[The Weeping Angel]

Don't worry everyone The Rest is Politics have got an Emergancy Podcast

Admitedly it's about as much use as sticking a spatula up you're arse but it's the thought that counts.

[Andy McDandy]

What are they supposed to do? A political event happens, they comment on it. Are they supposed to stay quiet until all the facts are known, or a suitable period of mourning has taken place? If that was the case, we'd better shut down journalism and commentary full stop.

It's a podcast. Nobody's forced to access it, or agree with it.

[The Weeping Angel]

Considering it's a fast moving story then yeah maybe waiting for the facts to be established might not be a bad idea also calling it an emergancy podcast just reeks of pomposity and cringe. On the other hand seeing people take the piss out of it has made me laugh over what it is a pretty grim situation all round.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Yeah, "emergency" is a bit of a funny word but perfectly reasonable to make a show seeing what they do is make shows. And very successfully.

[Watchman]

And takes a more measured approach than mainstream media.

[davidjay]

I'm not a conspiracy theorist but.....

It's all a bit convenient.

[Oboogie]

I'm not a conspiracy theorist but.....

It's all a bit convenient.

It's more than convenient. It's bloody perfect. Either I'm going to have to accept that Trump is the luckiest bastard on the planet or I'm going to have to don the tinfoil hat and start shouting at buses.

[Tubby Isaacs]

And takes a more measured approach than mainstream media.

I've never listened to a political podcast (nearest is a bit of Phil Different Bias, perhaps that counts) but lots of people like them.

I don't get why there isn't more stuff like them on TV? Surely the message is that people want more than they're getting from the main broadcasters? It's like the BBC basically giving up on The Money Programme when there'd never been more interest in the subject.

[RedSparrows]

And takes a more measured approach than mainstream media.

I've never listened to a political podcast (nearest is a bit of Phil Different Bias, perhaps that counts) but lots of people like them.

I don't get why there isn't more stuff like them on TV? Surely the message is that people want more than they're getting from the main broadcasters? It's like the BBC basically giving up on The Money Programme when there'd never been more interest in the subject.

Common reading is podcasts have filled the void left by TV moronification. BBC provides a few themselves, lot cheaper than TV.

That said The Rest is Politics really isn't that great, in my opinion.

In other news, been thinking about the 'flood the zone with shit' aspect of US politics/the world. Trump, attempted assassination, etc etc. They've made it so any discussion of the reality of things is near-enough fruitless. Yet what 'big moments' can do is sharpen lines that we seem to pretend aren't there: if the Dems manage to hold attention over the Republicans (as seems to be the case so far), and the latter just lash out and scream like the tragic toddlers they are, then it's conceivably possible the PR 'win' of it is largely limited to people who think Trump is a God anyway...

Call me naieve...

[Youngian]

A good marksman who you can con into believing there’s an escape route waiting for them would be needed. Or prepared to martyr themself for Trump. And a former security officer who can find a place to hold a rally where a blind spot is available.
I’m going to stop there, this is the road to madness.

[Youngian]

And takes a more measured approach than mainstream media.

I've never listened to a political podcast (nearest is a bit of Phil Different Bias, perhaps that counts) but lots of people like them.

I don't get why there isn't more stuff like them on TV? Surely the message is that people want more than they're getting from the main broadcasters? It's like the BBC basically giving up on The Money Programme when there'd never been more interest in the subject.

Football punditry is similar to podcasts but it’s not suitable for news programmes where the personality and opinions of the presenter is kept to a minimum beyond reporting known facts.

[Andy McDandy]

Invoking memories of the late Mr Sutherland in the film "JFK", he has secret service bodyguards. No way should they have overlooked any opportunities for a gunman to have a chance, either getting close to him, a la Mark Chapman, or sniping as per Oswald (if you believe he acted alone). Conspiracy or cock-up, they didn't do their job.

[Oboogie]

Given that, at the moment this photo was taken, they didn't know the shooter was dead or that he was alone, why are Trump's close protection team allowing him to pose for the cameras and why are they all smiling? One burst of automatic fire from a second shooter and they could all be seconds from death.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

The 'A' team is with Biden and Harris?

[Watchman]

What intrigues me, the security detail hadn’t spotted the sniper prior to the shots, but in the immediate confusion they were able to spot him and take him out.

[Abernathy]

I may be in danger of being swept along with conspiracy theory guff, but I do find it rather odd that Trump, under fire from an assassin and being hugged by half a dozen secret service agents intent on stopping a further bullet heading The Donald’s way, instead of complying, terrified as any normal person would be, with the urgent defensive actions of the agents, nevertheless had the presence of mind to raise a defiant fist and exhort his worshippers to “fight”. And all for the cameras, to boot.

It’s beyond strange, frankly.

[Abernathy]

And yes, the fucking protection agents seem all to be having a right good laugh.

[Crabcakes]

I may be in danger of being swept along with conspiracy theory guff, but I do find it rather odd that Trump, under fire from an assassin and being hugged by half a dozen secret service agents intent on stopping a further bullet heading The Donald’s way, instead of complying, terrified as any normal person would be, with the urgent defensive actions of the agents, nevertheless had the presence of mind to raise a defiant fist and exhort his worshippers to “fight”. And all for the cameras, to boot.

It’s beyond strange, frankly.

It does seem strange initially, but - this is Trump, and nothing is quite normal. He projects what he’s thinking and doing onto others constantly, believes his own hype and victim status, and he also assumes he’s invincible. So when someone takes a shot at him he would naturally think it could only be one type of person: it has to be a disgruntled crooked Democrat, and probably a black or Latino, trying to take out “everyone’s favourite president” and probably sent by Biden.

And he thinks that because that’s what he wants *his* people to do - he’d love to have some redneck MAGA hick blow Biden’s brains out so the job is done for him, and then take the fall for it. It’s *exactly* what he tried to set off on Jan 6th, telling everyone he’d follow them and hoping they’d stage a revolution for him, before scurrying off to watch it on TV in a bunker.

In that mindset, he’s shouting “fight, fight, fight” because he’s calling for his supporters to go out and take immediate revenge. Only it was, of course, a white republican. So now it doesn’t make sense. But if it HAD been one of his usual targets, you can bet that there’d already be a lot more victims tied to this and he’d have said a whole lot more to egg people on.

[Oboogie]

I may be in danger of being swept along with conspiracy theory guff, but I do find it rather odd that Trump, under fire from an assassin and being hugged by half a dozen secret service agents intent on stopping a further bullet heading The Donald’s way, instead of complying, terrified as any normal person would be, with the urgent defensive actions of the agents, nevertheless had the presence of mind to raise a defiant fist and exhort his worshippers to “fight”. And all for the cameras, to boot.

It’s beyond strange, frankly.

A few years ago I watched some cheap TV show about the work of secret service close protection units. A number of ex-service personnel were interviewed who had guarded senior politicians, Royals, celebrities etc. All of them stressed that they had absolute autonomy when it came to preserving the life of the target meaning that, if the target froze or panicked, they were authorised to use as much force as they deemed necessary to get them out of the line of fire including shoving or dragging and even knocking them out and carrying them if they struggled. Nobody mentioned hanging around whilst the target posed for the cameras (and any assassins who fancied another go).

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I think that's the mark of a narcissist.