As we discussed, the Helsinki Treason Summit either went off flawlessly or it was a disaster of cataclysmic proportions. It depends on your point of view. For Vladimir Putin, the Treason Summit went off flawlessly, even if his severely compromised American asset was much, much too obvious. For the American people, nothing will ever be the same in this neverending sh-tshow. What’s fascinating now is how unsurprising everything will be as the Republican establishment blows a lot of hot air about how SHOCKED they are… and then they’ll do absolutely nothing about it. Axios and other sites did “reaction pieces” about how people within the f–king Trump administration reacted to Trump’s flagrant treason. The reaction was both infuriating and unsurprising.
The official White House line is that Trump is a stupid narcissist: A number of people who’ve discussed election meddling with Trump, including current senior administration officials, say his brain can’t process that collusion and cyberattacks are two different things. Trump seems constitutionally incapable of taking anything Mueller finds seriously. He views the entire exercise as a “witch hunt” cooked up by Democrats and Deep State conspirators to undermine his election win. Ego prevents him acknowledging the possibility that any external action could have interfered with his glorious victory. The prevailing theory among Trump aides and alumni is pretty simple. “He can’t separate meddling from colluding,” said one source close to Trump. “He can’t publicly express any nuanced view because he thinks it concedes maybe there’s something he did wrong.”
No one will resign though: The handful of White House staff we have privately communicated with since today’s press conference are not proud of the man they work for. But he doesn’t expect any to resign.
Why he insulted American law enforcement & intelligence on foreign soil: Trump has, at times, privately conceded that Russia probably hacked. But the minute the word “election” comes up in conversation, his brain shifts into an attack mode that throws U.S. intelligence out the window and delights Putin. The source added: “His P.R. and legal strategy right now is to impugn the FBI in order to inoculate himself from the Mueller investigation writ large.”
Axios also has some statements from unnamed White House officials along the lines of “the president has lost his mind” and “I need a shower” and “I’m turning the TV off.” Again, note that no one is going to resign over this. There will be no larger repercussions within the administration or within the Republican caucus. It’s not like anyone will actually take a moral stance and say “I’m done with this bullsh-t.” No one will openly say “I’m taking this bag of evidence to Robert Mueller right now.”
As for Trump not being able to differentiate between “collusion” and “meddling” – that’s an odd argument for the administration to make, and for these unnamed people to spell it out like that. Trump can’t differentiate between “Russia meddled in the election” and “Russia colluded with the Trump campaign” and you know why? BECAUSE THEY ARE THE SAME F–KING THING. Putin wasn’t “meddling” in a vacuum – he had a goal, and that goal was to get Trump elected, because he already had enough on Trump to know that Trump would do his bidding. And that’s exactly what has happened. Why are we still parsing that? Trump isn’t even bothering to parse it anymore: he knows everything is connected, which is why he freaks out and behaves like a f–king traitor whenever anyone brings it up.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
I mean, they did not resign when the administration started to put children in cages so ¯_(ツ)_/¯.
For the first time yesterday when Dan Coats put out his statement, I got the concept that there are good people in the administration who feel it is their duty to remain, to do what they can, if for no other reason than whomever comes after them would be worse.
I know Dan Coats. He did not want this job. I don’t believe he wants it now. But I do believe he feels it is his duty to remain and to try to keep his portion of the intelligence services on track. When he put out that statement immediately – within a few minutes – after the treasonous press conference, I said out loud to my computer, “Way to go, Dan!”
I have to believe (or I would go insane) that there are more people like him. I believe Mattis may be one. I think McMaster was one, until he went too far and got fired. We’ll see if Coats has any repercussions from his statement yesterday.
This! It would not be much of a help if the only good people who are left would leave and make space for real Trump-aides. I also think most stay because they feel it is their duty to try to prevent the worst from happening. These people are professionals, they most certainly know what’s at stake.
Coats did the right thing. He’ll probably get an earful later, but his conscience will be clear.
Coats was saying days ago that the red lights are blinking. Our power grids, etc., are at risk. But the powers that be simply say we should spend more on protection (which in some way probably lines their pockets).
I don’t think anyone should look to Jim Mattis as any kind of savior. While he does have quite a few admirable leadership traits, and he did well in his military career, he is still a military-minded person who believes in hierarchical systems and doesn’t fully understand the civilian side of government. I don’t see him going up against Trump in any earth-shattering way.
Also, Mattis’s own record is far from spotless. He was responsible for the Mukaradeeb wedding party massacre that killed over 30 civilians (he said it only took him 30 seconds to make the decision to bomb them), and he once refused to send rescue and aid to U.S. troops after they were inadvertently bombed in friendly fire. He’s said that “it’s fun to shoot some people” and that he enjoys “brawling.” At the end of the day, he’s just another old white man prone to violence.
Dan Coates can’t be trusted either. I don’t understand why the press is patting Dan Coates on the back because he was privately meeting with a sanctioned Russian in January and we only found out about it because Russia was bragging about it. Dan Coates is like Lindsay Graham, he says one thing for the cameras, but behind closed doors he is doing everything possible to protect the Dotard. I don’t understand why the press suffers keeps suffering from these bouts of amnesia.
Plenty of reasons to be meeting with people – even shady people – and plenty of reasons not to publicize every darn meeting, particularly if you are the Director of National Intelligence.
The Russian he was meeting with was under sanctions, so there was no reason for Dan Coates to be meeting with him. Dan Coates didn’t publicize it because he knew that he wasn’t supposed to be having contact with the sanctioned Russian. Everyone in the Dotard’s administration has ties to Russia, including Dan Coates. The press shouldn’t fall for Dan Coates act because he is working with the Russians too.
Hillary warned us, Obama warned us. Everything Hillary and Obama told us during the 2016 campAign about Trump is true,,
HillRy said he was,mis Putins puppet and involved w Russia to compromise American elections and it’s true. Obama said our freedoms are at stake and it’s true ” both told us the Supreme Court was at stake and its true….but so many people had their heads in the sand or didn’t get off the sofa.
We were warned, yet so many people didn’t listen or didn’t care to listen.
Look at his f’ing hair. He is straight up insane.
The badly toupeed hair thatch, the garish orange makeup that stopped short of his jaw, his slumped posture with tiny hands clasped to hide small genitals all wrapped in a shabby suit. He is insane.
All that Make America Great. All those supporter wearing American Flag gear, flying the flag on their homes, talk of Immigrants ruining this nation. And we have a Big Orange Traitor sitting in the White House. And a Republican Party complicit in everything he does. All of this in less than 2 years. I didn’t know Democracy was so fragile. that it could be broken so quickly. Makes you think an that you have to be proactive.
It is scary how fast this has gone downhill, isn’t it? At one point I thought we could survive 4 years of anything. Now, I’m not so sure.
Why are the pundits all calling for people in the intelligence community to resign in protest instead of demanding the Manchurian candidate (Manchurian President?) resign?
Why amputate an otherwise healthy leg when there is one obvious wart that can be removed?
Some pundits just want to extend their TV time with this reality show.
Why? So that a bunch of incompetent lackies take their places and we’re entirely defenseless? This WILL end someday. Administrations come and go, while civil servants serve the people.
I’m not sure why the narrative of him not understanding the difference between collusion and cyber attacks being why he won’t speak out about Russian interference. That makes it sound like he’s just confused and clueless. Like somehow he’s blameless by virtue of being an arrogant moron.
He was complicit in every step of it. He knew what was going on then and he does now. Let’s just stop with the excuses.
And WH staff need to stop whining about how awful he is. Shut up or leave. Better yet, give evidence as to the sleazy things being done there.
But they won’t for the same reasons the GOP won’t actually take action – their hands are dirty too.
After the last two FBI shut downs by the congressional GOP, I’ finally convinced that they are compromised. Remember the GOP were hacked too but Russia and Wikileaks are holding on to the materials. So not only do they want Trump in power so they can get all their wishes of power and greed, but also to avoid Russia releasing bad deeds or things they have said.
I will never ever vote Republican in my lifetime. It’s a party of the spineless racists who love party more than America. It’s where freedom of religion and free speech go to die. These are not Patriots in any sense. Odd fact, Micaheal Hayden former CIA director, said translators are never debriefed. By last night, there were stories tat the American translator used in the meeting would be debriefed to provide details on the one on one talk. This is really bad when the intelligence agencies don’t trust the president. I’m sure he cut a trade deal with Russia for the ones he torpedoed with Europe and China. Second, the Republicans-all of them- will pivot to support his SC nominee by week’s end.
All of the take a knee uproar and then this take 2 figurative knees and now on national television.
Disgraceful.
I hope that same intelligence community he so flagrantly discourages, somehow managed to hear every word that was said when the two were alone. Smdh
Yeah I am REALLY hoping that they bugged that meeting.
I hope there were people on staff who got the translator to document what was said immediately after.
We were watching the news in horror yesterday. You know how all of this information about knowing someone is Russian Intel is coming from a secret source in Russia. Some Russian who is helping put all of these pieces together is more patriotic (albeit not to their country) than any republican in this country.
We had someone canvassing for a state seat stop by the house. Obviously we were working and they left a card. Turns out it was a card carrying republican stumping for someone who says they’re independent/not-quite-democrat. Even now they won’t say they’re a democrat. I live in a purple/blue district that voted for Hillary and they still can’t say they’re democrat.
I called the dude to ask, “I know it’s a state seat but when the federal government is threatening our national security, states have to protect us. Will you protect us from this treasonous president?” He was not expecting the call and not expecting the comment.
We all have to get out there. We all have to take this country back and then spend the next decade cleaning up this mess that we created.
I am a leftist but an Independent. I vote for Dems or leftist Indies. I will never ever be a member of a political party. I am glad to see people run as Independents since relying on a two party system is very problematic. It leaves room for people to run on their own platform and not have to play party politics all the time.
The National Democrats don’t look very strong at the moment. Why? I don’t know.
Ummm….wouldn’t quitting your job means that you have another one lined up somewhere else. None of these people are getting hired in the private sector. Good.
I wish that word *meddling* was replace with something like the more accurate *attacked.* Meddling sounds like a prank and belies the complete seriousness of what happened/is happening.
I’m physically ill.
Is there no bottom?
There is always more and it is always worse. I would offer comfort but, frankly, I think y’all should rage. Basically, what this guy said – (NSFW re language) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCxFnVe6RiM
There’s always a trap door with Drumpf.
I genuinely do not understand how so many Americans are able to put up with what is happening in their country on nearly daily basis.
Vast majority of people in my country would be in the streets, huge and peaceful demonstrations would be going on, general strike would be happening on weekly basis and mass resignations would be on the menu, regardless of the consequences.
Many would be willing to go to jail and even worse…
I’m stunned, outright treason in the front of the whole world and most Americans are just complaining on social media.
In the meanwhile Trump’s campaign is racking up the millions upon millions for Trump’s re-election campaign, but the Democrats and a lot of the US public is asleep at the wheel.
This is not going to end well.
Many of us in the world considered United States of America a beacon of freedom, albeit a flawed one with pervasive racism and other issues, but still a beacon.
Just shocking, truly shocking.
There was a spontaneous protest in Lafayette Square last night. Another one will be held tonight. I hear that there is going to be one in Times Square Wednesday.
#OccupyLafayette
What the Orange Nazi did is treason.
How much longer can we go on like this???
All of these Republican officials and their faux outrage can miss me with that bullshit. You got what you paid for. Don’t sit here and try to convince the rest of us you had no part in this farce of a presidency.
I wish Mueller would stop coddling the Dotard and start indicting him, his kids, Jared, and those republicans who have been obstructing his investigation(Devin Nunes, Chuck G, Trey Gowdy, Lindsay Graham, Jim Jordan, Matt G, and Meadows).
Notice for the first time in weeks the press has stopped covering the kids taking from their parents and the victims of Jim Jordan? The Dotard and his administration get away with so much because the press has a short attention span.
they all, including Pence, need to resign or be removed from office. additionally Paul Ryan & Mitch McConnell also need to resign immediately or be removed from office as they are 100% derelict in their duties and continue to provide cover for the coverup/obstruction of justice