I knew something was up during the freed Russian prisoners press conference. Reporters asked Karine about the plea deal and she deflected and repeated WAY too many times that the Biden administration had no involvement whatsoever in that decision. Aaa matter of fact, they just found out. Hmmmm, Got my antennas up.

You'd think a historic National Security deal like that would get discussed in the White House (then again there hasn't been a full cabinet meeting since October). No better cover than plausible deniability.

So next up at bat, Secretary of Defense, LLoyd Austin, whose job includes keeping the President informed on this type of matter. Well, he didn't know about it either, because Susan Escallier, the designated scapegoat he personally appointed, allegedly inked this historic deal without discussing it with her boss.

Sure Jan. Sounds like someone didn't read the room, and ---- rolls downhill. The cleanup is underway.

Said in ONE press conference:

MR. SULLIVAN: As we said last night, the White House received word that the convening authority had entered these pretrial agreements that had been negotiated by military prosecutors with KSM and some of the other 9/11 defendants.

And we had no role in that process. The president had no role. The vice president had no role. I had no role. The White House had no role. And we were informed yesterday " the same day that they went out publicly that this pretrial agreement had been accepted by the convening authority.

What the president did upon learning of that was direct his team to consult as appropriate with officials and lawyers at the Department of Defense on this matter. Those consultations are ongoing, and I have nothing more to add at this time.

Q And does he have a message to some of the 9/11 families who wanted to see a full trial, who wanted to see this kind of come to a fuller process?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, this is basically what Jake said, this is something that we had no involvement in. He didn't have any involvement in. And so, the pl- " the White House played no role in this process. And the president directed his " his team to consult as appropriate with officials and lawyers and Department of Defense, obviously.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We didn't have a role in this. This was not something that we were involved in. And so, we are determined to make sure that they get justice " these families get justice.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: This is something that " that we learned about yesterday. This is something that the Convening Authority for Military Commissions made " an independent decision.

MS. JEAN -PIERRE: They made an independent decision. We were not involved.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I " I don't want to get into " into, like, specifics on this because we're just not involved at all in this process. And so, I'll just be " be careful here and just leave it there.

#13 if, as you suggest, th delicate negotiations was the reason for Biden's delay in suspending his candidacy, it is an honorable one. That is a much better look than the others explanations that have been offered up.

I got hammered for not agreeing with the ridiculous theory that Joe timed his announcement after the RNC as a brilliant strategic move to force Trump to make a bad VP decision with Vance.

Biden himself insisted the stakes were so high he HAD to stay in the race. The attitude that he was the ONLY candidate who could save democracy projected a lack of confidence in VP Harris. Fortunately for her he has flipped that script.