Donald Trump Presidency discussion Thread VII (threadbanned users listed in OP)

Leroy42

Of course that is the angle they will try to spin. That Trump is entitled to remove any ambassador, which of course he is.

But that is irrelevant to this. 1st off, it shows he worked with Parnas, despite claiming he didn't know him.

Second, it shows Trump openly discussing USA secrets with either A) unknown individuals or unknown checked.

Either one opens up the real possibility that Trump , whether on purpose or not, is a severe threat to national security. And whilst they may contain it whilst he is POTUS, there can be little confidence in him not giving away secrets when he is finished.

Anyone who thinks this is a once off is kidding themselves. We already know he told the Russians about Israeli intelligence. There is a very strong possibility that he told secrets to Putin and Xi.

Itssoeasy

I meant to post this a few hours ago but at about 8:30pm when Adam Schiff(who I think is playing a blinder) took a break and an ABC news reporter said the senators were flagging a bit which is to be expected but apparently outside of the usual three GOP senators that may need to vote with the democrats it seems Lamar Alexander has said the house managers have “given me a lot to think about.”

StringerBell

I'd be surprised, if it's anything more than upon reflection the house blah blah blah, don't feel comfortable blah blah blah and let's let the American people decide whether Mr Trump is guilty and deserves to be removed or not blah blah blah.

duploelabs

Itssoeasy wrote: »

I meant to post this a few hours ago but at about 8:30pm when Adam Schiff(who I think is playing a blinder) took a break and an ABC news reporter said the senators were flagging a bit which is to be expected but apparently outside of the usual three GOP senators that may need to vote with the democrats it seems Lamar Alexander has said the house managers have “given me a lot to think about.”

Yeah, that comment was weird

aloyisious

It also seems the GOP is spinning a story that the Dems are using the trial to take over the position of Senate leadership from Mitch McConnell, pre-planning in advance of the next senate elections, an obvious attempt to rally the troops around Mitch and protect him for the GOP.

I don't know if this is a de-facto recognition by the GOP senate seat holders that Mitch is more important than Don at this time and a possible loosening of ties to Don. Maybe it's a harbinger of things to come: V/P Pence as presidential nominee. Don was at a anti-abortion rally today supporting their position on abortion.

everlast75

https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1220840205067919360?s=19

Un-****ing-believable.

Are we meant to believe that this is a complete coincidence? That he has "just" come to this realisation? Or that he always thought this to be the case?

Or how about, that's its blatantly because the overwhelming evidence is that he did it and it's as close as Trump gets to an apology.

This gaslighting is some next level sh1t.

BonnieSituation

everlast75 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1220840205067919360?s=19

Un-****ing-believable.

Are we meant to believe that this is a complete coincidence? That he has "just" come to this realisation? Or that he always thought this to be the case?

Or how about, that's its blatantly because the overwhelming evidence is that he did it and it's as close as Trump gets to an apology.

This gaslighting is some next level sh1t.

What prompted this?

Now when I say what prompted this announcement, I mean, where did it come out of? Was there a pre-prepared conference due to happen anyway and he came out with this garbage?

amandstu

BonnieSituation wrote: »

What prompted this?

Now when I say what prompted this announcement, I mean, where did it come out of? Was there a pre-prepared conference due to happen anyway and he came out with this garbage?

Does he has to say this to retain support from the GOP in the Senate?

His word has the value of S*** as we most of us here know so it feels purely stage managed and insincere.(at brst;manipulative more likely)

woohoo!!!

They're far to in with Trump to now turn on him. The senators are rightly getting a lot of heat. They'll be relieved that it's now the turn of the defence.

We know he's not going to be removed but the interesting thing is whether witnesses will be called. I'm not sure Mitch has it all sewn up.

everlast75

amandstu wrote: »

Does he has to say this to retain support from the GOP in the Senate?

His word has the value of S*** as we most of us here know so it feels purely stage managed and insincere.(at brst;manipulative more likely)

Is he able to resist walking it back though?

Whenever he comes close to admitting he was wrong, he instinctively goes back to doubling down

Igotadose

Pompeo seemingly cuts off an interview with NPR when he's asked whether he defended Marie Yovanovitch after he states he protected every State Department employee. He got testy and subtly nasty, of course.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pompeo-npr-mary-louise-kelly_n_5e2b73fdc5b6779e9c32c3e4

sid waddell

Igotadose wrote: »

Pompeo seemingly cuts off an interview with NPR when he's asked whether he defended Marie Yovanovitch after he states he protected every State Department employee. He got testy and subtly nasty, of course.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pompeo-npr-mary-louise-kelly_n_5e2b73fdc5b6779e9c32c3e4

Pretty much everything the Trump regime does carries the implied threat of physical violence and/or death against anybody stands up in any way against it.

This is the former, the intimidation of Yovanovitch was the latter.

Itssoeasy

woohoo!!! wrote: »

They're far to in with Trump to now turn on him. The senators are rightly getting a lot of heat. They'll be relieved that it's now the turn of the defence.

We know he's not going to be removed but the interesting thing is whether witnesses will be called. I'm not sure Mitch has it all sewn up.

Well given that Lamar Alexander said the house managers did a good job and they gave him a lot to think about is not what Mitch McConnell wants to be hearing publically. More than 3 GOP senators thinking isnt good.

Itssoeasy

Igotadose wrote: »

Pompeo seemingly cuts off an interview with NPR when he's asked whether he defended Marie Yovanovitch after he states he protected every State Department employee. He got testy and subtly nasty, of course.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pompeo-npr-mary-louise-kelly_n_5e2b73fdc5b6779e9c32c3e4

I've just read that now and You see the pressure people in the trump administration are under and especially amigo no1 who's name has been put into the senate record far too much for his liking over the past week.

fatherted1969

It's pure entertainment from this side of the water but I'd imagine within his own party it's far from funny. Think they're all so far in it now they'll just hope to ride it out to next week when its thrown out on the vote. Republican polls indicate that the voters want him impeached and removed from office by a very large majority. By ignoring the will of the voters they are taking a huge risk in ignoring the request for testimony and documents. Some of these senators will pay for it at the polling booths. For whatever reason Trump has a lot of control over the whole party. Interesting few months ahead

everlast75

Igotadose wrote: »

Pompeo seemingly cuts off an interview with NPR when he's asked whether he defended Marie Yovanovitch after he states he protected every State Department employee. He got testy and subtly nasty, of course.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pompeo-npr-mary-louise-kelly_n_5e2b73fdc5b6779e9c32c3e4

He's a thug.
Trump is a thug.
Barr is a thug.
Mulvaney is a thug.

They are all in the wrong, know it and are trying to intimidate their way out of it.

Oh, and Parnas is a thug too. The difference is, he's been caught by the short and curlies and is desperately trying to save his ass and has miraculously "found the path to redemption".

Itssoeasy

Lev Parnas is a thug but he has that awfully inconvenient thing that other ****e hawks don't like and that's proof.

aloyisious

everlast75 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1220840205067919360?s=19

Un-****ing-believable.

Definitely. The S at the end of elections is important as it seems to be inclusive of the 2020 election though I'll be very sceptical about the rods being pulled out of the fire by the foreign player. That's out of Dons hands now and he probably will forget the script again later.

Ref Mike Pompeo and the interview cut-off, is it in any way certain that he issued the instruction to recall Ambassador Yovanovich to the US, seeing as how it was under-secretaries she met and talked to at State on her return about her recall, according to her testimony [AFAIK]. Is there a chance that one/some of the regular State Dept people knew what was going on with the 3 amigos and pulled her out on their own authority without Pompeo's written authority leaving him to "concur" later for his own sake?

aloyisious

Senator Mike Rounds was very up front on the issue in June last about Don inviting in foreign interference to the 2020 election, saying Don must go along with the FBI when it came to that interference. Given how the GOP voted enbloc for Don at all the votes so far it seems Sen Round is fence-sitting now.

Call me Al

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Lev Parnas is a thug but he has that awfully inconvenient thing that other ****e hawks don't like and that's proof.

Evidence that's just being completely ignored by the red state Senate and 90% of registered GOP supporters.
They could see Trump commit the crime with their own two eyes and they'd deny it ever happened, or that it was ever a crime in the 1st place because "Hilary" or "Barack Hussein Obama" or "Hunter Biden" or some other deflection that they wrap around themselves to make them feel better.

woohoo!!!

Trump has insulted all around him and has made lots of enemies. When the time comes, the GOP will eviscerate him and seek to lay all the blame. It won't be now but when it happens it will be something to behold.

pixelburp

woohoo!!! wrote: »

Trump has insulted all around him and has made lots of enemies. When the time comes, the GOP will eviscerate him and seek to lay all the blame. It won't be now but when it happens it will be something to behold.

This. He has been the useful tool to ram through various judicial appointments and gut Obama era regulation. The tax bill has been a boon to the rich. The minute the Rep polls swing against him, or indeed is voted out of office, it'll be "Trump who?" from a mass of Red politicians suddenly experiencing a collective Road to Damascus moment.

everlast75

aloyisious wrote: »

Definitely. The S at the end of elections is important as it seems to be inclusive of the 2020 election though I'll be very sceptical about the rods being pulled out of the fire by the foreign player. That's out of Dons hands now and he probably will forget the script again later.

Ref Mike Pompeo and the interview cut-off, is it in any way certain that he issued the instruction to recall Ambassador Yovanovich to the US, seeing as how it was under-secretaries she met and talked to at State on her return about her recall, according to her testimony [AFAIK]. Is there a chance that one/some of the regular State Dept people knew what was going on with the 3 amigos and pulled her out on their own authority without Pompeo's written authority leaving him to "concur" later for his own sake?

The problem with Pompeo in particular is that Trump orders him to do stuff that is contrary to his role in looking after his staff. That puts him in an impossible position. Do trump's bidding and get eviscerated by the press or defend his staff and get eviscerated by Trump.

Whether he is comfortable or not throwing his staff to the wolves or not (reports from his previous role indicates he doesn't) is irrelevant.

Support Trump and sooner or later you are caught in a no win situation because he corrupts with his demands everyone he works with.

ancapailldorcha

woohoo!!! wrote: »

Trump has insulted all around him and has made lots of enemies. When the time comes, the GOP will eviscerate him and seek to lay all the blame. It won't be now but when it happens it will be something to behold.

pixelburp wrote: »

This. He has been the useful tool to ram through various judicial appointments and gut Obama era regulation. The tax bill has been a boon to the rich. The minute the Rep polls swing against him, or indeed is voted out of office, it'll be "Trump who?" from a mass of Red politicians suddenly experiencing a collective Road to Damascus moment.

I read a book recently about King John. John was a deeply unpopular king who struggled and ultimately failed to keep the Angevin empire intact. He overtaxed his barons and used his position to keep them in line which was a mixed success and led to several rebellions. However, once there was a legitimate rival in the form of the French king, Philip II Augustus several of them abandoned him.

Few, if any of these people are loyal to Trump. Trump has consistently shown himself to be willing to betray anyone any time it might stain him to show loyalty. I recall his tweet about "sloppy Steve Bannon". If he fails to be re-elected I forsee a lot of skeletons dropping out of the closet. The second it suits the GOP to dump him, they will. The thing with using fear to keep people in line is that that fear is based on power. Trump out of office either now or after the 2024 election means that he can't use his position this way.

duploelabs

everlast75 wrote: »

The problem with Pompeo in particular is that Trump orders him to do stuff that is contrary to his role in looking after his staff. That puts him in an impossible position. Do trump's bidding and get eviscerated by the press or defend his staff and get eviscerated by Trump.

Whether he is comfortable or not throwing his staff to the wolves or not (reports from his previous role indicates he doesn't) is irrelevant.

Support Trump and sooner or later you are caught in a no win situation because he corrupts with his demands everyone he works with.

Wasn't that one of the points of Hakeem Jeffries speach? When he addressed the republican senators and asked how will you feel when Trump turns his ire on you, where will they be when the music stops in this game of musical chairs

everlast75

duploelabs wrote: »

Wasn't that one of the points of Hakeem Jeffries speach? When he addressed the republican senators and asked how will you feel when Trump turns his ire on you, where will they be when the music stops in this game of musical chairs

Cohen was a clear example. He brought receipts.

Matt Gaetz is another. Dropped because he didn't vote a certain way.

Rudy is on his way to be another.

The lack of ability to see it coming is stunning. How many examples do they need?

aloyisious

everlast75 wrote: »

The problem with Pompeo in particular is that Trump orders him to do stuff that is contrary to his role in looking after his staff. That puts him in an impossible position. Do trump's bidding and get eviscerated by the press or defend his staff and get eviscerated by Trump.

Whether he is comfortable or not throwing his staff to the wolves or not (reports from his previous role indicates he doesn't) is irrelevant.

Support Trump and sooner or later you are caught in a no win situation because he corrupts with his demands everyone he works with.

This may not amount to a hill of beans. Ask Don for the order in writing and tell him an oral order will be ignored as "not worth the paper it's written on". It puts him on notice that bullying won't work. Firing may result but that allows one to state that fact at a media briefing, that one DID NOT retire or resign contrary to any White House statement lie. If the courage to walk away from him is not there if he refuses the order request, then one is just a can-carrier. What's happened so far lets Don continue being the only non-team player on the pitch because of his abuse of his POTUS position. One's re-employment chances won't end with Don firing you.

Leroy42

It also turns out that many more than the original 11 reported soldiers were hurt in the Iran retaliation strike. But what is more galling is that Trump dismissed their injuries are nothing serious.

But apparently this is the guy looking after vets, just not ones with brain injuries to would appear. And the worst thing is not that he thinks they are not injured, but that he is only saying it because he doesn't want to admit that anything really happened, as it takes away from him.

Why anyone thinks Trump is thinking of anyone but himself is beyond me.

Igotadose

Leroy42 wrote: »

It also turns out that many more than the original 11 reported soldiers were hurt in the Iran retaliation strike. But what is more galling is that Trump dismissed their injuries are nothing serious.

But apparently this is the guy looking after vets, just not ones with brain injuries to would appear. And the worst thing is not that he thinks they are not injured, but that he is only saying it because he doesn't want to admit that anything really happened, as it takes away from him.

Why anyone thinks Trump is thinking of anyone but himself is beyond me.

The head of the VFW's asked for an apology: https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2020/1/vfw-expects-apology-from-potus

I wonder what Trump'll do with this. Probably ignore it. VFW means a lot to the 'base'

Leroy42

Igotadose wrote: »

The head of the VFW's asked for an apology: https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2020/1/vfw-expects-apology-from-potus

I wonder what Trump'll do with this. Probably ignore it. VFW means a lot to the 'base'

Trump never apologies. He'll claim he never said it, and then shift to saying his words were twisted by the Left wing MSM and then simply claim it a nothing story made up and whipped up by the DNC who never got over HC losing the 2016 election.

But again, it will all be about him. How harshly treated he is, how unfair he is treated. He doesn't care one jot about the Vets of the soldiers.