Friday Clutter: Jared Kushner's Security Clearance, Joe Biden, Cory Booker and Pot Legalization, Victoria's Secret, Boston Bruins, Coldplay, and more
03/01/2019
Hi everyone,
Welcome back, and happy March 1 to you all! BDH and Little Buddha were just looking at the long-range weather forecast. There's still some cold and snow predicted over the next week (including a potential storm tomorrow), but then the temperatures start rising. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before we see some buds on the Clutter Tree! The guys are already looking forward to more tree watching this year. In the meantime, we've got plenty of headlines to sort through, so let's have at it. We've got a fresh pot of coffee, so grab yourself a nice medium DD, because it's time to clear out some Friday Clutter.
A new report says Donald Trump ordered former chief of staff John Kelly to grant son-in-law Jared Kushner top-secret clearance over the objections of intelligence officials and others. Trump denied the report, but you know how much weight to give that statement. We thought this had already been covered actually. In any case, given Kushner's extensive business ties to the Middle East and Russia, this is yet another example of Trump putting his personal priorities ahead of the nation. The security clearance process is there for a reason, and our country has been put at risk by this move. Kushner's clearance needs to be revoked immediately, he and Ivanka should finally be removed from the White House, and the House Oversight Committee should demand General Kelly appear before them to testify on this matter.
A security risk that needs to be corrected. (pic via telegraph.co.uk)
Following Michael Cohen's testimony, it seems likely we'll be hearing much more about Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg in the weeks to come.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is facing criticism after referring to Mike Pence as "a decent guy" in a speech yesterday. Politicians don't get more homophobic or anti-choice than Pence, so if Biden finally decides to run for president, he should expect his primary opponents to bring up this comment frequently. His window of opportunity was 2016, but he decided not to challenge Hillary Clinton, and the country has moved on since then. Joe Biden can be friends with whomever he likes, but Democratic voters aren't looking for someone who is friendly with this administration.
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a bill yesterday to legalize marijuana across the country. This is long-overdue. The federal prohibition on pot is based on hysteria, opposition from the tobacco and alcohol industries who don't want the competition, and the racism that powers the so-called "war on drugs." Marijuana is being legalized by a growing number of states, and that horse isn't going back into the barn. It's time to eliminate obstacles created at the national level. Let this industry grow, tax it appropriately, and let's move on. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) apparently isn't a fan of the idea, but it's possible this bill could pass if it made it to the White House.
Victoria's Secret used to dominate the lingerie world, but now the company has fallen behind its competitors and needs to figure out how to regroup.
Our long national nightmare is finally over: Bryce Harper has reportedly agreed to a $330 million/13-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. The 26-year-old outfielder doesn't strike us as the kind of guy who would thrive in Philly, but he's got no opt-out clause as well as a no-trade clause, so if this is a bad fit, he can always fix it when he's 39. In the meantime, now that he and Manny Machado have finally found new teams, maybe some other free agents can snag their new deals before spring training is over.
Jason Witten would rather come out of retirement and return to the Dallas Cowboys than face a second year on Monday Night Football. The tight end was crucified all season for a terrible first year in the booth, so apparently getting drilled by opposing players seemed like more fun.
We don't talk a lot of hockey around here, but we have to give a shout-out to the Boston Bruins who beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in the TD Garden last night. It was a dominating performance by the B's over the best team in the NHL. Yes, it's only a regular-season game, not a playoff series win, but that's the kind of night that's got to give a team some confidence for the rest of the season.
Hey Doctor Seuss fans - you have a new book to look forward to on September 3.
We're sorry to hear Luke Perry reportedly suffered a stroke on Wednesday. The details of his condition aren't known at this time, but we're hoping for the best for the actor.
Okay kids, that's a wrap. Here's Coldplay to close out the week with, "Clocks," for today's, "Song of the Day."
Thanks for stopping by, everyone. It's always a treat to hang out with you. Enjoy the rest of your day, be good, and let's do this again soon. Until next time, that's today's Clearing out the Clutter, and we are outta here.
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