Flotsam and Jetsam - The Pope is Alive and MAGA? GB Strikes Trump Trade Deal and Judge Jeanine to DC

After 2 day on the smoke watch Althouse reports White smoke! "New pope about to show his face. ADDED: "The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church elected Robert Francis Prevost as their 267th pontiff on Thursday, ending a two-day conclave in Rome with the election of the first pope from the United States" (NYT). . . .  "Pope Leo XIV, Born in Chicago, Is the First American Pontiff/Robert Francis Prevost, who led the Vatican office that selects and manages bishops globally, has spent much of his life outside the United States" (NYT). Chicago, huh. Well he knows about politics, FWIW. WaEx, Pope Leo XIV: Cardinal Robert Prevost becomes first-ever American pontiff.  Capt. Ed At Hat Hair, Habemus Papam! White Smoke At Vatican; UPDATE: AMERICAN POPE; Update: REPUBLICAN??  At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.08.25 (Evening Edition), American Conservative: Pope Leo XIV Crowned as First American Pontiff. Matthew Foldi @MatthewFoldi "It looks like the new Pope is: An American A Republican I’m thinking we’re back" Or at least he voted in a Republican primary, which in Chicago would be a wasted vote. Sundance at CTH, The First American Pope – Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost Elected to Become Pope Leo XIV. Ace, American Pope Elected, Robert F. Prevost; He's Addressing the Crowd, "They counted votes far faster than Arizona." Matt Vespa at Hat Hair, Some of the Reactions to the New Pope Have Been Hilarious. So, I was going to say now we can forget about the Pope again until this one dies, but he's only 69. I'm 73, so this might be the final pope of my lifetime. I assume he'll turn out to be a woke liberal.

Susie Moore at RedState says Whoa: Trump Says He's Pulling Ed Martin's Nom for US Attorney in D.C. - That's on Tillis. Sundance asserts Republican Senators Defeat Nomination of Ed Martin, President Trump will Replace "Ed Martin was what President Trump needed; a very serious, deliberate and qualified person to confront the Deep State UniParty. Those core skillsets are why the Republicans did not support him. However, on the optimistic side, if there is ever a special counsel to be appointed, I suspect Ed Martin will be leading candidate." Ace, After Democrat Senators Tillis, Cassidy, Collins, Murkowski, McConnell, and Linsdsey Graham Balk, Trump Withdraws Ed Martin from Consideration for US Attorney from DC. "Isn't it great having a "Big Tent Party" where all the political positions are filled by Democrats who despise the base and whose greatest mission is to thwart us, contain us, and control us?" ABC whines Trump appoints Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as top prosecutor in DC and CBS sobs Jeanine Pirro to replace Ed Martin as interim U.S. attorney in D.C., Trump says. Jen Van Laar at RedState, Updated: Thom Tillis Really Won't Like Trump's Replacement Pick for Interim DC US Attorney. Hat Hair's John Sexton, Trump Picks Jeanine Pirro as Interim US attorney for DC. Beege Welborn, OMG I just want to cry, this is SO brilliant. HEADS EXPLODING!!!! So bring WetWipes and a towel if you're near any Dems /Lefties /progressives tonight and for probably the next week at least." Not my favorite "The 5" cast member, but she's smart, and as far as I know, politically clean. I kinda think this is a "stick it to them" move by Trump, and it at least stalls an appointment by Boasberg for another 90 days. "How will Jessica Tarlov react? That's the video I'd like to see." Me too. At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.08.25 (Evening Edition), Twitchy, Trump Taps Judge Jeannine Pirro For Acting DC US Attorney.

Althouse, "President Donald Trump on Thursday will announce a new trade pact with the United Kingdom, the first of dozens of agreements he is seeking with countries around the world." Cutie Pavlich at TownHall, Trump Confirms Which Major Country Has Made a Trade Deal. Lesser Britain. Sundance post the video of the announcement, President Trump Announces U.S-U.K Trade Deal. Dave Strom at Hat Hair calls it Schrödinger's Trade Deal With the UK. "There is a left-wing meme being pushed that President Trump's trade deal with the UK is a sham. As I peruse X to keep up with the news and the Narrative™, NeverTrumpers are trying to pour cold water on Trump's talk of a deal. It's for obvious reasons: the more it looks like Trump's tariffs are mostly about moving renegotiations along with the rest of the world, the more the stock markets will celebrate and the jitters that ordinary Americans feel about the economic future will subside. . . . The big problem with the left's narrative is that attacking the deal will require not just going after Trump, but also trashing the UK Prime Minister." From Twitchy, Scott Jennings Uses the UK's Major Deal with Trump/U.S. to DRAAAAG Political Left As Only HE Can and LOL. Scott Jennings @ScottJenningsKY, "lol I was assured on TV two nights ago that the UK was forming alliances to oppose the United States." Amanda Head at JTN reports White House weighs tariff exemptions for baby items "Struggling parents would benefit from the exemption, allowing essential items like diapers, strollers, and other baby items to be tariff-free." At Da Caller, American Manufacturers Overwhelmed With Orders After Trump’s Tariff Crackdown On China. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.08.25 (Morning Edition) Don Surber: Globalists copy Trump and win. At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.08.25 (Evening Edition), Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog, Trump’s Not The Only One Slapping Tariffs On China, Cafe Hayek: Tariff Work-arounds Are Costly, On Joe Nocera’s Mistaken Take on Trade and Economics, GDP?C+I+G+X-M, Ten Minus Two Never Equals Anything Other Than Eight, and FedEx Began With Imported Aircraft.

Matt Margolis at PJM wonders if you Need More Proof That Polls Showing Trump Underwater Are Bogus?

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.08.25 (Morning Edition) Twitchy: Scott Jennings Points Out The Real Constitutional Crisis Facing America, Scott Jennings @ScottJenningsKY, "Activist judges overstepping and usurping authority reserved for the President of the United States is the real constitutional crisis."

Also Mat Margolis, Kash Patel Nukes Another Democrat Over Bogus FBI ‘Weaponization’ Narrative

🚨 Kash Patel just WRECKED Patty Murray

KASH: “I think the common theme is you putting words in my mouth, and I’m not going to tolerate it.”

“If you wanna talk about someone who was attacked by a weaponized bureau, you’re looking at him. And now he’s the Director of the FBI”… pic.twitter.com/YX031HzTIF

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 8, 2025

Collin Rugg @CollinRugg "JUST IN: The FBI has officially opened a formal criminal investigation into New York AG Letitia James for her alleged fraudulent mortgage transactions, according to Times Union. The update comes as James continues to have public meltdowns. James is accused of falsifying records to receive more favorable loan terms including for a property in Virginia that she allegedly claimed would be her primary residence." PM, BREAKING: FBI investigates NY AG Letitia James over mortgage fraud. Texas @MustangMan_TX, "Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett says she doesn't have to explain why her family has been cashing their dead grandmother's Social Security checks since 2004. "Our family business is our family business." Sure. Until your family business is defrauding the taxpayer, DOGE has already fixed the problem and promised to claw back as much as possible."

Right Angle News Network @Rightanglenews "BREAKING - Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has introduced legislation to repeal the Patriot Act. The bill aims to roll back post-9/11 surveillance powers in a major push to restore civil liberties." At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.08.25 (Evening Edition), The Federalist: Filing: Smartmatic Hid Meeting With Dem Megadonor Who Financed Its Suit Against 2020 Election Reporting, House Committees, DOJ Turn Up The Heat On Dems’ ActBlue.

Dave Strom, Halperin Scoop: Biden Inc. Is Going Broke, no influence left to sell. Ace, Mark Halperin: A Source "Very Familiar With the Bidens" Tells Me That Biden, Inc. Is Going Broke as the Graft Spigots Have All Been Turned Off, "This is wonderful." VodkaPundit at Insty, YOU WOULD NEED A HEART OF STONE NOT TO LAUGH. Matt Margolis reports Joe Biden Went on ‘The View,’ and It Was a Total Disaster. Katie Jerkovich wants you to Watch: Joe Biden on 'The View' Struggles to Explain Cognitive Decline Before Jill Can Come to the Rescue. Jeff Charles at TownHall thinks You Will Laugh Your Head Off When You Hear Why Biden Waited So Long to Drop Out of the Race ""I don't think it would have mattered," he says. "We left at a time when we had a good candidate, she was fully funded." Ace, Asked About His Steep Cognitive Decline on Propaganda Yenta Show The View, Biden Babbles Incoherently and Needs His Wifenurse to Step In, ""Joe worked hard every single day," non-doctor Jill Biden said." From Fox, Ex-CNN journalist speaks out on Biden cover-up, says White House aides made it difficult on press "'The Biden team made it really hard to ask questions about his health — they shamed you,' Chris Cillizza says." The poor baby.

Clay Travis @ClayTravis "This is good. @BretBaier asks Bernie Sanders why he spent $221k on private jet travel during his “fighting the oligarchy tour.” Bernie says he’s too important to fly commercial and wait in line like normal people. “No apologies.”" Driscoll at Insty, ‘NO APOLOGIES:’ Absentee Senator From Panem Objects to Flying With Hoi Polloi. “You think I’m going to be sitting on a waiting line,” Caesar Flickerman — excuse me, Bernie Sanders — asks, “at United, while 30,000 people are waiting?” Ace, Bernie Sanders on Using Expensive Private Jets -- Paid for by Billionaire Pals -- While "Fighting the Oligarchy:" "You Want Me to Wait in Line at United With 30,000 People?" "When Sanders asked, rhetorically, "When's the last time you saw Donald Trump at National Airport," Bret Baier replied, "He's not 'fighting the oligarchy.'""

From NYPo, the Divine Ms. Devine reports Corrupt Venezuelan officials ‘facilitated’ Tren de Aragua gang’s reign of terror in US. Sounds like an invasion to me. Bonchie at RedState thinks a Shocking Revelation About Deported 'Maryland Dad' Abrego-Garcia Finishes Off the Democrat Narrative. "This latest revelation revolves around something that happened in Tennessee, though. As Redstate reported, Abrego-Garcia was pulled over in the state on suspicion of human trafficking in 2022. Highway patrol officers found eight other people in the car, which was registered to a convicted human smuggler. They also found $1400 in cash, which was suspected to be payment for the run. The then-Biden-led ICE never showed up to detain Abrego-Garcia on what would have presumably been federal charges, and he was released. Now, the convicted human smuggler has not only been revealed, but he's cooperating with the Trump administration's Department of Justice. As part of a "limited immunity" deal, Jose Ramon Hernandez Reyes has confirmed that he did hire Abrego-Garcia to traffic illegal immigrants."

David Sacks@davidsacks47 "TO WIN THE AI RACE, THE BIDEN AI DIFFUSION RULE MUST GO The Trump administration has announced its intention to repeal the Biden administration’s AI Diffusion Rule. As the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) confirmed in a statement yesterday: “The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation. We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance.” This is an excellent decision by Secretary of Commerce @howardlutnick and Under Secretary of BIS Jeff Kessler. There were several major problems with the Biden Diffusion Rule . . . " Under the Biden administration, I assume there was graft involved.

Guy Benson at TownHall hears ‘It Is Our Job to Destroy the United States,’ Says... MEMRI @MEMRIReports "Temple University Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) President Rishi Arun during a Panel Honoring Cop-Killer Mumia Abu-Jamal: It Is Our Job to Destroy the U.S.; Samidoun Official Mohammed Khatib: Liberating Palestine Will Help Dismantle America." Timur Kuran @timurkuran "Causality goes both ways. Students already inclined to hate other identity groups flock disproportionately to Ethnic, Gender, and Area Studies. At the same time, these activist-heavy disciplines radicalize students who flock to them for other reasons, such as low workload." Quote The Missing Data Depot@data_depot "FIRE's 2024 survey of college students found large variations by major in the acceptability of using violence to shut down speech. While 52% of Ethnic, Gender & Area Studies majors said using violence is acceptable, less than 33% of STEM, Social Science & Humanities majors did."

From Twitchy, NYT: West Point Is to Educate, Not Indoctrinate, Says Professor Who's Quitting. DOD Rapid Response @DODResponse "This article was written by a woke professor who will be RESIGNING in the coming months because he “cannot tolerate these changes.” AKA, he's so upset that @SecDef is REMOVING DEI from West Point that he is RESIGNING… GOOD"

There are still a plethora of good links at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.08.25 (Morning Edition) and the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.08.25 (Evening Edition).

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: A Week of Wins! ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.