Is DeSantis Splitting?

By Sniffles

Word came today that the stupid super PAC supporting Ron DeSantis, "Never Back Down," has, OMG, backed down. Or retreated. It's canceling its paid door-knocking efforts in the Super Tuesday states of Nevada, North Carolina, Texas and California. One can only assume that Rhonda will instead pour all of his dwindling efforts into Iowa and South Carolina. Not sure if it'll work out for him.

All this comes on the heels of restive rumors in DeSantis Funding World. Dude has had probably the worst rollout of any Presidential campaign, ever. And he hasn't managed to recover since. Reports of Team DeSantis begging major donors for $50 million before the first GOP debate in Milwaukee makes you wonder how the moneybags are feeling now. Rhonda didn't exactly shine on that stage.

Do these big contributors just not vet their candidates? Clearly they were seduced by tales of DeSantis's electoral prowess in Florida and how the Sunshine State is a logical springboard to national prominence. But did anyone dig around and realize that Rhonda is a shallow, untested, prickly, awkward, unintelligent, bot-like candidate? Or were they blinded by his 20-point margin in his 2022 re-election campaign?

Whatever — they've certainly wasted their money. We cats PURR.

Tidbits And Cat Treats: Ossified Mitch Edition

By Hubie and Bertie

So much news happening this week! In the old days, the lead-up to Labor Day weekend would be sleepy and getting sleepier — but not anymore. Here are some jaw-dropping developments that have captivated us (and, we assume, you) lately.

For the second time in two months, evil SCOTUS-packer Mitch McConnell seized up during a press avail. Clearly something neurological is going on. Can you imagine if this had happened to Joe Biden? You'd never hear the end of the Republican screaming. (McConnell, by the way, is slightly older than Biden, by about nine months.) So if Mitch calls it quits, can Kentucky's Democratic Governor, Andy Beshear, nominate GOP AG Daniel Cameron as his replacement? That would certainly clear the field for the next gubernatorial race, LOL.

Hurricane Idalia mostly missed Tallahassee today, but did manage to split a 100-year-old tree right down the middle, half of which fell on the Governor's mansion. With that, we'd say that Ron DeSantis's luck has officially run out.

Yesterday the White House hosted a special event to announce the first 10 drugs whose prices Medicare will negotiate with pharmaceutical companies: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara and Flasp. Manufacturers raked in $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs for these drugs just last year alone. Well, kiss it all goodbye, Big Pharma. And let's not forget that the right to negotiate was made possible by the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act — which no Republican voted for. (They'll try to take credit for it anyway.)

The biggest news today was probably the decision in defamation case of Ruby Freeman, et. al. v. Rudolph V. Giuliani. Fittingly, the judge ruled in the plaintiffs' favor. It's unclear how Rudy will be able to pay the damages, and even more fuzzy whether he'll comply with the discovery order. (He's clearly hiding something that he thinks will hurt him in his criminal cases.) But how will that $100,000-a-head Rudy fundraiser in Bedminster go on September 7? It's supposed to include a "round table" discussion with Giuliani and Benedict Donald! Can't believe their lawyers are going to be happy about that.

Finally, our New York Attorney General, Letitia James, has averred in a court filing today that Trump fraudulently inflated his net worth by $2.2 billion every year between 2011 and 2021. Wow! James is set to take Trump and his spawn to trial on October 2. Isn't it great that so many of Benedict Donald's adversaries are Black? Tish James, Judge Tanya Chutkan, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, and the goddess of them all, Fulton County's own Fani Willis. We cats applaud them, and we PURR.

Rest Assured, Biden Remembers This

As Hurricane Idalia bears down on Florida, just a reminder that one of the first votes Ron DeSantis cast as a freshman member of Congress in 2013 was against relief for Hurricane Sandy. In fact, he voted against it twice: a $9.7 billion bill and a $50 billion bill. We cats HISS.

Kiss Of Death

By Miss Kubelik

We cats hadn't happened upon the infamous kiss that Luis Rubiales, the head of Spain's football federation, planted on star player Jenni Hermoso — just some still photos of the two of them hugging after the Spanish team won the Women's World Cup. But when we finally did see it (above), it was clear that it was a non-consensual power grab.

How do we know? Because Rubiales grabbed Hermoso by the head when he kissed her. That wasn't affection, celebration, or excitement — that was an act of domination.

Just like what Michael Corleone did to his turncoat brother Fredo in The Godfather, Part II. You get kissed like that, you know you're toast. Or at least who's boss.

Rubiales is an arrogant pig who deserves everything bad that's coming his way. We cats HISS.

"What Are We Doing Here?"

 

"We could be at Pizza Ranch in Iowa! Instead, we have to sit here in Jacksonville and pretend to care about three murdered Black people."

Bob Crosses The Rainbow Bridge

"Mr. Barker was widely known for his longstanding dedication to the cause of animal rights. He quit as master of ceremonies for both the Miss USA and the Miss Universe pageants in 1988 because they gave fur coats as prizes. He also protested the mistreatment of animals by their trainers on the sets of various movies and television shows. He ended every installment of The Price Is Right by saying, 'Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered.'" (The New York Times)

Even Better

 

Inmate No. 1135809

By Zamboni

Last night, a fake Donald Trump mug shot started circulating online before the Fulton County Sheriff's Office released the real thing (above). The fake one was much more benign. If the Trumpsters were smart, they would try to monetize that one instead.

Trump apparently thought that glowering would be Churchillian. But he just looks evil. Like a guy who would rape somebody in a department store dressing room. We cats HISS.

Bad News For Trumpsters

The alleged billionaire whom the MAGAts adore doesn't have $200,000, does he? We cats PURR.

The Lightness Of The Dark

By Baxter

Team Biden-Harris does a lot of things right, and one of them is embracing the whole "Brandon" meme — even though, yes, it's silly. (If you have to explain the back story, it's too much of a reach.)

But never mind — it's clearly gotten under Republicans' skins. Did you see how miffed they were when Joe posed with a Dark Brandon coffee mug? Trump's legal team even put it in a court filing!

Now, these images are going up on billboards in Milwaukee, just in time for the GOP debate there tonight, and will be included in a digital ad on FoxNews.com. Well done! Joe's not only trolling the Republican candidates on Brandon, but he's reminding them of their biggest political weakness, the loss of Roe — for which voters have been punishing them again and again.

Back in the day, a political scientist from Duke University posited that you could predict a POTUS's performance based on the President's character. One element of the formula was whether the President enjoyed, well, being President. (FDR did, Nixon didn't.) Pretty safe to say that Joe Biden loves his job. That might drive the Trumpsters and Republicans more crazy than anything else. We cats PURR.