump does more damage with all his lies
And angry tongue lashings encompassing all

Trump managed to throw Cohen under the bus
Defeat his defense in the Stormy court trial
Denounce DOJ that it’s grossly unjust
And claim Comey’s memos as to be reviled

Across the Pacific momentous the news
They met taking steps as they both traded sides
Jong-un and Jae-in, as a first since the truce
Small steps that were big as Korea makes strides

But soon they’ll be meeting with President Trump
To give up Kim’s nukes will be laid on the table
I doubt if Kim’s ready his program to dump
At negotiation I doubt if Trump’s able

Perhaps a real armistice ‘tween South and North
Perhaps Kim will offer his nukes to moth-ball
It’s hard to foresee how these talks will go forth
But Trump needs some “victory” prior to Fall

4/26/18

Into Ron Jackson, Trump’s doctor, we look
The Admiral physician for past Presidents
His warmth toward the President’s all that it took
To be nominated the VA to head

No vetting or interviews prior were done
No qualifications toward filling that role
And as it turned out, it was doomed ere begun
Since damning reports from his colleagues were told

He’ll surely withdraw soon, as hopes turn to myth
It’s been a distraction that Trump sorely needs
Since Cohen decided that he’ll take the Fifth
Concerning the Daniels case, Trump will be squeezed

Meanwhile, Giuliani, Trump’s latest new lawyer
Has met with Bob Mueller, the two face-to-face
I think Rudy’s mission is: to be a spoiler
So Trump can refuse to meet Mueller apace

This all is a sprinkling of news fit to tell
Among many happenings in just this day
Iran, North Korea, Supreme Court, as well
What comes on the morrow it’s just hard to say

4/25/18

Pompeo and Bolton two peas in a pod
Mike will be Sec State and John is NSA
Both right-wing Trump true base; when Trump talks they nod
Against the Iran deal nineteen days away

Emmanuel Macron, the new Prexy of France
Now visiting Trump with a mission on trade
And one, more important, now given the chance
“Continue Iran’s deal”, Pres. Trump to persuade

Macron is persuasive; on hand-shakes he’s strong
Pompeo’s advice and John Bolton’s as well
Will be the last word, though, advising Trump wrong
My guess, Trump will sign to delay choice a spell

It appears that some guilt Donald Trump has admitted
In tweets saying Cohen’s not likely to flip
It shows that he’s worried should Cohen be indicted
He’d flip leaving Donald exposed, naked, stripped

All this taking place will leave Trump in a quandary
And firing Mueller won’t help things one bit
Disclose, he must never, all their dirty laundry
So Trump’s only option may then be to quit

4/23/18

Two subjects on my mind tonight, they’re Cohen and Jong-un
The NK DC summit meeting’s just some days away
And Kim has laid the groundwork to be sure things go his way
Olympic truce began the thaw, diplomacy had won

Kim demonstrated to the world his missiles and his nukes
He then could be magnanimous, the olive branch hold out
The South convinced they weren’t a threat and so put down their dukes
And Trump, Kim’s offer did accept, ‘though not without some doubt

So far the situation is win win, both sides can credit claim
Historically this is a first for NK and DC
When presidents meet face to face, it shouts equality
And Trump might get the promise of a Tower with his name

As you all know the FBI took all of Cohen’s data
To get a warrant to do this, their reasons must be strong
Enough, I’d guess, that by themselves, could get the man indicted
If that’s the case it’s almost certain that he’ll flip ere long

Since Michael knows what Trump has done throughout the last ten years
He’s been the “fixer” shoveling what Trump excretes behind
This really has Trump worried, angry, in a legal bind
There’s no way he can stop the train and wreckage that he fears

So here is Trump in disarray, not credible his word
Quite soon to meet with Kim Jong-un, a master at his game
No one quite knows what to expect, what will be said and heard
But one thing’s clear, when said and done, the world won’t be the same

4/20/18

True, some decisions really are like really hard to make
Like going on to grad school when you’ve got three mouths to feed
And some are really easy, like: to wed my wife – a cake
But lately I’ve been struggling on: should I do this deed?

In Arizona politics a Senate seat popped open
Jeff Flake, our honorable Senator said he had had enough
His chances in the primaries were not what he’d been hoping
So Jeff threw in the boxing towel; this race was too, too tough

Ahah, I thought; A new career; it’s just the thing, I am told
For citizens of senior status, what the pundits claim,
A cure for our irrelevance, to keep us folks from feeling old
A new career in politics – for Jeff Flake’s seat I would take aim

I knew this race would not be easy. Did I really have the stuff?
I looked for quals I might be missing, things I need to garner votes
There are no women claiming sexual treatment that was rough
I’ve never been to Russia, not a puppet, I might note

My Income-tax returns are open; haven’t fudged a single entry
Don’t play golf; don’t lie too much; a maniacal ego? No!
I don’t have enemies to blame when things I do create a quandary
Nor am I a Fox-News fan, and use of Twitter I don’t know

I could go on on attributes, for lack of which I cannot win
A new career as Senator won’t be for me, from where I sit
Alas, I must forgo my quest; opponents would just do me in
Conclude I have, ‘though it was tough: as Senator I’m just not fit

4/18/18

The Michael Cohen last-week raid by agents of the FBI
As ordered by the prosecutor, Southern District of New York
Portends a new beginning phase in legal storms approaching nigh
To Michael, an indictment soon; to Trump whose blasphemies won’t work

In other news, reported by McClatchy, which is rarely wrong
That Michael Cohen went to Prague in Autumn some two years ago
Which Michael strongly disavows, but Mueller’s evidence is strong
Collusion proof is what it means. It’s certain Trump was in the know

Coordinating with our allies, Trump approved more Russian sanctions
Ambassador Ms.Nikki Haley at the UN yesterday
Announced said sanctions were forthcoming; Trump then aired dissatisfaction
Canceling the ordered sanctions, undercutting Haley’s say

James Comey’s book comes out tomorrow, widely quoted in the news
‘Though criticized on Clinton’s Emails, it has insights we should read
“A Higher Loyalty” it’s title; full of strong but honest views
He judges Trump as smart enough but morally unfit to lead

4/16/18

Like Rachel Maddow said:
This is a time, attention to be paying
It does appear soon Trump will make his move
And Mueller’s now prepared to start reporting
How justice was obstructed, he can prove

The Times reports four incidents of fault:
Trump’s dump on Sessions due to his recusal;
On Air Force One Trump’s drafting letters false;
His ousting Comey; pardons for refusals
Dangled over Mueller’s target’s heads

But wait there is much more
James Comey’s book: “A Higher Loyalty”
Fuels more the fire that is Trump’s state of mind
Exposing Trump in all his vanity
Fox, RNC spew garbage all the time

Since lawyer Cohen was raided: office, home
Trump out of anger canceled Mueller’s meeting
The FBI clean swept Cohen’s stuff with data brooms
Trump’s confidence has taken, thus, a beating
They may have phone recordings from before

What’s next? You really, really want to know?
Rod Rosenstein will likely have to go
And Mueller shortly after that, I’d stress
And on, beyond, is anybody’s guess

4/12/18

 

Smart-missile statements made by Trump responding to Assad’s gas war
Bob Mueller’s raids on Michael Cohen reopens firing Rosenstein
The whacky Bannon scheme to void staff testimony from before
Each subject worthy of a poem, but uppermost not in my mind

The news I found enticing most that caused me, thus, to pay attention
Just two days past the CBO’s announcement how our debt will grow
Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, let it be known, it’s his intention
Not to run for re-election; one might wonder why it’s so

Paul’s nice, he is a family man; of scandals he’s not been accused
I did applaud when he was voted in as Speaker of the House
A man of principal and intellect; his power he would not abuse
Be that as may, as it turned out, his reign was timid as a mouse

Trump seemed to have him under spell. He never challenged Trump’s excess
Or violations of the law; nor Devin Nunes escapades
So blatantly in Trump’s defense; Judiciary in duress
But Paul backed Nunes all the way, ignoring deeds in error that he made

Perhaps Paul’s biggest non success as deemed by most Republicans:
He promised to reduce the debt; instead he raised it more than most,
His tax-cuts bill unpopular as viewed by most Americans
Obama Care he tried to kill; ‘twas nothing there of which to boast

By telling now that he will quit, he’s leaving comrades high and dry
He’s telegraphing they will lose; their money sources disappear
His ship is sinking; he wants off, perhaps for Prexy he might try
In twenty twenty maybe but, as Speaker, he’s the worst in years

4/11/18

There .have been lots of breaking news, today, while Phyllis and I were flying home. I wrote this poem during that flight.  As today’s happenings become fleshed out I intend to address them as well.

The PDB is now TV; it’s “Fox and Friends” in tweets Trump sends
It’s Bryan Kilmead and Steve Doocy; might as well be “I Love Lucy”
Also Ainsley Earhardt’s there; her “facts” declared, of them beware
But Fox News Star is smooth Sean Hannity, steeped in right-wing bubble fantasy
Challenging one’s very sanity while he spews his fake conspiracies
Governed, we, Trump’s PDB, what e’re they choose to label news

4/10/18