The Trump Presidency – 2016

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

So Rudy apparantly butt-dialed a NBC reporter on Oct 15 who got the whole conversation on voice mail:


https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...-cash-n1071901

I'm about 75% certain this was more "accident" than accident.

[Thomkal]

Judge rules Justice Dept must give Democrats unredacted Mueller Grand Jury Materials by Oct 30. I'm sure they will appeal


https://www.politico.com/news/2019/1...mocrats-000299

[ISiddiqui]

At this point... Rudy has to be a Democratic plant right?

[JediKooter]

He was a spy for Obama but he was too big to fit in a microwave.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I'm about 75% certain this was more "accident" than accident.

Yeah, it's a way for him to seem like he legit believes these are concerns. Oh, and he name drops John Kerry in there as well. Seems intentional to me.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

He was a spy for Obama but he was too big to fit in a microwave.

I larfed.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

I larfed.

That sounds kind of exotic.

[Edward64]

I guess it may be a delaying tactic but if there isn't some sort of legal precedent already, if I was in his position I would ask or try to ask the (1) judicial branch on whether he should follow (2) legislative or (3) executive.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/25/polit...uit/index.html

A key witness in the impeachment inquiry has sought for a court to decide if he should testify, caught between a House subpoena and a demand from the White House to protect President Donald Trump's immunity from testifying to Congress.
:
:
"Plaintiff obviously cannot satisfy the competing demands of both the Legislative and Executive Branches, and he is aware of no controlling judicial authority definitively establishing which Branch's command should prevail," the challenge states.

[JPhillips]

Most politically corrupt administration in any of our lifetimes?

These two reports are just in past 12 hours.����

Dear #MAGA

This isn’t what you voted for either. pic.twitter.com/JCEHVVLmga

— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) October 26, 2019

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Edward64

I guess it may be a delaying tactic but if there isn't some sort of legal precedent already, if I was in his position I would ask or try to ask the (1) judicial branch on whether he should follow (2) legislative or (3) executive.

There's no need for a ruling here. The constitution clearly gives congress investigative and subpoena power and at no point gives the executive branch the power to ignore it. It's less delaying and more about creating as much chaos and doubt around the impeachment process.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

It is sad that people keep thinking the MAGA people care. That actually love this kind of thing. Show them Libtards!

[Edward64]

Nice. Iraqis, Kurds and Turkey (from another report) helped with intel and the raid.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/26/polit...day/index.html

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is believed to have been killed in a raid conducted by the US military in northwest Syria on Saturday, according to a senior US defense official and a source with knowledge. The final confirmation is pending while DNA and biometric testing is conducted, both sources tell CNN.

The defense official said it appears that Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest during the raid.

The raid was carried out by special operations commandos, a source familiar with the operation told CNN.

The CIA assisted in locating the ISIS leader, the defense official said. Iraqi forces also gave "important information" in the operation, Maj. Gen. Tahseen al-Khafaji, a spokesperson for the Iraqi Joint Operations told CNN.

The Kurdish-lead Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) tweeted that there was a "successful" joint operation with the US -- but did not specifically name what that operation was or give any further details.

"Successful & historical operation due to joint intelligence work with the United States of America," Mazloum Abdi, SDF General Commander tweeted Sunday.

[Lathum]

Can't wait for Trump to get on TV and take every ounce of credit for this

[PilotMan]

The only intelligence I trust is trump. Everyone else is in the Deep State and is out to get him and tri to coup the government away from him. He's the best general.

[PilotMan]

Dola

I cannot wait until he goes full Idi Amin.

[QuikSand]

Annie Karni on Twitter: ".@PressSec responds to Kelly:

“I worked with John Kelly, and he was totally unequipped to handle the genius of our great President.�"

Very normal, very ordinary, not cultish or disctatoresque at all. Why do you ask?

[SackAttack]

I just wanna know why our very stable genius President, who said he was gonna hire the best people, has instead trotted out a lineup of apparent wet napkins instead. You'd think a very stable genius would have a better handle on identifying the best people.

[GrantDawg]

So, now the pic from the situation room is supposedly staged because Trump was golfing when the raid took place. If this is true, I just can't. It is so stupid.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

So, now the pic from the situation room is supposedly staged because Trump was golfing when the raid took place. If this is true, I just can't. It is so stupid.

Everything is a con.

[Edward64]

if Trump gave up a photo opp to play golf, that would be pretty stupid. i assume Souza was the originator of this possibility, if so he seems to be backing off right now.

Obama White House Photographer Suggests Trump Situation Room Photo of Unfolding al-Baghdadi Raid Was Staged

Pete Souza, the former director of the White House Photography Office, called the timestamp of the Situation Room picture into question Sunday morning. Souza inferred that it's very unlikely President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and several top administration officials and generals were actively monitoring the raid on ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's compound when the photograph was taken Saturday in Washington.
:
In response to another now-deleted tweet, Souza continued acknowledging, that at the very least, it is possible the raid was still ongoing when Trump was photographed Saturday. "It's entirely possible that the raid was still going on at 5:05 p.m. Before drawing definite conclusions about the photo, reporters need to nail down the actual timeline of the raid."

Daily Kos Trending News Manager Jennifer Hayden remarked that a Trump golf outing tracker showed the president was golfing at 3:33 p.m. Washington time, as the raid was happening.

[Thomkal]

Trump, Melania, and several Republican Congressmen get booed at the World Series-didn't turn to cheers until they flashed to servicemen at the game and thanked them for the service.

[PilotMan]

You know, I think trump has either a very low opinion of, or genuinely HATES, with a captial H, dogs. He talks so much shit about dogs. How they lie, how they are beaten, how they die. It's almost like he's some sort of serial dog torturer.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

So, now the pic from the situation room is supposedly staged because Trump was golfing when the raid took place. If this is true, I just can't. It is so stupid.

That pic looks staged as hell. No one looks natural that picture. It's like they were all told to look like they're concentrating so half look like they're taking a shit.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by Atocep

That pic looks staged as hell. No one looks natural that picture. It's like they were all told to look like they're concentrating so half look like they're taking a shit.

That and someone just threw a few wires unconnected to anything to make it look like people were working on laptops

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

So, now the pic from the situation room is supposedly staged because Trump was golfing when the raid took place. If this is true, I just can't. It is so stupid.

According to snopes, the idea that the photo was staged is "unproven" as I type this.

Was a Photo of Trump in the White House Situation Room Staged?

Basically the idea that the raid occurred at 3pm is fake news and Trump was done golfing by the time the raid actually occurred which was 5 or 6 pm eastern.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Trump, Melania, and several Republican Congressmen get booed at the World Series-didn't turn to cheers until they flashed to servicemen at the game and thanked them for the service.

That was amazing. Really loud, audible boos as well, LOL.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Everything is a con.

If trump was a James Bond villain henchman, his name would be Con-Job.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

You know, I think trump has either a very low opinion of, or genuinely HATES, with a captial H, dogs. He talks so much shit about dogs. How they lie, how they are beaten, how they die. It's almost like he's some sort of serial dog torturer.

Take it for what its worth, one person's analysis in a right-right wing rag.

The strategic utility of mocking Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Although it might seem that Trump was resorting to standard fare rhetorical excesses, the president seems to have intended his words to carry a broader strategic effect here. Note, for example, Trump's repeated focus on dogs, an animal regarded by most Islamic teachings as unclean and unworthy of companionship. Describing Baghdadi's desperate, attempt to escape, Trump noted how "our dogs chased him down." Trump later observed that many ISIS fighters are "very frightened puppies" and concluded by saying that Baghdadi "died like a dog, he died like a coward."

This canine focus is extremely odd unless it is intentional, which I suspect it is. And that would be a good thing. ISIS presents itself as the holiest citadel of warriors, as a group serving God's pure and ordained will on Earth. But when the leader of ISIS's most hated adversary mocks its deceased caliph (emperor) as a fool who ran into a dead-end tunnel while being chased by lowly dogs, it erodes ISIS's credibility.

A concern I thought about is would Trump's insults escalate ISIL remnants to escalate their brutality. I guess its possible but decapitating hostages and distributing the video is already pretty high up there in brutality.

[PilotMan]

So he very intentionally called them dogs OR....


Everyone Donald Trump Has Called a Dog


and he still hates dogs.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

According to snopes, the idea that the photo was staged is "unproven" as I type this.

Was a Photo of Trump in the White House Situation Room Staged?

Basically the idea that the raid occurred at 3pm is fake news and Trump was done golfing by the time the raid actually occurred which was 5 or 6 pm eastern.

I do think Obama's situation room is a better pic though.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

So he very intentionally called them dogs OR....

Everyone Donald Trump Has Called a Dog

and he still hates dogs.

Oh, didn't know he used it that widespread and he apparently doesn't have a pet dog. Maybe a nice therapy dog will do him some good!

[cartman]

I'm trying to think the last time that Trump was in front of a crowd that wasn't one of his rallies, and I'm having a hard time trying to remember. This might have been the first time of his presidency he'd been outside of the bubble.

[HomerSimpson98]

National Championship game last year I think. It was in HotLanta but he got booed a bit there too. The real patriotic southern 'Murican had to go full throat to try and drown them libtards out

[Thomkal]

I see the "lock him up" chants at the ballgame last night is getting some commentary today. Not sure how I feel about it, but like Cartman said this might be one of the few times he's opened himself up to people who aren't too thrilled with him. I think he really went expecting to get cheered for his part in taking out the head of ISIS. He's never going to change, but the MAGA crowd/world still might, and we will have to work with them, live by them,etc going forward, so maybe we need to stop the lock him up chants and find something better to bring us together as much as possible going forward.

[PilotMan]

My biggest concern is that it's never going to end Thomkal. Never. It will now, always be like this. No matter who is leading. Having said that...



I think "send him back" would have also been a good one to hear, frankly.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

maybe we need to stop the lock him up chants

Nah. It's just desserts for the "Lock Her Up" chants.

[Kodos]

We should probably strive to be classier than Trump and his followers.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by Kodos

We should probably strive to be classier than Trump and his followers.

That's a pretty low bar to be honest. So shouldn't be too hard.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

I see the "lock him up" chants at the ballgame last night is getting some commentary today. Not sure how I feel about it, but like Cartman said this might be one of the few times he's opened himself up to people who aren't too thrilled with him. I think he really went expecting to get cheered for his part in taking out the head of ISIS. He's never going to change, but the MAGA crowd/world still might, and we will have to work with them, live by them,etc going forward, so maybe we need to stop the lock him up chants and find something better to bring us together as much as possible going forward.

Pretty sure the "Lock Him Up" chants are mocking him. He made a big deal of them during the campaign and turned around to commit a bunch of crimes.

Regardless, criminals should go to prison.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Kodos

We should probably strive to be classier than Trump and his followers.

I'm sure the weirdo cultists who have been disowned by their family and watch Infowars every day will change their opinion if the discourse changes.

You aren't going to change opinions of people like that. They've been in a bubble for too long.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I'm sure the weirdo cultists who have been disowned by their family and watch Infowars every day will change their opinion if the discourse changes.

You aren't going to change opinions of people like that. They've been in a bubble for too long.

What's the old saying? You can't reason someone out of something they never reasoned themselves into. Not sure if that's exactly right, but, Cult 45ers aren't that way because they are rational individuals, that's for sure.

[ISiddiqui]

It appears civility is only recommended for the moderate left, while the right can get away with all sorts of nonsense. Even "Lock him up" as a mockery of "Lock her up" is being called too far. The most egregious is the hack Joe Scarborough who back in 2016 said Lock her up was fine, but Lock him up is "not who we are as Americans".

I just think a lot of people on the left are fed up with the double standards. And if that means we aren't as 'classy' according to some standards while also getting the base riled up, then who cares.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

It appears civility is only recommended for the moderate left, while the right can get away with all sorts of nonsense. Even "Lock him up" as a mockery of "Lock her up" is being called too far. The most egregious is the hack Joe Scarborough who back in 2016 said Lock her up was fine, but Lock him up is "not who we are as Americans".

I just think a lot of people on the left are fed up with the double standards. And if that means we aren't as 'classy' according to some standards while also getting the base riled up, then who cares.

Well when Trump does it he is “telling it like it is” but when it’s done to him it’s unfair that he is getting picked on.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

It appears civility is only recommended for the moderate left, while the right can get away with all sorts of nonsense. Even "Lock him up" as a mockery of "Lock her up" is being called too far. The most egregious is the hack Joe Scarborough who back in 2016 said Lock her up was fine, but Lock him up is "not who we are as Americans".

I just think a lot of people on the left are fed up with the double standards. And if that means we aren't as 'classy' according to some standards while also getting the base riled up, then who cares.

Agree with you 1000%

[Kodos]

I just think that acting like Trump and his followers probably isn't the best way to attract undecided voters. Sure it feels good to turn it on him. I'll admit that I enjoyed watching footage of it.

It's kinda like a receiver who makes a big third-down conversion and then gives it back by taunting the man he beat. It'd probably be better to just trot back to the huddle.

[ISiddiqui]

The 'undecideds' (if there are really all that many of them around) apparently didn't mind it on the other foot. It's about getting the base engaged and ready to vote. I'd argue that a playful "Lock Him Up" may do that better than even policy proposals.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

It appears civility is only recommended for the moderate left, while the right can get away with all sorts of nonsense. Even "Lock him up" as a mockery of "Lock her up" is being called too far. The most egregious is the hack Joe Scarborough who back in 2016 said Lock her up was fine, but Lock him up is "not who we are as Americans".

I just think a lot of people on the left are fed up with the double standards. And if that means we aren't as 'classy' according to some standards while also getting the base riled up, then who cares.

Most of the "civility" crowd are people with power. They desperately don't want people speaking their minds and calling them out. They hate the idea of being questioned in public. In their mind, they should be able to say and do what they want and live in a little protected bubble where the peasants don't have a say.

For instance, Trump is in Chicago today trashing the city and the people in it. But if we dare boo him at a baseball game, we're the bad guys.

Fuck him and others who want to protect powerful people from criticism.

[Thomkal]

House will have a formal vote on impeachment procedures on Thursday to stop a GOP talking point:


Dear Colleague on Next Steps in House's Ongoing Impeachment Inquiry | Speaker Nancy Pelosi

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I just think that acting like Trump and his followers probably isn't the best way to attract undecided voters. Sure it feels good to turn it on him. I'll admit that I enjoyed watching footage of it.

It's kinda like a receiver who makes a big third-down conversion and then gives it back by taunting the man he beat. It'd probably be better to just trot back to the huddle.

I definitely see what you are saying. I'm more worried about more russian meddling in our elections and vote suppression by the GOP than offending an undecided voter.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I just think that acting like Trump and his followers probably isn't the best way to attract undecided voters. Sure it feels good to turn it on him. I'll admit that I enjoyed watching footage of it.

It's kinda like a receiver who makes a big third-down conversion and then gives it back by taunting the man he beat. It'd probably be better to just trot back to the huddle.

IMO it's more important to protect our norms and call out the right's behavior than it is to chase hypothetical undecided voters. We have to let people know that what we're seeing isn't acceptable and waiting until November 2020 isn't enough.

People were upset at the left continually calling out racism and were using that as one of the reasons Trump won. Any undecideds that are offended by calling out racism weren't voting dem in large enough groups to matter.

I'm all for calling out bullshit when it's seen and reminding this administration at every opportunity that they're on the wrong side of history.