The Trump thread: All things Donald

[Northwest]

I'm with Katibee (seems like I'm sucking up to you doesn't it)?

I don't actually think he's stupid at all. I think he's dumb like a fox. I think he's a master manipulator who's always acting out a role.

He's also mentally ill.

But he's not dumb.

[Athos_131]

I was an FBI agent. Trump’s lack of concern about Russian hacking shocks me.

Instead, it was the prima facie evidence that Comey presented that Trump appears unwilling to uphold his oath “to preserve, protect, and defend” the country — which puts the security of our nation and its democracy at stake. In the nine times Trump met with or called Comey, it was always to discuss how the investigation into Russia’s election interference was affecting him personally, rather than the security of the country. He apparently cared little about understanding either the magnitude of the Russian intelligence threat, or how the FBI might be able to prevent another attack in future elections.

When Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) asked Comey whether Trump had ever appeared concerned about Russian interference or how to stop it in the future, Comey’s answer was blunt: “No.” After a moment of reflection, he added, without prompting, that he had “attended a fair number of meetings on that with President Obama.” This contrast alone underscores Trump’s disregard for his fundamental duty, which is to ensure the security of the nation, its government and its citizens from foreign enemies.

It’s worth noting that there is unanimity among senior intelligence officials that the Russian interference in our election not only happened, but that it was extraordinary and unprecedented. In previous testimony, Comey described Russia as the “greatest threat of any country on earth,” and he warned Thursday that Russia is “coming after America,” regardless of party, “to undermine our credibility in the rest of the world.”

Former CIA director John Brennan testified to Congress in May that he was shocked that Russia had “brazenly interfered” in the election, so much so that he took the extraordinary step of directly confronting his Russian counterpart. He added that he believes that even in the election’s aftermath, “Russian intelligence services are trying to exploit what is going on in Washington now to their benefit and to our detriment.”

It does not require an FBI investigation to see that a president of the United States who finds no reason for concern in any of these assertions — and indeed considers them a “hoax” — cannot have the best interest of the country at heart.

To understand their perspective, consider this happening in the context we normally think of as a national security threat: Imagine that during the 2016 presidential election, a candidate publicly invited the Islamic State to bomb the Democratic Party headquarters. And then imagine that such a bombing in fact took place, resulting in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. Now further imagine that the new president not only had no interest in learning more about who caused the attack or bringing them to justice, but in fact went out of his way to make nice with the Islamic State and offer them political and diplomatic concessions. Finally, imagine that there may be evidence that members of the president’s campaign or other American citizens were actively or passively involved in facilitating such an attack.

#Resist

[Northwest]

I was an FBI agent. Trump’s lack of concern about Russian hacking shocks me.

Instead, it was the prima facie evidence that Comey presented that Trump appears unwilling to uphold his oath “to preserve, protect, and defend” the country — which puts the security of our nation and its democracy at stake. In the nine times Trump met with or called Comey, it was always to discuss how the investigation into Russia’s election interference was affecting him personally, rather than the security of the country. He apparently cared little about understanding either the magnitude of the Russian intelligence threat, or how the FBI might be able to prevent another attack in future elections.

When Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) asked Comey whether Trump had ever appeared concerned about Russian interference or how to stop it in the future, Comey’s answer was blunt: “No.” After a moment of reflection, he added, without prompting, that he had “attended a fair number of meetings on that with President Obama.” This contrast alone underscores Trump’s disregard for his fundamental duty, which is to ensure the security of the nation, its government and its citizens from foreign enemies.

It’s worth noting that there is unanimity among senior intelligence officials that the Russian interference in our election not only happened, but that it was extraordinary and unprecedented. In previous testimony, Comey described Russia as the “greatest threat of any country on earth,” and he warned Thursday that Russia is “coming after America,” regardless of party, “to undermine our credibility in the rest of the world.”

Former CIA director John Brennan testified to Congress in May that he was shocked that Russia had “brazenly interfered” in the election, so much so that he took the extraordinary step of directly confronting his Russian counterpart. He added that he believes that even in the election’s aftermath, “Russian intelligence services are trying to exploit what is going on in Washington now to their benefit and to our detriment.”

It does not require an FBI investigation to see that a president of the United States who finds no reason for concern in any of these assertions — and indeed considers them a “hoax” — cannot have the best interest of the country at heart.

To understand their perspective, consider this happening in the context we normally think of as a national security threat: Imagine that during the 2016 presidential election, a candidate publicly invited the Islamic State to bomb the Democratic Party headquarters. And then imagine that such a bombing in fact took place, resulting in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. Now further imagine that the new president not only had no interest in learning more about who caused the attack or bringing them to justice, but in fact went out of his way to make nice with the Islamic State and offer them political and diplomatic concessions. Finally, imagine that there may be evidence that members of the president’s campaign or other American citizens were actively or passively involved in facilitating such an attack.

#Resist

Yes.

Comey made a very similar point during his testimony to the Senate, when he observed that Trump displayed no curiosity or concern about the near certainty that the Russians have infiltrated our electoral process.

It was one of the seemingly smaller and quieter points that came out of his testimony, but ultimately, it may one of the most damning things which Comey said about Trump.

Trump can rant and rail about the dangers of Muslims, or Iranians, or Mexicans, but it all rings hollow when you note that he's not even interested in an invasion which is occurring in real time, by a known adversary, and which has the intent of interrupting the peaceful transfer of power which is the hallmark of democracy.

It's dereliction of duty, pure and simple.

 

[JulesVern]

I'm with Katibee (seems like I'm sucking up to you doesn't it)?

I don't actually think he's stupid at all. I think he's dumb like a fox. I think he's a master manipulator who's always acting out a role.

He's also mentally ill.

But he's not dumb.

I don't agree. Well, I agree that he's unfit for the office. Anyone who isn't blinded by ideology can see that. What I don't agree with is that he is not stupid. With the advantages he was born in to, he should have been successful from day one and he wasn't. It took several false starts, many years, and more money thrown his way to finally get where he is. He has learn how to read people to better manipulate them and he has learned some business savvy over the years but that doesn't mean he is smart.

[_priapism]

I'm with Katibee (seems like I'm sucking up to you doesn't it)?

I don't actually think he's stupid at all. I think he's dumb like a fox. I think he's a master manipulator who's always acting out a role.

He's also mentally ill.

But he's not dumb.

I don't agree. Well, I agree that he's unfit for the office. Anyone who isn't blinded by ideology can see that. What I don't agree with is that he is not stupid. With the advantages he was born in to, he should have been successful from day one and he wasn't. It took several false starts, many years, and more money thrown his way to finally get where he is. He has learn how to read people to better manipulate them and he has learned some business savvy over the years but that doesn't mean he is smart.

Donald Trump would be $9B richer if he'd had merely invested in index funds

[Athos_131]

Donald Trump Jr. appears to corroborate Comey's version of the Oval Office meeting with Trump

#Resist

[Lois]

Trump is also attacking Qatar for allegedly funding terrorist activities.  The real reason for the attack is that Qatar refused to invest in his real estate schemes and because they allow al Jazeera to operate in their country.  We all know Trump hates a free press.

If he was really upset about the funding of terrorists he'd have a chat with the Saudi's.  But the Saudi's are investing in his businesses, and the Saudi's don't like al Jazeera.  Al Jazeera has embarrassed the Saudi's by pointing out their connections to al Qaeda and Daesh, and for exposing their tyranny.

I smell a BIG conflict of interest.

http://www.npr.org/2017/06/10/532400370/al-jazeera-at-center-of-dispute-between-qatar-and-its-gulf-neighbors

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/09/trump-qatar-sponsor-terrorism-middle-east

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-says-qatar-funds-terror-heres-his-record-of-trying-to-get-it-to-fund-him_us_593d6691e4b0c5a35ca06118

[Katiebee]

Trump believes like Nixon, "…it isn't illegal if the president does it."

[Athos_131]

Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell believe that as well.

#Resist

[Northwest]

Because, you know, Trump needed more scandals to make his week.

D.C. and Maryland to sue President Trump, alleging breach of constitutional oath



Attorneys general for the District of Columbia and the state of Maryland say they will sue President Trump on Monday, alleging that he has violated anti-corruption clauses in the Constitution by accepting millions in payments and benefits from foreign governments since moving into the White House...

Read the full story:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-and-maryland-to-sue-president-trump-alleging-breach-of-constitutional-oath/2017/06/11/0059e1f0-4f19-11e7-91eb-9611861a988f_story.html

[Lois]

Trump has proven himself to be an unprincipled liar who conducts himself like the head of a crime family rather than an elected government leader. He has a history of shady business dealings, dubious connections to organized crime and instances of outright fraud (e.g., the infamous “Trump University,” which preyed on low-income and elderly people).

Look like he acted with Comey:  The president twice demanded “loyalty” from Comey, as if he expected the FBI director to serve Trump’s own interests before the law if he wanted to keep his job. And it turns out Comey was right, he was fired because he did not drop the Russia investigation.

[Northwest]

I fully expect Comrad Trump to get 99.9% of the vote at the next election. All hail Comrad Trump.

Trump Invites His Employees To Praise Him During Cabinet Meeting

Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty.

http://videos.vidible.tv/prod/2017-06/12/593edba5f3bdc946b9b081a2_640x360_v2.mp4?1wyPlyQKDoJEr1i0NJDGwcF7th_c-5BIxtv_6aB_ooaV7iq-KG2kysSxCCG8GqDs (click to play, or follow link at the end and watch on site)

President Donald Trump invited his top employees to shower him with compliments on Monday. They happily obliged, one-by-one, on live television.

During a Cabinet meeting at the White House, the president touted the “record-setting pace” of his legislative agenda and claimed “never has there been a president, with few exceptions” who has accomplished more while in office.

Trump then went around the table and called on each official to deliver brief remarks, beginning with Vice President Mike Pence. The bizarre scene that ensued resembled something out of North Korea, as each Cabinet official attempted to outdo one another with nice statements about their boss.

“It’s the greatest privilege of my life to serve as vice president to a president who is keeping his word to the American people, and assembling a team that’s bringing real change, real prosperity, real strength back to our nation,” Pence said.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao touted the success of “Infrastructure Week,” noting that “hundreds and hundreds of people were so thrilled” by the president’s visit to the Department of Transportation last week.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who has publicly broken with her boss on a number of issues, hailed Trump’s message to the world as transformational and called it a “new day” at the U.N.

“I think the international community knows we’re back,” she added.

“Thank you,” Trump responded. “It’s true.”

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer apologized for the delay in his confirmation to the post.

“First of all, I want to apologize for being late for work. For four months, I got bogged down in the swamp that you want to drain,” he said, to laughter in the room.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue touted his recent trip to rural America.

“While we are bragging about international travel I just got back from Mississippi and they like you there,” he said, after others in the room mentioned traveling abroad.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who appears to be under constant threat of losing his job, thanked the president for “the opportunity and blessing to serve your agenda.”

CIA Director Mike Pompeo, however, took a pass by taking a shot at the president’s favorite punching bag: the press.

“In the finest tradition of the CIA, I’m not gonna say a damn thing in front of the media,” he said, garnering a round of laughter.

Trump then ended the public portion of the meeting by thanking reporters and photographers who were there, some of whom shouted questions about former FBI Director James Comey. The president did not respond, however, and White House aides ushered the press out of the room.

Watch footage of the Cabinet meeting above.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) mocked the president with a video parody of the meeting Monday afternoon.

An aide to the senator even channeled Priebus by thanking Schumer for the “opportunity and blessing to serve your agenda.”

    GREAT meeting today with the best staff in the history of the world!!! pic.twitter.com/ocE1xhEAac
    — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 12, 2017

This article has been updated with Schumer’s parody.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-cabinet-meeting_us_593ebc52e4b0c5a35ca1acbe

[Northwest]

So...there was a guy from NewsMax on PBS News Hour this evening (I didn't get his name). He said that Trump is considering whether it would be right to fire Mueller! The NewsMax guy said he hoped Trump didn't do that. I on the other hand hope he does, because that would begin the final stages of removing him from office. It wasn't clear to me if this was a trial balloon, but I suspect it was an attempt to gauge public reaction to the idea. To which I reply:

"Fire away, Donny. You don't need no stinking Mueller."

Trump believes that the nation's law enforcement should perform as his personal political army. Apparently, he slept through Nixon's administration (not to mention High School civics and social studies classes).

So...fearless leader still thinks he can derail the investigation into his campaign's and administration's various connections to Russia by threatening or firing investigators, at least until he finds one who will swear an oath of personal loyalty to his lordship. As if.

If Trump fires Mueller, then we can start the clock ticking. He'll be done as President. We can all start practicing saying President Pence until we can pull it off without gagging.

Edit: Here's the story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-robert-mueller-firing_us_593f1d38e4b02402687c50d4

[Lois]

Midterm elections and then impeachment.

[Northwest]

The argument still rages about whether this is the rabbit hole we are decending, or simply the drain.

Trump Is Flirting with Another Constitutional Crisis

Is the president really considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller?



On Monday, luxuriating in the glow of a keenly trained bank of news cameras, Donald Trump presided over his first full Cabinet meeting, a ceremony described by New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush as “the most exquisitely awkward public event I’ve ever seen.” One by one, in a display of choking effulgence, Trump’s team pledged loyalty. “What an incredible honor it is to lead the Department of Health and Human Services at this pivotal time under your leadership,” gushed Tom Price, secretary of health and human services, shortly after the Republican health-care bill perilously collapsed. “My hat’s off to you,” squeaked Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, in the wake of Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. With the concept of irony safely strangled, Trump’s zany outburst of praise for his own presidency was greeted with somber affinity. “I think we’ve been about as active as you can possibly be and at a just about record-setting pace,” he said.

It is in this environment of slavish sycophancy that the rumor that Trump is considering firing special counsel Robert S. Mueller, an otherwise unthinkable attack on the independence of the Justice Department, quickly gained currency, igniting a Monday evening media firestorm. The claim, notably, did not come from the White House but Christopher Ruddy, chief executive of Newsmax media and a longtime friend of Trump. Speaking in an interview with PBS on Monday, Ruddy said the president was “considering, perhaps, terminating the special counsel” because of concerns about conflicts of interest. “He’s weighing that option,” said Ruddy. “I personally think it would be a very significant mistake—even though I don’t think there’s a justification . . . for a special counsel in this case.”

Hours after the interview, White House press secretary Sean Spicer released a statement that did not deny the claim, but said, firmly yet evasively, “Mr. Ruddy never spoke to the president regarding this issue. With respect to this subject, only the president or his attorneys are authorized to comment.” It has been suggested that Ruddy based his judgment on comments made over the weekend by members of Trump’s personal legal team.

Trump, as the Times points out, is known for his propensity to throw flimsy, anger-fueled threats at members of his team, which are often leaked. For weeks, speculation of an imminent senior staff reshuffle has plagued the White House, which perhaps accounts for Reince Priebus, Trump’s chief of staff, who has allegedly been given an ultimatum to get the White House under control or lose his job, declaring that it is a “blessing” to work for the president at the aforementioned communion of the Trumpian cult.

At the same time, pressure has been building on the White House from the far right to fight back harder against Mueller as the Justice Department closes in on Trump and his inner circle. “Republicans are delusional if they think the special counsel is going to be fair,” tweeted former House speaker and current Trump biographer Newt Gingrich. “Time to rethink.” Conservative gadfly Ann Coulter argued, “Now that we FINALLY got Comey to admit Trump not under investigation, Sessions should fire Mueller. Why do we need a special counsel now?” Other Trump allies oppose the investigation through a thread of interlinked objections: that Mueller’s probe is unnecessary, that he is hiring an assemblage of biased attorneys who have donated to the Democrats in the past, and that his close relationship with Comey is compromising. In a volley of hostility, last week media personality Rush Limbaugh took to the radio endorsing the suggestion for Trump to fire Mueller. Mark Levin, another radio host, also called for his firing. “Mueller must step aside,” he wrote on Facebook over the weekend.

Despite Spicer distancing the White House from Ruddy’s allegations, Trump does have the power to sack Mueller. He could either ask Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire him, or, if Rosenstein refuses, repeal the regulations that govern the appointment and fire him himself—a scenario that would echo Nixon’s notorious Saturday Night Massacre. And Spicer’s denials are belied by the shock firing of F.B.I. Director James Comey, who only learned of his dismissal after catching snatches of a newsflash as he delivered a speech to bureau employees in Los Angeles.

Still, the rumor has been met with widespread skepticism. The political implications of firing Mueller would be meteoric, and perhaps too self-destructive even for Trump. Not only would it demonstrate an overly muscular declaration that the president is willing to dismiss anyone who poses a personal threat, it would also suggest that he is nervous about what Mueller might uncover in the ongoing Russia probe, in which Comey testified, damningly, last week. Asked whether he felt Trump’s behavior amounts to obstruction of justice, he replied: “I don’t know, that’s Bob Mueller’s job to sort that out.”

“Can you think of one thing that Trump could do worse than fire Bob Mueller?” asked John ‘Mac’ Stipanovich, a veteran G.O.P. operative. “It would be catastrophic for him. Not uncharacteristic, but catastrophic.” He was bolstered by Republican Peter Wehner, an adversary of Trump, who described the idea of firing Mueller as “a very Trumpian tactic.” It would, he added, “be a political bombshell and it would be close to an admission of guilt.”

As Jeff Sessions is set to testify in the ongoing Russia investigation Tuesday, this much is clear: while Mueller and his team expand their probe and edge ever closer to Trump, they will continue to field an onslaught not just from the president, but from his band of supporters. And if establishment Republicans think Trump would never fire Mueller, they ought to watch the video of the president’s cringing Cabinet, all enabling the president’s worst impulses, and then do some serious self-reflection themselves.

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/06/trump-is-flirting-with-another-constitutional-crisis

[Lois]

Still, the rumor has been met with widespread skepticism. The political implications of firing Mueller would be meteoric, and perhaps too self-destructive even for Trump.

Do not underestimate the stupidity of the man!

[Athos_131]

Trump Stews, Staff Steps In, and Mueller Is Safe for Now

#Resist

[Athos_131]

Senate overwhelmingly votes to curtail Trump’s power to ease Russia sanctions

The two senators who voted against the measure were Republicans Rand Paul (Ky.) and Mike Lee (Utah).

#Resist

[Athos_131]

Special counsel is investigating Trump for possible obstruction of justice, officials say

#Resist

[Northwest]

Senate overwhelmingly votes to curtail Trump’s power to ease Russia sanctions

The two senators who voted against the measure were Republicans Rand Paul (Ky.) and Mike Lee (Utah).

#Resist

Well good for them, Republicans included. That's exactly what we need from our elected representatives. This is huge (as well as a huge slap in the face to you know who).