Is President Trump Unwittingly Providing A Gold Mine To Our Opponents?
[guest post by Dana]
After the announcement that FBI Director James Comey was fired, President Trump took to Twitter and blasted Sen. Chuck Schumer for suggesting a possible a cover up was happening and that Comey’s termination reinforced the need for a special prosecutor:
Cryin’ Chuck Schumer stated recently, “I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer.” Then acts so indignant.
Then, in the early hours this morning, the president went on a full-throttle Twitter rant:
The timing of Comey’s termination and the president’s very public reaction to those criticizing him for it, is coincidentally timely with respect to an interesting article written by Tom Nichols, a former consultant to the CIA and former Sovietologist. I first read his comments in a long Twitter thread several days before the Comey event when Sally Yates was testifying before a Senate panel. That Nichols chose to take his Twitter thread and develop it into an insightful post is beneficial to anyone concerned about potential conflicts or dangers that could arise from a sitting president revealing his immediate reactions to events taking place in real time. Also, if you are like me and have been concerned about seemingly off-the-cuff tweets by the president, Nichols offers a unique perspective into the unintended, and potentially far-reaching consequences that might occur from indulging such impulses. Nichols’s premise is that by free-wheeling tweeting, President Trump is unwittingly providing a gold mine of valuable information to foreign intelligence officials. Not policy, mind you, but something else entirely. To a layperson like me, this doesn’t appear to be a prudent course for the nation he leads, nor one that is in the best interest of our national security.
Are President Trump’s tweets dangerous to our national security? I posed this question on Twitter, and immediately was deluged by the usual flood of partisan answers. The president’s supporters think it’s wonderful that Trump bypasses the media filter and speaks his mind directly to the voters. The president’s detractors think he’s revealing a neurotic personality and that his aides should take his phone away from him.
I approached the question differently. As I watched Trump fulminate against hearings in the Senate—during which former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates testified that she warned the White House about fallen National Security Adviser Mike Flynn’s Russian connections—it occurred to me that I was getting a real-time look at how the president of the United States reacts to stress.
More important, it also occurred to me that I was not the only one getting a raw feed of the president’s thoughts and emotions. I realized that any foreign intelligence analyst worth his or her salt was almost certainly taking copious notes.
As well they should. Trump’s tweets, from an intelligence standpoint, are a gold mine. Not because they contain classified information or reveal important aspects of U.S. policy, but because they are a direct and continuous stream of information about the president himself. Classified information is important, but an ongoing look inside the president’s head is, in many ways, more valuable than any transitory secrets.
Nichols bases his observations on his past professional experiences as he informs readers why the revelations of the president are a boon to those we might prefer not have such insights:
Leadership analysis is a difficult subject. In both academic studies and intelligence work, it is an art more than a science. But it is crucially important in foreign policy, especially during crises: the psyche of national leaders, their emotional reactions and cognitive maps, the idiom of their reactions, all become paramount in the search for information when states are at the brink of conflict.
Every nation in the world does this kind of analysis. I was for many years a practicing Kremlinologist, a Russian-speaking analyst who studied the Soviet leadership, read Soviet media, and carefully peeled back every statement and picture I could find to get as firm a handle as I could on the views and possible actions of the people pointing a massive nuclear arsenal at us.
I did this as a scholar, including in books analyzing Soviet politics, as well as in work I did as a consultant for the Central Intelligence Agency and other defense-related organizations. I also read such files, and have seen how they are constructed, as part of helping prepare briefings for a U.S. senator when I worked on Capitol Hill during the first Gulf War.
From this perspective, President Trump’s tweets reveal a great deal about the man. They show patterns of even the smallest details of his routine: when he wakes, what he watches, who he trusts in the media. They reveal even more about his emotions: they show how he speaks when he’s angry, who he thinks his audiences are, and what kind of issues take priority in his cognitive processes.
All of these could be helpful to an opponent in a number of circumstances, including trying to decide when communications from the United States are coming directly from the president or from a group of advisers.
Nichols illustrates this point with the issue of specific communications from the Kremlin to the U.S. during the Cuban missile crisis, and communications sent from the U.S. to the Kremlin during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
However, far be it for Nichols to tell a sitting president how to behave. Instead, he leaves readers with this caution:
I should note that I make no judgment here about the content of the president’s tweets. Sometimes they seem to contradict his own policies, but perhaps that is part of some plan that is opaque to me. What concerns me more specifically is that his tweets—which he might not be taking all that seriously—are becoming part of a psychological profile of the U.S. president being built in both friendly and enemy capitals that may not serve American interests well, not least because they could be misinterpreted and lead to disastrous miscalculations.
I am especially concerned that foreign intelligence services, over-analyzing what might be throwaway comments, believe they now have a clear picture of the president’s cognitive map. Right or wrong, this removes the uncertainty about a president’s actions that is necessary not only to an American leader’s freedom of action, but to the maintenance of stable deterrence with our opponents.
Ultimately, I suspect that Trump supporters will still cheer on a president who has allegedly bypassed a biased media to speak directly to them, and those less supportive of this president will now have their already expressed concerns validated.
On a side note: I am utterly uninterested in anyone’s boring, repetitive claim that this post is nothing more than a NeverTrump whine or that it is anti-Trump hysteria. Save your breath. Stop throwing out childish accusations, and instead, demonstrate to readers why Nichols’s concerns are misplaced. After all, you may be in agreement with John McCain: “Sometimes it’s important to watch what the President does rather than what he says.”
Read the whole article.
(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (023079) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:15 pmthis is exhausting
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:20 pmWhat is, happyfeet?
Dana (023079) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:27 pmTrump’s tweets are confusing to us Americans. I can only image the cognitive distress they might cause to nonAmericans who have the job of figuring it out.
I won’t say Nichols is wrong, but I suspect a good spy service would be able to figure out much of that by more traditional means.
But Trump ought to follow the example of Henry VIII. When once asked about his plans for an important topic of the moment, he answered “If the hat on my head knew what I thought, I would take it off and throw it in the fire.”
kishnevi (2dabdc) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:29 pmjust keeping up with all this
it’s really a lot of work
the only issue that really actually interested me today was the methane regulations
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:30 pmLet see Kennedy played a game of chicken have denied the placement of r7s in Cuba till practically the last moment when we discovered the Soviets had also placed tactical nuclear weapons. And delegatedaurhirity to use same.
narciso (bbcf9b) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:30 pmNichols is a bona fide dyed in the wool till the day he passes from this earth and then some thereafter Never Trumper.
He urged conservatives to vote for Clinton.
He lacks credibility as a result.
What he writes is interesting, but it can’t be divorced from the fact that he’s completely unable to write objectively and without bias when the subject is Donald Trump.
shipwreckedcrew (56b591) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:32 pmBreaking the fourth wall by pointing out that the resistance has a busted flush is salutary now if anybody had mentioned the deficiencies of the dossier or the crowdstrike report one could go into more detail.
narciso (bbcf9b) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:33 pmI think the masterful quality of Trump’s tweets indicates that he is in complete control of what they say, what they do not say, and what liberals imagine they read into them when they look at them but insert new words.
He is like an expert fencer showing you the openings that you are supposed to see.
Ingot (e5bf64) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:36 pmthe only issue that really actually interested me today was the methane regulations
And you got it wrong.
Great post, Dana. Nichols knows what he’s talking about. There are teams of analysts in Russia, China and other places, whose job is to build a psychological profile of Trump. To find out his tells and what pushes his buttons. The way poker players try to get a line on their opponents. And Trump is giving them a treasure trove of information. From what he says and from what he doesn’t; when he talks and when he is silent; when he tells the truth or when he lies; when he is literal or when he exaggerates.
nk (dbc370) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:38 pmShipwreckedcrew,
I don’t believe that Nichols’s feelings about Trump automatically determine that what he posits is without merit. If you do, and it sounds like it, please tell me where the substance of his point is off.
Dana (023079) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:39 pmWhat was a goldmine for foreign intelligence services were Hillary’s E-mails, especially the ones to and from President Obama. You know, the ones sharing real time intel collection information, and policy decisions.
President Trump’s tweets – yah an intel weenie can say all he wants about how much insight he gets from reading 150 characters of stream of consciousness snark – but he’s lying.
And Dana, your caveat is less than constructive.
Steven Malynn (d29fc3) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:42 pmAfter all, you may be in agreement with John McCain: “Sometimes it’s important to watch what the President does rather than what he says.”
Seriously?! A GOP senator channeling the famed quote from disgraced, Watergate convicted and imprisoned Nixon era Attorney General John Mitchell. Yeah, there’s a confidence builder.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:45 pmSteve Malynn,
I’m sorry you find it less than constructive. I understand as I too have found it less than constructive when, over any number of posts where I discuss something less than favorable about this president, there is typically at least one accusation of Trump Derangement. This even though very clear that I am seriously interested in hearing opposing views and discussing them. Not making drive-by accusations.
Dana (023079) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:48 pmYou know, this is not something Nichols invented. It’s something that countries’ intelligence services do for every important foreign leader. It’s a sure bet that our intelligence services have psychological profiles on Putin, Xi Jinping, Angela Merkel, Teresa May, Emmanuel Macron guy, and dozens of others.
nk (dbc370) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:49 pmHe didn’t claim to invent it, nk. It occurred to him and he shared. Maybe he’s behind the curve with it. I don’t know. But does he make a solid point specifically regarding Trump and his tweets ?
Dana (023079) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:52 pmWhat is most striking is he didn’t telegraph this firing at all, all the rizzotto tray press were completely in the dark, even though rosenstein’s appt was the key move.
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:53 pmI know Nichols didn’t claim to have invented it, Dana. I was rebutting the implication that he did because he’s a Never Trumper.
nk (dbc370) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:56 pmOh. Apologies, nk.
Dana (023079) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:57 pmI find Nichols writing interesting, but I find it interesting in the same way I find arguments from NARAL on a woman’s right to choose interesting — I know before I start where its going to end up.
shipwreckedcrew (56b591) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:57 pmhow did i screw up on the methanes?
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:58 pmI think figuring Trump out is going to burn out a few leftist politicians and foreign intel services.
So far, he has done pretty well. He needs to get the tax cut and the pruning of the feds done.
If the economy is doing well in 2018, the Dems will look like the Wiley E Coyote.
Mike K (f469ea) — 5/10/2017 @ 4:59 pmBut does he make a solid point specifically regarding Trump and his tweets ?
Yes. The tweets would be part of a whole load of information, from many sources, including conversations between the Russian ambassador and Jeff Sessions at a Heritage Foundation dinner, but I think they (the tweets) provide a substantial part of the grist for the mill that was not provided by other Presidents.
nk (dbc370) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:00 pmNow if w had actually cared more about the Mesopotamian project, he might have shown more vehemence against slanders that a dozen years later calcified into gospel.
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:02 pmhow did i screw up on the methanes?
The rule that was kept in place is that we capture the incidental methane from oil wells and use it as an energy source instead of just letting it vent into the atmosphere. You indicate yesterday that you favored methane as an energy source.
nk (dbc370) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:05 pmOkay. Trump’s twitters tell you a lot, but not what he’ll do next. Almost like the North Korea dictator.
MeHappy (674afb) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:13 pmHate to say it, but Happyfeet is right. The coordinated votes of the leftists in Congress through the Main Street Partnership to use just enough votes to undermine our economy is of much greater threat to US than tweets that may or may not be Trump’s. They will continue to rotate the voters just enough to defeat a pro-American agenda while pretending to be Republican.
NJRob (68f3b2) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:13 pmNow Nichols may be right but not in the way he intends, there were very few if any obama administration officials whoninderstood volodya, the mirroring problem common in international relations.
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:20 pmSo Chuckles Schumer takes to the Senate floor in the morning and demands that Rosenstein appoint a special prosecutor and in the afternoon of the same day demands that Rosenstein not be the one who appoints a special prosecutor.
What a demented, old putz.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:21 pmThe self-righteousness of #NeverTrump will be forever evergreen 🌲
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:23 pmIs President Trump Unwittingly Providing A Gold Mine To Our Opponents?
Russia’s Lavrov and Putin were availavble for Comey comments today.
Speaker of the House Ryan, not so much.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 5:45 pmTrump is decades overdue for a good sound bitch-slapping. Trouble is, the closest he came to a spanking was from the banks in the early ’90s. The GOP is a party of weaklings- cowards who hide in the shadows or travel in groups by bus with nobody having the guts to step up and Bogart the bad boy with his own medicine for any length of time– which is how he hijacked the party in the first place. There’s no Hugh Scotts or Barry Goldwaters on the roster. For McCain, the Hanoi Hilton was a pleasure palace compared to dealing with Trump. And Little Marco makes Peter Lorre look like Superman.
This could be a grand opportunity for Cruz to redeem himself, demonstrate the courage of his convictions and rise to become another Barry rather than languish as the party’s Baby Huey.
“When you’re slapped, you’ll take it and like it.” – Sam Spade [Humphrey Bogart] ‘The Maltese Falcon’ 1941
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 6:01 pmDCSCA… Goldilocks on teh hoof … color me amused…
Eliminating the possibility of 6.5 more years of Comey F-Ups is not only a good move, it’s a great move.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/10/2017 @ 6:04 pmNichols said the Trump White House was surprised that the Democrats didn’t cheer the firing. That’s how honest Nichols is.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/10/2017 @ 6:08 pmThat’s JOHN Nichols.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/10/2017 @ 6:12 pmRe Tom Kippur war, who that descended into a critical reaction is notable, the dems through their tool Cox were so diligent in knocking Nixon down a peg they didn’t notice a brushfire, burning in the Sinai. Mind you they were caught unaware about the Egyptian blitzkrieg.
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 6:14 pmNever trumpers would have loved this firing if their hand-job boy jebby did the firing.
mg (31009b) — 5/10/2017 @ 6:21 pmdon’t like it? go dustin yourself.
mg (31009b) — 5/10/2017 @ 6:22 pmDemocrat members of the House Intelligence Committee hired three IT specialists who, it turns out, were moles for the Muslim Brotherhood or one of its allied organizations. As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton set up and used for sending and receiving classified documents and information an email server which was entirely unsecured and more likely than not was hacked by every intelligent and inquiring 12-year old around the world. The DNC was either leaked – the leaker was the guy found dead on a street in D.C., robbed but with all his money etc – or was hacked because they’re not bright enough even to hire competent IT techs. Podesta was phished and his emails hacked. And we’re supposed to get upset about President Trump’s tweets that might reveal intelligence information or sources?? When anybody who wants to know just has to ask for a copy of Clinton’s emails or the DNC’s emails or – God help us! – the emails of the Democrat members of the House INTELLIGENCE Committee. Really? There has already been so much damage done to our intelligence apparat – not counting what Clapper and that other idiot, the Commie, did to our intel agencies – that it seems unlikely any enemy could possibly gain more useful info than they already have. Don’t forget all the Islamist-sympathizers and agents hired by President Obama, some (many?) of whom are still in place, feeding their controls and bosses with copies of whatever they have access to in D.C. But, oh, yes, let’s have a fit about President Trump’s twittering because it might reveal intelligence info or sources. I think the appropriate quotation is, “…straining at gnats and blinking at camels.”
Ike (216bbe) — 5/10/2017 @ 6:33 pmTrump should nominate Comey for FBI Director, saying that this way we will be sure he has bi-partisan support.
Neo (d1c681) — 5/10/2017 @ 7:41 pmHeh!
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/10/2017 @ 7:43 pm39 – Well said, Ike.
Will facts and common sense undermine the deranged Trump hate?
harkin (b5bb0f) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:09 pmDCSCA @ 32, that’s what an all volunteer military does to a people.
urbanleftbehind (847a06) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:13 pmTrump is decades overdue for a good sound bitch-slapping.
Thanks for reminding me which comments to scroll past.
Mike K (f469ea) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:26 pmThe possibility some could misunderstand this;
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/morning-joe-
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:30 pmtalks-treason-after-james-comey-firing/
Perhaps there is something untoward in these Tweets, but I don’t see it.
However, if you don’t like the Tweets, blame the media. With an honest and fair minded media, everything would be different. Trump, like any politician, wants to get his message out without the dishonest filtering the media gives him. How does he do that without Twitter? If anyone deserves condemnation for the problems the President’s Tweets may cause (I’m hesitant to believe there actually are any) it is the media. They are the enemy. As Glenn Reynolds likes to say, “Democratic Party operatives with bylines.”
It is difficult not to mention the obvious ulterior motive most have for condemning Trump’s Tweets.
ThOR (c9324e) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:38 pmSo tweeting is now a window to the soul… dear god what passes for intellect.
Blah Blah (44eaa0) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:47 pm@44. You’re welcome- for demonstrating you didn’t.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:50 pmWell it’s a short trip
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2017/05/the-associated-press-goes-around-the-bend-on-comey.php
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:51 pmI’m looking at a series of Democrats with by-lines comparing the Comey firing to any number of disasters.
Why haven’t any of them compared it to President Clinton firing his FBI director the day before Vince Foster was found with an extra hole in his head, lying on the bare ground when there should have been a puddle of blood, with a throw away gun pieced together from three different weapons?
Of course Mike Flynn would have to be found dead in a ditch somewhere for the comparison to be an accurate analog.
To ask the question is to answer it.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:53 pm“Democrat members of the House Intelligence Committee hired three IT specialists who, it turns out, were moles for the Muslim Brotherhood or one of its allied organizations.”
– Ike
Oh sh*t!! Which ones were those?!
Leviticus (cc120d) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:54 pmYou have to read these tweets from the bottom up to get them in the right order. Many other times when tweets are republished, they get arranged in the right ordr, tp to bottom
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:00 pmThere are a one man crime spree not to mention the Hezbollah connected figure they borrowed a 100 k from
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.dailycaller.com/2017/02/04/exclusive-house-intelligence-it-staffers-fired-in-computer-security-probe/
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:02 pmGOP strategy guru Steve Schmidt compares Trump to Captain Queeg on MSNBC’s 11th Hour.
Strawberries. With Cool Whip on top tonight.
“How sweet it is!” – Jackie Gleason ‘The Jackie Gleason Show’ CBS TV, 1960s
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:04 pm“I’ll say this for the suddenly departed FBI honcho James Comey: He’s caused enough cases of whiplash to collapse Obamacare before the end of the week. The left in particular likes its cardboard heroes and cartoon villains drawn in bright Sharpie colors, and Comey insists on jumping back and forth between one role and the other like a movie stuntman leaping the roofs from northbound to southbound train.
Comey’s not going to charge Hillary? What a stand-up guy! The very model of a dedicated public servant!
Comey’s re-opened the Hillary investigation? What a partisan hack! He’s just thrown the election to Trump! This is literally a police state!
Comey’s investigating Trump’s ties to Russia? Thank God! This career civil servant is all that stands between us and that fascist dictator!
Comey’s fingering Huma Abedin for forwarding emails to Carlos Danger? God, this Trump stooge won’t let up, will he?
Trump’s fired Comey? How dare he? This is a crisis for the integrity of our institutions…
Not surprisingly it’s hard for these poor folk to keep up – to the point where Stephen Colbert had to rebuke his audience for cheering his announcement that Comey had been fired. That would have been the appropriate reaction had Obama done it circa November 1st last year. But now it’s a constitutional outrage.”
https://www.steynonline.com/7790/posse-comey-tantrum
harkin (b5bb0f) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:07 pmHe lost the Kentucky governor’s race (It’s a classic case study) the California Senate race and hailed out of the 2008 race, it’s like getting sailing advice from the xo of titanic. Btw his firm, mercury, heavy stroganoff exposure.
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:07 pm@43. In this case it’s gonna take a sweet smile and good gams to get Daddy’s attention. In time, Ivanka is going to be the one to confront him and punch through the madness. No Julie or Tricia she.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:09 pmI would use chinatown, and dunaway’s confession
narciso (ba108c) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:09 pm50. papertiger (c8116c) — 5/10/2017 @ 8:53 pm
Because they don’t want to say that firing was wrong, obviously. They have to pick something rhat “everybody” says was wrong.
Well, maybe. Was that your answer?
You know, you and me wouldn’t make the comparison either, because we think, I think, that Sessions was fired in order for Clinton to get control over the FBI, and steer away some very sensitive investigation but I don’t think we think that Trump has such a plan, or is capable of carrying it out.
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:10 pmBut Trump ought to follow the example of Henry VIII…
Seems he is already. Heads are rolling.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:13 pm50. As I said on the “James Comey Fired” thread, this is the smoking gun in the Vincent Foster case:
http://i58.tinypic.com/ih8nx3.jpg
Of course, you need to know a lot of other facts in order to see it.
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:31 pm“So tweeting is now a window to the soul… dear god what passes for intellect.”
– Blah Blah
LOL
In our narcissistic / voyeuristic world, how could it be otherwise?
ThOR (c9324e) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:31 pmGOP strategy guru Steve Schmidt … … on MSNBC.
” You know, Burke, I don’t know which species is worse. You don’t see them [edit]ing each other over for a [edit] percentage.” – Ripley from Aliens 1986
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:35 pm39. There weren’t any real secrets on the DNC servers, so the IT people were patronage picks.
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:35 pmThe real way to gain insight into the thinking of the president and, very important, into what’s he’s NOT thinking or suspecting is to have private conversations with him, so
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:39 pmfor sure Tom Nichols would say a president should never meet, or have telephone conversations, with disreputable foreign leaders, except that I don’t think he would say that at all.
DC You going to sue Schmidt for copywrite infringement?
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/10/2017 @ 9:42 pm@66. LOL A strawberry milkshake will do.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 10:30 pm“John, I hope you got a chance to see The Colbert Report‘s two special episodes I had them do about CGI U that we taped in St. Louis this weekend,”
“This is the link to last nights with a sketch about commitments and the monologue and WJC interview aired Monday. Hope you enjoy and looking forward to your feedback.”
“Next will be your Colbert appearance!”
Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/clinton-foundation-used-stephen-colbert-improve-cf-image/#YjttclrMLbVSPZmr.99
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/10/2017 @ 10:33 pm@58. That noah-crossed a few minds- and lips- particularly Trump’s.
“… most people never have to face the fact that at the right time and the right place, they’re capable of ANYTHING.” – Noah Cross [John Huston] ‘Chinatown’ 1974
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/10/2017 @ 10:41 pmMissed the trick on Swearengen versus Wild Bill.
Video to go along with the quote.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/10/2017 @ 10:57 pmHi, on occasion I see a 400 server message when I view your website. I thought you may wish to know, regards
Siry (745096) — 5/10/2017 @ 11:37 pmCoulter was only half in gest:
https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/05/10/federal-court-rules-firing-of-felon-phoenix-va-director-unconstitutional/
narciso (81386f) — 5/11/2017 @ 5:34 amNinth Circus, right? And on top of that, the DOJ did not defend the appeal. It’s easy to steal home when there’s nobody on the bases. But it’s easy to cure, even if the Ninth Circuit is right: “The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall approve, overturn or modify the administrative judge’s decision, or take such other action as he deems appropriate, within 30 days.”
nk (dbc370) — 5/11/2017 @ 5:50 amas *is* appropriate
nk (dbc370) — 5/11/2017 @ 5:52 amUnicorns are so real, I saw one;
https://mobile.twitter.com/pamela_moore13/status/862107590003748864
narciso (81386f) — 5/11/2017 @ 6:00 amMeanwhile the nut root (I mean nutmeg state) is joining the bankruptcy pool, will California be next
narciso (81386f) — 5/11/2017 @ 6:03 amRemember this story the next time anyone sanctimoniously chides Republican voters for being “partisan”… http://www.jammiewf.com/2017/the-resistance-to-gop-congressman-this-is-how-were-going-to-kill-your-wife/
Colonel Haiku (cdb06f) — 5/11/2017 @ 6:03 amDCSCA… teh Goldilocks Factor Unhinged.
Colonel Haiku (cdb06f) — 5/11/2017 @ 6:05 amBlumenthal has almost troy McClure quality to him, recall that episode with gorsuch.
narciso (81386f) — 5/11/2017 @ 6:11 amYes he can barely keep up
http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/11/james-comey-firing-shows-democratic-media-hypocris/
narciso (81386f) — 5/11/2017 @ 6:39 amBlumenthal got caught out as a lying slimeball so he has to work extra to have his constituents believing: “Sure he’s a lying slimeball, but he’s our lying slimeball and that’s how we’ll WIN!!1!” Or did you think that [someone else 😉 ] had the exclusive patent on that?
nk (dbc370) — 5/11/2017 @ 6:46 amNichols says Trump gives away too much about who he is and what he thinks endangering US national interests. So why is it so hard to figure out if he’s secretly in league with the Russians and why would the Russians work to recruit people close to him and why are so many frequently surprised by his decisions/actions if his tweetbursts are so revealing?
crazy (d3b449) — 5/11/2017 @ 7:40 amNever mind:
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/2017/05/ed_markey_issues_mea_culpa_for_grand_jury_claim
narciso (81386f) — 5/11/2017 @ 7:44 amSo what is the irrational NeverTrump hysteria of the day?
Blah Blah (44eaa0) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:06 amYou want to see what happens when people are paid fat money (from the coffers of the Clinton Foundation) to endanger US national interests?
Here’s Colbert announcing the Comey firing.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:07 amGrounded the gears and switched lanes so fast his train seal audience couldn’t keep up.
A red queen foundation donor and ambassador to Qatar complaining she can’t claim American politics to an unelected eahhabi emirate in the times
narciso (81386f) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:14 amoh my goodness the washington post’s doing so much fake news about comey i can’t keep up
i love how fired comey is today
but gosh i could do without all this fake news
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:19 amFrom narciso link @ 80.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:22 amIt’s not even quality fake news, it’s like Shasta. Here’s the thing how do you get around the 12 instances where the Russians did influence policy that Michael waller outlined?
narciso (81386f) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:31 amI could imagine Trump talking to McCabe saying “If you play it straight and don’t go rogue on me, I’ll leave you in place. But we’ll be watching you.”
I think the permanent Director needs to be someone who has been an agent and understands the culture.
I would suggest Louis Freeh, who is over 65 but might take it as an interim.
The agents loved him. When my daughter was in the Academy, Freeh used to come down from DC and run with the agents-to-be. They ran seven miles a day.
Mike K (f469ea) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:34 amAbout General Flynn – The Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency is a three-star general or admiral who, upon nomination by the President and confirmation by the Senate, serves as the nation’s highest-ranking military intelligence officer. As the chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Director is the primary intelligence adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and also answers to the Director of National Intelligence through the civilian Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. The Director is also the Commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, a subordinate command of United States Strategic Command. Additionally, he chairs the Military Intelligence Board, which coordinates activities of the entire defense intelligence community.[1]
So in the coming days when Democrat operatives with by-lines are trying to make hay about Gen Flynn’s real or imagined connection with foreign governments, in the wake of Senate investigations the first and continued question should be, why was General Flynn nominated by President Obama?
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:37 amThe second question should be, why was General Flynn approved by the Democrat majority Senate?
come the end of next month the preckwinkle beverage tax is gonna make it where shasta’s a premium beverage your family can only afford on special occasions
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:39 am84.So what is the irrational NeverTrump hysteria of the day?
Well, if my local morning news is to believed, they bugged the Oval Office.
Remember that yesterday or the day before Trump met with some Russian officials in the White House. (I don’t remember which ones, and am too lazy to look up the information.) No US journalists were let in, only a Russian photographer. (Presumably so the President wouldn’t be harassed by “why did you fire Comey” questions. If that was the reason, I think it’s a good one.) Pictures of Trump posing with his visitors have emerged, on RT, I think.
This was all the “evidence” needed to claim that the Russkies managed to install eavesdropping equipment in the Oval Office while they were there. The White House had to actually issue a statement that all visitors are subjected to a security search when arriving, to deal with this nonsense.
kishnevi (2f2588) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:42 amI would concur with Mike K., hopefully no Kushner problems on account of Freeh’s years in the US Attys office in the area.
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:44 amHappy, the vendors have started the upcharging on individual soda cans already. And in the suburbs, the gas stations dropped the 16 oz King Cans of Soda that were 1.29 and went back to the 12 ozs that are now .99 up from .69 or .75. And just about every state is increasing their gas tax (even TN and SC), so hopefully your favorite Chinese beard is last Sec of Transportation post devolution to the states.
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:48 amgreat so the future eric garners will be lugging 12 can cases of soda,
narciso (d1f714) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:56 amshe clearly graduated from ambassador training institute,
https://twitter.com/gordonnyt/status/862475421119598594
narciso (d1f714) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:03 am96, only Sprite and Fantas – I think the colas will be everyone else’s province so to speak.
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:08 amnow this could make me lose my lunch:
https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/862671618262396928
narciso (d1f714) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:19 ami already created my own beverage it’s very tasty
a big pitcher of water
2-3 packets of true orange (this has a lil sugar)
5 packets of crystal light energy – they mix and match pretty easily but i have some favorite combos
then one packet of coconut pineapple emergen-c (this is what makes it so tasty)
i got some great looking bottles and i go through one in the morning and one in the afternoon
i hate you stupid preckwinkle lady i hate your stupid guts and I’m not paying your tax so you can suck it
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:21 amThere’s a political danger to Trump’s tweeting as well. It is letting his opponents have immediate feedback regarding their continuing efforts to keep him contained. The Democrat strategy is to give him so many moles to whack that he can do nothing but whack moles.
His responses to the various provocations let his tormentors know which of their sallies has been most productive and allows them to fine-tune their attacks. The ultimate Democrat goal is to have Trump thoroughly discredited as an ineffectual madman by the time the 2018 midterms arrive, then proceed with impeachment given their new majorities.
The bull is giving the toreadors all the feedback they need.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:43 amUnless Trump can break out of his containment, he will not be the GOP nominee in 2020, and possibly not the sitting president. He needs to start appointing people — VERY few executive positions are open, and he needs to fill the federal benches as there is no guarantee on control of the Senate. The administration needs to make clear policy proposals to Congress, and the Congress needs to stop infighting and act on it.
But no, they are all still fighting the last election, which is JUST where the Democrats want them.
Less tweeting, more action please.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:50 am“The bull is giving the toreadors all the feedback they need.”
– Kevin M
The problem, of course, is that Trump is a bull. Stupid, aggressive, and easily manipulated.
Leviticus (efada1) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:54 amMeanwhile, outside the Trump Defense Force Echo Chamber, the rest of the world talks about what we realize is going on.
Interesting times we live in!
Maybe it’s all fake news and this is all a fiction… if that’s true… why was Comey fired for stuff Trump was happy with for months and months? That doesn’t add up.
I’ve met Comey and he’s not only tall as f#$$ he’s a smart guy and comes across as doing his job for the right reasons. His actions under Lynch were extremely disappointing but I interpret them as a good man with an bad boss, something honest guys struggle with sometimes. I hope Comey redeems his reputation and think he has a lot more fight in him than Trump is predicting. Who knows? What I do know is that Trump’s defenders are freaking out more than usual and seem to have much to freak about.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:55 amYa think?
But in a society like ours, I guess it works. He is president. I didn’t think he had a shot in hell, even against Hillary, an awful candidate no one likes… not even her husband.
Let’s not pretend the guy isn’t a crude jackass.
Crude.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:58 amEvidence of collusion…
“While secretary of state, Hillary Clinton made a personal call to pressure Bangladesh’s prime minister to aid a donor to her husband’s charitable foundation despite federal ethics laws that require government officials to recuse themselves from matters that could impact their spouse’s business.
The Office of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina confirmed to Circa that Mrs. Clinton called her office in March 2011 to demand that Dr. Muhammed Yunus, a 2006 Nobel Peace prize winner, be restored to his role as chairman of the country’s most famous microcredit bank, Grameen Bank. The bank’s nonprofit Grameen America, which Yunus chairs, has given between $100,000 and $250,000 to the Clinton Global Initiative. Grameen Research, which is chaired by Yunus, has donated between $25,000 and $50,000, according to the Clinton Foundation website.
“Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telephoned Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in March 2011 insisting her not to remove Dr. Muhammad Yunus from the post of Managing Director of Grameen Bank,” Deputy Press Secretary Md Nazrul Islam told Circa in an email.”
http://circa.com/politics/clinton-pressured-bangladesh-prime-minister-personally-to-help-foundation-donor
Colonel Haiku (cdb06f) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:01 amEvidence of squirrel.
Leviticus (efada1) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:02 amKevin, I’ll agree with you on that.
There’s nothing a Trump defender would rather talk about than Hillary and how she’s not president. Every time Trump does something obviously foolish or unethical or contrary to his promises, we hear more about how bad Hillary is. It’s the mentality of a permanent minority party to put everything on the democrats all the time. Right now, everything is the GOP’s fault because the GOP is in charge of everything. Fix it or own it. Our debt, our bloated budget and bureaucracy, our immigration situation, Obamacare, that’s all on the GOP, and they need to fix it. Of course they can’t now because Trump handed the democrats a great reason to refuse to do anything.
We can expect to hear about Trump obstructing justice until a special prosecutor is appointed, and until that moment, I doubt the Senate will give Trump anything.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:20 amI see the whimpering continues.
Here’s Kurt Schlichter’s take – one that I share:
“We always knew Donald Trump was brassy, but until he sent half-stepping ex-FBI Director James Comey packing, we didn’t know that his manparts were made of brass. You gotta be hardcore to step up to that sanctimonious tool, that Kasich-With-A-Badge, and cut him off at the knees in the face of the inevitable monsoon of fake news media panic, girlish Democrat howling, and sputtering Menschian Russianoia.”
“No hesitation. No apologies. When it became inarguable that this pumped up functionary with delusions of omnipotence had finally passed his sell-by date, Trump pulled the trigger. That’s taking charge. That’s leading from the front. That’s regulating. Damn, it’s nice to once again have a chief executive who’s not a simpering femboy.”
ThOR (c9324e) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:21 amLOL I cross posted with Haiku, who was typing a long diatribe about Hillary to change the subject from Trump.
LOL LOL LOL.
Wow These guys
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:21 amreally know how to
lick a boot.
104. Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 9:55 am
I think Attorney General Jeff sessions – who probably devsed this PR strategy – was being too clever by half.
He had Rod Rosenbaum only write things that Democrats would have to agree with because they’d said it before themselves
The fact that this is not really what caused the firing doesn’t mean that what in fact caused the firing is the most dishonest purpose you can imagine. It’s not like Trump is either all good or all evil. Clinton maybe, (because the Clintons leave you no choice) but not Trump.
And Trump actually was not happy with Comey in July, and he has said so repeatedly. After October 28, the Democrats began criticizing what Comey had done in July because if they didn’t do that, their critcism of what he did in October would hold no water.
Having announced the investigation “closed” Comey also had to announce it was re-opened, particukalry since he had specifcally promised to notify certain members of Congress f that happened. Comey made no public announcement in October. He sent aletter to members of the committee. Democrats tried to pretend that only the Republicans were notified, but they were caught lying about that.
Hillary Clinton, and her partisans, had no grounds for complaints about Comey’s October 28 announcement unless they said his July 5 announcement was also wrong.
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:24 amDang, it must suck to be that insecure about one’s manhood.
Meanwhile, THoR, how about answering Beldar’s question: if Comey was this awful, why wasn’t he fired months ago? Why wait until the day after Comey announces to Congress that the investigation into Trump is ramping up?
Because he’s a badass macho man? OK bro.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:25 amThe fact that they were dishonest doesn’t mean they are all evil. And Hillary is all evil.
Thank you for sharing.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:26 am106.
I don’t think a “foundation” fits the legal definition of a “business,” even if it functions like that in many respects, and the Clintons have good lawyers.
Not good enough, though, to anticipate that if Hillary Clinton had all her non-deleted e-mail inspected, some of it inevitably would be found to contain classified information, and that could get her into new trouble. They didn’t warn her off requesting that ALL srviving e-mails be mad public.
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:31 am“We always knew Donald Trump was brassy, but until he sent half-stepping ex-FBI Director James Comey packing, we didn’t know that his manparts were made of brass.”
– THoR (via Kurt Schlicter)
Firing a subordinate by having your head of security deliver a letter to him takes “manparts made of brass” now? Seems to set a new and exceedingly low bar for Republican courage. Maybe this can be Trump’s new “personal Vietnam,” what with the equivalent courage he demonstrated attempting to avoid STDs while dodging the draft.
Leviticus (efada1) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:32 amComey’s sell by date was July 5, 2016. Just because Obama let him sit in the fridge accumulating bacteria doesn’t mean Trump should have–could have–thrown him in the garbage on Jan 20, 2016.
So why did Trump let him stay in the fridge that long?
My point is not that Trump shouldn’t have fired Comey. My point is that Trump should have fired Comey well before now.
kishnevi (2f2588) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:32 am“Keith, you go and tell the FBI receptionist to tell her boss to tell Jim Comey that he’s fired when he gets back from LA. And double the security detail, just to be safe – there’s no telling what that Comey fellow is capable of.”
Leviticus Channeling Donald Trump, He With the Manparts of Brass, Hero to THoRs and Schlicters (efada1) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:34 amWas Comey testifying before the Senate on Monday?
Think your axle has come off the hinge again. buddy.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:36 amLOL Leviticus, great point.
Trump handled this the way every cowardly boss does. Comey learned he was fired via the TV set because there’s no way Trump could fire him to his face without the real reason coming up.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:37 am113. Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:26 am
The Clintons always have character references. Comey, in fact, was one of them in July 2016. And they do other things to “prove” their innocence, so you have to find them completely innocent or completely guilty.
With the Clintons there are no small conspiracies. Either the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is the truth, or the Klinton Konspiracy is the truth. (But actually you have to be careful about attributing things to them because they spread derogatory lies about themselves.)
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:40 amDustin – I did.
Leviticus – He was firing Comey, not breaking up with this girlfriend.
I love this hyperventilating!
ThOR (c9324e) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:40 amHere we go.
Another Democrat caulk holster lost track of his binky.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:40 amA better question would be: “Why didn’t Obama fire Comey?”
ThOR (c9324e) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:42 amGreat point. And the likely reason he didn’t was that Trump admired just how muddled Comey was towards Hillary, and figured that SNAFU only made him more muddled and ineffective to investigate Trump. As soon as it’s clear that’s not so, Fired.
The timing, right when Flynn gets subpoenaed and Comey is telling congress he’s ramping up the investigation, has taken the speculation away from all but the most die hard partisans.
Nice dodge! And I love how you guys keep saying Trump’s critics must be mentally ill. You do realize I’m the mainstream and you’re the far fringe, right? You sought out the echo chamber, but the real world can see what Trump is doing.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:42 amNo, that’s actually not a better question, because it’s just shouting “squirrel”. Trump’s the guy under investigation, firing the guy in charge of the investigation, with an AG who had to recuse himself from the investigation and subpoenas flying the day before the firing.
I’m sorry, you’re the one talking about Trump’s testicles and being a freak.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:45 amThOR @ 123
kishnevi (2f2588) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:48 amhttps://patterico.com/2017/05/09/james-comey-fired/#comment-1996907
Well said. I just think Trump is more or less the same. Hillary’s vast right wing conspiracy vs Trump’s FAKE NEWS FAKE NEWS YOU’RE FIRED FOR INVESTIGATING BUT THANKS FOR TELLING ME YOU WEREN’T INVESTIGATING.
It’s not that different to me. No doubt if Hillary were president I would be equally critical of her; only the Trump fans would have changed their tune.
In fact, imagine this termination came a year ago, and Obama mentioned Comey’s investigation of Hillary’s emails in the letter.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:49 amYou’re right, Dustin. Absolutely. I’m the one making unhinged, conspiratorial arguments.
ThOR (c9324e) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:51 amkishnevi (2f2588) — 5/11/2017 @ 8:42 am
Yesterday, Wednesday, ands he met with the Russian Foreign Minister and the Ambassador to the United States. Much of the discussion they say was about Syria and also about Ukraine. The Russians have some kind of a peace plan for Syria. Trump had cleared just about everythig off his public schedule.
After meeting the Russians, Trump met with Henry Kissinger, so maybe that’s another thing he ahas n common with Nixon.
Probably the Russians requested no cameras. But U.S. journalists were let in to see him with Henry Kissinger.
That only happens on Saturday Night Live. In the skit it ws Vladimir Putin himself who presented Trump with a gift that was a bug.
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:51 amI think Dustin might’ve been pointing out the irony of you leveling accusations of “hyperventilation,” THoR, given the exceedingly breathless Kurt Schlicter squealing you just endorsed.
Leviticus (efada1) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:54 amJust maybe, Leviticus.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 10:58 amYou stand unparalleled in your efforts to discuss Trump’s testicles, which does make you a literal freak. No one else is doing that.
There’s nothing unhinged about discussing the fact that Comey was running a serious investigation about the conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia’s intelligence operation. Haiku quoted at length to split the hair of whether Trump personally was investigated, or just his operation. Trump may have denied this investigation’s existence in the letter firing Comey, but that’s just weirdly forcing a fact that isn’t true. Doesn’t mean he’s telling the truth.
Get this: Trump is not honest.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:01 amremember Obamagirl?
If she had been fantasizing about Obama’s genitals the way Trump’s fan is, I would have thrown up in my mouth. But fortunately she wasn’t quite that bad of a fangirl.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:02 amProbably the Russians requested no cameras.
The Russians brought the photographer with him.
That only happens on Saturday Night Live.
Tell that to NBC6 (the local station I heard this on).
Apparently enough people mistook the WH for SNL that the WH had to issue an official “you’re idiots” statement. (My paraphrase)
kishnevi (2f2588) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:04 amWe can expect to hear about Trump obstructing justice until a special prosecutor is appointed,
Why one. I’d appoint about nine.
IRS
Hillary’s email server
Benghazi
Political use of NSA
Phony FISA warrants to spy politically
Clinton Foundation foreign donations
Standing down the Border Patrol
Non-citizen voting in California
And sure, lets look into the Russian thing, but on the Democrat side, too.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:05 amNaw if it were a Dodge the lug nuts would have sheered off.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:06 amTrump fired Comey the day after he lied to Congress (not the first time) about the Huma emails, but it is Trump who is the liar.
Here’s the usually mild Scott Johnson over a Powerline to address your laughable argument about shutting down the investigation:
“The theme that Trump fired Comey to impede or shut down the investigation of his campaign’s alleged collusion with Russia is simply stupid. In harping on it, the Democrats and their media adjunct seek to exploit the ignorance and gullibility of the public. The FBI investigation continues. If there is a there there, the FBI will discover it. If there is no there there, the Democrats will continue to harp on it.”
ThOR (c9324e) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:08 am127. Trump usually provides no support for his claims of FALE NEWSbut the Clintons have all sorts of op-ed support and arguments.
We actually don’t know why Comey was fired, but it probably wasn’t to stop an investigation because, for one thing, this doesn’t do anything to stop any investigation. </b? I mean, how? To even begin to speculate, you've got to start inventing scenarios like crazy.
But Democrats have been trying to sic an Inspector Javert on Trump for some time and they will be satisfied with nothing less, and that's obvious.
Trump may have feared Comey wasn't impartial, but that's all. He can't get more than fairness – is the whole bureaucracy loyal to him?
You can say things like Trump wanted Comey to end the Russian investigation, but even if he did, it won't end; and even if he did, that doesn't mean there is something illegal that he did to find; and I also don’t think that Comey will say that Trump said that to him.
Sammy Finkelman (7b1b59) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:09 amthe bill engvold, ‘there’s your sign’ comes to mind, so what is the evidence of an investigation, the dodgy dossier, the unattributable malware that crowdstrike didn’t bother to exam, and passed it off to the bureau,
narciso (d1f714) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:09 amYeah, ya got nothing. Figured.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:10 amWhat acting FBI Director McCabe said in a response to a senator’s question about the White House assertions.
What acgting FBI Director McCabe meant.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:13 amooh look i has a data
https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?q=fbi%20corruption
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:17 amlook at the spike nov 5-6
https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?q=donald trump russia
cnn anderson cooper fake news was pulling out all the stops
who tried to use fake news to influence the election?
i don’t think this was russia
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:23 amJaysus, see the Holt interview and watch President Queeg go fruity.
From strawberries to Im-peach-ment.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:24 amDustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:01 am the fact that Comey was running a serious investigation about the conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia’s intelligence operation. I don’t think there was any such conspiracy. What see is a conspiracy by Russian intelligence to plant agents of influence in the Trump campaign, and even that couldn’t have happened without some key individual or two – an American or Americans starting the whole thing.
Three or four or five people who once were associated with Donald Trump are under investigation, and it is possible they may have conspired with the Russian government, and their names are Roger Stone, Mike Flynn, Carter Page, Paul Manafort, and Mike Flynn Jr. Some of them the Russians may ony have attempted to rope in but didn’t succeed. They did succeed in getting Donald Trump to take up a number of very pro-Russian policy positions, in which I include his opposition to the admission of Syrian refugees, and we don’t know what arguments might have been used to get Trump to say these things.
But I don’t think he has any modern day Alger Hiss’s working for him now.
The was an earlier investigation checking out the dossier that Fusion GPS paid for that had been provided to the FBI, especially the money connections. The Democrats keep on talking about that. The alleged business ties I think are from there.
Now what I think is that Putin et al thought Christpher Steele was working for MI6, not a Democrat Hillary backer, and so told him all kinds of imaginary bad stuff abouyt DOnald Trump, in order to create distrust between the U.K. government and the U.s. in case donald Trump was elected.
Sammy Finkelman (83cfe1) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:24 amoops here is link for 143
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:24 amYeah, they did, huh.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:29 amBad formatting. That should have started:
145.Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:01 am
I don’t think there was any such conspiracy…. (but rather a conspiracy to penetrate the Trump campaign and influence Trump.
The possible conspiracy was with certain individuals, not the Trump campaign as such, and the conspirators did not include Donald Trump himself. That is not to say that character flaws in Donald Trump did not make that possible.)
Sammy Finkelman (83cfe1) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:30 amIt was Comey’s “broad support within the FBI to this day” that got him fired. Wasn’t it?
YEAH. It was. And you know it warms the cockles of my heart after Scooter Libby and Martha Stewart that one of those FBI types gets done in by a slip of the tongue before Congress.
Good for the goose.
papertiger (c8116c) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:32 amHang in there, Thor. It’s teh Running of teh Pomeranians.
Protect your ankles!
Colonel Haiku (cdb06f) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:34 amSF: They did succeed in getting Donald Trump to take up a number of very pro-Russian policy positions,
147. Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:29 am
and these things need to be explained – at least politically they need to be explained, if not legally.
But I don’t think the explanation is, as the Democatic Party/Clinton campaign/entourage seems to be suggesting that the Russian government had or has a hold on Donald Trump and were blackmailing him, or that he was afraid they would hurt him financially, or that he hoped to make money – i.e. they were bribing him.
Donald Trump has a little bit too much money to bribed that way. Mike Flynn, not so.
There is also the idea that Russia was funneling money to his campaign, except that it is pretty clear that didn’t happen. They weren’t even paying Paul Manafort or Mike Flynn that blatantly.
And the there’s the claim maybe like Russia was doing pro-Trump hacking.
Now I can think of at least two ways Donald Trump could have been motivated to take pro-Russian positions:
A) It could have been argued – FALSELY – that they were to his political advantage.
B) One or two policy positions could have been argued to him on their merits – like getting Russia to defeat ISIS – with the idea also that if he were elected and if that could happen, it would have enormous political advantages to him – he would defeat ISIS without getting any American soldiers killed.
But this would be spoiled if he said anything bad about Putin.
Both A and B have some problems, A much more. B has a problem in that it was argued to him during the debate taht Russia was not fighting ISIS. Now perhaps Donald Trump was impervious to that.
I guess maybe you also have the idea that he thought Russia might be helping him in some way and he ddin’t want that to stop. But when would he first get this idea?
Sammy Finkelman (83cfe1) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:45 am“I am not a crook.” – President Nixon, 11/17/73
“I, me, personally, am not under investigation.” – President Queeg, 5/11/17
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:52 am141. Here’s another story about that
https://www.propublica.org/article/comeys-testimony-on-huma-abedin-forwarding-emails-was-inaccurate
I had the thought that Trump now had a something very close to good cause to fire Comey but thsis doesn’t seem to have played a role.
Sammy Finkelman (83cfe1) — 5/11/2017 @ 11:53 amSammy, I don’t know if they were blackmailing Trump. I don’t think we have enough information to get anywhere near there. And I don’t think we’ll ever really understand Trump’s bizarre favors to Russia without a special prosecutor. Clearly he’s going to fire anyone who tries to figure it out.
Trump is exactly who I warned he would be.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 12:01 pmi think he’s even better
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/11/2017 @ 12:05 pmMe, too, happy.
ThOR (67965a) — 5/11/2017 @ 12:17 pm@154. Warned? Americans decided many cycles ago they don’t want to be governed, they wish to be entertained. That’s Trump’s ‘MO.’
Problem is, Queeg turns out to be a sick man. And sooner or later, the ship of state is going to steam into a typhoon.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/11/2017 @ 12:23 pmAnother area where teh Madcow Munchkins that show up around here are way off base… http://dailycaller.com/2017/05/11/mccabe-not-aware-of-comey-asking-for-resources/?utm_campaign=atdailycaller&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social
Colonel Haiku (cdb06f) — 5/11/2017 @ 12:42 pmTheir own NT-ready army, perhaps?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-mormon-boy-scouts-of-america-20170511-story.html
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 5/11/2017 @ 12:45 pmWhen I don’t know what the prog left has in mind for spin, I read posts by Dustin.
mg (31009b) — 5/11/2017 @ 1:02 pmThanks for explaining. It was feeling a little light with only 6 Trump Defenders piling on with little dumb deflections and insults.
Yes, I am the progressive left, spinning this story, which really makes Trump look good except for my evil evil spin. Bwahahahahaha.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 1:41 pmyou don’t have to be skeptical of President Trump anymore
he has a good record of doing the correct policies and firing the bad apples
he’s like the one good thing America has going for it
happyfeet (28a91b) — 5/11/2017 @ 1:48 pm@161. Rest easy, Dustin. Go review Nixon’s numbers. That August day in 1974 when the Big Dick resigned the presidency in disgrace, Gallup numbers showed his popularity still at 24%.
“Impeach with honor.” – Protest sign outside White House, August, 1974
DCSCA (797bc0) — 5/11/2017 @ 2:13 pm129. The Trump White House is complaining they were lied to or mialwd by the Russians.
They were told the Russian photographer was Foreogn Monister Sergei Lavrov’s official photographer, but he also worked for TASS (or that’s his cover story) and the pictures were released to the public. (Sergei Kislyak, the Russian Ambassador to the United States was also there but no pictres were take of all three together.)
Sammy Finkelman (83cfe1) — 5/11/2017 @ 2:26 pmFiring a subordinate by having your head of security deliver a letter to him takes “manparts made of brass” now
Comey was in LA and Trump did not want to news to leak before he could tell Comey.
The “manparts” stuff is about firing him at all and knowing the left is going to go apeshit,
Mike K (f469ea) — 5/11/2017 @ 2:47 pmAnd I don’t think we’ll ever really understand Trump’s bizarre favors to Russia without a special prosecutor.
Wow, Dustin. Welcome to the fainting couch of the month club.
The “bizarre favor” of approving the pipeline and fracking which Obama tried to shut down ?
That favor ? There are a whole bunch coming.
Mike K (f469ea) — 5/11/2017 @ 2:50 pmChange bait, Dustin.
mg (31009b) — 5/11/2017 @ 2:59 pmhttps://townhall.com/political-cartoons/garyvarvel/2017/05/10/150367
So let me see if I have the Never Trumper’s view distilled correctly:
Foreign policy was handled “well” before Trump.
16 years of “kick the can” on North Korea and Iran–by all those foreign service ‘professionals’ and non-erratic presidents–made us safer.
Foreign opponents were “puzzled” and put to disarray by Obama’s bowing and accomodations.
We’d all be safer and more assured if Chelsea or the CGI were empowered to make things right.
All our problems stem from a man elected 100 days ago, who has appointed better judges, slowed refugees and illegal entries, won’t kick the can, or act like a dignified loser. If only he were more “stable” like the people who got us here.
The real problem with Trump’s detractors is a lack of memory, or the inab
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (5e0a82) — 5/11/2017 @ 4:13 pmI don’t recall talking about fracking. It’s amazing how Trump’s defense force like talking about anything but the topic at hand. Try to stop losing your mind over the fact that most Americans don’t like this guy.
This is called a strawman. I criticized the North Korean diplomacy of the Clinton administration for many years. I condemned Obama’s handling of Iran. Only an idiot would say we had no problems before Trump, and only an idiot would say Trump’s critics must hold such a view.
I’ve given Trump credit when it’s due to him, but he is a detestable human being.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 4:20 pmThe president of the united states, unable to place a phone call.
You do realize news did leak before he told Comey, right? What a stupid stupid defense you’ve attempted.
If Trump was so brave in firing Comey over the email issues cited, why didn’t he fire him months ago? Isn’t it odd that right now, when so much news about the Russia investigation emerges, that Trump flip flopped? No, of course not. Nothing Trump does is ever odd to you guys. He bragged he could shoot a guy in the street and you guys would defend him. He was insulting your intelligence when he said that.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 4:23 pmSo the Trump administration is saying the Russian investigation should end faster because they ditched Comey.
That is exactly why I said we need a special prosecutor. Yeah, Steve, I’m on crack and mentally ill and all that. I’m sure in ten seconds Trump’s people will say the exact opposite and call their original claim, that they canned Comey to end the Russian investigation, fake news. Who you gonna believe, Trump or your lying eyes?
Watch Trump flail and obviously lie, lie like a child caught red handed, when asked why he put in the letter that stuff about the Russia investigation.
Come on, Republican partisans, if not for your nation, do it for your party’s future. This is ridiculous. Demand a special prosecutor that can’t be fired to “hasten the end” of investigations.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 4:29 pmLots of howling, barking and attempts at showing grave concern by Democrats and their surrogates in the media and in the #NeverTrump ranks.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/11/2017 @ 5:21 pmActually rosenstein wrote the memo, thanks for playing and you get a copy of the home game and the case of rice aroni.
narciso (c07027) — 5/11/2017 @ 5:24 pmRemember when Pete singer diagnosed w as a psychopath good times eh.
narciso (c07027) — 5/11/2017 @ 5:27 pmDemocrat strategist Mustafa Tameez is just one more lying clown shown for what he is on the Tucker Carlson Show.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/11/2017 @ 5:34 pmLots of ’em running around these days.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/11/2017 @ 5:36 pm171. Dustin (ba94b2) — 5/11/2017 @ 4:29 pm
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 5/11/2017 @ 6:10 pm“Trump didn’t say anything about why he put it in the letter.”
Thank you for “proving” his point, Sammeh!
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/11/2017 @ 7:02 pmDustin, DCSCA – do you guys understand that Queeg was a hero (however flawed), and that the mutineers, while exonerated, would never get another promotion in real life?
You need to re-watch the movie, and the dressing down given to them by their Defense Counsel.
Outside of literary/movie criticism – your attempt to move every thread to “impeach Trump, because Russia”, while funny, is tedious.
Steven Malynn (d29fc3) — 5/12/2017 @ 6:20 am180 posts of why pretend “intelligence analysis” doubling as an Anti-Trump screed show how NeverTrumper articles will usually devolve into a Hate Trump scream fest.
Dana, your prophylaxis remarks were pointed at the wrong thread-jackers.
Steven Malynn (d29fc3) — 5/12/2017 @ 6:28 am170 – “You need to re-watch the movie, and the dressing down given to them by their Defense Counsel”.
Watch the Altman TV movie from 1988 – much closer to Wouk’s novel and, if anything, shows Keefer to be an even more despicable hound than MacMurray’s portrayal.
harkin (517285) — 5/12/2017 @ 7:11 am