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The Memo: Why Brittney Griner is a political problem for Biden
Google News ^ | BY NIALL STANAGE 07/05/22 06:43 PM ET

Posted on 07/05/2022 9:09:54 PM PDT by 11th_VA

The public outcry around the plight of Brittney Griner is growing louder — and that spells trouble for President Biden, who has been unable to free the basketball star from detention in Russia.

Griner wrote to Biden in recent days saying she was “terrified I might be here forever”.

Her wife, Cherelle, appears to have lost patience with the administration to take a low-profile approach to Brittney’s jailing.

On Tuesday, Cherelle Griner told “CBS Mornings” that it was “very disheartening” not to have heard from Biden directly.

Cherelle Griner added: “It kills me every time that, you know, when I have to write [Brittney] and she’s asking, ‘Have you met with them yet?’ And I have to say no.”

Rev. Al Sharpton, generally a staunch defender of Biden, is seeking the administration’s help in securing a clergy visit to see Griner in Moscow.

In an interview with this column, Sharpton said that he had spoken with Cherelle Griner both on the phone and on his radio show last week…

Her plight poses several interlinked problems for the White House.

First, given the war in Ukraine, it seems highly implausible that Russian authorities will be inclined to release Griner for the sake of goodwill.

Second, the idea that Moscow might be able to use Griner as leverage to obtain the release of Viktor Bout, an infamous Russian arms dealer nicknamed ‘The Merchant of Death’ is unpalatable, both morally and politically. Bout was sentenced to 25 years on terrorism charges in a 2012 trial in New York.

Thirdly, there are particular sensitivities raised by the failure to obtain the release of Griner, a Black, gay woman.

’ On Monday, Griner’s head coach with the Phoenix Mercury, Vanessa Nygaard, told reporters: “If it was LeBron [James], he’d be home, right?” …

(Excerpt) Read more at news.google.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012; alsharpton; basketball; billrichardson; drugs; gaylobby; griner; hashoil; lgbtq; merchantofdeath; phoenixmercury; prisonerswaps; russia; sharpton; shirascheindlin; sports; viktorbout
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To: 11th_VA

What public outcry, I don’t know of one at all.


41 posted on 07/05/2022 11:27:26 PM PDT by Captain Peter Blood
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To: max americana
I think the only playmates the Russians are going to be giving her are men. Boris (377 lbs) Vasily ( 352 lbs) - they’re the men who deliver the truckloads of farm animals on Saturdays.

Griner will never look at another woman again after spending time in their pleasure palace - the back of the truck

42 posted on 07/05/2022 11:28:20 PM PDT by atc23 (The Matriarchal Society we embrace has led to masks and mandates and the cult of "safety")
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To: atc23

Nah, the Russians won’t do that. But Olga (381 lbs) and Ludmilla (373 lbs) will be expressing their opinion of the toothpick locked in with them.


43 posted on 07/05/2022 11:30:51 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: 11th_VA

A liberal dopehead and Biden are both unhappy?

Let me check the givesashit meter...


44 posted on 07/06/2022 1:49:22 AM PDT by Beagle8U ("Per DNC instructions...Joy Reid is busy packing marbles up her @$$.")
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To: Bob434
but Brittney- i thought you said you hate America-

But, apparently Biden does, too.

45 posted on 07/06/2022 7:21:59 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: 11th_VA

and if he pays Billions to get her out ?


46 posted on 07/06/2022 7:22:38 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: 11th_VA

I spit up laughing this morning when the Black guy Nate on CBS Mornings preposterously said she is NOT getting any attention because she is Black and LGBT. He must not realize that she is getting wall to wall coverage, yet the guy there 16 years is getting none, he’s White and straight.


47 posted on 07/06/2022 7:23:48 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: Spktyr

Yes, I thought that was very S-T-U-P-I-D.


48 posted on 07/06/2022 7:24:15 AM PDT by bigfootbob (Arm Up and Carry On!)
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To: 11th_VA
With Biden blaming Putin for everything wrong with his own administration, and declaring in a dramatic impassioned whisper "for the love of God, this man cannot remain in power!", it would seem he has no cachet with Putin and could not get Griner freed if he tried.


49 posted on 07/06/2022 7:28:31 AM PDT by Sans-Culotte (11/3-11/4/2020 - The USA became a banana republic.)
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To: 11th_VA
Her wife, Cherelle

I'm still wondering how they decide who is the "Husband" and who is the "Wife", given that there are no external markers.

50 posted on 07/06/2022 7:39:03 AM PDT by Hardastarboard (Don't wish your enemy ill; plan it. )
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To: Bullish

And if it was just an ordinary fool who was no good at basketball, he’d be there forever, right? It’s just a dilemma because she can throw a ball through a hoop? Great moral compass there.


51 posted on 07/06/2022 7:48:54 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 (All Hail the MAGA King, beloved of Ultra MAGAs and Deplorables!)
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To: 11th_VA

I doubt most people really care what happens to her. This is a media driven concern which is interesting because it adversely impacts Joe. A year ago, it would have been buried.


52 posted on 07/06/2022 7:53:55 AM PDT by alternatives? (The only reason to have an army is to defend your borders.)
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To: lee martell

Ahhh, it is apparent that Biden is no Trump. Remember when Trump got the UCLA basketball players who were caught stealing freed from China?

I also recall how ungrateful they were. I believe their parents wee later doing an interview trashing Trump who had freed their children.

Mabe that’s why Biden is not helping?

Anyhow, here’s how Trump rolled: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/ucla-athletes-arrested-china-thank-president-trump-their-release-n821111


53 posted on 07/06/2022 8:06:07 AM PDT by Bshaw (A nefarious deceit is upon us all!)
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To: Jamestown1630
If Griner took drugs into Russia, that was very stupid. ... But how do we know she did?

But how do we know she didn't? We don't.

54 posted on 07/06/2022 8:18:29 AM PDT by libertylover (Democrats are as determined to kill innocent people as the Nazis.)
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To: Jamestown1630

“Has she confessed?”

Her trial has not yet begun.

She gets to confess during her trial.

;-)


55 posted on 07/06/2022 8:24:58 AM PDT by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: 11th_VA

She should’ve Called Saul.


56 posted on 07/06/2022 8:26:40 AM PDT by AU72
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To: Jamestown1630

My joke:

Brittney said to the Russians:

“Do you know who I am?”

The Russians said:

“Unfortunately for you, we know exactly who you are.”

;-)


57 posted on 07/06/2022 8:27:04 AM PDT by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: jz638

The WNBA is a welfare league—it would not exist without subsidies from the NBA.


58 posted on 07/06/2022 8:29:55 AM PDT by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: AU72

Yup—Al Sharpton and Jimi Hendrix is not gonna get it done in Mother Russia.


59 posted on 07/06/2022 8:33:15 AM PDT by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: 11th_VA

The authorities in other nations used to laugh when Americans would “demand their rights”. But it now happens so regularly that they just roll their eyes.

The best solution for them is to demand a whopping fine, with “release and deportation on payment”. Because while Americans may not have a huge amount of cash on them, they have friends, family, etc. back in the US who will wire it to them.

The exceptions to this are serious felonies, especially drugs.

In any event, Biden and co. will do nothing for her. If it was President Trump, her release would only be a very small side note, a nicety, for a much bigger deal.


60 posted on 07/06/2022 8:34:39 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("All he had was a handgun. Why did you think that was a threat?" --Rittenhouse Prosecutor)
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