The Trump Presidency – 2016

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

So now word comes that he's looking at Nikki Haley as Secretary Of State. Put Cruz in as Attorney General to go along with that, and if the President-Elect is to be believed, we'd have a Secretary Of State who is "an embarrassment" and an Attorney General who is a serial liar.

Come on, that was last episode. If he picks them they'll turn and no longer be heels.

A lot of this transition makes more sense if seen as a wrestling story line.

[ISiddiqui]

Wait, Nikki Haley?! I thought he couldn't stand her. Especially after the SC primary.

[jeff061]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Although at the end she said she was glad to talk to him again. Maybe instead enabling these people, when you call them out on their bullshit, don't then make with the niceties. Tell them to go to hell and they're not welcome back on your show.

I don't know, I appreciate some rationale discord that doesn't dissolve into Crossfire screaming matches. I thought she called him out on it pretty fiercly without turning a real discussion into a sideshow.

Granted, it seems most American's aren't bright enough to believe anything that isn't coated in hyperbole, high volume and red(or orange) faces.

Sigh.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by jeff061

I don't know, I appreciate some rationale discord that doesn't dissolve into Crossfire screaming matches. I thought she called him out on it pretty fiercly without turning a real discussion into a sideshow.

Granted, it seems most American's aren't bright enough to believe anything that isn't coated in hyperbole, high volume and red(or orange) faces.

Sigh.

I guess the argument is, are there things that are so abhorrent that allowing "equal time" or trying to respond to them with rational arguments just ends up adding legitimacy to what they're saying.

I think her response in the discussion itself was correct and measured, but there's no reason to exchange pleasantries at the end when what they said 10 seconds ago appeared to sicken you.

[jeff061]

I thought she dismissed him out right and he didn't challenge her response. Don't believe more screaming was needed.

Then again, I look at who we elected and I'm conflicted.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Wait, Nikki Haley?! I thought he couldn't stand her. Especially after the SC primary.

He got so irritated with her that she had to drop a "bless your heart" on him.

Nikki Haley response to Trump attack: 'Bless your heart' - CNNPolitics.com

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

So now word comes that he's looking at Nikki Haley as Secretary Of State.

God in Heaven above, I just nearly threw up.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

God in Heaven above, I just nearly threw up.

I knew you'd love that.

[Ben E Lou]

Hey, Ann Coulter approves at least!

If Trump wants an Indian Sec of State, how about Tonto?

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) November 17, 2016

[Easy Mac]

I feel like there's needs to an Elizabeth Warren joke somewhere.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

God in Heaven above, I just nearly threw up.

Nice to see Trump make your head explode.

[Jas_lov]

Now it's Mitt Romney being considered for Secy of State. Better than the alternatives I suppose.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Now it's Mitt Romney being considered for Secy of State. Better than the alternatives I suppose.

That can't be right. Both loath each other.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

That can't be right. Both loath each other.

How on earth does anyone claim to know how Trump feels about anyone???

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Now it's Mitt Romney being considered for Secy of State. Better than the alternatives I suppose.

It really feels like the press is getting played by people in the Trump camp just throwing out names for attention.

[jeff061]

Pretty much any of the politicians out there will swallow their pride, waffle and take any job Trump feeds them.

Trump forgets everything he says and his feelings for people/things once 5 minutes have elapsed.

So I won't be surprised by anything.

[jeff061]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

It really feels like the press is getting played by people in the Trump camp just throwing out names for attention.

And yeah, I think the press coverage of Trump now is even worse than the election. I hate Trump as much as the next guy, but I still want to trust what I hear from the media, even if I don't like it. Right now I have to take everything they say with a grain of salt.

[JPhillips]

Lamar Alexander, who chairs the Health Committee, says it will take years to repeal and replace Obamacare.

That should go over well.

[ISiddiqui]

If it's any more than 4 years, it won't happen... because Trump will be losing re-election bigly in that case.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Now it's Mitt Romney being considered for Secy of State. Better than the alternatives I suppose.

Now THAT news makes me think they're just fuckin' with people

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

If it's any more than 4 years, it won't happen... because Trump will be losing re-election bigly in that case.

Said the person who said Clinton would win

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Now THAT news makes me think they're just fuckin' with people

It makes me think that Trump might try to spend the whole 4 years in campaign mode.

[NobodyHere]

Michael Flynn is reportedly being offered the National Security Adviser job.

[JPhillips]

Trump killing it with foreign leaders. This is from his call with the British PM.

“If you travel to the US, you should let me know,” he told her, according to an official transcript of the conversation.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

It makes me think that Trump might try to spend the whole 4 years in campaign mode.

His wanting to sleep at Trump Tower and continue to hold big rallies hadn't already made you think that?

Trump doesn't want to be President. He wants to run for President. Forever.

Let other people do the actual work.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Trump killing it with foreign leaders. This is from his call with the British PM.

She could vacation here? Maybe at one of his hotels even.

[cuervo72]

Gonna start calling him President Rapunzel if he stays holed up in that tower.

[cuervo72]

So about that swamp...

Trump adviser linked to Turkish lobbying - POLITICO

[Ben E Lou]

Reports are coming in that Sessions has been offered the Attorney General job.

[cuervo72]

And Flynn for Security Advisor, Mike Pompeo for CIA.

[JPhillips]

NSA gets paid by Turkey and Russia.

That should be a big deal.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

And Flynn for Security Advisor, Mike Pompeo for CIA.

At least the new CIA head has only said this about Muslims and terrorist attacks

Instead of responding, silence has made these Islamic leaders across America potentially complicit in these acts, and more importantly still, in those that may well follow.

[corbes]

I lack confidence in our collective ability to correctly assess what is and is not a big deal. Seems like we are much more likely to focus on something Jeff Sessions may or may not have said, perhaps in jest perhaps not, thirty years ago.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Crap like this is uber annoying. Somebody is just throwing around taxpayer dollars and thinks that will somehow improve things. The lack of oversight here is appalling. This isn't a president thing. This is a total lack of accountability.

U.S. taxpayers footing the bill for security at unused 'Ghost Hotel' in Kabul | Fox News

[PilotMan]

What a shock that a 3rd world investment opportunity resulted in a 0% return. Wow.

I hear Africa is the new hotbed of global investment. I think I can get you in.

[larrymcg421]

Pretty clear at this point that we are not getting pre-2008 Trump.

[cuervo72]

Yep, gonna get our Tea Party utopia.

[molson]

I don't understand why Trump would be loyal to establishment Republicans, but there's a great many things I don't understand about Trump.

I guess it could be worse. My order of preference for a Trump presidency:

1. Independent maverick who makes rational decisions that annoy both parties.
2. Tool of the Republican party
3. Independent maverick who does irrational and crazy shit.

Looking like #2 so far.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by molson

I don't understand why Trump would be loyal to establishment Republicans, but there's a great many things I don't understand about Trump.

I guess it could be worse. My order of preference for a Trump presidency:

1. Independent maverick who makes rational decisions that annoy both parties.
2. Tool of the Republican party
3. Independent maverick who does irrational and crazy shit.

Looking like #2 so far.

I'd say looking like 2.5 so far with equal chance of going to 2 and 3.

[cuervo72]

I don't know that it's 2 at all -- would any of these folks have been offered these positions under a traditional Republican?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I don't know that it's 2 at all -- would any of these folks have been offered these positions under a traditional Republican?

Glad somebody else was scratching their head about that.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I don't know that it's 2 at all -- would any of these folks have been offered these positions under a traditional Republican?

Preibus. And I hedged with my 2.5 comment based on who else we might get.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I don't know that it's 2 at all -- would any of these folks have been offered these positions under a traditional Republican?

That doesn't mean that the people he's picked aren't associated with the traditional Republican leadership. It's the same team, just a different group of leaders. It's not like he's going out there and completely upsetting the apple cart to find people that don't fit the traditional mold.

[JPhillips]

Pompeo and Priebus are pretty normal picks, but Sessions, Bannon and Flynn would have no chance in any other GOP admin.

[Abe Sargent]

We need an Apprentice: Capital Hill, with the winner getting to be Secretary of State! And then a follow up for the Supreme Court next season!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

We need an Apprentice: Capital Hill, with the winner getting to be Secretary of State! And then a follow up for the Supreme Court next season!

Couldn't really turn out any worse than what we've been getting the past few years.

[RainMaker]

Sessions is bad news for marijuana legalization in a lot of states.

[larrymcg421]

It's also clear that Trump isn't at all concerned about distancing himself from ties to Putin.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Sessions is bad news for marijuana legalization in a lot of states.

But Republicans love letting the States decide things!

[Drake]

From what I can tell judging by my Facebook feed, the most immediate impact of the election has been to make the nutball[*] Republicans on my friends list even more stupid than they were in the months leading up to the election. They seem to have entered some mental zone of hysteria where winning an election means that everyone else has to shut the hell up and do what they say.


[*] I mean this in the sense of the chest-pounding idiots, not the rank-and-file Republicans who are, you know, normal people who believe in things like states' rights, small federal government, and the free-market economy. You know the guys I mean. They likely believe that automotive innovation peaked with 1970's pick up trucks, may or may not have a Confederate flag hanging up somewhere in their house (but they've definitely considered it, either way), and their most pressing ethical conundrum is whether or not they can finally wear their .45 pistol on their belt holster to church on Sunday morning instead of the mini-.38 ACP pea-shooter they've traditionally carried strapped to their ankle so as not to offend the old biddies.