Obama, Channeling All of Us, Called Trump a “Racist…Sexist…Fucking Lunatic”

If there was one major criticism of Barack Obama during the years between 2016 and 2020, it was that he didn‘t voice the opinions you know he had about his successor at the White House, Donald Trump. While millions of Americans were discussing the 45th president using terms like “malignant tumor,” “burlap sack of excrement,” and “a staph infection on the ass of society,” Obama remained quiet, not even mentioning Trump by name until the end of 2018. The 44th president reflected on his decision not to go after Trump in his memoir, A Promised Land, writing: “I confess that there have been times during the course of writing this book, as I’ve reflected on my presidency and all that’s happened since, when I’ve had to ask myself whether I was too tempered in speaking the truth as I saw it, too cautious in either word or deed, convinced as I was that by appealing to what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature I stood a greater chance of leading us in the direction of the America we’ve been promised.” Thankfully, toward the end of the 2020 election, Obama chose to very much go after Trump, warning in August that the 45th president would “tear our democracy down” given the opportunity. And according to a new book, he had much saltier things to say in private.

The Guardian reports that in Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats’ Campaigns to Defeat Donald Trump, Atlantic staff writer Edward-Isaac Dovere reveals that Obama told foundation donors that Trump was

• “A madman”;
• “A racist, sexist pig”;
• A “corrupt motherfucker,” a comment that was prompted by reports Trump was talking to leaders like Vladimir Putin without any aides on the call;
• And a “fucking lunatic”

Trump does not appear to have heard about Obama’s remarks yet, because if he had he no doubt would have published a 1,000-word rant about them on his blog, “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump.”

Last year, Business Insider reported the delightful news that both Barack and Michelle Obama were producing a comedy series for Netflix “based on the chaotic transition of power when Donald Trump became president in 2016.” The show, titled The G Word With Adam Conover, is a collaboration between the comedian and the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions, based on Michael Lewis’s book The Fifth Risk, which was born out of a September 2017 Vanity Fair article. The book covers the historic chaos and mismanagement that occurred in the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Energy during the handoff between the administrations. The G Word will reportedly be “part documentary, part comedy sketch,” the latter of which seems like the perfect way to recount the fact that Trump had absolutely no clue what he was doing when he got to Washington (and didn’t learn in the proceeding four years).

Giuliani sure had a lot of devices with what we’re sure is totally not incriminating information on them!

In the future, Chris Cuomo will refrain from taking part in strategy sessions re: sexual harassment allegations against his brother

That’s generally, uh, considered a no-no for journalists. Per The Washington Post:

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo advised his brother, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, and senior members of the governor’s staff on how to respond to sexual harassment allegations made earlier this year by women who had worked with the governor, according to four people familiar with the discussions. Cuomo, one of the network’s top stars, joined a series of conference calls that included the Democratic governor, his top aide, his communications team, lawyers, and a number of outside advisers, according to the people familiar with the conversations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private sessions…. The cable news anchor encouraged his brother to take a defiant position and not to resign from the governor’s office, the people said. At one point, he used the phrase “cancel culture” as a reason to hold firm in the face of the allegations, two people present on one call said.

The behind-the-scenes strategy offered by Chris Cuomo, who anchors CNN’s 9 p.m. nightly newscast, cuts against the widely accepted norm in journalism that those reporting the news should not be involved in politics. “If you are actively advising a politician in trouble while being an on-air host on a news network, that’s not okay,” said Nicholas Lemann, a professor at Columbia Journalism School and a New Yorker staff writer.

In a statement, CNN acknowledged Cuomo took part in the strategy sessions, saying that doing so was a mistake but he would not face discipline. “Chris has not been involved in CNN’s extensive coverage of the allegations against Governor Cuomo—on air or behind the scenes,” the network said. “In part because, as he has said on his show, he could never be objective. But also because he often serves as a sounding board for his brother. However, it was inappropriate to engage in conversations that included members of the Governor’s staff, which Chris acknowledges. He will not participate in such conversations going forward.”

Ted Cruz, whose lips are sewed to the ass of the man who called his wife ugly, thinks the U.S. Army is weak for highlighting the story of a female service member

The arbiter of masculinity has weighed in:

Elsewhere!

Israel, Hamas Agree on Truce to End 11-Day Conflict in Gaza (Bloomberg)

Biden Signs Hate Crimes Bill After Attacks on Asian Americans (Bloomberg)

N.Y. Announces $5 Million “Vax & Scratch” Lottery to Boost COVID Shots in State (NBC New York)

The CDC’s new mask guidelines could actually increase risk of spreading COVID at work and in public, scientists say (CNBC)

Treasury targets tax cheats, cryptocurrency in proposal it hopes will bring in $700 billion (Washington Post)

Amazon Sued by Five Women Alleging Bias, Retaliation (Bloomberg)

Feds seize 68 big cats from “Tiger King Park” in Oklahoma (AP)

A Fungus Is Pushing Cicada Sex Into Hyperdrive and Leaving Them Dismembered (NPR)

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