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| | Nancy Pelosi admits that she really wanted an 'open primary' instead of Kamala Harris | | Added 2 days ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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I don?t have a solid plan for how we?ll cover politics from here on out. Obviously, I?m a huge Democrat and the incoming Trump administration is going to drag the country into the pits of hell. I?m sure we?ll have coverage of all of that, but I simply don?t feel the outrage and anger which I felt throughout the first Trump term. I just feel an almost pure nihilism. This is what a plurality of the country wanted, so this is what they?re getting. Over 74 million of the dumbest people you?ve ever met in your life voted for him, voted to end American ideals and the American project entirely. It is what it is. Nothing matters. Take care of yourselves, take care of your loved ones, and beyond that, watch millions of Americans grapple with the biggest FAFO in history.
Now, all that being said, I have some ideas for what should happen next with the Democratic Party. While there are still House races left to be called, I doubt Dems will have even a narrow majority when all is said and done. If Democrats are totally out of power in the federal government, then again, it is what it is. While there?s a lot of soul-searching, analysis and political postmortems already out there, I?d just like to say that I still believe Nancy Pelosi?s summer schemes and public reticence hurt the party longterm. Pelosi publicly shivved President Biden, plotted to sideline Kamala Harris, then went on a book tour trashing both of them before the election. Now, post-election, Pelosi is admitting what was obvious for months: that her plan was always to pass over Kamala Harris and that she was outmaneuvered by President Biden.
Representative Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, suggested this week that it would have been better for the Democratic Party if President Biden had abandoned his re-election campaign sooner and the party had then held a competitive primary process to replace him.
In an interview on Thursday with The New York Times, Ms. Pelosi said what was widely reported around the time Mr. Biden dropped out: that she believed it was implicitly understood that his exit would be followed by an internal party competition for a new nominee, instead of an anointment of Vice President Kamala Harris.
?Had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race,? Ms. Pelosi said during an interview with Lulu Garcia-Navarro, a host of ?The Interview,? a Times podcast. She added during the interview, which will be published in full on Saturday, ?The anticipation was that, if the president were to step aside, that there would be an open primary.?
Ms. Pelosi went on: ?And as I say, Kamala may have, I think she would have done well in that and been stronger going forward. But we don?t know that. That didn?t happen. We live with what happened. And because the president endorsed Kamala Harris immediately, that really made it almost impossible to have a primary at that time. If it had been much earlier, it would have been different.?
Mr. Biden endorsed Ms. Harris within an hour after he ended his campaign in July, a decision he made only after an intense pressure campaign from Democrats that Ms. Pelosi quietly led. His support for the vice president, along with backing from many other Democrats, choked off any avenue for a challenger to emerge. Over two weeks, Ms. Harris swiftly gathered support from delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
[From The NY Times]
It?s exactly what I said it was back in July. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez rang the alarm for it too it was never simply a pressure campaign (led by Pelosi, George Clooney and Democratic donors) to push out Joe Biden. It was always a fundamental part of their plan to marginalize and pass over the highest-ranking woman in government, the sitting vice president, a Black and Indian-American woman. This was their big intraparty coup attempt, and they are still pissed that Biden and Harris outmaneuvered them. For what it?s worth, while Biden?s endorsement signaled to Democrats that Harris really was his political heir and people should get in line behind her, Kamala Harris also coalesced the party behind her on her own. She was prepared, she met the moment, and people were thrilled to rally behind her. I don?t get why Pelosi still believes her plot was the correct way to go about any of this.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Backgrid.
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| | Princess Kate received 'unwavering support' from the Windsors this weekend | | Added 2 days ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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People are still buzzing about the Princess of Wales?s two public appearances this past weekend. On Saturday, she attended the Festival of Remembrance with her husband, and on Sunday, she watched the wreath-laying at the Cenotaph from a balcony, alongside the Duchess of Edinburgh. Kensington Palace must have issued talking points on their royal rota WhatsApp, because everything is about ?Brave Kate? and ?completing chemotherapy? and ?everyone was there to support and center Kate.? From a PR perspective, it?s interesting to watch the push-pull of how this whole saga has played out over the year. Even after Kate?s weird ?prancing in the meadow? short film in September, it felt like reporters were itching to call her out. Anyway, here?s the latest, from People:
The royal family was there for Kate Middleton during her first major set of events after completing chemotherapy treatment. The Princess of Wales, 42, stepped out for her first consecutive royal events this weekend after announcing on Sept. 9 that she completed chemo ?six months after revealing her cancer diagnosis and treatment. Her family?s unwavering support was evident through their subtle, supportive gestures.
On Nov. 9, Princess Kate appeared at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, for what marked her first major outing with the royals since completing chemo. From the moment they arrived, Prince Williams protective energy toward his wife was clear. He gently placed a reassuring hand on Kates back several times as they entered the venue in a loving gesture of support. The sentimental gesture was a rare display of PDA from the Prince of Wales, 42, who described 2024 as brutal and the hardest year of his life as his wife, Princess Kate, and his father, King Charles, were each diagnosed with cancer.
Decoding the PDA on Saturday, royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE, He was putting his arm around her and being very protective. It is connected to what he said about this being a brutal year.
He is not known for expressing his emotions in that way, Bedell Smith says about William. It was solicitous and protective in a very understandable way. There was a reason behind it, she was going into a big event where she was going to be on display. There was an element of reassurance in the way he was behaving.
Princess Kate has never missed a Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph since she married Prince William in 2011, and Sophie showed her support as they stood together on the balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The two women shared a soft smile at one point during the solemn ceremony, and Sophie put her arm around Kate as they exited the balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
[From People]
We?ve actually seen William put his arm around Kate at public events here and there. He?s usually trying to steer her somewhere, or get her to stop talking and jazz-handing. Is that ?reassurance? and support? I don?t know. In their few joint events this year, he?s mostly looked annoyed and over it. But I agree with many commentators: whatever has happened behind-the-scenes, I think William has been told and convinced that it?s easier and cheaper to have Kate around.
Also: Apparently, Kates name was left off the signed card on the Remembrance wreath. Usually, William and Kate sign the same wreath. Her name did not appear this year.
@KaiseratCB when you see it #NOMB pic.twitter.com/xbAaJPGUPg
Father Glowworm (@CarltonBaraza) November 11, 2024
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| | The UK will use King Charles's 'soft power' to deal with Donald Trump | | Added 2 days ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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I simply cannot emphasize enough how much Europe is freaking out right now because Donald Trump ?won? the election. European leaders were at their wit?s end dealing with Trump in his first term, and they fully understand that his second term is going to be a lot worse. There are already reports that Trump will follow through on his long-standing wish of removing America from NATO. Even if he?s unsuccessful in that, he?ll be able to significantly weaken NATO and Americas NATO alliances. I certainly believe that he?ll cut off Ukraine and give Putin the greenlight to do whatever he wants there. That being said, Trump is extremely stupid and susceptible to flattery, and he loves nothing more than when European leaders or European royals are nice to him. Emmanuel Macron has his plan in place for how to deal with Trump, and it looks like Keir Starmer?s plan is just giving Trump a lot of facetime with King Charles and the royals.
The King is ready to use the Royal Family?s much-vaunted soft power to help smooth relations between Britain and Donald Trump?s incoming US administration. Keir Starmer has been working closely with the monarch on the international stage since July but Trump?s promise to shake up the world order now presents a serious challenge to the oft-cited special relationship between the two countries.
Quite how much King Charles or his family can do to help remains to be seen but once the new president takes office in January it is likely that the royals will be deployed to help get over Britain?s worldview to the new US president. The 75-year-old monarch has known Donald and Melania Trump and their children for years and, while they disagree on the threat from climate change and there are potential tensions on numerous other issues ? not least Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ? their personal friendship may stand the UK in good stead.
Starmer and his colleagues have spent the past few months trying to build ties with Trump and his team but face a few bumps in the road ahead. Trump?s closeness to Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Elon Musk ? the billionaire X owner who has criticised Starmer over his handling of this summer?s race riots and claims of two-tier policing, and now inheritance tax raids on farmers ? is a potential problem.
A row over Labour sending 100 current or former staff across the Atlantic to campaign for Kamala Harris in their spare time has not helped the new Government?s relationship with the incoming Republican administration. Nor has previous criticism of Trump from senior Labour figures, including the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, former frontbencher Emily Thornberry, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Some British diplomats have privately expressed frustration with what they see as the new Government?s naivety and missteps, as well as the foreign affairs inexperience of Lammy and his ministerial team. But then others have pointed out that other world leaders have made similar criticism of Trump and survived: Johnson, for example, worked well with Trump despite describing him as ?clearly out of his mind? and ?unfit for office? a year before he was elected president the first time.
But the royals can bring an extra element of diplomacy, via official and state visits, informal chats, and meetings at international gatherings. Trump owns a golf course near Aberdeen. Might a private trip to Scotland allow the King to entertain him over tea at Balmoral? Time will tell. The US president might also be persuaded stop over in Britain en route to a Nato summit in The Hague next June or come to London on a European tour in his first year in office.
Evie Aspinall, director of the British Foreign Policy Group think-tank, said there would be much that the Starmer and Trump administrations would disagree on in the next few years so the UK would have to be creative in its diplomacy.
?I do think that the Royal Family is a really good way for the UK to strengthen relations, not least because, Donald Trump, he loves family, he loves the pomp of the monarchy and I think that?s an exciting way for him to feel important,? she said. ?Being seen to be recognised by the Royal Family is something, I think, that he would like. So actually the more we can bring in people like King Charles, who he particularly likes, I think there?s an opportunity to get a basis of strong relations from that.?
David Lammy suggested an inbound state visit might come later in Trump?s presidency, even though the precedent for previous second-term presidents such as George W Bush and Barack Obama was tea or lunch at Windsor Castle with the monarch.
The Foreign Secretary, who met Trump for dinner in New York in September despite his previous criticism, told the BBC?s Newscast podcast: ?State visits take a while to organise. So in the next year, I?ve got to tell you, I think that would be a bit of a tall order. But he was genuine in his respect and his affection for the Royal Family. It is always the case that as head of state the King plays an important role. We want to be generous with our American friends and as they will be, I imagine with us, particularly in a second term.?
[From i News]
?Trump?s closeness to Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Elon Musk?? While I?m no fan of BoJo, he?s not trying to ?run? Trump like Musk and Farage. Farage has been trying to become Britain?s ambassador to MAGAland for years now. Musk has his own agenda, and it?s not a British agenda. But anyway, yeah what the Brits need to understand is that Trump is profoundly uncomplicated. He worships the Windsors and he?s a starfker of the highest order. Get King Charles to really glad-hand him and put down the red carpet and Trump will give Britain whatever they want. The Macrons will do the same Trump is a huge fan of Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron because they always doted on him and gave him special attention. It would never occur to Trump that people think he?s a childish moron who can be largely swayed with flattery.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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| | Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande wore LV & Thom Browne to the LA 'Wicked' premiere | | Added 2 days ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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Good lord, I am so over the Wicked promotion. They shouldn?t have been promoting this mess for a full year. Now that Wicked (PART 1) is coming out in a few weeks, it feels like the actors are limping along because they?ve had to do so much sh-t for it for months already. Anyway, here are photos from the big, garish Los Angeles premiere on Sunday. Wicked actors Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater all came out. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith who originated the Glinda and Elphaba roles on Broadway also came out to support the film. Guess who else came out? Jennifer Lopez! What is she doing there? Is just a Wicked fan, or was she supporting Ari and Cynthia in particular?
One of the things which has grown very, very tired about the promotion is that Ari and Cynthia have theme-dressed their way through it for months. There?s only so many times I can see that acid green color combined with pale ?princess? pink. For the LA premiere, Ariana wore a pink-and-cream gingham Thom Browne ensemble, and Cynthia wore a custom vinyl dress by Louis Vuitton. Cynthia also exclusively wore Roberto Coin jewelry, including ?an 18K white gold diamond and emerald collar necklace from the brands Haute Couture Collection worth a staggering $750,000.?
Other fashion notes?if you wondered about J.Lo, she wore Zuhair Murad. In her showgirl era. Jonathan Bailey?s ensemble is hilarious to me he looks like he?s about to head off to a tropical rave, and I fking love that he was the one who got to wear the ruby-red slippers.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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| | Prince Andrew 'has raised the funds to stay at Royal Lodge,' humiliating King Charles | | Added 2 days ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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Prince Andrew?s Royal Lodge saga has finally been put to bed. I won?t go into the whole tortured history of it, but last year, King Charles decided that it would be a good use of his time to play musical chairs with various royal homes in Windsor. Charles evicted the Sussexes from Frogmore Cottage and demanded that Andrew give up his valid lease on Royal Lodge, all so Andrew could move into Frogmore. Andrew refused to budge, even as Charles waged a very public pressure campaign. Then, in Robert Hardman?s new book chapters, he revealed that Charles had finally cut off Andrew?s 1 million annual allowance. This came after Charles apparently cut off Andrew?s 3 million annual security several months ago too. Even without Charles?s largesse, there was nothing to be done about Andrew?s valid lease. And now Andrew has informed the Crown Estate that he has the money to support himself at Royal Lodge and that?s just what he plans to do:
The Duke of York has raised the funds to be allowed to stay at Royal Lodge. It is understood that Prince Andrew?s money has been approved by Sir Michael Stevens, the keeper of the privy purse, as coming from legitimate sources.
Andrew, 64, received written notice earlier this year that King Charles, his older brother, would cut him off financially if he refused to move out of the estate in Windsor and into more modest accommodation. The duke lives in the 30-room estate in Windsor Great Park with his former wife Sarah Ferguson under a lease agreement with the Crown Estate which is valid until 2078.
In an unexpected twist, Andrew has now convinced Palace authorities that he has sufficient funds from legitimate sources to support himself. He no longer receives public money and with no discernible income beyond a Royal Navy pension there have long been questions over the source of the duke?s wealth. A source said: ?If Andrew can pay for his own upkeep with legitimate means, then it is not an issue. But the King?s patience has run out when it comes to funding his brother?s lifestyle in a way that does not fit his status.?
[From The Times]
Sources close to Andrew have maintained for years that he has plenty of money squirreled away, and no one really knows where it came from or what Andrew did to get it. There was the Swiss chalet he bought out of nowhere, then sold and pocketed what he could from the sale. There were other real estate ventures. There was Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell too. So who knows. In any case, sources close to Andrew are now emphasizing that this whole ordeal blew up in Charles?s face.
Friends of Prince Andrew were jubilant Friday night after the disgraced duke won the so-called ?Siege of Royal Lodge,? successfully defying his brother King Charles? long-running efforts to kick him out of the extravagant 90-acre property. In a bitter humiliation for the king, who has spent much of the past year scheming to get Andrew out of the ten-bedroomed mansion?which he was rumored to be eying as a potential dowager house for his wife Camilla?the palace has thrown in the towel and accepted that Andrew can stay there after all.
Charles last maneuver was to cut his brother?s annual allowance of 1 million (roughly $1.3 million) and his private security detail. But to no avail?the king has now accepted that he has lost in what many will see as a devastating blow to his authority as he struggles with the familiar challenge of an ailing monarch; maintaining discipline and obedience.
?We are thrilled for Andrew. Andrew has a cast iron lease on the property so god knows why Charles chose to pick this battle,? a friend of the prince told The Daily Beast. ?It?s hard to imagine anyone would have any interest in where Andrew is living if Charles? aides had not spent the past year banging on about it. He was never going to just walk away from the property; the lease is a valuable asset he intends to leave to his children, and maybe William will be glad of having Eugenie or Beatrice there in years to come.
Another friend told The Daily Beast: ?Charles has everything. He is as rich as Croesus. Andrew is 64 and his house is basically all he has left and it was wicked of the king to try and take it off him. Why? Who cares?? This friend speculated that the recent publication of details of the king?s phenomenal wealth in the Sunday Times had been a factor in Charles ?dropping the pretense the monarchy is run on a shoe string.?
[From The Daily Beast]
Yeah, I don?t have a solid explanation for why Charles was hellbent on publicizing this drama with Andrew, other than it was Charles?s sad attempt to look ?tough? on a sexual predator or like he was pinching pennies. The thing is, Charles didn?t look tough at all he looked like he picked a fight with brother over old family sh-t (mummy loved Andrew more!), then cozied up to that same sexual predator brother whenever it was convenient. I haven?t forgotten that Andrew was given prominent placement at the past two Christmas walks in Sandringham. Charles even gave Andrew and the Yorks use of Wood Farm. Andrew was also welcomed at Balmoral for the past two summers.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Backgrid.
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| | Brad Pitt & Ines de Ramon are 'in it for the long haul,' but Ines is 'independent' | | Added 2 days ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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It feels like we haven?t heard much about Brad Pitt in a month or two. He did a big blitz of promotion in September for Wolfs, which was shoved onto AppleTV streaming and promptly forgotten. Which was hilarious, because Wolfs was supposed to be a big comeback film for both Brad and George Clooney, and the studio was so nervous about it bombing, they didn?t even give it a wide release. Around the promotion, Brad?s relationship with Ines de Ramon was suddenly much more visible. She went to Venice with him and they walked the carpet together. Then they went to New York and LA, where they were papped a lot over the course of several weeks. Then nothing. Well, now that Angelina Jolie?s Maria promotion is ramping up that?s as good a reason as anything??? Brad is screaming ?don?t forget about meeeeee? to People Mag. Here?s the update on his relationship with Ines:
Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon remain incredibly happy in their relationship. A source close to the actor tells PEOPLE the couple are ?each others biggest cheerleaders.? The source adds of the Academy Award winner, 60, and de Ramon, 34, ?Its clear theyre in it for the long haul.?
They are incredibly happy together, the source says of the couple, who have been dating since 2022. In February, the actor and Anita Ko jewelry designer moved in together.
And as Pitt continues to film the Formula 1 film F1 in Mexico, they have found a dynamic that works for them. ?Shes fully supportive and knows how important this project is to him, the source says.
Ines has a strong sense of independence and enjoys catching up with her L.A. friends. Shes using this time to recharge,? the source says, adding that Pitt ?likes her independence.? Meanwhile, ?she loves how driven he is. They value the balance theyve found,? the insider tells PEOPLE.
While Pitt films all over the world, the source notes that ?they love traveling together and supporting each others careers.?
In late September, a source told PEOPLE that Pitt is ?grateful that Ines loves traveling too and is able to join him on location for work.
[From People]
No one:.
Not a soul:.
Brad Pitt: Ines and I are FINE and WE ARE SOULMATES and we are not joined at the hip, she spends plenty of time in LA, and seems to only pop up every now and then but don?t you dare call her a beck-and-call-girl, she?s just independent! Why are you making me loudly defend my situationship?!?!?
It?s definitely weird, but who knows what?s really going on. I would love it if Ines dumped his toxic ass, but I really think they have some kind of arrangement, and the arrangement doesn?t seem to be over.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.
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