Insanity Wrap needs to know: What’s a good excuse for refusing to testify before Congress, even remotely?
Answer: Pretty much any excuse but the one former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe just gave.
Before we get to the sordid details, a quick preview of today’s Wrap.
- The Wuhan flu death rate is dropping faster than Ted Kennedy’s pants
- Finally, a mostly peaceful protest
- ABC News wants a non-practicing doctor to practice on Trump, because reasons
And so much more.
Shall we begin?
This Is Not a Sane World, Exhibit #1,000,006
F.U.D.
Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt.
Insanity Wrap can’t do a better job — and we almost never say this — of defining “FUD” than Wikipedia already has:
Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (often shortened to FUD) is a disinformation strategy used in sales, marketing, public relations, politics, polling, cults, and propaganda. FUD is generally a strategy to influence perception by disseminating negative and dubious or false information and a manifestation of the appeal to fear.
In a sane world, it isn’t news that a non-practicing medical doctor hasn’t been brought in to practice medicine as a doctor on a patient who isn’t his and who already has an entire team of practicing medical doctors practicing medicine.
But if the goal is to spread FUD, then it’s the job of the leaker to pretend that it’s news when a non-practicing medical doctor continues not practicing medicine. And it’s the job of a FUD outlet like ABC News to pretend that the leaker has leaked to them an actual newsworthy story.
We do not, however, live in a sane world.
We live in a world where sane people must spend ever-increasing amounts of time and effort fighting against FUD.
Given Brandolini’s Law — AKA the Bullshit Asymmetry Principle — it’s a neverending effort.
But how else do we stay sane in an insane world?
Insanity Wrap will have that double Bloody Mary for breakfast again.
Profiles in Courage
McCabe: I Will Not Testify Out of Fear For My Health … Even Remotely
This one comes to us courtesy of Jonathan Turley:
Former FBI Deputy Director (and CNN contributor) Andrew McCabe has long said that he was willing to answer questions under oath about his controversial actions in the Russian investigation. He was scheduled to do so on Tuesday, but he now has refused — citing the infection of three senators with Covid-19. However, McCabe also refuses to testify remotely as did both former FBI Director James Comey and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates. He simply says that “fairness” dictates that he not testify at all. The basis for his refusal to appear remotely is utterly and almost comically absurd.
Insanity Wrap would quibble only with one word in that last sentence: “Almost.”
“Transparently, comically absurd” would hit a bit closer to the mark, yes?
Previously On Insanity Wrap: Is That a Pipe Bomb in Your Pocket Or Are You Just Happy to Arrest Me?
Your Daily Dose of Mostly Peaceful Protest
Thank you for flying Exorcist Airlines. 🙃 pic.twitter.com/y2tPGghj1X
— ђ𝐲єιή혜인 🇺🇸 🇰🇷 (@HyeinK1m) October 2, 2020
Insanity Wrap isn’t quite sure what it is exactly that she’s protesting, but we’re forced to assume that it must be something quite awful.
We are, however, completely sure that they need to start serving booze on the airplanes again.
On a somewhat more serious note, we do have two examples of actual protest from this weekend, and one of them isn’t even mock-“mostly peaceful,” it’s entirely peaceful.
But before we get to that, this:
HAPPENING NOW: Antifa Militants and Black Lives Matter Rioters break into and launch fireworks inside Starbucks.@SeattlePD declared this protest a riot and issued an order to disperse. #seattleprotests pic.twitter.com/lrFguvqRBX
— Katie Daviscourt🇺🇸 (@KatieDaviscourt) October 4, 2020
If Starbucks is the enemy of anything, it’s the enemy of not burning the coffee.
They sell some nice beans, but Insanity Wrap has never enjoyed a cup of coffee that Starbucks brewed themselves.
But that’s no reason to vandalize the place and to try setting it on fire.
What’s that? It isn’t a protest about coffee? Instead, it’s an organized riot meant to instill terror in the local population in order to advance a statist political agenda?
Indeed.
Let’s take a look at how the other side advances their cause.
Trump supporters chant “4 MORE YEARS!” from their cars on 5th Avenue 🚘🇺🇸
THE SILENT MAJORITY pic.twitter.com/GfRLoHL0x3
— Abigail Marone 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) October 4, 2020
Trump supporters close 5th Ave. to support COVID-19-stricken president
A few details:
A caravan of more than 100 vehicles driven by out-of-town Trump supporters brought Fifth Avenue to a halt early Sunday — the latest show of support for the coronavirus-stricken president.
The long line of cars, trucks and motorcycles had mostly driven into the city from Long Island — grinding traffic to halt for at least 30 minutes as they arrived to loudly cheer for the president outside his Trump Tower home.
They constantly blared horns and waved flags — with loud chants of “four more years!” in support of the commander in chief’s re-election bid.
The noise stopped for at least a moment as the group called for a moment of silence to send a prayer.
Just to be clear, Insanity Wrap would remind you that the caravaners didn’t close 5th Avenue BLM-antifa style by setting up privatized roadblocks and illegally preventing people from traveling.
There were just so many of them showing up to support their cause, that they created a traffic jam.
A local security guard said, “It was peaceful, no stress. Nobody was hassling anybody.”
That’s the way it’s supposed to be done when your cause and your methods are both just.
The Craziest Person in the World (Today)
Umm what? The @who now estimates that 750,000,000 people have gotten the ro? Which, at 1 million death, would put the death rate at 1 in 750 (even with overcounting, etc) – or 0.13%. That’s the lowest estimate I’ve ever seen. Say it with me: IT’S THE FLU. pic.twitter.com/tDzHsTVw78
— Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) October 3, 2020
These days, the craziest person is the one who will publish actual numbers and facts.
Hide the Biden Decline
Joe Biden forgets name of great recession and details of $800 billion stimulus package he oversaw
Insanity Wrap wouldn’t bother anyone with these endless stories, but this man has a non-zero chance of being the next president, even if only very briefly.
The presidential nominee appeared to stumble over its name, and became confused by the size of the stimulus package.
“You may remember, when we went through this with the Great… with the uh, that, that, uh, uh, the single most significant recession in American history short of a depression, and Barack and I came into office and we were inherited the Bush recession, I was asked to manage the recovery act which was $80 billion. Eighty billion do… excuse me, $800 billion,” Biden said.
Biden is known for his gaffes. He recently suggested 200 million people would die of COVID-19 by the time he finished his speech.
Spoiler: 200 million people did not die.
Your Horrible Infotainment Industry, Revisited
Yesterday MSM: why isn't he more visible he's probably dead
Today MSM: he's being visible and jeopardizing the lives of the Secret Service like a psychopath!
Also MSM: he didn't invite us to go with him which is outrageous https://t.co/Q84TVsyZWm
— Razor (@hale_razor) October 4, 2020
Nailed it.
See also:
Declining ratings, declining subscriptions, declining ad revenue…
So Insanity Wrap will concede that there’s probably very little else for them to do but make irrational complaints while spreading FUD.
One More Thing…
That’s a Wrap for today.
Come back tomorrow for another Insanity Wrap…
…assuming we make it that long.
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